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hydrologic-modeling-engine skill

/plugins/babysitter/skills/babysit/process/specializations/domains/science/civil-engineering/skills/hydrologic-modeling-engine

This skill performs hydrologic analyses for rainfall-runoff, flood frequency, and watershed characterization to support design and risk assessments.

npx playbooks add skill a5c-ai/babysitter --skill hydrologic-modeling-engine

Review the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.

Files (1)
SKILL.md
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---
name: hydrologic-modeling-engine
description: Hydrologic modeling skill for rainfall-runoff analysis, flood frequency, and watershed analysis
allowed-tools:
  - Read
  - Write
  - Glob
  - Grep
  - Edit
  - Bash
metadata:
  specialization: civil-engineering
  domain: science
  category: Water Resources
  skill-id: CIV-SK-022
---

# Hydrologic Modeling Engine Skill

## Purpose

The Hydrologic Modeling Engine Skill performs hydrologic analysis including rainfall-runoff modeling, flood frequency analysis, and watershed characterization using established methods.

## Capabilities

- Rational method calculations
- SCS/NRCS curve number method
- Unit hydrograph generation
- Reservoir routing
- Time of concentration calculation
- IDF curve analysis
- Flood frequency analysis
- Watershed delineation

## Usage Guidelines

### When to Use
- Estimating design flows
- Analyzing watersheds
- Designing stormwater facilities
- Evaluating flood risk

### Prerequisites
- Watershed characteristics known
- Rainfall data available
- Land use identified
- Soil types classified

### Best Practices
- Select appropriate method
- Validate with observed data
- Consider climate effects
- Document assumptions

## Process Integration

This skill integrates with:
- Stormwater Management Design
- Flood Analysis and Mitigation
- Hydraulic Structure Design

## Configuration

```yaml
hydrologic-modeling-engine:
  methods:
    - rational
    - scs-curve-number
    - unit-hydrograph
    - reservoir-routing
  outputs:
    - peak-flow
    - hydrograph
    - report
```

## Output Artifacts

- Peak flow calculations
- Hydrographs
- Watershed reports
- Routing analyses

Overview

This skill provides hydrologic modeling for rainfall-runoff analysis, flood frequency estimation, and watershed characterization. It implements established engineering methods to produce peak flows, hydrographs, and watershed reports for design and risk assessment. The skill is geared toward engineers and planners needing reproducible, documented hydrologic results.

How this skill works

The engine accepts watershed geometry, land use, soil data, and rainfall inputs, then applies selected methods (Rational, SCS/NRCS curve number, unit hydrograph, reservoir routing) to compute design flows and hydrographs. It supports time-of-concentration and IDF analysis, plus flood frequency estimation to translate observed or synthetic rainfall into risk-based flows. Outputs include peak-flow summaries, routed hydrographs, and formatted reports for integration into design workflows.

When to use it

  • Estimating design flows for stormwater conveyance and detention sizing
  • Performing flood frequency analysis and risk assessment for infrastructure
  • Delineating watersheds and evaluating runoff response to land-use changes
  • Testing reservoir or channel routing under design storm scenarios
  • Validating model approaches against observed flow records

Best practices

  • Choose the method that matches watershed scale and data availability (e.g., Rational for small urban catchments, SCS-CN for broader basins)
  • Gather accurate inputs: rainfall hyetographs/IDF curves, land use, soil hydrologic group, and watershed delineation
  • Validate modeled hydrographs and peak flows against observed streamflow where possible
  • Document assumptions, parameters, and any climate-change adjustments used in scenarios
  • Perform sensitivity checks on key parameters like curve number and time of concentration

Example use cases

  • Sizing a detention basin by generating design hydrographs for 10-, 25-, and 100-year storms
  • Comparing runoff under current vs proposed land-use scenarios to evaluate peak flow changes
  • Routing flows through a series of reservoirs or ponds to assess attenuation and spill risk
  • Producing watershed reports that summarize peak flows, hydrographs, and method choices for permitting

FAQ

What inputs are required to run a model?

Provide watershed area and shape, land use, soil types (hydrologic groups), rainfall data or IDF curves, and a selected modeling method.

Which method should I pick for a small urban catchment?

The Rational method is appropriate for small, highly impervious urban catchments when a single design storm and peak flow are needed; use SCS-CN or unit hydrograph for more detailed runoff hydrograph modeling.