Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 GENERAL
The Decision Support System provides an effective and efficient way of
flood control and prevention. First of all, the DSS components retrieves, process and file the
rainfall and stream-flow data. Then they estimate the rainfall, update the model parameters
and forecast the runoff. Their next step is to simulate the reservoir operations in order to
forecast basin-wide regulated flows.
The DSS uses custom software for retrieving and processing the data and an
industry-standard Database Management System D!MS" for filing the data. #t uses
speciali$ed versions of the well-%nown programs &'(-) and &'(-* for forecasting the
runoff and simulating reservoir operations respectively. +ll these components are integrated
by the DSS with a speciali$ed program manager.
1.2 NECESSITY OF THE DSS
Flooding due to record rainfalls in the Trinity ,iver basin in early -.s caused
great loss of lives and property and millions of dollars in flood damage. #n response to these
mighty devastations, the Texas legislature created a tas% force and directed it to review the
floodwater release procedures of la%e operators in Trinity ,iver basin and the co-ordination of
floodwater management efforts within the basin boundaries.
1.3 OBJECTIVES
The ob/ectives of developing the DSS were0
i. To develop and implement a coordinated basin-wide water-release program1 and
ii. To develop a basin-wide flood warning system.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
2. STUDY AREA, DATA COLLECTION, RETRIEVAL, PROCESSING
2.1 STUDY AREA
The study area selected was the Trinity ,iver basin located in northeastern
Texas having an approximate area of 2.34). ha. )5,6.. s7uare miles". The basin stretches
approximately *.. %m. from the 8%lahoma border to the Texas 9ulf (oast. This land is used
for various purposes such as farmlands, industries, power generation, etc. The average annual
rainfall in the basin varies from 53. mm. to ),:5. mm. Four government agencies own and
operate )5 ma/or reservoirs having a total capacity of );.3; billions, in the basin for multiple
purposes.
2.2 DATA COLLECTION NETWORK
This networ% includes ** automated real-time reporting rain gauges and )-:
co-operative weather observers. These rain gauges report automatically every 3 hours through
the 9eo-stationary 8perational 'nvironmental Satellite 98'S". The co-operative observers
normally report once by telephone daily. The <nited States 9eological Survey <S9S"
operates and maintains the primary basin-wide real-time stream-flow data collection networ%.
This networ% includes ;* stream-flow gauges and - reservoir stage gauges that measure
hourly and report every 2 hours through the 98'S system.
2.3 DATA RETRIEVAL
To retrieve the collected data the study team wor%ed closely with =>S and
(orps representatives to develop software that interrogates the =>S and (orps computers via
telephone modems and retrieves copies of data from their databases. #f the currently available
precipitation data is limited, the data retrieval process is done only once, usually around the
noon. &owever, the DSS can retrieve the data at any time and as fre7uently as the forecaster
demands it.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
2.4 DATA PROCESSING AND FILING
Data in the D!MS are accessed through a set of front-end utility or through a
F8,T,+= library. The front-end programs shown in table below, permit data entry,
reporting, charting, viewing and modifying. The F8,T,+= library provides an engine that
reads, writes and interacts with database files. >ith the library, any properly lin%ed program
can access the data and perform operations not possible or not conveniently performed with
front-end programs. (ustom software developed for this DSS uses the library to convert data
to the database. The DSS analysis tools are also lin%ed to the library thus they can retrieve the
data directly from the database.
Pror!" N!"#
$1%
F&'()*o'
$2%
DSS#=
DS?@+A
DSS<T@
'4T,(T
D>#=D8
Data-input program. #nput can be from %eyboard or from an +S(## file.
?rogram may be executed interactively or in batch mode.
9raphing tool. >ith it, user can plot both observed and forecasted data on
screen or with a variety of printers and plotters. Scales, labels, and axes
are selected automatically for plotting hydrometeorological
data.
Database administration utility. #t performs house %eeping chores, such as
listing names of records in the database or deleting records from the
database. (reates a wor%ing copy of specified data. The copy is for
forecasting, thus protecting the original data. Tabulates data using
predefined form. The user can view and modify data in a wor%ing
database copy.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
3. RAINFALL ESTI+ATING, RUNOFF FORECASTING, AND
PARA+ETER UPDATING SUBSYSTE+S
3.1 RAINFALL ESTI+ATION
The Trinity ,iver DSS uses the computer program ?,'(#? to compute the
catchments aeral-average rainfall for the catchments in the basin from rainfall observations by
the ** automated rain gauges and )-: weather observers.
