upload | view | delete

Rating tables are used by HydroDCS to calculate timeseries values based on other timeseries values (for example, river flow is calculated from river stage; reservoir storage is calculated from reservoir elevation).  The rating tables that get uploaded to the HydroDCS must be in the format of [CWMS Identifier].rdb - for example, for the Detroit Dam, it would be DET.rdb

NOTE - The USGS makes their rating tables publicly available.  To get more information on this, here is a link to their website.

Uploading a Rating Table

There are two ways to upload rating tables on the HydroDCS.

  1. Manual
    • Must be logged in as an operator or controller to manually upload a rating table
    • Using the profile drop-down, navigate to "Operator > Upload Rating Table".  Here you can select the rating table file and upload it.
    • You will then be able to see the new rating table in the list of rating tables by using the "Reports and Tables" drop-down and selecting "Rating Tables".
  1. Automated

The HydroDCS has the capability to automatically update rating tables at a defined interval without user intervention (this interval is not set by the user).

    • Must be logged in as controller to automate uploading rating tables
    • Using the profile drop-down, select "Controller > Auto Update Rating Tables"
    • Options:
      • Automatically Update Rating Tables - By switching this toggle on, you are telling the HydroDCS to go out to the USGS site and download a rating table from any site that is installed on the HydroDCS that also has a USGS ID associated with it.  To get a list of sites with USGS ID's associated on it, see Sites and Latest Values.
        NOTE - If you have the "Choose Update Location" toggle enabled, this will override the remote location path from the USGS to the user specified path.
      • Choose Update Location - If you wish to update rating tables from a location other than the USGS site, you can specify that here.  Toggle it on and enter the URL of the path where the HydroDCS will get the rating tables.  To use this feature, however, the rating table files need to be accessible and downloadable by the HydroDCS.
        NOTE - To utilize this feature, you still need to have "Automatically Update Rating Tables" toggled on.
      • Use Different Extension - If the "Choose Update Location" feature is toggled on, the HydroDCS will look for ".rdb" files by default.  If the remote location has rating tables stored using another file extension, that extension can be entered here and they will get downloaded and converted to a format that the HydroDCS understands.
      • Ignore SSL Certificate - In some cases, you may choose to update rating tables from a site with an untrusted SSL Certificate.  In many cases, this site is trusted, it just cannot be verified by the HydroDCS.  In these cases, the rating tables will never be downloaded.  The user can toggle this option on to allow downloads.
        NOTE - This should only be used if the server at the Update Location is trusted.  If you are not an expert in this area, you should not be toggling this on, as it can open the HydroDCS to vulnerabilities.
      • Force Update Now (Button) - Clicking this button will force an update of the rating tables using the currently configured method.  This is useful because the auto-update method only checks for new rating tables at a set interval.  If you need an immediate update, use this feature.

NOTE - To save any changes to this page, click the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page.


Viewing Installed Rating Tables

A list of the installed rating tables can be seen by using the "Reports and Tables" drop-down and selecting "Rating Tables".  Each rating table data is shown you can easily determine which version the HydroDCS is using.  If more detail is needed, you can click the "Raw" link to see the rating table in it's saved format, or you can click the "Formatted" link to see the user friendly version.  If you click the "USGS" link, it will take you to a web page containing the USGS's version of that rating table.  This is useful for debugging purposes.
NOTE - The USGS link will only work if there is a linkage between the CWMS ID and the USGS ID - See Sites and Latest Values for more details.

Deleting a Rating Table

To delete a rating table, you need to be logged in as an operator or a controller.  To delete a rating table, use the profile drop-down and select "Delete Rating Table".  On this page, you can view the list of rating tables, look at the raw or formatted version of each rating table, and delete a rating table.
NOTE - Deleting a rating table will remove the rating table from the HydroDCS.  In order for certain timeseries to be populated with data, rating tables are required.


For more information on rating tables and how HydroDCS uses rating tables, see the OpenDCS docs here.