Promoting Open and Transparent Hydrologic Modeling: Workflows, Tools and Self-Contained Modules

Configuring process-based hydrologic models can be a cumbersome task, especially for larger domains. In the past model inputs (data), configuration and analysis code, as well as the source code of the models themselves were only rarely openly available. More recently, the hydrology community is moving toward a more open culture, focused on shareable data, tools and code. Here we present various recent open-source advances along the entire modeling chain. These include:

• Workflows for model configuration of large-domain hydrologic models, data-driven seasonal streamflow forecasting and forcing data processing;
• Tools for the remapping of forcing variables from one set of spatial elements to another;
• Tools for adjusting and correcting baseline geofabrics for internal consistency and efficient routing;
• Computationally frugal sensitivity analysis methods;
• Independent hydrologic process modules for specific geographic landscape features and routing through reservoirs;
• Improved numerical methods for model solving and parallelization.

These tools are publicly available with the specific aim to make them useful to others. During this PICO, we welcome discussion about the tools, as well as general discussion about the opportunities and pitfalls surrounding open-source science.