February 2012
9 posts
How to Make a Smaller Model out of a Large Model...
Subject:   How to Make a Smaller Model out of a Large Model in InfoSWMM   InfoSWMM and H2OMAP SWMM will export only those ACTIVE elements to SWMM 5 as defined by the Facility Manager.  You can use the feature to make smaller SWMM 5 models and then reimport the exported smaller SWMM 5 model back into a H2OMAP SWMM or InfoSWMM scenario.      
Feb 17th
Maximum Surcharge Height Over Crown Explanation
Note:   Maximum Surcharge Height Over Crown Explanation   Here is an example of how the Maximum Surcharge Height over the Node Crown is calculated.     Consider a manhole with an invert of 10 feet,  one incoming pipe (Pipe A), one outgoing pipe (Pipe B), both pipes with a diameter of 2 feet, but the invert  of Pipe A is 10 feet and the invert of Pipe B is 11 feet.  What is the Maximum Surcharge...
Feb 8th
The Importance of Viewing Results at the Proper...
Subject:   The Importance of Viewing Results at the Proper Time Scale   In SWMM 5 when you are simulating rapidly changing flow – such as pump flows – it is important to  remember that you are only seeing the results of the simulation at your selected report time step.  Here is an example model with the same number of pump starts for all three simulations (318), the same  average time step during...
Feb 6th
An Example of the Importance of the Term DQ4 in...
Subject:   An Example of the Importance of the Term DQ4 in the SWMM 5 St Venant SolutionThe four terms are are used in the new flow for a time step of Qnew: Qnew = (Qold – dq2 + dq3 + dq4) / ( 1 + dq1) when the force main or gravity main is full dq3 and dq4 are zero and  Qnew = (Qold – dq2) / ( 1 + dq1) The dq4 term in dynamic.c uses the area upstream (a1) and area downstream (a2), the midpoint...
Feb 6th
ArcToolBox GIF
Feb 6th
Use the SWMM 5 Scatter Graph to show the Pump...
Subject:  Use the SWMM 5 Scatter Graph to show the Pump Curve used during the Simulation   You can use a scatter graph to show the relationship between the pump during the simulation and the Storage Depth.   If the pump is on the curve based on the pump summary table then the scatter graph should  look like the pump curve.  The pump summary table in the  SWMM 5 RPT also shows you the time off the...
Feb 6th
From SciAM - Why Plants are important to River...
Thanks to Plants, We Will Never Find a Planet Like Earth Earth’s flora is responsible for the glaciers and rivers that have created this planet’s distinctive landscape Perhaps even more surprisingly, vascular plants formed the kinds of rivers we see around us today, according to another article by Martin Gibling of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia and Neil Davies of the University...
Feb 5th
How to Import the SWMM 5 Report File as a Layer in...
Subject:  How to Import the SWMM 5 Report File as a Layer in infoSWMM   The idea of this blog of note is to show how one may extract information from the SWMM 5 or InfoSWMM RPT file and import the Excel  File as a feature in InfoSWMM.  This blog has an example Excel file to illustrate the linkage. The steps are:   Step 1:  Copy the whole row  from Conduit Summary from the InfoSWMM Browser Step...
Feb 5th
How to Approximate a Timer in the RTC Rules of...
Subject:   How to Approximate a Timer in the RTC Rules of SWMM 5   SWMM 5 does not have a explicit timer in its Real Time Control (RTC) rules but you can approximate it by using a Control Curve as in the attached example model.  The Control Curve will modify the setting of the Weir by the Inflow to the Storage node.  You can have normal weir flow settings based on the invert elevation of the...
Feb 4th
January 2012
24 posts
North Carolina City Chooses InfoSewer
North Carolina City Chooses InfoSewer ArcGIS Based Sewer Modeling Package Helps Hendersonville, NC Model and Manage Its Collection System Broomfield, Colorado, USA, January 31, 2012 Innovyze, a leading global innovator of business analytics software and technologies for wet infrastructure, today announced the City of Hendersonville, North Carolina, has selected InfoSewer for ArcGIS (Esri,...
Jan 31st
Changing the rules in the middle of the game:...
