Downloads

Software	HEC-WAT Version 1.1.0 was used to develop this guide. If you haven't done this already please review the Download and Install HEC-WAT page to download, install, open and configure the HEC-WAT software.
Example Watershed Data	The Russian River watershed is the example WAT watershed used in the HEC-WAT Version 1.1 quick start guide. Zipped dataset for this guide: <ADD RussianRiver_Data ZIPPED FOLDER with the MapLayers>

This quick start guide provides the user with instructions on creating an HEC-WAT study from scratch by importing an Corps Water Management System (CWMS) or HEC-RTS (Real Time Simulation) watershed.

If you want a guide for creating an HEC-WAT study from scratch and building the schematic for the default alternative, please review the Create an HEC-WAT Study from Scratch page. Alternatively, if you want a guide for creating an HEC-WAT study from scratch using existing HEC-ResSim, HEC-HMS, and HEC-RAS models, please review the Create an HEC-WAT Study from Existing Models page. 

Create an HEC-WAT Study

This quick start guide provides instructions for creating an HEC-WAT study from scratch using existing HEC-ResSim, HEC-HMS, and HEC-RAS models.

Import a CWMS Watershed

To import a CWMS watershed: 

1. From the File menu, point to Import, click CWMS Watershed. The Import CWMS Watershed dialog box will open (Figure 8.6).
   Figure 8.6 Import CWMS Watershed Dialog Box
2. Now select the RussianRiver CWMS watershed file. From the CWMS Watershed File box, click , and the Select Workspace File browser (Figure 8.7) will open. Browse to the directory (C \Desktop\RussianRiver_Data\CWMS_Watershed/RussianRiver) and select RussianRiver.wtrshd. Click Import, the Select Workspace File browser will close (Figure 8.7).
   Figure 8.7 Select Workspace File Browser
3. A Continue Import? window will open (Figure 8.8). This window is warning the user that the import process will overwrite any existing data in the watershed. Click Yes, the Continue Import? window will close (Figure 8.8).
   Figure 8.8 Continue Import? Window
4. The Import CWMS Watershed dialog box (Figure 8.9) will now display the name of the CWMS watershed file in the CWMS Watershed File box (Figure 8.9). As the import proceeds, the Import Progress box on the Import CWMS Watershed dialog box (Figure 8.9) will display what is happening during the import. The table on the Import CWMS Watershed dialog box (Figure 8.9) will display which CWMS watershed components have finished, whether the import was successful or not, and the number of model alternatives that were imported.
   Figure 8.9 Importing RussianRiver CWMS Watershed
5. When the HEC-WAT study is created an hms subfolder is created. In that subfolder are the default files that are generated when creating an HEC-HMS project. When the HEC-HMS import process finds that a project already exists, a warning window will appear (Figure 8.10; this warning window can open behind the HEC-WAT main window). Click Yes, the warning window will close.
   Figure 8.10 HEC-HMS Warning Window about HEC-HMS Project
6. If the HEC-HMS model was created using Version 4.0/4.1, a Convert HEC-HMS Project window (Figure 8.11) will open. This window is letting the user know that the HEC-HMS model will be converted to a Version 4.2 HEC-HMS model. Click Convert Project, the Convert HEC-HMS Project window (Figure 8.11) will close, and the import of the watershed will continue.
   Figure 8.11 Convert HEC-HMS Project Window
7. Once the import process is finished from the Import CWMS Watershed dialog box (Figure 8.9) click Close. The Import CWMS Watershed dialog box (Figure 8.9) will close, and the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.12) will display the map layers and the stream alignment of the imported CWMS watershed.
   Figure 8.12 HEC-WAT Main Window - RussianRiver Study - Map Layers & Stream Alignment
8. From the File menu, click Save Study.

Adjust Schematic - Reservoir Displays

The reservoir elements from the HEC-ResSim model, do not automatically display on the HEC-WAT Schematic Map Window. From the Study Pane, from the Study Tree under the Simulations folder, right-click on Schematic:Without Project Conditions. From the shortcut men, click Edit. The Schematic Editor (Figure 8.13) will open, under Measures, click Select All. Click OK, the Schematic Editor will close, and the HEC-ResSim reservoir elements will appear on the HEC-WAT Schematic Map Window.

Adjust Map Layers

Part of the CWMS import, includes importing map layers for the HEC-WAT study. Now the user can make adjustments to the map layers. 

