ArcVIC: An ArcGIS-based Tool for the VIC (Variable Infiltration Capacity) Model

The VIC model, as a large-scale, semi-distributed hydrological model, has been widely used in basin-to-global-scale applications, including hydrological dataset construction, trend analysis of hydrological fluxes and states, data evaluation and assimilation, forecasting, coupled climate modeling, and climate change impact assessment. However, on the one hand, since the VIC model was developed based on the Linux/Unix platform, it lacks a visual interface interaction, which causes certain inconvenience in its application. On the other hand, the VIC model requires a large amount of complex work in data preparation, parameter file creation and calibration, which poses high demands on users' geographic data processing capabilities and programming skills. These limitations, to some extent, make beginners daunting and hinder the popularization and application of the model.

This study, based on the ArcGIS environment and using the Python Add-In mode, has developed a user-friendly and low-threshold visualization modeling tool for the VIC model, enabling model construction, data processing, parameter calibration and result display on a unified platform. Firstly, users can complete all the preparation of modeling data simply by operating on the interface. Secondly, this tool enables the non-discriminatory invocation of the VIC model on the Windows platform and introduces multi-process parallel processing to enhance the operational efficiency of the VIC model. In addition, the tool integrates the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and the SCE-UA algorithm, allowing for lumped, non-lumped and multi-site collaborative parameter calibration, providing users with diverse options for their research. The tool has been tested in the Brahmaputra River Basin, the Mekong River Basin, the Irrawaddy River Basin, and the upper Yangtze River, confirming its convenience and efficiency in practical applications. We believe that this tool is friendly and attractive to beginners of hydrological models and can promote the popularization and application of the VIC hydrological model.