Abstract
Current free to use models developed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) perform unique functions (e.g., hydrology, hydraulics, reservoir operations, and flood impact analysis) that are widely used in numerous studies and applications. These models are commonly set up in a framework that is limited to point source connections, which is problematic in regions with flat topography and complex hydrodynamics. The separate models need to be integrally linked and jointly considered for accurate risk communication and decision-making, especially during major storm events. Recently, Hurricane Harvey (2017) exposed the shortcomings of the existing framework in West Harris County, TX, where an insufficient understanding of potential flood risk and impacts contributed to the extensive flood damages sustained in the region. This work illustrates the possibility of using a single hydraulic model, HEC-RAS 2D, to perform all hydrologic, hydraulic, and reservoir operations modeling necessary for accurate flood impact assessments. Implications of this study include a simplification of the entire flood impact analysis, which could help future flood risk communication and emergency planning.
Highlights
IntroductionThe U.S Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) reservoir operations (e.g., flood storage, water supply, and flow regulation) are typically simulated using the Hydrologic Engineering Center—ReservoirSystem Simulation (HEC-ResSim) software [1]
The U.S Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) reservoir operations are typically simulated using the Hydrologic Engineering Center—ReservoirSystem Simulation (HEC-ResSim) software [1]
This study successfully demonstrates the capability of using a single model, HEC-RAS 2D, for combined hydrologic and hydraulic simulations, reservoir operations, and floodplain analysis in a hydrodynamically complex region (West Harris County, TX, USA)
Summary
The U.S Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) reservoir operations (e.g., flood storage, water supply, and flow regulation) are typically simulated using the Hydrologic Engineering Center—ReservoirSystem Simulation (HEC-ResSim) software [1]. The U.S Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) reservoir operations (e.g., flood storage, water supply, and flow regulation) are typically simulated using the Hydrologic Engineering Center—Reservoir. ResSim is often used in conjunction with other HEC software packages within the Corps Water Management System (CWMS) platform. CWMS and its publicly available equivalent, watershed analysis tool (WAT), are designed to integrate multiple model processes including hydrology (HMS), reservoir operations (ResSim), hydraulics (RAS), and flood impact (FIA). While useful, setting up and running CWMS or WAT properly is challenging because of a seamless integration across all linked models being required. Other modeling software exists that integrate these computations (e.g., MIKE, TUFLOW, InfoWorks ICM, etc.), the prohibitively high costs of these systems, along with the requirement of most U.S municipalities to use the official HEC software, make their use infeasible for many regions. The Addicks and Barker reservoir system and their vicinity were among the most severely impacted
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