diff --git a/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction0.py b/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction0.py
index 059b8ea4bb7..849f1a81ab5 100644
--- a/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction0.py
+++ b/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction0.py
@@ -33,10 +33,7 @@
 scheme = "UPSTREAM"
 # scheme = "TVD"
 
-ex = ["drycell0"]
-exdirs = []
-for s in ex:
-    exdirs.append(os.path.join("temp", s))
+cases = ["drycell0"]
 
 # Model units
 length_units = "meters"
@@ -116,7 +113,7 @@
 def build_models(idx, test):
     # Base MF6 GWF model type
     ws = test.workspace
-    name = ex[idx]
+    name = cases[idx]
 
     print("Building MF6 model...()".format(name))
 
@@ -345,7 +342,7 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
     print("evaluating results...")
 
     # read transport results from GWE model
-    name = ex[idx]
+    name = cases[idx]
     gwename = "gwe-" + name
 
     fpth = os.path.join(test.workspace, f"{gwename}.ucn")
@@ -411,7 +408,7 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
 # - No need to change any code below
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "idx, name",
-    list(enumerate(ex)),
+    list(enumerate(cases)),
 )
 def test_mf6model(idx, name, function_tmpdir, targets):
     test = TestFramework(
diff --git a/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction1.py b/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction1.py
index 2f53fa0b7bf..25f154790b8 100644
--- a/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction1.py
+++ b/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction1.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 
 from framework import TestFramework
 
+
 # Monotonicity function
 def isMonotonic(A):
     x, y = [], []
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ def isMonotonic(A):
 scheme = "UPSTREAM"
 # scheme = "TVD"
 
-ex = [
+cases = [
     "drycell2-a",  # 2-cell model, horizontally connected with tops and bots aligned
     "drycell2-b",  # 2-cell model, vertically connected
     "drycell2-c",  # 2-cell model, horizontally connected with staggered alignment (reduced shared cell face area)
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ def build_models(idx, test):
 
     # Base MF6 GWF model type
     ws = test.workspace
-    name = ex[idx]
+    name = cases[idx]
 
     print("Building MF6 model...()".format(name))
 
@@ -397,7 +398,7 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
     print("evaluating results...")
 
     # read transport results from GWE model
-    name = ex[idx]
+    name = cases[idx]
     gwename = "gwe-" + name
 
     # All indices are 0 based
@@ -468,7 +469,7 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
 # - No need to change any code below
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "idx, name",
-    list(enumerate(ex)),
+    list(enumerate(cases)),
 )
 def test_mf6model(idx, name, function_tmpdir, targets):
     test = TestFramework(
@@ -476,6 +477,6 @@ def test_mf6model(idx, name, function_tmpdir, targets):
         workspace=function_tmpdir,
         targets=targets,
         build=lambda t: build_models(idx, t),
-        check=lambda t: check_output(idx, t)
+        check=lambda t: check_output(idx, t),
     )
     test.run()
diff --git a/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction2.py b/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction2.py
index 34f9ed2e996..d5e354b6f7a 100644
--- a/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction2.py
+++ b/autotest/test_gwe_drycell_conduction2.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 
 # Base simulation and model name and workspace
 
+
 def my_ceil(a, precision=0):
     return np.round(a + 0.5 * 10 ** (-precision), precision)
 
@@ -76,10 +77,7 @@ def isMonotonic(A):
 scheme = "UPSTREAM"
 # scheme = "TVD"
 
-ex = ["drycl-cnduct"]
-exdirs = []
-for s in ex:
-    exdirs.append(os.path.join("temp", s))
+cases = ["drycl-cnduct"]
 
 # Model units
 length_units = "meters"
@@ -192,7 +190,7 @@ def isMonotonic(A):
 def build_models(idx, test):
     # Base MF6 GWF model type
     ws = test.workspace
-    name = ex[idx]
+    name = cases[idx]
 
     print("Building MF6 model...()".format(name))
 
@@ -537,7 +535,7 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
     print("evaluating results...")
 
