How to Import the SWMM 5 Report File as a Layer in infoSWMM

Subject:  How to Import the SWMM 5 Report File as a Layer in InfoSWMM

How to Import the SWMM 5 Report File as a Layer in infoSWMM by dickinsonre 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 2:  Add the two columns length and  slope from the Link Summary Table and the InfoSWMM Browser Step 3:  You need a few calculations based on the table values from SWMM 5 to estimate the CFL  time steps in the . Step 4:   Add the Excel Spreadsheet as a layer in InfoSWMM – the Named Rangeshould be added to insure valid numbers and not Nulls after the join Step 5:  You can now plot the CFL Time Step for the Links using the Layer Properties command in Arc Map   Step 1:  Copy the whole row  from Conduit Summary    Step 2:  Add the two columns length and  slope from the Link Summary Table Step 3:  You need a few calculations based on the table values from SWMM 5 to estimate the CFL  time steps. The CFL Step      = Length / (Full  Velocity + (Gravity * Full Depth)^0.5) Full Velocity        = Full Flow / Full  Area You also need to create a Name A Range for you data so that the data does not show up as Nulls  Step 4:  Add the Excel Spreadsheet as a layer in InfoSWMM – the Named Range should be added    Step 4:  Join the Excel  Table to the InfoSWMM Conduit Feature Layer    Step 5:  You can now plot the CFL Time Step for the Links using the Layer Properties command in Arc Map

How to Approximate a Timer in the RTC Rules of SWMM 5

Subject:   How to Approximate a Timer in the RTC Rules of SWMM 5

How to Approximate a Timer in the RTC Rules of SWMM 5 by dickinsonre 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 weir and the Surface node water surface elevation but in addition you can control the weir setting by:  1.   Closing the weir when the inflow is low, 2.   Closing the weir by staggered Storage node depth, 3.   Opening the weir gradually when the inflow increases 4.   Closing the weir by a combination of Node Depth IF statements and Control Curve rules  For example, you can have the Weir Setting controlled the Node Depth,  Link Inflow and Node Inflow  simultaneously approximately with the depth and the inflow parameters closing the weir by proxy instead of by time since the closing. via Blogger http://www.swmm5.net/2013/08/how-to-approximate-timer-in-rtc-rules.html

gate_timer.INP Download this file

How to Approximate a Timer in the RTC Rules of SWMM 5.docx Download this file

Philadelphia and Green Infrastructure

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
Philadelphia and Green Infrastructure

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 that kind of money in the budget these days.

Saqib Rahim reports for ClimateWire on Philadelphia's decision to use "green infrastructure" rather than building a larger pipe system to handle the water that's dumped on the city during severe storms. The combination of more intense storms and more paved area is a problem: Impervious surfaces like roads, sidewalks, and parking lots can't absorb rainfall, so it ends up in the city's stormwater collection system -- which, in many older cities, is combined with the sewage system. When these combined systems are overwhelmed by heavy rainfall, the result is often that a rainfall-and-sewage mixture gets discharged into a local waterway. (Read more about this problem here.) Rahim explains Philadelphia's solution to this problem:

Instead of building an even larger pipe system to address the issue, [Water Department Commissioner Howard] Neukrug pitched the most aggressive "green infrastructure" plan in the country. Through increased vegetation, rain barrels, sponge-like roads and other measures, the city would try to absorb more water where it fell. The ground would filter out pollutants, reduce strain on the pipelines and make the city a more attractive place.

Neukrug tells Rahim that the green infrastructure solution will cost Philadelphia $2 billion, compared to $8 billion to $10 billion for larger underground tunnels. But the part of the city's plan that's currently causing a controversy is what water customers will pay. They'll now be charged not just for the water they use, but for their contributions to stormwater problems -- that is, sites with a lot of impervious surfaces will pay more.

The average household will see an average bill rise from approximately $60 to around $63.50, Rahim reports. For some large businesses, though, costs could rise significantly over the next few years -- and 100 of these businesses have hired a lobbyist and met with the Water Department to oppose implementation of the new billing practices.

I can understand why these businesses are upset. When they invest and plan for their businesses' futures, they assume the rules will stay the same. Their extensive impervious surfaces are causing problems for public health, but they might not have realized that their decisions about what to pave were raising costs for the city's residents (and everyone else affected when its sewage ended up in local waterways).

