Introduction to
EPA- SWMM
Assela Pathirana, PhD
Based on material from
1. SWMM official documentation
2. CE572 material of Colorado state university.
3. Several other sources (cited)
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SWMM?
SWMM is a distributed, dynamic rainfall-runoff simulation
model used for single event or long-term (continuous)
simulation of runoff quantity and quality from primarily
2 urban areas.
SWMM’s Process Models
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Hydrologic Modeling Features
Time varying rainfall.
Spatial variability can be
mimicked.
Infiltration, evaporation,
depression storage,
groundwater flow, snow.
Kinematic-wave routing of
overland flow.
Epa-SWMM represents
catchments as single slope with
kinematic wave routing. This has
important consequences for
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application.
Hydraulic Modeling Features
Drainage network analysis.
Various conduit shapes as well as irregular natural
channels
Storage units, pumps, regulators
Allows external inflows from runoff, groundwater, RDII*,
sanitary, DWF, etc.
Models various flow regimes:
backwater, surcharging, reverse flow, and surface ponding
*Rainfall-derived infiltration and inflow
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** Dry-Weather flow.
Water Quality Modeling Features
Pollutant buildup, reduction in build up by
street cleaning.
Pollutant wash off by runoff
Reduction in wash off from SUD*s
Water quality routing through the drainage
network
User-defined treatment functions
* Sustainable Urban Drainage (also
known as BMPs – Best management
practices in Americas)
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Typical Applications of SWMM
Design and sizing drainage system components
including detention facilities
Flood plain mapping of natural channel systems
Control of combined and sanitary sewer overflows
Generating non-point source pollutant loadings
Evaluating SUDs and LID*s for sustainability goals
* Low-impact development
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Limitations of SWMM
Not directly applicable to large-scale, non-urban
watersheds.
Not applicable to forested areas or irrigated
cropland (e.g. No transpiration model)
Cannot be used with highly aggregated (e.g.,
daily) rainfall data
Its an analysis tool, not an automated design tool
No Direct GIS interface (third party solutions
available)
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Typically hidden from the
Structure of SWMM 5
(casual) user
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SWMM 5’s Visual Objects
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Flow Routing Algorithms
Steady Flow
simple hydrograph translation
applicable only to branched networks (no flow divergence)
Kinematic Wave
gravity force balanced by friction force
attenuated & delayed outflow due to channel storage
applicable only to branched networks (exception: flow dividers –
covered later)
Dynamic Wave
solves full St.Venant eqns.
accounts for channel storage, backwater effects, pressurized
(surcharged) flow, and reverse flow
applicable to any network layout
requires smaller time step
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Conceptual Network Model
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Nodes
Junctions:
Mass balance: Sum of flows
= change in storage
Geometric properties: Max
Depth
Invert elevation, height to
ground (max. Depth), Extra
Invert
surcharge depth.
Computed values: Head,
volume and flooding @ Source: North-shore city, New Zealand
each time step.
Invert: Lowest point of the
channel inside a manhole or
a pipe. Invert elevation:
elevation of the point,
13 above a datum.
Nodes
Outfalls:
Downstream boundary
condition of the model.
Properties:
invert elevation
boundary condition type
and stage description
presence of a flap gate to
prevent
backflow
through
the outfall.
Node Flooding Options
Remember: ponding is a very crude approximation of the real process -
- surface inundation.
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Links
Links:
Mass balance: Inflow=Outflow
Computed values:
Flow-cross-section, discharge
Geometric properties: Height offset from
connecting manhole inverts. Shape &
Dimenstions
Hydraulic properties: Friction
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Orifices and Weirs
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Orifices and Weirs
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Representation of Weirs
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Representation of Pump
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Storage
Offline detention is designed so that the peak flow will be diverted
to the storage (e.g. via an overflowing weir. They reduce the peak
effectively, but do not influence the rest of the hydrograph
significantly. Online ponds typically have an orifice regulator that
release water downstream. They start accumulating water from the
early stages of the rising hydrograph, and therefore can be less
effective in reducing the peak (compared to an equivalent volume
offline pond).
Offline storages are often dry ponds, so that they could be used for
other purposes during dry (or low flow) periods (e.g. parks). They
also do not interfere with the aquatic life forms (e.g. upstream
migrating fish).
Upstream off-line storages can often be less effective in regulating
the flooding situations downstream.
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