Cookbook#

Ten short TOML-first recipes covering the most common HydroModPy tasks. Each recipe pairs a self-contained TOML snippet with the CLI command that runs it. Copy, adapt, run.

The Python facade is reserved for prototyping; production paths go through hmp run. See CLI Reference for the full CLI surface and Configuration overview for every TOML field.

1. Run a saved project from one TOML#

When the workspace is already laid out and you just want to launch a simulation against it.

[workflow]
mode = "simulation"

[workspace]
project_root = "./my_basin"

[simulation]
name = "first_run"

hmp run config.toml

2. Build the project from a DEM and outlet coordinates#

DEM-driven catchment delineation, no shapefile needed.

[workflow]
mode = "simulation"

[workspace]
project_root = "./my_basin"

[geographic]

[geographic.catchment]
catch_def = "from_outlet_coord"
dem_init_path = "data/regional_dem.tif"
x_outlet = 332100.0
y_outlet = 6790000.0
snap_dist = "50 m"
buff_area = "200 m"

hmp run config.toml

3. Build the project from a polygon shapefile#

When the watershed boundary is already digitized.

[workflow]
mode = "simulation"

[geographic]

[geographic.catchment]
catch_def = "from_polyg_shp"
dem_init_path = "data/regional_dem.tif"
polyg_shp_path = "data/basin.shp"
buff_area = "500 m"

hmp run config.toml

4. Heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity by zone#

Three zones along the x axis with distinct conductivities.

[workflow]
mode = "simulation"

[domain.supports.k_bands]
kind = "generated_bands"
axis = "x"
coordinate_mode = "relative"
breaks = [0.3, 0.7]
labels = ["west_zone", "middle_zone", "east_zone"]

[flow.param.K]
field.kind = "heterogeneous"
field.values_source = "inline"
field.values.west_zone = "2e-4 m/s"
field.values.middle_zone = "5e-5 m/s"
field.values.east_zone = "1e-4 m/s"
field.field_spatial_id = "k_bands"

hmp run config.toml

5. 1D Boussinesq synthetic strip#

A pure analytical-style run with the in-house solver.

[workflow]
mode = "simulation"

[geographic]
source_mode = "synthetic"

[geographic.synthetic.grid]
length_x = "400 m"
length_y = "50 m"
nx = 40
ny = 5

[solver]
backend = { backend = "boussinesq" }

[flow]
flow_regime = "steady"
active_bc = ["west_side", "east_side"]

[flow.bc.dirichlet.west_side]
value = "10 m"
[flow.bc.dirichlet.east_side]
value = "5 m"

hmp run boussinesq_strip.toml

6. Calibration with the grid optimizer#

Bracket K with the built-in grid sweep, no extra dependency required.

[workflow]
mode = "calibration"

[calibration]
method = "grid"
max_iter = 50
objective = "nse"

[calibration.parameters.K]
kind = "homogeneous"
bounds = [1e-6, 1e-3]
prior = "log_uniform"

hmp run calibration.toml

7. Compare MODFLOW 6 and Boussinesq on the same case#

The comparison workflow orchestrates several solver variants and gathers metrics under one parent run.

[workflow]
mode = "comparison"

[comparison]
base_config = "shared_base.toml"

[[comparison.simulation]]
name = "modflow6_run"
override = "[solver]\nbackend = { backend = \"modflow6\" }"

[[comparison.simulation]]
name = "boussinesq_run"
override = "[solver]\nbackend = { backend = \"boussinesq\" }"

hmp run comparison.toml

8. Generate a mesh only, no simulation#

Useful when iterating on conformal meshing before a full run. Mesh-only runs are simulations with a single mesh process.

[workflow]
mode = "simulation"

[workspace]
project_root = "./my_basin"

[geographic]

[geographic.catchment]
catch_def = "from_polyg_shp"
dem_init_path = "data/regional_dem.tif"
polyg_shp_path = "data/basin.shp"
buff_area = "500 m"

[[simulation.process]]
id = "mesh_main"
type = "mesh"
backend = "catchment"

[mesh_catchment]
constraints_mode = "geology_rivers"
[mesh_catchment.geology]
path = "data/geology.shp"

hmp run mesh_only.toml

9. Batch over a regional site catalog#

Expand the same recipe across many sites listed in a CSV catalog. Use the regional_lab profile of testbed.

[workflow]
mode = "testbed"

[testbed]
profile = "regional_lab"

[regional_lab.catalog]
path = "sites.csv"
site_id_field = "site_id"
x_field = "x"
y_field = "y"

[[regional_lab.recipe]]
id = "default_simulation"
label = "Steady simulation per site"
launcher = "simulation"
config_path_template = "configs/{site_id}/config.toml"

hmp run regional_lab.toml

10. Persist results to NetCDF for downstream tooling#

Toggle the NetCDF exporter from the persistence section.

[workflow]
mode = "simulation"

[persistence]
save_zarr = true
save_parquet = true

[simulation.results.exporters.netcdf]
enabled = true

hmp run config.toml
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