Step 5. Prepare Locations

Within FEWS, and thus NGMS, locations are essential as they are the placeholder to all model inputs and output.
The locations concept and the application within NGMS is described in a seperate page.

One of the most time consuming and error prone parts of the system is setting up those locations and ensuring that the Ids of observation data and model data, as defined in the WEL and STR files, match the licences and or gauging stations. To assist in this process, a standard data template has been produced for specyfying the locations, as well as an locations-generator spreadsheet which automates the process of sorting, IdMapping and XML-file generation.

Step 5.1 Check table structure of all worksheets in Data spreadsheet handed over

Go to #Step 5.2. Grids_loc
The starting condition of this step is a populated DataTemplate, which contains all relevant information for the model.

When running the NGMS_Locations_Generator, it will pick up this spreadsheet, conduct a variety of checks and sorts all locations in the appropriate order. For this purpose, the Generator uses hard-coded references to named worksheets and specific columns within a worksheet. To prevent failure in this processing, the following checks the need to be conducted on the table structure of the populated DataTemplate.

The comparison is done against the Empty_DataTemplate spreadsheet.

1. worksheet GWabs_org
   • ensure that no more than 4 runs are listed (column A-D), as the IdMapping can currently handle 4 runs only
     Note: If more than 4 runs are to be processed, use a second spreadsheet and fill column A-D with the line numbers of the wells in those runs. Please ensure that both spreadsheets contain the same locations.
   • ensure that LicenceNo starts in column F (i.e. C6)
2. worksheet SWlat_org
   • See above: ensure that no more than 4 runs are listed (column A-D), as the IdMapping can currently handle 4 runs only
     Note: If more than 4 runs are to be processed, use a second spreadsheet and fill column A-D with the line numbers of the wells in those runs. Please ensure that both spreadsheets contain the same locations.
   • ensure that ConsentNo/LicenceNo starts in column I (i.e. C9).
3. worksheet Branches_org
   • check if reachNr is in column C (C3); chainage is in column D (C4), OSRef is in column J (C10)
   • if not, copy the worksheet from teh Empty_DataTemplate and popualte again
     or
   • add column D and column J from teh Empty_DataTemplate.xls
4. worksheet GWabs_IDmap_hist; GWabs_IDmap_nat; GWabs_IDmap_recact; GWabs_IDmap_fullic
   • if not available, copy all 4 from Empty_DataTemplate
5. worksheet SWlat_IDmap_hist; SWlat_IDmap_nat; SWlat_IDmap_recact; SWlat_IDmap_fullic
   • if not available, copy all 4 from Empty_DataTemplate

The DataTemplate contains one macro, called 'CheckData' which checks if the essential data is in place. While the details will be addressed in the various steps below, most errors are caused if abovementioned steps are not properly conducted or if the OSreference column is empty. An OSreference column with empty or 'na' is not acceptable as this column is the key for creating a unique locationId

Step 5.2 Create and populate worksheets for Grids: Grids_loc and Grids_locSets

Go to #Step 5.3. GW management units

The worksheets Grids_loc and Grids_locSets are manually prepared. They specify the grid geometry and associated location sets as used in the data processing.

Step 5.3 Create and populate worksheet for GW management units: GWunits_loc and GWunits_locSets

Go to #Step 5.4. GW abstractions

The worksheets GWunits_loc and GWunits_locSets are manually prepared. They specify the predefined GWMUs (groundwater management units) and associated location sets as used in the data processing.

Step 5.4 Populate and verify worksheet for groundwater abstractions: GWabs_org

Go to #Step 5.5. Observation boreholes

The worksheet GWabs_org is populated by the data provider.

Step 5.5 Populate and verify worksheet for observation boreholes: OBH_org

Go to #Step 5.6. Gauges

The worksheet OBH_org is populated by the data provider.

Step 5.6 Populate and verify worksheet for gauging stations: Gauges_org

Go to #Step 5.7. SW laterals

The worksheet Gauges_org is populated by the data provider.

Step 5.7 Populate and verify worksheet for SW laterals (discharges and abstractions): SWlat_org

Go to #Step 5.8. Branches

The worksheet SWlats_org is populated by the data provider.

Step 5.8 Populate and verify worksheet for river branches: Branches_org

Go to #Step 5.9. IdMaps for GW abstraction

The worksheet Branches_org is populated by the data provider.

Step 5.9 Populate and verify worksheets with IdMap data for GW abstractions: GWabs_IDMap (4 worksheets)

Go to #Step 5.10. IdMaps for SW laterals

The worksheets need to be populated with results from step 4.

Step 5.10 Populate and verify worksheets for SW laterals: SWlat_IDMap (4 worksheets)

Go to #Step 5.11. Generate Location XML-files

The worksheets need to be populated with results from step 4.

Step 5.11 Generate Location XML-files

Go to #Step 5.12. Update Grisd.xml file

If everything is ready,

1. create a backup
2. run macro x
3. inspect results
4. create XML files

Step 5.12 Update Grids.XML file

the Grids.xml file needs to be update with some data from step 4.