watershed visualizations, feb. 2008 watershed visualizations – trials and tribulations creating a...

Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

Watershed Visualizations – trials and tribulations

creating a DVD for middle/high school

students and classrooms

Jim WashburneSAHRA, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

w/ Melissa Higgins, John Madden, Tim Seqin

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Award GEO-0507710.


Objectives

A DVD & web site that:

• Targets MS/HS students and teachers,

• Illustrates what watersheds are and why they are important,

• Captures student’s attention and improves their conceptual understanding of watersheds and basic hydrologic principles.


1950’s era water education


21st Century Visualization


What we know about spatial reasoning … and maps

• Generally - a poorly developed skill,

• More engaging if well known area or familiar (home)

• Oblique (airplane) view closer to most people’s prior experience vs. nadir view

• Map view requires prior experience with symbology

• Contours hard to interpret

• Colors/shading can help but …

• Artificial band combinations can be confusing


Concept vs. Reality


Watershed Processes:Enduring Understandings

1. Definition & representation (maps & scale)

2. Basics: WS components and processes

3. Change: WS’s change over time (natural, anthropogenic)

4. Function: WS’s are complex systems

5. Management: WS management is complex

6. Issues: familiarity with SW watershed issues


Main Menu Discover a Watershed

Form Formation

Function Issues

History

Overview3D Flythrough

What is a Watershed? Tim’s Animation

Defining watershed boundaries

HydrologicWhere does the waterin a WS come from?

GeologicHow do WS’s form?

GroundwaterHow does recharge occur?

Surface WaterHow do you measure

streamflow?

Landcover ChangeHow does it effect the WS?

PollutionHow do streams become polluted?

Fire

Urbanization

Hohokam

Types of recharge

Effects of pumping

Hydrograph

Bed Load

Trappers Miners

Natural

Anthropogenic

Tectonics

ErosionPrecipitation

Concentration

Water Cycle


Challenges

“Speculation. Water Monopoly. Land Monopoly. Erosion. Corruption.

Catastrophe” Cadillac Desert, Marc Reisner

Starting. Turnover. Clouds. Software. Compression. Slow Progress.

Watershed Visualizations


SoftwareMaya

Autodesk

workflow

AfterEffectsAdobe

PremierProAdobe

AudacityAudacity

3DstudioAutodesk

ArcGISESRI

PhotoshopAdobe

FlashMacromedia

DVDStudioProAppleFinalCutPro

Apple

GoogleEarthGoogle


Workflow

Concept Storyboard TextArtistic

Interpretation

Key frames Rendering Narration Sequencing AV timing

Labeling/Credits Movie

Outline

DVD Supplements Pilot test

review

review

review


Storyboard – water cycle


Watershed Fly-throughGoal: introduction of WS in 3-D perspective before 2-D map


Watersheds

techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module01/whatiswatershed.htm

Goal: Definition & representation (maps & scale)

Misconception: WS is area nearest river• Multi-format – video

& animation

• Range of scales – simple maps

• Provides perspective

• Where the water goes

• Bias in representative figure


Water Cycle

Misconception: Most important parts of water cycle are visible – rain & runoff

Goal: tap into prior knowledge • Coastal and Eastern bias

• Cyclic view vs. simultaneous view

• Representation of reservoirs and fluxes


4

Precipitation

• Cloud rendering & animation

• Rain streaks & rate

• Surface shading

• Cloud movement

• Multiple cloud decks

• Real videos

Misconception: Rainfall is uniform


4

Orographic precipitation• How to display topo. &

precipitation

• How to animate annual avg. rainfall

• Even monthly/weekly images are averages


Recharge

techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module06/TheWaterTable.htm

Misconception: Groundwater and Surface water are not connected

• In progress …

• Balance betw. realism and conceptual process

• Next step is to illustrate aquifers at a larger scale


Chandler balks at

using reclaimed water

South Arizona tribe settles water-rights dispute

High court issues

consolidation decree

for Colorado River

WS management is complex

• Complex Human System

– Culture

– Laws

– Economics

– Politics

– Science

– Values

• Familiarity with local water issues

When Phoenix, Tucson

merge

Experts see peril in

reduced monitoring of

Nations streams and

rivers


Current Status

• Working on Module 4 – infiltration & recharge

• Developing supplemental classroom activities

• Developing web site– www.sahra.arizona.edu/education

• Pilot Testing

• Collaborations– Huth & Hall

– GIS case histories &data analysis

watershed visualizations, feb. 2008 watershed visualizations – trials and tribulations creating a...

Documents

water monopoly

water goesbias

surface water

s era water

important parts of water

ws components

introduction of ws

peoples prior experience