diff --git a/src/snow/snow.jl b/src/snow/snow.jl
index 89dea579c..b0d6f47fa 100644
--- a/src/snow/snow.jl
+++ b/src/snow/snow.jl
@@ -15,20 +15,13 @@ abstract type AbstractSnowModel{T} end
 end
 
 "Initialize snow model variables"
-function SnowVariables(
-    n;
-    snow_storage::Vector{T} = fill(0.0, n),
-    snow_water::Vector{T} = fill(0.0, n),
-    swe::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    snow_melt::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    runoff::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-) where {T}
+function SnowVariables(T::Type{<:AbstractFloat}, n::Int)
     return SnowVariables{T}(;
-        snow_storage = snow_storage,
-        snow_water = snow_water,
-        swe = swe,
-        runoff = runoff,
-        snow_melt = snow_melt,
+        snow_storage = fill(0.0, n),
+        snow_water = fill(0.0, n),
+        swe = fill(mv, n),
+        runoff = fill(mv, n),
+        snow_melt = fill(mv, n),
     )
 end
 
@@ -43,16 +36,11 @@ end
 end
 
 "Initialize snow model boundary conditions"
-function SnowBC(
-    n;
-    effective_precip::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    snow_precip::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    liquid_precip::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-) where {T}
+function SnowBC(T::Type{<:AbstractFloat}, n::Int)
     return SnowBC{T}(;
-        effective_precip = effective_precip,
-        snow_precip = snow_precip,
-        liquid_precip = liquid_precip,
+        effective_precip = fill(mv, n),
+        snow_precip = fill(mv, n),
+        liquid_precip = fill(mv, n),
     )
 end
 
@@ -131,8 +119,8 @@ end
 function SnowHbvModel(nc, config, inds, dt)
     n = length(inds)
     params = SnowHbvParameters(nc, config, inds, dt)
-    vars = SnowVariables(n)
-    bc = SnowBC(n)
+    vars = SnowVariables(Float, n)
+    bc = SnowBC(Float, n)
     model = SnowHbvModel(; boundary_conditions = bc, parameters = params, variables = vars)
     return model
 end
diff --git a/src/soil/soil.jl b/src/soil/soil.jl
index 4317b40c9..e07985b63 100644
--- a/src/soil/soil.jl
+++ b/src/soil/soil.jl
@@ -102,10 +102,10 @@ function SbmSoilVariables(n, parameters)
     vars = SbmSoilVariables(;
         ustorelayerdepth = zero(act_thickl),
         ustorecapacity = soilwatercapacity .- satwaterdepth,
-        ustorelayerthickness = ustorelayerthickness,
-        satwaterdepth = satwaterdepth,
-        zi = zi,
-        n_unsatlayers = n_unsatlayers,
+        ustorelayerthickness,
+        satwaterdepth,
+        zi,
+        n_unsatlayers,
         transpiration = fill(mv, n),
         h3 = fill(mv, n),
         ae_ustore = fill(mv, n),
@@ -604,36 +604,36 @@ function SbmSoilParameters(nc, config, vegetation_parameter_set, inds, dt)
 
     n = length(inds)
     sbm_params = SbmSoilParameters(;
-        maxlayers = maxlayers,
-        nlayers = nlayers,
-        soilwatercapacity = soilwatercapacity,
-        theta_s = theta_s,
-        theta_r = theta_r,
+        maxlayers,
+        nlayers,
+        soilwatercapacity,
+        theta_s,
+        theta_r,
         kvfrac = svectorscopy(kvfrac, Val{maxlayers}()),
-        hb = hb,
-        h1 = h1,
-        h2 = h2,
-        h3_high = h3_high,
-        h3_low = h3_low,
-        h4 = h4,
-        alpha_h1 = alpha_h1,
-        soilthickness = soilthickness,
-        act_thickl = act_thickl,
-        sumlayers = sumlayers,
-        infiltcappath = infiltcappath,
-        infiltcapsoil = infiltcapsoil,
-        maxleakage = maxleakage,
-        pathfrac = pathfrac,
-        rootdistpar = rootdistpar,
+        hb,
+        h1,
+        h2,
+        h3_high,
+        h3_low,
+        h4,
+        alpha_h1,
+        soilthickness,
+        act_thickl,
+        sumlayers,
+        infiltcappath,
+        infiltcapsoil,
+        maxleakage,
+        pathfrac,
+        rootdistpar,
         rootfraction = svectorscopy(rootfraction, Val{maxlayers}()),
-        cap_hmax = cap_hmax,
-        cap_n = cap_n,
+        cap_hmax,
+        cap_n,
         c = svectorscopy(c, Val{maxlayers}()),
-        w_soil = w_soil,
-        cf_soil = cf_soil,
+        w_soil,
+        cf_soil,
         soil_fraction = fill(mv, n),
-        kv_profile = kv_profile,
-        vegetation_parameter_set = vegetation_parameter_set,
+        kv_profile,
+        vegetation_parameter_set,
     )
     return sbm_params
 end
diff --git a/src/surfacewater/runoff.jl b/src/surfacewater/runoff.jl
index 1bb3fbca9..900546e03 100644
--- a/src/surfacewater/runoff.jl
+++ b/src/surfacewater/runoff.jl
@@ -15,20 +15,13 @@ abstract type AbstractRunoffModel{T} end
 end
 
