diff --git a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/home.html b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/home.html
index 24351e7a..33e5e416 100644
--- a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/home.html
+++ b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/home.html
@@ -39,5 +39,7 @@ <h3 style="color:#003466; font-family:sans-serif; font-weight:bold; margin: 5px
 <script>
 // Store tour status in session storage
 sessionStorage.setItem("tourStatus", false);
+// Initialize display message recommending to set offset before autofitting upon initialization of develop page
+sessionStorage.setItem("developStartupMessage", true);
 </script>
 {% endblock %}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/develop/rctool_develop.html b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/develop/rctool_develop.html
index 9a7192c5..317bda6e 100644
--- a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/develop/rctool_develop.html
+++ b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/develop/rctool_develop.html
@@ -28,8 +28,26 @@
 
     <div style="background-color: #FFFFFF; padding-left:10px; padding-right:10px;">
         
+        <div id="info-message-div" style="display:none;">
+            <div class="row" id="info-panel-row" style="padding: 10px 0px 0px 0px;">
+                <div class="col-12">
+                    <div class="card" style="background-color:#8c96a0;" id="info-panel" display="block">
+                        <div class="card-body pl-3 pr-3 pt-2 pb-2">
+                            <div class="info-header">
+                                <div class="info-text">
+                                    <strong style="color:#F5F5F5; font-size:11.5px; margin:0px; padding:0px;">Tip:</strong>
+                                    <p id='info-text' style="color:#F5F5F5; font-size:11.5px; margin:0px 0px 0px 5px; padding:0px;">Start by setting the offset as the gauge height at zero flow. Accurately calibrating and autofitting other parameters depends on this initial step.</p>
+                                </div>
+                                <button class="info-panel-close-button" onclick="closeInfoPanel()">x</button>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+        
         <div id="warning-message-div" style="display:none;">
-            <div class="row" style="padding: 10px 0px 0px 0px;">
+            <div class="row" id="error-panel-row" style="padding: 10px 0px 0px 0px;">
                 <div class="col-12">
                     <div class="card" style="background-color:#ae2029;" id="error-panel" display="block">
                         <div class="card-body pl-3 pr-3 pt-2 pb-0">
diff --git a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/develop/rctool_develop_js.html b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/develop/rctool_develop_js.html
index 40e46807..1e6b4be5 100644
--- a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/develop/rctool_develop_js.html
+++ b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/develop/rctool_develop_js.html
@@ -41,6 +41,20 @@
         // continue...
     }
 
+    // Initialize display message recommending to set offset before autofitting upon initialization of develop page
+    if (sessionStorage.getItem("developStartupMessage") == null) {
+            sessionStorage.setItem("developStartupMessage", true);
+    };
+    if ( (sessionStorage.getItem("developStartupMessage")) || (document.getElementById("offset1") == 0.0) ) {
+        document.getElementById("info-message-div").style.display = "block";
+    } else {
+        document.getElementById("info-message-div").style.display = "none";
+    };
+    if (nSegData == 2) {
+        if ( (sessionStorage.getItem("developStartupMessage")) || (document.getElementById("offset2") == 0.0) ) {
+            sessionStorage.setItem("developStartupMessage", true);
+        };
+    };
 
     // A.1 ADD AUTOFITTED BREAKPOINT VALUE TO INPUT SETTNGS FIELD
     if (nSegData == 2) {
@@ -237,10 +251,7 @@
 
         };
 
-
         rcDict = {'data':rcData, 'parameters':rcParam}
-        console.log('updating rcdata...')
-        console.log(rcData)
 
