Time series icons appear in the map window and represent locations where information is available. These icons provide convenient access to location-specific information and data analysis tools.

Icons can be created, renamed, moved, or deleted using tools in the Setup tab. These functions are accessed via the Time Series Icon Tool in the Map Window Toolbar.

The Time Series Icon Editor allows you to:

  • Associate data from various sources, such as a database, CWMS Data API (CDA), or an HEC-DSS file
  • Configure icon appearance for different modules, such as Quality Color Bars or Thumbnail Plots
  • Attach images, web pages, webcams, documents, and scripting information

Time Series Icon Editor

Once time series icons are created, each must be configured in the Time Series Icon Editor. This dialog allows you to:

  • Associate data from various sources
  • Configure icon appearance for different modules
  • Attach images, web pages, webcams, documents, and scripting information

To access the editor, go to the Setup tab, click the Time Series Icon Tool in the Map Window Toolbar, right-click a time series icon, and select Edit.

Icon Types

There are seven icon types to choose from for visual representation of the icons:

  • Graphic Symbol - Displays a predefined symbol representing the data location.
  • Dot - Shows a small red dot with a label to minimize map clutter.
  • Thumbnail Plot - Displays a small, real-time plot of the dataset.
  • Quality Color Bar - Shows data quality using color-coded bands.
  • Threshold Color Bar - Indicates threshold breaches with user-defined colors.
  • Cumulative Threshold - Displays accumulated values (e.g., total precipitation).
  • None - Hides the icon from the map in a specific module.

Icon Type Selection per Module

You can assign unique icon types to each module, as well as specific icon types for individual datasets within the same module.

Graphic Symbol

Graphic Symbols display a simple icon representing a data station within the watershed. They are ideal when you don't need to see the raw data, but simply want to confirm a location's presence and data availability.

They consist of the following elements: 

  • Location Name: Appears directly next to the symbol for easy identification.

Dot

Dots display as a small red circular icons on the map. Similar to Graphic Symbols, they are ideal when you don't need to see the raw data, but simply want to confirm a location's presence and data availability.

They consist of the following elements: 

  • Location Name: Appears directly next to the dot for easy identification.

Thumbnail Plot

Thumbnail Plots provide a compact visual summary of actual data values over the selected time window. 

They consist of the following elements: 

  • Location Name: Appears directly next to the thumbnail plot for easy identification.
  • Data Graph: Displays a small visualization of the selected data plotted across the full time window.

Quality Color Bar

Quality Color Bars provide a quick, visual summary of the data acquisition status at each location within the watershed. They display whether incoming data is acceptable, missing, or questionable, based on quality flags assigned according to thresholds you define. The bars update automatically based on the time window selected.

Quality Color Bars

They consist of the following elements: 

  • Location Name: Appears directly next to the color bar for easy identification.
  • Bar Length: Represents the full duration of the selected time window.
  • Segments: Divided into specific time intervals, with colors reflecting the data quality defined by your legend.

Threshold Color Bar

Threshold Color Bars allow you to visually compare real-time data against specific limits set for each location. The bar's colors change dynamically depending on whether values fall above, below, or within your defined target ranges.

They consist of the following elements:

  • Location Name: Appears directly next to the color bar for easy identification.
  • Bar Length: Represents the full duration of the selected time window.
  • Segments: Divided into specific time intervals, with colors reflecting how the data compares to your threshold values during that period.

Cumulative Threshold

Cumulative Threshold Color Bars function just like standard Threshold Color Bars, but they track total accumulated values rather than individual data points. This is particularly useful for monitoring data that builds up over time, such as precipitation totals.

None

This option allows you to manage clutter by hiding either the full time series icon or just specific underlying datasets within a module.

Additional Resources

Refer to this guide for more information on working with time series icons in HEC-RTS.