HEC-Metvue—Tool for Real-Time Forecasting; Analyzing and Manipulating Gridded Datasets; Development of Design Storms for Probable Maximum Precipitation Estimation

A well established infrastructure of precipitation gages along with technological advances in radar estimates of precipitation provide a wealth of information for the meteorological and hydrologic communities. This information is critical for assessing, operating and managing the nation’s inventory of dams, levees and other water resource related assets. HEC-MetVue is an important tool developed to calibrate, process, analyze and utilize this precipitation data and is linked closely with USACE numerical modeling tools such as HEC-HMS. The capabilities of HEC-MetVue include, but are not limited to, transposition of observed storms, adjustments to precipitation intensities, and development of Depth-Area-Duration (DAD) tables. The latter are an integral part of the Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) process and decreases the amount of time required for storm analysis from weeks to hours. Identification and analysis of extreme storm events and D-A-D tables are critical in the development of site-specific PMP estimates. Further development of these storm analysis tools will directly enable the population of the USACE Extreme Storm Database. HEC-MetVue has the ability to develop raster or TIN data from point data using interpolation techniques. This tool enables the development of historic rainfall events from gage data to gridded data for use in numerical models. On-going studies within the US Army Corps of Engineers are analyzing historical storms in collaboration with MetStat. The findings in these analyses provided updated D-A-D estimates for historical storms that controlled PMP estimates. These D-A-D analyses were used in an effort to update PMP estimates for dams on the Trinity River in Texas. For most studies, PMP estimates are derived either through generalized studies such as the Hydrometeorological Reports (HMRs) or site-specific efforts. HEC-MetVue enables the user to automatically estimate generalized PMPs based on the geographic information of a watershed such as HMR52 and HMR55a. The ability to execute HMR57 is in development. In short, HEC-MetVue has already begun to assist key PMP and PMF studies and is anticipated to increase its impact dramatically during the next 2-3 years. The potential for improved extreme storm analysis will expand to inter-agency coordination and can be expected to provide an additional level of support to those in the federal, state, and local communities who serve in a variety of capacities for preserving, managing, or forecasting the impacts of our waterways to the American public.