Export Geometric Data to GIS Software

[Arthur B]

Hello !

I’m currently using HEC-RAS and I would need to export the geometric data to read them in a GIS Software (Mapinfo) . I selected ” export GIS Data ” in the file menu and then it created an .sdf file that I couldn’t open with any software.

I’ve tried to convert this file to a shape file but it didn’t work.

Does anybody have an idea please ?

( I’d like to have layers with the river and the XS Cutlines on the SIG software)

Many thanks.

Arthur

[Chris G.]

The sdf file is an ascii text file. It can be read in any text editor. You should be able to manipulate the data in these files (either via programming, excel, or other) to get them into formats that can be read into GIS or any other software application that can read text files.

[Anonymous]

Arthur-

If you are looking for just the shapefiles without any attributes, there is a way to export River, XS, SA layers to an ESRI shapefile format. However, in order for this to work correctly, your XS Cutlines should all be georeferenced.

1.) In the main HEC-RAS window, go to GIS Tools, then RAS Mapper.

2.) Under the Geometry you want, right-click a layer, then choose Save Layer As… The default file type should show .shp when you save the layer.

Hopefully this helps!

[Arthur B]

Thank you for your quick answers Chris and Aaron !

I tried to export the layers this morning and it has worked, I can see them correctly.

However, when I want to superimpose other layers with layers from Hec-Ras, it doesn’t work. I think there must be a problem with coordinate reference system.

How can I know if the XS and the river are georeferenced on Hec-Ras ? ( I didn’t build the geometry myself so I don’t know exactly how the construction was done )

If they are not georeferenced, might it explain why I can’t superimpose them with other layers ?

[Chris G.]

Yes, that would explain it. You can find out if your project is georeferenced, by checking the cross section cut lines table in the GIS Tools menu item of the Geometry window. If you have numbers in each cross section’s table, then they are georeferenced. What these numbers look like, might give you an idea of what coordinate system and projection was used, but you’d have to be a pretty crafty GIS type. Ideally, the original modeler would have left the projection information in the Description Box on the main RAS window, but that, unfortunately, doesn’t happen very often. You may be stuck trying different projections by trial and error. But you will save yourself a lot of time doing this if you get a good GIS analyst to help you.

[Arthur B]

Thank you Chris !

I eventually succeeded in finding the projection of the two layers from Hec-Ras and I could superimpose them with another layer.

[Chris G.]

Great!

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am trying to do the same thing: export my geometry to a GIS (in this case ArcMap 10.1). However, when I pull up the RAS Mapper, the only file format it lets me save the file to is something called .rasmap …

Any suggestions on getting it to save a .shp file instead of .rasmap? The XS are georeferenced because I imported them to HECRAS with the HEC-GeoRAS export/import tool.

Thanks in advance.

[Arthur B]

Hello Alan,

It doesn’t work with this solution ?

1.) In the main HEC-RAS window, go to GIS Tools, then RAS Mapper.

2.) Under the Geometry you want, right-click a layer, then choose Save Layer As… The default file type should show .shp when you save the layer.

[Anonymous]

An observation. The shape file exported has only x and y coordinates.
If anyone knows how to export shape files with also the z attribute it would be help full.
Thanks

[sardonyx]

Hi. I just read this post and found that i am facing somewhat a similar problem. I want to extract the geometric details specially the coordinates associated with my cross sections. I tried to take this geometry as shape files in ArcView but i could not find any data. I can see the cross section cut lines in geometry file but i can not get the correct coordinates for them in ArcView. Can you suggest me some way to sort out this problem? My main aim is to develop a 2D model for a river reach with 72 cross sections. Thank you for the help.

[Lauren Addis]

Hi, just looking at this and trying to do something similar. I’ve convered a Hec model to ISIS but it now has no georeferencing information. Does anyone know how to export fully georeferened cross sections with attribute data to ArcGIS ? I have been able to export the cross section as explained above but need eastings and northings for all sample points along the cross sections which is missing. Thanks, Lauren

[Azza]

Hi,

Try using the HEC-RAS Utilities plugin in Mapwindow to map floodplain results. It works great and it’s freeware.

[Anonymous]

If you are using HECRAS Version 5.0.3, RAS Mapper works great!

Under Geometries, expand the geometry layer you want, then right click the “XS” layer. “Export layer”, “Save Features to Shapefile”. This creates a georeferenced shapefile with your cross sections. Voila! You can add this layer in GIS. If you want a *.DWG file, From GIS you can right click, “Data” “Export to CAD”.

I was having problems with the HECRAS Export to GIS option, for import into ACAD, and found this workaround.

[Anonymous]

While am exporting geomtric data created using HEC-GEORAS to HEC-RAS, in cross section part it shows, No gereferenced XS cutlines. I dont know what was the error. Kindly help me to solve the issue.

[Author]

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