Advancing Water Resources Research and Management

AWRA SYMPOSIUM ON GIS AND WATER RESOURCES

Sept 22-26, 1996
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

ARCVIEW APPLICATIONS IN
STORMWATER AND WASTEWATER
MANAGEMENT
Uzair M. Shamsi (1) and Bruce A. Fletcher (2)
ABSTRACT: Once the domain of cartographers, CAD technicians, mainframes, and
workstations, Geographic Information System (GIS) and mapping are now moving to the
desktop. ArcView is a sophisticated desktop mapping software which promises to bring the
power of GIS to the average PC user. This paper describes ArcView applications in the four
typical activities associated with the management of stormwater and wastewater collection
systems: mapping, monitoring, modeling, and maintenance. It is demonstrated that due to its low
cost, ease of use, and compatibility with the ARC/INFO file format, ArcView is an effective tool
for routine display and plotting of collection system maps, querying the GIS database,
development of sewer system hydraulic models, and conducting computerized maintenance
management. The proposed methodology is illustrated by real world examples taken from
various mapping and modeling projects.

KEY TERMS: ArcView, ARC/INFO, GIS, sewer systems, computer mapping, hydraulic
modeling.

INTRODUCTION
Mapping, monitoring, modeling, and maintenance are the four most important activities in
effectively managing a stormwater and wastewater collection system. Since these activities begin
with the letter "M", a management practice which utilizes them can be referred to as a "4M"
management approach. A Geographic Information System (GIS) can be used to implement or
improve the 4M management strategy. This paper describes how the desktop GIS, ArcView, can
be used to implement the 4M approach for the management of stormwater and wastewater
collection systems.

The mapping work can be best managed by developing a Computer Mapping Program (CMP)
which can be defined as a comprehensive package of data collection, mapping, and data
management services. A CMP can produce infrastructure maps that are complete, accurate, up-
to-date, and affordable. Since a CMP provides accurate and up-to-date information, responding
to emergencies is much faster. A CMP uses GIS technology to incorporate comprehensive
information about an infrastructure gleaned from interviews with staff, from an inventory of
records, and from field and airborne investigations.

Monitoring is an expensive activity. It is very costly to monitor all the potential sampling sites.
The monitoring work requires selection of representative monitoring sites which can be
accomplished by gaining a sound understanding of the collection system and its surrounding
features. GIS coverages for watersheds, sewersheds, receiving waters, roads, municipal
boundaries, demographic characteristics, and land use provide a sound basis for optimal
monitoring site selection.

Modeling helps us to study the collection systems in ways that would not be practical, or even
possible, by other means. Mathematical models are used to understand the system and evaluate
strategies for the efficient operation of a system. Development of complex models which are
capable of simulating detailed hydraulic processes of a collection system is a very labor oriented
task. Interpretation of model results which can span hundreds of pages, is just as hectic. GIS can
be used to facilitate model development and interpretation.

Maintenance activities require an accurate and up-to-date date system inventory and maps. GIS
can provide a computerized maintenance management system capable of automatically creating
work orders from sewer inspections, customer complaints, and identified problem sewers. This
can be accomplished by linking a utility's existing maintenance module and GIS.

METHODOLOGY
Most GIS packages are designed for technicians who perform heavy duty production work on
work stations, and therefore, are not very user friendly for the casual PC users. Some of the
leading GIS products are ARC/INFO by Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI),
Geo/SQL by Generation 5 Technology, GENEMAP by Genasys, and MGE by Intergraph.
ARC/INFO, PC ARC/INFO, ArcCAD, Geo/SQL, GENEMAP, and MGE are complex software
systems that require substantial technical skills. The sewer system operators and managers often
do not have the technical expertise to develop, run, and maintain a complex GIS.

In the past decade, powerful workstations and sophisticated software combined to bring mapping
capability to any desktop. In the last five years, computers have become so powerful that
mapping software will now run on off-the-shelf PCs. Once the province of cartographers and
CAD technicians, desktop mapping and GIS are ready to infiltrate almost all areas of water and
wastewater utility operations and management. ESRI's ArcView is a sophisticated desktop
mapping and GIS application which promises to bring the power of GIS to the average PC user.
The main features of ArcView are:

1. ArcView is very user-friendly and provides context sensitive on-line help.

2. ArcView is available for Windows, Mac, and UNIX operating systems.

3. ArcView can access and link documents, images, tables, text, graphics, spreadsheets,
maps, multimedia, and CAD drawings in an integrated and comprehensive way.

4. ArcView provides routine display and plotting of collection system maps and querying
the GIS database.

5. ArcView helps to quickly select and display different combinations of data for creative
visualization of mapping data.

6. ArcView is compatible with the ARC/INFO, PC ARC/INFO, and ArcCAD file formats.

7. ArcView can directly use AutoCAD drawings (DWG files) or AutoCAD interchange files
(DXF files).

8. ArcView uses dBASE format files for data management and can access information from
other applications such as: FoxPro, Lotus 1-2-3, and Microsoft Excel.

9. ArcView can link map information to SQL databases which are common in local
governments, such as: ORACLE, INGRES, INFORMIX, and SYBASE.

10. GIS data can be explored and retrieved by selecting features or formulating logical
expressions.

11. The GIS data can be displayed as pie charts, bar charts, or tables for presentations and
reports.

12. Avenue, ArcView's object oriented development language, or Microsoft Visual Basic can
be used to create custom applications and user interfaces.

13. ArcView supports Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL) and Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)
which can be used to provide efficient third party interfacing and integration capability.

14. ArcView provides editing tools for creating new maps and modifying existing ones.

15. ArcView provides address geocoding and address matching capability, i.e., tabular data
containing street addresses can be displayed as points on a map.
 16. Costing approximately $1,000, and running on off-the-shelf PCs, ArcView is affordable.

The above features make ArcView a cost-effective tool for implementing the 4M management
approach. A limitation of ArcView is that it is not intended to support a GIS production shop. The
paper maps cannot be digitized directly in ArcView. ArcView has limited feature editing
capability. Therefore, ArcView's best applications lie in management, manipulation, and
modification of existing GIS coverages. The coverages can be produced in ARC/INFO and
imported to ArcView. The users who do not have an in-house ARC/INFO site can hire
consultants for converting the existing maps to ARC/INFO coverages by scanning and
digitization. The widespread use of ARC/INFO among government agencies, coupled with the
wide range of exchange formats supported by ARC/INFO, makes it highly probable that most
third-party data providers will be running ARC/INFO and as such be able to directly supply data
in either ARC/INFO coverage or ArcView shape file (ArcView's native format). If spatial data in
whatever format is available for your project, it can be converted to ArcView format via
ARC/INFO (Hutchinson and Daniel, 1995). ESRI publishes a catalogue of ArcView compatible
data sources called "ArcData." ArcData is a collection of digital information products developed
cooperatively by ESRI and more than 30 data providers. Included are data sets for such
applications as urban and transportation planning, natural resources, environmental, agriculture
and demographics. Some specific example of ArcData are: Digital Line Graphs (roads, railroads,
rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands, contours, states, counties, cities, etc.), TIGER files (census
blocks, census block groups, roads, railroads, hydrography, political boundaries, etc.), and
Climatedata (monthly summaries of the meteorological data). The ArcView coverages illustrated
in this paper were created in ARC/INFO.

MAPPING APPLICATION
There are three main types of computer mapping systems available today for developing a CMP:
Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) based Computer Aided Mapping (CAM),
Automated Mapping and Facilities Management (AM/FM), and GIS. The commonly accepted
definition of a GIS is, "a computer-based system used to capture, store, edit, display, and plot
geographically referenced data." Unfortunately, this definition applies to CAM and AM/FM also.
However, all the three technologies have distinctly different characteristics and applications and
no single system offers all of them. For instance, you can't simply use a CAM or AM/FM system
as a GIS. It is important to understand the distinctions between CAM, AM/FM, and GIS systems,
listed in Table 1. CAM and AM/FM systems do not permit spatial analyses. A GIS has the
capability to relate data across layers to allow spatial analysis (Dueker, 1987). A CAM map does
not have the graphical intuition of human eye and can't, for example, tell which drainage area is
adjacent to which (Berry, 1994). A GIS map does not have this limitation because the spatial
relationship among its features or topology are simply a part of the map intelligence.

