Course Description

This intensive, hands-on, three-day seminar and computer workshop will prepare the engineer and water resource professional to use the HEC-RAS computer program in real world situations. Led by experts with experience in hydraulic modeling, participants learn how to conduct water surface profiles, bridge hydraulics, and flood plain information studies using the steady flow capabilities of HEC-RAS. Unsteady flow capabilities are taught in a separate companion class “HEC-RAS Computer Workshop for Unsteady Flow Applications.” The HEC-RAS modeling system was developed as part of the Hydrologic Engineering Centers Next Generation software and replaces several existing Corps of Engineers programs, including the HEC-2 water surface profile program. HEC-RAS incorporates various aspects of hydraulic modeling, including water surface profile computations and bridge hydraulics.

HEC-RAS advances in open channel hydraulic analysis include:

• Automatic analysis of sub-critical and supercritical flow regimes in a single analysis.
• Availability of all widely used methods for bridge and culvert hydraulic analysis.
• Ability to perform bridge scour analysis including pier contraction and abutment scour.
• Many other capabilities developed from years of experience with HEC-2 and other major hydraulic analysis computer programs.

While offering these advanced capabilities, HEC-RAS remains compatible with HEC-2 and will import almost any correctly assembled HEC-2 input data file, perform hydraulic analysis, and will yield essentially the same results as HEC-2 for the same input data. All major HEC-2 program features and options have been incorporated in HEC-RAS, including bridge and culvert analysis, and floodway computations.

HEC-RAS is user friendly, computationally efficient, and runs within, and fully supports, the Microsoft Windows environment. It uses the latest graphical user interface (GUI) technology for data entry, graphics, and display of program results. Complete context-sensitive help screens are available for every program feature and option. Software includes the following functions: file management, data entry and editing, hydraulic analyses, tabulation and graphical displays of input and output data, reporting facilities, and on-line help.

HEC-RAS is one of the most extensively tested civil engineering computer programs ever developed. In addition to extensive in-house testing at the Hydrologic Engineering Center and at other Corps of Engineers offices, the program has been through two full beta releases, during which the program was tested by thousands of engineers in the private and public sectors.

Seminar Benefits

• Learn how to use the US Army Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS (River Analysis System) computer program.
• Gain hands-on HEC-RAS experience by participating in practical computer workshops.
• Get an overview of hydraulic principles for rivers, waterway bridges, and culverts.
• Optimize the effectiveness of your next flood control or drainage projects.
• Obtain valuable insights in model development and flood way optimization for FEMA flood insurance studies.

Special Features

Workshop participants receive the following publications and software:

• HEC-RAS Software (latest version)
• HEC-RAS Course Notes and Workshop Problems
• HEC-RAS User Manual
• HEC-RAS Hydraulic Reference Manual
• HEC-RAS Application Manual
• HEC-RAS Example Problems

Who Should Attend

Consulting engineers, water resource planners, engineers employed by local, state, or federal government agencies. Participants should have some experience in floodplain hydrology and/or hydraulics. They should also be able to follow simple computer instructions.

Summary Outline

Day One

• Overview of HEC-RAS Capabilities
• Basic Hydraulic Model Development
• Computer Workshop on Basic Model Development
• Modeling Tributary Junctions
• Computer Workshop on Modeling Tributaries and Junctions

Day Two

• Modeling Ineffective Flow Areas and Levees
• Basic Hydraulic Theory
• Modeling Bridges
• Computer Workshop on Modeling Bridges
• Modeling Culverts

Day Three

• Modeling Multiple Openings
• Computer Workshop on Multiple Openings
• FEMA Floodway Determination
• Computer Workshop on Floodway Determination
• Computer Workshop on Output Analysis

Attendees' Comments

“I really enjoyed learning how to model split flow with HEC-RAS. I will apply what I learned in this course to the bridge and culvert designs that I am in charge of.”
Reza Afaghpour
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Santa Fe, NM

“The HEC-RAS training and course material will assist me in improving the analysis approach we take in reviewing submittals.”
Ellery Biathrow
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Santa Fe, NM

“I really enjoyed this class and learned how to use HEC-RAS to analyze drainage issues from channels, to culverts, to bridge openings. I really liked the instructor's patience and humility, and his ability to explain things in plain language. This has been an excellent course with clarity in presentation and hands-on experience. Thank you!”
Ricardo Roybal
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Santa Fe, NM

