In WARMF, a watershed is divided into hydrologic catchments, river segments, and lake segments. Each catchment contains multiple land use classifications. Simulations are performed separately for land uses with different characteristics. Vertically, the catchment is represented by a canopy, surface and up to 5 soil layers. All components of the watershed are linked into one seamless network based on the hydrologic flow path.
Model Structure Diagram:
In WARMF:
- Spatial resolution is dictated by the number of catchments and/or rivers delineated
- Model time steps from 24 hours (maximum) down to 1 minute
- Each component (e.g. soil layer, river segment) is simulated as a Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) – completely mixed within a time step