Thomas R. Payne and Associates, RHABSIM 2.2

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Thomas R. Payne & Associates is now part of the employee owned Normandeau Associates team. We are the same professional staff with the expanded resources of a nationally recognized company providing high quality, practical environmental solutions. Visit our Normandeau website also.

Fisheries Biology, Consulting and Software Publishing
890 L Street, Arcata, California USA 95521
P.O. Box 4678, Arcata, California USA 95518
(707) 822-8478

RHABSIM Version 3.0

RHABSIM (Riverine HABitat SIMuation) is a fully integrated program for river hydraulics and aquatic habitat modeling using the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM). Running in Microsoft Windows and DOS, it is an extensive conversion of the PHABSIM hydraulic and habitat simulation system developed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

UPDATE

All previous versions of RHABSIM are now FREE from Thomas R. Payne & Associates and can be considered public domain software. Version 3.0 (also available FREE) contains partial fixes for some Windows XP and 2000 compatibility issues (screen sizing and font display drivers) and the program is fully functional. However, since even RHABSIM 3.0 can be inconvenient to use at times, we are allowing open use until a new version is completed.

RHABSIM SITE MAP

FEATURES of RHABSIM 3.0
SCREEN SHOTS and descriptions of RHABSIM program modules.
SPECIFICATIONS, system requirements and program limits.
TESTIMONIALS from current users.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about RHABSIM.
PRICING and ORDERING instructions and feedback.
LINKS to friends and associates in hydrology and fisheries biology.

You may also view the RHABSIM web site in Spanish (Español).

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FEATURES

CONVERT - File conversions, import and export features

Import and export PHABSIM data files (IFG4, MSQ and WSP).
Import standard ASCII files with X, Y, Vel and Attribute data.
Import acoustic Doppler files. Automatic generation of average cell velocities. Option to calculate cross-section bearing. Graphic interface allows easy adjustment vels to cross-section, shows boat-track, calculated cross-section, bad points. Correctly finds negative velocities. Report shows ADCP reported flow compared with RHABSIM calculated flow.
Convert files between metric and U.S. units.

FIELDAT - Field data entry, bottom profiles, velocities and attributes

Easy data input and integrity checking
Full implementation of Cross-section raw data entry:

Users can enter Bottom Profile data using direct x/y coordinates or using Height-of-Instrument, rod readings and depth values. Multiple surveys can be calculated as average, maximum or minimum bed elevations.
Users can enter Velocity data using direct entry or by calculating with Meter types (and multiple algorithms), revs, time, and angles to meter. Users can load and save Meter formula profile files.

Stage-Discharge data entry worksheet with Stage, Given Flow (best estimate), Calculated Flow, Stage-of-zero Flow and Regression Plot Stage fields. S.Z.F. can be calculated using a recursive best-fit R-squared algorithm.
Stage-Discharge data can be reordered in calibration set or globally (at all cross-sections).
Weight-Distance-Slope worksheet includes option to set by upstream distance and weighting factor or by percent of total reach. Plan view graph shows relative weighting of all cross-sections in reach.
Four cross-section data graphs:

Cross-section graph of bottom profile and vels.
Long-profile graph of high/low banks, WSLs, thalweg and SZF.
3-dimensional view of cross-sections. View entire reach, rotate in full X/Y/Z orientations.
Vel histogram of single or all cross-sections.

Complete set of cross-section data reports

Problem check report for data completeness and consistancy. Identifies when WSL goes over bank, when cell is under water but has no vel, and when cell is out of water but does have vel.
Calibration information report for Stage-Discharge data.
Complete hydraulic report including wetted cell count, wetted area, wetted width, hydraulic radius and average depth for each calibration stage at each cross-section.
Summary Discharge table with average vels and vels with meter angles included or not.
Vel histogram of single or all cross-sections.

Insert, delete, copy and reorder cross-sections, save subsets to new RHABSIM data files.
Export cross-section data to ASCII and spreadsheet files.