A commercial map atlas company may use a CAM system since its applications are primarily for
cartographic products. A telephone company will use an AM/FM system to support its telephone
system operations and maintenance, as it must be able to quickly trace a cable network and
retrieve its attributes (Korte, 1994). For the management of a sewer system, a GIS based CMP is
most suitable because it must conduct many types of spatial analyses, asking questions like how
many customers, by type (residential, commercial, industrial), are located within 1,000 ft of a
proposed sewer line. Most importantly, in addition to sewer system management, a CMP must
also support other applications of the municipality. For example, the planning department must
be able to generate 200 ft notification lists as part of its plan review process. The public works
department must be able to conduct maintenance tracking and scheduling. The public safety
department must be able to perform crime location analysis. Thus, if the sewer system is owned
and operated by a city rather than a sewer authority, its CMP should be designed to
simultaneously address the mapping needs of all the city departments. Like most other computer-
based technology, the combination of more powerful PCs, better quality graphics, and more
flexible software have made GIS capability affordable. Thus, a GIS based CMP is the most
suitable technology to meet all the mapping and management needs of a municipality.

Table 1. CAM and AM/FM Versus GIS

Feature CAM AM/FM GIS

Layers Yes Yes Yes

Spatial relationship (Topology) No No Yes

Network analysis No Yes Yes

Lines Yes Yes Yes

Nodes No Yes Yes

Polygons (areas) No No Yes

Attributes No Yes Yes

Actual locations Yes/No Yes Yes

Map intelligence No No Yes

The Board of Public Works of the Borough of Ramsey (the Board), New Jersey, is responsible
for the operation and maintenance of water distribution and sanitary sewer collection systems
throughout the Borough. These operations necessitate the daily use of a variety of map products
and associated geographically referenced information resources. Geographically referenced or
georeferenced is information describing or relating to a specific location, such as a land parcel,
manhole, sewer segment, or building. More than 70% of all information processed by local
governments is georeferenced. In an effort to more efficiently manage its geographically
referenced data, the Board started to explore the benefits and applications of GIS technology and
computer mapping in early 1993. As a first step, with the assistance of Chester Engineers, the
Board started a GIS Pilot Project. The goals of the pilot project were:
 Thoroughly evaluate the benefits and costs of GIS

Develop specifications for GIS implementation

Confirm suitability of tasks selected for GIS automation

Demonstrate GIS functional capabilities

Firmly quantify unit costs of GIS implementation

Demonstrate GIS benefits to Borough departments not participating in the pilot project

Identify any technical problem areas

Provide immediate tangible benefits

Assess quality of existing records and procedures

The GIS Pilot project has produced a GIS Needs Assessment report, a GIS Implementation Plan,
and a functioning GIS demonstration system for a selected portion of the Borough. Whatever the
range of mapping requirements, the CMP base map must be suitably accurate and detailed to
support the application with the most demanding application, requiring map accuracies of better
than 2 (0.6 m) ft. Utility asset location also requires mapping that depicts specific small features
such as manholes and catch basins. These requirements can be met by a map scale of 1'=50' (1
cm = 6 m). To meet the recommendations of the system design, a digital orthophoto produced
from stereo aerial mapping photography was used as the base map. Digital orthophotos have
been widely accepted as an optimal land base for GISs. A digital orthophoto is a computer
compatible raster image derived from aerial photography which has been scanned at very high
resolution. The image is corrected to remove distortions due to attitude of the aircraft at the time
of exposure, image displacement due to topographic relief, and the distortion introduced by the
camera (Michael, 1994). Digital orthophotos are very detailed, can be easily interpreted, and
provide excellent accuracy which can be easily quantified and verified.

The GPS technology offers a promising solution to placing current data on maps (Lewis, 1993).
GPS technology was used in the pilot project to verify the locations of valves, hydrants, and
manholes. A GPS represents a space-age revolution in GIS data collection. GPS systems utilize a
constellation of satellites orbiting the earth twice daily transmitting precise time and position
signals. GPS receivers read signals from orbiting satellites to calculate the exact spot of the
receiver on earth. The new line of GPS receivers brings technology to GIS practitioners who can
populate maps with the location of features such as manhole covers, catch basins, and overflow
points.

ARC/INFO and ArcView were the two main softwares used in the pilot project. ARC/INFO is a
complex software and requires substantial technical expertise. Since, the Borough did not have
the technical staff to run and maintain an ARC/INFO CMP, the CMP production was conducted
by the consultant using ARC/INFO. Due to its low cost, ease of use, and compatibility with the
ARC/INFO file format, ArcView was installed in the Borough for routine display and plotting of
maps and querying the CMP database.