“I really enjoyed the bridge modeling section. Having the instructor work through the exercise before assigning it to the student was very helpful.”
Zann Jones
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Santa Fe, NM

“The bridge and culvert modeling course content was extremely useful.”
Timothy Trujillo
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Santa Fe, NM

“The design of bridges, abutments and other related items was very useful instruction. This course was a very good introduction to HEC-RAS. I will be able to competently perform hydraulic analysis of streams, channels, culverts, bridges, etc. The course was very clear and concise. The instructor speaks well and clear.”
Morris Muskett
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Santa Fe, NM

“Modeling of a river network exercise was very interesting. I will use the bridge hydraulic analysis and scour calculation material that I learned in my day-to-day duties.”
Parviz Eftekhari
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Santa Fe, NM

“The bridge modeling section was very good. We can use this for designing culverts and bridges. Jacob, our instructor, is very knowledgeable and an excellent instructor. I definitely learned a lot from this course. It was a very good learning tool.”
Rae Van Hoven
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Santa Fe, NM

“I really enjoyed the hands-on channel, culvert, and bridge modeling exercises. The instructor was calm, cool, and collective. He spoke clearly and concisely. Great course.”
Guillermo Martinez
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Las Cruces, NM

“The bridge and culvert training was extremely useful. What I learned will allow me to check other consultant's work—especially on bridge replacement projects. The instructor was very patient, throws in a little humor, clear and precise. Great teacher! A lot of very useful material.”
Tisha Clark
New Mexico Department of Transportation
Las Cruces, NM

“I was able to learn a lot regarding HEC-RAS in a short time. I would recommend this course for others.”
Shesh Koirala,
Ph.D. URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“We map floodplains and the water surface elevations generated in HEC-RAS. HEC-RAS is deceptive in that it seems user-friendly, but there is a lot to know about the software that is not obvious. This training course really helped in addressing these items.”
Luke Smith
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“I'd recommend this course for others to get a better understanding of HEC-RAS.”
Tiara Kissam
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“The instruction was very interactive and we kept moving pretty quickly through topics—so that kept my interest. For beginners, this is a great introduction to HEC-RAS. For more experienced modelers, this training gives you more background information and helps you understand exactly what the HEC-RAS program is doing. I will use what I learned in this training to model streams with tributaries as a single model, instead of two or three as I have done in the past.”
Jamie Prochno
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“I liked the examples that the instructor gave, along with the great analogies and help to remember the methods. Great handouts, very easy to follow. The instructor has lots of experience on HEC-RAS and hydraulics. I would recommend this course to others.”
Hsiu-Chuan Lin
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“I really enjoyed the troubleshooting section to see what kinds of problems come up and how to solve them. I have a better understanding of what HEC-RAS is looking for and what I need to have in order to get what I want and how to manipulate the HEC-RAS program better. I thought our instructor did a good job giving both background information and information useful for jobs. I would recommend this course for others, it was very helpful.”
Manuel Masestas
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“I liked how our instructor customized the training to our needs with our data. The instructor was well trained and has a good understanding of individual's level of need.”
Tony O'Rowke
Yurok Tribe
Hoopa, CA

“I would recommend this course to other fish biologists who are currently involved in watershed restoration. HEC-RAS is being used so much in our field that we need to have a better understanding of this model. Our instructor was very knowledgeable, personable, and friendly. We will use HEC-RAS to improve our ability to restore the Lower Klamath Subbasin.”
Sarah Beesley
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA

“I liked our instructor's flexibility in teaching to the audience's needs and desires. He was also very willing to help and presented things clearly. HEC-RAS is very useful software that does require some training to understand.”
Megan Rocha
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA

“Good course material and example problems.”
Cody Smith
Trinity Valley Consulting Engineers
Willow Creek, CA

“Before this course, I had no knowledge of HEC-RAS. From what I learned in this course, I will be able to understand the use of HEC-RAS software and apply that knowledge to get more effective use out of our river data. The course was very effective for the amount of time we had. I would recommend this course—it was very useful to learn the HEC-RAS software. I could not have done it on my own.”
Elaina Supahan
Yurok Land Management
Hoopa, CA

