COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed as a hands-on, application-oriented training course using the Watershed Modeling System (WMS) to make hydrologic estimates using a variety of techniques. It will provide attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to use data derived from geographical information systems (GIS) to develop hydrologic estimates and model runoff from watersheds. The course also teaches how to use digital terrain data for the development of watershed parameters that are required by most commonly used hydrologic analysis programs.

The WMS is a comprehensive environment for hydrologic analysis. It is developed by the Environmental Modeling Research Laboratory (EMRL) of Brigham Young University, and has been licensed for use by all State and Federal highway agencies. WMS makes it possible to take advantage of the wealth of digital terrain, land use, soil, and other GIS data readily available from government and private agencies. This data can then be used for preparing input files for several commonly used hydrologic models. Models supported by the interface include HEC-1 (HMS), TR-20, TR-55, and the Rational Method. This course also includes instruction in use of the regional regression equations contained in the National Flood Frequency (NFF) database. This course teaches the techniques and methods necessary to locate and use GIS data so that labor intensive processes such as delineating watershed boundaries and calculating modeling parameters from paper maps can be avoided when computing design flows and developing flow hydrographs at bridges and culverts.

Participants will receive a notebook that includes course materials, a WMS User's Manual, and copies of the software, workshops, and tutorials used in the course. Non-State highway agency course participants will receive a demonstration version of the proprietary WMS computer program.

OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• Automate basin delineation in WMS with GIS vector data, DEMs, and TINs
• Efficiently use digital watershed data for hydrologic modeling parameter development
• Locate and obtain digital data sources for watershed delineation and hydrologic model development
• Use WMS to build hydrologic input data files for use with HEC-1 (HMS), TR-20, TR-55, regional regression equations, and Rational Method programs, including instruction on how to graphically view the output

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Federal, State, and local hydrologic/hydraulic engineers who have responsibility for the design and analysis of highway stream crossings. In order to derive the most benefit from this training, course participants should have knowledge of the fundamentals of hydrology and hydrologic modeling. Experience with one of the aforementioned hydrologic modeling computer programs would be helpful.

If you have questions about this NHI training, please contact NHI at nhicustomerservice@dot.gov or 877.558.6873.