WMS:HSPF

Hydrological Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) is an analytical tool designed to allow simulation of hydrology and water quality in natural and man-made systems. HSPF is used to apply mathematical models to simulate the movement of water, sediment and other constituents through watersheds. This analysis helps predict possible environmental problems in the watershed. With the growing need to care for and monitor the effects of man on the environment, it became apparent that a method for rapid analysis of those effects was needed.

The WMS interface creates a way for the user to input a multitude of parameters into the input file and then to run HSPF. The input parameters are linked to all the tools within WMS including automated basin delineation and parameter definition using a graphical user interface.

Using HSPF With WMS

WMS does not currently have any post-processing capabilities for the HSPF model. When WMS is installed, there are 4 programs installed under the BASINS folder in the Windows Start menu: GenScn, WDMUtil, WinHSPF, and WinHSPFLt. GenScn is used for generating various types of scenarios and does some post-processing. You might find some value in looking at the different capabilities for scenario generation and post-processing in GenScn. WDMUtil should be used for post-processing after running an HSPF simulation. Read the WDM file from the HSPF simulation into WDMUtil and you can view the “External Targets” (output) from the HSPF simulation. WinHSPF and WinHSPFLt can be used to run HSPF. These are both windows-based programs with a graphical user interface. WinHSPF has more tools for analyzing any errors from the HSPF run and for visualizing and editing your model, but you can also run HSPF using the WinHSPFLt program. The DOS version of HSPF is no longer distributed with WMS.

As the last section of the HSPF tutorial says, you need to close WMS after saving your HSPF *.uci file before running the file in WinHSPF or WinHSPFLt because WMS keeps the *.wdm file open. HSPF cannot run the model unless the *.wdm is closed in all other programs. The versions of WinHSPF, WinHSPFLt, WDMUtil, and GenScn are the same as the software distributed by EPA’s BASINS program.

Getting Started

In order to begin an HSPF simulation in WMS, the HSPF data must be initialized for the watershed model. This is a simple procedure that involves the click of a button within the HSPF Global Options dialog box. Once the data is initialized, the user may access the various dialog boxes within the HSPF interface.

The following sections will describe the input dialogs involved in the interface and will explain the expected input parameters. It is recommended that the user consult the HSPF documentation to receive a complete description of how HSPF uses the parameters.

Run Simulation

Once the data for HSPF input has been defined, the HSPF model may be launched from WMS. The Run Simulation item in the HSPF menu will invoke the Run HSPF dialog.

The Run HSPF dialog will allow the user to specify the *.uci file, which is necessary to run HSPF. All other files required to run HSPF and to view the output were defined in the HSPF Global Options dialog box.

Once the input file has been defined, select OK, and WinHSPFLt will be executed. A separate window will appear and information about the HSPF simulation will be reported.

If HSPF is not executed successfully when issuing this command, be sure that the path to WinHSPFLt is correct. If HSPF does not run to a successful completion, view the ASCII output file using the View File command in the File menu to find the error messages.

As the last section of the HSPF tutorial says, if having viewed or edited the WDM file data, it's necessary to close WMS after saving the HSPF *.uci file before running the file in WinHSPF or WinHSPFLt because WMS keeps the *.wdm file open. HSPF cannot run the model unless the *.wdm is closed in all other programs.

Related Topics

• Automated Land Segmentation
• Reading Existing Files
• Saving HSPF UCI Files