Water Quality Modeling | Advanced Visualization

"a resource for water quality modelers and limnologists"

AGPM-2D Overview

Abstract

The Animation and Graphics Portfolio Manager (AGPM) version 3.x for Windows 7/Vista/XP/Me/2K/9x/NT4 is post-processing software for graphically displaying results of two-dimensional reservoir water quality models such as CE-QUAL-W2, BETTER, and WASP. The portfolio concept utilized by AGPM was developed by modelers for modelers. It lets the modeler build a series of plots using an intuitive Windows^TM interface for one simulation, and then efficiently reproduce all the same plots for a subsequent simulation. The portfolio concept dramatically reduces the time and expense of plotting multi-constituent model results, shortening calibration times while expanding capability for presentations and professional reports.

Background

The most tedious and time-consuming elements of reservoir water quality model calibration is the display of working plots between each successive simulation.  Working plots are used to compare each simulation with a previous simulation (sensitivity analyses), and to compare the latest calibration attempt with field data. Calibration requires display of numerous water quality constituents in many plot types (time-depth contours, distance-depth contours, time-series, vertical profiles, etc) for each of a large number of simulations. These plots are usually prepared in a laborious effort where special purpose programs extract subsets of the model output, reformat them, input them to various plotting routines, and finally prepare plots at the same scales with various graphics programs.

One of the more demanding elements of model application is preparation of professional quality outputs for presentation to decision-makers. It is becoming more common for water resources professionals to make presentations on reservoir behavior to the lay public. These presentations involve educating as well as influencing the audience. Animation and other powerful depictions of water quality patterns allow modelers to provide insights to a range of audiences about the effects of major influences on local reservoirs (e.g., dam operations, watershed changes, inflow loadings, hydrology, meteorology, channel morphometry). Understanding gained in such sessions leads to consensus among reservoir users, decision-makers, regulators, and other stakeholders on reservoir management options.

The AGPM has evolved to meet these critical needs of modelers. The portfolio concept embodied in this interface was developed by two reservoir modelers (an engineer and a systems analyst) specifically for modelers. It is especially helpful for multi-disciplinary teams of engineers, limnologists, biologists, and water quality specialists. The one or two days formerly required to produce the vast array of plots necessary for one model simulation has been reduced to a matter of minutes and a push of the PLOT button, freeing the modeler to focus on the science rather than the process of modeling. Experience with AGPM on outputs from 2D water quality models has convinced us that this is a major advance in post-processing, and one long overdue.

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