THIS DOCUMENTATION REVISED ACCORDING TO REV 55 – 08/14/2018

CHAPTER FILE.CIO

SWAT+ INPUT DATA:

File management is performed with the master watershed file (file.cio). The master watershed file
contains the file names for the simulation run.
The master watershed file is divided into several sections. A brief description of the variables in
the master watershed file follows. They are grouped by section and listed in the order they appear within
the file.

1
 2 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

SWAT+ Model:
Over the past 20 years, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has become widely
used across the globe. The large numbers of applications across the globe have also revealed
limitations and identified model development needs. Numerous additions and modifications of
the model and its individual components have made the code increasingly difficult to manage
and maintain. In order to face present and future challenges in water resources modeling
SWAT code has undergone major modifications over the past few years, resulting in SWAT+, a
completely revised version of the model. Even though the basic algorithms used to calculate
the processes in the model have not changed, the structure and organization of both the code
(object based) and the input files (relational based) have undergone considerable modification.
This is expected to facilitate model maintenance, future code modifications, and foster
collaboration with other researchers to integrate new science into SWAT modules. SWAT+
provides a more flexible spatial representation of interactions and processes within a watershed.

Descriptions of the SWAT+ input data files are listed and described in this document.

X.1 FILE.CIO

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of ‘file.cio’ is reserved for a description of the
simulation run. The description may take up to 80 spaces. The
description is optional, the line is required.

X.2 GENERAL INFORMATION

SIMULATION – The simulation section of file.cio contains filenames for the entire simulation
run. The list of the filenames are listed below with a brief description of the inputs within each
file.
file.cio: Filenames (input/output)
SIMULATION time.sim print.prt object.prt object.cnt CONSTITUENTS.CS
BASIN codes.bsn parameters.bsn
CLIMATE weather-sta.cli weather-wgn.cli wind-dir.cli pcp.cli tmp.cli slr.cli hmd.cli wnd.cli atmodep.cli
CONNECT hru.con hru-lte.con rout_unit.con modflow.con aquifer.con aquifer2d.con channel.con reservoir.con recall.con exco.con delratio.con outlet.con chandeg.con
CHANNEL initial.cha channel.cha hydrology.cha sediment.cha nutrients.cha pesticide.cha PATHOGENS.CHA METALS.CHA SALT.CHA channel-lte.cha
RESERVOIR initial.res reservoir.res hydrology.res nutrients.res pesticide.res PATHOGENS.RES METALS.RES SALT.RES sediment.res weir.res wetland.wet hydrology.wet
ROUT_UNIT rout_unit.def rout_unit.ele rout_unit.ru rout_unit.dr
HRU hru-data.hru hru-lte.hru
EXCO exco.exc EXCO_OM.EXC EXCO_PEST.EXC EXCO_PATH.EXC EXCO_HMET.EXC EXCO_SALT.EXC
RECALL recall.rec
DR delratio.del DR_OM.DEL DR_PEST.DEL DR_PATH.DEL DR_HMET.DEL DR_SALT.DEL
AQUIFER aquifer.aqu
HERD animal.hrd herd.hrd ranch.hrd
WATER_RIGHTS define.wro element.wro water_rights.wro
LINK chan-surf.lin chan-aqu.lin
HYDROLOGY hydrology.hyd topography.hyd field.fld
STRUCTURAL tiledrain.str septic.str filterstrip.str grassedww.str bmpuser.str
HRU_PARM_DB plants.plt fertilizer.frt tillage.til pesticide.pst PATHOGENS.PTH METALS.MTL SALTS.SLT urban.urb septic.sep snow.sno
OPS harv.ops graze.ops irr.ops chem_app.ops fire.ops sweep.ops
LUM landuse.lum management.sch cntable.lum cons_practice.lum ovn_table.lum
CHG codes.cal cal_parms.cal calibration.cal ls_parms.cal ls_regions.cal ch_orders.cal ch_parms.cal pl_parms.cal pl_regions.cal
INIT plant.ini PEST_SOIL.INI PEST_WATER.INI PATH_SOIL.INI PATH_WATER.INI HMET_SOIL.INI HMET_WATER.INI SALT_SOIL.INI SALT_WATER.INI
SOILS soils.sol nutrients.sol
DECISION_TABLE dtable.dtl
REGIONS ls_unit.ele ls_unit.def ls_reg.ele ls_reg.def ls_cal.reg ch_catunit.ele ch_catunit.def ch_reg.def aqu_catunit.ele aqu_catunit.def aqu_reg.def res_catunit.ele res_catunit.def res_reg.def rec_catunit.ele rec_catunit.def rec_reg.def
PATH_PCP null
PATH_TMP null
PATH_SLR null
PATH_HMD null
 SWAT+ INPUTS 3
TIME.SIM
The time simulation file includes the number of years to run the simulation and time step
and is space delimited. Below is a sample TIME.SIM file:
time.sim:
DAY_START YRC_START DAY_END YRC_END STEP
0 2006 0 2007 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the time.sim file (may be blank)
HEADER
DAY_START Beginning Julian day of simulation.
With this variable, SWAT is able to begin a simulation at any
time of the year. If the variable is left blank or set to zero, the
model starts the simulation on January 1st.
Required.
YRC_START Beginning year of simulation (for example, 1980).
The value entered for this variable is not important unless
measured data (e.g. weather) is used in the run. When measured
data is used, the model uses YR_START to locate the
beginning year within the data file.
Required.
DAY_END Ending Julian day of simulation.
With this variable, SWAT is able to end a simulation at any
time of the year. If the variable is left blank or set to zero, the
model ends the simulation on December 31st.
Required.
YRC_END Ending year of simulation
STEP Timestep of the simulation.
0 = daily; 1=increment (12 hrs); 24=hourly; 96-15 mins; 1440
= minute)
Required.

