Dear Haris,

the answer to your question is actually: it depends. It depends essentially on the type of simulations and use that you want to pursue. For the use of engineers, HEC-HMS is a standard starting point (even if its concept is a little out-of-date). For daily streamflow simulations SWAT could be another standard choice. MIKESHE is usually too detailed but ... it depends. For operational use PRMS is a tested solution (the OMS v3 version would also open the world of modeling-by-components).

On http://abouthydrology.blogspot.it/2012/02/which-hydrological-model-is-better-q.html you can find a more detailed discussion about the topic and links to some software

Some R packages implements entire hydrological models, and you can find the links and a little description here:

http://abouthydrology.blogspot.it/2012/08/r-resources-for-hydrologists.html

However, if you look at the above pages, you will realize that I use my solutions:

Peakflow for events simulations; JGrass-NewAGE for continuous modelling of discharges, evapotranspiration, snow, etc; GEOtop when I need the maximum of physical realism.

For using any of them there is, obviously a price to pay: which is to study a little. No solution comes in minutes.

riccardo

I guess that the freely available HEC-HMS software of US Army Corps of Engineers could be the best option for you. See at: http://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-hms/

I would try one of the HEC program you might even mange to use the free HEC-RAS if not i would try the Halcrow family of modelling software ISIS is free but the more advanced packages do cost a lot but have excellent customer service and help facilities. Both these software packages can be linked to GIS.

http://www.halcrow.com/isis/

http://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/

HEC-HMS, or WMS, it cost around 600 $ and if it is for research purpose you will have 50% dicount

We use several times FLO2 software (http://www.flo-2d.com/products/riverflo-2d/) and we are very happy with their results because you can apply it also in urban zones with pipes and channels, streets, bridges and others .., You can model water sheet flows but also dense fluid flows like mudflows and debrisflows. In essence that software derives from an ancient one called mudflow software. You need to know somethings about hydrodynamics but if you need some help you can contact me or consultants like: http://www.igeotest.fr

I'd try the HEC-HMS too. Probably you'll need the HEC-GeoHMS ArcGIS extension to prepare input data.

Can I suggest you use the model by DHI, called MIKE SHE. It is a model used for integrated catchment modelling.

For more information, please visit: http://www.dhisoftware.com/sitecore/content/Microsites/MIKEbyDHI/Products/WaterResources/MIKESHE.aspx

In your conditions I would search for an open source solution, and there should be a HEC version for free. We have some (see also my Posts on abouthydrology.blogspot.com) but the documentation of our Peakflow model is unfortunately only in Italian (there is a paper on Hess that cover part of the theory). the model is embedded in the free GIS uDig. The same is true for another model of us, JGrass-NewAge, (see a paper by Formetta et al. on GMD.

For a number of open source lumped models, you may also check out the R packages Hydromad (http://hydromad.catchment.org/) and Rhydro (under development; http://r-forge.r-project.org/projects/r-hydro/)

Thanks for overwhelming response. I didn't knew there so many good alternatives available. I have downloaded the freely available HEC-HMS suggested by Luca Brocca and others. Now, I'm trying my hands on this and it looks easy and very useful. Thanks again for all expert opinions.

You also have the old SARR model for more detailed modeling. We had good results recently with HEC HMS but HEC HMS is not as tweakable than SARR and I would like to find an other product for more detailed hydrology. Someone know some interesting product in this field ? We are testing DHI product too, but still didn't had time to test it more decently in real conditions.

There is available free HEC-RAS Software for download.

I tried the HEC-HMS software since yesterday and found that it is not a fully distributed model. It is lumped at the sub-basin scale, if I'm not confused. I plan to work in a small hilly catchment (< 100 km2) and would like to model the changes in stream hydrograph in response to changing land-use conditions (urbanization, deforestation) in my area, and I am looking for something that can assimilate distributed parameters like topography (from eg SRTM or ASTER DEM), surface hydraulic roughness (from recoded land-use maps), infiltration losses (from recoded soil texture map), rainfall (homogenous rainfall in the entire catchment), and other parameters, and finally give me the hydrograph at specified outlets.

Being fully distributed means I should be able to get the simulated hydrograph at every grid cell, if I need. Please let me know if all this is possible in HEC-HMS.

Actually, being HEC-HMS a semi-distributed model, it is able to take into account the variability of topography, land use and soils. It basically depends on the size of the catchments that you select to use. There is also a tool (HEC-GeoHMS) that allows you easily discretizing your study catchment.

The use of fully-distributed model (grid-based) might be not strictly needed for your specific application. Note that, usually, fully-distributed hydrological models are not very easy to be applied .

I think HEC-HMS model can be useful for event rainfall-runoff simulation. this software is free and its manual is easy and illustrate step by step.

I would also suggest you use the Model SWAT. It's a physical based model and you will be able to get a lot of the input data from free global data sources to complement what you have. Its a lot more physical so will represent your catchment situation better. There is a plugin for ArcGIS or an open source one from WaterBase for MapWindow (http://www.waterbase.org/download_mwswat.html) . A tutorial from this site can get you started on using the free global data sources to complement yours (http://nil-pipraen.blogspot.com/2012/04/hydrological-modeling.html).

if you don't use from simulation software, you can apply Time area model. this model is illustrated in applied hydrology books, such as Handbook of hydrology , author: Maidment . this method is semi distributed model.

