diff --git a/server/test/sbm_config.toml b/server/test/sbm_config.toml
index c4bd53cc0..8938a5431 100644
--- a/server/test/sbm_config.toml
+++ b/server/test/sbm_config.toml
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 river_bank_water__depth = "RiverDepth"
 river_bank_water__elevation = "RiverZ"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 # specify the internal IDs of the parameters which vary over time
 # the external name mapping needs to be below together with the other mappings
 forcing = [
@@ -125,10 +128,6 @@ targetminfrac = "ResTargetMinFrac"
 [input.lateral.subsurface]
 ksathorfrac = "KsatHorFrac"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-mannings_n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-
 [model]
 kin_wave_iteration = true
 masswasting = true
diff --git a/src/routing/surface_kinwave.jl b/src/routing/surface_kinwave.jl
index 05d12c8f9..de6dd0c08 100644
--- a/src/routing/surface_kinwave.jl
+++ b/src/routing/surface_kinwave.jl
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ function KinWaveOverlandFlow(dataset, config, indices; slope, flow_length, flow_
     mannings_n = ncread(
         dataset,
         config,
-        "lateral.land.mannings_n";
+        "land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter";
         sel = indices,
         defaults = 0.072,
         type = Float,
diff --git a/src/routing/surface_local_inertial.jl b/src/routing/surface_local_inertial.jl
index f78b7a5e6..1cd17dac9 100644
--- a/src/routing/surface_local_inertial.jl
+++ b/src/routing/surface_local_inertial.jl
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ function LocalInertialOverlandFlowParameters(
     mannings_n = ncread(
         dataset,
         config,
-        "lateral.land.mannings_n";
+        "land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter";
         sel = indices,
         defaults = 0.072,
         type = Float,
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ function LocalInertialOverlandFlowParameters(
     elevation_2d = ncread(
         dataset,
         config,
-        "lateral.land.elevation";
+        "land_surface_water_flow__ground_elevation";
         optional = false,
         type = Float,
         fill = 0,
diff --git a/src/sbm_gwf_model.jl b/src/sbm_gwf_model.jl
index ddd351b49..4ae064330 100644
--- a/src/sbm_gwf_model.jl
+++ b/src/sbm_gwf_model.jl
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ function initialize_sbm_gwf_model(config::Config)
     land_slope = ncread(
         dataset,
         config,
-        "lateral.land.slope";
+        "land_surface__slope";
         optional = false,
         sel = indices,
         type = Float,
diff --git a/src/sbm_model.jl b/src/sbm_model.jl
index e74fe5004..efc697b9a 100644
--- a/src/sbm_model.jl
+++ b/src/sbm_model.jl
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ function initialize_sbm_model(config::Config)
     land_slope = ncread(
         dataset,
         config,
-        "lateral.land.slope";
+        "land_surface__slope";
         optional = false,
         sel = indices,
         type = Float,
diff --git a/test/run_sbm_gwf.jl b/test/run_sbm_gwf.jl
index 2b15910ae..1ca02562e 100644
--- a/test/run_sbm_gwf.jl
+++ b/test/run_sbm_gwf.jl
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ config.model.land_routing = "local-inertial"
 
 config.input.river_bank_water__elevation = "bankfull_elevation"
 config.input.river_bank_water__depth = "bankfull_depth"
-config.input.lateral.land.elevation = "wflow_dem"
+config.input.land_surface_water_flow__ground_elevation = "wflow_dem"
 
