Leveraging OGC API for cloud-based flood modeling campaigns

Abstract

Cloud technology and services provide a convenient platform for managing large scale watershed modeling studies, such as probabilistic studies or modeling campaigns requiring thousands of simulations. As federal and state agencies undertake large scale projects that leverage commercial cloud platforms for computing and storage of model data, ensuring that the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) principles are incorporated early in the design stage is crucial. This paper is the first attempt to explore the feasibility of implementing the OGC API - Processes specification for use as an interoperability layer in an environmental modeling study for performing large scale environmental studies consistent with the FAIR principles. Specifically, an evaluation of the suitability for implementing the OGC API - Processes specification in the commercial cloud for managing the fundamental processes that are involved in the setup, execution, and post-processing of hydraulic modeling in a large-scale watershed study is performed. The experimental results show that the implementation of the OGC API - Processes specification can play a valuable role in providing an interoperable service layer that can be used to request geoprocessing services and chain model development and simulation processes.