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ISRSB Hydrologic Visualization Tool

About the Viewer

Flooding in 2011 on the Souris River focused attention on review of the existing Operating Plan that governed binational river operations as part of the 1989 International Agreement and evaluation of additional flood protection measures. The International Souris River Study Board (ISRSB) was formed to complete the review of the existing Operating Plan and propose any improvements that could be made. Many of the improvements evaluated by the ISRSB were modeled alternatives to the current operating plan and the ISRSB recognized the need to display the results of these alternatives in a way that was easy to distribute and allowed for individuals to complete their own assessment of each alternative.

The ISRSB worked with the USGS to develop an online Hydrologic Visualization Tool to view, filter, and compare hydrologic data from model outputs representing baseline conditions and multiple potential alternative scenarios. The ISRSB's Hydrologic Visualization Tool is useful for ISRSB staff, as well as the ISRSB's Resource Agency Advisory Group and Public Advisory Group.

As proposed, the ISRSB Hydrologic Visualization Tool includes simulations from the United States Army Corp of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center's Reservoir Simulation model of the Souris River, which was developed by the ISRSB to simulate various reservoir operation alternatives to compare reservoir surface elevations and streamflow at several locations in the Souris River basin.

Map screenshot
Open the ISRSB Hydrologic Visualization Tool Map Viewer

Critical Notes

Important: The baseline model was updated prior to Phase 4 to more realistically simulate standard reservoir operating practices not specifically required by Annex A/B. All comparisons with the baseline in the hydro visualization tool use the phase 4 and 5 baseline. Baseline data for phase 2, 3, and 3.5 are available for comparison purposes.

Using the Viewer

Tutorial video

Navigating the Viewer Interface

Video: Navigating the viewer interface

To open the plot window, click on a stream or lake site on the map. You may also click on the List View button at the top center of the map to select from an alphabetical list of stream and lake sites.

The layers menu includes multiple background layer options, opacity controls, and river, subbasin, and wildlife refuge overlays.

Plot Options

Video: Plot options

The plot opens with the baseline simulation, which shows reservoir operations and river flows according to Annex A/B of the International Agreement for the period 1930-2017.

Plot Navigation/Display Options

Button image Add different alternatives to plot

Button image Clear plot area

Button image Select the normal timeline or baseline differences

Button image View summary statistics for selected alternatives

Button image Select imperial or metric units

Button image Use a linear or log y-scale for the graph

Button image View map of the selected stream/reservoir site

Button image Download data

Alternative Models

Video: Alternative models

Alternative modeling was completed in 5 phases. Each phase built on the results of the previous phase, and the level of analysis conducted on the results increased over time.

Phase 2

16 available alternatives

Phase 3

28 available alternatives

Phase 3.5

10 available alternatives

The baseline model was updated to more realistically simulate standard reservoir operating practices not specifically required by Annex A/B. The baseline is therefore relevant only to Phase 4 and 5 alternatives.
Phase 4

16 available alternatives

Phase 5

5 available alternatives


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