EFDC

EFDC (Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code) version 11.0.0.28844, developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency, is a sophisticated surface water modeling system designed for environmental assessment and management. This free software can be downloaded under the Freeware license, making it accessible to a wide range of users interested in hydrodynamic simulation.

EFDC is categorized under Education and is specifically a tool within the Science Tools subcategory. It provides comprehensive capabilities for modeling hydrodynamic, sediment-contaminant, and eutrophication processes in various aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and coastal ocean regions.

The model has evolved significantly over the past two decades and stands out due to its technical robustness, being one of the most widely used and technically defensible hydrodynamic models globally. The program employs stretched or sigma vertical coordinates and Cartesian or curvilinear, orthogonal horizontal coordinates to accurately represent the physical characteristics of water bodies. It solves three-dimensional, vertically hydrostatic, free surface, turbulent averaged equations of motion for variable-density fluids and also dynamically-coupled transport equations for turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent length scale, salinity, and temperature.

One of EFDC's notable features is its ability to simulate drying and wetting in shallow areas, facilitated by a mass conservation scheme. This functionality is particularly beneficial for modeling real-world scenarios with varying water levels.

The latest version (11.0.0.28844) can be downloaded as the file named EFDC_DS_061004.exe. It is compatible with a range of operating systems including Windows XP, 7, 8, 10, and 11. Previous versions, such as 11.0, are also available, ensuring users have access to a variety of iterations to meet their specific needs.

Pros:

• Freeware license makes the software accessible to a wide user base.
• Comprehensive modeling capabilities for various aquatic environments.
• Technically robust and widely used for environmental assessment.
• Compatible with multiple Windows operating systems.

Cons:

• The complexity of the software may pose a steep learning curve for new users.
• Requires substantial computational resources for large-scale simulations.
• Limited to Windows operating systems, which might exclude other platforms.

You may want to check out more software, such as f x -Viewer, Trachtenberg Speed Math or ChemDBsoft Lite Demo, which might be related to EFDC.