WTF Analysis Tutorial
Launch 'USGS Water-Table Fluctuation Function' from the Analysis menu as shown below:
Select a groundwater level dataset (USGS RDB File)
Navigate to groundwater level dataset to select it:
1
Further select the just opened data in the data selection window as shown below, click 'Ok'
WTF Main window showing 3 major steps:
2
First, estimate the groundwater recession parameters by clicking the 'Estimate Groundwater Recession Parameters'
button to bring up the parameter estimation window as shown below:
for this example, ensure do the following in this window:
- select (highlight) all months in the 'Months and Season' list
- type in '45' as the minimum flow recession length
- specify output directory
Click the 'Find Recessions >' button to find all potential groundwater recession segments as shown below:
3
Important Tip:
Users MUST first click the 'Visually Estimate d' button to plot all identified recession segments. Then, visually estimate
the asymptotic line that all recession segments are approaching, this should be the 'Pour-point GW elevation, d' value
that should be entered into the corresponding textbox as shown above. Once the d value is entered, move the mouse
cursor outside of the textbox and click once to have this value take effect, which means all recession segments' elevation
values are subtracted by this d value for analysis.
Once the d value is estimated and taken effect, users can further examine/plot and analyze ('Analyse Kgw' button) each
recession segments (and readjust the recession segments' starting or ending days) as shown below:
4
Users can choose to select a subset of identified recession segments to be included in the final summary analysis, in this
example, we will select all segments (checkmark all as shown above).
Finally, after selecting the desired segments, click the 'Summarize Kgw' button to carry out the final analysis as shown
below:
The two parameters needed from this recession analysis are the pour-point GW elevation, d (63 ft) and the final median
recession index (166.68 days/log cycle).
Now, users can simply close this recession analysis window. The two parameters identified will be carried on
automatically in the next steps by the program.
Step 2. Find Recharge Events
Click the 'Find Recharge Events' button to open the next window as shown below:
In this window, for this exercise, ensure to do the following:
- select all months in the 'Months and Season' list
- specify output directory if it is not already specified
5
Users can accept the default values for the 3 main parameters, below are the explanation for their meanings:
- minimum recharge duration in days: this parameter allows users to control what qualify as the shortest recharge
event
- Peek ahead days: this is the number of days to "look ahead" in determining whether the overall future trend is going
up or down in the groundwater level
- Peek ahead rise percent: this parameter is used when the program finds a temporary stop in an otherwise rising limb
to determine whether this temporary stop is a small 'hiccup' or the peak of a rising limb. This parameter is the minimum
percent of times that the groundwater level in the 'peek ahead' number of days has to be rising to consider the current
stop a 'hiccup', hence continue to go forward in this current rising limb, otherwise, this stop will be considered as a peak
(or the ending point of the current rising limb).
Tips:
Decrease the minimum recharge duration in days will allow more smaller rises, while increase this parameter will help
identify rises of lengthier durations
Increase 'Peek ahead days' and reduce 'peek ahead rise percent' will help identify lengthier recharge events and ignore
more minor 'hiccups' (ie. temporary decrease or gaps or flat regions).
Click the 'Find Recharges >' button to find all rising limbs (ie recharging events) as shown below.
Users can select individual rising limbs for inspection and plotting.
6
Click the 'Plot Rises' button can plot all identified recharging events together as shown below:
Users can click the '< Back to Configuration' button to go back and try using different combinations of the 3 main
parameters and try identify recharge events again and again.
Users can simply close the window when done inspection, the program will remember these identified recharge events.
Step 3. Estimate groundwater recharges
Click the 'Estimate Recharge' button on the main WTF window to bring up the recharge estimation form as shown
below:
7
There are 3 methods for estimating the antecedent groundwater levels: Semi-logarithmic, linear, and power function.
The most popular method is the semi-log method and the 'Step 1.' procedure outlined above (identifying recession
segments etc) is designed to estimate necessary parameters for this semi-log method. For the linear and Power function
methods, users are expected to derive their own parameters outside of this program and enter in this form.
If users choose the semi-log method, then the two key parameters estimated with the recession segment analysis step is
carried on to this form automatically by the program, hence users do not need to memorize their values. At the time of
writing of this tutorial, the linear and power function methods are not fully tested.
