Advanced 2D Modeling with HEC-RAS and RAS Mapper

This course is offered online:

• Offered over 6 weeks, with pre-recorded content, exercises, and a 1.5 hour Live session each week.
• A recording will be made available of the live session for those who cannot attend.
• Participants should expect to spend 3-5 hours per week on the course.
• This format offers significant flexibility for working professionals and can accommodate a variety of schedules.

Online Course Schedule (Offered over 6 weeks)

• Week 1, Topic 1: Introduction and 2D Model Setup
• Week 2, Topic 2: RAS Mapper for Terrain Modification and Spatial Data Management
• Week 3, Topic 3: Generating 2D Meshes and Spatially Varying Parameters
• Week 4, Topic 4: Boundary Conditions for Stage and Flow Time Series
• Week 5, Topic 5: Computational Options, Plan Runs, and Sensitivity Analyses
• Week 6, Topic 6: Interrogating, Troubleshooting, and Exporting Results in RAS Mapper

Topics covered over the 6 week course:

Introduction and 2D Model Setup

Moving from 1D fundamentals to 2D model development

·         When 2D modeling is appropriate and when simpler approaches may be sufficient

·         Overview of 2D flow areas, computational meshes, breaklines, and boundary condition types

·         Review of prerequisite HEC-RAS concepts from the foundational course

·         Project setup, projection files, terrain selection, and model organization

·         Common 2D modeling mistakes and quality control checkpoints

RAS Mapper for Terrain Modification and Spatial Data Management

Building the spatial foundation for defensible models

·         Terrain creation, terrain association, and terrain modification concepts

·         Using RAS Mapper as a GIS tool for spatial data organization

·         Managing projections, land cover, soils, imagery, and vector data

·         Terrain edits for roads, levees, channels, embankments, and hydraulic controls

·         Data documentation and version control for reproducible model setup

Generating 2D Meshes and Spatially Varying Parameters

Representing the model domain with appropriate resolution and roughness

·         Creating 2D flow areas and base computational meshes

·         Using breaklines, refinement regions, and variable cell spacing

·         Assigning spatially varying Manning roughness values from land cover

·         Representing infiltration and other surface characteristics when appropriate

·         Mesh quality review, stability considerations, and balancing run time with accuracy

Boundary Conditions for Stage and Flow Time Series

Entering and checking unsteady hydraulic inputs

·         Selecting upstream, downstream, lateral, and internal boundary condition types

·         Entering hydrographs, stage time series, normal depth, rating curve, and other boundary conditions

·         Developing reasonable initial conditions and warm-up periods

·         Reviewing hydrograph timing, units, and stability implications

·         Hands-on exercise applying boundary conditions to a 2D domain

Computational Options, Plan Runs, and Sensitivity Analyses

Controlling model runs and comparing alternative assumptions

·         Selecting time step, mapping interval, computational method, and tolerances

·         Understanding Courant number, stability, and run-time tradeoffs

·         Creating plans for base case and sensitivity analyses

·         Testing mesh resolution, roughness, infiltration, boundary conditions, and terrain assumptions

·         Interpreting warnings, errors, notes, and run messages

Interrogating, Troubleshooting, and Exporting Results in RAS Mapper

Turning model output into useful engineering deliverables

·         Creating depth, velocity, water surface elevation, arrival time, and inundation maps

·         Using profiles, time series, point queries, and map layers to investigate results

·         Diagnosing dry cells, instabilities, unexpected flow paths, and unrealistic velocities

·         Exporting maps, rasters, shapefiles, tables, and documentation products

·         Final wrap-up, model review checklist, questions and answers, and next steps

Registration Date/Time:
4/2/2027 09:30am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 4/2/2027  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 4/9/2027  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 4/16/2027  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 4/23/2027  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 4/30/2027  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time
• 5/7/2027  10:00am - 11:30am Central Time

·                Course materials and resources will be distributed through Canvas. Participants should access Canvas after receiving their NetID and watch the email address used during registration for material release dates and pre-course instructions.

·                Participants should confirm access before the first live session, check with their IT department if needed, and monitor spam or junk folders for messages from wisc.edu addresses.

• Instructor

  Krey Price

  Director

  Krey Price is a civil engineer specializing in water resources. Krey is based in Perth, Australia, where he provides consulting and training services in flood modeling. Krey has a master’s degree in hydraulic and coastal engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. Krey’s thirty-year career has included modeling, design, and project management for international flood mitigation projects.

• Program Director

  Adib Amini

Participants will complete hands-on workshops using the current version of HEC-RAS and RAS Mapper.

A Windows laptop is required. Participants should install required software before the first session and confirm that they can open the workshop files.

All students will need a Windows laptop that has:

·                A high-speed internet connection

·                HEC-RAS, current version

·                Microsoft Excel

·                Adobe Acrobat Reader or another PDF reader