ABSTRACT:

CIROH 2i2c JupyterHub - Production Server

CIROH, in collaboration with 2i2c, offers a dedicated JupyterHub environment on Google Cloud specifically designed for hydrological researchers. 2i2c is a cloud service provider specializing in open-source infrastructure for research and development.

CIROH 2i2c Production environment - https://ciroh.awi.2i2c.cloud/

To gain access to this environment please reach out to ciroh-it-admin@ua.edu

More details: https://docs.ciroh.org/docs/services/cloudservices/2i2c/

This research was supported by the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH) with funding under award NA22NWS4320003 from the NOAA Cooperative Institute Program. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of NOAA.

ABSTRACT:

The U.S. National Water Model (NWM) provides continental-scale hydrological forecasts, but its complexity makes deployment and customization on researchers' computing resources challenging for local and regional studies. The Next Generation Water Resources Modeling Framework (NextGen) enhances model flexibility and interoperability, yet deploying it independently remains demanding. To address this, we developed the NextGen In A Box (NGIAB) to provide a containerized solution for simplified NextGen deployment on local machines, high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, and cloud environments. NGIAB leverages Docker and Singularity containers, pre-configured with core components expected in forthcoming NWM version 4.0. This integrates input datasets, forcing engines, and necessary libraries, enabling seamless execution. Developed by CIROH and Lynker, NGIAB’s cyberinfrastructure features cloud-based data access, a robust CI/CD pipeline, and streamlined Basic Model Interface (BMI) coupling. By lowering technical barriers, NGIAB enables researchers to efficiently run localized models, promoting community engagement in hydrologic modeling and facilitating research-to-applications pathways.

ABSTRACT:

CIROH 2i2c JupyterHub used for Workshops

- https://workshop.ciroh.awi.2i2c.cloud

ABSTRACT:

The NGIAB 101 training module, developed by the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH) and Lynker, offers an introductory, hands-on learning experience with NextGen In A Box (NGIAB)—a modular, open-source hydrologic modeling framework designed to advance water prediction capabilities. This comprehensive module guides users through the complete modeling workflow, including system installation, data preparation, model execution, evaluation, and visualization of results.
The training is structured to accommodate users of varying technical backgrounds, from beginners to advanced practitioners. It provides step-by-step instructions and practical exercises that ensure participants gain real-world experience with the framework. Additionally, the module includes optional advanced topics for those interested in deploying NGIAB in high-performance computing (HPC) environments, enabling scalable applications for large-scale hydrologic modeling projects. By completing this training, users will develop the foundational skills necessary to implement NGIAB for their own hydrologic research and operational forecasting needs, contributing to improved water resource management and flood prediction capabilities.

ABSTRACT:

NextGen In A Box (NGIAB) - Advanced Hydrologic Modeling Platform
NextGen In A Box (NGIAB) is a cutting-edge, containerized hydrologic modeling framework that brings the power of NOAA's Next Generation Water Resources Modeling Framework to researchers and practitioners worldwide. This innovative platform simplifies the deployment and execution of complex water prediction models through a user-friendly, portable environment. NGIAB enables users to run sophisticated hydrologic simulations without extensive infrastructure setup, making advanced water modeling accessible to organizations of all sizes.
Key features include modular architecture for customizable modeling workflows, seamless integration with various data sources, built-in visualization tools for result analysis, and support for both local and cloud-based deployments. The platform supports multiple modeling engines and frameworks, allowing users to select the most appropriate tools for their specific applications. Whether for flood forecasting, water resource management, or research applications, NGIAB provides a comprehensive solution for modern hydrologic modeling needs. The system's containerized approach ensures consistency, reproducibility, and scalability across different computing environments.

ABSTRACT:

CIROH-2i2c JupyterHub
CIROH, in partnership with 2i2c (International Interactive Computing Collaboration) https://2i2c.org/, provides a cloud-based JupyterHub environment hosted on Google Cloud Platform specifically tailored for hydrological research and education. This collaborative infrastructure enables researchers, students, and practitioners to access pre-configured computational environments with hydrological modeling tools, datasets, and libraries without requiring local installation or significant computing resources.
2i2c is a nonprofit organization specializing in open-source, community-driven cloud infrastructure for research and education, bringing expertise in scalable, interactive computing environments to support scientific workflows.
The CIROH-2i2c JupyterHub offers:

Ready-to-use Python and R environments with common hydrological packages
Scalable computing resources for data analysis and modeling
Collaborative workspace for research teams
Integration with CIROH's data and modeling resources

Access the service: https://ciroh.awi.2i2c.cloud/
Documentation: https://docs.ciroh.org/docs/services/cloudservices/2i2c/
Request Access: https://docs.ciroh.org/docs/services/cloudservices/2i2c/#requesting-access-to-ciroh-2i2c-jupyterhub
Support: For technical assistance, contact the CIROH Cloud Team at ciroh-it-admin@ua.edu

ABSTRACT:

CIROH research requires substantial and diverse computational capabilities, and need that requires research to
investigate the most effective computing infrastructure for a variety of research applications. To do so, CIROH’s
cyberinfrastructure team has established a consortium-wide Research Cloud including cloud resources, high-
performance computing (HPC) resources, and storage capabilities. Research from CIROH explores and identifies
the most useful Cloud and HPC resources, develops and documents them to support CIROH computing, and creates
materials and support processes for training the community on the effective use of the resources. To meet the size
and scope of NextGen, FIM and the importance of its purpose for NOAA, CIROH Cyberinfrastructure provides a
flexible, scalable and secure infrastructure for researchers, enabling research projects with a far-reaching impact
across all CIROH research activities.
The CIROH Cyberinfrastructure, also known as the Research to Operations Hybrid Cloud (R2OHC) Platform, is a
unified, multi-cloud hybrid ecosystem that integrates public clouds (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure), managed services
(via 2i2c JupyterHub deployed on Google Cloud), NSF ACCESS allocations, and on-premises high-performance
computing (HPC). It is designed to provide accessible, scalable, and secure computational resources for over 500+
researchers across 28+ academic institutions, transforming hydrological modeling through cloud-native approaches.
Modern DevOps practices and open-source technologies allow R2OHC to deliver speed, quality, and continuous
improvement. Key innovations such as automated Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines,
containerized workflows, pre-configured environments, and an ecosystem built on Infrastructure as Code (IaC) have
reduced model setup time, enabling researchers to focus on science rather than technical configuration challenges.
The infrastructure supports a community of 500+ users and 104 CIROH projects, which has enabled numerous peer-reviewed publications,
presentations, and trainings. The CIROH-UA GitHub organization currently hosts 50+ public repositories advancing
water resources research with 100+ contributors and 8,060+ commits.
CIROH’s standard of practice (SOP) document v1.1 https://hub.ciroh.org/docs/policies/CyberinfrastructurePolicy/
sop/ shared with members and partners provides standard operating procedures that governs the process of
administering CIROH Cyberinfrastructure’s cloud and on-premises resources.