LFlow:LFlow:A Data Collection and Analysis Package to Support Low Streamflow Surveys

• Jamie Duncan• Hendrik Amo

• Frank Kenny• Steve Damaia• Mark Wooley (LRC)• Kent Todd

• Marc Hinton • Mark Peacock• Magdi Widaatalla• Jeff Moxley

• Chris Wilkinson• Jennifer Havelock

• Supports the follow initiatives and programs:– Water Budgets (Water Supply and Demand)– Water Permitting– Watershed Planning and Management– Great Lakes Scientific Studies

Why collect Low Flow data?

Source WaterProtection

WalkertonInquiry2002

Canada Ontario Agreement

2007

Great Lakes -St. Lawrence Basin Water Resources Compact

2005

Clean Water Act

2006

Low Flow Management provides data for analysisof our water resources; especially during dry periods when the demand is high.

Our Watersheds are characterized by a Non uniform distribution of stream flow

Spatially distribution of sampling provides a better understand of the interactions between surface Water and groundwater;

Current Monitoring distribution:Stream Flow Gauge Locations(WSC, Hydrology Monitoring Sites, Private)

STREAM FLOW SURVEYSTREAM FLOW SURVEY

Time

Economical and a Practical

Groundwater/surface water interactions• WATER BUDGET

Link between non-gauged and gauged sites

Produce additional measured andobservational data

STREAM FLOW SURVEY

LowLow--flow surveys are of considerable value to many flow surveys are of considerable value to many watershed specialist and managers interested in groundwater watershed specialist and managers interested in groundwater

and surface water resources, aquatic habitat, water quality and surface water resources, aquatic habitat, water quality and land use issues.and land use issues.

• In 2005, Marc Hinton published his methodology for low stream flow surveying.

• Methods for stream measurement, error assessment, spatial data analysis, etc.

GSC Low Stream flow MethodsGSC Low Stream flow Methods

Field Data Collection Data Entry Local Analysis

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• Reconnaissance and Low-flow surveys to obtain source data

• Data import or manual entry

• Review and confirm data

Data Distribution

Field Technician

XML Data Inter-change

LocalMS-Access

ESRI ArcGIS 9.2

Data Technician

11,22,33,444,55,66,77,88,99

and/or

GIS

Technician

Researcher/Analyst

CorporateLFlow

Database

• Local assessment of flows and standard map production

• Regional assessment of flows and standard map production

Regional Analysis

• Inter-change of data to corporate level

Data Refresh

Data Technician

ArcHydroData

Reconnaissance SurveyLow Flow survey requires measurements at numerous sites over a short period.

Therefore, it is recommended to conduct a preliminary survey or Reconnaissance survey to ensure that the survey is planned and conducted effectively and efficiently.

Reconnaissance Survey

A well designed survey will:

•Identify suitable locations and methods for stream gauging

•Preliminary identification of high and low discharge areas

•Provide info on the flowing length of streams and elevation where stream flow is initiated

•Identify activities or problems that may influence stream gaugingor interpretation of the low-flow results

•Provide an opportunity to obtain permission to access sites on private lands

•Greatly improve the familiarity with the hydrological conditions of the watershed

•Development on an early conceptual understanding of low-flow in a watershed

Utilize your GIS resources

Nested Approach•Overlapping surveys

•Plan in advance

•Watershed and Sub-watershed level

•Support long term monitoring

Measuring StreamflowTwo methods of collecting Low Flow Data

1. Current meter (or Velocity-area)

2. Volumetric Method

VelocityVelocity--AreaArea

Volumetric Volumetric MethodMethod

Field Data Collection Data Entry Local Analysis

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• Reconnaissance and Low-flow surveys to obtain source data

• Data import or manual entry

• Review and confirm data

Data Distribution

Field Technician

XML Data Inter-change

LocalMS-Access

ESRI ArcGIS 9.2

Data Technician

11,22,33,444,55,66,77,88,99

and/or

GIS

Technician

Researcher/Analyst

CorporateLFlow

Database

• Local assessment of flows and standard map production

• Regional assessment of flows and standard map production

Regional Analysis

• Inter-change of data to corporate level

Data Refresh

Data Technician

ArcHydroData

LFlow:

Purpose• To create a standard data model and set of spatial tools

that allow low streamflow data to be managed, stored and analyzed in correspondence with the GSC protocol.

Scope• Spatial and tabular data models• Database application for data entry• GIS tools for analysis and mapping of low streamflow data• Mechanism for regional data distribution• Leverage existing GIS hydrology data models

• The Lflow Data Architecture• Arc Hydro Data Model and Tools• MS-Access Lflow Interface• ESRI ArcMap Lflow Tools

The Core Componentsof Lflow

Lflow Data Model

Drainage

Hydrographic Points

Drainage Area

Hydrography

Channels

Terrain

Rainfall

Orthophotography

Arc Hydro

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Arc HydroNetwork

HydroJunctions

DrainagePoints

Arc Hydro cont…Automated Catchment, DrainageLine and DrainagePoint,

HydroJunction Generation in Arc Hydro

MS-Access Interface

ArcMap 9.2 Tools

Toronto Region Cons. Auth.

ArcGIS 9.2 Tools• Series of standard low stream-flow maps can be

automatically generated (Net Low Flow, Discharge per Unit Area, Net Discharge per Unit Length, and, Proportion of Net Discharge)

It is recommended to read the entire manual first before using Lflow.

Creating New Sites or Updating Site Information in Lflow Access:

Create or select low flow survey MonitoringPoints in your ArcHydro session. Export MonitoringPoints to Sites.

Import sites into Lflow Access. Populate remaining information for site.

Designing a Low Streamflow Survey:

In Lflow Access open the Survey Wizard and setup survey. Print survey plan report. Export survey plan for mapping.

Import survey plan using Lflow in ArcMap. Map survey plan.

Conduct low flow survey in field and collect raw information. Input this information into Lflow Access.

Use the Analysis Wizard in Lflow Access to perform basic analysis. Export analysis results for mapping.

Import analysis results using Lflow in ArcMap.

Map analysis discharge results using Lflow mapping tools in ArcMap.

LFlow “News” and available for download:

Prototyping a PDA database solution for field data collection to allow syncing of field data to Lflow database.

-------------------------------------------------------------•Version 1.3

•Course Lectures (self-extracting EXE)•Course Modules (2 self-extracting EXE for Access2003 and Access 2007)•Lflow Software Install(1 self-extracting EXE containing required components for Access2003/2007,ArcMap9.1/9.2 and user manual)•Lflow Architecture(1 self-extracting EXE with Lflow architecture)

Lflow plans for ‘09

• Second session Training of Conservation Authority staff May ’09?

• Additional Testing during the 2009 field season.• Further development of Hand Held technology.• Work towards centralizing low flow data as a provincial

data set (coordinating with OSAP).

• Information and Application available @ CO website

FYI – if there is any historical data collected, WRIP will assist in placing the data into the LFlow App.

Kent ToddWRIP Team LeaderWater Resources Information Program (WRIP)Ministry of Natural Resources300 Water St., 2nd Flr, NorthPeterborough ON K9J 8M5ph: (705) 755-5023 fax: (705) 755-2184email: kent.todd@ontario.ca

Craig OnafrychukData AnalystWater Resources Information Program (WRIP)Ministry of Natural Resources300 Water St., 2nd Flr, NorthPeterborough ON K9J 8M5ph: (705) 755-2384 fax: (705) 755-2184email: craig.onafrychuk@ontario.ca

Contact WRIP for any Lflow support or to report any software bugs: