Step 6: Default LISFLOOD output

LISFLOOD can generate a wide variety of output. Output is generated as either maps or time series (netCDF format, which can be visualised with any netCDF viewer e.g. Panoply). Reporting of output files can be switched on and off using options in the LISFLOOD settings file.

For instance, maps of discharge at each time step are generated by using the option repDischargeMaps=1. Time series of discharge values are generate by activating the option repDischargeTs=1

A number of output files are specific to optional modules, such as the simulation of reservoirs.

The users can manage the steps reported in the output maps via the ‘ReportSteps’ key of the settings .xml file: the list of options and the relevant instructions can be found here.

State maps

Output state maps are reported when switching on the option repStateMaps=1 (note that the file names can always be changed by the user, although this is not recommended). These maps can be used to define the initial conditions of a succeeding simulation. 

A full list of state maps can be found here

To speed up the pre-run, with ‘InitLisflood’ = 1 the output is limited to the maps required for the initialization of the cold start or when performing the prerun in temporal chunks.

Other output maps

This paragraph provides examples of output maps that are not included in the repStateMaps but can be of interest to many users:

  1. Maps of discharge; reporting of these maps can be activated using the option repDischargeMaps=1

  2. Surface runoff maps, that is runoff from both impervious and permeable surfaces can be activated using the option repSurfaceRunoffMaps=1

  3. Total runoff maps, that is the sum of surface runoff and runoff from upper and lower groundwater zones can be activated using the option repTotalRunoffMaps=1

  4. Seepage maps, that is flow from the third soil layer to the upper groundwater zone can be activated using the option repSeepSubToGWMaps=1

Time series Time series file have .tss extension and they can be opened with any text editor. These files are organized in a number of columns. Specifically, the first column shows the timestep and the other columns show the values of the selected output variable for each gauge or site. Gauges and sites locations must be defined by the users in the settings file.

  1. Time series with values of meteorological input variables, averaged over the area upstream of each gauge location; reporting of these time series can be activated using the option repMeteoUpsGauges=1

  2. Time series with values of model state variables (examples are soil moisture and lower groundwater storage), averaged over area upstream of each gauge location; reporting of these time series can be activated using the option repStateUpsGauges=1

  3. Time series with values of model rate variables (examples are the outflow from the upper and lower groundwater zones to the channels; the vertical seepage and percolation flows), averaged over area upstream of each gauge location; reporting of these time series can be activated using the option repRateUpsGauges=1

  4. Time series that are specific to other options (e.g. simulation of reservoirs).

It is important to be aware of the spatial domain for which each time series is computed. For instance, all rate variables are reported as pixel-average values. Soil moisture and groundwater storage are reported for the permeable fraction of each pixel only. The reported snow cover is the average of the snow depths in snow zones A, B and C.

This Annex summarises most of the options to report additional output maps.