         // update form variables
         updateFormVariables()
@@ -848,12 +859,12 @@
         removeRcPlot(compLabel)
         removeResPlot(compLabel)
         // 3. reset user inputsand rmse value
-        document.getElementById('compareLabel').value = ''
-        document.getElementById('compareConst').value = ''
-        document.getElementById('compareExp').value = ''
-        document.getElementById('compareOffset').value = ''
-        document.getElementById('compareStartBounds').value = ''
-        document.getElementById('compareEndBounds').value = ''
+        // document.getElementById('compareLabel').value = ''
+        // document.getElementById('compareConst').value = ''
+        // document.getElementById('compareExp').value = ''
+        // document.getElementById('compareOffset').value = ''
+        // document.getElementById('compareStartBounds').value = ''
+        // document.getElementById('compareEndBounds').value = ''
         document.getElementById('compare-curve-rmse').innerHTML = '';
         // 4. hide 'remove curve' button and display 'add curve button'
         document.getElementById('remove-curve').style.display = 'none';
@@ -1427,6 +1438,14 @@
     // function for closing error panel when user selects the x in the upper right
     function closeErrorPanel() {
         document.getElementById('error-panel').style.display = 'none';
+        document.getElementById('error-panel-row').style.padding = '0';
+    };
+
+    // function for closing error panel when user selects the x in the upper right
+    function closeInfoPanel() {
+        document.getElementById('info-panel').style.display = 'none';
+        document.getElementById('info-panel-row').style.padding = '0';
+        sessionStorage.setItem("developStartupMessage", false)
     };
 
 
diff --git a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/export/rctool_export.html b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/export/rctool_export.html
index 54fe01ef..bb0e113a 100644
--- a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/export/rctool_export.html
+++ b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/export/rctool_export.html
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ <h6 class="card-header text-center" style="background-color: #758fa8; color: #FF
 <script>
     // SHOW USER INPUTS IF EXPORT PDF SELECTED
     function toggleExportForm(toggleFormVal) {
-        console.log(toggleFormVal);
         var toggleDiv = document.getElementById("toggle-export-div");
         
         toggleDiv.style.display = 'block';
diff --git a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/import/rctool_import.html b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/import/rctool_import.html
index 35c746bf..a091a41c 100644
--- a/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/import/rctool_import.html
+++ b/frontend/rctool/templates/rctool/rctool/import/rctool_import.html
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ <h6 class="card-header text-center" style="background-color: #758fa8; color: #FF
 {% block scripts %}
 <script>
 
+// IMPORT FUNCTIONS
 function toggleInputForm(toggleFormVal) {
     var toggleDiv = document.getElementById("toggle-div");
         if (toggleFormVal === "new-session") {
@@ -121,8 +122,14 @@ <h6 class="card-header text-center" style="background-color: #758fa8; color: #FF
     };
 };
 
-// APP WALKTHROUGH
+// INITIALIZATION MESSAGE
+// Initialize display message recommending to set offset before autofitting upon initialization of develop page
+if (sessionStorage.getItem("developStartupMessage") == null) {
+        sessionStorage.setItem("developStartupMessage", true);
+};
 
+
+// APP WALKTHROUGH
 // Check if tour status has been previously set
 if (sessionStorage.getItem("tourStatus") == null) {
     // Check if user selected tour
diff --git a/frontend/static/css/header.css b/frontend/static/css/header.css
index 47901865..697cc05d 100644
--- a/frontend/static/css/header.css
+++ b/frontend/static/css/header.css
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 .logo-hydra {
     height: 65px;
-    opacity: 0.8;
+    opacity: 0.95;
     padding: -10px;
     margin: -10px;
 }
diff --git a/frontend/static/css/rctool_develop.css b/frontend/static/css/rctool_develop.css
index d1b04296..276b5dd3 100644
--- a/frontend/static/css/rctool_develop.css
+++ b/frontend/static/css/rctool_develop.css
@@ -17,6 +17,17 @@ body {
   align-items: center;
 }
 
+.info-header {
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  align-items: center;
+}
+
+.info-text {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+}
+
 .error-panel-close-button {
   background-color: #ae2029;
   color: #F5F5F5;
@@ -26,16 +37,35 @@ body {
   border: none;
 }
 
+.info-panel-close-button {
+  background-color: #8c96a0;
+  color: #F5F5F5;
+  margin: 0px;
+  padding: 0px;
+  outline: none;
+  border: none;
+}
+
 .error-panel-close-button:focus {
   outline: none;
   border: none;
 }
 
+.info-panel-close-button:focus {
+  outline: none;
+  border: none;
+}
+
 .error-panel-close-button:hover {
   color: #e2e2e2;
   cursor: pointer;
 }
 
+.info-panel-close-button:hover {
+  color: #e2e2e2;
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+
 #error-link {
   color: #F5F5F5;
   font-size: 11.5px;