HYDSIM - Hydraulic calibrations, Stage/Discharge, WSL and Vel modeling

Up to 30 Calibration Flows.
Three Hydraulic Water Surface Level calibration models with extensive variations

LOG-LOG REGRESSION, including Dual Stage Discharge calibration option, and full regression statistics report.
CHANNEL CONVEYANCE (MANSQ), including Manning and Chezy equations, three Beta adjustment types, Weighted Area option and subtraction of hydraulic radius from hyrad at stage-of-zero flow option. Interactive graph allows quick view of effects of different options.
STEP-BACKWATER simulation (WSP), including Between and At cross-section Reach Manning's calibration, expansion and contraction coeficients and roughness modifier coeficients with automatic calculation.

Users can select separate WSL and Velocity calibration methods at each cross-section. Use the best available method for sections of reach (pool, riffle, run, etc.)
Velocity calibration with extensive options:

Two algorithms: Roughness and Velocity Distribution Factors.
Three calibration methods: 1-Vel, Regresssion and Depth.
Variable Roughness Coefficient, Regression B-max and five methods of Beta control support.
Cell N-min/N-max and Given and calculated cell Manning N's.
Velocity Adjustment Factors fully supported.

Eight Hydraulic Calibration graphs:

Rating Curve (WSL vs. Flow)
Long Profile WSLs
Single Calibration Flow/WSL
Cross-section WSLs and Vels
WSL Regression
Velocity Adjustment Factor
Channel Coneyance Stage/Discharge
Roughness Manning Cross-section

Extensive Hydraulic Calibration reports

Calibration Hydraulics report.
WSL Flow hydraulics report.
Summary Report of all Calibration parameters.
Velocity Adjust Factor report includes WSL, Calibration Flow, Calculated Flow, VAF and Dual Calibration Flow (if selected).

Export PHABSIM Tape3/Tape4 files.

CRITERIA - Species Curve libraries

Criteria (species curve) library management:

Import and export PHABSIM (.RCV) and ASCII data files.
Merge different curve files and extract subsets to new files.
Plot data by curve set or by variable.
Sort curve sets by ID, Species Name, Life Stage or Habitat conditions.
Convert curve set files between metric and U.S. units.
Individual curve set and library summary reports.

HABSIM - Habitat simulation, Weighted Usable Area calculations

Use Hydraulic Calibration data with species criteria curves to simulate aquatic habitats.
Process multiple simulation flows (up to 30) in a single run.
Select any combination of species curve sets.
Select which Substrate/Cover Attributes to use in run.
Automatic check of data integrity (data complete, variable available, Attribute correctly assigned).
Habitat Simulation Job Files allow saving, restoring, and comparisons of multiple runs with similar parameters.
Full process control with Methods and Parameters:

Four Combined Suitability Methods: Standard, Geometric Mean, Lowest Limit, or Weighted Average (user weights each variable).
Control whether to use Attribute values of zero.
Cells can centered over data points or offset to right.
The Feeding Station algorithm implements search distances, initial velocities, two velocity limit options and two velocity scan methods.

Habitat Simulation and Weighted Usable Area production run reports:

Tables of simulated discharge, total surface area, weighted usable area and percent of total area.
Cell details include width, depth, vels and individual calculated suitability factors for each variable.
Cross-section summary reports include WSLs, reach lengths, gross and usable areas, gross and usable areas per 1000 distance, and percent usable for each simulation flow with each curve set at each cross-section.

Habitat Simulation and Weighted Usable Area graphs:

Flow vs. WUA graph with option to show as Flow vs. Percent of Total Area. View any combination of curve sets.
Graph cross-sections showing individual suitabilities, WSLs, vels and bottom profiles. See interactions of variables.
Plan view graph shows reach lengths, wetted widths, and individual suitabilities. See graphically where habitat is best in the reach.

Compare multiple runs with overlay graph and summary reports. See effects of different Methods and Parameters.

