WEPPcloud: An online watershed-scale hydrologic modeling tool. Part I. Model description

Abstract

We developed a new online interface for the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model (WEPPcloud) with a framework that allows the incorporation and development of several other models and applications to make hydrologic models more accessible to land managers and facilitate the decision-making process. All inputs to WEPP, such as topography, soils, land use, and weather, are automatically created from publicly available online international databases and converted into input formats readable by the model. The WEPPcloud interface can be applied to forested, cropland, and rangeland conditions, but it is specialized for undisturbed forest conditions, post-wildfire, and pre- and post-wildfire management scenarios such as forest thinning, prescribed fire, or post-wildfire mulching. Users only need a computer or device with a web browser and an internet connection to perform advanced hydrologic simulations. All the model runs are stored remotely on WEPPcloud, which can be accessed by the users at any given time. This modeling tool is presented in two parts: Part I: Model description and parameterization, and Part II: Model performance assessment and applications to forest management and wildfires.