Informatics Theme: Reproducible Modeling Environment

Reproducible model development and evaluation environment.
WHAT

Problem Statement:What is a suitable model development and evaluation for both existing NWM-subset(s) and new/novel model formulation investigation(s)?

WHY
Goal: Work with NWM-subset(s) and model formulation investigation(s) to design and demonstrate a base-line development and testing environment for reproducible model development and evaluation.

HOW
Approach: Review literature and community practices for reproducible model development and evaluation. Start with existing NWM containerization scheme. Determine appropriate abstraction to encapsulate a variety of hydrologic models and formulations. Implement example in cooperation with other themes.
Student Learning Goals: Students learn and demonstrate modern best practices for reproducible model formulation and software development.
Links to other projects: If completed successfully, outcomes of projects working with both subsets of them NWM and newly developed formulations should work with the approach implemented here. A final demonstration could compare new formulations to existing NWM using this same environment and evaluation architecture.
Training opportunities: This project will be part of the Scaling theme: students who participate in this theme will have 3 days of intensive training at the SI, including creating NWM subsets for CZO watersheds, running the NWM using jupyter notebooks/docker containers, using hydrologic data to evaluate hydrologic processes, using and analyzing CZO data.
Supplementary Materials:
Explore research toward community model development. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015WR017910 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019285
Install and work through basic tutorials with Docker. https://docs.docker.com/get-started/ https://docker-curriculum.com/

DATA - What (or what types of) input data will be required?
Model Data: CUAHSI tool for NWM cutouts and forcings.
Observed Data: Readily available NWIS data.