To carry out this final step of recharge analysis, first select the antecedent groundwater level estimation method. In this
tutorial, checkmark the checkbox in front of 'Semi-logarithmic' method. This will trigger the display of its pertinent
parameter values (as derived from the recession segment analysis step) as shown below:
8
The asymptotic GWL d value is the 63 feet value identified earlier. The 'Kgw' value on this form (-0.0059995) is the
negative inverse of the 166.6 days/log cycle value identified earlier, the program automatically converts it to the
appropriate value and populates this parameter here on this form.
Next, enter the 'Aquifer Specific Yield' value. This is a value between 0 and 1. In this tutorial, we will use a value of 0.3 as
shown above.
Next, users can further restrict the analysis duration by enter desired starting and ending date in the 'Analysis Dates'
textboxes (not yet functional as this is debatable whether this should happen when recharge events are identified)
Next, users need to provide output directory and a filename root for the final text output file.
Finally, click the 'Calculate Recharge' button to do the estimates. Depends on the number of identified final set of
recharge events, this process could take a few minutes to finish, upon which time a notice is given for the location of the
final text output file and a graph of recharge events and their corresponding antecedent GW levels as shown below:
9
Users can zoom in by dragging a box over the desired duration to get a 'closer' look as shown below
10
The text output file content is listed below:
Count
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
TsDate Ts Duration
1989/ 2/20
14
1989/ 3/17
65
1989/ 6/ 7
28
1989/ 9/30
58
1990/ 1/31
16
1990/12/ 3
60
1991/ 3/ 1
38
1991/ 9/24
35
1991/11/ 9
46
1992/ 1/29
24
1992/ 5/31
11
1992/ 8/ 9
17
1992/11/12
45
1993/ 3/12
32
1993/10/27
20
1993/12/29
43
1994/ 3/ 2
15
1994/11/18
12
1994/12/27
38
1995/ 2/13
13
1996/ 2/19
14
Ts GWL
66.07
66.22
67.18
66.9
67.09
65.49
66.42
65.81
66.05
66.7
66.29
65.48
65.54
66.91
64.52
65.9
66.4
64.23
65.35
66.27
66.65
GWLpeak
H0Date
66.25 1989/ 2/20
67.36 1989/ 3/17
67.79 1989/ 6/ 7
67.43 1989/ 9/30
67.24 1990/ 1/31
66.46 1990/12/ 3
67.05 1991/ 3/ 1
66.11 1991/ 9/24
66.74 1991/11/ 9
66.92 1992/ 1/29
66.34 1992/ 5/31
65.86 1992/ 8/ 9
66.99 1992/11/12
67.9
1993/ 3/12
64.76 1993/10/27
66.41 1993/12/29
67.25 1994/ 3/ 2
64.4
1994/11/18
66.26 1994/12/27
66.44 1995/ 2/13
66.96 1996/ 2/19
H0 GWL
66.07
66.22
67.18
66.9
67.09
65.49
66.42
65.81
66.05
66.7
66.29
65.48
65.54
66.91
64.52
65.9
66.4
64.23
65.35
66.27
66.65
FALLH2
65.857
65.207
66.576
65.787
66.761
64.758
65.756
65.305
65.342
66.242
66.117
65.267
64.962
66.266
64.364
65.268
66.145
64.158
64.894
66.061
66.396
(GWLpeak-FALLH2)
0.393
2.153
1.214
1.643
0.479
1.702
1.294
0.805
1.398
0.678
0.223
0.593
2.028
1.634
0.396
1.142
1.105
0.242
1.366
0.379
0.564
