Evaluating models or evaluating modelling practices? - Interactive comment on HESS Opinions “Crash tests for a standardized evaluation of hydrological models”

We discuss some drawbacks of the proposed framework for evaluating hydrological models, through both a scientific and an engineering approach. We explain that the model improvement is a continuous process that oscillates between induction and deduction, which requires deep understanding of the physical phenomena and exploitation of all kind of information, taking into account the specific hydrosystem peculiarities. In this context, we ask for more engineering judgment, to prohibit from misleading conclusions due to model misuse issues.