GIS Applications within the Diagnostic Modeling System

The Diagnostic Modeling System (DMS) provides engineers engaged in the planning, design, and maintenance of navigation channels and waterways with a structured methodology to identify, classify, analyze, and address problem shoaling areas. Jointly developed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and Taylor Engineering, Inc., the DMS seeks to reduce future O&M expenditures by addressing the root cause of persistent "hot spot" channel shoaling areas where the frequency and volume of dredging are considered excessive. The DMS concept embodies the rapid application of existing knowledge to facilitate focused, effective analysis to yield significant cost savings. Ultimately, the DMS develops experience-based and proven solution alternatives — all within a single dredging cycle. This paper describes the DMS and its three components — the Manual, the Data Manager, and the Analytical Toolbox. Specifically, the Data Manager is a customized GIS-application that helps users organize project information in a single location. The Data Manager also includes several analysis tools that are useful in gaining a deeper understanding of a project's history and current condition. The paper presents an overview of the DMS and several recent example applications of the Data Manager to projects within the South Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.