Dam and Levee Breaching with HEC-RAS

With the release of HEC-RAS 3.1 (November, 2002), users can now perform dam and levee breaching analyses. This paper discusses the methodology used to perform the breaching, as well as the available options. The data required to perform such an analysis is reviewed, and available output from the model is displayed. Model stability issues are also addressed, with solutions to some of the typical problems provided. An example application of the dam break capability within HEC-RAS will be presented.