Training Classes and Special Sessions (All training classes are closed.)
There will be a one-time flat fee of $50 for all training.
(Take as many classes as you can schedule for $50.)
Filtering Tidal Data for ADAPS
This class will describe gr_filter, a new software application for use
in computing the daily mean discharge of river or estuarine data
affected by ocean tides. In addition to describing the gr_filter
program operation, the class will cover background information on tides
and tidal filtering and provide examples of removing tidal variations
from USGS tidal flow monitoring data collected at various locations
around the United States. The shortcomings of computing a daily mean
for tidally affected data in the conventional way will be described. A
new draft policy by the Office of Surface Water regarding the
publication of daily values for tidally affected data will be presented
and discussed.
- Length: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: No
Instructors: John Donovan, Pete Smith, and Cathy Ruhl (Contact John Donovan with questions).
Multi-Dimensional Surface-Water Modeling System (MD_SWMS)
Limit 15 students!
This class covers surface-water flow modeling within the MD-SWMS framework from data input through grid generation, model execution, visualization, and verification. Basic principles will be briefly covered, but the emphasis of this short course is hands-on application using data sets for realistic problems on real rivers. Students should bring a laptop with 1 GB of ram, a few gigs of empty hard disk space, and the XP operating system. Users will need to have software installation capabilities on their laptops, so check with your administrator. Bring data sets with topography, water-surface elevations, and any other data if you would like some assistance with your own projects. The class will be taught by Richard McDonald and Jonathan Nelson.
- Length: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: Yes, with 1 GB of ram, a few gigs of empty hard disk space, and the XP operating system
Instructors: Richard McDonald and Jonathan Nelson (Contact Jonathan Nelson with questions).
Hydrologic Engineering Center - River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) 1-D Steady Flow Model
Limit 25 students!
This short course will present overviews of HEC-RAS in general, steps to
build a steady flow model, bridge and culvert modeling, advanced features for
steady flow (FEMA floodway, channel modifications and design, bridge scour,
channel stability and sediment potential), new tools for georeferencing
existing models and HEC-GeoRAS.
- Length: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: Optional
Instructors: US Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center HEC-RAS trainers (Contact Phil Turnipseed with questions).
Hydrologic Engineering Center - River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) 1-D Unsteady Flow Model
Limit 25 students!
This short course will present overviews of unsteady modeling in general, modeling hydraulic structures (bridges and culverts, inline and lateral structures, storage areas and storage area connections), advanced features (mixed flow, pumps, dam and levee breaching and gate rules) and new features in version 4.0 (water quality, sediment and pressurized pipes).
- Length: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: Optional
Instructors: US Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center HEC-RAS trainers (Contact Phil Turnipseed with questions).
SWSTAT - Integration with Map Window GIS and BASINS
The OSW Surface Water Statistics program SWSTAT has recently been updated to allow user interaction through a graphical user interface and to enhance the core statistics routines. The new SWSTAT statistics library is accessible through a light weight open GIS platform called MapWindow. EPA’s BASINS data and analysis system complements this effort by providing data download from NWIS to the desktop along with additional analysis capabilities. This workshop will introduce the updated SWSTAT program and provide an overview of MapWindow and BASINS. Assistance with installation of the program to laptops will be provided.
- Length: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: Optional
Instructors: Aqua Terra Consultants and Idaho State University (Contact Kate Flynn with questions).
MapWindow GIS - Customization of an open desktop GIS platform
Map Window (www.mapwindow.org) is an open source GIS product for the Windows operating system making use of the Microsoft .NET Framework. MapWindow can be used as an alternative desktop GIS, to distribute data to others, and to develop and distribute custom spatial data analyses. MapWindow is open source and requires NO license fees or royalty payments. MapWindow includes standard GIS data visualization features as well as spatial data reprojection, attribute table editing, shapefile editing, and grid importing and conversion. This workshop will introduce the MapWindow package and explore its customization through the development of plugins and scripts. Assistance with installation of the source code and sample data to laptops will be provided.
- Length: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: Optional
Instructors: Aqua Terra Consultants and Idaho State University (Contact Kate Flynn with questions).
Wireless Communications
This class will cover the setup, use, advantages, and disadvantages of commercially available Bluetooth, WiFi, radio modems, and multiplexers. This will cover equipment available from OceanScience, SonTek/YSI, and other non-ADCP specific vendors.
- Length: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: No
Instructor: Paul Diaz (pdiaz@usgs.gov)
Section by Section Measurements
This class will cover section by section software and equipment available from TRDI, SonTek/YSI, and Ott/Nortek.