 "Initialize open water runoff model variables"
-function OpenWaterRunoffVariables(
-    n;
-    runoff_river::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    runoff_land::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    ae_openw_l::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    ae_openw_r::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    net_runoff_river::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-) where {T}
+function OpenWaterRunoffVariables(T::Type{<:AbstractFloat}, n::Int)
     return OpenWaterRunoffVariables{T}(;
-        runoff_river = runoff_river,
-        runoff_land = runoff_land,
-        ae_openw_l = ae_openw_l,
-        ae_openw_r = ae_openw_r,
-        net_runoff_river = net_runoff_river,
+        runoff_river = fill(mv, n),
+        runoff_land = fill(mv, n),
+        ae_openw_l = fill(mv, n),
+        ae_openw_r = fill(mv, n),
+        net_runoff_river = fill(mv, n),
     )
 end
 
@@ -64,16 +57,11 @@ end
 end
 
 "Initialize open water runoff boundary conditions"
-function OpenWaterRunoffBC(
-    n;
-    water_flux_surface::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    waterlevel_land::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    waterlevel_river::Vector{T} = zeros(Float, n), # set to zero to account for cells outside river domain
-) where {T}
+function OpenWaterRunoffBC(T::Type{<:AbstractFloat}, n::Int)
     return OpenWaterRunoffBC{T}(;
-        water_flux_surface = water_flux_surface,
-        waterlevel_land = waterlevel_land,
-        waterlevel_river = waterlevel_river,
+        water_flux_surface = fill(mv, n),
+        waterlevel_land = fill(mv, n),
+        waterlevel_river = zeros(T, n),
     )
 end
 
@@ -87,8 +75,8 @@ end
 "Initialize open water runoff model"
 function OpenWaterRunoff(nc, config, inds, riverfrac)
     n = length(riverfrac)
-    vars = OpenWaterRunoffVariables(n)
-    bc = OpenWaterRunoffBC(n)
+    vars = OpenWaterRunoffVariables(Float, n)
+    bc = OpenWaterRunoffBC(Float, n)
     params = OpenWaterRunoffParameters(nc, config, inds, riverfrac)
     model =
         OpenWaterRunoff(; boundary_conditions = bc, parameters = params, variables = vars)
diff --git a/src/vegetation/canopy.jl b/src/vegetation/canopy.jl
index 232723217..6053fcd85 100644
--- a/src/vegetation/canopy.jl
+++ b/src/vegetation/canopy.jl
@@ -15,20 +15,13 @@ abstract type AbstractInterceptionModel{T} end
 end
 
 "Initialize interception model variables"
-function InterceptionVariables(
-    n;
-    canopy_potevap::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    interception_rate::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    canopy_storage::Vector{T} = fill(0.0, n),
-    stemflow::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-    throughfall::Vector{T} = fill(mv, n),
-) where {T}
+function InterceptionVariables(T::Type{<:AbstractFloat}, n::Int)
     return InterceptionVariables(;
-        canopy_potevap = canopy_potevap,
-        interception_rate = interception_rate,
-        canopy_storage = canopy_storage,
-        stemflow = stemflow,
-        throughfall = throughfall,
+        canopy_potevap = fill(mv, n),
+        interception_rate = fill(mv, n),
+        canopy_storage = zeros(T, n),
+        stemflow = fill(mv, n),
+        throughfall = fill(mv, n),
     )
 end
 
@@ -58,7 +51,7 @@ function GashInterceptionModel(nc, config, inds, vegetation_parameter_set)
     n = length(inds)
     params =
         GashParameters(; e_r = e_r, vegetation_parameter_set = vegetation_parameter_set)
-    vars = InterceptionVariables(n)
+    vars = InterceptionVariables(Float, n)
     model = GashInterceptionModel(; parameters = params, variables = vars)
     return model
 end