Software Guide
Software and methods relevant for ecohydraulics: decision support systems, analysis tools, numerical models, and pre/post-processors.
This page provides lists of software and methods that are relevant for ecohydraulics. The first list contains frameworks (a.k.a. decision support systems) that guide overall decision-making efforts. The second list identifies software that directly performs ecohydraulic analysis. The third list identifies relevant numerical models that can provide the inputs needed for the software in the other lists. The fourth list provides an overview of popular pre- and post-processing software for numerical models. Software names are listed in alphabetic order. Feedback, updates, and new software for any of these lists are welcome.
Decision Support Systems
Decision support systems enable augmenting objectivity and facilitate the creation of HSCs or e-flow schedules, among many other tasks.
| Software | Description | Link | License | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRIFT | A modular decision support system for assessing potential flow management schemes | www.drift-eflows.com | Proprietary | Windows |
| ELOHA | Ecological Limits of Hydrologic Alteration — a flexible framework for developing regional environmental flow standards | pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70034186 | Open access (method) | Any (method) |
| FIThydro DSS | Fish-friendly Innovative Technologies for Hydropower (EU project); a risk-based online assessment tool linked to the FIThydro wiki | www.dss.fithydro.wb.bgu.tum.de/home/ui | Open access | Web |
| IDRAIM | A methodological framework for hydromorphological analysis and integrated river management | www.isprambiente.gov.it/en/publications/handbooks-and-guidelines/idraim-system-of-hydromorphological-assessment-analysis-and-monitoring-of-water-courses | Open access (handbook) | Any (method) |
| IFIM | A modular decision support system for assessing potential flow management schemes, see also SEFA | apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA322762 | Open access | Any (method) |
Ecohydraulic Analysis
Generate HSCs, calculate HSIs, and accomplish many other useful tasks with the following software.
| Software | Description | Link | License | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BORIS | Behavioral Observation Research Interactive Software | www.boris.unito.it | Open source | X-platform |
| CASiMiR | An advanced simulation system for the study of aquatic habitats. | www.casimir-software.de/ENG/index_eng.html | Proprietary | Windows |
| Eco Evidence | Literature-review tool for evidence-based assessment of cause-effect hypotheses | toolkit.ewater.org.au/tools/Eco-Evidence | Open access | Windows |
| EFDC+ | Modeling package for hydrodynamics, sediment transport, chemical fate & transport, and eutrophication. | www.eemodelingsystem.com | Proprietary | Windows |
| eWater Toolkit | Water and catchment management utility tools | toolkit.ewater.org.au | Open access (part.) | Multiple |
| FB4 | Fish Bioenergetics 4.0 | fishbioenergetics.org | Free (None) | X-platform (R) |
| FishXing | Aquatic Organism Passage Stream Simulation Design Guide | www.fs.usda.gov/biology/nsaec/fishxing/download.html | Open access | Windows |
| HABBY | HABitat suitaBilitY | github.com/YannIrstea/habby | Open source | X-platform (Python) |
| HEC-EFM | Ecosystem Functions Model | www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-efm | Open access | Windows |
| IHA | Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration — 67 ecologically relevant flow-regime statistics (The Nature Conservancy) | conservationgateway.org | Free (also R package) | Windows / X-platform (R) |
| MesoHABSIM | Mesohabitat Simulation Model for instream habitat (SimStream) | mesohabsim.org | Free | Windows |
| PHABSIM | Simulate relationships between streamflow and physical habitat | www.usgs.gov/node/279289 | Open access | Windows |
| RHYHABSIM | Integrated framework for multiple analyses, including IFIM | www.jowettconsulting.co.nz/home/rhyhabsim | Free | Windows |
| River Analyst | Survey data analysis and visualization | riveranalyst.github.io and riveranalyst.ecohydraulics.org | Open source | X-platform (Python) |
| River Architect | Habitat analysis and design | riverarchitect.github.io | Open source (BSD 3-Clause) | X-platform (Python) |
| SEFA | Computer Software System for Environmental Flow Analysis Based on the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology | sefa.co.nz | Proprietary | Windows |
Numerical Models
Researchers and practitioners use a wide range of methods to predict fluvial hydrodynamics and, increasingly, morphodynamics. Additional tutorials for numerical modeling, pre-processing, in-depth software guidance, and Python programming for workflow automation can be found at https://hydro-informatics.com.
