Water Resources Planning Using Computer Graphics

The application of interactive computer graphics to water resources planning provides convenience and flexibility on a minicomputer budget. Utilizing an interactive computer graphics system, a software package has been developed which provides the user with a variety of water resources planning models. Simulation models are applied to problems involving water quality prediction, flood control and multi-reservoir operation. An optimization model performs a multiobjective analysis of costs and yields for water supply reservoirs. The computer graphics framework permits three dimensional data to be quickly and conveniently defined. Its flexibility in the types of available visual displays aids users in better understanding the possible impacts of water resources projects. As computer technology improves, interactive computer graphics hardware will provide the capability of analyzing and evaluating larger, more complex water resources problems.