With the knowledge and experience gained from the Pilot Project, the Board will be prepared to
pursue a broader implementation of GIS technology. The pilot project was completed in one year
and costed approximately $40,000. To accomplish the pilot project task of presenting a
functioning GIS demonstration system several maps were produced. Figure 1 shows an ArcView
screen displaying the sewer system overlayed on the street map. The sewer lines have been
classified according to pipe diameter. Classification by attribute value is the cornerstone of
thematic mapping and GIS. This was achieved in ArcView by classifying the "sewers" theme
based on the values of the attribute "diameter". Figure 1 also shows ArcView's attribute table for
the sanitary sewers and an "Identify Results" window which displays the feature attributes in
response to the user queries.

Figure 1. ArcView's User-friendly Work Space Showing Sewer Map and Attributes

MONITORING APPLICATION
The City of Huntington, West Virginia, has a combined sewer system with 23 Combined Sewer
Overflow (CSO) discharge points permitted under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) program. The sewer system is operated by the Huntington Sanitary Board
(HSB). One of the CSO requirements specified in the NPDES permit is to monitor each CSO
event for cause, frequency, duration, quantity and quality of flow. As a first alternative to comply
with this requirement the feasibility of monitoring all of the 23 CSO locations was studied. This
option required purchase, installation, monitoring, and maintenance of flow monitors, water
quality samplers, and rain gages for each CSO site. This option was ruled out because of its
excessive cost, estimated at over a million dollars, and other problems such as adverse
environmental conditions in the CSO structures, difficult access issues, and new federal
requirements for confined space entry. The second option consisted of a combination of
monitoring and modeling. In this option, a representative subset of CSOs can be monitored
temporarily to collect sufficient calibration data and develop a calibrated model for each
monitored CSO area. Calibrated model parameters could subsequently be applied to the models
of unmonitored CSO areas. CSO models can eventually be used to predict quantity and quality of
CSO discharges from observed rainfall data. This option, costing approximately one-third of the
first option, was preferred by both the HSB and the EPA (Region V) and was selected for
implementation.

ArcView was used to select a representative subset of the 23 CSO sites to be monitored.
Selecting the representative sites is a complex process. The objective is to maximize the extent
and value of the data for use in model calibration and provide a uniform distribution of flow
meters, samplers and raingages throughout the system so that all parts of the service area are
equally covered. Other factors such as providing coverage to all land uses, known problem CSO
areas, and all types of diversion chambers; and access for installation and maintenance of
monitoring equipment should be thoroughly studied. Using these selection criteria, a total of six
were finally selected for sampling and monitoring. Figure 2 presents an ArcView plot showing
the monitored versus unmonitored CSOs and CSO areas. The map clearly indicates that by
monitoring only 25 percent of the total number of CSOs, approximately 70 percent of the study
area was covered.
Figure 2. Selecting Representative Monitoring Sites

MODELING APPLICATION
As mentioned in the previous section, HSB selected an approach which combined both
monitoring and modeling to comply with the CSO regulations. U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was selected for modeling the collection
system. SWMM (Huber and Dickinson, 1988) was developed in the early 1970s and has been
continually maintained and updated. It is perhaps the best known and most widely used of the
available urban runoff quantity/quality models. SWMM is a large and complex model which
simulates the movement of precipitation and pollutants from the ground surface through pipe and
channel networks, storage treatment units and finally to receiving waters. Both single event and
continuous simulation may be performed on sewersheds or natural watersheds for predicting
flows and pollution concentrations. SWMM can be used for both planning and design. The
planning model is used for studying the urban runoff problems and abatement options. The
design model performs event simulations using a detailed sewershed schematization and shorter
simulation time steps.
Minimum input data for modeling dry weather quantity and quality consist of demographic data
(dwelling units, persons per dwelling unit, market value of average dwelling unit, and average
family income), land use (single and multi-family residential, commercial, industrial, and open
space), and diurnal and daily quantity/quality variations. Commercial and industrial dry weather
flows are not computed by SWMM and their estimates must be provided by the user. Minimum
input data for modeling wet weather quantity and quality consist of observed or synthetic
hyetographs, watershed's physical characteristics (area, imperviousness, slope, width),
watershed's hydraulic characteristics (Green-Ampt or Horton infiltration parameters, surface and
stream channel roughness coefficients, surface depression storage, and stream channel
geometry), and surface pollution characteristics (land use; total curb length; catch basin volume
and initial pollutant concentrations; street sweeping interval and efficiency; dry days prior to
initial precipitation; dust/dirt and/or pollutant fraction parameters for each land use; initial
pollutant surface loading; and washoff coefficients).

