GeoHECRAS®
from a variety of data sources
- Overview
- Features
- 2D Modeling Features
- Additional Features
- Comparison
- Client Videos
- Pricing - Hidden
- Client Testimonials
- Case Studies
- Pricing
What is GeoHECRAS?
GeoHECRAS significantly speeds up creation and review of HEC-RAS models, producing better and more accurate results. Compute water surface profiles for steady and unsteady flow models, bridge and culvert roadway crossings (including scour), FEMA floodplain encroachments, stream restorations, dam failures, and much more. The software can perform 1D, 2D, and hybrid 1D-2D HEC-RAS modeling for a variety of conditions. GeoHECRAS runs HEC-RAS in an AutoCAD compatible user interface.
GeoHECRAS Overview (video 03:17 minutes)
Work Faster with Automated Workflows
- Quickly Build 1D & 2D HEC-RAS Models
- 100% Compatible with US Army Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS
- CAD & GIS Integration
- Automated Engineering Workflows
- Automated Engineering Report Creation
- Automated Bridge & Culvert Sizing and Designing
- Automated FEMA Floodplain Encroachments
- Free Training & Engineering Project Assistance
- 24x7 Technical Support
- Quickly Build 1D & 2D HEC-RAS Models
- 100% Compatible with US Army Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS
- CAD & GIS Integration
- Automated Engineering Workflows
- Automated Engineering Report Creation
- Automated Bridge & Culvert Sizing and Designing
- Automated FEMA Floodplain Encroachments
- Free Training & Engineering Project Assistance
- 24x7 Technical Support
Advanced Workflows
Automated Engineering Workflows
Powerful workflow automation tools accelerate model development, enabling you to build complex HEC-RAS models in a fraction of the time. Maintain accuracy and consistency across projects while eliminating repetitive setup tasks.
Civil 3D Integration
Streamline your design process by leveraging existing Civil 3D drawings in GeoHECRAS. Work seamlessly between civil design and hydraulic modeling, reducing setup time by hours and ensuring your HEC-RAS analysis always reflects the latest design iterations.
CAD & GIS Integration
Work seamlessly within your preferred platform—AutoCAD, Civil 3D, MicroStation, or ArcGIS. GeoHECRAS integrates directly with CAD and GIS data, then exports completed models and results back to your design environment—eliminating data silos and maintaining unified project workflows.
2D & 3D Viewing and Editing
View your HEC-RAS model in both 2D plan view and immersive 3D to gain complete project understanding. Switch seamlessly between 2D plan view for precise design work and 3D visualization for verifying elevations, identifying conflicts, and communicating designs to stakeholders.
See how engineers are using GeoHECRAS
SEC, Inc.
It’s really difficult to decide which is my most favorite function of GeoHECRAS. Just setting up the model is so easy and…
MBC Engineers
It was probably the most complex problem we’ve ever worked with; I don’t know how we could have done it without GeoHECRAS…
Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
So we’re able to run a model, get results back, if it doesn’t meet the criteria, we’re able to quickly make…
Features
Digital Cross Section Cutting
Automatically extract cross sections from diverse surface and 3D elevation data sources with intelligent placement along river reaches. GeoHECRAS analyzes channel geometry and hydraulic characteristics to position cross sections optimally—ensuring accurate model results while eliminating tedious manual digitizing and guesswork.
Easy to Learn and Use
GeoHECRAS simplifies hydraulic modeling with an intuitive, easy-to-learn interface that automates time-consuming workflows. Build your HEC-RAS models faster through intelligent automation that handles geometry creation, data extraction, and model setup—letting you focus on engineering decisions, not tedious manual tasks.
Floodplain and Floodway Mapping
Automate floodplain encroachment analysis with streamlined workflows for both 1D and 2D HEC-RAS models. GeoHECRAS intelligently generates encroachment scenarios, performs hydraulic computations, and produces accurate floodplain and floodway maps—transforming hours of manual work into minutes of automated efficiency.
2D Mesh Generation and Refinement
Generate rectangular, adaptive, or conceptual 2D meshes precisely tailored to your project requirements. With more meshing scheme options available than in standard HEC-RAS, gain the flexibility to optimize both computational accuracy and performance for any hydraulic model.
Included High-Resolution Elevation Data
Start modeling immediately with built-in high-resolution 1-meter elevation data covering the USA, Canada, Europe, and more. GeoHECRAS eliminates costly elevation data purchases and time-consuming imports—providing accurate, survey-grade terrain information ready to use the moment you launch your project.
Included Land Use Coverage
Access comprehensive land use coverage for the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and beyond—built right in. Instantly compute composite Manning’s roughness values, infiltration rates, runoff coefficients, and imperviousness without purchasing external datasets. Start modeling immediately with authoritative global data at your fingertips.
Automated GIS Mapping Functions
Automate critical HEC-RAS model parameters with intelligent workflows that define bank stations, flow lengths, ineffective flow areas, conveyance obstructions, levees, and more. GeoHECRAS applies engineering logic to handle complex modeling considerations automatically—delivering accurate, comprehensive models in a fraction of traditional setup time.
Cloud-Based Mapping Services
Access comprehensive cloud-based mapping services and authoritative data directly within GeoHECRAS—including high-resolution LiDAR elevation data, FEMA flood maps, watershed delineation, soil classifications, land use datasets, and more. Eliminate time-consuming data collection and start modeling immediately with everything integrated.
Automated Design Storm Assignment
Automatically retrieve precipitation depths and storm distributions for 1 to 500-year events across the USA, Canada, and many European countries. GeoHECRAS queries authoritative databases by project location—eliminating manual atlas lookups and ensuring regional code compliance for accurate, defensible flood analysis.
Professional Report Generation
Generate polished, agency-ready reports directly from your hydraulic models. GeoHECRAS automatically creates comprehensive project documentation in Microsoft Word and Excel—complete with cross-sections, profiles, flood maps, and results tables—formatted to your specifications.
Fully Customizable Report Templates
Tailor reports to meet any agency’s standard or client requirement. Customize layouts, add company branding, include specific data tables, and control what information appears. Save templates for consistent deliverables across all your projects.
Eliminate Manual Report Assembly
Stop copying and pasting results from HEC-RAS into documents. GeoHECRAS automatically populates your reports with current model data, graphs, and images. When your model changes, regenerate updated reports in seconds—not hours.
2D Modeling Features
Draw 2D Mesh Faces
Take direct control of mesh generation. Draw custom mesh patches exactly where you need refinement—around structures, along channels, through complex terrain—and GeoHECRAS honors your design during automatic mesh generation. No more trial-and-error adjusting meshing nodes to achieve local mesh refinement.
2D Ineffective Flow Areas
Accurately model zones where water is present but doesn’t contribute to flow conveyance. GeoHECRAS lets you define 2D ineffective flow areas—regions like building alcoves, bridge recesses, or dead zones behind abutments—where water accumulates without actively conveying discharge.
2D Conveyance Obstructions
Model flow barriers and impediments in your 2D mesh with precision to represent buildings, walls, berms, or any structure that blocks or redirects flow. Quickly test configurations and see exactly how obstructions impact your hydraulic results.
2D Flow Training Structures
Model flow training structures for river restoration projects. Design and analyze dikes, bendway weirs, and other structural measures that maintain the channel within the floodway and prevent channel migration during flood events.
2D Floodplain Encroachments
Analyze multiple floodplain encroachment scenarios in minutes instead of hours. Automatically place and evaluate fills, levees, roads, or development impacts along your river reach for both steady and unsteady 2D flow simulations.
Adaptive 2D Mesh
Model complex hydraulics more accurately with adaptive mesh generation. GeoHECRAS creates unstructured meshes that conform to irregular boundaries and refine automatically around structures, delivering better accuracy in areas with complicated flow patterns.
Auto Fix 2D Mesh Bad Elements
Automatically fix bad mesh elements in seconds—no manual cleanup required. HEC-RAS often generates 2D meshes with elements flagged as “bad” that can require hours of tedious manual corrections. GeoHECRAS fixes these automatically, letting you move straight to running your model.
2D Mesh Edits
Edit your 2D mesh with confidence—all modifications are permanently preserved. Insert elements, reposition nodes, refine problem areas, or adjust breaklines, and your edits stay intact even when you regenerate or update the mesh, eliminating hours of repetitive rework.
Assign Land Cover Data
Automatically assign Manning’s roughness values to cross sections and 2D flow areas using detailed land use data. Global coverage includes the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and other regions—delivered instantly via cloud services.
Google Earth Map Animation
Create dynamic flood map animations in Google Earth to communicate flood risks clearly and effectively. Export your HEC-RAS results directly to Google Earth format, showing how floodwaters rise and spread over time across real-world terrain.
Flood Hazard Maps
- Flood Arrival Time
- Depth x Velocity
- Depth x Velocity²
- Flood Duration
- Flood Recession Time
- % Time Inundated
- Velocity
- And more…
2D Bridge Analysis
- Circular pier
- Rectangular round nosed pier
- Rectangular sharp nosed pier
- Rectangular square nosed pier
- Square pier
Additional Features
MDI Multiple Model Editing
Work on multiple projects without switching applications. GeoHECRAS lets you load, edit, and run multiple HEC-RAS models simultaneously—compare alternatives side-by-side, manage different project phases, or keep client work organized. Boost productivity with true multi-model and multi-project capability that standard HEC-RAS lacks.
Work with Your Data, Not Against It
Import point clouds, cross-sections, breaklines, and topographic data in the formats your field crews already use. CSV, shapefile, LAS, LandXML, or ASCII—GeoHECRAS handles the technical details so you can focus on building better models.
FEMA Approved Software
GeoHECRAS provides complete support for HEC-RAS and is FEMA-approved for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) stormwater and flood studies, ensuring regulatory compliance and acceptance by federal agencies, municipalities, and reviewing authorities nationwide.
Unlimited Undo and Redo
Easily correct mistakes and explore design alternatives with full unlimited Undo and Redo capability. Make changes confidently knowing you can instantly reverse any edit, from simple cross section adjustments to complex floodplain encroachments.
What-If Scenario Manager Analysis
Compare multiple scenarios side-by-side, including existing versus proposed conditions and design alternatives. Evaluate different bridge designs, culvert roadway crossings, or floodplain encroachments to quickly identify the most cost-effective and compliant solution for your project.
Expert Technical Support
Extend your engineering team with unlimited 24/7 toll-free support from experienced water resource engineers—not just software technicians. Get expert guidance on complex hydraulic engineering problems, modeling challenges, and design questions whenever you need it, at no additional cost.
AI-Powered Engineering Assistance
Leverage AI-powered engineering assistance for real-time support with project review, simulation troubleshooting, and modeling questions. Get instant solutions to technical challenges and guidance based on engineering best practices—helping you work faster and more confidently.
Free Training & Engineering Project Assistance
Receive complimentary training tailored to your projects along with expert guidance from water resource engineers who support you from initial setup through project completion. Ensure your team is immediately productive and equipped with best practices for successful, efficient project execution.
Powerful 64-bit, Multi-Core Support
Handle larger, more demanding projects efficiently with powerful 64-bit, multi-core, parallel processing capabilities. Process extensive stormwater networks, perform complex hydraulic calculations, and run critical storm analyses significantly faster.
What makes GeoHECRAS different?
Here’s a quick overview of how our features compare to our competitors.
| Capability | GeoHECRAS | HEC-RAS | OpenFlows FLOOD |
Aquaveo SMS |
HY-8 | WMS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automated Floodplain & Floodway Mapping | Limited | |||||
| Automated FEMA Floodplain Modeling | ||||||
| CAD & GIS Integration | Limited | Limited | ||||
| Built-in Cloud-Based Mapping Services | Limited | Limited | Limited | |||
| MDI Multiple Model Editing | ||||||
| Integrated 2D / 3D Viewing & Editing | ||||||
| Built-In Elevation Data Sources | Limited | |||||
| Construct XS from Multiple Data Sources | ||||||
| Integrated Terrain Modeling | Limited | |||||
| Adaptive 2D Meshing & Patching | Limited | |||||
| Automated Bridge Design | ||||||
| Unlimited Undo / Redo | ||||||
| 24×7 Toll Free Technical Support | Limited | |||||
| Free Onboard Training | ||||||
| Free Engineering Project Assistance |
Client Videos
SEC, Inc.
