VIC-WUR Run-Time Options - Global Parameter File

The global parameter file serves two main purposes:

  1. Tells VIC-WUR the names, locations, and formats of input and output files
  2. Defines global parameters of the simulation (known as run-time options)

The order of the options in the global parameter file is not important, but the complete option name must be followed by the required option type information. To help in understanding this file, an example file has been attached at the bottom of this page.

Define Simulation Parameters

The following options determine the type of simulation that will be performed.

Main Simulation Parameters

Name Type Units Description
NLAYER integer N/A Number of moisture layers used by the model
NODES integer N/A Number of thermal solution nodes in the soil column
MODEL_STEPS_PER_DAY integer steps Number of simulation time steps per day. NOTE: MODEL_STEPS_PER_DAY should be > 4 for FULL_ENERGY=TRUE or FROZEN_SOIL=TRUE.
SNOW_STEPS_PER_DAY integer steps Number of time steps per day used to solve the snow model (if MODEL_STEPS_PER_DAY > 1, SNOW_STEPS_PER_DAY should = MODEL_STEPS_PER_DAY)
RUNOFF_STEPS_PER_DAY integer steps Number of time steps per day used to solve the runoff model (should be >= MODEL_STEPS_PER_DAY)
ROUT_STEPS_PER_DAY integer steps Number of time steps per day used to solve the routing model (should be >= MODEL_STEPS_PER_DAY)
STARTYEAR integer year Year model simulation starts. NOTE: STARTYEAR, STARTMONTH, STARTDAY and STARTSEC togetehr specify the begenning time point of the first simulation time step.
STARTMONTH integer month Month model simulation starts
STARTDAY integer day Day model simulation starts
STARTSEC integer second Second model simulation starts (e.g., STARTSEC=0 for starting from the beginning of a day; STARTSEC=3600 for starting from the beginning of the second hour of a day)

Default = 0.
EITHER: Note: either NRECS or ENDYEAR, ENDMONTH, and ENDDAY must be specified, but not both
NRECS integer N/A Number of time steps over which to run model. NOTE: The number of records must be defined such that the model completes the last day.
OR: Note: either NRECS or ENDYEAR, ENDMONTH, and ENDDAY must be specified, but not both
ENDYEAR integer year Year model simulation ends. NOTE: ENDYEAR, ENDMONTH and ENDDAY together specify the last day on which the simulation runs. For sub-daily model run timestep, VIC always runs until the last timestep of this day.
ENDMONTH integer month Month model simulation ends
ENDDAY integer day Day model simulation ends
CALENDAR string N/A Calendar to use. Valid calendars: 'standard', 'gregorian', 'proleptic_gregorian' 'noleap', '365_day', '360_day', 'julian', 'all_leap', '366_day'. Must match the time variable type in the forcing netCDF file.
OUT_TIME_UNITS string N/A Units for output time variables. Valid options: 'SECONDS', 'MINUTES', 'HOURS', 'DAYS'.

Default = DAYS.

Define Plugin Options

The following options determine the method of resolving the surface energy balance.

Name Type Units Description
ROUTING string TRUE or FALSE Option for computing streamflow routing.
  • TRUE = compute.
  • FALSE = do not compute.

    Default = False.
    		•
    DECOMPOSITION string TRUE or FALSE Options for domain decomposition.
  • RANDOM = random decomposition (quick for small domains with limited basins).
  • BASIN = routing basin decomposition (quick for large domains with many basins; requires routing).

    Default = RANDOM.
    		•
    EFR string TRUE or FALSE Option for computing environmental flow requirments (requires forcing files).
  • TRUE = compute.
  • FALSE = do not compute.

    Default = False.
    		•
    DAMS string TRUE or FALSE Option for computing dam operation.
  • TRUE = compute.
  • FALSE = do not compute.

    Default = False.
    		•
    WATERUSE string TRUE or FALSE Option for computing water-use.
  • TRUE = compute.
  • FALSE = do not compute.

