RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Open-Source containerization of the NextGen framework to enable community-driven hydrology modeling
Patel, A., Halgren, J., Wills, Z., Frazier, N., Lee, B., Cunningham, J., Laser, J., Karimiziarani, M., Patel, T., Romero, G., Denno, M., Lamont, S., Maghami, I., Jajula, H. T., Alam, M. S., Koriche, S. A., Singh, M., Minor, N., Duvvuri, B., ... Ames, D. P. (2025). NextGen In A Box (NGIAB): Open-Source containerization of the NextGen framework to enable community-driven hydrology modeling. Environmental Modelling & Software, 193, Article 106666. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2025.106666
The NextGen Water Resources Modeling Framework (NextGen) greatly increases the flexibility and interoperability of hydrologic modeling workflows. However, deploying NextGen models remains challenging due to a complex installation process. To address this, we developed NextGen In A Box (NGIAB), an all-in-one distribution of the NextGen framework that simplifies deployment across environments using Docker and Singularity containers. NGIAB comes pre-configured with most components expected in version 4.0 of the National Water Model, which will use the NextGen framework. Additionally, NGIAB utilizes a cloud-based continuous integration/continuous deployment pipeline to automate releases. Through its ease of access and robust suite of included utilities, NGIAB promotes community engagement in hydrologic modeling and facilitates research-tooperation (R2O) pathways. In this work, we present the designs and technologies that enable these outcomes, along with studies and performance benchmarks that demonstrate NGIAB's applicability.
RTI shares its evidence-based research - through peer-reviewed publications and media - to ensure that it is accessible for others to build on, in line with our mission and scientific standards.