1. From the HEC-WAT main window, click the Maps tab (Figure 8.12). 
   Figure 8.13 Schematic Editor
   Now the user can see which Map Window is currently active and what layers make up that Map Window. The user can now make adjustments to the map layers, from the Map Layers tree:
   • Un-check the Raingages_Albers_ft.shp map layer (this will cause the map layer to no longer display in the active map window).
2. The user can adjust the view of the study area in the active map window. Using the Magnifier Tool, zoom the study area in the active map window to the appropriate area that the user would like displayed. From the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.12), from the Maps menu, click Default Map Properties, the Default Map Properties for dialog box will open (Figure 8.15). Click Set Map Extents to Display, click OK. The Default Map Properties for dialog box will close.
   
   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.

Define Plug-Ins for Study

To define the plug-ins for the RussianRiver study:

1. From the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.12), from the File menu, click Study Details.
2. The Study Details dialog box (Figure 8.16) will open. Click on the Plug-ins tab. The table that is displayed provides information on the plug-ins that are available for the study.
   
3. For the RussianRiver study the following plug-ins should be enabled – FIA, HEC-SSP, HMS, RAS, and, ResSim.
4. Click OK, the Study Details dialog box will close (Figure 8.16), and the plug-ins for the study have been defined

Create an Analysis Period

An HEC-WAT compute requires an HEC-WAT alternative, an analysis period, a program order, and model alternatives.  

To create an analysis period: 

1. From the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.12), from the Study Tree, right-click on the Analysis Periods folder (Figure 8.17). From the shortcut menu click New.
   
2. The Create New Analysis Periods dialog box will open (Figure 8.18). In the Name box enter a name (RR_Feb1986). In the Time Window box enter the information required for the time window.
   
3. For the Start Date and End Date, enter in the format ddmmmyyyy. The Start Time and End Time should be entered as military time - e.g. 0000, 0600, 1300 (1 p.m.), 2400 (midnight).
4. Click OK, the Create New Analysis Periods dialog box will close (Figure 8.18). On the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.12), from the Study Pane, under the Analysis Periods folder, the new analysis period name will appear.

Setup Lookback Window – HEC-ResSim

The time window for an HEC-ResSim simulation has two parts, a "lookback period" and a "simulation or forecast period". The lookback period is used by HEC-ResSim to "warm up" a HEC-ResSim model alternative. During this period, routing of flows through the river and reservoir network are performed but no release decisions are made nor are any mass balance computations evaluated. The user should think of the lookback period as the time to establish the state of the river network and the starting conditions of the reservoirs. The simulation period is the portion of the time window during which HEC-ResSim simulates reservoir operations, and makes release decisions based on the operation scheme defined by the user. Releases are then routed through the river network, combining with local inflows along the way.

Since HEC-WAT and most of the models treat the analysis period as a single, continuous time window, a setup step is required for each HEC-ResSim alternative in an HEC-WAT study. The setup step lets each HEC-ResSim model alternative know how much of the analysis period to use for the lookback period.  

To setup the lookback period: 

1. From the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.12), from the Edit menu, point to ResSim, click Lookback Window (Figure 8.19).
   
2. The Lookback Window dialog box (Figure 8.20) will open.
   
3. The table displays the HEC-ResSim alternatives that are available in the HEC-WAT study. Each alternative that is being used in an HEC-WAT simulation will need to have a lookback window set. For example, in Figure 8.21, the HEC-ResSim alternative calibrate has a TimeStep of 1 hour and Lookback Steps of 6.
4. The time step can be selected from the TimeStep column, in each cell there is a list of available time steps for the user to choose from. 
   
   

   The selected time step has to match the time step that was specified for the HEC-ResSim alternative as part of the alternative's original run control data (which is located in the HEC-ResSim Alternative Editor). The number of lookback steps must be entered in a cell in the Lookback Steps column. At least one lookback time step is required for a HEC-ResSim alternative to compute, however more lookback steps may be needed, depending on a variety of factors in the HEC-ResSim alternative's operating scheme. The HEC-ResSim modeler should be consulted to determine the minimum lookback window needed by each alternative.

