The CWMS server is continually receiving precipitation, flow, stage, reservoir, and other data at regular time intervals. The data are decoded and stored in the CWMS database on the server. The data are transformed, validated, and stored back in the CWMS database (gridded data are stored in separate HEC-DSS files on the server). You have assigned the data streams to time series icons in your CWMS watershed displayed in the CAVI.

Now, you’ll choose which data streams you wish to monitor by selecting time series icon layers, which you have already configured (Time Series Icons Layers and Model Alternatives and Forecast Runs). You placed the time series icons at the locations in the watershed where the data streams correspond to and organized them into layers, or groups, so that you can easily pick a group of icons that you wish to see at a given time. The time series icons are available in the Acquisition, Visualization, and Setup modules in CWMS and provide access to functions related to the data streams. This includes acquiring, monitoring, validating, and editing data by using the Acquisition tab (Acquisition Module, Monitoring and Validating Incoming Data, and Data Validation Editor). The Visualization Module provides you with a flexible set of tools for you to see at a glance incoming data, such as animations of gridded precipitation data. These visualization tools can help you evaluate the current state of the watershed by comparing the incoming data to threshold values you define that represent normal conditions. For example, let’s say you have defined a Times Series icon with an upper threshold value for precipitation data to be 3 inches. If an incoming precipitation value is 4 inches, then the icon will alert you using a visual indicator.

Acquiring Data

In the Acquisition tab, you will retrieve time-series data from gages. These data will typically include precipitation, river flows and stages, temperature, and reservoir releases and elevations. You can view the real time data by defining a time window that is relative to the current time by setting look back and look ahead times (in days or hours). Or, you can view historical data by specifying a starting and ending date and time. Figure 1 shows an example time window being defined relative to current time.

Figure 1 Acquisition Tab - Time Window

Monitoring and Validating Data

In the Acquisition tab, you will monitor and validate your time-series data. Several tools are available to show the quality and quantity of the data. Quality color bars (Figure 2) and thumbnail plots (Figure 3) provide you with a quick overview of the acquisition processes by showing you the quality (missing values needing to be filled-in) and quantity (magnitude of data and possible data outliers) of your data.

Figure 2 Quality Color Bars Showing Data Gaps

Figure 3 Thumbnail Plots Showing Flows and Stages

Figure 4 Sample CWMS Plots Gap in the Data

If the quality color bar or thumbnail plot for a location indicates that the data are questionable, then you can check the data using plots (Figure 4) and tables (Figure 5).

You can use the Data Status Summary (Figure 6) to view groups of data (e.g., all precipitation data or all flow data). You can also check the status of the data streams to see if they are active.

Refer to Acquisition Module and Monitoring and Validating Incoming Data for more details.

Figure 5 Sample CWMS Table of Historical Data

Figure 6 Data Status Summary

Editing Data

When you are checking the validity of data to verify its accuracy, you might need to edit questionable data and fill-in missing data. You use the Data Validation Editor (Figure 7) in the Acquisition tab to edit time series data.

Figure 7 Data Validation Editor

You can use text-entry editing or graphical editing to make data revisions. When there are data gaps (i.e., missing data), this tool is also convenient for estimating values using the graphical editor or the table of data values. After editing the data, you can choose to accept the changes and store the revised data values back to the CWMS database or HEC-DSS file.

Refer to Data Validation Editor for additional details for editing data.

Visualizing Data

The Visualization tab allows you to view current conditions in your watershed and the associated hydrometeorological data in a georeferenced context (e.g., gridded precipitation), as shown in Figure 8.

The grid animation controls allow you to view precipitation grids for the time window you have chosen in the Visualization tab. These controls (Figure 9) function as you would expect the controls to work for a video player.

Figure 8 Gridded Precipitation Data in Visualization Tab

Figure 9 Grid Animation Controls in Visualization Tab

Similar to the quality color bars used in the Acquisition tab, you can use threshold color bars (Figure 10) in the Visualization tab to compare current data against threshold values that you set for a location. For example, in the Acquisition Module you may wish to display quality color bars to identify missing data, while in the Visualization Module, you may wish to use threshold color bars or thumbnail plots to understand your watershed’s hydrometeorological or operational conditions.

Figure 10 Threshold Color Bars in Visualization Tab

The upper left threshold color bar in Figure 10 shows red for the parts of the time window when a gage downstream of the reservoir exceeds an operational flow threshold.   The other three threshold color bars display the times when key downstream gages exceed the NWS “monitor” stage (orange) or flood stage (red).   You can also use thumbnail plots and tables to visualize your time-series data.  Figure 10 uses them to display hydrographs at gages upstream and downstream of the reservoir, and on a lateral branch of the river.

Additionally, plugins can display data within the Visualization tab. Currently HEC-MetVue is the only plugin that supports display within the Visualization tab, which provides another mechanism for visualizing hydrometeorological data.

Refer to Visualization Module for additional details for visualizing data.