To open an existing workspace, from File menu choose Open Workspace. Highlight desired workspace and click Open. To create a new workspace, choose New Workspace from File menu and type in a workspace name in the Label box. The following instructions assume a new workspace has been created.

Before maps can be viewed from a new workspace, the user must manually create a directory below the workspace directory. The directory name must be as follows.

<application dir>\wcds\base\<workspace name>\maps

Once the directory has been created, copy maps of the supported types (DLG, ShapeFile, DXF, DEM ) into that directory. To display a map in the workspace, go to View, Add Map and select the type of map desired. A list of available maps will be displayed. Select the desired map and click Open. Note that it is not necessary to display a map, however it is convenient to have the map as a guide when creating stream alignments.

To zoom in or out on the workspace area, select the zoom tool on the left side of the window. To zoom in, click and drag over the desired viewing area with the left mouse button. To zoom out click with the right mouse button until desired viewing area is visible.

The next step is to create stream alignments on which stream reaches and reservoirs can later be located. HEC RSS opens in the Stream Alignment mode. To get to the Stream Alignment mode from another mode, go to the Mode menu and select Stream Alignment. A check will appear by the current mode.

To create a stream element, select the stream alignment tool on the left side of the window. Hold down the control key and click with the left mouse button to select successive points along the stream alignment. To terminate the stream element, release the control key and click to form the last point of the stream. Streams must be created from upstream to downstream. A tributary may be connected to another stream by following the same procedure above and terminating the stream at the point of connection to the existing stream.

Streams may be edited by double clicking on the stream element. The stream will change color and nodes will appear where each stream point was originally selected. These points can be moved to realign the stream by holding down the left mouse button and dragging. New points are added to a stream by clicking over the stream with the left mouse button while holding down the control key. Remove points from a stream by clicking over an existing point with the left button while holding both the shift and control keys down. An entire stream can be deleted by right clicking on it and selecting Delete Stream Element. Streams can also be renamed by right clicking and selecting Rename Stream Element.

With a stream alignment in place, stream reaches and reservoirs can be created. From the Mode menu select System Configuration Mode. When you create a new workspace, you must create at least one System, Operations, and TimeSeries data set before you begin editing. From the System menu select Reservoir System and then New. Enter a name in the Name box and click OK. Similarly, create new operations and time series data sets.

To create a stream reach, select the stream reach tool from the left side of the window. Hold down the control key and click the left mouse button anywhere on the stream element to select the upstream end of the reach. Move the mouse along the stream and click again at a lower station on the stream element to select the downstream end. Stream reaches can be created by connecting to the junction of an existing stream reach or reservoir. To do this, click on the junction of the existing reach or reservoir to form the connecting end of the reach. Tributaries cannot connect to the middle of a reach; they must connect to a junction.

To create a reservoir, select the reservoir tool. Hold down the control key and left click to select the upstream junction(s) of the reservoir, and release the control key and left click to select the downstream junction. Reservoirs can be created by connecting to existing stream junctions or new junctions can be created. When the reservoir is created, a window appears and a default name is assigned. This name can be changed by typing a name in the Label box and clicking OK. Reservoirs should not overlap stream reaches.

Stream and reservoir locations can be edited using the junction tool from the left side of the window. With this tool selected, double click on a junction and drag it to the desired location. In this way the size and location of reaches and reservoirs can be altered, but they must remain in the same order. For more drastic revisions it is necessary to delete reaches or reservoirs. This can be accomplished using the reservoir or stream reach tool (whichever is appropriate) or the arrow tool. Right click on the reach or reservoir and select Delete Reach or Delete Reservoir. Stream reaches can be renamed by right clicking, selecting Rename Reach, and typing a name in the Label box. A junction can be deleted or renamed similarly by selecting the arrow or junction tool and right clicking on the junction.

To edit junction properties, with the arrow or junction tool selected, right click on desired junction and select Edit Junction Properties. Select the Local Flow tab and input a Names and Factors. Existing flow names can be used or new ones can be created at this time to be edited later. To edit junction properties for other junctions without exiting this window, click Apply and then use the down arrow next to the Name box to select other junctions. Alternatively, click OK and right click on a new junction. Flows must be supplied to headwater junctions and are optional at other junctions.

