Course Website Table of Contents

Day 1 – Monday 27 July 2026

Day 1 Materials 

TimeTitleInstructorDescription
0800 - 0915Introduction and Pre-TestJordan LucasPersonal introductions and a test of your existing knowledge
0915 - 0930BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
0930 - 10301.1 Introduction to Water Resources EconomicsDr. Richard NugentPrinciples of water resources economics are discussed, providing the foundation for the material covered for the course.
1030 - 1045BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
1045 - 12001.2 Basic Probability and StatisticsJordan LucasThis lecture defines and describes probability, random variables, statistics and definitions of risk and uncertainty. An emphasis is placed on defining statistical parameters, probability density functions and cumulative distribution functions. 
1200 - 1300LunchSelf-GuidedEat lunch
1300 - 15001.3 Flood Risk Assessment MethodologyDr. Richard NugentThis presentation provides an overview of the risk assessment methods that are used to support a flood risk management study. We also take an in-depth look at risk metrics. Students will complete exercises exploring statistical concepts used in risk assessment presented in a hands-on environment. Concepts covered in these workshops include the calculation of expected annual damage and annual exceedance probability. 
1500 - 1515BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
1515 - 16451.4 Incorporating Uncertainty into the Expected Annual Damage ComputationDr. Richard NugentThis presentation provides an interpretation of EAD and describes the traditional EAD computation when uncertainty parameters are not applied. Monte Carlo simulation is introduced along with its approach to incorporating uncertainty in HEC-FDA inputs. 
1645 - 1700Daily RecapJordan LucasRecap of the current day

Day 2 – Tuesday 28 July 2026

Day 2 Materials 

TimeTitleInstructorDescription
0800 - 0830Refresh and PreviewJordan LucasReview of the previous day and preview of the current day
0830 - 09452.1. Uncertainty in Exceedance Probability FunctionsDavid HoThis presentation describes the causes of uncertainty in exceedance probability functions (e.g. frequency curves). Methods for evaluating uncertainty and computing confidence intervals are reviewed and their entry into the HEC-FDA program is described.
0945 - 1000BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
1000 - 11152.2. Stage Discharge Relationship UncertaintyBrennan BeamThis presentation describes approaches for estimating uncertainty in stage-discharge relationships that are defined in ER 1105-2-101 and EM 1110-2-1619. An emphasis is placed on estimating the uncertainty associated with gauged and ungauged locations.
1115 - 1200Workshop 1Jordan LucasIn this hands-on workshop participants are introduced to the HEC-FDA Version 2.0 user interface. Participants will become familiar with the Impact Area set importer, Terrain importer, and Properties editor. Participants will also import an HEC-FDA version 1.4.3 model into the version 2.0 software.
1200 - 1330LunchSelf-GuidedEat lunch
1330 - 1415Workshop 2Jordan LucasIn this hands-on workshop participants use their previously generated HEC-FDA study files to input and evaluate probability-discharge and stage-discharge relationships with uncertainty.
1415 - 15152.3. Estimation of Economic UncertaintyJordan LucasThis presentation covers how to estimate and interpret the uncertainty about three uncertain economic variables: first floor elevation, structure value, and the content-to-structure value ratio.
1515 - 1530BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
1530 - 16452.4. Life Safety in PlanningSusie ByrdThis presentation describes life safety considerations in planning studies. The PDT Economist is often asked to conduct the life safety risk analysis as well as the economic analysis, and this discussion will focus on policy and guidance pertaining to life safety.
1645 - 1700Daily RecapJordan LucasRecap of the current day

Day 3 – Wednesday 29 July 2026

Day 3 Materials

TimeTitleInstructorDescription
0800 - 0830Refresh and PreviewJordan LucasReview of the previous day and preview of the current day
0830 - 09453.1 Stage-Damage RelationshipJordan LucasThis presentation describes approaches for estimating consequences through the development of a stage-damage relationship. The sources of uncertainty are discussed.
0945 - 1000BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
1000 - 1145Workshop 3Jack SchonherrIn this hands-on workshop participants use their previously generated HEC-FDA study files to compute and evaluate stage-damage relationships.
1145 - 1315LunchSelf-GuidedEat lunch
1315 - 1400Workshop 4Jack SchonherrIn this hands-on workshop participants use their previously generated HEC-FDA study files to perform a without-project analysis for the Muncie, Indiana example study, including the computation and evaluation of expected annual damage and average annual equivalent damage.
1400 - 15153.2 Case Study: Southwest Coastal Louisiana Feasibility StudyBrian MaestriThis presentation is about a risk assessment study using HEC-FDA in a coastal area for the Southwest Coastal Louisiana Feasibility Study.
1515 - 1530BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
1530 - 16453.3 Case Study: Coastal Texas EvaluationBrian MaestriThis presentation is about a risk assessment study using HEC-FDA in a coastal area in Texas.
1645 - 1700Daily RecapJordan LucasRecap of the current day

