Version 7.1

Version 7.1

Released 19 June 2024

Hydrology+ stage 2

In this release, we continue the journey with Flood Modeller’s cutting-edge Hydrology+ tools, designed to enhance and simplify your hydrological analysis. These features within Flood Modeller v7.1 are available for all network licence users.

Hydrology+ Projects

All calculations and analyses related to an area requiring a hydrological investigation can now be stored within Flood Modeller within a user defined Hydrology+ project. Within your project you can define one or multiple calculation points which are locations where you have catchment descriptor data available, and this is utilised to run ReFH2 and WINFAP analyses and to define reconciled hydrographs from these. The hydrographs can then be used as boundary inputs to your 1D and 2D models. 

As with all of Hydrology+ functionality, the facility to provide metadata and comments explaining your calculations is provided and stored with your Hydrology+ project. Furthermore, you can share your projects with others, via project import/export functions, thus enabling others to review and comment on your analyses.

Calculation Points

Hydrology+ calculation points can be created wherever you have FEH catchment descriptor data available. This could be at purchased FEH catchments that you have imported into your Hydrology+ database. Alternatively, this could be at selected NRFA gauge locations (peak flow gauge sites in the UK) that also include FEH catchment data (this is a subset of the purchased catchment data, but still sufficient for hydrological analyses).

Calculation Points give you direct and integrated access to ReFH2 and WINFAP analysis tools (provided by Wallingford HydroSolutions):

• ReFH2 enables you to calculate suites of hydrographs for your catchment location, representing different storm duration and return periods, urban and rural land use types and different climate change scenarios.

• WINFAP enables peak flows to be calculated for your catchment location, utilising both local catchment parameters and comparisons to historical peak flow records for similar catchments around the UK.

The FEH catchment data is used as the input data for ReFH2 and WINFAP analyses. In your calculation point you can edit the imported catchment data to create different versions of these catchment datasets, e.g. adjust catchment area or signify a planned change in urban extent. You can then select which dataset to feed into ReFH2 and WINFAP to create and store multiple versions of ReFH2 and WINFAP analyses.

With each version of data or analysis you create the calculation point provides the facility to add comments and descriptions explaining your actions. Thus, an audit trail for your data is maintained and this can be utilised to enhance your hydrological reporting.

The calculation point also allows you to store a library of processed hydrographs, ready for use as input data in your subsequent 1D river and 2D simulations. Hydrographs are defined by combining user selected versions of ReFH2 hydrographs, WINFAP peak flows and climate change or custom scaling factors. These computed hydrographs are all stored against the selected calculation point. You can export hydrographs from the calculation point in a csv text format that can be directly read into 1D river or 2D simulations as boundary data.

Running ReFH2 Analyses

Calculation Points in your Hydrology+ projects enable you to run Wallingford Hydro Solutions (WHS) ReFH2 software to define storm events and subsequent runoff flow time series for your catchment. You can use downloaded catchment descriptors or custom variations of these to provide inputs into these analyses. 

When you return to the Flood Modeller interface from the ReFH2 software, you will be prompted to save your analysis as a new “version” against the calculation point. Each calculation point can have multiple ReFH2 analysis versions saved against it. 

The results from these analyses can be viewed in Flood Modeller and these charts provide functionality to manipulate the displayed data and to export the chart or underlying data for use in other applications, e.g. chart images for use in reports, chart data for further manipulation in MS Excel (or similar).

You can select a preferred version of your ReFH2 analyses to utilise in the creation of hydrographs for use as boundary inputs in 1D river and 2D simulations. In addition, you can export your analyses to csv text format files. Exported files use the standard ReFH2 format and these data can be utilised as rainfall boundary inputs in either 1D river or 2D models.

Running WINFAP Analyses

Calculation Points in your Hydrology+ projects enable you to run Wallingford HydroSolutions (WHS) WINFAP software to define peak flow values for your catchment (for multiple return periods). You can use downloaded catchment descriptors or custom variations of these to provide inputs into these analyses. 

When you return to the Flood Modeller interface from the WINFAP software, you will be prompted to save your analysis as a new “version” against the calculation point. Each calculation point can have multiple WINFAP analysis versions saved against it.

