docs/index.md

In jschap1/routR: Prepares inputs for the UW river routing model

RoutR

RoutR is an R package for making input files for the Fortran version of the University of Washington (UW) hydrologic routing model (Lohmann et al., 1998). The Fortran version of the UW routing model can be found here. (There is also an updated version called "RVIC," which has been adapted into Python.) RoutR is a collection of R functions I wrote to make inputs for, and analyze outputs from, the UW routing model.

The UW routing model is a linear routing scheme based on a simplified version of the Saint Venant equations. The model has six required input files and three optional input files. RoutR was designed to assist in creation of these input files.

Required input files

• Parameter file - tells the routing model the names and locations of the different input and output files and the start and end time for the model run. It also tells the routing model where to save output files.
• Flow direction file - describes how water flows from one grid cell to another within the study area. The UW routing model uses a D8 flow direction convention with 1 being north, increasing clockwise.
• Unit hydrograph file - describes the unit hydrograph. A sample unit hydrograph is provided on the VIC 4.2d documentation website.
• Station location file - tells the routing model where to calculate streamflow.
• Fraction file - determines which grid cells are included in the model run, and allows inclusion of fractions of grid cells.
• Runoff (forcing) files - The forcings for the UW routing model are runoff and baseflow fields (typically outputs from a land surface model, such as VIC).

Note that the UW routing model can be used with the ASCII-formatted outputs from the VIC-5 classic driver, after some small modifications to the VIC output files.

Optional input files

• Velocity file - contains information about the flow velocity
• xmask file - related to the area of a grid cells
• diff file - flow diffusion file. Contains the flow diffusion parameter.

See the official VIC 4.2d documentation website for further details. While RoutR is helpful for creating input files for the UW routing model, users are encouraged to read the official documentation, as well.

Installation

RoutR is an R package and can be installed from Github via the R command install_github, from the devtools package. Also, the raster and rgdal packages are required.

library(devtools)
install_github("https://github.com/jschap1/routR")

Recommended software

• GRASS GIS - for delineating watersheds and creating the flow direction file
• Flow Direction Toolkit - for making manual adjustments to the flow direction file

jschap1/routR documentation built on July 19, 2020, 8:42 p.m.