“I really liked that the instructor did not waste time on irrelevant issues—he had a good focus on the course objectives. He gave a really good instruction for this material. We will use what we learned on river restoration projects and floodplain analysis.”
Josh McKnight
Trinity Valley Consulting Engineers
Willow Creek, CA

“I will use what I learned on bridge and culvert modeling for our road upgrades. The instructor was very good and knowledgeable.”
Richard Nelson
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA

“The instructor was friendly and repeatedly steered the instruction toward our specific needs. I will use what I learned for culvert and bridge modeling.”
Dan Gale
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA

“I enjoyed the floodplain and tidally influenced flow modeling lessons. The instructor was very knowledgeable and has a very good knowledge of the HEC-RAS program. This course is very important tool for river management.”
Rocco Fiori
Fiori Geosciences
Klamath, CA

“I will be using what I learned from this course for reviewing models within the company that other engineers have prepared. I found the course very helpful for stream, bridge, and culvert modeling.”
Keith Schauer, P.E.
Vice President
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“I will be using this to assist in modeling channels on some of the commercial projects we have coming up. The instructor did a great job in teaching our staff.”
Reece Whitley
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“I will be using the material from this course to model river systems and generate flood studies. Our instructor was very approachable, and a good style of instruction. I would recommend this course to other engineers considering it, since the material provided in the training course was extremely useful.”
Ashok Perera
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“After this course I feel more comfortable at changing an existing model (by adding cross sections, etc.). The training material and visuals that were provided are very good, and I liked the "hands on" workshops that we did. I would recommend this course to others, as it is very informative and helped me feel that I could do a HEC-RAS project from what I learned.”
Joan Ternus
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“I liked our instructor's clear, straight presentation style. I really can use the multiple culvert modeling example in projects that I do.”
Joe Grasso
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“I really enjoyed the course—all topics were useful. I will use what I learned on some floodplain projects that we have.”
Luis Santiago
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“I found the culvert material extremely helpful, and will apply this directly to my work. Overall, our instructor did an excellent job.”
Jacob Sturm
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“I found that the hands on training very informative. Our instructor was very thorough in going through the sample projects in HEC-RAS.”
Carlos Garcia
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“I thought that the course was very good. I will be able to start to apply this to my project work right away.”
Greg Bracun
Doucet & Associates, Inc.
Austin, TX

“I was able to learn a lot regarding HEC-RAS in a short time. I would recommend this course for others.”
Shesh Koirala, Ph.D.
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“We map floodplains and the water surface elevations generated in HEC-RAS. HEC-RAS is deceptive in that it seems user-friendly, but there is a lot to know about the software that is not obvious. This training course really helped in addressing these items.”
Luke Smith
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“I'd recommend this course for others to get a better understanding of HEC-RAS.”
Tiara Kissam
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“The instruction was very interactive and we kept moving pretty quickly through topics—so that kept my interest. For beginners, this is a great introduction to HEC-RAS. For more experienced modelers, this training gives you more background information and helps you understand exactly what the HEC-RAS program is doing. I will use what I learned in this training to model streams with tributaries as a single model, instead of two or three as I have done in the past.”
Jamie Prochno
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“I liked the examples that the instructor gave, along with the great analogies and help to remember the methods. Great handouts, very easy to follow. The instructor has lots of experience on HEC-RAS and hydraulics. I would recommend this course to others.”
Hsiu-Chuan Lin
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“I really enjoyed the troubleshooting section to see what kinds of problems come up and how to solve them. I have a better understanding of what HEC-RAS is looking for and what I need to have in order to get what I want and how to manipulate the HEC-RAS program better. I thought our instructor did a good job giving both background information and information useful for jobs. I would recommend this course for others, it was very helpful.”
Manuel Masestas
URS Corporation
Albuquerque, NM

“I liked how our instructor customized the training to our needs with our data. The instructor was well trained and has a good understanding of individual's level of need.”
Tony O'Rowke
Yurok Tribe
Hoopa, CA

“I would recommend this course to other fish biologists who are currently involved in watershed restoration. HEC-RAS is being used so much in our field that we need to have a better understanding of this model. Our instructor was very knowledgeable, personable, and friendly. We will use HEC-RAS to improve our ability to restore the Lower Klamath Subbasin.”
Sarah Beesley
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA

