Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Simulation
How can I input rainfall event data?
scenarify supports:
- Uniform rain: define a fixed intensity or upload a CSV time series.
- KOSTRA-based rain (Germany only): auto-generated based on return period.
- Radar-based rain: upload a time-sequenced directory of raster files.
- Region-specific rain: pair a shapefile with a CSV file matching regions to time series.
How do I adjust simulation accuracy?
Accuracy mainly depends on:
- Cell size (smaller cells = higher detail but longer simulation time)
- Solver settings (first-order vs. second-order accuracy)
You can switch between Interactive (faster) and High (more accurate) modes.
How do I increase the simulation resolution?
The spatial resolution of a simulation is determined by the Cell Size setting of the Simulation Domain action. It can be accessed through the Action Settings Panel.
How do I simulate river floods?
Use Inflow and Outflow actions to define boundary conditions.
How do I interpret and resolve verification warnings in the sewer network setup?
Verification warnings indicate potential issues in your sewer network configuration:
- Review warnings in Simulation Settings Panel > Sewers: Simulation Model.
- Each warning lists the shape file ID.
- You can export a CSV file containing the full warning list.
My simulation is not showing any water — what could be wrong?
If your simulation is running but no water appears in the results, consider the following potential issues:
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Simulation Domain Validation
Make sure the domain is valid in the areas where water is expected.
➤ Use the visual preset Domain Setup: Invalid Cells to check.
If the domain is entirely red (invalid), this may be due to:- Actions of the category Domain Setup (e.g., Catchment Derivation or Invalidation Zone)
- Global settings invalidating areas outside of catchments, outside the modeling region, or within sink polygons
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Missing or Incorrect Water Inputs
Check that water sources are correctly defined:- Rainfall is enabled and configured properly
- Inflow and outflow actions are correctly placed within the valid domain
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Surface Water Simulation Disabled
Confirm that Surface Water Simulation is enabled in the
Simulation Settings Panel → Surface: Simulation Model.
Visualization
How can I compare different scenarios within scenarify?
How do I display flow velocity as arrows?
Velocity arrows show flow direction and magnitude during a simulation:
- Open the Visualization Settings Panel.
- In the Layers: Visualization category, enable the Velocity Arrows row.
- Choose between current and maximum velocity display.
- Customize arrow size, filtering, and other options as needed.
Inspection
How can I inspect results at a specific location?
Use a Spatial Inspection action to observe time series data (e.g., water depth or sewer overflow) at specific points:
- Add the action using the Action Tool Panel.
- Click on the desired location in the domain to place the inspection point.
- View the results in the Plots & Charts Panel, which will display time series for selected properties.
How can I place a spatial inspection at a predefined position?
To inspect simulation results at a specific location, such as a gauge, create a Spatial Inspection and right-click its visual handle to open the context menu. You can then specify an exact position in the local coordinate system. If the predefined position is provided in a different coordinate system, click "Other CS …" to enter both the position and its corresponding coordinate system to transform the position automatically.
Project and Scenario Management
My project is not working any longer, what do I do?
My imported data does not show up, what is wrong?
If your data does not appear in the View where you expect to see it, this can be due to the following reasons:
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Errors may have occurred or additional input may be required during the import. Be sure to check any error or warning messages.
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The data may have appeared in a wrong location because an incorrect coordinate system was specified for it. In this case, you can still locate it using the File Bounds Focus Button. A correct coordinate system should then be provided for the data.
Which coordinate system should my data use in scenarify?
You don’t need to reproject your data manually — scenarify handles coordinate transformations automatically. Just ensure your datasets contain coordinate reference metadata (e.g. .prj files). The system auto-detects the CRS if “Auto Select Coordinate System” is enabled. Otherwise, you can enter it manually using a PROJ4 or EPSG code.
How can I customize a base model with my own data?
You can adapt a base model to local conditions by uploading your own terrain, land use, or building data. There are two main approaches:
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Use Replace Data actions to override base model data locally. Simply draw a mask over your area of interest and upload your custom data — scenarify will automatically integrate it into the surrounding context.
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Use the Simulation Settings Panel to globally override specific data sources (e.g., terrain or land use). Navigate to the relevant category (such as Surface: Terrain) and select your preferred input method and file.
📖 Learn how to use your own data
What are the recommended practices for working with large simulation models?
When dealing with large domains:
- Use a coarser cell size during interactive work.
- Divide regions into tiles and simulate them as separate scenarios.
- Use domain-limiting actions like Invalid Zone to restrict simulation areas.
How can I simulate many scenarios at once?
You can run multiple simulations automatically using the batch processing feature:
- Select scenarios in the Scenario Management Panel using the rubberband tool.
- Click the Batch Process button in the multi-scenario menu.
- Configure export and performance settings in the World Lines Settings Panel, under the Batch Processing section.
How can I share my project with others?
There are several ways to share a project or project results depending on the use case and the target audience:
- Share a project and data directly with other users.
- Manually download a project file and send it to other users who can then upload it.
- Publish a story to communicate project results to users of a lower User Model, such as customers or the general public.