Runoff assessment by Storm water management model (SWMM)- A new approach

Abstract

The present study investigated the storm wise runoff collected in farm pond with the runoff estimated by Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) and Soil Conservation Service (SCS-CN) models. The SWMM and SCS-CN models estimated runoff depth storm wise. The runoff depths correspond to the catchment area given the runoff volume from the catchment. The runoff depth estimated from the Storm Water Management Model and Soil Conservation Service model was compared against the depth of runoff estimated from the Water balance model. For small rainfall depths, the runoff estimated from the Storm Water Management Model was at par with the actual runoff volume stored at the pond. It is necessary to know the watershed runoff contribution to the river or streams due to rainfall in order to determine environmental risk or flood potential. In larger rainfall depth, the runoff volume estimated from the SWMM model was less than the stored runoff volume at Farm Pond. The Soil Conservation Service Model gave better results for larger rainfall depth compared to Storm Water Management Model. SWMM was able to simulate runoff depth for small rainfall depths of 2mm. The peak runoff depths were produced by rainfall depths of 35.5mm. Initial abstractions of the study area for antecedent moisture content i.e. AMC I, AMCII and AMCIII are 53.2, 23.91 and 10.43mm, respectively. The comparison showed that both SWMM and SCS-CN models gave better runoff quantification results.