“I liked our instructor's flexibility in teaching to the audience's needs and desires. He was also very willing to help and presented things clearly. HEC-RAS is very useful software that does require some training to understand.”
Megan Rocha
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA

“Good course material and example problems.”
Cody Smith
Trinity Valley Consulting Engineers
Willow Creek, CA

“Our instructor was very knowledgeable.”
Scott Gaston
SG Drafting
Cottonwood, CA

“Before this course, I had no knowledge of HEC-RAS. From what I learned in this course, I will be able to understand the use of HEC-RAS software and apply that knowledge to get more effective use out of our river data. The course was very effective for the amount of time we had. I would recommend this course—it was very useful to learn the HEC-RAS software. I could not have done it on my own.”
Elaina Supahan
Yurok Land Management
Hoopa, CA

“I really liked that the instructor did not waste time on irrelevant issues—he had a good focus on the course objectives. He gave a really good instruction for this material. We will use what we learned on river restoration projects and floodplain analysis.”
Josh McKnight
Trinity Valley Consulting Engineers
Willow Creek, CA

“I will use what I learned on bridge and culvert modeling for our road upgrades. The instructor was very good and knowledgeable.”
Richard Nelson
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA

“The instructor was friendly and repeatedly steered the instruction toward our specific needs. I will use what I learned for culvert and bridge modeling.”
Dan Gale
Yurok Tribe
Klamath, CA

“I enjoyed the floodplain and tidally influenced flow modeling lessons. The instructor was very knowledgeable and has a very good knowledge of the HEC-RAS program. This course is very important tool for river management.”
Rocco Fiori
Fiori Geosciences
Klamath, CA

“Training was very clear and to the point. I liked that during the presentation of examples, we were able to see the errors in the model due to the incomplete information added versus perfect entry. This beats seeing a model that has no mistakes in it. Hence, we were able to learn a lot of from this training.

This training was very useful since there are lots of details and examples covered. And, because there was time to do the examples yourself. Just looking at how someone else does it does not work.”
Yelena Koshenkov
Urbantech Consulting
Markham, ON, Canada

“I really enjoyed the examples on culvert and bridge design, and troubleshooting a model. We will use this software on stream restoration, re-alignment, and stormwater management plans.

The instructor was very clear, and presented the material at both basic and advanced levels of HEC-RAS understanding.”
Carman Luk
Gartner Lee Ltd.
Markham, ON, Canada

“This class will allow me to be more accurate and efficient in my HEC-RAS modeling projects. The presentations were very clear and easy to understand.”
Emily Waisanen
UMA Engineering Ltd.
Mississauga, ON, Canada

“This course dramatically increased my knowledge of the HEC-RAS program, its capabilities, and how to troubleshoot a model. The instructor was very good. The training manual that was presented is worth its weight in gold and will continue to be helpful.”
Lisa Moreira
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
Welland, ON, Canada

“Even if you have done HEC-RAS projects before, this course provided many "short-cuts" and other "rules of thumb" that can be very useful or necessary.”
Jennifer Joye
MTE Consultants, Inc.
Kitchener, ON, Canada

“I would like to thank you for the good quality of the training, it was really helpful and with a lot of practical examples.

I really liked the modeling of a multiple opening bridge/culvert examples.”
Ermira Tasi
TMIG - The Municipal Infrastructure Group Ltd
Vaughan, ON, Canada

“I liked that we were presented how to use HEC-RAS in real life situations. And, I really liked Jacob' [our instructor] teaching method and presentation style.”
Yin Fan
Environment Canada
Cornwall, ON, Canada

“All topics of the training were very applicable to my work. The approach that our instructor used to teach the class was very helpful—by working through the exercises before having us do them.

This course provides a good review of HEC-RAS' capabilities, as well as proper modeling techniques and examples.”
Dale Erb
B. M. Ross & Associates, Ltd.
Goderich, ON, Canada

“I especially liked the bridge modeling examples. Really liked that the instructor went through all steps of each topic and example before having us do the examples. This is a well taught, informative course.”
Glen Feagan
B. M. Ross & Associates, Ltd.
Mt. Forest, ON, Canada

“Really liked the hints (short cuts, etc.) to make HEC-RAS modeling easier and quicker. The instructor [Jacob] is very good. This was a very helpful course.”
Evelyn Liu
UMA Engineering Ltd.
Mississauga, ON, Canada