     # read transport results from GWE model
-    name = ex[idx]
+    name = cases[idx]
     gwfname = "gwf-" + name
     gwtname = "gwt-" + name
     gwename = "gwe-" + name
@@ -618,10 +616,10 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
     assert np.all(
         np.diff(temp1[-1, :, 0, :-1]) < 0
     ), "Temperature change in the downstream direction should be negative"
-    assert isMonotonic(
-        np.diff(temp1[-1, :, 0, :-1])
-    ), "A monotonic increase in the amount of heat lost to neighboring dry " \
-       "cells is expected"
+    assert isMonotonic(np.diff(temp1[-1, :, 0, :-1])), (
+        "A monotonic increase in the amount of heat lost to neighboring dry "
+        "cells is expected"
+    )
 
     # Check temporal changes in temperature in the most upstream and downstream
     # dry cells. Cell bottoms in row 2 were calculated using a rounding function
@@ -631,32 +629,34 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
     # also conduction among its two dry neighbors (also with variable thickness
     colid = 0
     m_arr = np.diff(temp1[1:, 0, 1, colid])
-    assert isMonotonic(
-        m_arr
-    ), "Temperatures should be monotonically tapering-off in their " \
-       "relative temperature increase with time in the upstream-most" \
-       "dry cell"
+    assert isMonotonic(m_arr), (
+        "Temperatures should be monotonically tapering-off in their "
+        "relative temperature increase with time in the upstream-most"
+        "dry cell"
+    )
 
     colid = 11
     m_arr = np.diff(temp1[1:, 0, 1, colid])
-    assert isMonotonic(
-        m_arr
-    ), "Temperatures should be monotonically tapering-off in their " \
-       "relative temperature increase with time in the downstream-most" \
-       "dry cell"
+    assert isMonotonic(m_arr), (
+        "Temperatures should be monotonically tapering-off in their "
+        "relative temperature increase with time in the downstream-most"
+        "dry cell"
+    )
 
     # Run a few checks between GWE and its GWT counterpart
     # In GWT there is no solute interaction with a dry cell, so concentrations
     # in the dry cell should remain inactive (i.e., no "molecular diffusion")
     # and greater than their GWE counterpart temperatures since there is
     # no "retardation" of concentration (temperature) owing to conduction
-    assert np.all(conc1[:, :, 1, :] < 0), "The dry cells should never have a non-inactive concentration value"
+    assert np.all(
+        conc1[:, :, 1, :] < 0
+    ), "The dry cells should never have a non-inactive concentration value"
 
 
 # - No need to change any code below
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "idx, name",
-    list(enumerate(ex)),
+    list(enumerate(cases)),
 )
 def test_mf6model(idx, name, function_tmpdir, targets):
     test = TestFramework(
diff --git a/autotest/test_gwe_dsp.py b/autotest/test_gwe_dsp.py
index 4f3407d8e04..0af08ee25ed 100644
--- a/autotest/test_gwe_dsp.py
+++ b/autotest/test_gwe_dsp.py
@@ -37,10 +37,7 @@
 # Base simulation and model name and workspace
 
 viscosity_on = [False]
-ex = ["dsp01"]
-exdirs = []
-for s in ex:
-    exdirs.append(os.path.join("temp", s))
+cases = ["dsp01"]
 
 # Model units
 
@@ -124,7 +121,7 @@
 def build_models(idx, test):
     # Base MF6 GWE model type
     ws = test.workspace
-    name = ex[idx]
+    name = cases[idx]
 
     print("Building MF6 model...()".format(name))
 
@@ -358,7 +355,7 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
     print("evaluating results...")
 
     # read transport results from GWE model
-    name = ex[idx]
+    name = cases[idx]
     gwename = "gwe-" + name
 
     fpth = os.path.join(test.workspace, f"{gwename}.ucn")
@@ -483,7 +480,7 @@ def check_output(idx, test):
 # - No need to change any code below
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "idx, name",
-    list(enumerate(ex)),
+    list(enumerate(cases)),
 )
 def test_mf6model(idx, name, function_tmpdir, targets):
     test = TestFramework(