HR: 1340h
AN: H13G-1394    [Abstracts]
TI: 3-Dimensional Immersive Visualization For Regional Water Planning
AU: * Block, J
EM: Jessica.Block@asu.edu
AF: Decision Theater, Arizona State University, PO Box 878409, Tempe, AZ 85287 United States
AU: * Block, J
EM: Jessica.Block@asu.edu
AF: Department of Geological Sciences, PO Box 871404, Tempe, AZ 85287-1404 United States
AU: Razdan, A
EM: Razdan@asu.edu
AF: Decision Theater, Arizona State University, PO Box 878409, Tempe, AZ 85287 United States
AU: Shangraw, R
EM: Rick.Shangraw@asu.edu
AF: Decision Theater, Arizona State University, PO Box 878409, Tempe, AZ 85287 United States
AU: Arrowsmith, R
EM: ramon.arrowsmith@asu.edu
AF: Department of Geological Sciences, PO Box 871404, Tempe, AZ 85287-1404 United States
AB: As the population in the southwestern US grows, water planning requires increasingly creative solutions to manage valuable water resources at the local and regional level. The East Valley Water Forum (EVWF) is a regional cooperative of water providers east of Phoenix, Arizona, designing their water management plan for the next 25 years. Water resources in this region come from the Colorado River, the Salt River Project, groundwater, and other local and regional sources which provide resources that are subject to climatic variability. In order to best understand the physical and political relationships between water resources and their management, the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) analyzes hydrologic data in the region using USGS's MODFLOW software, which computes the status of groundwater resources in the region. However, in order to improve policy decision making using MODFLOW outputs, a comprehensive scientific understanding of the inputs, outputs and their uncertainties is needed. These uncertainties include intrinsic hydrologic uncertainty as well uncertainties in external controls such as drought and urban growth. The Decision Theater (DT) is a new facility at Arizona State University (ASU) that specializes in high resolution 3D immersive visualization of scientific data and models. The facility includes a room with a seven-paneled screen surrounding the viewers by 260 degrees for an immersive experience. It is an innovative tool for visualization of datasets from disparate sources for synthesis of complex spatial problems, and its staff is collaborating with the EVWF and the Bureau of Reclamation to better visualize their modeled water supply and demand scenarios under various drought conditions. The space provides a neutral setting for a workflow of data and model integration in which groups can iteratively assess, interact with, and gain intuition about the relevant data and models. This data integration results in visualizations that accurately represent the model inputs and outputs to MODFLOW in ways the data have not been previously presented. We have explored new data conversion techniques to import GIS data to a Linux-based computing cluster. The innovative visualization of these data allows the water planners to more completely grasp the intricate complexities of the data analysis, while being able to see more inputs to the model simultaneously. Temporal changes in aquifer storage are now represented in time-stepped 3D surfaces, thus reducing the cognitive load for comprehension. Planners will ultimately use the resulting visualization tools to educate policy decision makers on outcomes from alternate scenarios and the effect of variations in the key model input parameters.
UR: http://www.decisiontheater.org
DE: 1829 Groundwater hydrology
DE: 1847 Modeling
DE: 1880 Water management (6334)
DE: 6309 Decision making under uncertainty
DE: 6334 Regional planning (1880)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005