    Default = False.
    		•
    IRRIGATION string TRUE or FALSE Option for computing irrigation.
  • TRUE = compute.
  • FALSE = do not compute.

    Default = False.
    		•
    WOFOST string TRUE or FALSE Option for computing crops with wofost.
  • TRUE = compute.
  • FALSE = do not compute.

    Default = False.
    		•

    Define State Files

    The following options control input and output of state files.

    Name Type Units Description
    INIT_STATE string path/filename Full path and filename of initial state netCDF file. NOTE: if INIT_STATE is not specified, VIC will take initial soil moistures from the soil parameter file and set all other state variables to a default state.
    STATENAME string path/filename Path and file prefix of the state file to be created on the specified date. The date and second within the simulation at which the state is saved (as well as ".nc") will be appended to the file prefix to form a complete file name. NOTE: if STATENAME is not specified, VIC will not save its state in a statefile.
    STATEYEAR integer year Year at which model simulation state should be saved. NOTE: if STATENAME is not specified, STATEYEAR will be ignored. Also, STATEYEAR, STATEMONTH, STATEDAY and STATESEC together specify the exact time point when the model state is to be saved. A typical use of this time point is the end of the whole simulation period. For example, if the last day of simulation is 2000-01-10 (VIC always runs until the last time step of this day in the case of sub-daily time step), then user should specify STATEYEAR=2000, STATEMONTH=1, STATEDAY=11, STATESEC=0 to save the state of the end of simulation. See here for more detail
    STATEMONTH integer month Month at which model simulation state should be saved. NOTE: if STATENAME is not specified, STATEMONTH will be ignored.
    STATEDAY integer day Day at which model simulation state should be saved. NOTE: if STATENAME is not specified, STATEDAY will be ignored.
    STATESEC integer second Second at which model simulation state should be saved. NOTE: if STATENAME is not specified, STATESEC will be ignored.
    STATE_FORMAT string N/A Output state netCDF file format. Valid options: NETCDF3_CLASSIC, NETCDF3_64BIT_OFFSET, NETCDF4_CLASSIC, NETCDF4. NOTE: if STATENAME is not specified, STATE_FORMAT will be ignored.

    Define Frocing Files

    This section describes how to define the forcing files needed by the VIC-WUR model.

    Name Type Units Description
    FORCE_TYPE string string string N/A Defines what forcing types are read from the file, followed by corresponding netCDF variable name (separated by space or tab), followed by the corresponding netCDF file path (separated by space or tab). The required forcing types are: AIR_TEMP, PREC, PRESSURE, SWDOWN, LWDOWN, VP, WIND.
    PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE string string string string N/A Defines what forcing types are read from the file, followed by corresponding netCDF variable name (separated by space or tab), followed by the forcing aggrigation frequency (STEP, DAY, MONTH, or YEAR; separated by space or tab) by the corresponding netCDF file path (separated by space or tab). Valid forcing types are: DISCHARGE, EFR_DISCHARGE, EFR_BASEFLOW, MUN_DEMAND, MUN_GROUNDWATER, MUN_CONSUMPTION, LIV_DEMAND, LIV_GROUNDWATER, LIV_CONSUMPTION, IRR_DEMAND, IRR_GROUNDWATER, IRR_CONSUMPTION, ENE_DEMAND, ENE_GROUNDWATER, ENE_CONSUMPTION, MAN_DEMAND, MAN_GROUNDWATER, MAN_CONSUMPTION, CO2, CV, FERT_DVS, FERT_N, FERT_P, FERT_K

    Define Domain File

    The folloiwng options describe the input domain file information. See Domain File for details about the domain file.

    Name Type Units Description
    DOMAIN string pathname Domain netCDF file path.
    DOMAIN_TYPE string string N/A Domain variable type, followed by corresponding netCDF variable name. Domain variable types include: LAT, LON, MASK, AREA, FRAC, YDIM, XDIM.

