HEC-HMS

The Hydrologic Engineering Center’s

Hydrologic Modeling System (HMS)
Program Scope
 Designed to simulate watershed hydrology.
 Surface water modeling.
 From meteorology to watershed outlet.
 Tool kit of options.
 Generalized modeling.
 Mathematical model choices.
 Analysis tools.
 Graphical user interface
 Map of the watershed.
 Point-and-edit for entering and updating data.
 Graph and table displays of simulation results.
Program Limitations
 Deterministic models.
 Uncoupled models.
 Evapotranspiration-infiltration.
 Infiltration-baseflow.
 No aquifer interactions.
 Constant parameter values.
 Dendritic stream systems.
 Flow splits possible but limited capability.
 No downstream flow influence or reversal.
 Backwater possible but only if contained within a reach.
Summary of Topics - HEC-HMS
 Premier Hydrologic Model Today (HEC)
 Performs RF-RO Calculations for Watersheds
 Basic Input and Output Options
 Precipitation Options
 Unit Hydrograph Options
 Flood Routing Option
 Creating and Viewing Results and Graphs
Uses of the HEC Program
Models the rainfall-runoff process in a watershed
based on watershed physiographic data

 Offers a variety of modeling options in order to

compute UH for basin areas.
 Offers a variety of options for flood routing along
streams.
 Capable of estimating parameters for calibration of
each basin based on comparison of computed data to
observed data
HEC-HMS Background
Purpose of HEC-HMS
 Improved User Interface, Graphics, and
Reporting
 Improved Hydrologic Computations

 Integration of Related Hydrologic Capabilities

Importance of HEC-HMS
 Foundation for Future Hydrologic Software
 Replacement for HEC-1
 HEC-HMS Availability
Available Through HEC Vendors
Available at HEC Web Site:
http://www.wrc-hec.usace.army.mil
“Public Domain” Program
No Copyright on Software
No Copyright on HEC Documentation
Special Training Available
Program Organization
Main project screen
 Connects to all data and information through menus
Using HEC-HMS

Three components
 Basin model - contains the elements of the
basin, their connectivity, and runoff
parameters
 Meteorologic Model - contains the rainfall and

evapotranspiration data
 Control Specifications - contains the start/stop

timing and calculation intervals for the run

Project Definition
 May contain several basin models, meteorologic
models, and control specifications
 User can select a variety of combinations of the three
models in order to see the effects of changing
parameters on one subbasin
Program Layout

Watershed
Explorer

Desktop

Component
Editor Message Log
Main Components
 Basin model gives the physical description of the watershed.
 Subbasin: watershed catchments where rain falls.
 Reach: rivers and streams.
 Reservoir: dams and lakes.
 Junction: confluence.
 Diversion: bifurcations and withdrawls.
 Source: springs and other model sinks.
 Sink: outlets and terminal lakes.
 Meteorologic model describes atmospheric conditions over the
watershed land surface.
 Precipitation.
 Potential evapotranspiration.
 Snowmelt.
 Control specifications: Time control during a simulation run.
 Basin Model
Basin Model
 Based on Graphical User
Interface (GUI)
 Click on elements from left and
drag into basin area
 Can import map files from GIS
programs to use as background
 Actual locations of elements do
not matter, just connectivity and
runoff parameters
Basin Model Elements

 subbasins- contains data for subbasins (losses,

UH transform, and baseflow)

 reaches- connects elements together and

contains flood routing data

 junctions- connection point between elements

 reservoirs- stores runoff and releases runoff at a

specified rate (storage-discharge relation)
Basin Model Elements

 sinks- has an inflow but no outflow

 sources- has an outflow but no inflow

 diversions- diverts a specified amount of runoff

to an element based on a rating curve - used for
detention storage elements or overflows
Basin Model Parameters
Loss rate, UH transform, and baseflow methods
Abstractions (Losses)
Interception Storage
Depression Storage
Surface Storage
Evaporation
Infiltration
Interflow
Groundwater and Base Flow
Loss Rate methods

Green & Ampt

Initial & constant
SCS curve no.
Gridded SCS curve no.
Deficit/Constant
No loss rate
Initial and Uniform Loss Computation

Initial Loss Applied at Beginning of Storm

 Estimated from Previous or SCS data
 Sand: 0.80-1.50 inches; Clay: 0.40-1.00 inches

