add vic_sample_data submodule

.gitmodules

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "samples/VIC_sample_data"]
+	path = samples/VIC_sample_data
+	url = https://github.com/jhamman/VIC_sample_data

docs/Development/ReleaseNotes.md

@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ This is a major update from VIC 4. The VIC 5.0.0 release aims to have nearly ide
 
 	Similarly, output variables `OUT_NET_LONG` and `OUT_NET_SHORT` have been replaced with `OUT_LWNET` and `OUT_SWNET`, respectively.
 
-3.  Changed the name of the variable VEGCOVER to FCANOPY, since this more accurately captures the meaning of the term (i.e., the fractional area of the plant canopy within the veg tile).  Similarly changed OUT_VEGCOVER to OUT_FCANOPY.
+4.  Changed the name of the variable VEGCOVER to FCANOPY, since this more accurately captures the meaning of the term (i.e., the fractional area of the plant canopy within the veg tile).  Similarly changed OUT_VEGCOVER to OUT_FCANOPY.
 
     Similarly, changed the names of the following global parameter file options:
         - VEGLIB_VEGCOVER

samples/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+VIC Sample Data
+===============
+
+This directory includes complete sample datasets to run VIC. Sample datasets that are currently included in the VIC source code repository:
+
+## Image Driver
+1.  Stehekin - 10-days of forcings
+
+## Classic Driver
+
+1.  Stehekin - 10-days of forcings
+
+## Summary of Datasets:
+1.  Stehekin: This is a distributed datasets that covers the entire Stehekin River Basin, located in Washington State, USA.
+2.  More will be added soon!
+
+## Getting the Datasets:
+The VIC sample datasets are in a "git submodule", to download the datasets to this directory, simply run the following command:
+
+```
+./get_sample_data.bash
+```
+
+You may also download the sample data to another location on your computer by specifying the directory in which you would like to add the data:
+
+```
+git clone https://github.com/jhamman/VIC_sample_data.git path/folder_name
+```

samples/get_sample_data.bash

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -e
+
+# save a few directory names
+CWD=$PWD
+SAMPLES="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
+
+git submodule init
+
+# Get the sample data
+cd $SAMPLES/VIC_sample_data
+git fetch origin
+# TODO - get data branch/tag that aligns with the state of the VIC repo.
+git checkout master
+
+# back to the original directory
+cd $CWD