Short Name:
Short name of model
RTC-Tools
Long Name:
Long name of model
Real-Time Control Tools
Model Type:
Event or continuous in time; distributed, semi-distributed, or lumped in space
Reservoir optimization, reservoir simulation.
Flood Mechanism:
Riverine flood or urban flood or rural flash flood or urban flash flood; rainfall-only or rainfall-snowmelt derived; note wildfire/debris-flow applicability where relevant
Riverine flooding via river routing with 1D floodplains or combined 1D river + 2D overland; also pluvial overland flow.
Usage:
Demonstrated application purposes with emphasis on flash flood and riverine flood forecasting; include wildfire/debris use-cases where applicable
RTC-Tools is used for optimization of reservoir operations, pump and sluice operations for polder management, hydropower scheduling and water allocation. RTC-Tools supports detailed modelling on the level of single generating units (turbines) for operational management in real-time (hour), short-term (1-3 days) and mid-term (weeks), but also for strategic planning on the long-term (years) time scale.
Background:
Description of model history and background
RTC-Tools 1 was first released in 2012. In 2015, RTC-Tools 2 was released as Python package as we know it today. First use cases were operational management of Dutch polder systems, optimization of reservoir operation and hydropower scheduling. RTC-Tools’ key feature is the optimization of water and energy systems with exact mathematical optimization. RTC-Tools also supports simulation, modellers use RTC-Tools simulation mode for so-called simulation companion models that accompany optimization models, but also for modeling complex feedback control rules.
Channel Routing:
Available methods for flood wave routing
Time-lag, Muskingum routing, kinematic wave, diffusive wave, inertia model and Saint-Venant (1D open channel flow).
Reservoir Routing:
Available methods for reservoir routing
Time-lag, Muskingum routing, kinematic wave, diffusive wave, inertia model and Saint-Venant (1D open channel flow).
Reservoir Operation:
Available methods for reservoir and gate control operations
Linear and nonlinear optimization (model predictive control) with exact mathematical methods, Feedback control.
Input Data:
What types of input data are required for the model
Time series, model parameters (physical limits, e. g. maximum reservoir storage), operational goals (optimization models only), reservoir operation rules as if-then-else logic or in structured lookup-table format.
Input Format:
What file formats can be used for input data
Modelica, Python
Input Time Interval:
What time interval is required for input data, and how are daily values utilized
Seconds, hours, days, weeks, months, years; provided as calendar time series.
Optimization or Calibration:
What tools are available for calibration and optimization
Optimization of operations (optimal control) is the key feature of RTC-Tools. For conflict resolution between operational goals RTC-Tools supports lexicographic goal programming and the weighting method. Various optimization solvers are supported. For nonlinear continuous non-convex optimization problems RTC-Tools provides the continuation method.
Data Assimilation:
Can observed flow and previous forecast flow be used to update the forecast flow
none
Ensemble:
Can ensemble meteorologic forecasts be used in the model
Yes, RTC-Tools supports individual ensemble optimization, holistic ensemble optimization and tree-based ensemble optimization.
Uncertainty:
How is uncertainty represented in the outputs
Output is provided for each ensemble member. This can be processed to indicators, uncertainty bands or other.
Simulation Time Interval:
What time interval is used for simulation
Corresponds to input interval. Typical time step sizes are hours, days, weeks, months; second is the smallest time step size.
Model Output Time-Series:
What time-series outputs are available
Corresponds to input interval.
Time-Series Format:
What is the file format for output time-series data
CSV and FEWS-PI.
Model Output Statistics:
What types of output statistics are available
Performance metrics for the degree of goal satisfaction and goal programming output are standard output. Via Python, any other output can be configured.
Statistics Format:
What is the file format for output statistics data
CSV and FEWS-PI.
Inventory Platform:
Platforms from this inventory in which this model can be integrated
Delft-FEWS
Additional Platform:
Additional platforms outside this inventory in which this model can be integrated
–
Installation:
Difficulty level for installation and configuration
Average. RTC-Tools comes as Python package. Some basic understanding of folder structures and Python programming is an advantage.
User Education:
Education level recommended for users
Basic programming skills, preferrably with Python, are recommended. Modellers should be familiar with basic prinicples of hydraulic modelling (e. g. water balance and open channel flow equations).
Degree of Difficulty:
Score from 1 (difficult) to 5 (easy) rating the overall difficulty of use
3
GIS Support:
How much GIS support is included for watershed delineation and parameter estimation
Modelling tools for model development and result inspection have been configured for QGIS. However, this has not been made publicly available yet.
