Once a map layer is in the HEC-WAT framework the user can make adjustments to the layer. Since the map layer that represents the subbasins for the RussianRiver study is a little bit in everyone's face, let's adjust that file - RussianSubbasins.shp.

From the HEC-WAT main window, click the Maps tab. Now the user can see which Map Window is currently active and what layers make up that Map Window.

HEC-WAT Main Window - Maps Tab - Labelled


To change the color and the fill aspects of the RussianSubbasins.shp do the following: 

  1. From the Map Layers tree, right click on RussianSubbasins.shp. This is the shapefile shortcut menu. This shortcut menu allows the user to expand/collapse the RussianSubbasins.shp leaf; move the shapefile to different positions in the tree (Move To Top/Move To Bottom, Move up/Move Down); show the legend of the shapefile; change the label of the shapefile; edit the properties of the shapefile; set/remove scale factors; copy the map layer to another location; and open the attribute table of the shapefile.
  2. From the shapefile shortcut menu, click Properties, the Edit Polygon Properties dialog box will open.

    Map Layers Tree - Shortcut Menu



  3. The RussianSubbasins.shp file is a polygon shapefile. To edit the fill of the active map layer, from the Fill tab, change the color or not have a fill. For the example displayed in the Edit Polygon Properties dialog, fill will be turned off. So click Display Fill, the check mark will clear, meaning that fill is turned off.

    Edit Polygon Properties



  4. To change the outline color of the subbasin layer, from the Edit Polygon Properties dialog box, click the Border tab.
    • From the Color list, select a color ("darkred").
    • From the Weight list, increase the border line weight.
    • Click OK, the Edit Polygon Properties dialog box will close and the changes will appear in dark red in the Map Window.
  5. To turn off a map layer - click in the checkbox by Raingages_Albers_ft.shp, the rain gages no longer appear on the map window.
  6. To display the map window zoomed in, select the Zoom Tool Zoom Tool Map Icon. Draw a box around the map layers that are displayed in the Map Window.
  7. From the Maps menu, click Default Map Properties, the Default Map Properties for dialog box will open. Click Set Map Extents to Display, click OK. The Default Map Properties for dialog box will close.
    Default Map Properties for


    This sets the extents for the Map Window so that when the study is opened the next time the Map Window will be zoomed in to the tighter area.