Model Components

The SfincsModel consists of several components that together represent the full SFINCS model setup. Each component manages a specific part of the model (e.g., configuration, grid definition, forcings, or output) and can be read from or written to disk using the corresponding read() and write() methods. Furhermore, each component has its own data attribute that stores the relevant data for that component, and a create() method to generate or update the component data (see also Model Methods).

An overview of all model components is presented in HydroMT-SFINCS workflow diagram, and each component will be introduced in the following sections. For more details about each component, see the SFINCS documentation.

HydroMT-SFINCS workflow diagram

Configuration component

The configuration component manages the main SFINCS configuration settings and parameters. Only files or settings that are mentioned in the configuration file will be used by the SFINCS model.

Component	Description	Associated Files / Relations
config	Model configuration settings and parameters.	sfincs.inp (main input file)

Regular grid components

These components define the model grid and its physical parameters for SFINCS models on regular grids. The different components are interrelated, since they all share the same spatial grid definition.

Component	Description	Associated Files / Relations
grid	Base model grid.	sfincs.inp
elevation	Elevation (bathymetry/topography).	depfile
mask	Active domain and boundary mask.	mskfile, indexfile
roughness	Manning’s n roughness.	manningfile
infiltration	Infiltration capacity.	qinffile, scsfile, ksfile, sefffile, smaxfile
initial_conditions	Initial water levels.	inifile
storage_volume	Storage volume to account for green infrastructure.	volfile
subgrid	Subgrid table with cell-specific elevation and roughness data.	sbgfile

Note

Please be aware that the indexfile is not describing a grid variable. Instead, it is generated during the writing process based on the mskfile, and it is utilized for the purpose of reading grid variables in binary files.

Note

Please be aware the the subgrid component has its own data attribute, whereas all other grid components store their data in the grid component.

Geometries and structures

These model components manage vector-based geometries and structures within the SFINCS model, such as observation points to monitor water levels at specific locations or weirs to represent flow control structures.

Component	Description	Associated Files / Relations
observation_points	Observation points for validation.	obsfile
cross_sections	Cross-section definitions.	crsfile
weirs	Weir locations and parameters.	weirfile
thin_dams	Thin dams and barriers.	thdfile
drainage_structures	Drainage infrastructure.	drnfile

Forcing components

These components handle time-varying boundary and meteorological forcings applied to the model, such as water level boundaries, discharge sources, precipitation, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Component	Description	Associated Files / Relations
water_level	Water level boundary conditions.	bndfile, bzsfile, netbndbzsbzifile
discharge_points	Discharge source terms.	srcfile, disfile, netsrcdisfile
precipitation	Spatially and/or temporally variable rainfall.	precipfile, netamprfile
wind	Spatially and/or temporally variable wind forcing.	wndfile, netamuvfile
pressure	Atmospheric pressure fields.	netampfile
rivers	River network and flow attributes.	No associated SFINCS files

Note

The rivers component is not directly used by the SFINCS model, but it can be helpful for setting up discharge boundary conditions based on river network data.

Output component

Component	Description	Associated Files / Relations
output	Model simulation results	sfincs_his.nc, sfincs_map.nc