1. Automated H&H and Advanced Terrain Processing
Symposium on Terrain Analysis For Water Resources Applications Austin, TX December 16th – 18th , 2002
Joseph B. Chapman, PE, CFM
Senior Vice-President
Gray Minton, PE (not in TX)
Senior Software Engineer
Austin – Charlotte - Cary - Greensboro

2. Overview of Presentation
Issues Related to Terrain Management
Overview of WISE
Terrain Processing Techniques
Automated Hydrology Functions
Automated Hydraulics Functions
Automated Floodplain Mapping

4. Terrain Data and Management of Terrain is Key to any Automated H&H Process

5. IF YOU DON’T KNOW THIS YOU MUST HAVE BEEN ASLEEP FOR 2 DAYS!
WHAT IS LIDAR?
LIDAR = LIght Detection and Ranging
20-25 cm RMSE Accuracy
Multiple LIDAR Returns
Trees (canopy)
Bare Earth
Our acquisition strategy is based on the theme of capability, capacity and commitment.
Our capability is defined by our choice of multiple return and high altitude LIDAR systems that make it possible for us to do the whole project in one flight season.
Our capacity to accomplish this will be demonstrated later in the presentation with resources in reserve for contingencies.
Our team made a commitment two months ago to develop a detailed “Command and Control Plan” which contains completed flight plans and mobilization protocols for coordination and communication. We are already organized down to the last detail, including the names and phone numbers of aircraft mechanics and fuel vendors at each of the eight North Carolina airports we have identified as base stations.
When I say we are ready to go upon Notice to Proceed, I mean we are ready to put airplanes in the air.
IF YOU DON’T KNOW THIS YOU MUST HAVE BEEN ASLEEP FOR 2 DAYS!

6. How Much Data is LIDAR Data?
LIDAR Points

7. How Much Data is LIDAR Data?
One (1) Project Tile:
20k x 20k (14 Square Miles)
950,000 Mass Points
215 MB Shape File

8. How Much Data is LIDAR Data?
1,228 Tiles in Phase I !!
(4 Eastern Watersheds)

9. Here’s Where We Store It!

10. What is WISE?
Tool for managing and utilizing data for watershed studies
Provides integration of GIS and standard engineering calculation programs
Modules for:
Terrain Storage
Inventory Management
Hydrologic Analysis
Closed System Analysis
Open Channel Analysis
Water Quality Analysis
Master Planning
This is primarily an engineering project, however terrain data development is critical to achieving the project schedule. We have designed an approach to acquire all of the terrain data for the first six watersheds in one flight season.
We are ready to fly immediately if selected. PAUSE.
Our team has capability and experience in all of the remote sensing technologies noted in the RFQ, notably photogrammetry, IFSAR and LIDAR. Based on our understanding of the technical requirements, schedule and budget, LIDAR is our technology of choice.

11. WISE is Based on? Written in Visual Basic with a few DLL’s in C.
Based on ESRI’s MapObjects
Interfaces with Standard Calculation Engines
WISE IS NOT A MODEL
This is primarily an engineering project, however terrain data development is critical to achieving the project schedule. We have designed an approach to acquire all of the terrain data for the first six watersheds in one flight season.
We are ready to fly immediately if selected. PAUSE.
Our team has capability and experience in all of the remote sensing technologies noted in the RFQ, notably photogrammetry, IFSAR and LIDAR. Based on our understanding of the technical requirements, schedule and budget, LIDAR is our technology of choice.

12. WISE Terrain Module
The Terrain module in WISE is an integrated suite of tools that:
Imports terrain data in numerous different formats
Stores and provides quick access to very large amounts of data
Combines terrain data based on user-assigned priorities
Generates TIN’s and DEM’s
Hydrologically corrects the terrain data
Provides the foundation for tools in other modules such as basin delineation and cross section takeoff

13. WISE Terrain Import
WISE allows the user to import terrain data in numerous formats, including:
LIDAR data
AutoCAD DXF’s
Numerous ASCII formats
WISE stores all of this data in a unique storage system with unlimited storage capacity.

14. WISE currently stores complete TIN for 15,000 Square miles and growing
WISE currently stores complete TIN for 15,000 Square miles and growing! (4 + billion points)
TINs that will be established during the first phase of the projedfct

15. Blending of Terrain Data
WISE allows the user to combine multiple different types of terrain data based on user-defined priorities

17. TIN and DEM Generation
WISE creates TIN’s from the blended terrain data
WISE also creates DEM’s, which are later used during the hydrological correction process. These DEM’s can be exported for use in other programs such as ArcView.
Once new Terrain data becomes available, TIN’s can be regenerated for an area without having to recreate the whole model

18. Hydrological Correction
Typically the most time-consuming part of the project
WISE speeds up this process dramatically by automatically fixing sinks, peaks, and flat areas using its own program, FAUCET
Advantages of FAUCET
Allow for use of unlimited size data sets by tiling data
Handles negative values
Extra precision has been added (not critical for NED Data)
Doesn’t Fill Sinks! – This is important in preserving integrity of as much of the data as possible

19. Example FAUCET Correction

20. Tools that use the Terrain Output
Hydrology: Raindrop Tool, Drainage Area Tracking, Basin Delineation, Time of Concentration Calculation
Hydraulics: Cross Section Placement, Cross Section Takeoff
Water Quality: Spill Response Modeling

21. Compatibility/Usability of Results
Manage TIN in WISE – export to any program that accepts dxf or shapefile
Generate a hydrologically correct DEM that can be used by any program that can except standard data formats
Standard GIS and CADD programs do not have to store the data

22. Automated Hydrology Tools
WISE has numerous tools that help a user manage and create hydrologic data including:
Automatic Basin Delineation
Automatic Time of Concentration Calculation
Curve Number Calculation
HEC-1/TR-20 model creation

23. Basin Delineation
WISE will allow a user to automatically delineate basins based on a target basin size

24. Time of Concentration Calculation
WISE will automatically determine the longest TC for a basin based on longest flow length or longest flow time
WISE currently allows the user to calculate TC’s based on 5 different methods, including SCS TR-55
WISE also determines Routing Time of Concentration flowpaths, and calculates the stage/storage curves for each routing

25. Curve Number Calculation
WISE will calculate Curve Numbers for a given set of basins

26. Hydrologic Model Creation
WISE will automatically create a complete hydrologic model for a given area

27. Metadata Already Created Tracking How Model was Created!

28. Automated Hydraulic Tools
WISE has numerous tools that help a user manage and create hydraulic data including:
Automatic Cross Section Placement
Cross Section and n-value takeoff
HEC-RAS model creation
Floodplain mapping
Flood profile creation

29. Automatic Cross Section Placement

30. Manual Cross Section Edits

31. Survey Data Import

32. Feature Code Library
Add notes on how we collect the data.
Standard Code Library has been used for thousands of structure surveys

33. HEC-RAS Model Creation

34. Floodplain Mapping

35. Efficient Management of Terrain Data Make All These Other Processes Possible
Hydrology: Raindrop Tool, Drainage Area Tracking, Basin Delineation, Time of Concentration Calculation
Hydraulics: Cross Section Placement, Cross Section Takeoff
Water Quality: Spill Response Modeling

36. QUESTIONS? www.watershedconcepts.com www.ncfloodmaps.com
Austin – Charlotte - Cary - Greensboro