Calibration of a two-dimensional hydrodynamics model

This paper reports the approach and results of calibrating a two-dimensional hydrodynamics model. The model was applied to Humboldt Bay, California, and calibrated with synoptic tidal data at four locations. The model calibration was done by using both a trial-and-error approach and a parameter identification (PI) method. For the given finite-difference grid resolution and field observations, the calibration attempt revealed that the two methods produced two different sets of parameters, but with almost identical comparisons between the model solutions and observations. The study results indicate that the appropriate range of model parameter values can be more efficiently identified by parameter identification method, and the best calibration strategy is to use both methods conjunctively.