QGIS Plugin SWMM

SWMM Tools

TUFLOW release 2023-03-AD introduced support for linking directly to the EPA SWMM model (see EPA SWMM Homepage) in addition to ESTRY.

The TUFLOW QGIS plugin supports working with SWMM files in a number of ways including:

1.  Processing tools - There are several SWMM processing tools including the ability to convert SWMM inp files to and from a GeoPackage representation.
2. 1D Integrity Tool - This tool supports SWMM GeoPackage network layers.
3. TUFLOW Viewer - The viewer supports reading SWMM GeoPackage output time-series files for display in the map window as well as for time-series and profile plotting.

SWMM GeoPackage Files

To make it easier to integrate TUFLOW and EPA SWMM models and to provide the ability to edit files within GIS and python utilities, a TUFLOW-SWMM GeoPackage format has been created. The GeoPackage representation is mostly a simple conversion of the table oriented SWMM input file (inp). Some GeoPackage tables are modified versions of the SWMM input file often combining multiple inp sections into a single GeoPackage table to streamline editing features. Some of the GeoPackage tables have spatial components (points, lines, and polygons) and others are tables of data with no geometry attributes.

Generally, modified tables are a "wide" form of the tables to represent distinct categories of options without using the same column for multiple input parameters. For example, the "[XSECTIONS]" table has a variety of inputs depending upon whether the shape is from a list of shapes, a custom shape (a closed shape with a Height vs Width table), irregular shape (cross-section-based open channel), or a street cross-section. In the SWMM input file, attributes from multiple types use the same columns while the GeoPackage representation creates a column for each input field. There are separate columns for specified shapes and irregular culvert curves. Depending upon the option selected, many of the fields will not be used.

To make things simpler, the subcatchment and subarea SWMM table columns are combined into the subcatchment table. The subarea columns use the prefix "subarea\_" and are written to a separate table when exported to the SWMM inp file.

EPA SWMM inp files can be converted to a GeoPackage format using the processing tool SWMM >> GeoPackage - Create from SWMM inp. GeoPackage format files can be exported to SWMM inp files using the processing tool SWMM >> GeoPackage - Write to SWMM inp. When a GeoPackage file is read into QGIS, by default a folder will be created for all of the loaded layers. Right-clicking on this folder will bring-up a menu item to export the GeoPackage file as a SWMM inp file.

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