Hydrology & environmental models
Set up and run river, flood or pollutant models and report results.
20 project-authored proposals · taxonomy v1.1 · 0 new benchmark runs. Verifiers and partial-credit rules below are designs, not executed results.
- Typical applications
- HEC-RAS · SWMM · MIKE
- Class GUI-need label
HY· Hybrid
Task proposals · 20
Expand to inspect the complete original wording and proposed checks. Original proposal text remains English in both interfaces.
R08.03.01.03-T01 Run a 100-year steady-flow profile in HEC-RAS and report water-surface elevation
Original instruction
Open input/CreekProject.prj in HEC-RAS (12 cross sections). Create a steady flow file with Q100 = 850 m³/s at RS 3150, downstream normal-depth slope 0.001, subcritical regime, and a plan 'Q100'. Run it and write the WSE at RS 1250 and the RS with maximum channel velocity to output/answer.json.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- HEC-RAS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
Plan HDF must exist with the stated flow and boundary; WSE at RS 1250 within 0.01 m and max-velocity RS equal to the reference run.
Proposed partial credit
30% flow file and boundary condition; 20% plan computed; 30% WSE; 20% max-velocity RS.
R08.03.01.03-T02 Build a 2D flow area with levee breaklines in RAS Mapper and run an unsteady flood
Original instruction
In HEC-RAS RAS Mapper, on input/terrain.tif, create a 2D flow area from input/perimeter.shp with 20 m cells, draw a breakline along the levee crest visible in the terrain (5 m enforced spacing), add an inflow hydrograph BC (input/hydrograph.csv) on the north edge and normal depth 0.0005 on the south. Run 48 h and report max depth at input/gauge.shp.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- HEC-RAS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
G2· GUI-essential- GUI need · ordinary access
G2· GUI-essential- Interaction primitives
path· Continuous pathclick· Point & clickvis· Visual judgmentnav· Pan/zoom/scroll- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
long· Long-horizon- Proposed difficulty
- 5 / 5
Proposed verifier
Geometry HDF: cell count within ±10% of expected, breakline Hausdorff distance ≤10 m to the gold levee crest, two BC lines on the correct edges. Max depth at gauge within 0.05 m of reference. Breakline must exist in geometry (cannot be imported; no levee shapefile is provided). The HECRASController COM interface is deregistered and h5py/ras-commander are absent, so geometry must be built in RAS Mapper.
Proposed partial credit
20% mesh; 30% levee breakline; 20% boundary conditions; 30% max depth correct.
R08.03.01.03-T03 Draw a five-subcatchment storm sewer network in SWMM from a plan sketch
Original instruction
In EPA SWMM, draw the network shown in input/plan_sketch.pdf on the backdrop input/site.png: 5 subcatchments, 6 junctions, 5 conduits and one outfall, using parameters in input/params.xlsx. Assign a rain gage with the 2-yr 24-h SCS Type II series, run, and report peak outfall flow. Save output/site.inp.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- EPA SWMM · Microsoft Excel
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clickdrag· Drag & droppath· Continuous pathtype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
multiapp· Multi-app- Proposed difficulty
- 4 / 5
Proposed verifier
site.inp topology must be isomorphic to the gold network with parameters within 0.5%; subcatchment polygons in [Polygons] must overlap the sketch areas (IoU ≥0.6 in backdrop coordinates). Peak outfall flow within 2% of reference. Drawing on the backdrop and editing the .inp are both accepted routes (Hybrid).
Proposed partial credit
30% topology; 25% parameters; 25% map geometry and rain gage; 20% peak flow.
R08.03.01.03-T04 Switch a SWMM model to a 100-year storm with dynamic-wave routing and report flooding
Original instruction
Open input/district.inp in EPA SWMM. Point rain gage RG1 at time series 'Storm100', set routing to Dynamic Wave with a 5 s routing step, run, and write the total node flooding volume (10⁶ L) from the summary report to output/answer.json. Save as output/district_100.inp.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- EPA SWMM
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 2 / 5
Proposed verifier
district_100.inp must reference Storm100, FLOW_ROUTING DYNWAVE and ROUTING_STEP 0:00:05; reported flooding volume within 1% of the reference run.
Proposed partial credit
30% rain gage; 30% routing options; 40% flooding volume.