11
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1996/ 4/ 8
1996/11/25
1997/ 3/28
1997/11/12
1998/ 2/16
1998/ 6/13
1998/10/ 9
1999/ 1/ 2
1999/10/ 4
2000/ 2/12
2000/11/10
2000/12/13
2001/ 1/29
2001/ 5/24
2002/ 1/11
2003/ 3/ 1
2003/10/25
2003/12/ 9
2004/10/15
2004/11/ 4
2004/12/30
2005/ 4/26
2005/10/ 8
2006/ 2/ 2
2006/ 4/22
2006/10/17
2006/12/22
2007/ 3/16
2007/ 4/ 3
2008/ 3/ 1
2008/ 9/ 6
2008/ 9/25
2009/12/ 2
2010/ 2/23
2011/ 4/13
2012/ 5/ 8
19
40
26
87
37
12
12
45
88
53
13
28
71
15
29
47
14
22
17
48
25
13
80
11
74
52
26
15
23
22
12
22
36
14
17
16
66.88
66.05
66.89
65.31
66.98
67.46
65.97
65.8
64.91
66.09
65.11
65.4
66.01
66.74
64.56
66.34
66.09
66.54
65.47
65.59
66.72
67.91
64.67
68.03
66.9
65.99
66.81
67.04
67.23
66.07
65.46
65.6
66.19
66.67
66.84
66.49
67.25
67.16
67.28
67.03
67.84
67.85
66.02
67.42
65.88
66.89
65.28
65.99
67.88
67.05
64.93
67.16
66.6
66.9
65.61
66.66
67.02
68.1
67.94
68.26
69.87
66.95
67.23
67.29
67.88
67.29
65.66
66.07
67.01
67.46
67.08
66.75
1996/ 4/ 8
1996/11/25
1997/ 3/28
1997/11/12
1998/ 2/16
1998/ 6/13
1998/10/ 9
1999/ 1/ 2
1999/10/ 4
2000/ 2/12
2000/11/10
2000/12/13
2001/ 1/29
2001/ 5/24
2002/ 1/11
2003/ 3/ 1
2003/10/25
2003/12/ 9
2004/10/15
2004/11/ 4
2004/12/30
2005/ 4/26
2005/10/ 8
2006/ 2/ 2
2006/ 4/22
2006/10/17
2006/12/22
2007/ 3/16
2007/ 4/ 3
2008/ 3/ 1
2008/ 9/ 6
2008/ 9/25
2009/12/ 2
2010/ 2/23
2011/ 4/13
2012/ 5/ 8
66.88
66.05
66.89
65.31
66.98
67.46
65.97
65.8
64.91
66.09
65.11
65.4
66.01
66.74
64.56
66.34
66.09
66.54
65.47
65.59
66.72
67.91
64.67
68.03
66.9
65.99
66.81
67.04
67.23
66.07
65.46
65.6
66.19
66.67
66.84
66.49
66.504
65.428
66.368
64.387
66.226
67.2
65.797
65.163
64.14
65.275
64.975
65.053
64.99
66.459
64.327
65.55
65.875
66.14
65.257
64.965
66.241
67.596
64.046
67.766
65.532
65.215
66.299
66.737
66.729
65.723
65.317
65.306
65.601
66.415
66.51
66.209
0.746
1.732
0.912
2.643
1.614
0.65
0.223
2.257
1.74
1.615
0.305
0.937
2.89
0.591
0.603
1.61
0.725
0.76
0.353
1.695
0.779
0.504
3.894
0.494
4.338
1.735
0.931
0.553
1.151
1.567
0.343
0.764
1.409
1.045
0.57
0.541
FALL Method Monthly Summary
*********************************
Month Recharge
*********************************
1987-10
1987-11
1987-12
1988-1 0
1988-2 0
1988-3 0
1988-4 0
1988-5 0
1988-6 0
1988-7 0
1988-8 0
1988-9 0
1988-10
1988-11
1988-12
1989-1 0
1989-2 0
1989-3 1.42
1989-4 0
1989-5 7.75
1989-6 0
1989-7 4.37
1989-8 0
1989-9 0
1989-10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
12
1989-11
1989-12
1990-1 0
1990-2 1.73
1990-3 0
1990-4 0
1990-5 0
1990-6 0
1990-7 0
1990-8 0
1990-9 0
1990-10
1990-11
1990-12
1991-1 6.13
1991-2 0
1991-3 0
1991-4 4.66
1991-5 0
1991-6 0
1991-7 0
1991-8 0
1991-9 0
1991-10
1991-11
1991-12
1992-1 0
1992-2 2.44
1992-3 0
1992-4 0
1992-5 0
1992-6 0.8
1992-7 0
1992-8 2.14
1992-9 0
1992-10
1992-11
1992-12
1993-1 0
1993-2 0
1993-3 0
1993-4 5.88
1993-5 0
1993-6 0
1993-7 0
1993-8 0
1993-9 0
1993-10
1993-11
1993-12
1994-1 0
