MODPATH Updates Coming Soon

GMS 8.2 includes improvements to the MODPATH model interface. The biggest change is that GMS saves the MODPATH files with the project, and reads the pathline solutions when reading the project. This is especially helpful for transient MODFLOW models with large grids where MODPATH can take a considerable amount of time to run. The option to run MODPATH automatically now only works for steady state models. This option is available by selecting "General Options" in the MODPATH menu. The toggle is near the bottom of the dialog.

A second added feature for GMS 8.2 is that MODPATH pathlines can now be converted to a coverage. This is available by selecting "Pathlines -> Arcs" from the MODPATH menu.

Another feature that will be coming in GMS 8.3 is that MODPATH pathline colors can be set based on the MODPATH zone code for the grid cell the path line is crossing. An example is shown in the screenshot below. For this model, each grid layer has a different MODPATH zone code, so the pathlines change color as they pass through different layers. This option will be available by selecting Display Options from the MODPATH menu and then selecting "Cell zone code" from the color popup menu.

January 2012 Sprint Highlights

Some of the more interesting accomplishments from the January 2012 sprint: 

• Fixed over 18 bugs
• Finished 8.3 installer and separated tutorials from main program
• Created two new videos on our YouTube channel
• Finished about 99% of our continuous integration system
• Finished MODFLOW MNW2 package interface
• Updated MODFLOW NWT to the latest version
• Implemented tech support notifications for the new "Report A Bug" feature
• Added support for MT3D steady state stress periods
• Overhauled the CCF -> Vectors feature to actually give velocity vectors (long overdue). Pushed it to GMS 8.2.
• Created some more SEAWAT tutorials
• Started on creating more MNW2 tutorials
• Hooked up the dialog help buttons to the CHM file.
• Found and fixed some memory looks.
• Designed the interface for the MODFLOW SUB Package
• Added MODPATH starting locations -> 3D scatter and vice versa
• Added Shapefile -> 3D Scatter and vice versa
• Added some SEEP2D images to the Image Gallery
• Got the intermediate tests passing for Visual Studio 2010
• Made the Community Edition work without a license

ZONEBUDGET

GMS has an extensive tool set for working with flow budget information from MODFLOW. GMS is the only package that reports flow budget information on GIS features. For example, if polylines or polygons were used to create drain boundary conditions in MODFLOW then GMS will report the flow into or out of the model from the polyline/polygon. For some time now, GMS has allowed users to view flow budgets for selected sub-areas of their models as well as the ability to assign zone budget ids to cells and extract flow budget information.

Beginning with GMS 8.2, we will now include an interface to USGS ZONEBUDGET. This tool is accessed by selecting the Flow Budget menu command in the MODFLOW menu. There is a USGS ZONEBUDGET tab available in the dialog. The user can set up their input options and then there is a button to launch ZONEBUDGET. The input and output files for ZONEBUDGET are written to the same directory where the MODFLOW Cell-to-cell flow file is located.

There is also a new tutorial available that shows the various ZONEBUDGET options. Go to the GMS Learning Center on http://www.aquaveo.com/gms-learning to download the tutorial.

A video that demos the ZONEBUDGET feature is available on the Aquaveo youtube channel.

December 2011 Sprint Highlights

Some of the more interesting accomplishments from the December 2011 sprint:

• Fixed over 14 bugs
• Finished 8.2 installer
• Greatly improved the MODFLOW water table display in side view and got it working with MODFLOW-NWT solutions
• Posted the first beta of GMS 8.2
• Finished about 80% of our continuous integration system
• Finished about 80% of the MODFLOW MNW2 package interface
• Created an initial chm help file from the wiki. Doc-To-Help has a couple of blog posts about it
• Created initial support for opening the chm help file to a particular topic from a dialog
• Implemented a user request to change the MODPATH pathline color as it passes through different zones
• Added a "Report a Bug" command to the Help menu
• Added some user testimonials to aquaveo.com

November 2011 Sprint Highlights

Some of the more interesting accomplishments from the November 2011 sprint:

• Fixed over 5 bugs
• Updated the tutorials for 8.2
• Designed and implemented the ZONEBUDGET interface (available in 8.2)
• Added registration components for MODFLOW-NWT and ZONEBUDGET
• Created GUI tests for MODFLOW-NWT and ZONEBUDGET
• Branched 8.2
• Created the online license manager for 8.2
• Created an automated nightly build that's posted and available at aquaveo.com
• Completed about 40% of the MODFLOW MNW2 package interface
• Designed a GSFLOW interface
• Started designing the PEST Null space Monte Carlo interface
• Got chapters working in wiki to ODT conversion
• Started creating a FEMWATER transport tutorial