    Define Parameter Files

    The following options describe the input parameter files.

    Name Type Units Description
    ROUTING_PARAMETERS string path/filename Routing parameter netCDF file path
    WATERUSE_PARAMETERS string path/filename Water-use parameter netCDF file path
    IRRIGATION_PARAMETERS string path/filename Irrigation parameter netCDF file path
    DAMS_PARAMETERS string path/filename Dam parameter netCDF file path
    CROP_PARAMETERS string path/filename Crop parameter netCDF file path
    WOFOST_PARAMETERS string path/filename Wofost parameter text file path

    Define Output Files

    The following options describe the location of the log and model history files. Click here for more information.

    Name Type Units Description
    LOG_DIR string path name Name of directory where log files should be written (optional, default is stdout)
    RESULT_DIR string path name Name of directory where model results are written

    The following options describe the settings for each output stream:

    Name Type Units Description
    OUTFILE* string prefix Information about this output file: Prefix of the output file (to which the first time step of the results contained in a file as well as suffix ".nc" will be appended). This should be specified once for each stream of output files.
    AGGFREQ string [integer/string] frequency count Describes aggregation frequency for output stream. Valid options for frequency are: NEVER, NSTEPS, NSECONDS, NMINUTES, NHOURS, NDAYS, NMONTHS, NYEARS, DATE, END. Count may be an positive integer or a string with date format YYYY-MM-DD[-SSSSS] in the case of DATE. Default frequency is NDAYS.
    Default count is 1.
    HISTFREQ string [integer/string] frequency count Describes the frequency/length of output results to be put in an individual file. Valid options are: NEVER, NSTEPS, NSECONDS, NMINUTES, NHOURS, NDAYS, NMONTHS, NYEARS, DATE, END.

    Default is to output all results to one single file.
    COMPRESS string/integer TRUE, FALSE, or lvl if TRUE or > 0 compress input and output files when done (uses gzip), if an integer [1-9] is supplied, it is used to set thegzip compression level
    OUT_FORMAT string N/A Output netCDF format. Valid options:NETCDF3_CLASSIC, NETCDF3_64BIT_OFFSET, NETCDF4_CLASSIC, NETCDF4.
    OUTVAR* string string string integer string name format type multiplier aggtype Information about this output variable:
    Name (must match a name listed in vic_driver_shared_all.h)
    Output format (not used in image driver, replaced by "*")
    Data type (one of: OUT_TYPE_DEFAULT, OUT_TYPE_CHAR, OUT_TYPE_SINT, OUT_TYPE_USINT, OUT_TYPE_INT, OUT_TYPE_FLOAT,OUT_TYPE_DOUBLE)
    Multiplier - number to multiply the data with in order to recover the original values (only valid with OUT_FORMAT=BINARY)
    Aggregation method - temporal aggregation method to use (one of: AGG_TYPE_DEFAULT, AGG_TYPE_AVG, AGG_TYPE_BEG, AGG_TYPE_END, AGG_TYPE_MAX, AGG_TYPE_MIN, AGG_TYPE_SUM) This should be specified once for each output variable. Click here for more information.

    Example Global Parameter File:

    #######################################################################
# VIC-WUR Model Parameters
#######################################################################

#######################################################################
# Time Options
#######################################################################
MODEL_STEPS_PER_DAY     4               # number of model time steps in 24 hour period
SNOW_STEPS_PER_DAY      4               # number of snow model time steps in 24 hour period
RUNOFF_STEPS_PER_DAY    12              # number of runoff time steps in 24 hour period
ROUT_STEPS_PER_DAY      24              # number of routing time steps in 24 hour period

