An HEC-FIA alternative consists of information on consequences for a given hazard. An HEC-FIA alternative is a combination of an Inundation Configuration, Impact Areas, Structure Inventory, Critical Infrastructure, Impact Response Curves, Agricultural Data, and computation settings. If the HEC-FIA project contains more than one alternative (for summer and winter crop conditions, for instance), you can build HEC-FIA model alternatives around each of them.
For further information on how to develop the information required in defining an alternative in HEC-FIA, see the HEC-FIA User's Manual.

Import an HEC-FIA Alternative

To import an HEC-FIA alternative:

  1. From the HEC-RTS main window, click on the Setup module, from the Models menu, point to Import, click FIA, the HEC-FIA Import Alternatives dialog will open (Figure 1).
    Figure 1 HEC-FIA - Import Alternative Dialog
  2. Click Select/Add Project, an Open browser will open. Browse to the location of an HEC-FIA watershed you wish to import. Select an HEC-FIA project file (.prj), click *Open, the Open browser will close.
  3. From the HEC-FIA Import Alternatives dialog (Figure 1), the table will display available HEC-FIA alternatives. Select the HEC-FIA alternative you wish to import. click Import Alternatives. Once the import is finished, confirmation dialog will open. Click OK, and the confirmation dialog will close.
  4. From the Import Alternatives dialog (Figure 1), click Close. The Import Alternatives dialog will close, and you should save your HEC-RTS study.

Edit an HEC-FIA Alternative

To edit an HEC-FIA alternative:

  1. From the HEC-RTS main window, click on the Setup module, from the Watershed Tree, from the Models folder, expand the FIA node (Figure 2). This provides you with a list of all the available HEC-FIA alternatives for this watershed.
    Figure 2 HEC-FIA Shortcut Menu
  2. Right-click on an HEC-FIA alternative, from the shortcut menu (Figure 2), click Alternative. The HEC-FIA Edit Alternative dialog will open (Figure 3).
    Figure 3 HEC-FIA - Edit Alternative Dialog 
  3. Edit the HEC-FIA alternative as desired. For further information on how to modify HEC-FIA alternatives, see the HEC-FIA User's Manual.
  4. Click OK, the HEC-FIA Edit Alternative will close. Be sure to save your HEC-RTS study.

Copy an HEC-FIA Alternative

To copy an HEC-FIA alternative:

  1. From the HEC-RTS main window, from the Modeling Toolbar, click . The HEC-FIA software will be launched.
  2. From the HEC-FIA main window, from the Study Tree, expand the Alternatives folder, right-click on the HEC-FIA alternative you wish to make a copy of. Right-click on the HEC-FIA alternative, from the shortcut menu (Figure 4), click Save As.
    Figure 4 HEC-FIA - Alternative Shortcut Menu
  3. The HEC-FIA Save Alternatives As dialog will open (Figure 5). Specify a new alternative name in the Name field and fill out the Description field (if desired). Leave the Directory field alone.
    Figure 5 HEC-FIA - Save Alternatives As Dialog
  4. Click OK, to complete the copy process. The copied alternative will now be shown in the HEC-FIA Alternative editor.

Delete an HEC-FIA Alternative

To delete an HEC-FIA alternative:

  1. From the HEC-RTS main window, from the Modeling Toolbar, click . The HEC-FIA software will be launched.
  2. From the HEC-FIA main window, from Study Tree, expand the Alternatives folder, right-click on the HEC-FIA alternative you wish to delete. Right-click on the HEC-FIA alternative, from the shortcut menu (Figure 4), click Delete from Study.
  3. An HEC-FIA Confirm Manager Delete window will open (Figure 6), asking do you really want to delete the selected HEC-FIA alternative. Click Yes, the HEC-FIA Confirm Manager Delete window, and the HEC-FIA alternative will have been removed from the HEC-RTS study.
    Figure 6 HEC-FIA - Confirm Manager Delete Window

For further information on how to delete alternatives in HEC-FIA, see the HEC-FIA User's Manual.