Hydrologic Engineering Center

The Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) on E Street (in the second story of the Brinley Building across 2nd Street from Mishka's Cafe) is an office within the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Institute for Water Resources (IWR). HEC (pronounced H-E-C, never "heck") does research and development of modeling software for hydrology, hydraulics, flood damage analysis, and sediment transport. Their software, most notably the River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) is used throughout USACE, other governmental organizations, and by civil engineers around the world. At their office, HEC provides training to fellow USACE engineers and others. HEC also sends engineers around the world to conduct training seminars in hydrologic engineering and water resources planning. HEC employees frequent the F Street Starbucks, the Posh Bagel, and Chipotle.

USACE (pronounced by Department of Defense employees as "you-sayce") is a federal agency that is involved in flood protection, the dredging of channels, the restoration of wetlands and a variety of other activities relating to water and the environment. Locally, USACE has been involved with the Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area.

2007-06-02 22:10:19   I had one of the engineers from the HEC (John Peters) as a "visiting professor" for my Hydrology class as an undergrad. I also use their models in my job. —RussBowlus