Converting Real-Time Water Management Models for Use in Water Resources Studies

Abstract

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has been tasked to complete project studies more quickly without sacrificing model fidelity and to shift to a watershed and systems-based approach for decision making that incorporates risk analysis. These requirements are central to the USACE Civil Works and Planning Transformation Objectives. While tools exist to address these requirements, those tools have not been universally adopted. After the 2010 and 2011 floods, USACE initiated a plan to build real-time Corps Water Management System (CWMS) watersheds (212) throughout the Nation where USACE has a water management responsibility. One of the key reasons USACE management accepted the plan was that construction of CWMS models benefited other USACE mission areas. One benefit was that the CWMS models could be readily converted to planning models. Preliminary results indicated that the planning process could be shortened significantly if CWMS models were available early in the planning process. USACE performed a detailed study of three basins where CWMS models were converted to HEC-WAT (Watershed Analysis Tools) models. This paper will summarize the study and indicate that starting with CWMS watersheds; significant efficiencies are created thereby supporting the USACE goal of streamlining the planning process while still using detailed modeling.