Changing the rules in the middle of the game: Philadelphia’s green infrastructure Category: Water Posted on: January 18, 2012 4:14 PM, by Liz Borkowski Aging US water infrastructure has meant more leaks, flooded basements, and massive sinkholes in cities across the US. Fixing the water and sewer systems in need of repair will take billions of dollars, and it’s hard to find...
Jan 29th
Example SWMM 5 Model for Activated Slude
Note:   Example SWMM 5 Model for Activated Sludge   Here is one example of how to model an activated sludge tank.  The image is Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_sludge)  and is the watermark background in the SWMM 5 GUI.  There is 100 lps inflow, 20 percent recycle and 10 percent sludge drawoff.   You can adjust the amount of recycle and sludge altering the pump type 2 flows...
Jan 28th
Three Flow Divider Link Example in SWMM 5
Subject:  Three Flow Divider Link Example in SWMM 5   You can have more than 2 downstream OUTLET Type links in the SWMM 5 dynamic wave solution.  Each link, Under5, Over5 and ReturnFlow is an OUTLET Link with a rating curve depth/flow table.  Depending on the depth in the storage node DIVIDER, the flow is computed from the table for links Under5, Over5 and ReturnFlow.     ...
Jan 28th
Output Statstics Manager to find negative flows in...
Subject:  Output Statstics Manager to find negative flows in InfoSWMM   Output Statstics Manager to find negative flows with these parameters:   1.       Pipe Features 2.       Use a Domain with your force mains 3.       Select Flow 4.       Event Dependent 5.       Total – NOT Mean or Peak to  find the negative and positive flows 6.       Large NEGATIVE Flow Threshold 7.       Large NEGATIVE...
Jan 28th
Flow Dividers in SWMM 5 Dynamic Routing
Note:  Flow Dividers in SWMM 5 Dynamic Routing   You can  have flow dividers in SWMM 5 dynamic routing by using Storage Nodes for the dividers, OUTLET links for the downstream links and minimizing downstream HGL effects. The needed components are:   1.   A Storage Node for the divider node as a OUTLET Link does not have a Surface Area, 2.   Two or More OUTLET Links as the downstream diversion...
Jan 28th
Keep and Dampen options and their effect on the...
Note:  The Keep and Dampen options and their effect on the four main terms of the St Venant equation.    The four terms are are used in the new flow for a time step of Qnew:  Qnew = (Qold – dq2 + dq3 + dq4) / ( 1 + dq1) when the force main or gravity main is full dq3 and dq4 are zero and  Qnew = (Qold – dq2) / ( 1 + dq1)  The dq4 term in dynamic.c uses the area upstream (a1) and area downstream...
Jan 24th
Rooftop gardens could solve Singapore's flooding...
Rooftop gardens could solve Singapore’s flooding problem By Tyler Falk | January 18, 2012, 9:09 AM PST From SmartPlanet In the last two years, rapid urbanization and changing weather patterns have lead to major flash floods in Singapore. “[It] can be safely presumed that the weather patterns in Singapore have changed,” said Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources last...
Jan 20th
Innovyze Surge Line Brings Surge Events to Life...
Innovyze Surge Line Brings Surge Events to Life With Cutting-Edge Pipe Profile Animations  High Quality Animation Gives Engineers Inside View of Model Activities for the First Time   Broomfield, Colorado USA, January 17, 2011 — Innovyze, a leading global innovator of business analytics software and technologies for wet infrastructure, today announced the worldwide release of the SurgeAnimatemodule...
Jan 17th
Surcharged Node and the Link Connection in SWMM 5
Subject:   Surcharged Node and the Link Connection in SWMM 5   A surcharged node in SWMM 5 uses this point iteration equation (Figure 1):   dY/dt = dQ / The sum of the Connecting Link values of  dQ/dH   where Y is the depth in the node, dt is the time step, H is the head across the link (downstream – upstream), dQ is the net inflow into the node and dQ/dH is the derivative with respect to H of...
Jan 16th
Surcharged Node and the Link Connection in SWMM 5
Subject:   Surcharged Node and the Link Connection in SWMM 5   A surcharged node in SWMM 5 uses this point iteration equation (Figure 1):   dY/dt = dQ / The sum of the Connecting Link values of  dQ/dH   where Y is the depth in the node, dt is the time step, H is the head across the link (downstream – upstream), dQ is the net inflow into the node and dQ/dH is the derivative with respect to H of...
