Tutorial: Running a Lateral Effect Simulation

This tutorial describes the basic procedure for performing simulations for a hydrology project in Lateral Effect.  Model inputs are not described in this section.

 

1. Launch Lateral Effect.

 

2. Click the Open Project button on the menu.

 

 

 

3. Select any existing project file and click 'Open'..
 

 
 

 

4. The project will open and Project Information screen will be selected.

 

 

 

5. Enter your project information. Information on this screen is optional and for the user's benefit.  It is not required to complete a simulation and determine the lateral effect.

See Project Information

 

 

 

6. Click Inputs > Parameters under the Selection  group.

 

See Parameters

 

 

7. Select the state and county/parish/city

 

8. Enter in the ditch depth (1 - 6 ft,  0.3 - 1.8 m)

 

9. Select an appropriate surface storage value (Note: 1/2 inch option not currently available for North Carolina locations)

 

10. Enter a depth to the restrictive layer.  Remember that the deepest soil layer specified in the conductivity screen must extend to this depth.

 

11. Enter the drainable porosity for the top 12 inches (30 cm) of the soil profile.  Use 0.035- 0.04 if unknown.

 

12. If you have developed you own T25 value, check the T25 Override box and then enter your value.

 

 

13. Select the appropriate hydroperiod.  Locations other than North Carolina only have the 14 day option available.

 

 

14.  If using measured conductivity values, click Inputs > Conductivity - User under the Selection  group. Otherwise skip to step 17.

 

See Conductivity - User

 

 

15. Check the User Specified Conductivity..... box

 

 

16. For each soil layer, enter the depth to the bottom of the layer from the soil surface.  The depths should increase with each additional layer.  Enter the hydraulic conductivity for each layer.

 

 

Skip to Step 22

 

17. If using Soil Survey conductivity values, click Inputs > Conductivity - Soil Survey under the Selection  group.

 

See Conductivity - Soil Survey

 

 

18. Check the Use Below Selected Soil Survey Specified Conductivity..... box

 

 

19.  Select the soil series from the drop-down box.

 

20.  Adjust the depth for the deepest listed soil such that it equals the depth to the restrictive layer.

 

 

21.  Select the Use Low  or Use High  or Use Avg button.

Selecting the Use Low button will use the low end of the Soil Survey conductivity values (as shown) to determine the lateral effect.  The Use High will use the high end values and the Use Avg button will use the average of the low and high values for each soil layer.

 

 

22.  Click the Calculate Lateral Effect button.

 

 

 

Click OK

 

 

23.  When the simulation completes, the lateral effect will be listed as shown below.

 

 

24.  To view the output text file, click the View Output button or navigate to your /outputs folder and select the most recent run
 

 

Output files can be viewed in any text editor (Notepad, Notepad++, Ultra Edit, etc..)

 

See also:

Model interface

Running an Analysis

Copying Project Files

Project Backup