NWSRFS is a very large and complex operational river forecasting system.
NWSRFS is over 25 years old , but it is continually evolving, adapting, and improving.
It is used daily by hundreds of hydrologic forecasters nationally and internationally.
Over the years, numerous engineers, hydrologists, meteorologists, and systems personnel have contributed to its ongoing development.
The description of NWSRFS contained herein is by necessity rather brief.
The intention has been to provide the reader a general understanding of the capabilities and structure of NWSRFS.

For more detailed descriptions of NWSRFS, the reader is referred to the numerous publications from the NWS Office of Hydrologic Development and, in particular, the NWSRFS Users Manual ( see: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hrl ).

Also, over the years, many people within the NWS have contributed to the development and written documentation of NWSRFS.
The material contained herein has been derived substantially, and in many cases directly, from documentation readily available from the NWS Office of Hydrology.
While it is difficult to acknowledge each person individually who has contributed to this overall effort, the collective result of all their efforts is readily acknowledged. In particular, special acknowledgement to Bob Burnash and Larry Ferral for the Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting Model, Eric Anderson for the Snow Model and Continuous API Model, Danny Fread for Dynamic Routing, and Donna Page and George Smith for the OFS and IFP and other systems capabilities.

A sample of the numerous publications on NWSRFS available from the Office of Hydrology follows.....