Watersheds Modeling
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	INTRODUCING M4W-SwaNET A Next-Generation Watershed Modeling Technology Leveraging the ongoing global spatial revolution and new and exciting opportunities – from remote sensing and wireless sensor network technologies, to LiDAR, cloud communication, advanced visualization and augmented reality, and AI (Artificial Intelligence) – we introduce a next-generation watershed modeling technology, with unique tools for simulating and visualizing the quality and quantity of surface and subsurface water – from small watersheds to large river basins. UNIQUE CAPABILITIES Realtime Modeling M4W-SwaNET allows interactive watershed modeling, visualization, analysis, reporting, and publication. Users can zoom in anywhere in the world to quickly build - using big data - a watershed model, analysis, and visualization that can be further refined with user’s own data. The platform also allows users to publish instantly to the world their data and/or model results, or cyber-enabled environmental observatories, to showcase their capabilities and achievements - in high impact 3D visualizations, animations, and intelligent reports. Platform as a Service The M4W-SwaNET platform is delivered as a service system, combining IaaS (infrastructure as a service), PaaS (platform as a service), SaaS (software as a service), and DaaS (data as a service) - accessible anywhere, anytime on demand through an internet browser. Algorithms Comes to Data Unlike traditional watershed modeling software, the M4W-SwaNET technology is directly built on the data networks, eliminating the bottlenecks associated with modeling with big data that are becoming increasingly immovable. These bottlenecks include computational bottlenecks, as well as human operational bottlenecks, human cognitive bottlenecks, and network communication bottlenecks. GLOBAL DATABASE SYSTEM All M4W-SwaNET modeling and analysis tools are live-linked to a comprehensive, systematic global database system consisting of raw, processed, and simulated data from an international network of (hundreds of) data services. This includes data services provided by Hydrosimulatics, and by a number of federal or national agencies, including US Geological Survey (USGS), US National Weather Service (NWS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and more. Climate Data The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) Hourly and 15 Minute Precipitation Data (HPD) Data Service; involving 5,500 US National Weather Service (NWS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and cooperative observer stations in the United States, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and various Pacific Islands. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) PRISM database, containing seamless USA-wide climate datasets - including daily precipitation, temperature, radiation, dew point, from 1981 to 6 months ago, at 4km resolution. NOAA Precipitation Frequency Data Server (PFDS), delivering NOAA Atlas 14 precipitation frequency estimates and associated information for a majority of US States (still awaiting coverage for Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming). Global Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) weather generator database, containing daily temperature, mean dew point, vapor pressure, and solar radiation, at about 38km resolution, for the period 1979 to 2018. National Weather Service (NWS) NEXTRAD precipitation, including realtime measurements and historical time-series, based on a network of 158 high-resolution Doppler weather radars operated by the National Weather Service. Land Data Digital Elevation Model (DEM), characterizing topography at 10m resolution. LiDAR at sub-1m resolution, including bare-earth elevations, which is invaluable for stream and floodplain bathymetry delineation. Land use and land cover and hydraulic properties, at 30m resolution, including historical and present, characterizing land cover and land cover change from 2001-2019, urban imperviousness, tree canopy from 2011-2016 and western U.S. shrub and grassland areas for 2016. Soil Data The Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) containing soil type information at scales ranging from 1:12,000 to 1:63,360. (Mostly at a scale of 1:12,000) USDA-NRCS gridded National Soil Survey Geographic Database (gNATSGO), providing complete coverage of the best available gridded soils information for all areas of the United States and Island Territories. It was created by combining data from the Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO), State Soil Geographic Database (STATSGO2), and Raster Soil Survey (RSS) databases into a single seamless database at 10m grid resolution. Water / Hydrology Data FEMA Flood Hazard Zone Database The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) containing the water drainage network of the United States with features such as rivers, streams, canals, lakes, ponds at 1:24,000 scale Watershed Boundary Dataset, containing eight levels of progressively smaller hydrologic units / catchments. MULTIPLE USER COMMUNITIES The realtime modeling technology creates a new, instant channel for research, education, consulting, management, simultaneously benefiting multiple segments of the environmental communities and communities related to, influenced by, and serving (or served by) the environmental communities, including students, educators, researchers, professors, planners and managers, and policy/decision makers. More specifically, the platform benefits: students and educators – by bringing real-world problem solving into the classroom on a routine