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Instructions for RAINPLOT
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Note: These links provide detailed instructions for each
of the main RAINPLOT topics.
Contents:
Select a Dataset
Quality Control the Selected Dataset
Analyze the Selected
Dataset
Create a Report
Show Monthly and Seasonal
Rainfall Summaries
Display Data on Map Using
RAINMAP
Edit Hydrologic Default Settings (Customize
the Program Settings)
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions for using the RAINPLOT program.
1. First confirm that you have a database called "rainfall_stats"
on your hard drive. Details about the database and a downloadable version
are provided in the section titled 'Rainfall_Stats
Database'. The purpose of this database is to hold statistical summaries
of rainfall intensity analyses and reports that are generated in RAINPLOT.
2. Set this database as a System DSN as described in the section titled
'Set Database as a System DSN'.
You are now ready to retrieve a set of rainfall-intensity data (time-depths)
from your chosen "rainfall" database. This data will be retrieved
from the Chart table of your database. The data that you retrieve will
be used to generate statistical analyses and automated reports and plots
as described below.
3. Double click the 'Rain Start' icon on your desktop.
The following start up screen will appear.
5. Click on the RainPlot button. The following menu will appear.
The main menu of RAINPLOT contains five buttons that activate the major
features of the program: Select a Dataset, Quality Control a Dataset,
Analyze a Dataset, Create Report, Show Summary, Display Data on Map. In
addition, the main menu contains five additional buttons across the bottom
of the screen. These allow you to define default settings in RAINPLOT
('Edit Hydrologic Default Settings'), link to the EXACT Rainfall Intensity
Website, link to the University of Central Florida website, link to on-line
Help, and exit from RAINPLOT.
6. Retrieve a dataset of your choice. Click 'Select a Dataset'. The following
pop-up window will appear.
You will select a dataset using a series of screen prompts. First, you
must connect to a "rainfall_stats" database by clicking on the
button titled 'Select Rainfall_Stats Database'. Scroll down to your "rainfall_stats"
database. Only databases that have been set as a System DSN will appear
in the list. This database will temporarily hold statistical summaries
of the dataset that you retrieve, and is rewritten each time you select
a new dataset. Typically, you will need to set this database only once.
The software will remember your selection and will use this database until
you change it.
Next, select the source of the raw rainfall-intensity data by connecting
to a "rainfall" database of your choice. Click the button titled
'Select Source of Rainfall Data'. Use the pull down menu to make your
choice. Only databases that have been set as a System DSN will appear
in the list.
Next, select the Core Party, Agency, and Station from which data will
be retrieved. Next, select the type of data that will be retrieved (chart
recorder, manual gage, data logger), and indicate whether to retrieve
'All data' from the station or to retrieve only data for a selected instrument
used at that station. If 'Use All Instruments at Station' is selected,
a popup window (shown below) will appear that provides the list of instruments
from which data will be retrieved.
Click OK. As shown below, this will display the range of data that will
be retrieved.
You may select a particular 'Start Date' and 'End Date' if you wish to
retrieve only a subset of these data. Otherwise, click 'Retrieve Dataset'.
After a few moments, a message box will appear with the following statement:
"Data has been retrieved and loaded into a temporary database called
Rainfall_Stats. The data is now ready to be analyzed - click OK to continue."
Click OK to return to the main RAINPLOT menu. The dataset will be retrieved
and used in subsequent analyses and reports.
7. Next, you may Quality Control the dataset by clicking 'Quality
Control Data'. The following screen will appear.
Click 'View Raw Data as Storm Events' to display a large spreadsheet
that contains the raw rainfall data separated as individual storms. A
"storm" is defined as rainfall that occurs after a dry period
of a specific length of time. The dry period may be set in the 'Edit
Hydrologic Default Settings' screen.
The raw data will appear in the following format:
instrument / start date & time / end date & time / depth (mm)
/ intensity (mm/hr) / duration (min) / cummulative depth / cummulattive
duration
Note: Data with potential quality control issues are highlighted in red.
The storm number and segment appear in the far left column in grey; for
example, 1:5 represents the first storm in the dataset and the fifth interval
(intensity change) within the storm. Horizontal lines demarcate the individual
storms.
Data in this spreadsheet may be viewed and arranged in a number of ways.
'Go to Storm': Use the drop down list to view a specific storm
date. The spreadsheet will automatically move to the selected storm date.