Changing the rules isn't ideal, but it's the best solution if the current rules create incentives for behavior that harms public health. If this country had never changed the rules to make businesses start bearing more of the cost for problems they cause the general public (externalities, in economic language), we'd still have rivers so polluted that they catch fire. Governments can ease the pain by providing grants or low-interest loans to help businesses and individuals invest in greener setups -- and, Rahim reports, Philadelphia is offering loans to businesses that want to green their facilities. Increases in bills will also be capped at 10% or $100 per month.

Such an approach could also be used to address other public health issues like CO2 emissions -- but so far, opposition to a carbon tax has been stronger than support. In the meantime, I'll be watching Philadelphia's effort and hoping it succeeds with a green solution to water infrastructure challenges.

Source:  http://scienceblogs.com/thepumphandle/2012/01/changing_the_rules_in_the_midd.php#more

Example SWMM 5 Model for Activated Sludge

Note:   Example SWMM 5 Model for Activated Sludge

Example SWMM 5 Model for Activated Slude by dickinsonre 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 or if you want to increase the inflows – add more flow in the RawWater inflow node. via Blogger http://www.swmm5.net/2013/08/example-swmm-5-model-for-activated-slude.html

Three Flow Divider Link Example in SWMM 5

Subject:  Three Flow Divider Link Example in SWMM 5

Three Flow Divider Link Example in SWMM 5 by dickinsonre 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 Return Flow.    via Blogger http://www.swmm5.net/2013/08/three-flow-divider-link-example-in-swmm.html

Output Statstics Manager to find negative flows in InfoSWMM

Subject:  Output Statstics Manager to find negative flows in InfoSWMM

Output Statstics Manager to find negative flows in InfoSWMM by dickinsonre ubject:  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 Volume Threshold 8.       Zero for Interevent Time to pick up all values 9.       You will get a table that shows you the minimun flows, and a histogram of the flows   via Blogger http://www.swmm5.net/2013/08/output-statstics-manager-to-find.html

  

Flow Dividers in SWMM 5 Dynamic Routing

Note:  Flow Dividers in SWMM 5 Dynamic Routing

Flow Dividers in SWMM 5 Dynamic Routing by dickinsonre 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 and cutoff links, 3.   Two or More Rating Curves to divide the flow up based on either depth or head, 4.   Pumps, Outfalls or Steep Sloped Links Downstream of the diversion and cutoff links to minimize downstream HGL  effects via Blogger http://www.swmm5.net/2013/08/flow-dividers-in-swmm-5-dynamic-routing.html

Keep and Dampen options and their effect on the four main terms of the St Venant equation

Note:  The Keep and Dampen options and their effect on the four main terms of the St Venant equation. 

The Keep and Dampen options and their effect on the four main terms of the St Venant equation in SWMM5 by dickinsonre 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 (a2), the midpoint velocity, the sigma factor (a function of the link Froude number), the link length and the time step or dq4 = Time Step * Velocity * Velocity * (a2 – a1) / Link Length * Sigma where Sigma is a function of the Froude Number and the Keep, Dampen and Ignore Inertial Term Options.  Keep sets Sigma to 1 always and Dampen set Sigma based on the Froude number, Ignore sets Sigma to 0 all  of the time during the simulation the dq3 term in dynamic.c uses the current midpoint area (a function of the midpoint depth), the sigma factor and the midpoint velocity. dq3 = 2 * Velocity * ( Amid(current iteration) – Amid (last time step) * Sigma dq1 = Time Step * RoughFactor / Rwtd^1.333 * |Velocity| The weighted area (Awtd) is used in the dq2 term of the St. Venant equation: dq2 = Time Step * Awtd * (Head Downstream – Head Upstream) / Link Length or dq2 = Time Step * Awtd * (Head Downstream – Head Upstream) / Link Length Normally, dq1 (Friction Loss / Maroon in the Graph) balances dq2 (Water Surface Slope Term or Green in the Graph) but often for links with a large difference between upstream and  downstream depths dq4 (Red in the Graph) can have a significant value.  If dq4 or dq3 are important then the depth of water to increases to pass the same flow using the Keep option over the Ignore.   If you have a link with a Froude number near or over 1.0 (Supercritical) then using Keep or Dampen  for the Options may result in depth differences.   The effect of Keep is to increase the "loss" terms in the St VenantEquation.   The effect of Dampen and Ignore is to decrease the sum of the "loss" terms in the St. Venant Solution and lower the simulated depth. via Blogger http://www.swmm5.net/2013/08/the-keep-and-dampen-options-and-their.html

