The Stream Alignment layer is available in the Setup module (also is available in the Modeling module when a forecast is open) once a stream alignment has been defined for a watershed (Appendix J). This layer has sub-layers for each stream alignment element. Expanding the Stream Alignment layer node in the Map Layers dialog (Figure 1) displays its sub-layers (Stream Junctions, Streams, and Stream Nodes).

Figure 1 Map Layer Dialog - Stream Alignment Layer

Stream Alignment Layer Properties

You can change the appearance of streams and their labels; change the appearance of stream junctions and stream nodes; and, set the visualization scale for the Stream Alignment layer. From the Map Layer dialog (Figure 1), right-click on Stream Alignment, from the shortcut menu, click Properties. The Stream Alignment Properties dialog will open (Figure 2).

FIgure 2 Stream Alignment Properties Dialog

Stream Alignment – Streams

The following are instructions for changing the appearance of Streams in the stream alignment:

  1. You can set the width of the lines that represent streams from the Stream Width list (Figure 3).
    Figure 3 Stream Alignment Properties - Streams
  2. You can select the color of the lines that represent the streams from the Stream Color list (Figure 2). The default color is orange. There are several colors to choose from, and you can also create custom colors. From the Stream Color list, click Custom. The Choose A Color dialog will open (Figure 4). See Appendix E for further details on the Choose A Color dialog. 
    Figure 4 Choose A Color Dialog
  3. A preview of the stream color change is displayed (Figure 5) in the Stream Alignment Properties dialog. Click Apply to apply the changes. 
    Figure 5 Preview Stream Color Changes
  4. By default, stream labels appear in the map window. If you do not want the labels displayed, from the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), uncheck Show Stream Name, and click Apply. 
  5. To change the font of the stream labels, from the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), click Choose Font. The Font Chooser dialog will open (Figure 6). Select the font type from the Font list, and select a size using the Size slider. Click OK, the Font Chooser dialog will close. Click Apply on the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2). All the stream labels will appear in the font and size you choose.
    Figure 6 Font Chooser Dialog
    Tic marks appear on a stream representing the stream stationing. There are two types of tic marks, minor and major. The following are instructions for changing the appearance of tic marks:
  6. If you do not want to display the tic marks, from the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), uncheck Draw Station Tics (Figure 7), and click Apply. 
    Figure 7 Stream Alignment Properties - Tic Marks
  7. From the Tic Length list (Figure 7), you can set the length of the minor tic marks. To change the length of the major tic marks, use the Major Tic Length list. Click Apply, and the map window displaying the stream alignment will update. 
  8. To change the font of the tic mark labels, from the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), click Choose. The Font Chooser dialog will open (Figure 6). Select the font type from the Type list, and select a size using the Size slider. Click OK, the Font Chooser dialog closes (Figure 6). From the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), click Apply. All the tic mark labels will appear in the font and size you chose. 

Stream Alignment – Stream Nodes

The following are instructions for changing the appearance of all Stream Nodes in the stream alignment:

  1. If you do not want to display stream nodes, from the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), uncheck Draw Stream Nodes (Figure 8), and click Apply.
    Figure 8 Stream Alignment Properties - Stream Nodes
  2. You can select the color for stream nodes from the Node Color list (Figure 8). The default color is green. Similar to streams, you can also create a custom color.
  3. You can select the outline color of stream nodes from the Node Outline Color list (Figure 8). The default color is dark green. Like streams, you can also create a custom color.
  4. You can set the width of stream nodes from the Node Width list (Figure 8).

Stream Alignment – Junctions

The following are instructions to change the appearance of all Stream Junctions in the stream alignment:
1. If you do not want to display stream junctions, from the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), uncheck Draw Junctions (Figure 4.10), and click Apply.
Figure 9 Stream Alignment Properties - Stream Junctions
2. You can select the color of stream junctions from the Junction Color list (Figure 9). The default color is dark green. Like streams, you can also create a custom color.
3. You can set the width of Stream Junctions from the Junction Width list (Figure 9).

Stream Alignment - Scale

The visualization Scale feature allows you to customize stream alignment display settings as you are zooming in and out on the map window. The following are instructions to set the visualization scale for the Stream Alignment layer:

  1. To set the visualization scale for the stream alignment to a default, from the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), click Scale, click Set to Defaults. The visualization scale is set automatically.
  2. To enter your own scale factor, from the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), click Scale, click New. The Create New Scale dialog will open (Figure 10). In the Scale box, enter values for the scale factor. Figure 10 Create New Scale Dialog
  3. Click OK. This creates a new tab in the Stream Alignment Properties dialog (Figure 2), from the new tab, you can configure the stream alignment's appearance.