Jan 16th
HOW MOSQUITOES FLY IN RAIN from 3Quarks
HOW MOSQUITOES FLY IN RAINMariel Emrich in Talking Science: Mosquitoes are as adept at flying in rainstorms as under clear skies. But how is that possible? Wouldn’t rain crush a mosquito to the ground since mosquitoes weigh 50 times less than raindrops? David Hu, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and his graduate research...
Jan 16th
How to Make Icons and Expand the Toolbars in...
Subject:  How to Make Icons and Expand the Toolbars in InfoSWMM and InfoSewer   You can customize the toolbars in InfoSWMM and InfoSewer by clicking on Customize and performing 4 steps:  Step 1.  Click on Customize Step 2.  Move the tool from the Command list to the toolbar. Step 3.  Change the Button Image for the Default Style. Step 4.  The Toolbar now has a new Icon for the InfoSWMM...
Jan 15th
How do I correct a fatal error resulting in...
Subject:   How do I correct a fatal error resulting in automatic shutdown in ArcMap?   If you cannot open ArcMap, InfoSewer or InfoSWMM at all and get a fatal Esri error the problem may be the file normal.mxt  “If the startup file in ArcGIS Desktop or component applications (e.g., ArcMap, ArcGlobe, ArcScene) is corrupt, a fatal error can occur. Renaming or deleting the existing startup file will...
Jan 15th
How do I correct a fatal error resulting in...
Subject:   How do I correct a fatal error resulting in automatic shutdown in ArcMap?   If you cannot open ArcMap, InfoSewer or InfoSWMM at all and get a fatal Esri error the problem may be the file normal.mxt  “If the startup file in ArcGIS Desktop or component applications (e.g., ArcMap, ArcGlobe, ArcScene) is corrupt, a fatal error can occur. Renaming or deleting the existing startup file will...
Jan 15th
SWMM 5 Engine Updates between v13 and v22 by...
Subject:  SWMM 5 Engine Updates between v13 and v22 by Category   The complete list of engine and GUI changes can be found in this text file on the EPA Site http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swmm/epaswmm5_updates.txt   This note  categorizes the engine changes by aggregating dynamic wave solution changes, surface ponding changes, RDII and Hydrology for example.  The number preceding each...
Jan 13th
1 tag
Call for Papers Announced for 2012 Asia Pacific...
Call for Papers Announced for 2012 Asia Pacific Water and Sewer Systems Modeling Conference  Major Industry Event to Unite Global Modeling Experts August 21-22, 2012, at Gold Coast, Australia www.asiapacificwater.com   Broomfield, Colorado USA, January 10, 2012 — Innovyze, a leading global innovator of wet infrastructure modeling and simulation software and technologies, today announced the...
Jan 10th
How to divide the Inflow at a Node in InfoSWMM
Subject:  How to Divide the Inflow at a Node in InfoSWMM   In SWMM 5 only the Kinematic Wave solution allows a flow divider at a node to divide the Inflow to node to two  downstream  links, but you can use the Inflow/Outflow Outlet type in InfoSWMM to divide the inflow based on a Inflow/Outflow Diversion Table (Figure 1).  For example, in InfoSWMM it is possible to have two downstream links from...
Jan 5th
CDM and Wilbur Smith Associates Proudly Serving...
CDM and Wilbur Smith Associates Proudly Serving Clients as CDM Smith New brand reflects emergence of a full service global leader January 01, 2012 CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts—What began in February 2011 with joining of two industry forces has culminated in a fully integrated provider of comprehensive water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities services united under the new brand CDM...
Jan 3rd
Innovyze Launches 2012 Technical Webinar Series
Innovyze Launches 2012 Technical Webinar Series  Registration Open for Ten-Session Series Led by Innovyze Engineers, Launching February 7, 2012   Broomfield, Colorado USA, January 3, 2011 — Innovyze, a leading global innovator of business analytics software and technologies for wet infrastructure, today announced the dates for its 2012 Technical Webinar series. The ten-session event begins...
Jan 3rd
Drawing features to show multiple attributes in...