Uniform Loss Applied Throughout Storm

 Also Estimated From Previous Studies or SCS
Data
 Sand: 0.10-0.0 in/hr; Clay 0.05-0.15 in/hr
HEC-HMS Loss Entry Window
Rainfall/Runoff Transformation
 Unit Hydrograph
 Distributed Runoff
 Grid-Based Transformation
 Methods:
 Clark
 Snyder
 SCS
 Input Ordinates
 ModClark
 Kinematic Wave
 Unit Hydrograph
Definition:
 Sub-Basin Surface Outflow Due to Unit (1-in)
Rainfall Excess Applied Uniformly Over a Sub-
Basin in a Specified Time Duration
Duration of UH:
 HEC-HMS Sets Duration Equal to Computation
Interval
Synthetic Unit Hydrographs
Computed from Basin Characteristics
HEC- HMS Synthetic Unit Hydrographs
 SCS Dimensionless Unit graph
 Clark Unit Hydrograph (TC & R)
 Snyder Unit Hydrograph
 User-Defined Input Unit Hydrograph
 ModClark Unit Hydrograph
Clark Unit Hydrograph
Computation
Estimating Time of Concentration
for Clark Unit Hydrograph
Hydraulic Analysis Method
 Compute Travel Time in Open Channels and Storm
Sewers based on Flow Velocities
 Compute Reservoir Travel Time from Wave Velocity

Overland Flow Equations

 Kerby Method
 Kirpich Method
 Overton & Meadows
 SCS TR-55 Method for Shallow Concentrated Flow
Baseflow Options

 recession
 constant

monthly
 linear reservoir

 no baseflow
Stream Flow Routing

 Simulates Movement of Flood Wave

Through Stream Reach
 Accounts for Storage and Flow Resistance

 Allows modeling of a watershed with sub-

basins
Reach Routing

Flood routing
methods:
Simple Lag
Modified Puls
Muskingum
Muskingum Cunge
Kinematic Wave
 HEC-HMS Methods for
Stream Flow Routing
 Hydraulic Methods - Uses partial form of St
Venant Equations
 Kinematic Wave Method
 Muskingum-Cunge Method

 Hydrologic Methods
 Muskingum Method
 Storage Method (Modified Puls)

 Lag Method
Effects of Stream Flow Routing
Avg Inflow - Avg Outflow = dS/dt

Storage S
Inflow

Outflow

Dt
Modified Puls (Storage)
Stream Flow Routing Method

Storage-Indication Relationship:

I - Q = (dS/dt)

Averaging at two points in time: 1 and 2

I1 + I2 + (2S1/Dt - Q1)= (2S2/Dt + Q2)

HEC-HMS Stream Flow Routing
Data Window
Storage-Discharge Relationships
Stream Flow Diversions
Diversion Identification
Maximum Volume of Diversion (Optional)
Maximum Rate of Diversion (Optional)
Diversion Rating Table
 Stream Flow Rates Upstream of Diversion
 Corresponding Diversion Rates
Stream Flow Diversions
Flow is allowed to move from one channel to
another via a side weir or flow across a low
divide Weir
Diverted Q

Flow increases until a fixed level and then a

flow diversion table determines rate through
the weir or across the divide
Reservoir Routing

Developed Outside HEC-HMS

Storage Specification Alternatives:

Storage versus Discharge
Storage versus Elevation
Surface Area versus Elevation

Discharge Specification Alternatives:

Spillways, Low-Level Outlets, Pumps
Dam Safety: Embankment Overflow, Dam Breach
Reservoirs I - Q = dS
dt

Level Pool Reservoir

Pond storage with I Q (weir flow)

outflow pipe S
H
Q (orifice flow)

S = f(Q) Q = f(H)

I
Orifice flow:

Orifice flow Q=C* 2gH

Weir flows Weir Flow:

Q = CLH3/2

Inflow and Outflow Inflow

Q (cfs)

I=Q
Outflow

time
Reservoir Data Input
Initial Conditions to Be Considered
 Inflow = Outflow
 Initial Storage Values
 Initial Outflow
 Initial Elevation
Elevation Data Relates to Both Storage/Area
and Discharge
HEC-1 Routing Routines with Initial Conditions
and Elevation Data can be Imported as
Reservoir Elements
Reservoir Data Input Window
Meteorologic Model
Meteorologic Model Evapotranspiration-ET
Precipitation monthly average,
user hyetograph no evapotranspiration
user gage weighting
inverse-distance gage
weighting
gridded precipitation
frequency storm
standard project storm -
Eastern U.S.
Precipitation
Historical Rainfall Data
Recording Gages
Non-Recording Rainfall Gages