Figure 3 shows an ArcView plot of Land Use. The land use coverage was used to estimate
percent imperviousness for the CSO areas which is an parameter for SWMM. The land use
information was also used to select the representative monitoring sites, as described in the
previous section.
Figure 3. Land Use Map

MAINTENANCE APPLICATION
Computerized maintenance management permits more comprehensive planning and scheduling
of preventive and corrective tasks. Also, potential maintenance backlogs can be identified
quickly and scheduled by priority. Most large utilities already have computer programs to detect
maintenance problems by tracking and scheduling maintenance. Repair histories can be tracked
and repair costs accumulated by each piece of equipment (Renner 1993). Maintenance work can
be managed efficiently if the problem areas and the maintenance work can be displayed on maps.
This can be accomplished by linking a utility's existing maintenance module and GIS.
Maintenance and inspection histories of the sewers can be extracted from the maintenance
database and transferred to the sewer coverage of a GIS. The link can graphically track the
maintenance activities and identify areas where rehabilitation or capital improvements may be
necessary (Hardin, 1995). Color-coded thematic maps may be generated highlighting sewer
segments in terms of their capacity, condition, and maintainability (Johnson and Bockemeier,
1991).

An example of integrating a computerized maintenance management module with ArcView is

CASS WORKS (RJN Group Inc., Wheaton, Illinois). CASS WORKS is an integrated
infrastructure management software for water distribution, sanitary sewers, storm drainage,
treatment facilities, parks and recreation, GIS, and AM/FM applications. Integration is
accomplished through a module called GeoCAD that can integrate the maintenance module with
the leading GIS software programs that use ORACLE. This integration allows the maintenance
module to run within GIS programs. Using ANSI SQL RDBMS standard, RJN has integrated
CASS WORKS with ARC/INFO and ArcView. The ability for both systems to access the same
database increases the value of the data, eliminates database inconsistencies, allows for both
graphic and nongraphic representation of data, and eases implementation issues and costs. Figure
4 shows the Borough of Ramsey sanitary sewer lines, manholes, catch basins, cleanouts, and
problem areas plotted on the digital orthophoto base map. Figure 4 also shows a problem area
movie being launched from ArcView. This video clip was imported from a video tape of the
internal TV inspection of the sewers. This movie is displayed using ArcView's "hot link"
function. Hot links allow the user to point and click on a map feature to view photos, schematics,
etc., or launch other applications from ArcView, such as run a video clip. Thus, whenever a
problem sewer segment is clicked on the sewer map, its video clip is automatically started.
Figure 4. ArcView's Hot Link Displaying TV Inspection Video of Sewers

CONCLUSIONS
ArcView is a user-friendly and affordable desktop GIS program. It can be used by system
operators and managers for implementing a collection system management program involving
mapping, monitoring, modeling, and maintenance activities. ArcView has limited feature editing
capability, and therefore, it is neither suitable for developing new GIS coverages nor it is
intended to support a map production shop. ArcView's optimum applications are in the
management, manipulation, and modification of the existing GIS coverages which have been
created elsewhere, preferably using the ARC/INFO GIS.

REFERENCES
Berry, J.K., 1994. What Does Your Computer Really Think of Your Map. GIS World, 7(11), pp.
30.

Dueker, K.J. 1987. Geographic Information Systems and Computer-Aided Mapping. APA
Journal, Summer, pp:383-390.

Hardin, D., 1995. Computer Tools Simplify Sewer Planning, Management. Water Environment
and Technology, WEF, July, pp. 34-35.

Huber, W.C., and R.E. Dickinson, 1988. Storm Water Management Model. User's Manual,
Version 4, Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens,
Georgia.
Huber, W.C., and R.E. Dickinson, 1988. Storm Water Management Model. User's Manual,
Version 4, Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens,
Georgia.

Hutchinson, S., and L. Daniel, 1995. Inside ArcView. Onward Press, p. 329.

Korte, G.B. 1994. GIS Book. Third Edition, Onword Press, Santa Fe, NM. pp. 213.

Lewis, R. 1993. Searching for Hidden GIS Treasures. American City and County, 108(1), pp. 20.

Michael, J., 1994. Creating Digital Orthophotos Requires Careful Consideration of Project
Design Elements. Earth Observation Magazine, 3(2), pp. 34-37.

Renner, D.C., 1993. Establishing a Maintenance Program, WATER/Engineering and

Management, February, pp. 26-36.

AUTHORS
1. Senior Technical Manager and
2. Vice President
Chester Engineers
600 Clubhouse Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15108,USA.
Phone: 412-269-5907, Email: UShamsi@aol.com

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