How to reuse a discretization object for other models

[cneyens]

I have input files for a MODFLOW 6 simulation with only a flow model. I do not have the corresponding flopy code used to create this model. I need to add a transport or PRT model, which requires the same discretization object as the GWF model. When reading in this simulation with flopy, is there a fast way to 'reuse' the dis/disv/disu object in the flow model? Or register it with another model, similar to registring an IMS package? The register_package() method does not seem to do the trick.

I now create a dis/disv object by accessing all the individual components (nlay, vertices,,...) in the flow model's dis object, but this seems tedious and redundant, as MODFLOW 6 requires that the discretization objects are the same across the models anyway.

Also, I am aware that I can just point to the original DIS file by editing the name file of the new model, but I'd still like to have the dis object for the transport model in Python.

[wpbonelli]

I think the easiest way at the moment is to load up the binary grid file written by the flow model into MfGrdFile and double-star it into the dis/v initializer. All the property names should match except bot/botm, annoyingly. I'll make a note to deprecate MfGrdFile.bot and alias it to botm. Really this probably deserves a classmethod or utility function to go between these grid representations. Thanks for raising this!

[wpbonelli]

scratch what I said about **, the MfGrdFile.__dict__ has extra stuff the dis/v won't like. This really deserves a convenience method.