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National Weather Service |
Effectively use the operational RFC hydrologic forecast system.
The RFC hydrologic forecast system is the primary suite of tools available to assess the hydrometeorological situation, to execute the modeling components as described in previous PCUs, and to make adjustments to the modeling components. Sufficient mastery of this system is required to efficiently produce river and flood forecasts.
1. Know how NWSRFS follows the operations table concept for hydrologic modeling, and know each operation in the NWSRFS operations table is used for each of the RFC's segments and the associated input and output time series.
2. Recognize when the hydrometeorological situation presents circumstances which are outside assumptions of the hydrologic modeling system and know how to make run-time modifications using the NWSRFS interactive forecast program.
3. Know how to use appropriate utility program to recognize bad data in NWSRFS and how to apply the appropriate mods to edit/remove the data.
4. Know how NWSRFS stores and uses mods and determine when run- time mods should be sent to NWSRFS or stored in a person's personal mods directory.
5. Know how to make segment definition changes to display additional time series.
Instructional Component 9.1: - Workshop: Basic NWSRFS Operational Forecast System. This workshop focuses on system basics - i.e. what is NWSRFS and how the OFS fits into the overall system. Subjects covered include: types of input data needed, basin and station definitions, preprocessor functions, and specification of the sequence of hydrologic modeling operations. Execution of the OFS, reviewing results with the Interactive Forecast Program (IFP), and making run-time modifications are also covered.
Instructional Component 9.2: - Workshop: Advanced NWSRFS Operational Forecast System. This workshop starts with an overview of NWSRFS basics - how the OFS fits into the overall system, types of input data needed, basin and station definitions, preprocessor functions, and specification of the sequence of hydrologic modeling operations. Execution of the OFS, reviewing results with the Interactive Forecast Program (IFP), and making run-time modifications are also covered. Advanced features are then covered such as structure of OFS databases and routine maintenance of data and parametric databases. Troubleshooting techniques for routine problems are emphasized.
Instructional Component 9.3: - Web Module (Proposed): Operational Use of the NWSRFS Interactive Forecast Program. This module will provide instruction on use of the NWSRFS in RFC river forecasting operations. It will focus on the various types of interactive modifications that can be made to input data and output for a given segment as defined in NWSRFS. This training will have a hands-on component - A simulated NWSRFS Interactive Forecast Program (IFP) run which allows the student to experiment and gain familiarity with the model. In this IFP simulation, one will be able to make mods to the model states and see the effect in the hydrograph. The IFP simulation will use a forecast group of segments to allow the student to demonstrate different aspects of the SAC-SMA model using a variety of time series, parameters, and initial model states.This module may be simultaneously executed with Instructional Component 3.x, "Operational Modeling of the Rainfall-Runoff Process With the Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting Model" such that the simulated IFP run is displayed in one window and the training on SAC-SMA model structure is in the other. This module may also be supported by teletraining sessions or live workshops provided by subject matter experts.
Instructional Component 9.4 - NWSRFS Documentation: Section I.1.1 - Overview of NWSRFS. This section briefly describes the interactions among the major systems comprising NWSRFS and the functions performed by each system.
Instructional Component 9.5 - NWSRFS Documentation: Section VI.5.3-Operational Forecast Program (FCST). This section documents components of the Operational Forecast Program (FCST), with subsections describing use of hydrologic command language (HCL) to control various functions within the FCST program, including:
Instructional Component 9.6 - NWSRFS Documentation: Section VI.5.4-IFP: NWSRFS Interactive Forecast Program (IFP). This section describes a typical run sequence of the IFP, basic user interface concepts of the IFP, and step by step guidelines for using the IFP to generate river and flood forecasts.
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