Best Bang for Your Buck: Applying Flow Monitoring to Enhance Dynamic Hydraulic Modeling

Initially, the Sacramento Area Sewer District (SASD) developed an in-house flow monitoring program to collect accurate, real-time sewer data for calibration of its dynamic sewer hydraulic model. As SASD refined and expanded its flow monitoring program, the data was used for other modeling and operational applications. Data accuracy became more critical as applications increased. SASD developed flow monitoring standard practices to ensure flow meter equipment accuracy and data quality. Now, SASD's flow monitoring and sewer hydraulic modeling programs provide SASD with the “best available data” to make decisions on million dollar sewer relief and expansion projects.This paper will provide an overview of SASD's:In-house flow monitoring program development including some lessons learned.Current flow monitoring standard practices.Flow monitoring quality control process that ensures quality data for modeling and operational and planning decisions.