DataWise® Specifications
Datawise Environmental Monitoring, Inc.
hello@datawise.software / phone: 530-277-4476

User's Manual
I. Introduction

The DataWise® software suite is a complete Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), database management, data presentation and visualization package.

DataWise®
  • Was designed by professional meteorologists and hydrologists with years of operational experience.
  • Was implemented and is maintained and enhanced by a team of database and user-interface experts.

  • The DataWise® software suite was developed using the guidelines listed below which were strictly followed:

    1. All sensor data and sensor meta-data is kept in a relational database. While MySQL (or MariaDB) is the preferred relational database, many other ODBC-compliant databases can be used including MS-SQL, SQL-Lite, and Oracle.

    2. For speed and reliability, most data acquisition modules are written in C, C++, and some Fortran.

    3. All user-interfaces and data displays are browser-based. All GIS-based maps, plots, and reports are written using a combination of Php, HTML5, and JavaScript. This allows for the relative ease in modifying applications or developing new ones using readily available, open source tools. This also allows user-access to the server from any computer on the same network as the computer running the DataWise® software suite. The same user access is also available for public access provided the server has an externally viewable IP address. Unauthorized access to any displays or specific functions are password protected.

    4. Multiple instances of DataWise® can be installed on the same computer.

    5. Data acquisition modules can be distributed across a network, whether on an intranet or the internet. This allows for one type of data acquisition, say ALERT2, to be performed on the primary computer and GOES data be collected on a computer which can connect to the primary computer via a TCP/IP socket.

    6. Third-party data acquisition applications can be written and added to the DataWise® software suite without modification in any way to the existing software.


    II. Data Acquisition Capabilities


    The DataWise® software suite is able receive data using the following protocols. Additionally, in protocols that support it, controls and commands can be issued.


    1) Legacy ALERT over RS-232 or UDP or TCP sockets from a serial to IP converter.

    2) ALERT2 over RS-232 or UDP or TCP sockets from a serial to IP converter.

    3) Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) using the NTCIP protocol.

    4) Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) using the High Sierra Electronics IceSight2020e protocol.

    5) GOES data from Direct Readout Ground Sites or LRIT receive sites.

    6) GOES data using DCP Data Services protocol over TCP/IP.

    7) High Sierra Low Water Crossing (LWC) Protocol over RS-232 or UDP or TCP sockets from a serial to IP converter.

    8) Modbus ASCII, Modbus RTU, and Modbus TCP.

    9) Most data loggers via radio, cell modem, and dial-up, including but not limited to Campbell, Sutron, Design Analysis, Intellisense, and Coastal Environmental.

    10) Receiving and distributing data via the SHEF (Standard Hydrologic Exchange Format)

    11) Receiving, managing, and displaying web-camera images


    III. Supervisory Control Capabilities


    DataWise® has intelligent controls built in. Controls are user defined using IF-THEN-ELSE rules and can be configured to activate when one or several conditions have been met. Typical controls include Low Water Crossing Gates, Flashers, Sirens, Signs and Pumps.


    IV. Data Quality Control


    A modified version of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers DatChk data checking and validation logic has been implemented. For each type of validation checking performed, one of three possible flags is set: pass, question, and fail. The types of checking performed are:

    1. Absolute value check, both a maximum value and a minimum value.

    2. Rate of change check, both a positive and negative value.

    3. Constant value check.

    4. Duration magnitude check.


    V. Alarm Detection and Delivery Mechanisms


    The following alarm conditions can be detected:

    1) Values above a specified threshold (e.g., high water).

    2) Values below a specified threshold (e.g., freezing road surface).

    3) Values rising faster than a specified threshold (e.g., high rainfall rates or rising water levels).

    4) Values falling faster than a specified threshold.

    5) Stations that have stopped reporting.

    6) Sensors whose data values are outside of an allowable range.

    7) Sensors whose data values are changing too rapidly.

    8) Sensors whose data values have stayed above or below a specified value for too long.

    9) Sensors whose data values are not changing.

    10) Sensors whose data values are not consistent with nearby sensors.

    11) Multiple sensors in alarm state conditions.


    The following alarm delivery mechanisms are provided:

    1) Simple onscreen visual displays.

    2) Simple computer speaker tones.

    3) Audible wave files.

    4) Alarms delivered via e-mail.

    5) Alarms delivered via SMS (standard text message)and MMS messages.

    6) Voice alarms to phones using VOIP (Voice over IP)

    7) Browser push notifications

    8) Contact closures to activate sirens.

    9) Pagers


    VI. Hydrologic and Hydraulic Analysis and Forecasting Tools Included Are:


    1) The capability of writing data in real-time to HEC-DSS databases.

    2) The capability of writing historical data to HEC-DSS databases.

    3) The capability of implementing the HEC DatChk data screening and quality checking on HEC-DSS databases.

    4) Seamless integration of HEC models, channel routing models, and the Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting Model (SSMA)

    5) Automated input of NWS QPF values into the SSMA to increase hydrologic forecast lead times.


    VII. The Primary User Interface is GIS-Based:

    1) Tabular and statistical reports are accessible directly from this interface and update in realtime.

    2) Real-time updating alarm notifications are shown directly on the map.

    3) Multiple real-time updating time-series plots can be displayed directly on the map in separate windows.

    4) Multiple layers can be placed on the map, including NWS radar, QPF, Isohyetal, cloud layers, web cams, and watershed and political boundaries.


    VIII. Configuration and Maintenance Functions are Isolated From the Main User Interface

    IX. Statistical Analysis, Historical Data Displays and Plots are Isolated From the Main User Interface

    User's Manual