R08.03.01.03-T05 Set up a three-subbasin HEC-HMS event model and report the outlet peak
Original instruction
In HEC-HMS create a basin model with subbasins A, B, C (areas and CN in input/basins.csv), SCS Curve Number loss, Clark unit hydrograph (Tc, R given), a Muskingum reach (K = 2 h, X = 0.2, 3 subreaches) from A's junction to the outlet, a specified-hyetograph met model from input/rain.csv, and a 48-h control at 15 min. Run and report outlet peak and time.
- Platforms
win· Windowsmac· macOS- Applications
- HEC-HMS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & formsdrag· Drag & drop- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
Project files parsed for element types and parameters; run DSS outlet peak within 1% and timing within one interval of the reference.
Proposed partial credit
35% basin elements and methods; 15% reach routing; 15% met/control; 35% peak and timing.
R08.03.01.03-T06 Add a bridge with piers in HEC-RAS and report the upstream backwater rise
Original instruction
In input/CreekProject.prj add a bridge at RS 2050 from input/bridge_survey.pdf: deck width 12 m, low chord 102.5 m, high chord 104.0 m, three 1.2 m piers at stations 40, 60, 80, energy method. Save a new geometry and plan 'WithBridge', run Q100, and report the WSE rise at RS 2150 versus the existing plan.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- HEC-RAS · Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & formsvis· Visual judgment- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
Geometry file bridge block: deck stations/elevations, 3 piers of 1.2 m at stated stations, energy method; plan computed. Rise within 0.02 m of reference.
Proposed partial credit
35% deck/roadway; 25% piers; 15% plan run; 25% backwater rise.
R08.03.01.03-T07 Add a storage tank and pump to an EPANET network and find the minimum pressure
Original instruction
Open input/town.inp in EPANET. Add tank T1 (elevation 120 m, initial level 3, min 1, max 6, diameter 15 m) joined to node 25 by pipe PT1 (50 m, 300 mm, Hazen–Williams C 120) and pump P1 from the reservoir to node 2 with the 3-point curve in input/pump.csv. Run a 24-h extended-period simulation and report the node, value and hour of minimum pressure.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- EPANET
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & formsdrag· Drag & drop- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
Saved .inp must contain T1, PT1 and P1 with stated parameters and curve; minimum pressure node and hour exact and value within 0.1 m of the reference run.
Proposed partial credit
25% tank; 25% pump and curve; 20% EPS run; 30% minimum pressure answer.
R08.03.01.03-T08 Calibrate reach roughness in MIKE+ to an observed flood stage hydrograph
Original instruction
In MIKE+ (river model) open input/river.mupp. Adjust Manning's n in reaches R1–R3 within 0.025–0.060 until simulated stage at gauge G1 matches input/obs_stage.csv with NSE ≥0.85 and peak timing within 1 h. Save the setup and write the final n values and NSE to output/calibration.json.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- MIKE+
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
G2· GUI-essential- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & formsvis· Visual judgment- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
licensed· Licensed pro applong· Long-horizon- Proposed difficulty
- 5 / 5
Proposed verifier
Grader reruns the saved setup: NSE ≥0.85 and peak-time error ≤1 h at G1; n values within bounds and matching calibration.json. Other model parameters must be unchanged (setup diff).
Proposed partial credit
20% n values within bounds; 40% NSE (scaled from 0.5 to 0.85); 20% peak timing; 20% no other changes.
R08.03.01.03-T09 Digitize river geometry and cut cross sections from terrain in RAS Mapper
Original instruction
In HEC-RAS RAS Mapper with input/terrain.tif, draw the river centerline along the thalweg, bank lines, flow paths and at least 15 cross-section cut lines about 100 m apart, perpendicular to flow and not crossing. Extract XS elevations from terrain, assign Manning's n from input/landcover.tif, and save geometry 'Digitized'.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- HEC-RAS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
G2· GUI-essential- GUI need · ordinary access
G2· GUI-essential- Interaction primitives
path· Continuous pathclick· Point & clickvis· Visual judgmentnav· Pan/zoom/scroll- Work product
WP04· 3D/spatial model- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 4 / 5
Proposed verifier
Centerline Hausdorff ≤15 m to the gold thalweg; ≥15 XS, each within 90±15° of flow direction, none intersecting; stations and elevations match terrain sampling. Geometry must run with the provided flow file without errors. The HECRASController COM interface is deregistered and h5py/ras-commander are absent, so geometry must be built in RAS Mapper.
Proposed partial credit
30% centerline; 25% banks, flow paths and n values; 35% cross sections valid; 10% geometry runs.
