Wflow: flexible and distributed catchment hydrology modelling
The challenge
To effectively manage water resources, we must ensure our hydrological models are prepared for both current and future challenges and opportunities. Simulating catchment hydrology today requires tools that are flexible, scalable, and capable of operating in both data-rich and data-scarce environments. As climate change, land use, and water demands evolve, hydrologists need robust frameworks that support distributed modelling and seamless integration with other systems.
The solution: Wflow
Wflow is an open-source hydrological modelling framework developed by Deltares. It enables users to simulate all catchment hydrological processes in a fully distributed environment—even in data-scarce regions through integration with global datasets and flexible model configurations. Its core features include:
- Comprehensive hydrological modelling
- Fully distributed and gridded approach
- Modular flow routing
- Interoperable with tools like Delft-FEWS, MODFLOW, SFINCS, and more
- Easy setup with HydroMT-wflow
- Scalable from small catchments to large river basins
- Works in data-rich and data-poor environments
- Open-source and community-supported
Designed for flexibility and scalability, Wflow supports a wide range of hydrological applications, including:
- Reservoir inflow calculations for water resource planning
- Inputs for water quality modelling
- Groundwater recharge estimation
- Sediment inflow assessments to reservoirs and lakes
- Flood modelling inputs for early warning and risk assessment
