WMS

Tips for Watershed Delineation

By aquaveo on March 23, 2022

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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WMS

Tips for Building a CE-QAUL-W2 Model

By aquaveo on February 9, 2022

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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WMS

Using the Database Import Wizard in WMS

By aquaveo on January 19, 2022

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.

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.

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.
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.
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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WMS

Making Use of WMS Contour Labels

By aquaveo on December 8, 2021

Does your watershed project need to display contour elevations values? WMS (as well as SMS and GMS) have the ability to use contour labels to help determine elevation levels at a glance, which can be very helpful for many projects, especially when modeling drainage. This post will review the different ways that contour labels can be utilized within WMS.

There are essentially two different forms or methods when it comes to applying contour labels to contours when working in WMS: manual and automatic. In both cases, the way contour labels are displayed can be modified in the Contour Label Options dialog, which can be accessed by clicking the Label Options… button when the Contour Options dialog has been brought up. Here there are options for color, orientation, font, scientific precision, etc. There is also a button to "Erase all existing contour labels" and start over from the beginning.

The manual method consists of using the Place contour label tool to click on contours and manually assign contour labels to the positions the user chooses. This option is only available in certain modules, such as 2-D Grid and Terrain Data. Note that these may disappear when options in the Contour Label Options dialog are modified, so it may be best to determine the contour options before you manually place contour labels. Labels can also disappear when contouring options are changed, when the Graphics Window is refreshed, or can even be manually deleted when holding down Shift and clicking on a label with this tool active.

The automatic method consists of using the Automatic Labels section in the Contour Label Options dialog to automatically populate labels along the contours. When activated, this allows you to set how many of the contours should be labeled, which contour to start with, and how far apart the labels are spaced out. Unlike in the manual method, changing options for these labels should not delete them, as they should automatically repopulate based on current settings when the OK button is clicked to close the Contour Label Options dialog.

While every project will be different, when using contour labels, some recommended settings to start off with would be to use "Color Fill and Linear" as the Contour Method, and to automatically space out labels. This way more discrete contours as well as gradient values can be easily displayed and it will be easy to determine at any given location what the elevation is. Also recommended is to avoid using white text in most instances, as it is usually difficult to read, except perhaps in instances where color fill is used.

Try out experimenting with contour labels in WMS 11.1 today!

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WMS