“I liked the fact that the instructor was able to go outside of the course curriculum in order to illustrate extra features and capabilities in HEC-RAS. This is a great informative course on HEC-RAS. I would recommend this course to others.”
Jean-Francois Dionne
WESA - Water & Earth Science Associates Ltd.
Ottawa, ON, Canada

“The instructor was very clear, and responds to questions very friendly. I would recommend this course to both new and experienced users of HEC-RAS.”
Freddy Baron
Earth Tech Inc.
Markham, ON, Canada

“This is excellent training, and gives a great overview of the HEC-RAS software. Very good examples.”
Carlos Hurtado
Earth Tech Inc.
Markham, ON, Canada

“I found this training very useful and interactive, and will make me more productive with HEC-RAS. I would recommend this training course to others.”
Sobhalatha Kunjikutty
Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority
Lanark, ON, Canada

“This was a very good course. Jacob [our instructor] was very approachable and was able to explain hands-on exercises very well.”
Marnie Guindon
Crowe Valley Conservation Authority
Marmora, ON, Canada

“I will be able to use the training from this course in order to create a visualization model for the St. Clair River to show the public whether erosion of the upper river can or can't increase conveyance.”
Rob Caldwell
Environment Canada
Cornwall, ON, Canada

“Very clear content. I would recommend this course for others. It is a powerful tool to know.”
Pierre Boulanger
OEL - HydroSys
Montreal, PQ, Canada

“Really enjoyed the bridge and culvert design examples—for both steady state and unsteady state conditions. The instructor articulated well—he was not restricted to "the book" in order to demonstrate HEC-RAS' capabilities and limitations.”
Thomas Sulatycky
Ministry of Natural Resources
South Porcupine, ON, Canada

“Really enjoyed the modeling of dam structures, storage areas, and dam failures. We use HEC-RAS frequently throughout the year, so the unsteady knowledge from this course will improve the quality of our work. The instructor has a great knowledge of the subject material, and the examples are well designed and practical to work through.

This is a very well done course, designed for all who use HEC-RAS (consultants, conservation authorities, regulators, etc.). I would definitely recommend this course to others.”
Rebecca Elliott
MTE Consultants, Inc.
Kitchener, ON, Canada

“Great Instructor!”
Lana Russell
TMIG - The Municipal Infrastructure Group Ltd
Vaughan, ON, Canada

“I liked that our instructor [Jacob] did the demonstration examples first, and then let us do them. I would recommend this course for others—it was very useful and I learned a lot.”
Janet Engel
Grand River Conservation Authority
Cambridge, ON, Canada

“Great examples, excellent course notes. Instructor was well prepared and knowledgeable.”
Les Janos
J.H. Cahoon Engineering Limited
Brantford, ON, Canada

“Excellent presentation style, very knowledgeable, practical and efficient presentation. Excellent course material and presentation.”
Valentina Lazic
MTE Consultants, Inc.
Kitchener, ON, Canada

“Excellent course. Good balance of basic and advanced knowledge.”
Dan Lee
Cole Engineering
Markham, ON, Canada

“Definitely will have a better understanding of using HEC-RAS for culvert design and floodplain mapping. Sometimes Jacob (our instructor) went a bit fast, but this was due to the amount of material to cover in 2 days.”
Janet Noyes
XCG Consultants, Ltd.
Kingston, ON, Canada

“Excellent teaching with humor. Practical yet very knowledgeable. Good material, excellent teaching with practical lessons and useful tricks and tips. Very well done.”
Rebecca Elliott
CWRA HEC-RAS Training Course
Toronto, ON, Canada

“Provided a good coverage of the basic HEC-RAS modeling techniques and included helpful tips to improve modeling efficiency and accuracy.”
Daniel Twigger
C.C. Tatham & Associates, Ltd.
Collingwood, ON, Canada

“Very informative, well focused manual. Seems very well written. Each lesson has a solution file, therefore allowing someone to review the lessons later. Course was very informative and focused.”
Tom Gmyrek
Bruan Consulting Engineers, Ltd.
Guelph, ON, Canada

“Kept course on topic. Did not get slowed down by course questions. Highly technical content.”
Tom Reeve
Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority
Utopia, ON, Canada

