# Presentation: 188844

## River Mechanics Activities

- River Mechanics Group
- Hydrology Laboratory
- Office of Hydrologic Development
- National Weather Service
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

- January 2004

## River Mechanics ActivitiesOutline

- Model development
- Visualization tools development
- Model calibration and verification
- Other topics
- Practical updating techniques
- Ensemble Forecasting
- Training and support
- Future Direction

## Over 30 Years of Hydraulic Model Development

- Ability to model complex river systems
- Dynamic Wave Operational Model (DWOPER) 1976 - 1984
- Real-time flood forecasting of dam-break floods
- NWS Dam Break Flood Forecasting Model (DAMBRK) 1977 - 1988
- Ability to model storm sewer networks (external request)
- Network capability added to DWOPER (NETWORK)  1983 - 1991
- Dam break pre-forecast readily available for forecaster
- Catalog of Dams (DAMCAT) 1984 - 1991
- SMPDBK combined with DAMCAT (SDBCAT) 1991 - 1998
- Ability to predict the breach characteristics for earthen dams
-  Breach Erosion Model (BREACH) 1984 – present
- Ability to model mud/debris flow and landslides
- Capability added to DAMBRK  1984
- Understanding hydraulic modeling parameters
- Guidance on hydraulic modeling criteria  1992 - 1998
- Capabilities of DAMBRK and DWOPER in one model
- Generalized flood wave routing model (FLDWAV) 1988 - present

## Hydraulics Visualization Tools Currently Under Development

- Flood Forecast Mapping
- Generate operational flood forecast maps (FLDVIEW) 2000
- Display flood map over the Internet (FLDIMS) 2000
- FLDWAV Analysis Tools
- Output display of hydraulic models (FLDGRF) 1996
- FLDWAV input/output display & output analysis (FLDAT) 2000
- GIS cross section GUI (FLDXS) 2002
- GIS-Based Dam Break Analysis Tool (DBAT) 2004
- Graphical user interface for SMPDBK (SMPDBKJ)  2003
- Integrate data (NID, GAZATEER,  USGS DEM), FLDXS & SMPDBKJ and develop methodology to acquire realistic data & generate accurate forecast in minutes  2004
- Graphical user interface for BREACH (BREACHJ)  2004

## Hydraulic Modeling Calibration and Verification

- Automatic calibration techniques
- Roughness coefficients 1978
- Cross section parameters 1986
- Procedures for calibration of NWS hydraulic models (DWOPER/FLDWAV) 1994
- Methodology to assess improvement in hydraulic model forecasts over hydrologic model forecasts  2004

## Hydraulic ModelingOther Topics

- Practical updating techniques
- Automatic adjustment of stages & flows after simulation
- Virtual lateral flows to account for missing ungaged inflows
- Ensemble Forecasting
- Improved method of determining probabilistic water surface profiles
- Training and support
- Biannual NWS hydraulic models  workshop to external users (1976-1998)
- Hydraulic model workshops for NWS users
- Web page tutorials for hydraulic modeling
- River mechanics list server for feedback rvrmech@gateway2.nws.noaa.gov
- River mechanics forum _[http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hrl/rvrmech/rvrmain.htm](http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hrl/rvrmech/rvrmain.htm)_
- River Mechanics email for support ( _[river.mechanics@noaa.gov](mailto:river.mechanics@noaa.gov)_ )
- River mechanics FAQ web page http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hrl/rvrmech/faq_update.htm#river

## Hydraulic ModelingOther Topics

- External Collaboration
- Collaboration with Homeland Security Department (DTRA, FEMA) in development of emergency flood mapping capability
- More than 120 users since 2002 (Federal, state and local government; universities; and consultants)  on the River Mechanics Forum (at least 25 international users) who provide input to the development of the River Mechanics models
- Collaboration with USACE-CRREL in the implementation of river ice capabilities in NWS hydraulic models
- Provided flood forecast mapping capability to international agencies
- Collaboration with other NOAA offices in development of an integrated flood forecast map of both the river and coastline

## NWS River Mechanics Activities Future Direction

- Hydraulic Modeling
- Stream flow Regulation Accounting
- River Ice Modeling
- Sediment Transport
- Pollutant Transport
- Investigate the need for 2-D or 3-D hydraulic modeling
- Visualization Tools
- Flood Forecast Mapping
- Coupling coastal and river flood forecast maps
- Investigate the need for 2-D flood forecast maps
- FLDWAV Analysis Tools
- Visualization tools for model calibration
- Visualization tools for data analysis
- Visualization of hydraulic structures (dams/bridges/levees)
- Calibration and Verification
- Improved methods for automatic calibration