pytRIBS: An open, modular, and reproducible python-based framework for distributed hydrologic modeling

Abstract

Distributed hydrologic models (DHM) are essential tools for understanding how and where water moves through a landscape. However, DHMs can be time-consuming and challenging to setup, limiting their application. Here, we present pytRIBS, a tool that addresses these challenges for the TIN-based Real-time Integrated Basin Simulator (tRIBS). pytRIBS is an open-source Python package with an object-oriented design intended to initialize, execute, and analyze tRIBS simulations. This package mirrors a tRIBS workflow with five preprocessing classes (Project, Mesh, Soil, Land, and Met) that can be used together or separately to obtain and convert data into a tRIBS format. Finally, the Results class manages outputs, provides analytical tools, and visualizes results. We illustrate these capabilities with an example case study of the Newman Canyon watershed, AZ, USA.