“Very good style. Brief demo then working example was a good technique.”
Ian McLaurin
Cadham Hayes Systems
Port Perry, ON, Canada

“We will be able to model floodplains in house now and model storm ponds in the floodplain for net storage changes. Very easy to follow, timely hands on exercises to help aid understanding and break up lecturing.”
Amanda Froese
Meritech Engineering
Cambridge, ON, Canada

“I was glad to see real examples and the instructor having real-life experience with the software.”
Name withheld upon request
CWRA HEC-RAS Training Course
Toronto, ON, Canada

“Liked the labs, doing on our own after overview by the instructor. This forced us to learn the software, not just copy what the instructor was doing.”
Melanie Batterink
Totten Sims Hubicki Associates, Ltd.
Barrie, ON, Canada

“Thanks for a great course!”
John Palmer
Grand River Conservation Authority
Cambridge, ON, Canada

“The presentation was very clear and the examples were real life examples, so it was really good. We will have projects with floodplains, culvert design, bridge checks. So overall, we will use HEC-RAS a lot.”
Ozlen Ozkurt, Ph.D.
Dewberry-Goodkind, Inc.
New York, NY

“I like the illustration of example problems. It was excellent.”
Name withheld upon request
Munoz Engineering P.C.
New York, NY

“I liked the structure of the HEC-RAS training (I could follow along in the notebook provided).”
Christy Sackfield
Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc.
Williamsburg, VA

“I like his competence in the program. Very informative, well taught class.”
Colon W. Gaskill, Jr.
Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc.
Richmond, VA

“Like level of expertise and knowledgebase. Very helpful in understanding issues with HEC-RAS UNET and RiverCAD.”
Nick Lauretta
Williamsburg Environmental Group, Inc.
Williamsburg, VA

“Very helpful for all HEC-RAS users at all levels.”
Anonymous
RBF Consulting
Irvine CA

“I would recommend this HEC-RAS course to others because it’s easier to use the software after the short training course.”
Olivier Pages
SCP Rogier (Société Du Canal De Provence)
Aix-en-Provence, France

“Jacob accommodated our interests and needs very well and took extra steps to prepare between classes. He did very well. Thank you!”
Kim Pate
City of Seattle
Seattle, WA

“Jacob was very knowledgeable, friendly and positive.”
Allan Solonsky
City of Seattle
Seattle, WA

“Jacob knew the material and topics surround the material very well. He made an effort to help us with our specific needs. He was also very accommodating to our schedules and needs.”
Alex Byrne
City of Seattle
Seattle, WA

“This training will help me to fix problems with models and create profiles, which is necessary for my job. The instructor had a good sense of humor and did a good job answering questions.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“I liked the fact the Jacob adapted quickly to the knowledge level of his audience.”
Abraham Barrios
Braun Engineers
Guelph, ON
Canada

“The lessons were interactive and the presentation was excellent.”
Maria Yun Sang
Aquafor Beech
Brampton, ON
Canada

“The instructor was very knowledgeable, and the exercises were appropriate for the course.”
Michael Heralall
Valdor Engineering Inc.
Woodbridge, ON
Canada

“I really liked the examples, real-life pictures, and hints on short cuts in HEC-RAS.”
Brian Verspagen
Cambridge Engineering Consultants, Ltd.
Cambridge, ON
Canada

“I would recommend this course to others because it gives you a good working knowledge and comfort level with HEC-RAS.”
Cory Harris
Conservation Halton
Milton, ON
Canada

“We are thankful for your HEC-RAS 3.1 Lessons that you gave here at PBS&J. You were very helpful and it made a difference.”
Alex Haptemariam
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“I just want to thank Jacob for providing a great training session for us. In the past few days, we've heard plenty of compliments about Jacob and his teaching. The staff members agree that we in the class will definitely find his teachings useful. As training coordinator, I can say this training was well worth the time and effort. Thanks again, and we look forward to working with Jacob and BOSS International in the future.”
Garrett Skinner
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“Jacob had a good sense of humor. He was knowledgeable but was good at bringing it down to the beginner’s level as well.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“I like the organization of the presentation. It made it easier to understand each progressive step. The course is appropriate for anyone calculating BFE’s or reviewing submitted modeling.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“I would recommend this course to others because the course is very comprehensive and useful.”
Name withheld upon request
Marshall, Macklin, Monaghan, Ltd.
Thornhill, ON
Canada

