BASINS 3.1 Description

Download BASINS 3.1

BASINS 3.1 has an automatic update feature in the software. The latest update is Update 8 released November 2006. After successfully installing BASINS 3.1, download and install this update.

Installation software that contains the BASINS Version 3.1 system, new data download tool, full documentation, a BASINS 3.1 User Manual in the online help files (web format), and the tutorial project and data(HUC-05010007) is available. BASINS 3.1 contains the installation program for WinHSPF, GenScn, WDMUtil, SWAT, PLOAD, AGWA, and a link to AQUATOX.

(WinHSPF is the Windows interface to HSPF Version 12. GenScn is a model post processing and scenario analysis tool that is used to analyze output from HSPF and SWAT. WDMUtil is used to manage and create the watershed data management files (WDMs) that contain the meteorological data and other time series data used by HSPF. PLOAD is a GIS and spreadsheet tool to calculate nonpoint sources of pollution in watersheds. SWAT is the Soil and Water Assessment Tool watershed analysis model. AGWA is a watershed runoff and erosion model. AQUATOX is a fate and effects model for aquatic ecosystems.)

The most noted change in BASINS 3.1 is a new data download tool for BASINS' projects. This tool provides a user friendly interface for data over the web. BASINS will no longer provide the data on CDs.

System Requirements

BASINS Version 3.1 is a customized ArcView GIS application (it does NOT run under the new ArcGIS software) that integrates environmental data, analysis tools, and modeling systems. Therefore, BASINS' hardware and software requirements are, at a minimum, similar to those of the PC-based ArcView 3.1, 3.2, or 3.3 system. BASINS can be installed and operated on a standalone IBM-compatible personal computers equipped with the software, random access memory (RAM), virtual memory, and hard disk.

In BASINS 3.1, in order to run the SWAT model, ArcView Spatial Analyst extension software is required. This software is not included with ArcView and must be obtained separately.

Because the performance (response time) under the minimum requirements option might be too slow for some users especially when dealing with large data sets, a preferred set of requirements is also included in the table below.

Hardware and Software Requirements

Hardware/Software	Minimum Requirements	Preferred Requirements
Processor	166-MHz Pentium	400-MHz or higher Pentium
Available hard disk space	For a single 8-digit watershed (cataloging unit), allow for 300 MB (50 MB for BASINS system, 100 MB for temporary file processing space, and 150 MB for BASINS Environmental Data)	For 1 State allow for approx. 2GB (50 MB for BASINS system, 1.2 GB for temporary file processing space, and 750 MB for BASINS environmental data for approximately 1 state)
Random access memory (RAM)	64 MB of RAM + 128 MB of permanent virtual memory swap space	128 MB or more of RAM + 256 MB of permanent virtual memory swap space
Compact disc reader	Quad speed reader (one-time use)	24X or higher reader (one-time use)
Color monitor	Configured for 16 colors (800x600)	Configured for 256 colors (1024x768)
Operating system**	Windows 95,98 Windows NT,ME,2000,XP	Windows 95,98 Windows NT,ME,2000,XP
ArcView***	ArcView 3.1,3.2, or 3.3	ArcView 3.1, 3.2, or 3.3 with the Spatial Analyst extension
The BASINS online help files require Internet Explorer 5.0 or newer. * BASINS 4 does NOT require ArcView software

Installation Procedures

Download, extract, and unzip the "basins31.zip" (104 MB) file on your computer.

NOTE: BASINS 4 and BASINS 3 can co-exist under the same /BASINS/ folder and still function properly.

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Software Conflicts on Windows 95/98

Lotus Notes

There is a well known conflict between Lotus Notes and ESRI's ArcView 3.x software. Please close Lotus Notes before running ArcView 3.x, or BASINS 3.

Lotus Smart Suite

It appears that ESRI's ArcView 2.x and 3.x software, and Lotus Smart Suites both use the same file extensions "apr". When Lotus Smart Suites is installed on the computer, Windows will reassign all files with the extensions "apr" to Lotus. The result is that ArcView projects files with the "apr" extension may executeLotus Smart Suites which will then try to read the file as a Lotus Approach file.

NHD ArcView Tool Kit Extensions

If you have downloaded the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) ArcView toolkit extensions from the NHD/USGS web site, please do not turn these extensions on while in a BASINS session. When BASINS downloads NHD data it reformats the data into shape files and "dbf" files. When the NHD toolkit extensions are turned on, it will look for the NHD data in its original ARC/INFO format. When it can not find the correctly formatted data, it will cause a series of cascading script errors in BASINS which will corrupt your project.