'Show Storm Plots': Click the 'Show Storm Plots' button to display
a depth (as volume) vs duration graph and its corresponding data, including
the maximum intensity values for various durations and the storm erosivity.
An example of this display is shown below.
'Plot Date Range': A subset of data may be plotted by highlighting
a number of rows in the spreadsheet and then clicking 'Plot Date Range'.
Depth (as volume) vs time is shown on the graph.
'Sort on Current Column': The spreadsheet may be sorted on a particular
column by clicking on the column and then clicking 'Sort on Current Column'.
'Show 24 Hr Volumes': Daily rainfall values, as computed from
the digitized strip charts, may be viewed by clicking the 'Show 24 Hr
Volumes' button. These values may then be compared to daily values measured
manually with totalizing containers.
Click 'Done' to return to exit the Daily Summary window, then click 'Return
to Main Menu' to return to the main RAINPLOT menu.
Once the data have been quality controlled, you are ready to perform
statistical analyses on the dataset.
7. Click 'Analyze Dataset' on the main menu to begin. As shown
below, this will display the maximum intensities for given durations for
the dataset. For complete instructions on analyzing a dataset refer to
the section titled 'Statistical
Analysis of a Dataset'.
You may define the durations by clicking the 'Select Durations' button
in the bottom left corner of the window.
Clicking 'Select Durations' will display the following window. You may
add additional durations for viewing and analysis ('Add New Durations')
or you may delete the durations that currently exist ('Delete Durations').
To edit an existing duration simply make the change in the spreadsheet
and click 'Save Durations'.
Note that a user-defined "Cutoff" value is associated with
each duration. As discussed below, this value is used if 'Partial Series
Using Cutoffs' is selected in the main 'Analyze Data' window for retrieving
data maxima. It is the rainfall intensity value below which data will
be discarded from analysis for the given duration.
You may sort and retrieve data maxima by one of three methods, depending
on your analysis or research objectives:
Annual Series: The highest intensity that occurs during the water
year for the given duration. Only one value per water year is used. Annual
Series is used as the default.
Partial Series Using Cutoffs: All data that meet the user-defined
cutoff criteria are used. For example, all intensities (multiple occurences
are possible within a single year and within a single storm, and all are
used) that exceed a given intensity threshold for a given duration are
used.
Partial Series Using Number of Points: The highest intensities
are used, regardless of which water year in which they occur. The number
of intensities that are used is defined by the user.
The retrieved datasets may be viewed using the standard duration view
('Duration View') or a database view ('Database View'). Also, the spreadsheet
may be sorted on a particular column by clicking on the column and then
clicking 'Sort on Column'.
Once the maximum intensities have been retrieved and populated into the
spreadsheet, they may be fitted to theoretical probability distributions.
Two type of analyses are possible:
Analyze Intensities for a Single Duration ('Analyze Column'):
Click on a column that corresponds to a duration of interest and then
click 'Analyze Column'. As shown below, the maximum intensities for that
duration are displayed in a pop up spreadsheet and graphed according to
the user-defined plotting position and user-defined statistical distribution.
A number of statistical distribution types are available.
A number of plotting positions are available.
Various distribution types and plotting positions may be tested in order
to arrive at a "best fit", and various curve-fit statistics
are provided in the lower left corner of the screen.
Analyze Intensities for All Displayed Durations ('Analyze All'):
Click on 'Analyze All'. The predicted maximum intensities for each duration
and return period are displayed in the window. The displayed values are
predicted on the basis of the user-defined statistical distribution type
and the user-defined curve fit.
A number of statistical distribution types are available.
A number of plotting positions are available.
Click 'Display Plot' to show a graph of the data.
Click 'Display Report' to view a report from your web browser. This report
may be printed and includes both the plot and a summary spreadsheet.
Click 'Display IDF Curve' to view a report-quality intensity-duration-frequency
curve for the dataset. Note: The exact duration and intensity values may
be determined for any point on the curve(s) by moving the mouse pointer
over the point; the corresponding values will be displayed in the top
area of the window.
8. To create automated HTML reports in RAINPLOT click 'Create Report'
from the main RAINPLOT menu. The following window will appear. Click on
an individual report button to activate that report. For complete instructions
on creating reports refer to the section titled 'Create
Report'
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Middle
East Rainfall Intensity