TIME SERIES - Flow and Habitat Duration Analysis

Streamflow data matrix can be set up as days by months, months by years, weeks by years or hours by days. Up to 600 columns of data (50 years as daily).
Import streamflow data from ASCII file or U.S.G.S. standard daily table file (available from internet).
Automatic column name function.
Select any combination of rows and columns to process (select out years or months or days of month).
Streamflow data report includes column minimums, maximums, means, medians and counts.
Streamflow data graph includes series, column stacking and exceedence options.
Weighted Usable Area data can be imported from RHABSIM, PHABSIM (Tape 8) or ASCII text file, or entered directly.
Interpolation/extrapolation options allow linear and non-linear (2nd and 3rd degree polynomial) curve fit for release flows out of range of WUA data. Interactive graph shows effects of options.
Operational options allow stream diversion minimum and maximum flows. Up to 10 release flows may be used to calculate habitat duration.
Natural flow regime (Flow Time Series and Flow Duration) can be calculated separately, even when there is no habitat data.
Reports and graphs can identify results at up to 20 Exceedence Percentiles, or all percentiles (1 to 99) can be reported.
Full control over calculated results reporting:

Flow and habitat matrix tables.
Column summaries of flow and WUA with duplicate entries automatically removed. View only unique results.
Tables of Percentile, Flow Duration and Habitat Duration for Natural and each Release Flow.
Summary table of Flow Release by reporting Percentile.

Five results graphs:

Flow Habitat Duration graphs. Show single or all flows, bounds of WUA data, range of all percentiles or minimum and maximum user input.
Flow and Habitat Time Series graphs. Show any combination of available flows.
Total Weighted Usable Area histogram. Show "area under curve" for all percentiles or minimum to maximum user percentile range. Color coding shows Release Flows which are greater/lesser than Natural.

Compare different runs with Time Series Results Overlay module. Summary table shows comaprison results for all flows in Flow and WUA matrices.
Four Overlay graphs:

Flow Duration overlay graph.
Habitat Duration overlay graph.
All flows histogram.
Single flow histogram.

GLOBAL features and Windows presentation report/graph programs

Extensive in-line help
Dedicated Windows graph and report programs:

Full control over report fonts and printer settings.
Extensive graphing options for best presentation.
Copy reports and graphs to Windows Clipboard and paste directly into word processing programs.
RHABSIM for Windows has ten graphs and 20 reports.
TIMESER for Windows has ten graphs and six reports.
All graphs can be printed in color (on color printers, of course).

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RHABSIM Screen Shots

RHABSIM includes six main modules, each performing an integral step toward habitat analysis. Click on a link below to view representative screen shots from each module...

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SPECIFICATIONS and Program Limits

RHABSIM requires the following system specifications:

PC with 486 or Pentium CPU.
VGA or SVGA graphics card.
Operating system: Windows 3.1, Win95, Win98, 2000, or XP.
Required minimum disk space: 6 mb.
Minimum memory: 16 mb.

RHABSIM data files and processing allow the following data limits:

Up to 100 cross-sections per data file.
Up to 300 data points per cross-section.
Up to five Stage/Discharge calibration sets.
Up to 30 Calibration Flows (HYDSIM) and Simulation Flows (HABSIM).
One or two Attribute variables.
Criteria (species) curves may contain four variables (velocity, depth and two Attributes) and 200 data points.
Criteria curve library files may contain up to 50 curve sets.
Habitat simulation production runs may include up to 50 species (curve sets), although a maximum of 10 are used in the Compare runs module.
Time Series data files and production run parameters may contain:

Up to 600 streamflow columns (50 years as daily data).
Up to 10 Flow Releases.
Up to 20 Exceedence Percentiles to report (although all 99 may be reported).
Weighted Usable Area data may have up to 30 flows and ten species (criteria curves).

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I need to run a Time Series Flow and Habitat Duration analysis. I have Weighted Usable Area results from a PHABSIM run, but I don't have streamflow data for the river in question. Can RHABSIM import data from the U.S.G.S?

Yes, the U.S.G.S. publishes streamflow data on a web site at their National Water Information System (NWIS) home page. For the URL, see our links page These data can be imported directly into RHABSIM's Time Series module (up to 50 years of daily data.)

If you are currently a RHABSIM user and have questions about installing and running the programs, see our troubleshooting page.

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We would like to hear from you. E-mail us at: t.payne@trpafishbiologists.com or visit the PRICING and ORDERING page.

Comments or suggestions for the RHABSIM programmer and webmaster can be sent to... Milestone Software

...and thank you for visiting.

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