In this lesson we'll go over how to select and generate Groundwater Contour maps.

In the menu section on the left side of the screen, you’ll see numerous options…. click on the “report tab”. Then select the “Flow Contours” selection.

Starting at the top of the menu, in the field titled “Site Map” you’ll be able to select which map or image you want to generate a flow contour map on (see the “How To Add Sample Location Maps'' or images” video for more detail). Keep in mind, some images like cross sections are not conducive to flow contour imagery. You can also create as many images as you would like, for instance you may want a separate image for deep wells and then a separate image for shallow wells, or any combination or configuration you can imagine.

Select the image you want to do a flow couture on and then select the dates you wish to contour. The software will not let you pick dates for which there are two data points on the same well/location. If this happens, a black box with a list of overlapping sample locations will appear. If you want to select another date, you will have to unselect the date first, and then select the new date.

On the image to the right you will see individual black boxes with a “check mark” and an elevation value in it. This elevation value is the calculated elevation of the groundwater at that location for the date selected. Basically it’s the top of casing value, minus the depth to water on the date selected. If no top of casing value is present or no depth to water was collected on the date selected, no black box will appear.

In many cases there are elevation values that are suspect or compromised, and you may want to exclude those data points. To do this simply uncheck the check mark and the software removes that value from groundwater flow calculations. To use the value, simply re-check it.

Moving down the menu, you will see a field for turning “flow lines” on or off, and you can also see the field for re-titling the map to whatever title you would like. Below that, is a field for adjusting the number of contours you would like to see displayed. Simply select your preferences for each and then generate your report.

At any point you can hit the “Generate Report” button and it will generate a PDF of your image. Use the image or images in your report that you feel are best. Again, hit the orange save button to save your setting preferences.

And that is how you select and generate Groundwater Contour maps!