About the Westlake Real-time Model

DSI developed the West Lake Real-time Hydrodynamic & Water Quality Model as an example of a real-time data and modeling facility to serve the scientific community in Hanoi, Vietnam. The major goals of the model are to:

  • Better understand West Lake hydrodynamics.
  • Visualize meteorological impacts on temperature and water quality in West Lake.
  • Raise awareness in the community about water quality issues.
  • Help regulators understand tools that can be developed to solve water quality issues in Hanoi.

Features of the RT Model

  • Automatic gathering of data from internet and sensors, interpret and store the data in a database.
  • Automatic generation of inputs and daily simulations on a Linux workstation.
  • Provide access to real-time visualization of observations and model outputs using a Web browser.
  • Online 2D visualization and animations overlay on Google Maps and OpenLayers.
  • Support data extraction and visualization in time series plots, vertical and longitudinal profiles.

Numerical Model Driving the RT Model

The simulation engine core is EFDC (Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code), an open source, general-purpose modeling package which can simulate 1D, 2D, 3D flow, transport, and biogeochemical processes in surface water systems including rivers, lakes, estuaries, reservoirs, wetlands, and near-shore to shelf-scale coastal regions. DSI has developed EFDC_OMP that supports multi-threading, streamlines the modeling process, generates netCDF-CF outputs and links to pre- and post-processing tool EFDC_Explorer.

Input Data for the RT Model

  • Parameters: wind speed, direction and temperature.
  • Measured data: hourly, last 2 days at Noi Bai International Airport, downloaded automatically from Weather Underground website.
  • Atmospheric forecast data: 4 days, retrieved automatically from Weather Underground.
  • Solar radiation is computed internally by EFDC model as no observation is available.
  • Boundaries: Seasonal inflows are assumed as real-time measured data is currently unavailable. Rainfall not considered. Temperature, non-cohesive sediment and water quality concentrations also based on seasonal data.
  • Time estimate: 6 days

Model Results

  • Model grid and bathymetry.
  • Water surface elevation, velocity components, bottom shear stress.
  • Wave height, wave period and wave direction.
  • Salinity, water temperature, dye.
  • Non-cohesive sediments.
  • 21 water quality parameters including algae, organic carbon, organic phosphorus, phosphate, organic nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite, silica, COD, DO, total active metal, coliforms.

Areas of Application

The system can be a powerful tool for water quality and environmental monitoring in lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams, estuaries and coastal areas.

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