Subject:   Drawing features to show multiple attributes in InfoSWMM   Your network data usually has a number of different attributes that describe the features it represents (Figure 3). While you’ll commonly use one of the attributes to symbolize the data—for example, showing one quantity in the InfoSWMM Map Display —you may sometimes want to use more than one.   One way to show multiple...
Jan 2nd
Create Watershed Data Using InfoSWMM Subcatchment...
Subject:  Create Watershed Data Using InfoSWMM Subcatchment Manager   The Subcatchment Manager of InfoSWMM will  help calculate most of the  physical parameters associated with a Watershed or Subcatchment in SWMM 5 from a Digital Elevation Data (Step 1).  The Subcatchments slope is estimated from a slope raster (Step 2) and the Slope Calculator (Step 4). The created watershed area are calculated...
Jan 2nd
Create Watersheds Using InfoSWMM Subcatchment...
Subject:  Create Watersheds Using InfoSWMM Subcatchment Manager     The Subcatchment Manager of InfoSWMM will  help calculate most of the  physical parameters associated with a Watershed or Subcatchment in SWMM 5 from a Digital Elevation Data (Step 1).  The Subcatchments area created from a Flow Direction Raster (Step 2) and a Flow Accumulation Raster (Step 4) after filling in any Sinks in the...
Jan 2nd
Continuous Simulation Aids for InfoSWMM
Subject:   Continuous Simulation Aids for InfoSWMM   If you have a large network and especially if you are doing continuous simulation then you want to have many tools for helping you understand the network and the simulation results.     v  In InfoSWMM and H2OMAP SWMM you can have a Base Network with many differenct Child Scenaio generations.  A Child can be either based on the Base Scenario of...
Jan 1st
December 2011
19 posts
How to use SWMM 5 DOS to make an Output Table in...
Subject:   How to use SWMM 5 DOS to make an Output Table in the RPT file   You can make tables of the node,  link  and  Subcatchment output data in SWMM 5 if you use the DOS SWMM 5 program but not the Windows DLL.   Step 1 is to create the DOS batch file, Step 2 is to select the nodes, links and subcatchments, Step 3 is to run the batch file and Step 4 is to view the RPT tables or extract the...
Dec 31st
Making a Model
See the full gallery on Posterous
Dec 28th
RDII or Tri Triangular Unit Hydrograph in...
Subject:  RDII or Tri Triangular Unit Hydrograph in InfoSewer   The RDII method in InfoSewer is similar to the RDII or RTK  method in  InfoSWMM with some differences.    The RTK data for triangles 1, 2 and 3 are defined in the Unit Hydrograph but instead of individual R values, the overall R is set and the Percent R1,  R2 and R3 are defined based on the total  R.  R3 is calculated internally as...
Dec 28th
How is the Maximum Link Flow Applied in SWMM 5?
Subject:  How is the Maximum Link Flow Applied in SWMM 5?   The maximum flow limit for a link applies to the kinematic wave and the dynamic wave solution.   The inflow to the link  in the kinematic wave solution is limited (Figure 1) but the calculated link flow is limited in the dynamic wave solution after the link flow (Figure 2):   1.       Is checked using the Culvert Inlet Equations...
Dec 25th
Adverse Slope Convention in SWMM 5
Subject:  Adverse Slope Convention  in  SWMM 5 If the slope of a link  is negative and the solution  is dynamic wave then the following data will be switched in link.c in SWMM 5.  All upstream data for the  link  is switched to the downstream end of the link  and  vice versa.   The means that if the flow  is from the original upstream node to the downstream node the flow  will  be negative in...
Dec 24th
Weather InfoGraphics
  Source:   http://visual.ly/cloud-types-and-pronunciations-cloud-spotting   http://visual.ly/how-forecast-weather-without-gadgets   See the full gallery on Posterous
Dec 22nd
How to make a shape file from a Output Related in...
Note:   How to make a shape file from a Output Related in InfoSWMM:   Step 1.  Make an Output Relate for the Conduit Summary Table using the Operation Tab in Attribute Browser.       Step 2:  Using the GIS Gateway you can save q/Q and d/D to a shape file that can then be added to the Arc GIS Table of  Contents       Step 3.   You now have a Shape File for the value of q/Q or Flow over...
