CRDSS_Task1_05-9_UtilityStructureAndScenarioHandling

• Title: CRDSS Task 1.05-9 - Study of System Integration Issues DMI - Utility Structure and Scenario Handling
• Description: This memorandum describes the structure of DMI utility programs and presents preliminary ideas on scenario management ‎(which is a Year 2 task)‎.
• Decision Support - Doc Type: Task Memorandum
• Date: 5/10/1994
• DSS Category: DMI Utilities
• DSS: Colorado River
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Contract/PO #: C153658, C153727, C153752
• Grant Type: Non-Reimbursable
• Bill Number: SB92-87, HB93-1273, SB94-029, HB95-1155, SB96-153, HB97-008
• Prepared By: Riverside Technology inc.

and the DMI utility may have intelligence such that not all data need to be recreated (some data are
static). A shell consisting of a menu-based program will be constructed so that these steps are
performed seamlessly. Additionally, model output will be viewed using either a DMI-type utility, or
a general display tool, such as a spreadsheet. Viewing of output will depend on a model's existing
display capabilities, and on the use of general display tools (see Task Memoranda 1.05-15 and 1.05-
16).
Data as tablesLow-level High-level DMI Output Flat files for
in databasemodel input DMI transfer utility routines
Data flow direction
Figure 1. DMI data flow
In the early stages of development, each DMI utility will only be able to transfer a baseline data set
(or default data set). Consequently, some of the display and data editing features of the DMI utility
will not be very advanced. The default data set will be used to develop and test the models.
As Year 1 progresses, the DMI utility programs will be able to display more information and will
have a limited ability to modify data as they are transferred. However, full scenario management
and input data editing will not be implemented until Year 2, when the scenario database task is
addressed. (See Task Memorandum 1.05-22 for a discussion of software evolution in Year 1.)
Scenario Management
Scenario management involves tracking the differences between model inputs and outputs generated
to answer "what if" questions. Scenario management for the CRDSS may be very complicated
because of the many issues to be studied, the number of models within the CRDSS, an d the amount
of data used for analyses.
RTi has studied the Gunnison model developed by Hydrosphere and has spoken to Randy Seaholm
about the scenario-handling capabilities of that model. A preliminary study of the scenario
management abilities of the HYDROSS and MODSIM models has also been performed. Scenario
management will be implemented in Year 2; however, RTi proposes preliminary guidelines that a
DMI utility handle scenarios in the following manner:
2
A275 05.10.94 1.05-9 Malers