HydPy-Dam

The HydPy-Dam model family implements dams and similar natural and anthropogenic flow barriers.

At the current state of development, all its application models rely on an adaptive explicit Runge-Kutta method. This integration method allows for performing simulations with adjustable numerical precision. However, it works best for continuous differential equations. Hence, most process equations of base model dam are either continuous by nature or “regularisable”, meaning one can smooth their discontinuities by a degree one considers useful.

Each application model provides a different combination of control capabilities. Many take “remote locations” into account, for example, to release additional water to the downstream river channel to increase water stages at remote gauges.

All application models are tested and ready for use. However, please note that some improvements in style and structure (e.g. changes in some variable names) might be necessary in the future. At the moment, it is a little hard to pick the correct application model. We will have to find a way to prevent selecting a suitable model from becoming too hard when the collection of application models grows. For the moment, the following overview of the first five application models might be helpful:

Does the dam model…

v001

v002

v003

v004

v005

…calculate the demand at a remote location itself?

yes

no

no

no

yes

…lie in a river upstream of the remote location?

yes

yes

no

no

yes

…tell another model if it cannot supply the remote demand?

no

no

no

no

yes

…discharge to another remote location for flood protection?

no

no

no

yes

no

…ask for additional water supply from a remote location?

no

no

no

no

yes

…allow for discharge from a remote location for flood protection?

no

no

no

no

yes

These five application models are independent implementations, developed for the forecasting system of the German federal state of Saxony and run by the Landeshochwasserzentrum (LHWZ). Later, we added the application models dam_llake, dam_lretention, and dam_lreservoir on behalf of the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG). Conceptionally, these HydPy models correspond to the LARSIM models “SEEG” (controlled lake), “RUEC” (retention basin) and “TALS” (reservoir). Most recently, we developed dam_pump, dam_sluice, and dam_pump_sluice for improving simulations in low-land areas, where the draining of land areas via pumps and sluices often plays a more relevant role than gravity-driven runoff.

dam_v001 has been the starting point for the development of the other application models. Hence its documentation is very comprehensive, and it seems to be a good starting point for becomimg acquainted with any of the application models prepared so far.

Available models: