The Community Land Model (CLM) is the land component of the Community Earth System Model (CESM; Lawrence et al. 2019). CLM includes parameterizations of terrestrial hydrological processes such as interception, throughfall, canopy drip, snow accumulation and melt, water transfer between snow layers, infiltration, evaporation, surface runoff, sub-surface drainage, redistribution within the soil column, and groundwater discharge and recharge to simulate changes in canopy water, surface water, snow water, soil water, and soil ice, and water in the unconfined aquifer. CLM is also capable of simulating anthropogenic influences on the terrestrial hydrological budget, such as irrigation, groundwater pumping, cropping systems (including bioenergy crops) and their management, as well as dynamic transitions in land use and land cover.

Cheng et al. (2021) implemented Miscanthus and switchgrass into CLM5 using parameters for photosynthesis, seasonal changes, resource allocation, plant decomposition, and nitrogen uptake carbon cost while simultaneously integrating land management practices. This study establishes the foundation for examining the impact of extensive plantation of bioenergy crops on terrestrial hydrological and biogeochemical cycles as well as surface energy partitioning.

Swenson et al. (2019) modified CLM5 to explicitly represent representative hillslopes and lateral transport of water between hillslope elements. With the Hillslope component, we will be able to better capture the physical aspect of groundwater dynamics in critical zones with dynamic responses to LULC and climate.