R08.03.01.03-T10 Add bioretention LID controls in SWMM and report runoff volume reduction
Original instruction
In EPA SWMM open input/district.inp, define a bioretention LID with parameters from input/lid_spec.pdf, apply it to subcatchments S3, S4 and S7 treating 30% of impervious area, run, and report the percent reduction in total runoff volume versus the baseline run. Save output/district_lid.inp.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- EPA SWMM
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
[LID_CONTROLS] must match the spec layers; [LID_USAGE] on S3, S4, S7 with area from 30% impervious and correct from-impervious fraction. Reduction within 0.5 percentage points of reference.
Proposed partial credit
30% LID definition; 30% LID usage; 40% reduction value.
R08.03.01.03-T11 Configure TSS buildup and washoff in SWMM and report the outfall event mean concentration
Original instruction
In EPA SWMM open input/district.inp. Add pollutant TSS (mg/L), land uses Residential and Commercial with exponential buildup and washoff coefficients from input/wq_params.csv, assign land-use fractions per subcatchment from the same file, run, and report the outfall event mean TSS concentration.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- EPA SWMM
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
Saved .inp: [POLLUTANTS], [LANDUSES], [BUILDUP], [WASHOFF], [COVERAGES] match the CSV; EMC within 2% of the reference run.
Proposed partial credit
20% pollutant; 30% buildup/washoff; 20% coverages; 30% EMC.
R08.03.01.03-T12 Read Froude numbers and flow regime from HEC-RAS profile tables
Original instruction
Open input/ResultsProject.prj in HEC-RAS (already computed). From profile output tables report the channel Froude number and flow regime (sub/supercritical) at RS 1800, 1500 and 900 for profile PF 2, and export the standard table to output/profile.csv.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- HEC-RAS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicknav· Pan/zoom/scroll- Work product
WP12· Answer/decision- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 2 / 5
Proposed verifier
Froude values within 0.005 and regimes exact for the three RS; profile.csv must contain PF 2 rows for all RS.
Proposed partial credit
60% three Froude values (20 pts each); 20% regimes; 20% table export.
R08.03.01.03-T13 Model a piping dam breach in HEC-RAS unsteady flow and report flood arrival
Original instruction
input/DamProject.prj has a reservoir storage area connected by an inline dam. Add a piping breach using Froehlich (2008) parameters computed from input/dam_data.pdf, triggered at WS elevation 312.0 m, run a 24-h unsteady plan, and report peak flow at XS 'Town' and the time depth there first exceeds 0.6 m.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- HEC-RAS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
long· Long-horizon- Proposed difficulty
- 5 / 5
Proposed verifier
Breach data block: piping mode, trigger elevation, bottom width, side slopes and formation time within 5% of Froehlich values. Peak flow within 5% and arrival time within 10 min of the reference run.
Proposed partial credit
35% breach parameters; 25% trigger and stable run; 25% peak flow; 15% arrival time.
R08.03.01.03-T14 Build a two-well confined aquifer MODFLOW 6 model in ModelMuse and report drawdown
Original instruction
In ModelMuse create a MODFLOW 6 steady model of a 2 km × 2 km confined aquifer with 50 m cells, transmissivity 500 m²/d, constant heads 100 m (west) and 95 m (east), and two wells pumping 1,000 m³/d at the coordinates in input/wells.csv. Run it and a no-pumping version and report drawdown at observation well OBS1.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- ModelMuse · MODFLOW 6
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & formsdrag· Drag & drop- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 4 / 5
Proposed verifier
MF6 input files parsed: grid, K/thickness giving T = 500, CHD on correct columns, WEL rates −1000 at the right cells. Drawdown at OBS1 within 0.01 m of reference.
Proposed partial credit
25% grid and properties; 20% boundaries; 20% wells; 35% drawdown.
R08.03.01.03-T15 Export a max-depth inundation map from RAS Mapper and count flooded parcels
Original instruction
For the computed plan in input/FloodProject.prj, export the maximum depth raster from RAS Mapper to output/depth_max.tif. In QGIS intersect it with input/parcels.shp and report how many parcels have a maximum depth above 0.3 m anywhere in the parcel, listing their IDs in output/flooded.csv.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- HEC-RAS · QGIS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & formsmulti· Cross-app- Work product
WP02· Records/table- Conditions
multiapp· Multi-app- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
depth_max.tif must match the reference export (max abs difference 0.01 m, same extent and resolution). flooded.csv ID set must equal gold exactly.
Proposed partial credit
40% depth raster; 20% overlay method; 40% parcel set exact.