5. Click OK, a Missing Lookback Info window (Figure 8.21) will open. This message window is letting the user know that lookback information for the other HEC-ResSim alternatives have not been set. For this example, the user is only using the calibrate alternative, click OK. The Missing Lookback Info window (Figure 8.21) and the Lookback Window dialog box (Figure 8.20) will both close.
   
   Figure 8.21 Missing Lookback Info Window
   

Program Order

HEC-WAT allows for a flexible set of programs, computation order, and data flow through the establishment of a program order. Once a program order has been chosen for an HEC-WAT study, changes should not be made to the program order as this could cause a disruption in the flow of data and invalidate any existing work.

Currently in HEC-WAT Version 1.0 the default program order is - HMS, ResSim, RAS, FIA. This is the correct program order for the example watershed that is being used, so no adjustment is necessary. For further details on Program Order, review Chapter 11 (Section 11.1) of the HEC-WAT User's Manual.

Create an HEC-WAT Simulation

Now that all of the building blocks have been configured (alternative, analysis period, program order, models), the user can now create an HEC-WAT simulation. To create an HEC-WAT simulation:
1.From the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.12), from the WAT Tools toolbar, click the Alternative and Simulation Manager button .
2.The Alternative and Simulation Manager dialog box will open (Figure 8.22). From this dialog box the user can create/modify alternatives, analysis periods, simulations, program orders, link models, and make runs.

Figure 8.22 Alternative and Simulation Manager Dialog Box
3.To create a simulation, from the table right-click on the intersection of an alternative and analysis period. From the shortcut menu click Create Simulation. The Create New Simulation dialog box will open (Figure 8.23).

Figure 8.23 Create New Simulation Dialog Box
4.HEC-WAT has defined a default name for the simulation (Without Project Conditions-RR_Feb1986) in the Name box (Figure 8.23). The name is a combination of the HEC-WAT alternative name and analysis period name, where the intersection was in the table (name can be changed).
5. A program order needs to be selected. From the Program Order list (Figure 8.23) make sure Default is selected as the program order.
6.In the F Part box (Figure 8.23), a default F Part is displayed that was generated by HEC-WAT based once again on the alternative and analysis period names. The user can edit the item, but it is not advised.
7.In the Programs table (Figure 8.23), the software applications that were defined in the program order appear in the order the software applications were selected. Now the user must select the appropriate alternative (plan, run) for each software application. From the Alternative column, from the list for HMS (Figure 8.24), select the appropriate HMS run ((RUN)Feb_1986). Repeat the process for the other software applications. Below is the list of the appropriate alternatives for the RussianRiver study:
HMS - (RUN)Feb_1986
ResSim - calibrate
RAS - Base for Real Time forecasting
FIA - GridsAndXSecsAlternative

Figure 8.24 Selection of Model Alternatives - Create New Simulation Dialog Box
8.Now that all of the model alternatives have been selected, click OK. The Create New Simulation dialog box will close (Figure 8.23). On the Alternative and Simulation Manager (Figure 8.25) dialog box, the intersection of the WAT alternative and analysis period now provides information about the simulation.

Figure 8.25 Alternative and Simulation Manager - Completed Simulation
9.Click OK; the Alternative and Simulation Manager dialog box will close (Figure 8.25). From the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.12), the created simulation appears on the Study Tree, under the Simulations folder (Figure 8.26), click on the simulation.

Figure 8.26 Study Tree with Created Simulation
10.The Content Pane (Figure 8.27) displays information about the selected simulation.

Figure 8.27 Content Pane
11.Double click on the simulation name (Without Project Conditions-RR_Feb1986), a Select Map dialog box will open. Click New Map Window, click OK. The Select Map dialog box will close. The new map window will contain the schematic elements that represent the simulation (Figure 8.28).

Figure 8.28 Map Window - Schematic of Current HEC-WAT Simulation

Linking

The next step is to have the models of a simulation communicate with each other. This is accomplished by linking (DSS mapping) the models thru DSS and using a simulation name. From HEC-WAT, the Model Linking Editor (Figure 8.29) provides an easy way to link models including observed data, and provides a mechanism where the linking will have to be done once per alternative.

Figure 8.29 Model Linking Editor
1.From the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.28), from the WAT Tools toolbar, click the Model Linking Editor button .
2.The Model Linking Editor will open (Figure 8.29). From the Simulation list the user will need to select a simulation. For this example the user will be selecting the Without Project Conditions-RR_Feb1986 (default) simulation.
3.Now let's link the individual model alternatives that are part of the selected simulation.