Day 4 – Thursday 30 July 2026

Day 4 Materials 

TimeTitleInstructorDescription
0800 - 0905Refresh and PreviewJordan LucasReview of the previous day and preview of the current day
0905 - 0915BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
0915 - 10304.1 Project Performance and Geotechnical AnalysisBrian HubelThis presentation describes modeling the flood control project feature performance for the risk assessment, what the geotechnical folks do, ETL 1110-2-588, PFMAs, Event Trees, and Conditional Nodal Probabilities. An example of fragility analysis of a levee and interpretation of geotechnical data including brief discussion of aleatoric variability and epistemic uncertainty.
1030 - 1100

Workshop 5

Incorporating System Response into Economic Risk

Jordan LucasIn this hands-on workshop participants use their previously generated HEC-FDA study files to evaluate the economic feasibility and project performance of various levee alternatives. Participants recommend the “best" alternative.
1100 - 1115Break and Group PhotoGroupLet's cement our memory of our time together with a photo
1115 - 1145

Workshop 5 (Continued)

Incorporating System Response into Economic Risk

Jordan LucasIn this hands-on workshop participants use their previously generated HEC-FDA study files to evaluate the economic feasibility and project performance of various levee alternatives. Participants recommend the “best" alternative.
1145 - 1315LunchSelf-GuidedEat lunch
1315 - 1330

Workshop 5 Closeout

Incorporating System Response into Economic Risk



In this hands-on workshop participants use their previously generated HEC-FDA study files to evaluate the economic feasibility and project performance of various levee alternatives. Participants recommend the “best" alternative.
1330 - 14154.2 Measure Formulation and Evaluation Jordan Lucas and Brennan BeamThis presentation describes the impact of with-project conditions on the four summary relationships.
1415 - 15154.3 Communication Responsibilities of Risk AssessorsSusie ByrdRisk assessors must be able to describe their procedures and findings in a clear and nationally consistent manner. To that end, we review the latest HQUSACE policy and risk assessment requirements. An overview of ER 1105-2-101, “Risk Analysis for Flood Damage Reduction Studies" will be presented.
1515 - 1530BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
1530 - 16454.4 Case Study: Lower Sacramento RiverNathan PingelThis presentation is about a risk assessment study of the Lower Sacramento River.
1645 - 1700Daily RecapJordan LucasRecap of the current day

Day 5 – Friday 31 July 2026

Day 5 Materials

TimeTitleInstructorDescription
0800 - 0815Refresh and PreviewJordan LucasReview of the previous day and preview of the current day
0815 - 09155.1 New Features in HEC-FDA Version 2.1Jack SchonherrNew features in HEC-FDA Version 2.1, including life safety risk computation via imported LifeSim outputs, will be demonstrated.
0915 - 1000Workshop 6Jordan LucasIn this hands-on workshop participants use their previously generated HEC-FDA study files to formulate and evaluate flood risk management measures for the Muncie, Indiana study area. The workshop emphasizes formulation and evaluation of several flood risk management plans including a levee only plan, detention only plan, nonstructural plan, and combination detention, nonstructural, and levee plans.
1000 - 1015BreakSelf-GuidedTake a break
1015 - 1045Workshop 6 (Continued)Jordan LucasIn this hands-on workshop participants use their previously generated HEC-FDA study files to formulate and evaluate flood risk management measures for the Muncie, Indiana study area. The workshop emphasizes formulation and evaluation of several flood risk management plans including a levee only plan, detention only plan, nonstructural plan, and combination detention, nonstructural, and levee plans.
1045 - 1115Post-TestJordan LucasThe test must be passed to receive credit for the course
1115 - 1200Critique and ClosingJordan LucasHonest feedback is appreciated