User's guide for MAGIC-Meteorologic and hydrologic genscn (generate scenarios) input converter

Abstract

Meteorologic and hydrologic data used in watershed modeling studies are collected by various agencies and organizations, and stored in various formats. Data may be in a raw, un-processed format with little or no quality control, or may be checked for validity before being made available. Flood-simulation systems require data in near real-time so that adequate flood warnings can be made. Additionally, forecasted data are needed to operate flood-control structures to potentially mitigate flood damages. Because real-time data are of a provisional nature, missing data may need to be estimated for use in floodsimulation systems. The Meteorologic and Hydrologic GenScn (Generate Scenarios) Input Converter (MAGIC) can be used to convert data from selected formats into the Hydrologic Simulation System-Fortran hourly-observations format for input to a Watershed Data Management database, for use in hydrologic modeling studies. MAGIC also can reformat the data to the Full Equations model time-series format, for use in hydraulic modeling studies. Examples of the application of MAGIC for use in the flood-simulation system for Salt Creek in northeastern Illinois are presented in this report.

Processing of next generation weather radar-multisensor precipitation estimates and quantitative precipitation forecast data for the DuPage County streamflow simulation system

“…To incorporate the basin-mean QPF data into the DuPage County simulation system, MAGIC (Ortel and Martin, 2010) is used to distribute the 6-hour QPF total values into an hourly total value based on the method developed by Huff (1990). This hourly QPF precipitation value is then appended to each of the NEXRAD-derived DSNs corresponding to each subbasin groups in the Salt Creek and the WBDR drainage basins.…”

“…The forecasted 6-hour precipitation totals are then distributed into hourly values using the meteorologic and hydrologic genscn (generate scenarios) input converter (MAGIC) (Ortel and Martin, 2010). The distributions are based on the 10-, 50-, and 90-percent probability distributions developed by Huff (1990).…”

Watershed Data Management (WDM) database for West Branch DuPage River streamflow simulation, DuPage County, Illinois, January 1, 2007, through September 30, 2013

“…Unit value data are often recorded in 15-minute increments. ADAPS unit value data were processed into hourly values by using the meteorological and hydrologic GenScn input converter (MAGIC) computer program (Ortel and Martin, 2010). Any missing hourly value of precipitation was filled with the corresponding data from a nearby network gage.…”

Watershed Data Management (WDM) database for Salt Creek streamflow simulation, DuPage County, Illinois, water years 2005-11

“…Unit value precipitation data for water years 2007-11 were retrieved from the USGS Automated Data Processing System (ADAPS) (USGS, 2003) database and were used as the basis for ensuring the quality of the WDM database. ADAPS unit value data were processed into hourly values by using the Meteorologic and Hydrologic GenScn Input Converter (MAGIC) computer program (Ortel and Martin, 2010), and any missing (hourly) values of precipitation were filled with the corresponding data from a nearby network gage. The days in the annual WDR were identified as estimated with flag "e" based on precipitation (rain and snow) and air temperature (low and high) observation at O'Hare International Airport.…”

“…Hourly flow and stage data for WY2005 and WY2006 were retrieved from ADAPS in bcard format (USGS, 2003) and read into the WDM database using IOWDM (USGS, 2014). Hourly flow and stage data for WYs 2007-11 were retrieved from ADAPS using OUTWAT (USGS, 2003) in flat file format and processed by using MAGIC (Ortel and Martin, 2010). In the flat files, the missing data are identified as -123456E20.…”