 pop!(Dict(config.state.lateral.land.variables), "q")
 config.state.lateral.land.variables.h_av = "h_av_land"
diff --git a/test/sbm_config.toml b/test/sbm_config.toml
index c4bd53cc0..8938a5431 100644
--- a/test/sbm_config.toml
+++ b/test/sbm_config.toml
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 river_bank_water__depth = "RiverDepth"
 river_bank_water__elevation = "RiverZ"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 # specify the internal IDs of the parameters which vary over time
 # the external name mapping needs to be below together with the other mappings
 forcing = [
@@ -125,10 +128,6 @@ targetminfrac = "ResTargetMinFrac"
 [input.lateral.subsurface]
 ksathorfrac = "KsatHorFrac"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-mannings_n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-
 [model]
 kin_wave_iteration = true
 masswasting = true
diff --git a/test/sbm_gw.toml b/test/sbm_gw.toml
index a74cdeb57..18c32378c 100644
--- a/test/sbm_gw.toml
+++ b/test/sbm_gw.toml
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ river_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N_River"
 river__slope = "RiverSlope"
 river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 # specify the internal IDs of the parameters which vary over time
 # the external name mapping needs to be below together with the other mappings
 forcing = [
@@ -110,10 +113,6 @@ maxvolume = "ResMaxVolume"
 targetfullfrac = "ResTargetFullFrac"
 targetminfrac = "ResTargetMinFrac"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-mannings_n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-
 [model]
 kin_wave_iteration = true
 masswasting = true
diff --git a/test/sbm_gwf_config.toml b/test/sbm_gwf_config.toml
index 7385f4525..29d28ec3d 100644
--- a/test/sbm_gwf_config.toml
+++ b/test/sbm_gwf_config.toml
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ river_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N_river"
 river__slope = "RiverSlope"
 river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 # specify the internal IDs of the parameters which vary over time
 # the external name mapping needs to be below together with the other mappings
 forcing = [
@@ -76,10 +79,6 @@ forcing = [
 potential_evaporation = "PET"
 precipitation = "P"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-mannings_n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-
 [input.lateral.subsurface]
 conductivity = "k"
 constant_head = "constant_head"
diff --git a/test/sbm_gwf_piave_demand_config.toml b/test/sbm_gwf_piave_demand_config.toml
index 9915c9581..78a505eff 100644
--- a/test/sbm_gwf_piave_demand_config.toml
+++ b/test/sbm_gwf_piave_demand_config.toml
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ river__slope = "RiverSlope"
 river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 river_bank_water__depth = "RiverDepth"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 forcing = [
   "vertical.atmospheric_forcing.precipitation",
   "vertical.atmospheric_forcing.temperature",
@@ -184,10 +187,6 @@ river_bottom = "zb_river"
 specific_yield = "specific_yield"
 gwf_f = "gwf_f"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-mannings_n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-
 [output]
 path = "output-piave-gwf.nc"
 
diff --git a/test/sbm_piave_config.toml b/test/sbm_piave_config.toml
index a5a32e7a4..60f477d7b 100644
--- a/test/sbm_piave_config.toml
+++ b/test/sbm_piave_config.toml
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ river__slope = "RiverSlope"
 river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 river_bank_water__depth = "RiverDepth"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 forcing = [
   "vertical.atmospheric_forcing.precipitation",
   "vertical.atmospheric_forcing.temperature",
@@ -127,10 +130,6 @@ h_av = "h_av_land"
 [input.lateral.subsurface]
 ksathorfrac = "KsatHorFrac"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-mannings_n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-
 [output]
 path = "output-piave.nc"
 
diff --git a/test/sbm_piave_demand_config.toml b/test/sbm_piave_demand_config.toml
index b7bded0dc..c5a29a792 100644
--- a/test/sbm_piave_demand_config.toml
+++ b/test/sbm_piave_demand_config.toml
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ river__slope = "RiverSlope"
 river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 river_bank_water__depth = "RiverDepth"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 forcing = [
   "vertical.atmospheric_forcing.precipitation",
   "vertical.atmospheric_forcing.temperature",
@@ -171,10 +174,6 @@ irrigation_trigger = "irrigation_trigger"
 [input.lateral.subsurface]
 ksathorfrac = "KsatHorFrac"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-mannings_n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-
 [output]
 path = "output-piave-demand.nc"
 
diff --git a/test/sbm_simple.toml b/test/sbm_simple.toml
index 36f25c080..de4242dde 100644
--- a/test/sbm_simple.toml
+++ b/test/sbm_simple.toml
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ river_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N_River"
 river__slope = "RiverSlope"
 river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 # specify the internal IDs of the parameters which vary over time
 # the external name mapping needs to be below together with the other mappings
 forcing = [
@@ -85,10 +88,6 @@ targetminfrac = "ResTargetMinFrac"
 [input.lateral.subsurface]
 ksathorfrac = "KsatHorFrac"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-
 [model]
 thicknesslayers = [100, 300, 800]
 type = "sbm"
diff --git a/test/sbm_swf_config.toml b/test/sbm_swf_config.toml
index c5a0b41c9..78524c0e7 100644
--- a/test/sbm_swf_config.toml
+++ b/test/sbm_swf_config.toml
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ river__width = "wflow_riverwidth"
 river_bank_water__depth = "RiverDepth"
 river_bank_water__elevation = "RiverZ"
 
+land_surface_water_flow__manning_n_parameter = "N"
+land_surface_water_flow__ground_elevation = "FloodplainZ"
+land_surface__slope = "Slope"
+
 # specify the internal IDs of the parameters which vary over time
 # the external name mapping needs to be below together with the other mappings
 forcing = [
@@ -116,11 +120,6 @@ targetminfrac = "ResTargetMinFrac"
 [input.lateral.subsurface]
 ksathorfrac = "KsatHorFrac"
 
-[input.lateral.land]
-mannings_n = "N"
-slope = "Slope"
-elevation = "FloodplainZ"
-
 [model]
 kin_wave_iteration = true
 masswasting = true