SWMM file formats

Wave | Development

The following SWMM file formats are supported by BlueM.Wave:

• SWMM5 binary output format (import)
• SWMM5 routing interface file (import/export)
• SWMM5 LID report file (import)
• SWMM5 time series file (import/export)

SWMM5 binary output format

File import dialog for a SWMM5 binary output file

SWMM 5 binary output files have the file extension *.OUT. The file format is binary and described in the "SWMM Interface Guide" available here (archive link).

When a SWMM5 binary output file is opened with Wave, an import dialog is displayed, allowing the user to select the desired series for importing (see screenshot).

SWMM5 routing interface file

SWMM5 routing interface files have the file extension *.TXT.

BlueM.Wave detects a SWMM5 routing interface file by checking for the string SWMM5 at the beginning of the file.

The format is described in the SWMM format description .

Example (flow only):

SWMM5 Interface File
RTC-Demonstrator , Regenbelastung Wupperverband , 
 60 - reporting time step in sec
 1    - number of constituents as listed below:
FLOW LPS
 5    - number of nodes as listed below:
S101
S201
S401
S203
S602
Node          Year Mon Day Hr  Min Sec         FLOW
S101          2001 6   10  0   0   0          0.000
S201          2001 6   10  0   0   0          0.000
S401          2001 6   10  0   0   0          0.000
S203          2001 6   10  0   0   0          0.000
S602          2001 6   10  0   0   0          0.000
S101          2001 6   10  0   1   0          1.960
S201          2001 6   10  0   1   0          0.420
S401          2001 6   10  0   1   0          1.400
S203          2001 6   10  0   1   0          0.560
S602          2001 6   10  0   1   0          4.900

Example (flow and concentrations):

SWMM5 Interface File
RTC-Demo 
 60 - reporting time step in sec
 2    - number of constituents as listed below:
FLOW LPS
CSB MG/L
 2    - number of nodes as listed below:
S201
S101
Node          Year Mon Day Hr  Min Sec         FLOW  CSB      
S201          2008 4   1   12  0   0          0.000    50.0000
S101          2008 4   1   12  0   0          0.000   100.0000
S201          2008 4   1   12  1   0         15.625    50.0000
S101          2008 4   1   12  1   0         15.625   100.0000
S201          2008 4   1   12  2   0         15.625    50.0000
S101          2008 4   1   12  2   0         15.625   100.0000

SWMM5 LID report file

SWMM5 LID report files use the file extension *.TXT. They are recognized by BlueM.Wave by the text SWMM5 LID Report File in the first line.

Example:

SWMM5 LID Report File

Project:  
LID Unit: BC1 in Subcatchment S_BC

                    	  Elapsed	    Total	    Total	  Surface	 Pavement	     Soil	  Storage	  Surface	    Drain	  Surface	 Pavement	     Soil	  Storage
                    	     Time	   Inflow	     Evap	    Infil	     Perc	     Perc	    Exfil	   Runoff	  OutFlow	    Level	    Level	 Moisture	    Level
Date        Time    	    Hours	    mm/hr	    mm/hr	    mm/hr	    mm/hr	    mm/hr	    mm/hr	    mm/hr	    mm/hr	       mm	       mm	  Content	       mm
----------- --------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------	 ---------
 03/01/2018 00:00:00	 1344.000	    0.000	   0.0225	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	   0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.192	  511.344
 03/01/2018 00:05:00	 1344.083	    0.000	   0.0404	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	   0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.192	  511.344
 03/01/2018 00:10:00	 1344.167	    0.000	   0.0404	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	   0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.192	  511.344
 03/01/2018 00:15:00	 1344.250	    0.000	   0.0404	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	   0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.192	  511.344
 03/01/2018 00:20:00	 1344.333	    0.000	   0.0404	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	   0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.192	  511.344
 03/01/2018 00:25:00	 1344.417	    0.000	   0.0404	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	   0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.192	  511.344
 03/01/2018 00:30:00	 1344.500	    0.000	   0.0404	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	   0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.192	  511.344
 03/01/2018 00:35:00	 1344.583	    0.000	   0.0404	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	   0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.000	    0.192	  511.344

SWMM5 time series format

Time series files are external text files that contain data for SWMM's time series objects. Examples of time series data include rainfall, evaporation, inflows to nodes of the drainage system, and water stage at outfall boundary nodes. The file must be created and edited outside of SWMM, using a text editor or spreadsheet program. A time series file can be linked to a specific time series object using SWMM's Time Series Editor.

— Source: SWMM User's Manual Version 5.2

This file format is expected to have the file extension *.DAT by Wave.

Wave supports the "date / time / value format", dates are expected to be in month/day/year format.

Example:

;Node S101 Total Inflow [LPS]
06/10/2001 12:01 12.960000038147
06/10/2001 12:02 12.960000038147
06/10/2001 12:03 12.960000038147
06/10/2001 12:04 12.960000038147
06/10/2001 12:05 12.960000038147
06/10/2001 12:06 12.960000038147
06/10/2001 12:07 12.960000038147

Notes

Currently not supported by Wave:

• Omission of repeating dates for timestamps of the same day
• The alternative "time / value format", where time can either be decimal hours or military time since the start of a simulation