- Length: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: No
Instructor: Mike Rehmel (msrehmel@usgs.gov)
Application of Upward Looking ADCP's
This class will cover the appropriate applications for upward looking ADCP's including configuration, deployment, data collection and introduction to data processing. Both SonTek/YSI and TRDI instruments will be discussed.
- Length: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: No
Instructor: Victor Levesque (levesque@usgs.gov)
Measurements in Extreme Conditions (Sorry! Class has reached limit.)
This class will cover problems and potential solutions associated with collecting data in very slow water, very fast water, very shallow water, and very deep water. Both deployment and instrument configuration will be covered. The potential use of all types of acoustic equipment will be covered.
- Length: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: No
Instructor: David S. Mueller (dmueller@usgs.gov)
Discharge Measurements in Moving-Bed Conditions
This class will cover the use of GPS and the alternatives to using GPS for making discharge measurements in streams with a moving-bed.
- Length: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Time: Friday, April 6
Laptops needed: Yes, with WinRiver and LC loaded.
Instructor: Chad Wagner (cwagner@usgs.gov)
Reviewing ADCP Data
This class will cover data review procedures for the Rio Grande and Streampro data. Participants are encouraged to bring their own data files for review.
- Length: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Time: Friday, April 6
Laptops needed: Optional
Instructor: Kevin Oberg (kaoberg@usgs.gov)
Introduction to WinRiver II for WinRiver Users-1 (WR2) (Monday (4/2), 8:00am-12:00pm)
Introduction to WinRiver II for WinRiver Users-2 (WR2) (Monday (4/2), 1:00pm-5:00pm)
Introduction to WinRiver II for WinRiver Users-3 (WR2) (Friday (4/6), 8:00am-12:00pm)
Introduction to WinRiver II for WinRiver Users-4 (WR2) (Friday (4/6), 1:00pm-5:00pm)
This half-day class will be offered 4 times during the workship. The class will introduce WinRiver II, discuss enhancements, new capabilites, changes, and provide hands on experience in using WinRiver II for playback, configuration, and data export. Participants in the class will be expected to be familiar with operation of Rio Grandes and/or Streampros and WinRiver 10.06.
- Length: Half-day
Time: Monday morning, Monday afternoon, Friday morning, Friday afternoon
Laptops needed: Yes, with WinRiver II loaded or have sufficient access to load the software before the class begins
Instructor: Kevin Oberg (kaoberg@usgs.gov)
Estimating Suspended Sediment Concentrations using Acoustics
Class will provide a detailed discussion of the principles and problems associate with associating backscatter acoustic energy and suspended sediment concentration. Procedures for using fixed and boat mounted deployments will be discussed. Note: this is an area of ongoing development and should not be viewed as a mature operational technique, but rather as a research oriented approach that may provide valuable information when applied properly within the limits of the technique.
- Length: 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Time: Monday, April 2
Laptops needed: No
Instructor: David S. Mueller (dmueller@usgs.gov)
Special Session on Low-Flow Studies
This one-day session will bring together USGS scientists that are active in low flow studies to share recent work and new techniques, to discuss recurring issues, and to identify topics that warrant further research. Short presentations will be used to introduce ideas, but active discussion among participants will be a key component of this session.
- Length: 8:00am - 3:00pm
Time: Friday, April 6
Laptops needed: No
Contact: Julie Kiang (jkiang@usgs.gov)
EXCEL-LEnT (Sorry! Class has reached limit.)
Limit 25 students!
The EXCEL spreadsheet software is one of the most used software packages in water resources organizations. Yet most engineers and scientists use only a fraction of the spreadsheet's capabilities. This workshop is designed to teach you how to use some of the features particularly useful in engineering and water resources analysis. The workshop will cover customized graphs (including custom markers, dynamic and animated graphs), easy user controls (such as list boxes, spinners, check boxes and option buttons), recording macros, using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) message and input boxes, custom user forms, and writing your own customized macros and functions in VBA. Participants will be provided with a CD containing the workshop files, examples of spreadsheets for future reference, a set of the EXCEL-LEnT notes and video tutorials. This workshop is designed for average and above spreadsheet users. No previous programming experience with macros or Visual Basic for Applications is required. The workshop is hands-on, therefore participants must have their own notebook computer with EXCEL (version '97 or later) installed. The computer should have the capability to read a CD.
- Length: 7:30am - 3:30pm
Time: Friday, April 6
Laptops needed: Yes
Contact: Jim Kolva (jkolva@usgs.gov)
Instructor: Darrell G. Fontane, Department of Civil Engineering, Colorado State University
