Plug-and-Play Integration of Watersheds in the Regional Simulation Model Part I: Interoperability of Lumped Basin and Discretized Mesh Components

The modeling of the complex hydrologic system in South Florida requires integrated surface water/groundwater models with management simulation capabilities. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) had embarked on developing a new generation Regional Simulation Model (RSM) consisting of two major components: (a) the Hydrologic Simulation Engine (HSE) which simulates the hydrologic processes of the land-phase of the hydrologic cycle; and (b) the Management Simulation Engine (MSE) which simulates the complex management rules associated with natural and man-made canals, impoundments and water control structures. Due to the computational challenges of a single large mesh, a combination of lumped and distributed modeling techniques, known as the “plug-and-play” approach, has been developed. This model simulates hydrology and management of lumped regions in selected basins and distributed watersheds using finite-volume meshes in a single model. The paper provides an introduction to the “plug-and-play” approach and an example of its application.