Modeling a Dam in GSSHA

Do you have a project that requires modeling a dam, or similar structure, in GSSHA? WMS can make this process smoother with tools designed to help define the structure quickly and efficiently.

In order to create a simulation that includes modeling the dam in WMS and analyzing the dam’s effects using GSSHA, the workflow is as follows:

1. Import an existing GSSHA base model.
2. In the GSSHA map coverage, use the Shift key to select the node where you want the dam to be and the node immediately downstream from it.
3. Right-click on the selected nodes and select Attributes to open a Properties dialog.
4. Select Output Hydrographs at those nodes.
5. Run GSSHA.
6. Using the results from the GSSHA run, size your embankment based on the necessary storage.
7. Using the Create Feature Arc tool, create an arc to represent your dam.
8. Double-click on the arc to bring up the Attributes dialog.
9. Set the type of arc to be an Embankment, then click the ... button next to it to open the Embankment Arc Profile Editor dialog.
1. Set the PVI Elevation to be the height of the dam.
2. Click Compute Vertical Curve to compute the Curve Length.
10. Double-click the node in the stream where your structures will be defined to open the Properties dialog.
11. Click the button under Hydraulic structures to open the GSSHA Hydraulic Structures dialog.
1. Add a Detention Basin, Weir and Culvert.
2. Define the attributes for each of these structures.
12. Run GSSHA again to see the effects of the dam you have created.

If needed, adjust the display options when reviewing the results to get a better idea of how the dam structure affected the results. Try different various options to get a better feel of how the dam affected the simulation results.

Now that you know how to add a dam to GSSHA, try out modeling dam structures and other applications in WMS today!