International Conference on Stormwater and Urban Water Systems Modeling
Thursday and Friday February 19-20, 2009
SWMM5, SWMM6, XPSWMM, InfoSWMM, InfoSewer, OpenSWMM, and ICM — engine internals, error messages, calibration, and hard-won field wisdom from Robert Dickinson.
๐ SWMM 5 Complexity Index ๐
The SWMM 5 Complexity Index offers a way to measure a model's intricacy against a benchmark: the first Extran example in Extran 3, now referred to as network #1 in this broader SWMM 5 context. The foundational network showcases 22 objects and runs simulations over 8 hours. ๐ Notably, it took 5 minutes to process this network on an IBM AT back in 1988. ๐ฅ️⏳
The core aim of this complexity index? To provide a comparative tool for contemporary models. ๐๐ The complexity formula evaluates the object count in the new model versus the baseline, while also accounting for any extensions in simulation time. ๐๐๐
๐ Complexity Index Breakdown ๐
The complexity index consolidates the count of various elements: raingages, subcatchments, junctions, outfalls, dividers, storages, conduits, pumps, orifices, weirs, outlets, control curves, and many more, right up to snowpack objects. ๐ง️๐๐ฐ๐๐
For a more nuanced understanding, this index is then amplified by tallying pollutants across various elements like subcatchments, junctions, or weirs. Additionally, the multiplication of the number of land uses by the count of subcatchment objects is considered. ๐งช๐๐ณ๐️
To gauge its relative complexity, this index is juxtaposed against network #1. This involves dividing the freshly computed complexity index by the foundational 22 objects and contrasting the new network's duration against the 8-hour benchmark of the base network. ๐๐ The exemplified network flaunts a complexity rating of 5.2 and, impressively, executes in under a second on an Intel Dual Core Processor. ๐ฅ️⚡
๐ Understanding the Complexity Index
The complexity index is a comprehensive metric that sums up various components of a given hydrologic model. Specifically, it aggregates:
Rain gauges, subcatchments, junctions, outfalls, dividers, storages, conduits, pumps, orifices, weirs, outlets, and several curve types (control, diversion, pump, rating, shape, storage, tidal), as well as time series, patterns, transects, hydrographs, aquifers, controls, climate objects, and snowpacks. ๐ฆ️๐๐ฐ
The index is then adjusted by taking into account the number of pollutants for multiple components like subcatchments, junctions, outfalls, and so forth. ๐งช
Additionally, it factors in the number of land uses multiplied by the count of subcatchment objects. ๐ฒ๐️
๐ Comparing the Complexity Index:
To gauge the relative complexity of a network:
For example, a showcased network had a complexity index of 5.2 and executed in under a second on an Intel Dual Core Processor. ๐จ๐ฅ️
๐ Complexity Indices from Sample Models:
Using the EPA SWMM 5 QA/QC suite of files, the complexity indices for different models in the DATA.ZIP file are:
In essence, the complexity index provides a quantitative measure of a hydrologic model's intricacy, enabling modelers to benchmark and optimize performance efficiently. ๐ฉ๐ผ๐ง๐


| Subcatchment Variables | Description |
| SUBCATCH_RAINFALL | rainfall intensity |
| SUBCATCH_SNOWFALL | snowfall intensity |
| SUBCATCH_RUNOFF | total runoff flow rate |
