User-friendly workflows for catchment modelling: Towards reproducible SWAT plus model studies

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is regularly used to support model applications in catchment hydrological modelling software. A GUI is generally user-friendly for novice users but opens sources of irreproducible research. We illustrate that none of the 10 Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) models over the Upper Blue Nile can easily be reproduced. Scripted workflows provide the ability to reproduce model set-ups, but they may be less user-friendly especially to novice users. We present a software (SWAT + AW) that promotes reproducible SWAT + model studies while remaining user-friendly for both novice and expert users. SWAT + AW uses a configuration file to create models that are compatible with GUI. We applied the workflow to the Blue Nile catchment and show that it yields the same results the SWAT + GUI. We conclude that such user-friendly scripted workflows enhance reproducibility, transparency and reusability of hydrological models. The software is publicly available at https://github.com/VUB-HYDR/SWATPlus-AW.