A tool for rapid configuration of a river model

A tool has been developed, the River Simulation Tool (RST), that allows the configuration of a two-dimensional hydrodynamic river model based on imagery-extracted information that defines model geometry and water depth, as available. The RST contains automated shoreline processing and mesh generation capabilities for unstructured grids and accommodates user-specified forcing and parameter values. Alternatively, the RST provides synthetic bathymetry and default forcing and parameter values for those situations in which observational data or information describing the river environment is unavailable. This manuscript describes the components of the RST in detail and its application to the upper East Pearl River, MS. Solutions for water level and currents from the RST-generated river model are compared to a "truth" solution for the same region. Implementation of the RST's ensemble creation feature allows an assessment of the sensitivity of river predictions to the specification of water depth, bottom type, and upstream discharge conditions.