| SUBCATCH_RUNOFF_IMPZero | runoff flow rate from zero imp area feb 2007 |
| SUBCATCH_RUNOFF_IMP | runoff flow rate from imp area feb 2007 |
| SUBCATCH_RUNOFF_Pervious | runoff flow rate from pervious area feb 2007 |
| SUBCATCH_LOSSES | total losses (infil) |
| SUBCATCH_EVAP | watershed evaporation loss |
| SUBCATCH_DEPTH | watershed depth |
| SUBCATCH_GW_FLOW | groundwater flow rate to node |
| SUBCATCH_GW_FLOW_A1 | groundwater flow rate to node |
| SUBCATCH_GW_FLOW_A2 | groundwater flow rate to node |
| SUBCATCH_GW_FLOW_A3 | groundwater flow rate to node |
| SUBCATCH_GW_ELEV | elevation of saturated gw table |
| SUBCATCH_GW_THETA | soil moisture |
| SUBCATCH_GW_PERCOLATION | aquifer deep percolation |
| SUBCATCH_SNOWMELT | watershed snow melt |
| SUBCATCH_SNOWDEPTH | watershed snow depth |
| SUBCATCH_FREEWATER | watershed snow depth |
| SUBCATCH_COLD | watershed cold content |
| SUBCATCH_SNOWAREA | watershed snow coverage |
| SUBCATCH_UL | soil thickness |
| SUBCATCH_FTOT | infiltration during an event |
| SUBCATCH_FU | current value of F |
| SUBCATCH_FUMAX | maximum value of F |
| SUBCATCH_MOISTURE | current soil mositure (less than porosity) |
| SUBCATCH_IMD | current IMD (Porisity - Moisture) |
| SUBCATCH_IMDbyEvent | IMD at the beginning of an event |
| SUBCATCH_SAT | Flag for saturation (1 is saturated) |
| SUBCATCH_INFIL_TIME | GA infiltration time |
| SUBCATCH_WLMAX | current infiltration RATE |
| SUBCATCH_NETPRECIP | rainfall intensity |
| SUBCATCH_BUILDUP | pollutant buildup concentration |
| SUBCATCH_WASHOFF | pollutant washoff concentration |
| System Variables | Description |
| SYS_TEMPERATURE | air temperature |
| SYS_WINDSPEED | wind speed |
| SYS_RAINFALL | rainfall intensity |
| SYS_SNOWFALL | snow depth |
| SYS_RUNOFF | runoff flow |
| SYS_LOSSES | evap + infil |
| SYS_EVAP | evap |
| SYS_DWFLOW | dry weather inflow |
| SYS_GWFLOW | ground water inflow |
| SYS_IIFLOW | RDII inflow |
| SYS_EXFLOW | external inflow |
| SYS_INFLOW | total lateral inflow |
| SYS_FLOODING | flooding outflow |
| SYS_OUTFLOW | outfall outflow |
| SYS_STORAGE | storage volume |
| SYS_CE | continuity error for the basin |
| SYS_ITERATIONS | average iterations over the basin |
| SYS_SNOWDEPTH | snow depth |
| SYS_COLD | cold storage for the basin |
| SYS_SNOWMELT | snowmelt for the basin |
| SYS_RAINMELT | rainmelt for the basin |
| SYS_TS | time steps during the simulation |
| SYS_DWFLoad | total K3 line DWF load |
| SYS_WWFLoad | total K3 line WWF load |
| SYS_WWFLoadExtra | agency extra WWF Load |
| Node Variables | Description |
| NODE_DEPTH | water depth above invert |
| NODE_HEAD | hydraulic head |
| NODE_VOLUME | volume stored & ponded |
| NODE_LATFLOW | lateral inflow rate |
| NODE_IIFLOW | total rdii inflow rate |
| NODE_UH1 | total rdii inflow rate from UH 1 |
| NODE_UH2 | total rdii inflow rate from UH 2 |
| NODE_UH3 | total rdii inflow rate from UH 3 |
| NODE_DWFFLOW | total DWF inflow rate |
| NODE_INFLOW | total inflow rate |
| NODE_OUTFLOW | total outflow rate |
| NODE_OVERFLOW | overflow rate |
| NODE_CE | node ce |
| NODE_AREA | node surface area |
| NODE_DQDH | node surcharge dqdh |
| NODE_DENOM | node surcharge dqdh |
| NODE_ITERATIONS | node iterations to this time step |
| NODE_TIMESTEP | node iterations to this time step |
| NODE_CONVERGENCE | node iterations to this time step |
| NODE_QUAL | concentration of each pollutant |