WMS

Registering an Image in XMS

Do you have an image that you would like to add to your project, but that image doesn’t have any coordinate information? Many projects require that you have an image or map that defines the proposed location for structures, wells, or other objects. In XMS (GMS, SMS, and WMS) the image needs to have coordinate information in order to correctly align with the project data. If your image does not have coordinate information, the Register Image dialog will appear.

Example of the Register Image dialog

To use the Register Image dialog, designate three points on the image and enter the coordinate information for those points. XMS will then use those coordinates to create the coordinate data for the entire image. It is possible to register an image using only two points, but three points is recommended.

If you do not know the coordinate information for any points on the image, here is a tip for getting coordinate information for the image.

  1. Click the Add Online Maps macro to open the Virtual Earth Map Locator dialog.
  2. Search for the area of your image by putting the name into the search bar and click Jump to Search Location.
  3. Be sure that the entire project bounds are within the window and match the area of your unregistered image.
  4. Download the new image and set the projection for this image.
  5. Note: you could just use this new image, but if the image you are trying to import shows the location of proposed structures, boreholes, etc., then you may need to still import the unregistered image.
  6. Outside of XMS, use a photo viewer to open the unregistered image.
  7. Compare both images and find three places where you can easily tell that the images match up.
  8. Now, in XMS, place your mouse over one of the three locations that you will need the geographical coordinates for.
  9. At the bottom of XMS you can view the coordinate information. Write down the coordinate information, then repeat in two other places.
  10. Now that you have all of the location coordinates you need to register the image, open the unregistered image file in XMS to bring up the Register Image dialog.
  11. Click the three points you have coordinate information for and enter in the coordinates that you wrote down earlier.
  12. After registering the image, check the alignment of the images if needed.
  13. Try registering an image for your project in SMS, GMS, or WMS today!

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Tips for Watershed Delineation

Having a well delineated watershed basin can make a difference in your watershed model. WMS contains a method to automatically delineate a watershed for your projects. This tool can quickly create a delineated basin so you can move on with your watershed projects. This post will cover the different tips on how to help you successfully delineate a watershed basin in WMS.

Try switching between TOPAZ and TauDEM
Example of the Watershed Delineation Wizard in WMS

If using either TOPAZ or TauDEM fails to give you a valid watershed basin, try using the other. Switching between TOPAZ and TauDEM can help with delineating your watershed, however, it does depend on what you need for preprocessing. It is important to remember that TauDem can only work for pulling out streams, it does not work for ridges. This is why in most cases it is better to use TOPAZ. These tools both can take a while to run so it is best to get this process done as soon as possible.

Check the resolution of your DEM

If the resolution is too low on your DEM then it is unlikely that it will properly generate the data files. You can fix this by choosing a DEM that has a higher resolution. However, it is important to note that if the resolution is too high it may take too long for the data files to load and for the delineation process to finish. It is best to find a happy medium between the two so the data files will load, the delineation will go quickly, and the resolution will still hold up.

Adjust your outlet location

In order to delineate a watershed, you will need a place for all the water to end up flowing to. A misplaced outlet point can cause issues with the delineation process. Adjusting the location of the outlet point can improve the final basin results.

Try out delineating watershed basins on your project in WMS 11.1 today!

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Tips for Building a CE-QAUL-W2 Model

Are you building a CE-QUAL-W2 model in WMS? CE-QUAL-W2 is a 2D laterally averaged hydrodynamic and water quality model. It can model vertical variance, eutrophication, seasonal turnover, algal blooms, etc. if incoming pollutants are known. Setting up a CE-QUAL-W2 simulation involves dividing the reservoir into segments, branches, and layers and determining the geometric properties of each segment, branch, and layer.

When building a CE-QUAL-W2 model, keep the following in mind:

  • Make certain that the site you have chosen is appropriate for the CE-QUAL-W2 numeric model. It is best applied to long and narrow water bodies that have longitudinal and vertical water quality gradients. The further your site location deviates from a long and narrow water body, the less ideal it is to CE-QUAL-W2.
  • Example of smoothing an arc for a CE-QUAL-W2 model
  • When setting up branches, you may need to remove smaller branches and offshoots. This may particularly be the case if you used the TIN Boundaries to Features command. Using this command can end up including small branches and offshoots that are unnecessary for the final model. Each branch should be examined and judgment exercised on the importance of including it in the model. To remove the unnecessary branches, smooth out the bounding polygon.
  • Before smoothing out a bounding polygon, it is recommended that you duplicate the original map coverage in order to retain the original coverage data. Then use the map tools to smooth out the bounding polygon for the coverage that will be included in the model. Remove any extra coverages when you finish smoothing the bounding polygon.
  • Verify that all segments are measured and assigned correctly. This is done by double-clicking on any segment in the segment coverage and using the Polygon Segment Attributes dialog to review each of the segments. Either enter values for segments that are missing attributes or remove the segment.
  • Review branches through the Polygon Branch Attributes dialog. This is accessed by double-clicking on any branch in the branch coverage. Make certain to enter values for all branches.

Using the tips above can help assure that your CE-QUAL-W2 model executes correctly. For additional support, contact our technical support staff. Try out CE-QUAL_W2 in WMS today!

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Using the Database Import Wizard in WMS

Do you have data stored in a database that you would like to import into your WMS project? Occasionally you might find yourself with a database that needs to be imported into your WMS project. This might be a geodatabase or some other sort of database containing GIS data that WMS does not recognize natively.

To import a database, WMS uses the Import Database Wizard. The wizard is accessed through the Import From Database command in the File menu. Once the wizard has been launched, there are a few steps you need to follow.

  1. Connect to a database. Use the Connect to Database button to connect to a database located on your computer or on a network. A preview of the database will be displayed in the tables in the wizard.
  2. The Import Database Wizard
  3. Query information from a database table. You will have the option to create, copy, delete and import queries that retrieve data from the database. The query uses basic SQL statements which can be entered in the provided fields.
  4. View results of the query. The results of the database query are displayed for you to review. If the results are not what you expected, you will have the option to return to the previous step to fix the issues.
  5. Assign column type. You can select the kind of data that will be imported into WMS. The kind of data should be of the file types supported by WMS. There is also the option to set files as "no data".

After the data has been imported into your project, you can make use of the coordinate transformation tools in WMS to transform or translate the data if necessary.

If you have a database with data you would like to import into WMS, try using the Import Database Wizard in WMS today!

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