LISFLOOD: a GIS-based distributed model for river basin scale water balance and flood simulation

This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. In this paper we describe the spatially distributed LISFLOOD model, which is a hydrological model specifically developed for the simulation of hydrological processes in large European river basins. The model was designed to make the best possible use of existing data sets on soils, land cover, topography and meteorology. We give a detailed description of the simulation of hydrological processes in LISFLOOD, and discuss how the model is parameterized. We also describe how the model was implemented technically using a combination of the PCRaster GIS system and the Python programming language, and discuss the management of in-and output data. Finally, we review some recent applications of LISFLOOD, and we present a case study for the Elbe river.