Design Storms
Hypothetical Frequency Storms
Corps Standard Project Storm
Probable Maximum Precipitation
 Gage Data
Gage Data (from project definition screen)

Precipitation gages-
precipitation data for
use with meteorologic
models

Stream gages- observed

level data to compare
computed and actual
results
Precipitation:
Gridded Weather Radar Data
Data from National Weather Service
NexRAD program, Doppler Radar
Data must be manipulated and stored in DSS file
format
Grids are HRAP (NWS) or SHG (HEC)
HRAP uses spherical projections and generalized earth
radius values
SHG uses Albers Equal Area projections
Grids cover about 1 square kilometer
Historical raw data may not be archived
Sources of Rainfall
Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF)
East of 105th Meridian (Denver)
 NWS HYDRO-5 (5 minutes to 60 minutes)
 NWS TP-40 (2 hours to 24 hours) - 1961

 NWS TP-49 (2 days to 10 days)

West of 105th Meridian

 NOAA Atlas 2 (Separate Volumes for Each
State)
 Input and Output Files
project-name.HMS: List of models, descriptions and
project default method options
basin-model-name.BASIN: Basin model data,
including connectivity information
precipitation-model-name.PRECIP: Precipitation
model data
control-specifications- name.CONTROL: Control
specifications
run-name.LOG: Messages generated during execution
of run
project-name.RUN: List of runs, including most
recent execution time
 Input and Output Files
project-name.DSS: DSS file containing basin model
data such as computed hydrographs and storage
discharge relationships
project-name.DSC: List of files contained in DSS file
project-name.OUT: Log of operations for the DSS file
project-name.MAP: Coordinate point file for subbasin
boundaries and channel location
project-name.GAGE: Listing of gages available for use
in the project
HMStemp.TMP: Echo listing of imported HEC-1 model
 Data Storage System (DSS)
Multiple time series or relational data sets
Each data set or record has a unique pathname/Castro
Valley/Fire Dept/PRECIP-INC/16Jan197/10min/Obs/
Pathnames Consist of Parts A through F
 Part A: General name, project name

 Part B: Specific name, or control point

 Part C: Data type (PRECIP-INC, PRECIP-CUM,

FLOW, STORAGE, etc.)

 Part D: Start Date

 Part E: Time interval

 Part F: User specified

The HEC-HMS “Options”
Precipitation Option (6 available)
Loss Computation (5 available)
Runoff Transform Computation (6 available)
Routing Computation (7 available)
Over 6 x 5 x 6 x 7 = 1,260 Combinations

Subbasin
routing reach
Control Specifications
Control Specifications - Start/Stop/Time Interval
 Running a project
User selects the
1. Basin model
2. Meteorologic model
3. Control ID for the
HMS run
Viewing Results
 To view the results: right-click on any basin element,
results will be for that point

 Display of results:
 hydrograph- graphs outflow vs. time
 summary table- gives the peak flow and time of peak
 time-series table- tabular form of outflow vs. time

 Comparing computed and actual results: plot

observed data on the same hydrograph to by selecting a
discharge gage for an element
Viewing Results

hydrograph
 HEC-HMS Output
1. Tables
Summary
Detailed (Time Series)
2. Hyetograph Plots
3. Sub-Basin Hydrograph Plots
4. Routed Hydrograph Plots
5. Combined Hydrograph Plots
6. Recorded Hydrographs - comparison
Viewing Results

Summary table

Time series table

 HEC-HMS Output
Sub-Basin Plots
Runoff Hydrograph
Hyetograph
Abstractions
Base Flow
 HEC-HMS Output

Junction Plots
Tributary Hydrographs
Combined Hydrograph
Recorded Hydrograph
Purpose of Calibration
Can Compute Sub-Basin Parameters
Loss Function Parameters
Unit Hydrograph Parameters
Can Compute Stream Flow Routing
Parameters
Requires Gage Records
GIS Preprocessor
 HEC-GeoHMS can be used to create basin models using
terrain data.
 Start with a digital elevation model.
 Select a watershed outlet and then GeoHMS
automatically delineates the watershed border and
preliminary subbasins outlines.
 Adjust subbasin outlets.
 GeoHMS creates a basin model that can be imported into
HEC-HMS and also creates database table of parameters
that can be estimated from terrain and other
supplemental data layers.
Information on HEC-HMS

www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/software_d
istrib/hec-hms/hechmsprogram.html
(the user’s manual can be downloaded from this
site)
www.dodson-hydro.com/download.htm#
Electronic_Documents