To edit reach properties, with the reach or arrow tool selected, right click on the desired reach and select Edit Reach Properties. Select the routing method using the drop down arrow next to Method and fill in the necessary parameters for the selected routing method. To edit a new reach without closing this window, click Apply and use the drop down arrow for Reach Name to select a different reach. Editing of reach properties is not required. The default routing method can be left as is. The default routing method is Coefficient Routing with parameters set so that no routing is performed (reach outflow = reach inflow).

To edit reservoir properties, with the reservoir or arrow tool selected right click on a reservoir and the Reservoir System Editor window will appear. On the Storage tab, input at least two rows of Elevation, Storage and Surface Area with values increasing down the columns. The maximum elevation should be below the Elevation at Top of Dam, which is input above. If an elevation time series was assigned to the reservoir in the input time series editor, the elevation at top of dam must be above elevations in the input time series, and the lowest elevation in the table must be at or below the lowest elevations in the input time series. If a storage time series was assigned to the reservoir in the input time series editor, the range of storage values specified in the table must encompass the input time series storage values.

Next select the Outlet tab. Elevations on the Outlet Capacity Table should lie within the range input on the Storage tab. To add a spillway, double-click on the Composite Outlet folder and Spillway will appear. Click on Spillway to open the spillway editor. Spillway elevation must be at or below the elevation at top of dam and above the minimum storage elevation.

Now select the Operations tab. Operations must be entered, as no default values are available. To add a rule, click on the Add Rule button. Use the drop down arrow to select the rule type, enter a name and click Ok. Either a Specified Release rule must be added or both a Guide Curve and Min Max rule. If the latter scenario is chosen, create a Guide Curve first. For the Guide Curve, enter dates in the form 01Jan and elevations falling within the range discussed previously. For the Min Max rule enter dates and minimum and maximum flows. For the Specified Release enter dates and flows. For all rules at least two rows of data must be entered. To edit a different reservoir without exiting this window, click Apply and use the drop down arrow next to the name box to select a new reservoir.

Next, create a new input time series. From the System menu select Input Time Series and then New. Assign a name in the Label box and select OK. Next, use the down arrow for the Input Time Series box on the right side of the window and select the desired input time series (if necessary) and click the Edit button. Flow time series must be assigned to flow names that were created when editing junctions, and known release and one or both of known elevation and known storage time series must be assigned to each reservoir. Click the open file button and select the file from which flow, elevation, and/or storage time series will be selected. Click open. Available time series will appear in the lower portion of the window. To assign a time series to a location left click on the location and then left click on the desired time series. When both are highlighted click Select DSS Pathname and the time series will be assigned. When all desired assignments are made, click OK.

To save a reservoir system or time series, from the System menu select Reservoir System or Time Series and then Save. Alternatively, from the File menu select Save Workspace to save all information. It is a good idea to do this frequently.

Once the system is configured, from the Mode menu select Alternative Configuration. To create an alternative, from the Alternative menu select Alternative and then New. Enter a name in the Name box and using the drop down arrows select the appropriate RSS System, RSS Operations, and Time Series Data Set, then click OK. Next, create a run from the Alternative menu and selecting Run, then New. Enter a name and click OK. To edit the run, use the drop down arrow next to the Run box to select the run if necessary and then click the Edit button and a Run Specification window will appear. Enter desired dates and times for the run. These dates must lie within the time period covered by the input time series specified previously. Dates must be entered in the format 28Nov1993. After the dates have been entered, click OK.

From the Alternative Configuration mode, reaches, reservoirs and junctions may be edited the same way as in the System Configuration mode using the arrow tool.

After all data and parameters have been input as desired, click on the Compute button form the Alternative Configuration mode to perform the computations. When the computation is finished, a "Computation Complete" message will appear, the status bar will read 100%, and a Close button will appear. Click Close to close this window.

To view results, right click on reservoirs, reaches or junctions and select a plot option. Several plot options are available for reservoirs.