Data-driven models (DDMs) gain popularity in earth and environmental systems, thanks in large part to advancements in data collection techniques and artificial intelligence (AI). The performance of these models is determined by the underlying machine learning (ML) algorithms. In this study, we develop a framework to improve the model performance by optimizing ML algorithms and demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework using a DDM to predict edge-of-field runoff in the Maumee domain, USA.