Soil Parameters

The VIC model requires many soil parameters to run. Not all configurations of the model will use all parameters, but in the interests of uniformity all parameters must be included in the input files. When building parameter files for the less needy model options (say just the water balance mode), it is reccommended that the user fill unused, and undetermined parameters with a value that clearly indicates that it has not been determined, like -9999.

To accomodate newer modelers with access to soil databases like the PSU Earth System Science Center Database, and GIS packages to process the data, there are now two soil parameter input formats:

1. the original style ASCII column format , and
2. the ARC/INFO ASCII Grid file format

Both file format styles require most of the same parameters, but there are some differences, and converting between the formats may not be very direct, so choose the method that best suits you needs.