| Software | Capacities | Link | License | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANUGA | 2d hydrodynamic (shallow-water), flood and inundation | github.com/anuga-community/anuga_core | Open source | X-platform (Python) |
| BASEMENT | 1d, 2d, hydro & morphodynamics | basement.ethz.ch | Open access | Windows, Linux |
| CCHE2D | 2d, hydro & morphodynamics (NCCHE, University of Mississippi) | ncche.olemiss.edu/downloads | Free (academic) | Windows |
| Delft3D | 1d, 2d, 3d, hydro & morphodynamics, environmental conditions | oss.deltares.nl/web/delft3d | Open source (part.) | Multiple |
| EFDC+ | 2d | www.eemodelingsystem.com | Proprietary | Windows |
| FLOW-3D | 3d | www.flow3d.com | Proprietary | Windows, Linux |
| HEC-RAS | 1d, 2d, hydro & morphodynamics | www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-ras | Open access | Windows |
| HYDRO_AS-2D/FS | 2d, hydro & morphodynamics | www.hydrotec.de/en/hydroas | Proprietary | Windows |
| iRIC | 1d, 2d, hydro & morphodynamics | i-ric.org | Open source | Windows |
| MIKE+ | 1d, 2d, hydro & morphodynamics | www.mikepoweredbydhi.com/products | Proprietary | Windows |
| OpenFOAM | 2d, 3d (CFD) | www.openfoam.com | Open source | Linux (Windows with WSL) |
| River2D | 2d hydrodynamic | www.river2d.ca | Open access | Windows |
| RiverFlow2D | 2d, hydro & morphodynamics, GPU-accelerated flexible mesh | www.hydronia.com/riverflow2d | Proprietary | Windows |
| SCHISM | 3d unstructured-grid baroclinic circulation across river–estuary–coast scales | ccrm.vims.edu/schismweb | Open source | Linux |
| SERGHEI | Simulation EnviRonment for Geomorphology, Hydrodynamics and Ecohydrology in Integrated form (SERGHEI) - a multi-dimensional, multi-domain, and multi-physics model framework for environmental and landscape simulation, intended to simulate water flow and transport across landscape scales. | helmholtz.software/software/serghei | Open source | Linux |
| SRH-2D | 2d, hydro & morphodynamics (US Bureau of Reclamation) | www.usbr.gov/tsc/techreferences/computer software/models/srh2d | Open access | Windows |
| SSIIM | 3d hydro & morphodynamics | folk.ntnu.no/nilsol/ssiim | Open access | Windows, Linux |
| STAR-CCM+ CFD | 3d | plm.sw.siemens.com/en-US/simcenter/fluids-thermal-simulation/star-ccm | Proprietary | Windows, Linux |
| TELEMAC | 1d, 2d, 3d, hydro & morphodynamics, environmental conditions | opentelemac.org | Open source | Windows, Linux |
| TUFLOW | 2d hydrodynamic, strong GPU acceleration | www.tuflow.com | Proprietary | Windows |
Pre- and Post-Processors
The generation of numerical meshes and the (geospatial) analysis of numerical models and ecohydraulic assessments is facilitated by the following pre- and post-processing software.
| Software | Description | Link | License | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BlueKenue | Pre-/post-processing and mesh generation, with direct import of TELEMAC, ADCIRC and HydroSim results | nrc.canada.ca/…/blue-kenuetm-software-tool-hydraulic-modellers | Free | Windows |
| Gmsh | 3d finite-element mesh generator with built-in CAD engine and post-processor | gmsh.info | Open source (GPL) | Multiple |
| ParaView | General-purpose scientific visualization and post-processing of large model result datasets | www.paraview.org | Open source | Multiple |
| QGIS | Almost almighty GIS platform with plugins for most open-source and open-access software | www.qgis.org | Free (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license CC BY-SA) | Multiple |
| SALOME | 3d meshing and pre-processing | www.salome-platform.org | Open source (LGPL) | Windows, Linux |
| SMS | Surface-water Modeling System, compatible with SRH, RiverFlow2D, TUFLOW, HydroAS, and others | www.aquaveo.com/software/sms-surface-water-modeling-system-introduction | Proprietary | Windows |