basis; consulting engineers and scientists – by drastically reducing the costs of urban water system design, analysis, and optimization; managers and decision makers – by allowing them to evaluate and visualize management options live in realtime; and researchers – by dramatically enhancing their ability to understand complex urban watser systems across multiple scales. REALTIME DYNAMIC DATA FUSION The software seamlessly and dynamically merges heterogeneous and distributed geo-spatial information into a single map - joining and viewing together separate data sets that share all or part of the same space or literally “fusing” maps together. The result of this combination is a new data set that identifies complex spatial relationships that evolve over time. Computational Steering The new technology allows users’ thought processes to progress naturally and intuitively with the correct information visualized, analyzed, overlaid, and compared at the instant it is required, providing a real sense of continuous exploration. Being able to watch flow and transport processes evolve over time and visualize instantaneously the complex interrelationships among hydrological and environmental variables sparks pivotal insights, giving rise to an intuitive grasp of the hydrogeological and chemical processes that can't be readily obtained otherwise. Realtime Discovery The seamless model integration, visual interactivity, and real-time processing and communication capability makes it possible for scientists and engineers to focus on critical conceptual issues and to quickly and iteratively examine modeling approximations and hypotheses, identify dominant processes, assess data worth and model uncertainty, calibrate and validate the numerical representation, and experiment in real time with design and management options. NUMERICAL ENGINE The M4W-SwaNET platform utilizes the USDA Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate watershed processes (runoff, infiltration, solute, and sediment transport, etc.) within the unique data-enabled, real-time interactive M4W framework. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE The world is witnessing a revolution in customer service and support, fueled by a number of emerging technologies such as predictive analytics, voice and face recognition, and, most importantly, Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI enables hyper-personalization, proactive issue resolution, and interactive, convenient self-service experiences. It empowers users to independently find solutions to their questions and issues with convenience and efficiency; it provides immediate answers without waiting in line or holding for a service representative. Instant Personalized Support M4W-SwaNET leverages AI to enhance the experience and satisfaction using (and learning with) the platform. Users can ask questions, within context, at anytime, from anywhere, 24/7, receiving a response instantly that is reliable, accurate, consistent, systematic, comprehensive, unbiased, and patient. The types of questions that can be asked include those related to: science and modeling concepts; typical parameter values; modeling methods, and processes; and software questions. Comprehensive “Knowledge Databases” The AI Assistant is trained with a wealth of existing documentation and information, including: M4W-SwaNET software manual; M4W SwaNET tutorial library; M4W-SwaNET FAQs; SWAT Input/Output Document (from swat.tamu.edu) SWAT User Group Q & A Document Realtime Situational Help In addition to AI-based assistances, a comprehensive suite of “traditional” user reference material is situationally embedded inside the M4W-SwaNET modeling platform interfaces and submenus. Real-time help buttons provide instant access to sub-pages explaining how to use different options or features; tutorials guide users through both focused “modules” or integrated system design. The Realtime Help Pages are continuously improving and include not only technical reference material, but also links to related scientific material (e.g., typical parameter values, simulation / computational aspects, etc.). WATERSHED SYSTEMS MODELING & PROBLEM-SOLVING M4W SwaNET is a seamless platform for watershed simulation, visualization, and analysis/optimization. A user-friendly interface system allows users to update model parameters based on local knowledge. A genetic algorithm-based auto-calibration tool allows users to perform multi-station and multi-parameter model calibration with just a few clicks. Users can create on-demand charts/plots at hydrologic response unit (HRU), subbasin and watershed levels. The map-based visualization tools allow users to view the model and the results in 2D, while a powerful 3D visualization tool allows users to view interactively the model input/outputs in 3D. Additionally, a vast number of inputs/outputs can be mapped as time series charts, pie charts, bar charts etc. Various levels of water balances can be plotted that include overland flow, shallow aquifer, deep aquifer, reservoirs and streams, and overall process topology (Sankey diagram representation). A flood mapping tool allows users to create flood hazard index maps and flood maps at selected return periods. Apart from visualization, watershed model outputs (e.g., recharge) can be directly used in groundwater modeling tools available in IGW-NET. Applications and problem-solving capabilities of M4W-SwaNET include: soil erosion prevention and control non-point source pollution control regional resource management prediction of environmental impact of climate change environmental assessment of land use change impact evaluation of land management practices