Visual OTTHYMO

Water Balance Display for Continuous Modelling with LIDs

Recent improvements have been made to how the Water Balance is displayed in Visual OTTHYMO (VO) for continuous modelling, specifically to enhance the clarity of results when using Low Impact Development (LID) controls.
Previously, although the LID Groundwater Infiltration (LID GWI) was being calculated correctly by the model engine, it was not shown in the Water Balance window. This lack of visibility caused confusion for users trying to assess the impact of LIDs on overall GWI and Δstorage.
To address this, two major updates have been implemented:

  1. Units Displayed in Cubic Meters (m³) Water balance values are now reported in cubic meters instead of millimeters, removing ambiguity related to the area used in the mm-to-m³ conversion. This makes it easier for users to directly interpret volumes, especially when comparing results across multiple hydrologic response units.
  2. Inclusion of LID Parameters in the Water Balance Output LID-related GWI, ET and Δstorage components are now included in the Water Balance window at the AddHyd level. This ensures users can fully understand and quantify the effect of LID controls on the total water balance.

These updates ensure that users can now evaluate the role of LIDs in continuous modelling without confusion.