?,'(#? estimates the average rainfall as follows0
#t retrieves the available rainfall observations from the database
#t adds to these data any casual rainfall reports, defined by location, depth and duration.
#t estimates a rainfall hyetograph for pre-specified index location in each catchment
within the basin using the four nearest rain gauges that reported.
#t estimates an average rainfall hyetograph for each catchment. The aeras average
hyetograph for each catchment is stored in the database for subse7uent forecasting.
The software is sufficiently flexible to utili$e the data from additional gauges
without any reprogramming. >hen additional gauges are added to the networ%, only minor
changes are re7uired in the input files to use the new data
3.2 RUNOFF FORECASTING
The team had a number of options of runoff forecasting models from which
to choose. #t elected to use a ?(-implementation of &'(-#F, a speciali$ed version of the
(orpsB well-%nown &'(-) program.
To forecast the runoff, the basin was divided into )52 sub catchments with
);) channel reaches. &'(-#F forecasts runoff for each sub catchment. Carious hydrologic
routing models were prepared to simulate channel flow. The routed combined hydrograph was
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
compared to the observed hydrograph at the gauge, and parameters were ad/usted to improve
the fit.
3.3 PARA+ETER UPDATING
The DSS first computes the subcatchment average hyetograph for a period
ending at the time of forecast. Then, a parameter-estimation search procedure in &'(-) F
see%s the values of model parameters that best reproduced observed runoff during the same
period. These parameters estimates are used for forecasting until additional data are available
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
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-------------------etrieves the forecast from the database, simulates operations, and
files regulated flow-forecasts in the database. The forecaster can then tabulate or plot
forecasted flows and water levels with the front-end programs, and ta%e appropriate
action.
5.2 INTEGRATION THROUGH PROGRA+ +ANAGER
+ custom developed program manager, Trinity ,iver +dvanced (omputing
'nvironment T,+('" is a character based D8S program, with pull down menus, dialog
boxes, radio buttons, and all the ?(-features. T,+(' executes ?,'(#?, &'(-#F, and &'(-*
with proper inputs. This is illustrated in figure ;. #t also serves as a file manager, input
processor, and D!MS interface. The file-manager component of T,+(' names, trac%s, and
manages the #nput files necessary for real-time forecasting, and reservoir simulation. #n order
to speed-up the forecasting process, T,+(' creates database subsets with only the rainfall
and stream-flow data re7uired for the current forecast. >hen repeated forecasts are made in
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
the basin, the T,+(' file-manager automatically assigns file names to prevent overwriting
earlier forecasts. The input processor component T,+(' permits the forecaster to modify
input to any of the analysis tools with a full-screen editor with speciali$ed dialog-boxes. #f the
need for file modification arises during forecasting, T,+(' will execute any use-specified
text-editor to permit this. +s the forecaster is li%ely changing some parameters fre7uently,
T,+(' presents a set of dialog boxes with these parameters as shown in the figure 2.
T,+(' executes programs ?,'F8, and ?,'8? to complete the &'(-#F and &'(-*
template files respectively.
The D!MS-interface component of T,+(' executes program '4T,+(T to
create wor%ing copies of data records, program DS?@+A to graph the data and program
D>#=D8 is to tabulate and edit the data.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
4. APPLICATION AND RESULT
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
6.1 APPLICATION
The applications of DSS are illustrated with a sub system of Trinity ,iver shown in figure *.
>hich includes three reservoirs and five system control points.
The applications of the DSS are as follows0
)" #nflow hydrographs can be forecasted with the DSS using the data available.
:" The hydrographs can be plotted with DS?@+A using the data retrieved from the D!MS.