1994-2 4.11
1994-3 3.98
1994-4 0
1994-5 0
1994-6 0
1994-7 0
1994-8 0
1994-9 0
1994-10
1994-11
1994-12
1995-1 0
1995-2 6.28
1995-3 0
1995-4 0
1995-5 0
5.91
0
0
0
0
2.9
0
5.03
0
0
7.3
0
1.42
0
0
0.87
0
13
1995-6 0
1995-7 0
1995-8 0
1995-9 0
1995-10
1995-11
1995-12
1996-1 0
1996-2 0
1996-3 2.03
1996-4 2.69
1996-5 0
1996-6 0
1996-7 0
1996-8 0
1996-9 0
1996-10
1996-11
1996-12
1997-1 6.23
1997-2 0
1997-3 0
1997-4 3.28
1997-5 0
1997-6 0
1997-7 0
1997-8 0
1997-9 0
1997-10
1997-11
1997-12
1998-1 0
1998-2 9.51
1998-3 5.81
1998-4 0
1998-5 0
1998-6 2.34
1998-7 0
1998-8 0
1998-9 0
1998-10
1998-11
1998-12
1999-1 0
1999-2 8.12
1999-3 0
1999-4 0
1999-5 0
1999-6 0
1999-7 0
1999-8 0
1999-9 0
1999-10
1999-11
1999-12
2000-1 0
2000-2 0
2000-3 0
2000-4 5.81
2000-5 0
2000-6 0
2000-7 0
2000-8 0
2000-9 0
2000-10
2000-11
2000-12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.8
0
0
0
0
6.26
0
1.1
0
14
2001-1 3.37
2001-2 0
2001-3 0
2001-4 10.41
2001-5 0
2001-6 2.13
2001-7 0
2001-8 0
2001-9 0
2001-10
2001-11
2001-12
2002-1 0
2002-2 2.17
2002-3 0
2002-4 0
2002-5 0
2002-6 0
2002-7 0
2002-8 0
2002-9 0
2002-10
2002-11
2002-12
2003-1 0
2003-2 0
2003-3 0
2003-4 5.8
2003-5 0
2003-6 0
2003-7 0
2003-8 0
2003-9 0
2003-10
2003-11
2003-12
2004-1 0
2004-2 0
2004-3 0
2004-4 0
2004-5 0
2004-6 0
2004-7 0
2004-8 0
2004-9 0
2004-10
2004-11
2004-12
2005-1 2.81
2005-2 0
2005-3 0
2005-4 0
2005-5 1.81
2005-6 0
2005-7 0
2005-8 0
2005-9 0
2005-10
2005-11
2005-12
2006-1 0
2006-2 1.78
2006-3 0
2006-4 0
2006-5 0
2006-6 0
2006-7 15.62
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2.61
2.74
1.27
0
6.1
0
0
14.02
15
2006-8 0
2006-9 0
2006-10
2006-11
2006-12
2007-1 3.35
2007-2 0
2007-3 1.99
2007-4 4.14
2007-5 0
2007-6 0
2007-7 0
2007-8 0
2007-9 0
2007-10
2007-11
2007-12
2008-1 0
2008-2 0
2008-3 5.64
2008-4 0
2008-5 0
2008-6 0
2008-7 0
2008-8 0
2008-9 1.24
2008-10
2008-11
2008-12
2009-1 0
2009-2 0
2009-3 0
2009-4 0
2009-5 0
2009-6 0
2009-7 0
2009-8 0
2009-9 0
2009-10
2009-11
2009-12
2010-1 5.07
2010-2 0
2010-3 3.76
2010-4 0
2010-5 0
2010-6 0
2010-7 0
2010-8 0
2010-9 0
2010-10
2010-11
2010-12
2011-1 0
2011-2 0
2011-3 0
2011-4 2.05
2011-5 0
2011-6 0
2011-7 0
2011-8 0
2011-9 0
2011-10
2011-11
2011-12
2012-1 0
2012-2 0
0
0
6.25
0
0
0
2.75
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
16
2012-3 0
2012-4 0
2012-5 1.95
2012-6 0
2012-7 0
2012-8 0
2012-9 0
2012-10
2012-11
2012-12
2013-1 0
0
0
0
FALL Method Yearly Summary
*********************************
Year
Recharge
*********************************
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
0
13.54
7.64
10.79
13.31
13.18
9.52
7.15
4.72
9.52
17.66
8.93
12.08
17
2.17
5.8
5.35
11.99
31.42
15.73
6.88
2.75
8.83
2.05
1.95
Another example of finding recharge events for a different dataset using the following parameters:
Minimum days in a rise: 5 days
peek ahead days: 5 days
peek ahead rise percent: 60%
(this seems to be a better combo at times)
17
18