Data that is downloaded from several recognized locations in specific formats can be easily imported to a DSS file using one of several plugins. As an example, you will import a file that was downloaded from the NWS: "https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/".

Workshop Files

Download the data file here:

Hawley_1E_PA.csv

  • Click Tools | HEC-DSSVue... to open the DSS file for the study.
  • Within HEC-DSSVue, click Data Entry | Import | NCDC.
  • Within the pop up window, navigate to and select the Hawley_1E_PA.csv file.
  • Click Open to being importing the contents of the .csv file. A pop up window will inform you that the contents were imported. Click OK to close this window.

You may need to hit F5 to refresh the catalog in HEC-DSSVue once the window closes.  Ensure that the View | Condensed Catalog option is selected within HEC-DSSVue.

  • Two new records will be added to the DSS file: one containing location information (since the downloaded file contained x-y-z information) as well as the actual data values. However, the data was imported as an irregular data set (IR-YEAR) and should be changed to a regular data set (i.e. 1DAY).
  • Select the "//HAWLEY 1 E PA US/PRECIP-INC//IR-Year/Hawley_1E_PA.csv/" time series and click Tools | Math Functions.
  • Select the Time Functions tab and ensure the operator is set to "Min/Max/Avg/…OverPeriod".
  • Change the Function Type to "Accumulation over Period" and ensure the New Period Interval is set to "1DAY".

The Data Type should be set to PER-CUM.

  • The Math Functions editor should appear similar to Figure 1.
  • Click Compute.
  • Click the Save button (  ) near the upper left corner of the window. A pop up window will inform you that the data set was saved. Click OK to close this window.
  • Close the Math Functions editor by clicking on the "X" in the upper right hand corner of the window. This will cause the new 1DAY precipitation time series to be added to the list of datasets that are contained within the DSS file, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Math Functions Editor

  • Close the HEC-DSSVue editor by clicking on the "X" in the upper right hand corner of the window.
  • Click Data | New | Using Import Wizard to open the new Data Importer Wizard.
  • Enter a Short ID of "Hawley Daily Precipitation".
  • Change the Source to HEC-DSS, and click Next.
  • Click the ellipsis button within the Selected DSS File entry field
  • Within the pop up window, navigate to and select the study DSS file that was just edited (i.e. Intro_to_SSP.dss). Click Open to select this file. This will cause the contents of the selected DSS file to populate within the table listing selectable data sets.
  • Double left click on the "//HAWLEY 1 E PA US/PRECIP-INC//1DAY/Hawley_1E_PA.csv/" data set to add it to the window at the bottom of the Data Importer. Ensure that you selected the 1DAY time series!
  • Click Next and review your data one last time.
  • When ready, click Import to to import the data set and return to the main HEC-SSP desktop.
  • Click the Save button (  ) to save the study.

Continue to Task 7. Filter and Modify Several Data Sets.

Download the final project files here: Intro_to_SSP.zip