Version 7.2

Version 7.2

Build Number 7.2.9049.30229

Released 24 October 2024

The following are the key features delivered for v7.2:

Access to Scottish flow and level gauge data (via SEPA)

Flow and level gauge data in England and Wales (as provided through the National River Flow Archive (NRFA) API) is accessible in Flood Modeller via the Hydrology+ functionality. In v7.2 this dataset of gauges has been extended to include those located in Scotland. These data although available through NRFA are part of a separate dataset provided by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). These Scottish data have been combined with the existing gauges in Flood Modeller. Now, when gauges are activated in the map view (via the options in Hydrology+) you should see all available gauges in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Thus, you should be able to access data to support your hydrological analyses no matter where you are within the UK.

Enhanced automatic settings for Fathom data viewing

In v7.1 access to Fathom flood map data was introduced. Users could select a site and use the Fathom tool to purchase one or multiple Fathom datasets. Flood Modeller would automatically download the requested data and add it to your map view.  Functionality has been expanded to allow users to import Fathom data purchased outside of Flood Modeller, with data formats adjusted to improve presentation.  

Flood Modeller applies the following optional alterations to Fathom data.

• Other map topography data usually has elevation values specified in metres – in v7.2 the download process now has the option to convert the requested dataset elevations to metres.

• GeoTIFF formatted data can be converted to ASC raster format, this enables a wider range of styles to be applied within Flood Modeller.

• The Fathom missing data flag, -327.67m, skews the default colour ramp to include negative values and hide variations in positive values. Therefore, a Fathom specific colour ramp is included in the predefined custom colour ramps accessed via the right-click menu in the Layers Panel. This excludes the missing data and just highlights the variations in positive depths on the map view.

Hydrology+ enhanced to provide compatibility to latest Peak Flow database

NRFA/UKCEH have released their latest update, v13, of the Peak Flow database.  There are two sub-versions, 13.02 which is in the older format and 13.03 which is in a new format.  As well as the usual inclusion of new years of data, the following format changes have been made:

1. All files name named with gauge name as well as number, e.g. "002001.xml" becomes "002001-helmsdale-at-kilphedir.xml"

2. New "IHDTMEASTING and IHDTMWESTING" values has been added to the XML scheme on row 16/17

3. The AMAX (.am) and POT (.pt) files now have data in yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss format rather than dd mmm yyyy

Hydrology+ has been enhanced to ensure it can seamlessly utilise data from either format of the Peak Flow database.

Please note, the Peak Flow database selected in WINFAP becomes the default data source used by Flood Modeller.

Enhanced Hydrology+ database installation

Some Flood Modeller users have reported they have encountered problems when installing the Hydrology+ database system (a custom instance of Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Express). The v7.2 install includes an enhanced utility tool that should ensure the Hydrology+ is setup to be accessible to the registered user of the Flood Modeller software. The tool will be run automatically as part of the installation process to give users seamless access to the full range of Hydrology+ features.

Minor enhancements and bug fixes

In addition to the key new features in this release more than 30 additional enhancements are included to deliver improved workflows or address reported bugs. These are summarised below:

Rationalised Toolbox

In v7.2 we have streamlined the Toolbox to remove unnecessary tools and thus make it easier to find useful tools to provide efficiencies for your workflows.

Catalogue Tool Retired

The Catalogue tool (for project data management) is being replaced by functionality within Flood Platform. Thus, the Catalogue tool has been removed from the user interface to streamline the user experience within Flood Modeller.

Flood Viewer Tool Retired

The Flood Viewer tool (for online sharing of results) is being replaced by functionality within Flood Platform. Thus, the Flood Viewer tool has been removed from the user interface to streamline the user experience within Flood Modeller.

Other enhancements and bug fixes

1. Hazard calculation inconsistencies – enhanced 2D solvers to output the true maximum hazard values to the max output grid. Previously, the max output grid contained either the hazard at max depth or hazard at max velocity.

2. Corrected error that meant the 2D model grid output for maximum relative mass error (tif file) has wrong coordinates (relative to original model) when model set to use US units.

3. Fixed issue with “Import csv as point shapefile” tool that led it to fail for some files and work for others.

4. Issue fixed with licenced version of Damage Calculator (in v7.1) not finding a licence when spare licences are available.

5. Fixed Flood Modeller 1D river-ESTRY link timestep issue that caused discrepancies when users changed the Flood Modeller timestep when using ESTRY-Flood Modeller X1DH connections.

6. Fixed issue with 2D solvers that caused some models to restrict the spread of pluvial flooding to the extent of the rainfall input boundary polygon.

7. Options added to 2D solvers to select different hazard classification thresholds for 2D simulations. Enables calculation of hazard classes for FD2320 (ZUK2 / ZUK3), FD2321 (ZUK0 / ZUK1) or non-UK hazard classes based on just depth x velocity. FD2321 (ZUK0 / ZUK1) is the default setting.

8. The 2D model setup interface has been enhanced to offer different hazard class calculation options, with guidance on these options included within the 2D model setup interface.

