CEE Seminar: Advancing the Science and Practice of Community Hydrologic Modeling - Development of Open-source Models, Methods and Datasets to Enable Process-based Hydrologic Prediction Across North America

McDonnell Douglas Engineering Auditorium
Martyn Clark, Ph.D.

Professor of Hydrology
Associate Director, Centre for Hydrology and the Canmore Coldwater Laboratory
University of Saskatchewan

Abstract: Many hydrologic modeling groups face similar challenges, with untapped opportunities to share code and concepts across different model development groups. An active community of practice is emerging, where the focus is not so much on developing a community hydrologic model, and more on advancing the science and practice of community hydrologic modeling. This presentation will summarize our recent efforts to develop open-source models, methods and datasets to enable process-based hydrologic prediction across North America (and beyond). The contributions include (1) developing ensemble meteorological datasets for North America and the globe; (2) developing modular approaches to hydrologic modeling through a hierarchical approach that separates different model sub-domains (vegetation, snow, soil, groundwater) and separates the physical representations from the numerical solution; (3) implementing third-party numerical solvers (sundials) to improve the robustness and efficiency of the numerical solutions; (4) developing agile parallelization methods capable of handling heterogeneous computing loads and bottlenecks in the downstream reaches of large river networks; (5) implementing flexible model configuration toolbox to accelerate the implementation of large-domain hydrologic models; (6) advancing methods for river lake routing, including development of integrated river-lake hydrography datasets and development of large-domain reservoir management models; (7) advancing methods for large-domain parameter estimation; (8) advancing methods for ensemble data assimilation; and (9) advancing methods for probabilistic hydrologic prediction on time scales from seconds to seasons. We will discuss some of the major challenges encountered and the high-priority research that is necessary to advance capabilities in large-domain hydrologic prediction.

Bio: Martyn Clark is a professor of hydrology at the University of Saskatchewan, associate director of the University of Saskatchewan’s Centre for Hydrology and the Canmore Coldwater Laboratory, and fellow of the American Geophysical Union. Clark’s research focuses in three main areas: (i) developing and evaluating process-based hydrologic models; (ii) understanding the sensitivity of water resources to climate variability and change; and (iii) developing the next generation streamflow forecasting systems. Clark has authored or co-authored over 200 journal articles since receiving his Ph.D. in 1998.