;" #t simplifies real-time forecasting and initial model calibration
2" The system can be satisfactorily applied to even a denser networ% without any
reprogramming
6.2 RESULT
Figure 3.) shows the subsystem of the Trinity ,iver, which includes the three
reservoirs and five system control points. Figure 3 shows a (edar (ree% inflow hydrograph
forecasted with the DSS using the data available. The hydrographs were plotted with
DS?@+A using the data retrieved from the D!MS. The computed hydrographs match well
with the observed hydrographs, indicating proper calibration and accurate reservoir inflow
forecast. Figure 5 and 6 are the DS?@+A plots of forecasted flows at TDDT: and @8@T:
respectively along with the observed flows at the same location. These flows are computed
with reservoir simulation system. The plots show that the models reproduce the observed
events when releases are properly selected.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
,. CONCLUSION
+ ?(-based DSS provides real-time information for improved flood
prevention and control in the Trinity ,iver basin in Texas. #t is a simple and efficient system
that includes data retrieval, processing and filing subsystems, a rainfall estimating and runoff
forecasting subsystem and a reservoir simulation subsystem. The data retrieval, processing
and filing subsystem relies on =>S and <S9S and uses a time-series D!MS developed by
&'(. The rainfall estimating and runoff forecasting subsystem uses ?( versions of ?,'(#?
and &'(-#F. The reservoir simulation subsystem uses a version of &'(-*. The D!MS and a
speciali$ed program manager integrate the components of the DSS and simplify real-time
forecasting, reservoir release selecting, and evaluating to a great extent.
The DSS gives ama$ing and stupefying results when applied.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
REFERENCES
). David T. Ford and p. ,ussell Xillen, q?(-!ased Decision Support System For Trinity,
Texasr, pournal of >ater ,esources ?lanning i Management, Col. ):), =o. *, )--*.
:. q?roceeding of =ational #nstitute of &ydrology (ontract on Flood Fre7uency +nalysisr,
?ublished !y-palvigyan !havan, ,oor%ee <.?."
;. www.google.com
2. www.hec.usace.army.mil
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
ABSTRACT
?(-based DSS is a highly valuable tool which is immensely helpful in flood
control and prevention. The DSS was designed to provide forecasts with the data available
from the existing precipitation and stream gauge networ%. The DSS uses custom software for
retrieving and processing the data and industry management system D!MS" for filing the
data. #t uses speciali$ed versions of the well-%nown programs &'(-) and &'(-* for
forecasting the runoff and simulating the reservoir operations.
#n the present study, an attempt has been made to review the flood-water
release procedures of la%e operator in the Trinity ,iver basin and coordination of flood water
management efforts within the basin boundaries.
The study shows that the rainfall estimating and runoff forecasting subsystem
uses the ?(-version of ?,'(#?, and &'(-)F. The reservoir simulation subsystem uses the
?(-version of &'(-*. ?(-based DSS provides a real-time information for improved flood
prevention and control in the Trinity ,iver in Texas.
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
CONTENTS
Sr. No. To7*(8 P!# No.
ABSTRACT
1. INTRODUCTION 91
1.1 G#'#r!:
1.2 N#(#88*); o< )=# DSS
1.3 O>?#()*@#8
2. STUDY AREA, DATA COLLECTION, RETRIEVAL AND PROCESSING 92
2.1 S)&A; Ar#!
2.2 D!)! Co::#()*o' N#)BorC
2.3 D!)! R#)r*#@!:
2.4 D!)! Pro(#88*' !'A F*:*'
3. RAINFALL ESTI+ATING, RUNOFF FORECASTING AND
PARA+ETER UPDATING SUBSYSTE+S 95
3.1 R!*'<!:: E8)*"!)*o'
3.2 R&'o<< For#(!8)*'
3.3 P!r!"#)#r U7A!)*'
4. RESERVOIR SI+ULATION AND BASINWIDE FORECASTING 9,
R#8#r@o*r S*"&:!)*o' S&>8;8)#"
B!8*'B*A# For#(!8) Pro(#A&r#
5. SYSTE+ INTEGRATION 94
5.1 I')#r!)*o' T=ro&= D!)!>!8#
5.2 I')#r!)*o' T=ro&= Pror!" +!'!#r
6. APPLICATION AND RESULT 12
6.1 A77:*(!)*o'
6.2 R#8&:)
,. CONCLUSION 15
REFERENCES 16
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Effective Flood Control And Prevention Through A PC-Based D.S.S.
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