Plans2

Planning Nature-based Solutions (Plans) is a modelling framework for planning the expansion of nature-based solutions in watersheds.

Why the "2" on "Plans2"?

Plans was born within the scope of a master's degree research project, by 2018. While Plans1 was just a handful of python scripts, Plans2 has an application-like structure.

What is included in this repository

• The python files required to run Plans2;
• A directory called 'samples' with examples of all input files;
• A 'Plans2_handbook.pdf' document.

Python and packages required

Plans2 is built on top of:

• Python 3.8
• Numpy
• Pandas
• Matplotlib
• Scipy

How to install and run Plans2

Step 1: install Python 3.8

Go to https://www.python.org/downloads/ and download it. Make sure you add Python to PATH (checkbox on the installation wizard).

Step 2: install the packages

To run Plans2 you need numpy, pandas, matplotlib and scipy. If you do not have it already installed, you can do that by using terminal or an IDE, like PyCharm.

On Windows terminal:

C:\Windows\System32\python -m pip install --upgrade pip (this will update pip)

then: C:\Windows\System32\python -m pip install numpy

then: C:\Windows\System32\python -m pip install pandas

then: C:\Windows\System32\python -m pip install matplotlib

and then: C:\Windows\System32\python -m pip install scipy

Step 3: download a clone of this repository

Download the ZIP file for the entire repository. Extract the files on any diretory of your machine.

Step 4: execute the Run.py file

Double-click on Run.py and it will run the application. Alternatively, you may create a python file on the same directory and write the following code:

from tui import main  # this imports the main() function from module tui.py

main()  # call the main() function

Modules of Plans2

tui.py

The frontend of Plans2 is handled by the tui.py module. The interface is a simple terminal-based user interface that presents menus for the user.

plans2.py

The general backend tasks of Plans2 is handled by the plans2.py module. It performs the silent routines of input, output and process execution.

dp.py

This module holds the Dynammic Programming (DP) optimisation algorithm of Plans2. It also have the simulation costs models.

scenarios.py

This module is responsible for projecting the observed datasets into the future.

hydrology.py

This module holds all hydrolgy related models, incluing the model calibration routine.

viz.py

This module holds all built-in functions for creating data visualisations.

tools

This is a directory that works as a package of modules for very simple unit operations.

Structure of a Plans2 Project

In the first time you run it, Plans2 automatically creates a directory in C:/Plans2. This is the standard root directory for all Plans2 projetcs. Projects are subdirectories inside the root folder, like C:/Plans2/myproject/. Once a project is named by the user, Plans2 create the project strucutre, which includes:

• A directory for datasets in C:/Plans2/myproject/datasets/
• A directory for storing execution files in C:/Plans2/myproject/runbin

Datasets are divided in ./datasets/observed and ./datasets/projected. ./datasets/observed stores all data files for the "present" time of the water system being modelled.

The Terminal-based interface (TUI)

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IO files

Input files documentation

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Output files documentation

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