The results from these analyses can be viewed in Flood Modeller and these charts provide functionality to manipulate the displayed data and to export the chart or underlying data for use in other applications, e.g. chart images for use in reports, chart data for further manipulation in MS Excel (or similar).

You can select a preferred version of your WINFAP analyses to utilise in the creation of hydrographs for use as boundary inputs in 1D river and 2D simulations.

Hydrograph Reconciliation - Scaling Tool

Hydrology+ calculation points include a tool to reconcile hydrographs by combining ReFH2 hydrographs with WINFAP peak flows. This scaling tool prompts to select a version of your ReFH2 and WINFAP analyses saved against your calculation point. These are then combined to create scaled hydrographs. The tool can also lookup the available climate change factors for your calculation point location and apply these to your hydrographs. Alternatively, the tool provides the option to apply user defined scale factors.

Data and settings selected in the definition of your scaled hydrographs can have comments stored with them, thus providing an audit trail to explain all decisions made. 

Calculation points list the hydrographs defined against them in a hydrograph library table. These data can be reloaded into the scaling tool to enable you to review the hydrographs you’ve defined. In addition, library entries can be exported as sets of flow time series in a csv text format. These data files can be read directly by both the 1D river and 2D solvers as boundary inputs into models.

Hydrology+ boundaries in 1D river modelling

You can use Hydrology+ hydrographs in 1D river simulations. Simply set up your model using flow boundary units (QTbdy units) to define locations of inflow boundaries. Then, at simulation runtime, specify a hydrograph csv file (as exported from a calculation point) in the 1D river simulation setup and select the time series to use, e.g. which return period, and the QTbdy where you want to apply it.

In addition, you can utilise ReFH2 csv outputs (as exported from a calculation point) as boundary data for rainfall inputs to your 1D river model.

Hydrology+ boundaries in 2D modelling

You can use Hydrology+ hydrographs in 2D simulations. Simply specify a hydrograph csv file (as exported from a calculation point) in the 2D model setup as a new boundary input. Then, select the time series to use, e.g. which return period, and a polyline shapefile to define where you want to apply it.

In addition, you can utilise ReFH2 csv outputs (as exported from a calculation point) as boundary data for rainfall inputs to your 2D model. For this case, specify the ReFH2 csv file with a polygon shapefile to define the location of your rainfall. Then, select which return period of direct rainfall data to use.

Related articles

What is Hydrology+?

H+ projects and the database

Gauge stations

FEH catchments

Calculation points

Using H+ outputs in simulations

Hydrology+ FAQs

New Damage Calculator Tool

The Damage Calculator tool has been enhanced with the inclusion of additional indirect damages in calculations. Furthermore, access to the Damage Calculator is now made easy via a new Toolbar button on the Results tab. There is still the option to access the tool via the Toolbox (as before). It should also be noted that new Damage Calculator can now only be run from inside Flood Modeller and with a valid licence.

Related articles

Using Damage Calculator

Access, load and review Fathom Flood Map data

Users with Fathom accounts can access and automatically load Fathom online flood map datasets, e.g. global flood map data for initial site assessments. These data load in Flood Modeller as geoTIFF format grids. Access to Fathom data is from a new button on the Results tab of the main toolbar. To use this function, you must have a valid Fathom account and you first need to enter your account details in the Flood Modeller General Settings window (i.e. similar to Bing and Ordnance Survey settings).

Related articles

Fathom data

Additional enhancements

• Simplified Chart Menus - Simplified menus for charts displaying recorded data from the flow and level gauges included in Hydrology+. These enable you to quickly access tools to copy chart data to clipboard or save to file. These options apply to both the underlying chart data and the chart display as an image.

• Share Hydrology+ projects using import and export functions.

• UK national gauge datasets in Hydrology+ have been revised to make it easier to locate available flow and level records.

• Defaults in new 2D models have been modified to make more models more stable from the start.

• 2D 2D domain names will now use the model XML filename as a default name instead of “domain1” – subsequent results folders and filenames will therefore have more unique names to make it easier to find your results, i.e. they will also incorporate the model name (as folder names are based on domain names).

• Hover over version number on start page to get build date – a copy function is provided, e.g. to facilitate copying into emails to provide information to support team.

• Export function improved – useful for users to pass problem projects to support.

• Selected improvements to robustness, speed and efficiency of 2D solvers to further improve model performance.

Additional bug fixes

• Update to 1D river model preferences to ensure user settings are saved (a reaction to a recent support issue).

• 1D river time series plotting issue fixed: Page through 1D time series freezes Flood Modeller - issue of "zero" dates present in plotted data.

• Resolved access violation in gdal.dll when running 2D simulations with zmod elements.

• Load zmod check files menu item doesn't load referenced check file.

• Batch Runner issue fixed: Post-processing was only running first item in batch.

• Differing start times seen with GPU vs CPU for 2D models that include nonzero / 0000 start dates.

• Embedded Structure units with comments included (in str files) cause 2D solvers to fail.

• New ReFH2 csv files that include FEH22 data cannot be loaded in 1D River simulation editor (as boundary input data).

• 2D GPU freezes when sediment properties and/or relative error are specified as outputs in XMDF format.

• Buttons “Set Projection” and “Properties” do not work on Start > Project Info page of user interface.

• Export (to csv) of Hydrology+ observed gauge time series does not include Comment AND Metadata fields.

• 2D GPU XMDF output for waterlevel displays full extent, i.e. all cells wet, even when dry.

• Reported Q-link flow for 2D GPU run can be incorrect in some cases.

• 1D river run info not displayed in batch mode for a Linked 2D-1D River simulation.

• Default time units 1D river QTBDY are SECONDS.

• Error in Export for some project configurations.

• 1D river long section plot tool not recognising selected time field.

• Orifice area for pierloss bridge includes obstructed area.

• USBPR shows blockage ratio > 1, and no afflux until a long while after flow has started constricting.

• Editing rows in USBPR unit adds in unrealistic values of Manning's n.

• Bad (unhelpful) error message on trying to save a read-only 1D network file.

• Missing parenthesis from 2D Time Series: Save Plot Points file, i.e. filters menu says “Plot Points File *.csv)” instead of “Plot Points File (*.csv)”.

• Maximum relative mass error output file is given “.asc” extension when set to export to geotiff.

• Maximum output for rotated grid (ADI) simulations are not rotated when set to export to ASCII (“.asc”) format – simulation should abort 2D solver if model outputs are ASCII or netCDF and computational grid is rotated.

• netCDF outputs for rotated grid 2D (ADI) simulations are not rotated - simulation should abort 2D solver if model outputs are ASCII or netCDF and computational grid is rotated.

• "Flow splits incorrect at junction" error in 1D river Direct Method.

• 1D river Direct method cannot handle really simple models.

• Pierloss bridge and .ied event file(s) in same 1D river model do not work with US units?

• Plot section tool for 2D grids crashes interface in some scenarios.

• Flood Modeller project export function - false message displayed "Failed to save project file".

• USBPR 1D river bridge unit - Flood Relief Culverts table display [orifice cd] is incorrect.

• Auto interpolation dx change from default is not “displayed” in displayed dialogue.

• Error message when saving Hydrology+ specific settings.

• Bulk FEH Catchment import (i.e. multiple catchments in a single zip file) into Hydrology+ can fail to display anything in user interface.

• 2D simulation with inflow from QTBDY in 1D river event file (ied file) doesn't pick up correct start time if this is not zero.

• Including zmod elements in 2D models can cause some simulations to hang.

• Untrapped Fortran RTL error 172 in zmod processing in 2D models.

• Distorted output of maximum water depth in selected test models when using 2D TVD-GPU.

• Hazard calculation inconsistencies in some 2D model scenarios.

• Editing a ReFH2 unit in a 1D river event file (ied file) did not trigger a "Save: Yes|No" message when switching to make a different network active.

• Interpolation of 1D river levees with slot and adverse slope fails.

• Flood Modeller project export does not copy “.hdr” file associated with “.flt” binary grid file format.

• Drag and drop in Project Panel no longer works.

• 2D model xml with no schema location gives an error.

• 2D run log graph menu options are out of step with variable displayed.

• 1D river diagnostic file (zzd file) does not contain the correct build number and date if part of a 1D-2D linked model.

• Improved warnings / information in diagnostics when problem encountered using 2013 DDF rainfall in ReFH2 boundary unit in 1D river models.