Numerical modeling and software system for water management across USACE districts

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for the nation’s largest portfolio of federal dams and reservoirs, operating more than 700 water control structures across the country. These sites support flood risk reduction, water supply, navigation, and emergency response – functions that depend on timely, data-driven operational decisions.

To manage this system, USACE district offices must continuously collect and validate monitoring data and run multiple hydrologic and hydraulic models under time-sensitive conditions. As data volumes increased and modeling requirements expanded, USACE’s legacy platform – the Corps Water Management System (CWMS) – required modernization to better support operational demands.

A system to meet the needs of a nation

Drawing upon over 50 years of expertise in numerical modeling and software development for water resource management and environmental stewardship, our team was engaged as the primary developer of Hydrologic Engineering Center – Real-Time Simulation (HEC-RTS): the next-generation platform for forecast operations within USACE.

We recognized the need for a more flexible and cohesive forecasting environment that could unify modeling workflows, streamline data processing, and provide reliable decision support across districts without adding complexity for users. In response, HEC-RTS was designed to bring together USACE core modeling tools within a single, extendable framework.

Developed as a Java-based desktop application using HEC’s engineering libraries, the platform is based on a modular architecture that facilitates interaction with standard modeling applications while also offering the flexibility to add custom computational tools.

Key components include:

• Unified modeling environment: Direct integration of HEC-HMS, HEC-ResSim, HEC-RAS, HEC-FIA, and HEC-MetVue within a single interface
• Automated data workflows: Streamlined ingestion, QA/QC, and data posting using HEC-DSS, Oracle databases, CDA APIs, Cumulus meteorological data, and Kisters WISKI systems
• Geospatial visualization: Integrated mapping with live coordinate transformation and support for GIS layers and online map services
• Ensemble and scenario analysis: Compute capabilities to support Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) and other scenario-based evaluations
• Collaborative tools: Forecast dashboard and team modeling features that promote consistent workflows and coordination across district offices
• Reporting and visualization: Built-in plotting and reporting tools for efficient interpretation and communication of model results

The system was delivered with full lifecycle support – including requirements definition, system design, implementation, testing, training, and ongoing maintenance – ensuring effective adoption and continuous refinement.

Informed and coordinated decision-making

HEC-RTS is now USACE’s primary platform for real-time forecast simulation, supporting daily operational decisions across USACE districts. It provides a consistent framework for managing reservoir operations, evaluating flood risk, and coordinating emergency response.

The platform enables USACE to:

• Reduce the time required to move from data collection to actionable forecasts
• Apply consistent modeling workflows across geographically distributed offices
• Integrate hydrologic and hydraulic models within a single operational environment
• Improve visibility of model inputs and outputs through integrated mapping and reporting
• Adapt to new data sources and modeling needs through a modular, extendable architecture

By consolidating data, models, and workflows into a unified system, HEC-RTS establishes a scalable approach to water management – supporting informed, coordinated decision-making across USACE’s national infrastructure portfolio.