9. Improved 2D log information when models include rainfall - peak rainfall value in log file now displayed in standard units, i.e. mm/hr or inch/hr

10. Confusing 2D log file messages removed. The message “WARNING: Water Depth (dry) threshold set to below 0.01m - this may cause model instabilities. Consider using higher value” is no longer written by the 2D solvers as the default threshold is now 0.001m (for both ADI and TVD solvers). In addition, the values of the following parameters are no longer logged when the scheme is TVD as they are not relevant to the TVD solver:

    • Number of iterations

    • Calculation depth

    • Eddy viscosity

    • Velocity head threshold

    • Negative depth threshold

    • Friction depth threshold

11. Green-Ampt infiltration parameters for a 2D model are specified in a separate lookup text file. The 2D solver has been enhanced to ensure these data are read correctly from the lookup file. Previously the 2D solver would not handle values saved as integers.

12. 2D model interface also enhanced to write Green-Ampt infiltration parameters to at least one decimal place to enable new 2D models that include infiltration lookup data can also potentially be run in older versions of the 2D solvers.

13. Changed the way the 2D solver interprets a rainfall timeseries to align with how a hydrologist would interpret a hyetograph, i.e. rainfall values represent rain fallen over previous time period (h (t1 < t <= t2) = h ( t2 ), h (t2 < t <= t3) = h ( t3 ), etc).

14. Correct issue in 2D solver that caused linked 1D-2D model to fail when using "override start/end times".

15. Corrected 2D build number written to log to show full 5 figures and not truncated to 4 figures. This ensures users can report the correct build number when reporting modelling issues to the support desk.

16. Expanded functionality of the Hydrology+ database utility to work on Windows Server 2016. This utility is designed to grant access rights to the database for non-admin users.

17. Hydrology+ availability status added to items listed in Licence Information on Start tab of user interface.

18. The WMS and WFS (built-in) layers list has been updated to address issues encountered when adding WMS layers to your map view.

19. The culvert inlet node wizard (for 1D river networks) has been enhanced to ensure blank “Ki” entries are set to zero in the interface. The blank entries were preventing some inlet types in the directory from being selected by the tool.

20. The 2D model interface has been enhanced so that associated boundary inflows that utilise a 1D river “.ied” or “.dat” file to define an inflow time series now display the referenced 1D river node label in 2D boundaries summary table. This enables users to get an overview of their boundaries without having to access the individual details of each boundary (in the pop-up boundary details window). Similar summary info is already displayed for other boundary types in the value field of the table, e.g. user entered constant inflows and selected time series from a Hydrology+ output csv.

21. In the boundary specification windows of the 2D model interface (for flow and rainfall boundaries), a chart is provided that now plots the selected time series from the user specified csv file that contains the data. Thus, the user can see the boundary time series as they are adding it to their 2D model.

    

22. Bug corrected in the peak flow data export to clipboard function. Previously, data columns in the exported file were not aligned correctly with the data headers.

23. The 1D river time series chart has a quick edit tool to enable popular properties of charts to be edited quickly, without needing to access the full edit tool. This tool has been enhanced in v7.2 to correct anomalies that could occur when the tool is selected twice (i.e. previously the chart could be corrupted by the sequence; select quick edit tool, edit chart, close edit tool, select quick edit tool a second time and make further edits, close edit tool).

24. 2D simulations with multiple domains that have been assigned the same name will not start when run through the user interface. This is an invalid model setup so in v7.2 the user interface recognises this setup and reports an issue to the user.

25. The Toolbox tool, Change River Section Markers, has been enhanced. This tool can automatically change the marker type in multiple cross sections within a 1D river network. The tool is enhanced in v7.2 to ensure the tool successfully edits cross sections with only left bank markers, only right bank markers or both left and right bank markers.

26. Time series plotting tool for 2D results has been enhanced to enable plotting of hazard class time series (if available within 2D results). Previously, hazard class was not available in the time series plotting tool even if these data were present in the 2D outputs.

27. Corrected potentially confusing typographic errors in 2D model interface; topology changed to topography.

28. Bug corrected in the 2D time series export to clipboard function. Previously, data columns in the exported file were not aligned correctly with the data headers. In v7.2 the export will assign a separate time column for each exported data series. The headers for each time series have also been improved.

29. 1D river long section plots (and 1D river cross section plots), the functionality has been enhanced to handle results containing negative time. This included ensuring animation of charts with negative times is working correctly.

30. Enhanced 1D river time series plotting tool. The enhancements were to remove issues plotting multiple variables from multiple model results files. Multiple files might be from different models (i.e. multiple “.zzn” files) or multiple files from the same model (i.e. “.zzn” and “zzx” files). Possible issues were data not plotted correctly on chart or chart tool failure. Note further improvements are still planned as some issues can still occur.

31. Tooltips (accessed by hovering mouse over relevant part of interface) and labels in the 2D model interface have been revised. This aims to improve guidance when building 2D models. In particular, make the settings in the 2D Advanced Options tab easier to understand and hence specify accordingly.

32. Improved copy to clipboard function in 1D river time series plotting tool. Aims to ensure data is copied with delimiters in correct locations to correctly separate data columns.

33. Hydrology+ hydrograph export function enhanced to correctly handle climate change uplifts (defined by regions) that contain commas in the name. These would cause a problem in the previous version when loading into the 1D river model build interface. The climate change entry in the export hydrograph file is now encased in double quotes "", e.g. "Use Climate Change Allowances=True - England|Humber|Swale, Ure, Nidd and Upper Ouse".