modelmap - using arcgis to bring grounwdater models to life for a wider group of users
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Groundwater Model Use and Benefit Example
Benefit example prepared for workshop on 25th November 2010
Benefit Brings modelling datasets to life for Environment Agency hydrogeologists, hydrologists and staff involved in
water resource assessment for the Habitats & Water Framework Directives, and for abstraction licensing. Uses
an accessible GIS platform to present model conceptualisation, build, calibration and scenario information.
Allows users to view model output in standardised formats, and to see the assumptions ‘under the bonnet’.
Description ModelMap is an ArcGIS based deliverable that has been produced to support the Environment Agency’s
Southern, South West, Anglian, Thames and Midlands regional groundwater models. It brings the modelling
process to life for Agency staff and other users in the following ways:
• Provides a window into groundwater model construction and predictions, and enables people outside of
the model build team to contribute their understanding to model development;
• Is a handy checking tool that gives rapid visualisation of model results at any scale (rather than a database
with lots of numbers) and enables comparison with other tools (e.g. CAMS and WRGIS);
• Contains output from the Standard Scenarios (Fully Licensed, Naturalised and Recent Actual), and also
enables the visualisation and interrogation of model results from bespoke scenarios.
ModelMap is developed in ArcGIS, which is a widely used software package. In Anglian Region, it was rolled
out to users via a workshop. This was followed up by telephone support and in-situ 1-2-1 sessions, which, for
example, enabled Area hydrogeologists to explore how model deliverables could be used in a number of work
areas. ModelMap has been well received as a tool to open up modelling datasets for critical review during
model development, and to broaden operational access as a live and updated platform into the longer term.
Wider stakeholder access – including water companies, for example - would yield further benefits, but
overcoming licensing issues and other data sharing barriers is currently proving difficult.
Contact Mark Grout (Team Leader, Technical Projects Team, Environment Agency Anglian)
[email protected], 01733 46 4605
John Faherty (Entec UK Ltd, Shrewsbury)
[email protected], 01743 342 732
ModelMap: Bringing models to life for
hydrogeologists, hydrologists and other users