LISFLOOD: Unlocking the Potential of Hydrological Modelling

Hydrological modelling plays a crucial role in understanding and predicting the behavior of river basins. Accurate simulation of hydrological processes is essential for effective water resource management, flood forecasting, and environmental impact assessment. With the LISFLOOD model, researchers and practitioners can now unlock the full potential of hydrological modelling with its robust and comprehensive framework.

Introduction

The LISFLOOD model (v4.1.0) is a powerful tool that simulates hydrological processes in river basins. Developed by a team of experts, LISFLOOD provides a comprehensive solution for understanding the dynamics of water flow, river discharge, and its impact on the surrounding environment. This article explores the capabilities of LISFLOOD and presents two use cases that demonstrate its functionality and performance.

Use Case 1: Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

The first use case focuses on the Fraser River, located in West Canada. The Fraser River is the longest river in British Columbia and the 11th longest river in Canada. The use case covers a subsection of the Fraser basin, allowing users to test the LISFLOOD code and verify its correctness. All the required input maps, meteorological forcings, and LISFLOOD setting files are provided, enabling users to run a test simulation on their PC. The output file is compared against a reference output file to validate the accuracy of the simulation.

Use Case 2: Po River, Italy

The second use case explores the Po River Basin, located in North Italy. The Po River is one of the major rivers in Italy, flowing into the Adriatic Sea close to Venice. The use case focuses on a portion of the Upper Po River basin, providing static maps, meteorological inputs, and LISFLOOD setting files for simulation. Users can run the LISFLOOD model on their PC and compare the output against a reference output file to assess the model’s performance.

Running LISFLOOD-OS on your PC

To run the LISFLOOD model on your PC, follow these steps:

1. Install LISFLOOD on your PC by downloading the model from the official LISFLOOD repository.
2. Download the required files for the specific use case from the LISFLOOD use cases repository.
3. Open the LISFLOOD setting files and update the path names to match your local directories.
4. Create a designated folder to store the model output.
5. Execute LISFLOOD using the pre-run settings file to initialize the model. Check the output folder for the lzavin file to ensure successful initialization.
6. Launch the actual LISFLOOD run using the run settings file. The output file, dis.tss, contains the simulated discharge at the outlet point.
7. Compare the dis.tss file with the reference output file to validate the correct installation and running of LISFLOOD.

Jupyter Notebook

A Jupyter Notebook has been developed to provide an interactive way of exploring the LISFLOOD model without the need for installation. The notebook allows users to familiarize themselves with LISFLOOD settings, parameters, protocol, and output variables through a graphic interface. Users can select the desired settings, temporal interval, hydrological modules, parameter values, and output variables. The notebook performs the simulation and visualizes the results. It can also be used for data visualization of previous LISFLOOD runs.

Conclusion

The LISFLOOD model offers a comprehensive solution for hydrological modelling in river basins. By leveraging its capabilities, researchers and practitioners can gain valuable insights into river discharge and effectively manage water resources. The provided use cases and Jupyter Notebook facilitate the understanding and implementation of the LISFLOOD model, empowering users to unlock the full potential of hydrological modelling.

With its user-friendly interface, extensive documentation, and reliable performance, LISFLOOD is poised to revolutionize hydrological modelling and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient ecosystem.

So, are you ready to unleash the power of hydrological modelling with LISFLOOD?