“I will have a better understanding of what goes into this modeling and will know better what to look for. I liked that it wasn’t theory based but more of what is needed to run models.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“The course gave me more knowledge about HEC-RAS modeling with which I deal every day at work. I will be better able to deal with HEC-RAS modeling issues.”
Rajib De
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“Jacob has a very easy-going, humorous approach.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“Jacob was very knowledgeable and spoke in an easy to understand way. It was very thorough and easy to follow.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“This course will give me the contractors’ perspective to review models, and provides more tools to perform and fix modeling problems. I like the way the class was presented with both practical and theoretical applications.”
Alex Haptemariam
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“I thought Jacob did a very good job keeping people’s attention and interest in what he was saying. He seemed to communicate well with the audience.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“I liked the hands-on aspects particularly. It is valuable to have the advanced knowledge for the software and modeling theory.”
Brett Holthaus
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“The instructor had a good understanding of topics and did a great job of relaying the topics to the class. It was a very useful and helpful course.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“The instructor was very well prepared. He went over the exercises himself before he asked the participants. This saved a lot of time.”
Name withheld upon request
PBS&J
Beltsville, MD

“I really liked the diagrams that he drew on the board to explain things. He had a very good understanding of how the model was set up and run.”
Rob Schurman
Entranco, Inc.
Bellevue, WA

“Jacob did a great job moving around from topic to topic since we only had 2 days to complete the training. The hands-on experience and one-to-one help from a person knowledgeable with the software application is a huge benefit.”
Edie Griffith
Entranco, Inc.
Bellevue, WA

“The instructor did a good job of focusing on the interests of the participants.”
Karen Comings
Entranco, Inc.
Bellevue, WA

“I thought Jacob’s methods were very good. He seemed to adjust to fit our knowledge level. The course was tailored pretty much on the fly to fit our needs.”
D. Meckl
Fenn & Associates
Detroit, MI

“Jacob did an excellent job. He is very knowledgeable.”
Jeff Rizzo
Fenn & Associates
Detroit, MI

“Real world applications were used throughout the training. It was very well thought out and was all applicable.

I would absolutely recommend this course to others. BOSS was very responsive to my questions in setting the training up, as well as flexible in tailoring the training to meet our particular needs.”
Charles Ikenberry
Carollo Engineering
Walnut Creek, CA

“Jacob did a great job. He was very thorough and had good explanations of concepts and modeling work. He also handled questions well.

The course was very well done. I learned a lot about stormwater and floodplain software.”
Name withheld upon request
Carollo Engineering
Walnut Creek, CA

“The training course was great. It was tailored to the issues our group was interested in.”
Name withheld upon request
Carollo Engineering
Walnut Creek, CA

“I feel that I’ve gained a complete working knowledge of HEC-RAS, from data collection, processing, input and manipulation to calculation.”
Name withheld upon request
Carollo Engineering
Walnut Creek, CA

“As part of an ongoing flood study we wanted to simulate the behavior of tidal outlets from a low-lying river in southern England, especially in the light of the probable impact of sea level rise. We were keen to use the latest non-steady state version of HEC-RAS 3.0, partly because it was freely available on line, and is also supported by an excellent manual, which can be downloaded in PDF format. We had found that with care and persistence it was fairly easy to construct a relatively simple model of a river systems, but the more complex problems proved to be another matter altogether.

We therefore invited BOSS International to send over to us here in the UK their senior technical engineer, Jacob Maeder, in order to present us with a training course, compressed from the intended 5 to 3 days. The “us” were 4 academics from within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Southampton and 2 research students, one of them having the task of investigating the hydraulics of the river, the eccentrically named Aldingbourne Rife near to Bognor Regis.

All of us felt that the course was brilliantly organized, quite the best way to get to grips with the non-steady state version of HEC-RAS. At the end of the 3 days, we all felt confidant that we could begin to develop complex models, in particular focusing on tidal culverts through which the Aldingbourne Rife discharges to sea.

