Author(s): Heli Yu; Harusha Abeynayake; Epari Ritesh Patro; Ali Torabi Haghighi
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: River ice; Process-based models; Hydraulic modelling; Cold regions; Model comparison
Abstract: River ice strongly influences hydrology, hydrodynamics, and ecosystems in cold regions, with impacts on flooding, hydropower generation, navigation, and aquatic habitats. Modelling river ice processes is therefore essential for both scientific understanding and operational management. Over the past several decades, a variety of hydraulic models have been developed to simulate river ice processes, aiming to improve understanding of river ice formation and evolution and to better predict ice phenomena, especially ice-related risks on both short-term and long-term scales. This paper reviews ten representative process-based river ice models spanning one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) frameworks, including RICE, RICEN, CRISSP1D, JJT, RIVICE, River1D, DynaRICE, DEMRICE, CRISSP2D, and KHIONE, and compares their treatment of key processes, including heat exchange, ice formation (frazil, skim and border, and anchor ice), surface ice transport and accumulation, undercover deposition and erosion, thermal growth and decay of ice cover, and mechanical breakup of ice cover. The comparison reveals key modelling trade-offs and identifies shared limitations. Directions for future model development are discussed.
Year: 2026