Special Attention Notes
The section describes special attention notes, which indicate changes in functionality that require you to update models, cause model results to differ, or display a warning message when you first load a model in RiverWare 8.1.
If you have any questions, contact RiverWare Support:
Groundwater and Aquifer modeling
The following changes were made to the groundwater and aquifer objects that could impact results.
Convergence on Groundwater Elevations and Aquifer Heads
Due to the modification of the convergence criteria on groundwater elevation and aquifer head slots, groundwater and aquifer results may differ in RiverWare Version 8.1. See Aquifer and Groundwater Slot Convergence for details. The elevation/head should now track directly with the storage slot. That is, any change in storage results in a change in elevation/head.
Aquifer Conductance Checking
The aquifer object now checks that conductance values on adjacent objects have the same value. See Aquifer: Conductance Checking for details. This could lead to a new error if your adjacent aquifers do not have consistent values.
Groundwater Slot Name Changes
The groundwater slots have been assigned shorter, more consistent names. See Groundwater Slot Name Changes for details.
Existing model files, including links and SCTs, are automatically updated with the new names. A warning message is posted to diagnostics alerting you to the change.
You must update all RPL expressions and DMIs that reference these slots.
Issues With Peak and Base and Peak Power
The following issues have been addressed on power reservoirs that use Peak Power or Peak and Base power methods.
• The GetMaxReleaseGivenInflow RPL predefined function was incorrect when used with the Peak and Base and Peak Power methods. Previously, the value returned was the max release for a single unit. Now, the total max release is the single unit max release multiplied by the number of units and the Power Plant Cap Fraction. This issue was filed as RW-6420.
• The GetMaxReleaseGivenInflow RPL predefined function was setting Tailwater Elevation and Operating Head slots within the call to the RPL function, which should not happen.
• Peak power methods were incorrectly using slot values. Within the Peak and Base and Peak Power methods, the peak power calculation was incorrectly accessing a slot value, when it should have been using an internally computed pool elevation value. This issue was filed as RW-6472.
The fixes to these issues could change results for models with power reservoirs that use Peak Power or Peak and Base power methods.
Representation of RPL Slot Units
The default internal representation of slot values in RPL has been changed from “mixed” to “std”. See Representation of RPL Slot Values for details. In rare circumstances, this change could lead to different numeric results. In testing done by CADSWES, the only differences were insignificant.
Series Slots With Periodic Input Recomputation When Units Change
When a Series Slot with Periodic Input in periodic mode has its display units changed to or from a non-constant time unit (for example, acre-feet/month), the series values are recomputed. See Recomputation When Units Change for details, This could lead to different results in the series values.
Revised: 01/05/2024