Please note that you require batch administrator permissions to access these pages.

The Outlet Snap is accessed via Admin pages, Batch Jobs.

image.png

Before you can run a batch flow estimate you will need a set of outlet locations that lie on the Qube drainage network (nodes along each stretch of the drainage network defined on a 50m grid). For a new set of catchments, the Outlet Snap batch should be used first to snap your list of coordinates to the drainage network outlets.

The Outlet Snap batch either snaps to the nearest outlet within a search radius, or optionally uses a catchment area criteria to identify the most suitable outlet.

Create a new outlet snap batch

Create a new outlet snap batch job via image.png:

image.png

The outlet snap batch has a number of options to help identify the optimal outlet within a search radius and catchment area criteria. These are.

  • Search radius (km) - Qube will search for drainage network outlets within this search radius.

  • Area criteria - this is optional, if left blank Qube will snap to the nearest outlet within the search radius.

    • Area similarity (%) - if you have an estimate of the catchment area, you can optionally include this in the input file for some or all of your coordinates. If you define a percentage area similarity, Qube will only select outlets with a catchment area within the specified percentage range of your estimated area. As in most cases there will be multiple outlets within the area similarity range and search radius, Qube will select the outlet that is closest in distance.
    • Minimum area (km²) - you can set a minimum area if you don't have an estimate of the catchment areas. Qube will then only select outlets on the drainage network with a catchment area greater than your minimum area. As in most cases there will be multiple outlets that meet this criteria in the search radius, Qube will select the outlet that is closest in distance.

By default, the batch will run during off-peak hours (overnight and weekends). This will reduce the load on the Qube servers during working hours.

Upload a CSV or Excel file containing your list of coordinates, with the headers X/Y or Easting/Northing. You can optionally include headers of Area or CatchmentLabel. These columns can be populated for some, all or none of your coordinates. Where included, the estimate of the catchment area should be in km². An example input CSV file can be downloaded from here.

The Catchment Label can be used to reference your results, and is persisted through all stages and exports of the Outlet Snap and Batch Flows batches.

Note that if no outlets are found to meet the search criteria set, Qube will move onto the next location in the batch and return a blank entry for the snapped coordinates (columns QubeX/QubeY). Once the batch has completed, you'll have the option to refine and rerun any of the coordinates in your batch.

graph TB; %% TB top-to-bottom more compact than LR left-to-right %% tip: use <br/> to create new lines and make diagram more compact B(Has a batch area criteria been set?) --no--> C(Select nearest outlet <br/>within search radius); B --yes - minimum area --> D(Select nearest outlet with area <br/> greater than the min set <br/>within search radius); B --yes - percentage similarity --> E(Has an estimated area <br/>been provided for this location?); E --no--> F(Select nearest outlet <br/>within search radius); E --yes--> G(Select nearest outlet within <br/>the area similarity <br/>and search radius); C --> ZZ(repeat for next coordinates); D --> ZZ; F --> ZZ; G --> ZZ; ZZ -.-> B;

Outlet snap results

You can view progress on running batches, as shown below, and you will also receive an email once the batch is complete.

image.png

You are then able to view image.png the results on a map, or download image.png the results as a csv. You can also update image.png the batch job with new coordinates, or delete image.png a batch job.

View on a map

Selecting to view image.png the results presents a map with pins of the input coordinates (user points) and snapped Qube outlets. When you select either pin, its corresponding pin is highlighted and the Qube catchment is shown. This can be used to check the best outlet and therefore catchment has been selected for each of your coordinates.

image.png

Any locations that Qube was unable to process are shown separately on the Errors map layer:

image.png

Hover your mouse over the map pin to see the error description. In the example above the input file has inadvertently included a coordinate so far out to sea that no suitably near catchment outlet can be found.

Update coordinates

For any coordinates have selected the wrong outlet, the coordinates can be updated in the input file and the outlet snap batch rerun (using image.png). As shown below, only those that have been updated are rerun, with an update provided under the batch name. Please update the original input file as new coordinates will be added and existing records not found in the update file will be deleted. The batch can be rerun with as many iterations as required to achieve the final required list of outlets.

image.png

Alternatively, the input file could be loaded as a new batch with an alternative search radius and catchment area criteria used.

Download the outlets

Once you are happy with the outlets and catchments, you can download the outlets and proceed to the flow estimation batch.