Can Model Data be Contoured?

Many EnviroInsite users work with colleagues that use groundwater flow and transport models or use these models themselves. Models can calculate two- or three-dimensional fields of either concentration or potentiometric head that are frequently useful to plot in EnviroInsite. This includes both 2D and 3D contours.

All data not stored in an EQuIS or EnviroInsite database are termed "external". The external data options are available from the main menu as Plot> External, and include 3D contours, 2D contours, 3D surfaces, 3D classed post plots, posted values, particle tracks, and cut-and-fill calculations. The external data format is a simple text file that can be either space- or comma-delimited. In most cases, the files consist of a set of coordinates followed by a numeric value to be plotted (e.g., X, Y, value). In some instances, such as 3D contouring and 3D classed post plots, the files also include an elevation value (e.g., X, Y, Z, value).

Groundwater models typically store data in matrix form, which may require some effort to reformat the data file to an EnviroInsite compliant format. The good news is that many of the interfaces, such as GW Vistas or Visual Modflow, have utilities for exporting data into a similar format.