Introduction to SWAT(+)

Celray James CHAWANDA

Ann van Griensven, J. Arnold, K. Bieger
SWAT is …
Processes
… a modeling software
Hydrological
Agricultural
… a hydrological modeling software Pedological
Meteorological
… an integrated hydrological modeling software Ecological
Chemical
Sociological
... a process based integrated hydrological modeling software

... a process catchment based integrated hydrological modeling software

… a hydro-agro-pedo-meteo-eco-chemo-socio-logical
modeling software for catchments
SWAT is…
… a river basin management tool
Predict the impacts of
- Management practices
- Land Use change
- Climate change

Used by US-EPA, Mekong commission, Nile Basin Initiative and

other agencies.
SWAT is…
…a scientific modelling tool
Historical trends of published SWAT-related peer-reviewed articles

4042 until the end of 2020 March.

Source: SWAT Literature Database as of July, 2019

https://www.card.iastate.edu/swat_articles/index.aspx
SWAT is …
… a community model

User Groups
Software Developers

Documentation
Publications

Applications

http://swat.tamu.edu/
6
There are many interfaces
developed for SWAT

QGIS → QSWAT/QSWAT+
open source GIS software
Mapwindow → MWSWAT
open source GIS software

ArcView → AVSwat-X

ArcGIS → ArcSWAT
SWAT is..
… a semi-distributed catchment model

HRU

Sub catchments

Rivers
SWAT has been applied
at many scales

Up to 0.05 km2 184, 560 km2 30.37 million km²

Dile et al., 2016 Betrie et al., 2011 Schuol et al., 2008
SWAT is widely applied
because…
Integrated processes

Useful for a wide range of problems related

to Integrated River Basin Management

Efficient in computation time Supported by a large

semi-distributed and conceptual solutions developer and user community
Available and accessible
free and open software, well documented

Easy to use: GIS-based user interfaces,

well documented, using readily available data
 New level of
discretisation

Landscape units
Elements of a (sub) watershed
Defined to account for landscape position and processes

There are two landscape units

▪Upland and floodplain
▪Different hydrologic properties
and processes (slope, storage,
sediment processes)
 Options for Landscape
unit delineation

Delineation methods:
a) Topographic Wetness Index
(Beven and Kirkby, 1979)
b) Slope Position
(USDA Forest Service, 1999)
c) Uniform Flood Stage
(Williams et al., 2000)
d) Variable Flood Stage
(Nardi et al., 2006)

Rathjens et al., 2016. Delineating floodplain and

upland areas for hydrologic models - A comparison
of methods. Hydrological Processes 30(23):4367-
4383.
 Revised watershed
configuration

Watershed Watershed
Improved simulation of
landscape position,
overland routing, and
Subbasins Subbasins floodplain processes

Water Landscape
HRUs
Areas Unit(s)

More realistic simulation of

water areas HRUs
 Revised Channel
configuration

Multiple channels per Subbasin

Reservoirs can be placed anywhere in

the subbasin
 Spatial objects
and connections
Landscape Unit

Urban HRU Wetland Pond

Pasture HRU Channel
75% of
flow
Wheat HRU 25% of flow
Forest HRU
Corn HRU Reservoir Point Source
Aquifer
100% of
seepage

Flexible spatial representation of connectivity

within a watershed using “connect” files

New spatial objects: pumps, canals,

water rights, animal herds
 Spatial objects
and connections Channel

Upland Floodplain

Pasture HRU Urban HRU Forest HRU Point Source

Pasture HRU
Channel

Corn HRU Wheat HRU

Pond

Reservoir

Aquifer Aquifer

Channel
Downstream
Aquifer

24/11/2021 Bieger and Arnold 16

SWAT workshop

Celray James CHAWANDA

Ann van Griensven, J. Arnold, K. Bieger
 Learning Objectives

• Know how to set up a catchment model

• Know how to calibrate and evaluate a catchment model
• Understand the processes, inputs, parameters, outputs of
SWAT+

24/11/2021 | pag. 18
 Tasks
• Installation of SWAT+ on your laptop
• Setting up SWAT+ for Case Study
• Analysing inputs and outputs of SWAT+
• Calibration of SWAT+ (manual/automatic)
• Evaluation of SWAT+ model
• Daily Quizes and Final Quiz.

24/11/2021 | pag. 19
Celray James CHAWANDA
celray.chawanda@vub.be

Ann van Griensven

ann.van.griensven@vub.be