Aquaveo & Water Resources Engineering News

The model checker has been a feature of GMS from the beginning. The purpose of the model checker is to analyze the input data currently defined for a model simulation and report any obvious errors or potential problems. Running the Model Checker successfully does not guarantee that a solution will be correct. It simply serves as an initial check on the input data and can save a considerable amount of time that would otherwise be lost tracking down input errors.

In version 10 the model checker has been updated to make reading its results much easier (see the images below). If GMS does not find any obvious errors or warnings then a message highlighted in Green will appear at the top of the dialog letting you know that the input data is free from obvious errors. If your model contains warnings then a Yellow highlighted message will appear at the top of the dialog telling you that warnings were detected. Then as you scroll through the model checker output the warnings will be highlighted in Yellow. Finally, if your model has errors then a message highlighted in Red appears at the top of the dialog and as you scroll through the output the errors will be highlighted in Red. While these features may not be technological breakthroughs they make using the model checker even easier than previous version of GMS.

GMS uses a modified version of MODFLOW that can read data from HDF5 files. HDF5 is a binary, cross-platform file format for storing data. Large portions of the MODFLOW inputs are stored in an HDF5 file when creating a MODFLOW model in GMS. Large MODFLOW models are stored much more efficiently using HDF5 (compression ratios of 95% when compared to text files are common). Also, the read/write times are much faster with the binary HDF5 file when compared to text files.

Even though it has been shown that HDF5 with MODFLOW is extremely efficient, many users would also like to have their MODFLOW simulations in the native MODFLOW format. This is particularly true when completing a modeling project and the user needs to archive the project.

Native MODFLOW text files can be saved from GMS. Beginning with version 10.0, these text files also contain documentation comments that more clearly identify the contents of each line in the MODFLOW input file. Further, parameter definitions are also included in the text files.

There is a new video on the aquaveo youtube channel that highlights this feature. There is also a new tutorial that explains the various options associated with this feature.

• Fixed 6 bugs
• Finished major tasks related to improving native MODFLOW text
• Finished Map -> UGrid
• Help|GMS Help uses local help according to preference
• Finished a MODFLOW-LGR version of the Regional to Local tutorial
• Fix Layer Errors command now works for UGrids
• MODFLOW-USG solver now includes option to hide dimmed rows
• Added moles/liter to concentration units for PHT3D
• Added bitmaps for collapsed (non-pinned) windows
• Disabled attempt at opening of .zip and related file types
• Added MODFLOW-USG as a licensed component
• Lots of UGrid code development
• Horizons -> UGrid finished
• Create UGrid dialogs done
• Added number of 2D/3D elements in UGrid properties
• Import of UGrids from a VTK .vtu file done

• Fixed 6 bugs
• Good progress on UGrid creation workflows
• Interpolate to MODFLOW Layers for UGrids finished
• Good progress on improved native MODFLOW text output
• Model checker for MODFLOW-USG finished
• UGrid generation fixed to avoid tears
• UGrid module added to toolbar
• Module toolbar default location moved to top
• Pin/unpin functionality added to Project Explorer
• Some speed optimizations added
• GMS Training in UAE