AI Agent for Hydrologic Modeling: Definition, Development and Application

Abstract

Hydrologic modeling supports flood forecasting and water resources management, but complex preprocessing, parameterization, and configuration limit broader use. This study defines a six-level framework for artificial intelligence (AI)-agent autonomy in hydrologic modeling and develops a Level-4 agent, powered by large language models, that translates natural-language requests into data retrieval, model execution, diagnostics, and reports with human oversight. In a proof-of-concept application to the July 2025 Texas flash flood, the agent reproduced key flood dynamics in the tested basin and reduced manual workflow effort. Observation-driven simulations aligned with streamflow records, whereas a forecast-driven run missed the flood response because the deterministic rainfall forecast displaced the storm core. These results suggest the feasibility of AI-agent-assisted hydrologic modeling in the tested case, while robustness and generalization across broader basins and events remain to be established through systematic validation, probabilistic meteorological forcing, and expert review of automated outputs.