When a new version of HEC-RTS is released, you’ll need to update your master watershed. The recommended approach is to make updates locally first, then upload the updated master watershed to the shared drive.

This guide walks you through the process of updating a master watershed to the latest HEC-RTS version.

Be sure to store Master Watersheds on a shared network drive, not the Server.

Prerequisites

Download the latest version of HEC-RTS from this site before beginning.

Step 1: Download the Latest Version of the Master Watershed

Before starting the upgrade, make sure you're working with the most current version of the watershed.

  1. Launch HEC-RTS and open your local copy of the watershed.
  2. Click the Setup tab.
  3. From the Watershed menu, go to Team > Sync with Master Watershed.
  4. Download data for any nodes highlighted in orange.

For detailed syncing instructions, refer to the full user guide.

Step 2: Archive the Current Master Watershed (Share Drive)

Create a backup of the existing master watershed on the share drive.

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the watershed folder on the project share drive.
  2. Compress (zip) the entire watershed folder.
  3. Name the file to reflect the HEC-RTS version (e.g., watershed_archive_v3.4.zip)

Step 3: Archive Your Local Copy of the Watershed

Create a backup of your local watershed in case any issues arise during the upgrade.

  1. Using File Explorer, locate your local watershed folder.
  2. Compress (zip) the entire watershed folder.
  3. Name the file to reflect the HEC-RTS version.

Step 4: Disable Team Modeling

Before upgrading, disable team modeling in your local watershed.

  1. Launch the current version of HEC-RTS.
  2. Go to the Setup tab, then select Watershed Properties from the Watershed menu.
  3. In the Watershed Properties dialog, click the Teams tab.
  4. Uncheck Team Watershed.
  5. Click Apply to save your changes, then OK to close the dialog.
  6. Save the watershed.
  7. Close HEC-RTS.

Step 5: Upgrade the Watershed

It's now time to upgrade your watershed to the latest version of HEC-RTS.

  1. Launch the new version of HEC-RTS.
  2. Open your local copy of the watershed.
  3. Make any necessary updates or changes.
  4. Save your watershed.

Step 6: Create a New Master Watershed Folder on the Share Drive

Now it is time to set up a new folder structure for the upgraded master watershed.

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the appropriate location on the share drive.
  2. Create a new folder and give it a name that clearly indicates the HEC-RTS version being used (e.g., watershed_v3.5).
  3. Inside this folder, create two empty subfolders named forecast and watershed.

Step 7: Upload the Upgraded Watershed

Now that you have upgraded the local copy of your watershed, you need to upload it to the shared network drive for others to use.

  1. Back in HEC-RTS, navigate to the Setup tab.
  2. Select Watershed Properties from the Watershed menu.
  3. In the Watershed Properties dialog, click the Teams tab and check the Team Watershed option.
  4. In the Master Watershed Folder field, click the ellipsis (...) button to browse for a folder.
  5. In the file browser, navigate to the shared network location that you just created in Step 6.
  6. Click Open. The selected path will now appear in the Master Watershed Folder field.
  7. Click Upload Now to begin the upload process.

Upload time varies depending on watershed size.

Step 8: Archive the New Master Watershed

Create a backup of the newly uploaded master watershed.

  1. Using File Explorer, navigate to the new watershed folder on the network drive.
  2. Compress (zip) the entire watershed folder as a backup.
  3. Name the archive to indicate the HEC-RTS version.

It’s recommended to archive the master watershed periodically to maintain an up-to-date backup.

Final Review

After the upload completes, your master watershed is ready for team use. Notify your Water Management team so they can download and begin using the updated watershed in their daily workflows.