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POST-WILDFIRE DEBRIS FLOW MODELING APPLICATIONS WITH HEC-HMS & HEC-RAS
CWMS Wildfire Workshop
24-27 April 2023
DRI Campus, Las Vegas, Nevada
Course Objectives
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) has added debris yield and flow capabilities to its popular hydrologic and hydraulic software. HEC’s Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) can now compute debris yield/flow and the River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) can simulate the non-Newtonian fluid physics of mud and debris flows associated with post-wildfire events and mine-tailing dam breaches. A four-day training is being offered that covers hands on application of debris simulation capabilities in both HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS.
It is recommended that you use HEC-HMS version 4.11 beta 13, HEC-RAS version 6.3.1, and HEC-DSSVue version 3.3.24 for the class. You do not need administrative privileges to install HEC-HMS and HEC-DSSVue. Download HEC-HMS version 4.11 beta 13 from this page, https://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-hms/downloads.aspx. Download HEC-DSSVue version 3.3.25 from this page, https://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-dssvue/downloads.aspx. Then use 7-zip and unzip the files to the C:\Programs directory on your computer (you should have a folder named HEC-HMS-4.11-beta.13 within the C:\Programs directory). Then you can pin HEC-HMS.exe and HEC-DSSVue.exe to your taskbar and open these programs by clicking on the icons. You do need to install HEC-RAS 6.3.1 using the app portal - https://app-portal.usace.army.mil/ESD/Loader.aspx?q=webext&f=sccm.
Instructors
Micah Buchholz
Ian Floyd
Matt Fleming
Jay Pak
David Ho
Stanford Gibson
Kellie Jemes
Pre-Read/Watch
Please watch or read these materials before the class.
- Hydrologic Modeling and Debris Flow Estimation for Post Wildfire Conditions
- Hydrologic Modeling with HEC-HMS (2022)
Day 1
Time | Duration (min) | Module | Topic | Description | Primary Instructor |
8:00 - 8:30 | 30 | Admin | Welcome, Goals, Class Structure | Micah, Jay and Stanford | |
8:30 – 9:30 | 60 | Lecture 1 | Overview of Hydrologic Modeling with HEC-HMS | Discussion about model calibration, Frequency Storm and Hypothetical Storm development, and continuous simulation | Matt |
9:30 – 9:45 | Break | ||||
9:45 – 10:45 | 60 | Lecture 2 | Overview of Post-Wildfire Hydrology and Debris Flow Modeling Applications | Discussion of the ways post-wildfire hydrology and debris yield modeling is used in studies including post-wildfire assessments, debris yield prediction, and post-wildfire flow risk and emergency management. | Jay |
10:45 – 11:30 | 45 | Lecture 3 | Subbasin Debris Yield Analysis | Introduction to five debris yield methods for debris yield assessment in burned mountain watershed. Discussion of appropriate use and parameter estimation. | Jay |
11:30 – 12:00 | 30 | Workshop 1 | Quick Debris Yield Modeling based on Field Data | Estimate the parameters for each debris yield method. Enter the initial parameter values within a basin model, create a simulation run, and compute the simulation. Calibrate and compare results to measured sample data. | David, Matt, and Jay |
12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch | ||||
13:00 – 13:30 | 30 | Workshop 1 (Cont.) | Quick Debris Yield Modeling based on Field Data | Estimate the parameters for each debris yield method. Enter the initial parameter values within a basin model, create a simulation run, and compute the simulation. Calibrate and compare results to measured sample data. | David, Matt, and Jay |
13:30 to 13:50 | 20 | Workshop 1 Review | David | ||
13:50 – 14:30 | 40 | Lecture 4 | Debris Reservoir Routing Analysis | Explanation of the physical reservoir volume reduction processes at reservoir. The reservoir sediment trap efficiency is affected by the detention time of storm runoff and by factors governing sediment particle size. | Jay |
14:30 – 16:00 | 90 | Workshop 2 | Estimating Debris Yield in Debris Basin | Practice calibrating debris yield modeling without/with Debris Reservoir/Basin and compare results with measured data. | David, Matt, and Jay |
16:00 – 16:20 | 20 | Workshop 2 Review | Estimating Debris Yield in Debris Basin | Practice calibrating debris yield modeling without/with Debris Reservoir/Basin and compare results with measured data. | David |
16:20 – 17:00 | 40 | Group Discussion | District Field Experiences | Micah |