You can try modflow software ,i think it is usefull to u for solwing this problem

@ Kai, I tried to download tRIBS at http://vivoni.asu.edu/tribs.html, but it is not free. I think the best option is Vflo (http://www.vieuxinc.com/vflo.html). It is grid based and fully distributed. Vflo is also licensed, unfortunately.

You can try to use TETIS ( http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/13/229/2009/hess-13-229-2009.pdf ). It is freely available at: http://lluvia.dihma.upv.es/EN/software/software.html

I used it some time ago. It is easy-to-use and works very good.

I received today an email announcing a new version of distributed hydrological model TOPKAPI-EXtended (TOPKAPI-X). A freely available version is available that could be perfect for you (http://www.idrologiaeambiente.it/index.php?menuor=91 ). It is one of the most used distributed model in Italy. I used it and it works good (see attached poster). It is also very well-documented that is very important for new users ...

There is a MIKE-SHE Software, that is distributed model, you may try, see the site:

http://www.crwr.utexas.edu/gis/gishyd98/dhi/mikeshe/Mshemain.htm

@ Luca, I downloaded TETIS & TOPKAPI. Both look promising. But TETIS is in spanish, so I'm translating the commands in GoogleTranslate. TOPKAPI (free version) is limited to 1000 grid cells. Anyway, I'm first trying TETIS.

Dear Haris,

for TETIS try to send an email to the developers if they have some explanation in English. I also used in 2004 the version in Spanish.

For TOPKAPI, being your catchment quite small (

One Very analytical software is MIKESHE by DHI but its expensive, go to the mikeshe page and you ll read all the details.. you can also download the demo .. or you can contact them and they can give you a 3 month trial .its very modern and complex software but also user friendly as much as it can be

it is so easy to use HEC-HMS to simulate stream hydrograph. this is free to download from the US army corps of engineering site.

Yes, I agee with Dr. Megas. Try the demo version first.

Dear Haris,

the answer to your question is actually: it depends. It depends essentially on the type of simulations and use that you want to pursue. For the use of engineers, HEC-HMS is a standard starting point (even if its concept is a little out-of-date). For daily streamflow simulations SWAT could be another standard choice. MIKESHE is usually too detailed but ... it depends. For operational use PRMS is a tested solution (the OMS v3 version would also open the world of modeling-by-components).

On http://abouthydrology.blogspot.it/2012/02/which-hydrological-model-is-better-q.html you can find a more detailed discussion about the topic and links to some software

Some R packages implements entire hydrological models, and you can find the links and a little description here:

http://abouthydrology.blogspot.it/2012/08/r-resources-for-hydrologists.html

However, if you look at the above pages, you will realize that I use my solutions:

Peakflow for events simulations; JGrass-NewAGE for continuous modelling of discharges, evapotranspiration, snow, etc; GEOtop when I need the maximum of physical realism.

For using any of them there is, obviously a price to pay: which is to study a little. No solution comes in minutes.

riccardo

I forgot to say: all my software is Open Source. Except for GEOtop, not much documentation indeed.

Here are two more OpenSource-Tools, that could match your requirements:

HecRAS: http://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-ras/

Kalypso: http://sourceforge.net/projects/kalypso/

Dr Elfeki Amro thank you for agreeing with me But i have to say that i am not a Doctor (no Phd yet and i am not sure if i ll go for it ) i had to say that .I am finishing my Master! Thanks Again

Thank you Dr. Riccardo Rigon for your wonderful blog. It's quite informative. I'm exploring it and hope to get something interesting from it.

Just a precision: HecRAS is essentially a 1D hydraulic model, so more suitable to simulate stage than flow (Haris seems interested in hydrographs).

Oh yes, now i see it too, you are right. Thanks for that precision.

You also may be interested in looking at this FREE package from the University of Guelph. http://www.uoguelph.ca/~hydrogeo/Whitebox/

Gumble distribution?

Wha do you mean with Gumbel distribution ?

The diañogua was very important to me. Thanks.

Hi George, success with your master, you may think it over for Phd if you are interested of an academic career.

Regarding Haris question, the stream flow generation, you may think of making a spreadsheet model yourself to do that. I have one but needs slight modifications. If you would be interested I can send it to you.

I got a trial license for Vflo from http://www.vieuxinc.com/vflo.html. It works! Still I'll try some open source alternatives suggested by many over here, when I get time ....

whatever software solution you are using make sure to have an accurate and precise DEM

You may try HEC-HMS. I, together with my students have applied HEC-HMS successfully to simulate stream flows. Please refer to

Halwatura D, Najim MMM 2013. Application of the HEC-HMS model for runoff simulation in a tropical catchment, Environmental Modelling and Software (impact factor: 3.11). 01/2013; 46:155–162. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2013.03.006

You can also try hydrology simulation software CAESAR Lisflood, developed by Tom Coulthart and the license is free.

https://code.google.com/p/caesar-lisflood/

You can create your own model in GIS environment (ArcGIS, QGIS) using a routing model (Olivera and Maidment, 1999; Malesse and Graham, 2004; Du et al. 2009) such as a synthetic Unit Hydrograph (UH) which is estimates the time-area curve. 

You can use WRF-Hydro (there is a two-way coupling option with atmospheric model WRF etc). https://www.ral.ucar.edu/projects/wrf_hydro