Data Preparation:
What tools are included for importing and preparing time-series data
Import is in principle fully configurable via Python. Often, users use Excel to prepare input and to inspect output data.
Parameter Estimation:
What tools are included for estimating model parameters from physical data
none
Model Calibration:
What tools are included for model calibration
none
Model Verification:
What tools are included for model verification
none
Hardware Requirements:
Minimum hardware requirements
RTC-Tools runs on standard computers
Operating System:
Operating system – MS Windows, LINUX
MS Windows, Linux, Mac
Language of Core Code:
Programming language used for the core code (e.g. Fortran, C++, Java). If workflow scripting is supported (e.g. Python) then please specify
Python
Open Source:
Open source or closed source
Open Source
Last Update and Version:
Date of latest update and the version number for the release
Nov-25
Next Update and Version:
Date of next planned update and the version number for the release
Jan-26
Active Development Community:
Is there an active developer community with regular updates and new releases?
In November 2025, RTC-Tools has become a Linux Foundation project. The developer community now consists of multiple developers from different organizations.
Platform integration:
Platforms in the inventory which integrate this model
Delft-FEWS
Download URL:
URL that can be used to download the software
Free to Download and Use:
Is the software free to download and use?
Yes
Language of Software Interface:
Languages used for the software user interface
Python, Modelica
Online Support URL:
URL that can be used to get online support
Training Material URL (including example data sets):
URL that can be used to access training material
Language of Trainings:
Languages used for the training material
English
Guidance Material URL (including case studies and benchmarking of performance/speed):
URL for case studies and examples of its use. Ideally including benchmarking of performance
Language of Guidance:
Languages used for the guidance material
English
References:
Reference from scientific journals or publications
Generic papers about the software (case-studies included):
- Becker, B. P. J.; Jagtenberg, C. J.; Horváth, K.; Mitchell, A.; Rodríguez-Sarasty, J. A. (2024): Optimization methods in water system operation. WIRES Water 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1756.
- Schwanenberg, D.; Becker, B. P. J.; Xu, M. (2015): The Open RTC-Tools Software framework for Modeling Real-Time Control in Water Resources Systems. Journal of Hydroinformatics Vol. 17 (2015) No. 1 pp. 130–148. DOI: 10.2166/hydro.2014.046.
- Becker, B.; Kim, J.; Pummer, E. (2023): Reservoir operations under uncertainty with moving-horizon approach and ensemble forecast optimization. Journal of Applied Water Engineering and Research (JAWER) Vol. Ahead of Print (2023) pp. 1–12. DOI: 10.1080/23249676.2023.2276948.
- Becker, B. P. J.; Ochterbeck, D.; Piovesan, T. (2023): A comparison of the homotopy method with linearisation approaches for a non-linear optimization problem of operations in a reservoir cascade. Energy Systems 2023. DOI: 10.1007/s12667-023-00608-w.
- Marth, I.; Becker, B. (2023): Gradient descent optimization supports the generation of reservoir operation plan. STAtOR Vol. 24 (2023) No. 3–4 pp. 4–9.
- Horváth, K.; van Esch, B.; Vreeken, T.; Piovesan, T.; Talsma, J.; Pothof, I. (2022): Potential of model predictive control of a polder water system including pumps, weirs and gates. Journal of Process Control Vol. 119 (2022) pp. 128–140. DOI: 10.1016/j.jprocont.2022.10.003.
- Horváth, K.; van Esch, B.; Pothof, I.; Vreeken, T.; Talsma, J.; Baayen, J. (2019): Closed-loop model predictive control with mixed-integer optimization of a river reach with weirs. IFAC PapersOnLine Vol. 52–53 (2019) pp. 81–87. DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2019.11.013.
- Horváth, K.; Smoorenburg, M.; Vreeken, D.; Piovesan, T. (2022): Comparison of two model predictive control methods that can deal with ensemble forecasts. IFAC-PapersOnLine Vol. 55 (2022) No. 33 pp. 27–33. DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2022.11.005.
Owner:
Contact of the organization owning the software. Could be core developer.
Owner of the software is the developer community, organized under LF Energy.
https://lfenergy.org/projects/rtc-tools/
Developer:
Contact of the organization that created and built the software
Deltares has initiated the software and contributes to the community development.
https://oss.deltares.nl/web/rtc-tools/contact