The use of the specified time interval (STI) numerical schemes has been popular in applying the method of characteristics (MOC) to unsteady open-channel flow problems. Studies and analyses of several variants of the STI schemes have led to the derivation of a new scheme, referred to herein as the multimode scheme, which combines implicit, temporal reachback, spatial reachback, and classical schemes into one. Three numerical models have been developed to implement the implicit and multimode schemes. Numerical analyses, numerical experiments, and field applications that verify, support, and demonstrate the enhanced model capabilities are presented.