Community Modeling in Hydrologic Science

Community modeling -- the development, distribution and technical support of common simulation software designed to serve the diverse needs of a community, and to be advanced through contributions from the community -- has a rich tradition in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences, but less so in hydrology. A community modeling effort in terrestrial hydrology will likely enable major advances in hydrological science that are simply not possible in its absence. Moreover, without a substantial community modeling program in hydrology, many simulation tools will remain fragmented by and within disciplines, or in the proprietary domain of the author. In this presentation, we discuss recent progress towards the development of a Community Hydrologic Modeling Platform (CHyMP), including its needs and requirements, the results of a recent workshop, and future plans for community involvement and platform development.