Exporting a HEC‑RAS Model to Google Earth

It is quite easy to export a HEC‑RAS model to Google Earth, allowing the HEC‑RAS model data to be viewed in Google Earth.

Follow the steps below to display the Export HEC‑RAS to Google Earth command:

From the Input ribbon menu, click on the Export Data dropdown menu and then select Export HEC‑RAS to Google Earth command.
The Export HEC‑RAS to Google Earth dialog box will be displayed.

The following sections describe the Export HEC‑RAS to Google Earth command and how to interact with the above dialog box.

Google Earth File

This section is used to define where the exported results are to be saved.

Click the […] button at the File name entry to specify the directory location and Google Earth file name to save the exported results.

HEC‑RAS Input Data

This section allows the user to select the HEC‑RAS input data to export. The checkbox option at the HEC-RAS Input Data section header allows the user to enable or disable the section and its underlying elements to be exported. Each HEC‑RAS element type is placed in its own layer. For example, cross sections are placed in a cross-section layer, whereas river reaches are placed in a river reach layer. Also, 3D polyline elements, such as cross sections, are written out as 3D polylines.

HEC‑RAS Output Data

This section allows the user to select the HEC‑RAS output results to export. The checkbox option at the HEC-RAS Output Data section header allows the user to enable or disable the section and its underlying output options to be exported. In addition, the user can select which flood map profiles to export, export BFE contours as well as 2D flow velocity arrows for the selected profile into Google Earth format. Note that the software does not permit the export of contours with time series flood maps.

Animated flood results are exported as animated results to Google Earth.

Other Options

The Overwriting existing Google Earth file checkbox option allows the software to overwrite an existing Google Earth file with the same file name. Also, the View in Google Earth checkbox option causes the software to launch Google Earth from the user’s computer, load the exported Google Earth file, and then zoom into the project area in Google Earth.

Exporting the HEC‑RAS Model

After the options have been defined, click the [Export] button and the software will export the HEC‑RAS model to Google Earth.

Only the current scenario (or plan) will be written out to a Google Earth file. Separate Google Earth files will need to be created if multiple scenarios are to be viewed in Google Earth.