STARTYEAR               1979            # year model simulation starts
STARTMONTH              1               # month model simulation starts
STARTDAY                1               # day model simulation starts
ENDYEAR                 2016
ENDMONTH                12
ENDDAY                  31
BASEFLOW                NIJSSEN2001     # ARNO = columns 5-8 are the standard VIC baseflow parameters; NIJSSEN2001 = columns 5-8 of soil file are baseflow parameters from Nijssen et al (2001) 

#######################################################################
# Simulation Options
#######################################################################
FULL_ENERGY                 FALSE               # TRUE = calculate energy balance; FALSE = calculate water balance; Default = FALSE
CLOSE_ENERGY                FALSE               # TRUE = close energy balance; Default = FALSE
FROZEN_SOIL                 FALSE               # TRUE = calculate frozen soils;  Default = FALSE
EXP_TRANS                   FALSE               # TRUE = exponential thermal nodes in soil;  Default = FALSE
SNOW_BAND                   FALSE               # TRUE = calculate snow bands;  Default = FALSE
MATRIC                      FALSE               # TRUE = calculate matric potential;  Default = FALSE

# Plugins (routing)
ROUTING                     TRUE                # TRUE = calculate routing; Default = FALSE
DECOMPOSITION               BASIN               # RANDOM, BASIN or FILE; Default = RANDOM
EFR                         TRUE                # TRUE = calculate enviromental flow requirements;  Default = FALSE
DAMS                        TRUE                # TRUE = calculate dam operation;  Default = FALSE
WATERUSE                    TRUE                # TRUE = calculate water use;  Default = FALSE
IRRIGATION                  TRUE                # TRUE = calculate irrigation;  Default = FALSE
WOFOST                      TRUE                # TRUE = calculate crops with wofost;  Default = FALSE

#######################################################################
# Domain Files and Info
#######################################################################
DOMAIN                          parameters/domain_global.nc
DOMAIN_TYPE     LAT             lat
DOMAIN_TYPE     LON             lon
DOMAIN_TYPE     MASK            mask
DOMAIN_TYPE     AREA            area
DOMAIN_TYPE     FRAC            frac
DOMAIN_TYPE     YDIM            lat
DOMAIN_TYPE     XDIM            lon

#######################################################################
# Forcing Files and Info
# netcdf forcing files will be of the form: FILE.YYYY.nc
#######################################################################
# FORCE_TYPE    TYPE            VARIABLE NAME       FILE
# Metreorological forcing
FORCE_TYPE      AIR_TEMP        tas                 forcing/tas_6hourly_WFDEI/tas_6hourly_WFDEI_
FORCE_TYPE      PREC            pr                  forcing/pr_6hourly_WFDEI/pr_6hourly_WFDEI_
FORCE_TYPE      PRESSURE        psurf               forcing/psurf_6hourly_WFDEI/psurf_6hourly_WFDEI_
FORCE_TYPE      SWDOWN          swdown              forcing/swdown_6hourly_WFDEI/swdown_6hourly_WFDEI_
FORCE_TYPE      LWDOWN          lwdown              forcing/lwdown_6hourly_WFDEI/lwdown_6hourly_WFDEI_
FORCE_TYPE      VP              vp                  forcing/vp_6hourly_WFDEI/vp_6hourly_WFDEI_
FORCE_TYPE      WIND            wind                forcing/wind_6hourly_WFDEI/wind_6hourly_WFDEI_

# PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE TYPE                VARIABLE NAME           FREQ    FILE
# Discharge forcing
#PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE  FORCING_DISCHARGE   discharge               STEP    forcing/discharge_6hourly/discharge_6hourly_
# Environmental flow forcing
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   EFR_DISCHARGE       discharge               DAY     forcing/efr_discharge_6hourly/efr_discharge_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   EFR_BASEFLOW        baseflow                DAY     forcing/efr_baseflow_6hourly/efr_baseflow_6hourly_
# Water use forcing
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   MUN_DEMAND          demand                  MONTH   forcing/dom_demand_6hourly/dom_demand_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   MUN_GROUNDWATER     groundwater_fraction    MONTH   forcing/dom_ground_6hourly/dom_ground_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   MUN_CONSUMPTION     consumption_fraction    MONTH   forcing/dom_consump_6hourly/dom_consump_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   LIV_DEMAND          demand                  MONTH   forcing/liv_demand_6hourly/liv_demand_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   LIV_GROUNDWATER     groundwater_fraction    MONTH   forcing/liv_ground_6hourly/liv_ground_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   LIV_CONSUMPTION     consumption_fraction    MONTH   forcing/liv_consump_6hourly/liv_consump_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   MAN_DEMAND          demand                  MONTH   forcing/man_demand_6hourly/man_demand_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   MAN_GROUNDWATER     groundwater_fraction    MONTH   forcing/man_ground_6hourly/man_ground_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   MAN_CONSUMPTION     consumption_fraction    MONTH   forcing/man_consump_6hourly/man_consump_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   ENE_DEMAND          demand                  MONTH   forcing/ene_demand_6hourly/ene_demand_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   ENE_GROUNDWATER     groundwater_fraction    MONTH   forcing/ene_ground_6hourly/ene_ground_6hourly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   ENE_CONSUMPTION     consumption_fraction    MONTH   forcing/ene_consump_6hourly/ene_consump_6hourly_
# CO2 forcing
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   CO2                 co2                     YEAR   forcing/co2_yearly_fixed/co2_yearly_fixed_
# Fertilizer forcing
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   FERT_DVS            DVS_point               YEAR   forcing/fertilizer_yearly/fertilizer_yearly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   FERT_N              N_amount                YEAR   forcing/fertilizer_yearly/fertilizer_yearly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   FERT_P              P_amount                YEAR   forcing/fertilizer_yearly/fertilizer_yearly_
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE   FERT_K              K_amount                YEAR   forcing/fertilizer_yearly/fertilizer_yearly_
# Land-cover forcing
PLUGIN_FORCE_TYPE     CV                coverage                MONTH  forcing/coverage_monthly_VICWOFOST/coverage_monthly_VICWOFOST_

#######################################################################
# Land Surface Files and Info
#######################################################################
CONSTANTS                       parameters/VIC_constants_low.txt
PARAMETERS                      parameters/VIC_params_MIRCA2000_global.nc
ROUTING_PARAMETERS              parameters/rout_params_global.nc
WATERUSE_PARAMETERS             parameters/wu_params_global.nc
IRRIGATION_PARAMETERS           parameters/irr_params_MIRCA2000_global.nc
DAMS_PARAMETERS                 parameters/dam_params_global.nc
CROP_PARAMETERS                 parameters/crop_params_VICWOFOST_global.nc
WOFOST_TEXT_PARAMETERS          parameters/wofost_params_VICWOFOST_global.txt

#######################################################################
# Output Options
#######################################################################
RESULT_DIR                      output
OUTFILE                         fluxes_global

OUT_FORMAT                      NETCDF4
COMPRESS                        9
AGGFREQ                         NYEARS  1

## VIC
# fluxes
OUTVAR                          OUT_DISCHARGE
OUTVAR                          OUT_BASEFLOW

## IRRIGATION
# states
OUTVAR                          OUT_SHORTAGE
OUTVAR                          OUT_REQUIREMENT

## WATER-USE
# fluxes
OUTVAR                          OUT_AV_GW_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_AV_SURF_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_AV_REM_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_AV_DAM_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_DE_GW_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_DE_SURF_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_DE_REM_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_WI_GW_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_WI_SURF_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_WI_REM_SECT
OUTVAR                          OUT_WI_DAM_SECT

# WOFOST
# fluxes
OUTVAR                                      OUT_CROP_GROW
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_EVAP
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_DVS
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_WLV
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_WST
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_WSO
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_WRT
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_LAI
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_WSTRESS
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_NSTRESS
OUTVAR                          OUT_CROP_NUPT