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Course archive will be available to participants for 30 days.

INSTRUCTORS:
Luke Sherry. P.E., CFM
Michael Burke, P.E., CFM, CPSWQ

Purpose and Background

The design of most hydraulic structures (e.g., culverts, open channels, reservoirs, etc.) requires either a peak discharge or an inflow hydrograph. Hydraulic assessments (e.g. flood elevations, sediment transport, contaminant transport, etc.) are also generally preceded by hydrologic studies. How do engineers perform these hydrologic studies? Take heart - HEC-HMS does the job.

The Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is well known for its hydrologic and hydraulic software. HEC-1 has been one of the primary hydrologic models used by engineers for over two decades. HEC-HMS (Hydrologic Modeling System) is part of the new generation software that has replaced HEC-1 and is now considered the leading, most versatile public domain tool for conducting hydrologic analysis. The thought and effort that went into this Windows version program has made it as popular as its standard hydraulics software counterpart, the River Analysis System model (HECRAS).

HEC-HMS takes full advantage of the multi-tasking, Windows environment. It includes a graphical-user interface, data storage and management features, integrated hydrologic analysis components, and graphical and tabular reporting facilities. Inputting your watershed is akin to building something with Legos.

Icons representing sub-basins are grabbed from a palette, placed in the workspace, and interconnected with stream, reservoir, and junction icons. By clicking on these icons, you open up data input boxes (which request information, like lengths, areas, infiltration parameters, etc.). Finally, you input the rainfall characteristics and launch the model. It is so intuitive, even your boss will finally understand what you do!

HEC-HMS provides a variety of options for simulating the rainfall-runoff process:

• Precipitation can be modeled using either actual gaged events or hypothetical (frequency based) storms
• Rainfall losses are represented empirically (SCS) or with physically based algorithms (Green and Ampt), among many others
• Runoff is generated from unit hydrograph transforms or the physically based kinematic wave method, among many others
• Stream routing options include the Muskingum, Modified-Puls, Muskingum-Cunge, and kinematic wave methods
• Reservoir routing, base flow, dam break analysis, and diversions can also be modeled
• This program will utilize the latest version of HMS which is 4.9

Benefits and Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Apply the basic hydrologic principles (Watershed delineation, Design Rain Storms, Infiltration,
• Runoff, Channel Routing, Detention Storage Routing) used by most hydrologic models
• Develop and run a HEC-HMS hydrologic model using specified input data
• Explain modeling error messages and how to interpret them
• Explain the basics of the dam break analysis, erosion and sediment transport module as well as the nutrient water quality module.

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed through exercises and a short post-test (true-false, multiple choice and fill in the blank questions).

Examples of exercises:

• Students complete a computational exercise for selected hydrologic principles. The completed exercises are self-evaluated, and the solutions are presented and discussed following each workshop module.
• Students complete the sequential development of a HEC-HMS model with a successful model run.
• Model Results for the solution are presented and the student results are compared and discussed.
• Students encounter errors when initially running their models. Some errors are purposely incorporated into the specified data. The error statements are discussed with students with regard to where they are occurring and what parameters or data are involved. Corrections are made to generate the successful model run.
• Students complete an additional set of model simulations to size a detention pond outlet proposed on one of the tributaries to offset the impacts of new development, using several different HECHMS features and algorithms. The student results are compared and discussed in detail.
• Students are shown the capabilities of HEC-HMS to simulate a dam breach, calculate and monitor erosion and sediment transport as well as nutrient water quality, the necessary input data, and how the results can be viewed.

Who Should Attend?

If your work requires hydrologic modeling, for applications such as watershed studies, stormwater management projects, flood elevation determinations, dam break analysis, and sediment or contaminant transport analyses, this workshop is for you. The seminar includes lectures and class exercises on hydrologic algorithms, as well as practical hands-on applications using HEC-HMS.

Level of Instruction: This seminar is intended for people with some hydrologic background and a need for instruction in the techniques and applications of hydrologic modeling. The seminar will give you confidence in applying HEC-HMS or other hydrologic models to water related projects.

Outline

DAY 1

• Hydrologic Modeling Overview
• HEC-HMS Capabilities
• Basin Delineation*
• Precipitation Methodology*
• Rainfall Abstractions (Losses)*
• Runoff Transformations*
• Stream Routing

DAY 2

• Reservoir Routing*
• Model Execution*
• Analysis of Results*
• Additional Simulations with Alternative Algorithms*
• Dam Break Analysis*
• Erosion and Sediment Transport
• Nutrient Water Quality

How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion

This course is worth .8 CEUs/8 PDHs. To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short on-line post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 30 days of the course.

Luke Sherry. P.E., CFM, graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University in 2004. Since then, he has worked at Christopher B. Burke Engineering in Rosemont, Illinois, where he is responsible for water resources engineering project analysis and design. Luke is a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Floodplain Manager and has experience teaching various hydrologic and hydraulic modeling programs, including: HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, HY-8, Win TR-20 and XP-SWMM.

Michael Burke, P.E., CFM, CPSWQ, is a Water Resources Project Manager at Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. in Rosemont, Illinois. Michael graduated from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale with a BSCE in 2009 and a MSCE in 2011. As a water resources engineer with over 10 years of experience, he is responsible for hydrologic analyses, steady and unsteady hydraulic analyses, FEMA map revisions, urban flood studies, and design of conveyance systems. He has previously instructed both HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS courses for ASCE.