The course included a combination of being taught the processes; we basically understood the theory, and hands-on practice, beautifully balanced, so much so that it became a great pleasure to attend. Not only that, we feel that this sort of course is something that we would very much like to offer our undergraduates, and are actively considering ways in which this might be achieved.”
Dr. David Rycroft
University of Southampton
Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Southhampton, UK

“On behalf of Northwest Consultants Inc., we would like to extend our appreciation for the HEC-RAS Training Seminar Jacob performed on April 11-12. The experience was both interesting and educational. As a result, all those who participated now feel confident in using the program for all of our hydraulic related projects. Those of us with prior knowledge learned some additional tricks of the software while those of us with no previous experience found the seminar highly informative and easy to comprehend. From the practical examples to the segment on troubleshooting, the training seminar was equally beneficial for all.

As the instructor, Jacob did a commendable job of teaching the strengths and weaknesses of using HEC-RAS as a modeling tool for engineers. His ability to relate HEC-RAS to real life situations along with his experience in using HEC-RAS models in projects he has worked on was particularly valuable. Even under less than desirable conditions, he managed to keep the attention of the audience with a thorough presentation and address all of our questions.”
Jie Luo, P.E, Vice President
Northwest Consultants, Inc.
Canton, MI

“The course was tailored very well to our situation.”
Name withheld upon request
Northwest Consultants, Inc.
Canton, MI

“Covered plenty of valuable material. Useful for almost anyone working in the field of river mechanics, hydraulics, hydrology, or large-basin studies.

Covered all the material that our company needed for the type of work we do.”
Paul Harmsen
W & H Pacific
Beaverton, OR

“This course should help attendees become good modelers.”
Bryon Keene
Quinte
Belleville, ON
Canada

“I liked the whiteboard diagrams, analogy, and the real world data used by the instructor.

The course is most beneficial to staff who may only have experience with HEC-2.”
Michael Dodd
Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority
Utopia, ON
Canada

“The instructor covered the material quite thoroughly.”
Dru Dron
Totten Sims Hubicki
Kitchener, ON
Canada

“Jacob was very efficient and enthusiastic.”
Andy Kroess
Planning & Engineering Ltd.
Kitchener, ON
Canada

“Jacob is a great instructor. He is very knowledgeable, relaxed but focused.”
Rob Carson
Ontario Power Generation
Niagra-on-the-Lake, ON
Canada

“I liked the hands-on plus theory and background aspects of the course.”
Karyn Cornfield
CH2M Hill Canada Ltd.
Ottawa, ON
Canada

“Jacob has a great deal of information to share. I liked his presentation style.”
Nancy Reid
CH2M Hill Canada Ltd.
Ottawa, ON
Canada

“I liked the excellent analogies and plain language used by the instructor.

The course helps fill in a lot of holes.”
Douglas Emerson
Sernas Associates
Mississauga, ON
Canada

“I liked when we had to try the lessons ourselves and Jacob would walk around to answer the questions. I learned a great deal and would recommend this course.”
Name withheld upon request
CWRA HEC-RAS Training
Toronto, ON
Canada

“Jacob is well spoken, encourages questions, and uses real and easy to understand examples. The course has enhanced my understanding of both model and hydraulics.”
Name withheld upon request
CWRA HEC-RAS Training
Toronto, ON
Canada

“Overall a very effective presentation. Lots of work was put in preparing the slides. I would recommend this useful course to other college and senior engineers.”
Richard M. Morales
Masongsong Associates Eng. Ltd.
Toronto, ON
Canada

“The instructor had good presentation skills and a good knowledge of the subject.”
Alex Gordine
Golder Associates Ltd.
Mississauge, ON
Canada

“Good use of examples and presentation slides.”
Name withheld upon request
CWRA HEC-RAS Training
Toronto, ON
Canada

“Jacob is a good clear speaker and handled the questions well.”
Amber Palmer
Stantec Consulting
Markham, ON
Canada

“Overall Jacob is very enthusiastic, confident, and entertaining. He definitely maintains an upbeat session.

Clearly a helpful hands-on training session, with a very knowledgeable instructor.”
Name withheld upon request
CWRA HEC-RAS Training
Toronto, ON
Canada

“Jacob is very enthusiastic and thorough. He grabbed our attention and kept us interested. He really seems to enjoy instructing and made sure we got as much out of the course as possible.”
Name withheld upon request
CWRA HEC-RAS Training
Toronto, ON
Canada

“The course provided a very detailed overview of the capabilities of HEC-RAS.”
Roslyn Lusk
Totten Sims Hubicki
Kitchener, ON
Canada