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References for Flood Forecasting Applications
USACE Guidance
EM 1110-2-1417 (USACE, 1994)
USACE. 1994. Flood-Runoff Analysis. EM 1110-2-1417, 31 August 1994. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC. Chapter 10 addresses basin model selection and calibration. Available from USACE Engineer Manuals.
EM 1110-2-3600 (USACE, 2017)
USACE. 2017. Management of Water Control Systems. EM 1110-2-3600, 10 October 2017. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC. Supersedes the 30 November 1987 edition. Chapters 5 through 7 address data, forecasting, and real-time water management. Available from USACE Engineer Manuals.
ER 1110-2-240 (USACE, 2016)
USACE. 2016. Water Control Management. ER 1110-2-240, 30 May 2016. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC. Paragraph 3-3a addresses evacuation of impounded water; Chapter 5 addresses communication and coordination. Available from USACE Engineer Regulations.
ER 1110-2-1400 (USACE, 2016)
USACE. 2016. Reservoir/Water Control Management. ER 1110-2-1400, 30 May 2016. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC. Supersedes the 30 September 1993 edition; paragraph 6 describes water management responsibilities. Available from USACE Engineer Regulations.
ER 1110-2-8156 (USACE, 2018)
USACE. 2018. Preparation of Water Control Manuals. ER 1110-2-8156, 30 September 2018 (Errata Sheet No. 1, 11 December 2018). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC. Appendix A, paragraph A-16, addresses hydrologic forecast requirements, methods, data, and coordination. Available from USACE Engineer Regulations.
ECB 2026-1 (USACE, 2026)
USACE. 2026. Incorporating Resilience to Nonstationary Hydrometeorological Conditions in USACE Civil Works Studies, Designs, and Projects. ECB 2026-1, 9 January 2026; expires 9 January 2028. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC. Paragraphs 4c through 4f address applicability, water control manual updates, and the exception for short-term water management decisions. Available from Whole Building Design Guide.
HEC Software Documentation
📖 HEC-HMS User's Manual
Current procedures for configuring and using HEC-HMS forecasting features.
- Forecasting Streamflow — entry point for streamflow forecasting
- Forecast Alternatives — time windows, saved states, and automated forecasts
- Zones — grouping elements for parameter adjustments
- Adjusting Parameters for the Forecast — zone adjustments, element overrides, sliders, and the Combined Parameter Editor
- Subbasin Baseflow Initialization — observed flow, ratios, bounds, and defaults
- Reach Outflow Initialization — initial reach flow from observations
- Reservoir Pool Initialization and Reset — pool elevation, forecast-time resets, and future discharge data
- Blending Computed Flow with Observed Flow — Step, Taper, and None transitions
📐 HEC-HMS Technical Reference Manual
Theory and method requirements relevant to the historical model and current forecasting applications.
- Deficit and Constant Loss Model — infiltration and continuous soil moisture accounting
- Linear Deficit and Constant Model — an additional loss method supporting continuous simulation with canopy and evapotranspiration methods
- ModClark Unit Hydrograph Model — spatially distributed runoff transformation
🛠️ HEC-HMS Tutorials and Guides
Worked examples of forecast model configuration, calibration, and scenario comparison.
- Optimization Trial Enhancements — the Forecast Optimization section demonstrates linked trials, zonal scale factors, and review of adjustments before computing a forecast
- Applying the Ensemble Compute to Flood Forecasting — separate meteorologic scenarios represented by Simulation Runs
- Generating a Flow Forecast for International Locations — continuous model development and forecast preparation
📊 HEC-ResSim User's Manual
Reservoir system modeling for evaluating operations using forecast inflows.
- HEC-ResSim User's Manual — reservoir system simulation
📊 HEC-RAS User's Manual
Hydraulic modeling for river stages and inundation mapping using flow hydrographs.
- HEC-RAS User's Manual — river hydraulics and flood mapping
Historical Case Study Sources
USACE (2013)
USACE. 2013. Corps Water Management System Final Report for the Kaskaskia River Watershed. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, MO. Retained as the source cited by the historical case study.
TR-55 (SCS, 1986)
SCS. 1986. Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds. Technical Release 55, June 1986. Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Cited for the historical case study's initial time of concentration estimate.