PyTOPKAPI is a BSD licensed Python library implementing the TOPKAPI Hydrological model (Liu and Todini, 2002). The model is a physically-based and fully distributed hydrological model, which has already been successfully applied in several countries around the world (e.g. Liu and Todini, 2002; Bartholomes and Todini, 2005; Liu et al., 2005; Martina et al., 2006; Vischel et al., 2008a/b).

Download the latest release Alternatively available on Github

The PyTOPKAPI package currently consists of pure Python code and does not require any extension modules to be built. However, the model depends on a number of 3rd party Python packages with compiled code linking to external libraries. These are most easily managed using the conda package manager from Anaconda.

Once Anaconda is installed, a conda environment with the pre-requisite Python packages can be created and activated [this should be done from the root of the unpacked PyTOPKAPI archive]:

$ conda env create -f conda-env.yaml
$ source activate pytopkapi-0.4.x

PyTOPKAPI can be installed into the conda environment using pip [note the 'dot' at the end, which refers to the current directory]:

$ pip install --upgrade .

The package tests can be run as follows:

$ nosetests

An example simulation can be run from the example_simulation directory:

$ cd example_simulation
$ python run_example.py

The most recent documentation for PyTOPKAPI can be found at https://sahg.github.io/PyTOPKAPI/

Latest release:

Selected publications:

Sinclair S. and Pegram G.G.S., (2010), "A comparison of ASCAT and modeled soil moisture over South Africa, using TOPKAPI in land surface mode", Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 613-626. Full Text via CrossRef

Sinclair S. and Pegram G.G.S., (2013), "A sensitivity assessment of the TOPKAPI model with an added infiltration module", J. Hydrol., 479, 100-112. Full Text via CrossRef

Vischel T., Pegram G.G.S., Sinclair S. and Parak M., (2008a), "Implementation of the TOPKAPI model in South Africa: Initial results from the Liebenbergsvlei catchment", Water SA, 34(3), 1-12. Full Text

Vischel T., Pegram G.G.S., Sinclair S., Wagner W. and Bartsch A., (2008b), "Comparison of soil moisture fields estimated by catchment modelling and remote sensing: a case study in South Africa", Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 12, 751-767. Full Text via CrossRef