Day 2
Time | Duration (min) | Module | Topic | Description | Primary Instructor |
8:00 – 8:15 | 15 | Admin. | Review previous day and go over goals for today | Micah | |
8:15-9:00 | 45 | Lecture 5 | Debris Channel Routing Analysis | Introduction of the new debris transport potential method (Sediment Delivery Ratio) and debris routing method (Muskingum) to erosion and deposition processes in the channel. | Jay |
9:00-10:00 | 60 | Workshop 3 | Debris Flow Modeling using Debris Channel Routing Method | Finalize HMS debris flow model using debris methods in subbasin, and channel elements. Calibrate and compare results to measured sample data. Task 4: Debris Flow Modeling using Debris Channel Routing Method | David, Matt, and Jay |
10:00 – 10:15 | 15 | Workshop 3 Review | Debris Flow Modeling using Debris Channel Routing Method | Finalize HMS debris flow model using debris methods in subbasin, and channel elements. Calibrate and compare results to measured sample data. | David |
Break (10:15 - 10:30) | |||||
10:30 - 11:00 | 30 | Lecture 6 | Post-Wildfire Hydrologic Analysis | Explanation of a surface dynamic infiltration loss method to develop a long-term post-wildfire hydrologic model for a burned watershed. Discussion of the physical basis for the parameters and procedures for post-wildfire effect. | Jay |
11:00 - 12:00 | 60 | Workshop 4 | Post-Wildfire Hydrology Analysis using Surface Dynamic Infiltration Loss Method | Use a surface dynamic infiltration loss method to estimate parameters for the long-term post-wildfire hydrology model. Practice calibrating model and compare results with observed flow (gage data). Applying the Pak and Lee Dynamic Surface Method for Post-wildfire Hydrologic Modeling Parameterize the Dynamic Surface Method and Compute a Simulation Calibrate the Dynamic Surface Method Parameters Comparison of Post-fire Simulations with and without Dynamic Surface | David, Matt, and Jay |
12:00 - 12:15 | 15 | Workshop 4 Review | David | ||
Lunch (12:15 - 13:30) | |||||
13:30 - 17:00 | Field Trip | ||||
Day 3
Time | Duration (min) | Module | Topic | Description | Primary Instructor |
8:00 - 8:15 | 15 | Admin | Review Previous Day and go over goals for today | Micah | |
08:15 – 09:00 | 45 | Lecture 7 | Non-Newtonian Applications in HEC-RAS |
| Stanford |
09:00 – 09:30 | 30 | Quiz Game | Non-Newtonian Quiz Game | Stanford | |
Break (09:30-09:45) | |||||
09:45-10:45 | 60 | Lecture 8 | Introduction to Non-Newtonian Physics |
| Stanford |
10:45 – 11:45 | 60 | Workshop 5 | Initial Debris Flow Workshop |
| Stanford |
Lunch 11:45-13:00 | |||||
13:00-13:15 | 15 | Workshop 5 review | Stanford | ||
13:15-14:00 | 45 | Lecture 9 | 2D Hydraulic, Mesh, and Stability Best Practices and Troubleshooting |
| Stanford |
14:00-14:15 | 15 | Quiz Game | Mesh Doctor Kahoot | www.kahoot.it | Stanford |
14:15-15:00 | 45 | ERDC | Wildfire Research & Development | Current R&D efforts underway for Flood Modeling, Sediment Transport & Water Quality (Top Ten list) | Floyd |
Break (15:00 to 15:15) | |||||
15:15 to 16:30 | 75 | ERDC | Wildfire Research & Development | Cont. with group discussion | Floyd |
Day 4
08:00 to 08:15 | 15 | Admin | Review Previous Day and go over goals for today | Micah | |
8:15 to 8:45 | 30 | Lab 1 | Non-Newtonian Parameter Sensitivity | Students will create and race Non-Newtonian flows by combining materials from the three corners of the ternary diagram (cohesive, granular, . | Stanford |
08:45 - 09:45 | 60 | Lecture 10 | Estimating Rheological Parameters |
| Stanford |
Break (09:45-10:30) | |||||
10:00-12:00 | 120 | Workshop 6 | Santa Cruz Workshop |
Students will begin with a clear water HMS model, hydrologic calibration data, a terrain, and high water marks from a debris flow. They will update the HMS model for post-wildfire effects, adjust the parameters and compute Cv. Then they will use flows and Cv from HMS to build a debris model in HEC-RAS | Stanford Kellie Jay David |
12:00-13:00 | Lunch | ||||
13:00 to 13:45 | 15 | Workshop 7 review | Santa Cruz Workshop | Stanford | |
13:45-14:15 | 30 | Quiz Game Review | Review of HMS and RAS Content | Competitive Trivia Game to Review | Stanford |
14:15-15:30 | 75 | Group Discussion | Future Needs for CWMS Modeling and Inundation Mapping | Micah & HEC Team | |
Class Evaluation and Feedback: | |||||
Day 5
08:00 to 10:00 | 120 | Leadership Meeting | Discussion for Wildfire CWMS & Research with DRI | Micah, Ian, Matt, Stanford, Jay, and DRI's Researchers |