Dec 16th
InfoSWMM and H2oMAP SWMM Facility Manager
The InfoSWMM Facility Manager offers the knowledgeable engineer complete control what elements are simulated in her or his model.  You can make active or inactivate elements based the type of Network Element, A Network Path, A Mouse Drawn Map Selection, The Domain, A selection set, a DB Query, a Query Set and a Special Query.  You can make the simulated network smaller or larger depending on...
Dec 13th
How to Find the Proportional loading to a link or...
Subject:  How to Find the Proportional loading to a link  or manhole in InfoSewer   You can use the Upstream Trace tool in InfoSewer to find the upstream nodes and links from any link in InfoSewer.   Once you have the upstream traced network then assing the traced upstream nodes and links to the  domain.  Once you have the domain then these steps will allow you to calculate the proportion of...
Dec 12th
SWMM 5 Error Messages
Engine Error Number Description ERROR 101: memory allocation error.                                                                                              ERROR 103: cannot solve KW equations for Link                                                                                   ERROR 105: cannot open ODE solver.                                                            ...
Dec 12th
How to Use Bing Maps in InfoSWMM as a Basemap -...
Note:   How to Use Bing Maps in InfoSWMM as a Basemap   A great feature of Arc GIS 10 is the ability to use background maps from Bing for your model.  A few steps are necessary to set up the coordinates, import the basemap, clip the basemap and set the new extents:   Step 1.  Set the Current Coordinate System for the intended network.     Step 2.  Add the Aerial Basemap from Bing Maps.    ...
Dec 11th
Connecting Infrastructure To The Internet
Connecting Infrastructure To The Internet from the Dish Engineers can now link a building’s rainwater catchment system to weather predictions from the Internet. Alerted city services can then empty water storage basins so that stormwater doesn’t flood our sewers: It may sound like a trivial problem, but the EPA estimates that the U.S. has $13 billion invested in wastewater...
Dec 10th
Sensitivity Analysis in InfoSWMM and H2OMAP SWMM
Subject:  Sensitivity Analysis in InfoSWMM and H2OMAP SWMM   It is easy to perform sensitivity analysis in InfoSWMM and H2oMAP SWMM using the Scenario Manager, Dataset manager, Block Edit in the Database Editor, Batch Simulation and the Report Manager.  For example, we will do a sensitivity analysis for the Subcatchment Width (one the physical parameters in the Subcatchment analysis of SWMM 5 –...
Dec 10th
How InfoSWMM and H2oMAP SWMM Reads CUHP...
Note:  The Colorado Urban Hydrograph Procedure (CHUP) 2010 version generates a SWMM 5 Inflows Files containing a time series of flow inflows for 1 to many nodes (Figure 4 and Figure 5).    The created Inflows file (Figure 2) can be imported into InfoSWMM and H2MAP SWMM without any alteration by using the Files command in Run Manager (Figure 1) and graphed using the Output Manager of InfoSWMM...
Dec 7th
How to Make Contours in InfoSWMM and H2oMAP SWMM
Subject:  How  to Make Contours in InfoSWMM and H2oMAP SWMM It is easy to make contours out of node input data or node output data in InfoSWMM and H2oMAP SWMM using the Contour Tool in the Contour Tab of the Attribute Browser.  You can control the resolution and the type of smoothing for the created contour (Figure 1).  If you have InfoSWMM Suite you can use the Contour to DEM command in the...
Dec 3rd
Mind The Crap From the Dish
Mind The Crap From the Dish Sally Aldee fell in the Thames and gashed her leg, a prospect that horrified every medical professional she met. She subsequently traced the river’s pollution from Victorian times to today: The river – which by the way was both the source of the city’s drinking water and the repository for all its poop – became choleric and pestilent. In the summer of...
Dec 3rd
Storage Volume vs Depth Equation in SWMM 5
Subject:  Storage Volume vs Depth Equation in SWMM 5   A storage node in SWMM 5 can have either a functional form or a tabular depth/area table.  The area functional form of a storage node is:   Area           =      A * Depth^B + C  and the Volume has the form in  node.c of the SWMM 5 of   Volume     =      A/(B+1)*Depth^(1+B) + C*Depth   For example if C is 25 square meters, A is 20 and the...
Dec 3rd