George Mason University

Department of Civil, Environmental and Infrastructure Engineering

Dr. Celso Ferreira

Prepared by Lora Baumgartner

Exercise Topic: Getting started with HEC –RAS

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Objective: Create a HEC-RAS model of the George Mason University watershed using HEC-RAS.

**Refer to the HEC-RAS User Manual for definitions and context of the steps and tools in this tutorial, found in the Help Menu of the RAS toolbar.*

Tutorial Cross Section Data provided in .TXT appendix.

Versions used for this tutorial: HEC-RAS 4.1.0

1
Prep: Download basemap image. Open
HEC-RAS and Save As the new project.

1. Click the “Edit/Enter geometric

data” button on the main
toolbar.

2. In the Geometric Data window,

click the “Add/edit background
pictures” icon in the top toolbar.

3. Click “Add”.

4. Select the basemap image

(provided) and click “Close”.

5. To view the extents of the

basemap image, select “Full
Plot” from the View drop-down
menu.

2
Draw River Reaches

1. Click the “River Reach” icon in

the Geometric Data window.

2. Draw the WestBranch of the

GMU system by clicking at the
*upstream* end to start.
Continue clicking along the reach
and double-click to end the
drawing.

3. Assign names to the River and

the Reach. Suggested names are
shown to the right.

4. Click “OK”.

5. The sample reach is drawn to the

right.

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6. Repeat the reach drawing for the
EastBranch of the GMU system.

*Doubleclick to end the

EastBranch on top of the end of
the WestBranch.

7. Click “OK”.

8. A junction between the West and

East branches will be
automatically created. Name the
junction.

9. Click “OK”.

4
Build Cross Sections

1. Click the “Cross Section” icon in

the left toolbar.

2. Select the Outlet reach from the

River drop-down menu.

3. Select “Add a new Cross Section”

from the Options drop-down
menu.

*Cross Sections must be drawn

from downstream to upstream.

4. Assign the station number as the

name. Start with the
downstream cross section of the
Outlet.

5. Click “OK”. Save Geometry data

(this is separate from saving
project at beginning of exercise).

5
6. Note that the river station of the
cross section has been assigned.

7. Enter the Cross Section

Coordinates.
The Station indicates the x-
coordinate of a point within the
geometry of the cross section.
The Elevation to the right of the
Station indicates the
corresponding y-coordinate.

8. Enter the Manning’s “n” values

for the cross section
components.
Manning’s “n” values are
indicated for the left bank,
centerline, and right bank of the
stream.

9. Enter the bank stations.

Bank stations indicate
intersection of bank lines with
cross section geometry line.

10. Enter the downstream reach

lengths.
Lengths to next downstream
feature. Differing values indicate
that the cross section is offset
(the stream makes a bend).

6
11. When all information has been
entered in the Cross Section Data
fields, click “Apply Data” in the
same window.

The cross section geometry,

based on the Station and
Elevation coordinates provided, is
drawn.

7
12. Repeat steps 2 through 11 for the
remaining cross sections.

*Data for all sample cross

sections is provided in the
appendix of this document.

Note that several cross sections

overlap. This is not correct.

8
“Dog-leg” the Intersecting Cross Sections

1. Select “Move Object” from the

Edit menu in the Geometric Data
window.

2. Drag the overlapping ends of

each cross section
Choose locations that eliminate
overlap while minimizing bend.

9
Edit Junction

1. Click the “Junction” icon in the

Geometric Data window.

2. Assign Junction Lengths to each

intersection.

*Junction lengths are measured

from the downstream cross
section of the upstream reach, to
the upstream cross section of the
downstream reach.

3. Click “OK”.

10
Create Bridge (WestBranch)

1. Click the “Bridge/Culvert” icon in

the left toolbar.

2. Select the WestBranch from the

River drop-down menu.

3. Select “Add a Bridge and/or

Culvert” from the Options drop-
down menu.

4. Enter the River Station number.

5. Click “OK”.

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6. Note that the existing cross
sections immediately upstream
and downstream of the bridge
are listed.

7. Click the “Deck/Roadway” icon in

the Bridge/Culvert Data window.

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8. Enter the distance from the
upstream face of the bridge to
the closest upstream cross
section.

9. Enter the width of the bridge.

10. Enter the upstream side and

downstream side coordinates.

“High chord” indicates the y-

coordinate of the top of the
bridge for the given station.

“Low chord” indicates the y-

coordinate of the bottom of the
bridge for the given coordinate.
If value is 0, bridge will be filled in
to the ground level.

11. Click “OK”.

*The bridge geometry, based on

the Station and chord
coordinates provided, is drawn.

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Create Culvert (EastBranch)

1. Still in the Bridge Culvert Data

window, select the EastBranch.

2. Select “Add a Bridge and/or

Culvert” from the Options drop-
down menu.

3. Assign the River Station value

and click “OK”.

4. Click on the Culvert icon on the

left toolbar.

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15
5. Select “Circular” shape culvert.

6. Assign the culvert barrel

diameter.

7. Select “Pipe projecting from fill”

as the Scale #.

8. Assign the Distance to Upstream

XS.
*Distance from the culvert end to
the nearest upstream cross
section.

9. Assign the culvert barrel length.

10. Assign the Entrance loss

coefficient, using the provided
table.

11. Assign the Manning’s n values

using the provided table.

12. Assume that no portion of the

culvert barrel is blocked.

13. Assign the Upstream Invert

elevation.
*”Invert” refers to the bottom lip
of the culvert barrel.

*The elevation should match the

lowest elevation of the nearest
cross section.

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Fill in the Area Above the Culvert

14. Enter the distance from the

upstream face of the culvert deck
(road above) to the closest
upstream cross section.

*Note that the distance is slightly

longer than the distance from the
culvert barrel to the upstream XS.
Indicates slope from road down
to culvert.

15. Enter the width of the deck

(road).

16. Enter the upstream side and

downstream side coordinates.

“High chord” indicates the y-

coordinate of the top of the deck
(road) for the given station.

“Low chord” indicates the y-

coordinate of the bottom of the
deck (road) for the given
coordinate. If value is 0, bridge
will be filled in to the ground
level.

17. Click “OK”.

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*Geometry should look similar to
diagram at right at this point.

18
Enter Flow Data

1. Click the “Steady Flow” icon in

the main toolbar.

2. Enter Sample Flow Data for each

reach.

3. Click the “Reach Boundary

Conditions” button.

4. Select the first blank cell for the

available reaches.

5. Click “Known W.S.”.

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6. Assign a sample water surface
level to the reach.

7. Click “OK”.

8. Repeat Steps 4 through 7 for the

remaining two parameters.

9. Click “OK”.

10. Click “Apply Data”.

11. Save the flow data and exit.

20
Simulation Run

1. Click the “Steady Flow

Simulation” icon in the main
toolbar.

2. Confirm that Subcritical Flow is

selected.

3. Click “Compute” to run the

simulation.

4. Address any errors; if none, click

“Close”.

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5. To view the results of the
simulation run, go to the
Geometric Data window and
select the simulation run from
the Profile drop-down menu at
top right.

6. Note that the extents of the

simulated flow are now indicated
in blue at each cross section.

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