R08.03.01.03-T16 Control: run the 100-year SWMM scenario with pyswmm from the terminal
Original instruction
Control pair of T04. Without the SWMM GUI, edit input/district.inp (set RG1 to Storm100, DYNWAVE routing, 5 s step), run it with the swmm5 engine or pyswmm, and write total node flooding volume (10⁶ L) to output/answer.json.
- Platforms
lin· Linuxmac· macOS- Applications
- pyswmm · SWMM5 engine
- Interfaces
term· Terminal- GUI need · task setting
CL· CLI-sufficient- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
code· Code & commands- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 2 / 5
Proposed verifier
Same checker as T04 (options in the saved .inp, flooding volume within 1%). Scored as the CLI control of T04.
Proposed partial credit
30% rain gage; 30% routing options; 40% flooding volume.
R08.03.01.03-T17 Diagnose and fix a SWMM model with a large flow-routing continuity error
Original instruction
input/bad_model.inp reports a 14% flow-routing continuity error. In EPA SWMM find the causes (inspect profiles, conduit slopes, offsets and routing step), fix them without changing subcatchment hydrology, rerun to <1% error, and save output/fixed.inp plus a one-paragraph cause in output/cause.txt.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- EPA SWMM
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clickvis· Visual judgmenttype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
Rerun of fixed.inp: routing continuity |error| <1%; [SUBCATCHMENTS]/[SUBAREAS]/[INFILTRATION] unchanged; peak outfall flow within 5% of the reference corrected model. cause.txt keyword check for the seeded defects (inverted offset, 60 s step).
Proposed partial credit
35% routing continuity error below one percent; 20% hydrology untouched; 25% peaks match corrected model; 20% causes named.
R08.03.01.03-T18 Set up a five-reach dissolved-oxygen model in QUAL2K and report the DO sag
Original instruction
In QUAL2K (Excel workbook) configure five reaches from input/reaches.csv, headwater and two point sources (flows, CBOD, NH4, DO from input/sources.csv), and the specified reaeration model. Run and report minimum DO (mg/L) and its distance from the headwater in output/answer.json; save output/q2k.xlsm.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- QUAL2K · Microsoft Excel
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 4 / 5
Proposed verifier
Workbook input sheets parsed for reaches, sources and rate options; output sheet minimum DO within 0.1 mg/L and location within one element of reference.
Proposed partial credit
25% reaches; 25% point sources; 15% rates; 35% DO sag value and location.
R08.03.01.03-T19 Run a 1% AEP frequency-storm scenario in HEC-HMS and report the junction peak
Original instruction
In input/Watershed.hms add a Frequency Storm met model using NOAA Atlas 14 depths in input/pf.csv for the 1% AEP, 24-h duration with peak at 50%, attach it to the existing basin, run, and report the peak flow at junction J3 in output/answer.json.
- Platforms
win· Windowsmac· macOS- Applications
- HEC-HMS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
CL· CLI-sufficient- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & forms- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 3 / 5
Proposed verifier
Met model parsed: frequency storm, depths for 5 min–24 h equal to the 1% column, peak position 50%. J3 peak within 1% of reference.
Proposed partial credit
40% met model depths; 20% storm settings; 40% J3 peak.
R08.03.01.03-T20 Run a rain-on-grid 2D model with land-cover roughness in HEC-RAS
Original instruction
In input/RoG.prj, create a land-cover layer from input/nlcd.tif in RAS Mapper with Manning's n overrides from input/n_table.csv, add SCS CN infiltration from input/soils.shp, apply the precipitation hyetograph input/rain.csv to the 2D area, run 12 h, and report peak outflow at the outlet BC line.
- Platforms
win· Windows- Applications
- HEC-RAS
- Interfaces
desk· Desktop GUI- GUI need · task setting
HY· Hybrid- GUI need · ordinary access
G2· GUI-essential- Interaction primitives
click· Point & clicktype· Text & formsvis· Visual judgment- Work product
WP07· Simulation result- Conditions
- None declared
- Proposed difficulty
- 4 / 5
Proposed verifier
Land-cover HDF n values equal the override table; infiltration layer associated; precipitation BC applied to the 2D area. Peak outflow within 3% of reference.
Proposed partial credit
30% roughness layer; 20% infiltration; 20% precipitation BC; 30% peak outflow.
Mapped research references
Existing benchmark-to-class links from the research catalog. They are not record-level annotations, executions or product endorsements.