It’s really difficult to decide which is my most favorite function of GeoHECRAS. Just setting up the model is so easy and…
MBC Engineers
It was probably the most complex problem we’ve ever worked with; I don’t know how we could have done it without GeoHECRAS…
Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
So we’re able to run a model, get results back, if it doesn’t meet the criteria, we’re able to quickly make…
Crafton Tull
Why doesn’t HEC-RAS do this? was a question Anna Negrete of CEI Engineering Associates, Inc. (formerly at Crafton Tull) would often ask before she started using GeoHECRAS…
Integrated Engineering
Water resource and project engineers at Integrated Engineering PLLC describe the substantial time and cost savings gained with use of GeoHECRAS…
Bolton & Menk, Inc.
Company engineers at Bolton & Menk praise GeoHECRAS’s ability to combine editing functionality, model manipulation and output in one integrated package…
FTN Associates, Ltd.
With GeoHECRAS, Lee Beshoner of FTN Associates explains that he can efficiently create surface files and generate model results quickly, effectively…
LJA Engineering, Inc.
The firm of LJA Engineering struggled for years to match up AutoCAD survey information in a surface coordinate system with a GIS coordinate system before switching to GeoHECRAS…
Thouvenot, Wade & Moerchen, Inc.
Engineers at Thouvenot, Wade & Moerchen praise GeoHECRAS’s Scenario Manager tool, the ability to quickly set up surface geometries for hydraulic models, and…
The H.L. Turner Group Inc.
Engineers at H.L. Turner Group, Inc. observe that prior to using GeoHECRAS, the time needed to create a geometry file for a model was significant and could…
Lyon Engineering
Brian Bucholtz of Lyon Engineering emphasizes how GeoHECRAS software pulls everything together and allows him to seamlessly input data and…
Morrison-Maierle
Water resource engineers at Morrison Maierle discuss their ability to adjust a river model’s geometry very efficiently using GeoHECRAS…
ILIFA Africa Engineers
An engineering and land surveying firm that works extensively in floodplain delineation appreciates that GeoHECRAS brings base information together in one…
JE Fuller
JE Fuller tackles drainage projects all over the world as well as in the U.S. Chris Rod, engineer for over 40 years, appreciates that GeoHECRAS runs independently…
BEPG
Denis Rouselle, engineer in charge of hydraulic studies, structural design and floodplain management studies in Nancy, France, confirms that prior to using GeoHECRAS…
Barbagelata Ingeniería S.A.
Engineer Vanessa Gimenez explains her firms’ difficulty generating pre-processed and post-processed data for the many hydrologic 2D models developed by…
GRUPPE WASSER
Prior to use of GeoHECRAS, civil engineer Marcus Prantl had difficulty creating accurate surface terrain, as well as delineating river reaches and bridges…
ARTELIA Madagascar
The time it took to enter data, run programs independently of one another, and then edit the output often left little time to review the results of river…
Client Testimonials
Case Studies
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
Unlike the traditional USACE HEC-RAS software which Kimley-Horn had used historically, the use of GeoHECRAS’ surface…
FTN Associates, Ltd.
With GeoHECRAS, Lee Beshoner of FTN Associates explains that he can efficiently create surface files and generate model results quickly, effectively…
Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
Ever since CEC started using GeoHECRAS, the time spent on model development has been cut by 50%. Now only 25% of…
Bolton & Menk, Inc.
Company engineers at Bolton & Menk praise GeoHECRAS’s ability to combine editing functionality, model manipulation and output in one integrated package…
JE Fuller
JE Fuller tackles drainage projects all over the world as well as in the U.S. Chris Rod, engineer for over 40 years, appreciates that GeoHECRAS runs independently…
Aquafor Beech Ltd.
The compatibility of GeoHECRAS with GIS and other applications like PCSWMM makes the pre- and post-processing aspects….
KPA Engineers
Prior to using GeoHECRAS, KPA engineers would have to switch back and forth between various CAD and GIS programs and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)…
Stormwater Management Consulting
The use of GeoHECRAS for floodplain delineation has resulted in significant time and cost savings as well. Skupien notes that….