Linking the HMS Model Alternative

1.From the Model Linking Editor, from the Model to Link list select HMS-(RUN)FEB
_1986 (Figure 8.29). The Model Linking Editor table (Figure 8.30) will now contain all of the locations for the HMS model alternative.
2.Since HEC-HMS wants precipitation and flow data that is not provided by another software application, HEC-WAT reads the linking from the HMS model alternative and displays that linking in the Model Linking Editor table (Figure 8.30).
3.The table displays the linking from a DSS file for the HMS model alternative which is the correct linking.
4.That completes the linking for the HMS model alternative.

Figure 8.30 Model Linking Editor – HMS Model Alternative

Linking the ResSim Model Alternative

1.From the Model Linking Editor, from the Model to Link list select ResSim-calibrate (Figure 8.30). The Model Linking Editor table (Figure 8.31) will now contain all of the locations for the ResSim model alternative that needs to be linked.

Figure 8.31 Model Linking Editor – ResSim Model Alternative
2.The current linking (Figure 8.31) that is displayed for the ResSim model alternative is correct, so the linking for the ResSim model alternative does not need to be done.

Linking the RAS Model Alternative

1.From the Model Linking Editor, from the Model to Link list select RAS-Base for Real Time forecasting (Figure 8.31). The Model Linking Editor table (Figure 8.32) will now contain all of the locations for the RAS model alternative that need to be linked. The current linking (Figure 8.32) that is displayed for the RAS model alternative is the linking for the standalone model.

Figure 8.32 Model Linking Editor - RAS Model Alternative Unlinked
2.RAS linking will be results from the HMS and ResSim model alternatives. The printout (RussianRiverLinking.pdf) of the linking for each of the model alternatives is located in a folder titled RussianRiver_Data.
3.From the Model Linking Editor (Figure 8.32), click Default Model to Link. The Select Default Model to Link dialog box will open (Figure 8.33). From the Default Model to Link list, select HMS-(RUN)Feb_1986. Click OK, the Select Default Model to Link dialog box will close (Figure 8.33).

Figure 8.33 Select Default Model to Link Dialog Box
4.A Confirm Input From Model changing to window (Figure 8.34) will appear. Basically the window is asking the user to be sure before proceeding, click Yes. The Confirm Input From Model changing to window closes, and the Model Linking Editor now displays the linking for the RAS model alternative (Figure 8.35).


Figure 8.34 Confirm Input From Model changing to window

Figure 8.35 Model Linking Editor - Completed RAS Model Alternative Linking
5.There are two locations in the RAS linking that need to be linked to the ResSim model alternative. From the Model Linking Editor table (Figure 8.35) for the DryCreek DryCreek RS 74716.8 (Sonoma Outflow J) row, from the Input Model column (Figure 8.35), select ResSim-calibrate. HEC-WAT tries to find a match, Lake Sonoma-Pool - Net Inflow. So from the Location/Parameter column list, select Lake Sonoma Outflow JCT - Flow.
6.Repeat Step 5 for the Russian CoyoteToDC RS 527387.7 (Lake Mendocino O) row (Lake Mendocino - Flow) to Lake Mendocino Outflow JCT - Flow.
7. The printout (RussianRiverLinking.pdf) of the linking for each of the model alternatives is located in a folder titled RussianRiver_Data. Once the linking is finished for the RAS model alternative, from the Model Linking Editor (Figure 8.35) click , this will save the linking.
7.That completes the linking for the RAS model alternative.

Compute and Results

Now that a simulation has been defined, the linking of model alternatives has been completed for a simulation, and model alternatives have been imported into HEC-WAT, the user is now ready to compute the Russian River study.
1.From the HEC-WAT main window (Figure 8.37), from the Study Tree, from the Simulations folder, right-click Without Project Conditions-RR_Feb1986. From the shortcut menu (Figure 8.37) point to Compute, hold down the Ctrl key, click Simulation.

Figure 8.37 HEC-WAT Main Window - Compute

2.The Compute Progress dialog box will open (Figure 8.38) and the compute starts. Since the user is taking a watershed that was built for real-time forecasting (CWMS) and creating a planning study (HEC-WAT) from those models, the user may need to do some work on getting the models to compute successfully.


Figure 8.38 Compute Progress Dialog Box