Rooftop gardens could solve Singapore's flooding problem

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 year after a flash flood where in one day Singapore received 77 percent of the amount of rainfall that usually falls in June. “It is very likely that our drainage systems will have to be redesigned to cope with such intense flashes.”
Singapore convened a panel to come up with the best options for dealing with flash floods and stormwater runoff. Their suggestion? Not an overhaul of the drainage system, but rooftop gardens.
Big infrastructure projects are costly and take time to replace. And while the upgrading the drainage system is likely necessary, the panel suggests a quick fix to Singapore: require rooftop gardens on all new and retrofitted buildings. Rooftop gardens don’t just add beauty to the city, they can also play a big role in mitigating floods by reducing and slowing stormwater runoff and filtering pollutants.
But it’s not just rooftop gardens, Singapore’s Today reports:
These measures are to be complemented with diversion canals, storage tanks along “pathways” of drains, drain capacity improvements, and finally, flood barriers, raised platform levels - some of which is already being done, but “could be carried further”, noted Prof Balmforth.
The panel also suggested storage tanks, rain gardens, and porous pavement.
Photo: HenryLeongHimWoh
/Flickr
Urbanisation has led to increase in storm water run-off: Expert panel [Today]

Surcharged Node and the Link Connection in SWMM 5

Subject:   Surcharged Node and the Link Connection in SWMM 5

Surcharged Node and the Link Connection in SWMM 5 by dickinsonre 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/dHis the derivative with respect to H of the link  St Venant equation.  If you are trying to calibrate the surcharged node depth, the main calibration variables are the time step and the link  roughness:  1.   Mannings's N 2.   Hazen-Williams or 3.   Darcy-Weisbach  The link roughness is part of the term dq1 in the St Venant solution and the other loss terms are included in the term dq5.  You can adjust the roughness of the surcharged link  to affect the node surcharge depth.  Figure 1.  The Node Surcharge Equation is a function of the net inflow and the sum of the term dQ/dH in all connecting links. Generally, as you increase the roughness the value of dQ/dH increases and the denominator of the term dY/dt = dQ/dQdH increases.   Figure 2.  The value of dQ/dH in a link as the roughness of the link increases. via Blogger http://www.swmm5.net/2013/08/surcharged-node-and-link-connection-in.html

HOW MOSQUITOES FLY IN RAIN from 3Quarks

HOW MOSQUITOES FLY IN RAIN

Mariel 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 assistantAndrew Dickerson have found that while mosquitoes do get hit by raindrops, they don’t get crushed by them.
Hu discussed their research in a talk at November's APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Meetingthat was entitled “How Mosquitoes Fly in the Rain”.
The researchers measured the impact forces of raindrops on both regular mosquitoes and custom-built mosquito mimics. The mimics were made from small Styrofoam spheres of mosquito-like size and mass. They used high-speed video to capture images of the mosquitoes getting hit with raindrops.
Since the bugs fly so slowly (a maximum of 1 meter per second) compared to the drops (which fall between 5 to 9 meters per second), the mosquitoes cannot react quickly enough for avoidance, and most likely cannot sense the imminent collision.
More here.

Posted by Abbas Raza at 03:42 PM | Permalink 

How to Make Icons and Expand the Toolbars in infoSWMM and InfoSewer

Subject:  How to Make Icons and Expand the Toolbars in InfoSWMM and InfoSewer

How to Make Icons and Expand the Toolbars in InfoSWMM and InfoSewer by dickinsonre 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 command. 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 command. via Blogger http://www.swmm5.net/2013/08/how-to-make-icons-and-expand-toolbars.html

How do I correct a fatal error resulting in automatic shutdown in ArcMap?

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 often resolve the error. Once the corrupted startup file is removed, ArcGIS will create a new startup file after the application is launched (http://kb.iu.edu/data/asuv.html).”

To remove the startup file in Windows XP for Arc GIS 10 go to the directory C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name\Application Data\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Templates and delete the file Normal.mxt.   You then reopen Arc Map and the normal.mxt file will be recreated and smaller.  You will have to reset the ArcMap toolbars to better control InfoSewer and InfoSWMM.  

 

 How do I correct a fatal error resulting in automatic shutdown in ArcMap?