Support for model based water management with the HarmoniQuA toolbox
Ayalew Kassahun, Huub Scholten, G. Zompanakis, C. Gavadinas · Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling · 2005
The drive to improve the quality and reliability of model based water management has resulted in a number of quality assurance guidelines. Up to now all of these guidelines were available only in the form of handbooks. Within the HarmoniQuA project a software-based modelling Knowledge Base and support tools have been developed, that greatly enhance the way quality assurance guidelines are applied in modelling. The Knowledge Base is built using ontological knowledge engineering techniques, which enable us to structure the knowledge and make it easily accessible. A web-based interface is used for the purpose of knowledge acquisition. The Knowledge Base is then accessed via tools that constitute the HarmoniQuA Toolbox. The Guideline Tool is the front end to the Knowledge Base, filtering the relevant knowledge depending on the user profile and needs. A modelling process involves a complex set of activities executed by several users. To manage this complex process and enhance the reproducibility of modelling tasks the Monitoring Tool has been developed. This tool guides users through the execution of their modelling tasks and stores their activities in a model journal. A reporting functionality of the Monitoring Tool generates a report on the modelling project with the required level of detail. This paper describes how the HarmoniQuA Toolbox will support the work of all persons involved in model based water management through the full modelling cycle.