Aquaveo & Water Resources Engineering News

Exporting a Delimited Text File

By aquaveo on February 28, 2018

Sometimes, the best way to share your solution data is through a text file. Data in text files can be formatted in a variety of ways, but delimited text files are supported by the widest range of applications out there.

Creating a delimited text file out of your SMS project is a little different than simply exporting the project as a text file.

Select the Save As command in the File menu.
In the Save As dialog, change the File type to be Tabular Data File (*.txt). This tells SMS you want to create a delimited text file.
Enter a name for your file and make certain it is being saved to the correct directory.

After clicking Save in the Save As dialog, the Export Tabular File dialog should appear. In this dialog, you can specify how you want SMS to organize your file. You can select how many columns you want to have in your file and how those columns are going to be separated using a space, tab, or comma.

Importantly, you will need to select which data you want to have exported. You can select which mesh, grid, or scatter set you’d like to use, then define what will go in each column of the file.

The names of the column heads can be specified. If this option is used, the name of each column must entered in the column spreadsheet at the bottom of the dialog.

Clicking on the Data buttons in the column spreadsheet at the bottom of the dialog will bring up a dialog that lets you pick which datasets to include in each column. Normally, this will be your x, y, and z values. However, if you have more columns you can include other datasets. Both steady state and transient data can be exported.

You can also choose to have metadata saved with your file. This could include data such as the project projection or a polygon around the data boundaries.

Once done with organizing your file, click OK in the Export Tabular File dialog to save out your file. You can now send the text file to colleagues or use it in other projects with any software that can support a text file.

Try creating a delimited text file in the SMS today.

Blog tags:

SMS

GMS MODFLOW and ArcHydro Training in Yerevan, Armenia

By aquaveo on February 21, 2018

In January, Aquaveo sent Alan Lemon to Yerevan, Armenia to conduct a training course on using MODFLOW in GMS, and using ArcHydro Groundwater. The training covered the basics of using both GMS and ArcHydro Groundwater, as well as some specifics on how these tools could be applied in Armenia to help increase the efficiency of groundwater resource management. These trainings are very hands-on, which helps the participants more quickly learn how to use the tools.

Topics demonstrated and discussed included learning how to build customized AHGW geodatabases, and how to import, manage, and visualize various types of data for structures such as boreholes. The training also covered importing, editing, and visualizing 2D and 3D hydrogeologic models complete with cross sections and maps showing water levels and quality.

Members of the course included representatives from the Water Resources Management Agency and the Environmental Monitoring and Information Center of the Ministry of Nature Protection (MNP), Institute of Geological Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, the International Agribusiness Teaching Center at Armenian National Agrarian University, the American University of Armenia, and Yerevan State University.

This training was arranged by ME&A (Mendez England & Associates) as part of their ASPIRED (Advanced Science & Partnerships for Integrated Resource Development) program. We appreciate their help in arranging the training, and we appreciate the time and effort of all of the ministry and university participants. Despite having to work through a translator, all of the participants were focused and engaged, and a good rapport was developed.

We had a very enjoyable time there. To schedule your own onsite training course, visit the Aquaveo site today.

Blog tags:

GMS

Training

AHGW

3 Great Features in SMS 12.3 Beta

By aquaveo on February 14, 2018

Every new version of software comes with many new features and updates. The release of SMS 12.3 Beta is no different, with scores of updates and tweaks to make the user experience better. Most of these changes are behind the scenes, but we’d like to highlight three features which will prove very useful to our users.

1. Generating an observation arc plot

Right-clicking on an arc in an observation coverage now has the option to directly generate an observation profile plot from the selected arc. This allows you to see the elevations for the stream at that location. It is also faster than using the Plot Wizard. Simply use the Select Feature Arc tool to right-click on the specific arc and select Show Observation Plot.

2. Transparency options for filled polygons in the Map module

A transparency can now be set for filled polygons in the Map module. This means that materials coverages and other filled polygons can be better aligned with other coverages and GIS data such as background maps. Open the Display Options dialog, select "Map" from the list on the left, and turn on Fill in the Polygon section to access the Transparency slider.

3. Setting the Default Contour Range options

Some models include spin up or ramp times during which the numerical results are not within a typical range. This option provides a method for instructing SMS to skip these atypical or unreasonable values from impacting the default ranges of the contours computed.

Select Edit | Preferences… to bring up the Preferences dialog, then click Default Range Options in the Transient Contours section of the General tab to bring up the Default Transient Contour Range dialog. The dialog allows the first n time steps or hours to be skipped when creating the contour range, or to use the current time step.

Try out these features today by downloading the SMS 12.3 Beta.

Blog tags:

SMS

Take Advantage of the Cloud for Engineering

By aquaveo on February 7, 2018

These days, everything seems to be in “the cloud”, and for good reason. No more having to email or manually deliver a flash drive or DVD containing the documents or data. Having it stored in one online location accessible to everyone on the project makes everything more convenient, and makes it far easier to collaborate with others in your organization.

As an example a cloud-based application, you can use CityWater on the Aquaveo Portal, to access municipal water distribution data from anywhere using a modern web browser. One person uploads an input file for the model which can then be accessed by anyone in the organization.

Once the model has be uploaded, you and your colleagues can create multiple scenarios to generate alternate models. This allows quick collaboration for group planning of municipal water distribution projects. Feedback and comments can be made from multiple contributors to help everyone have their say. CityWater does all this while maintaining the integrity and security of the original model.

Your whole process becomes much simpler because the CityWater controls are designed from the ground up to scale from desktop to tablet to smart phone, all without removing any of the functionality. So, whether you’re in your office or out on a work site, the relevant data can be easily accessed with just a few taps. New and updated information can also be entered on the fly to make the model results more specific and accurate.

Because it doesn’t have to be purchased and installed on every computer or device, CityWater is much more cost effective. This allows the cost per user to be significantly lower, and your IT department won’t be burdened with additional work. The software behind CityWater is regularly updated, so anytime you log in through the Aquaveo Portal, you are using the most current version.

Try out the CityWater tool today by going to the Aquaveo Portal. Use “trycitywater” as the username and password.

Blog tags:

CityWater

Tethys