PRINT.PRT
The print file controls the occurrence of the output files and is space delimited. Below is a sample PRINT.PRT
file. Some pointers:
 The user will input the actual start and stop julian day for daily printing.
 NYSKIP will not print until NYSKIP is over.
 When time crosses the end of the year, the print will continue to increment the print INTERVAL.
 Daily printing of all files could cause very large output files (exceeding hard drive capabilities)
 4 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

print.prt: Output print settings

NYSKIP DAY_START YRC_START DAY_END YRC_END INTERVAL
0 0 0 0 0 1
AA_NUMINT
0
CSV DB NETCDF
n n n
SOIL MGT HYDCON FDC
n n n n
OBJECTS DAILY MONTHLY YEARLY AVANN
basin_wb y n n y
basin_nb n n y n
basin_ls y n n n
basin_pw n y n n
basin_aqu n n n n
basin_res n n n n
basin_cha n n n n
basin_sd_cha y n n y
basin_psc n n n n
region_wb n n n n
region_nb n n n n
region_ls n n n n
region_pw n n n n
region_aqu n n n n
region_res n n n n
region_cha n n n n
region_sd_cha n n n n
region_psc n n n n
lsunit_wb n n n n
lsunit_nb n n n n
lsunit_ls n n n n
lsunit_pw n n n n
hru_wb n n y n
hru_nb n y n n
hru_ls n y n n
hru_pw n n n y
hru-lte_wb n n n n
hru-lte_nb n n n n
hru-lte_ls n n n n
hru-lte_pw n n n n
channel n n n n
channel_sd y n n n
aquifer n n n n
 SWAT+ INPUTS 5
reservoir n n n n
recall n n n n
hyd y n n n
ru n n n n

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the print.prt file
HEADER Headings
NYSKIP Number of years to not print output.
The options are
0 print output for all years of the simulation
1 print output after the first year of simulation
2 print output after the second year of simulation

nbyr no output will be printed
Some simulations will need a warm-up or equilibration
period. The use of an equilibration period becomes more
important as the simulation period of interest shortens. For 30-
year simulations, an equilibrium period is optional. For a
simulation covering 5 years or less, an equilibrium period is
recommended. An equilibration period of one year is usually
adequate to get the hydrologic cycle fully operational.

Examples: If NYSKIP =2, the model will skip printing the first
two years regardless of the starting year. In other words, if
YRC_START = 2000, we start printing in 2002. If YRC_START
= 2005, printing starts in 2007.
Notes: The daily print start and end time has nothing to do with
NYSKIP. If the daily print time is skipped, it simply won’t print
the daily output.
The start year of printing is max(YRC_START+NYSKIP).

DAY_START Beginning Julian day of simulation to start printing output

files for daily printing only
YRC_START Beginning year of simulation to start printing files.
DAY_END Ending Julian day of simulation to stop printing output files
for daily printing only
YRC_END Ending year of simulation to stop printing output files.
6 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
INTERVAL Daily print within the period
Specifies the interval within the specified printing time (i.e.,
INTERVAL =2) will print every other day.
HEADER Headings
AA_NUMINT Number of print intervals for ave annual output
Example: If AA_NUMINT == 1955 1965 1975, Average
annual results will be printed for the time periods ending in
1955, 1965, 1975.
Leaving the first number zero on this line will print average
annual for the entire period (after NYSKIP).
AA_YEARS End years for aveage annual output

HEADER Header
CSVOUT Code to print .csv files n=no print; y = print
DBOUT Code to print database (db) files n=no print; y = print (not
currently active)
CDFOUT Code to print netcdf (cdf) files n=no print; y = print (not
currently active)
HEADER Header
SNUTC Soil nutrients carbon output file (soil_nutcarb_out.txt); input should be
character - d(daily; m/(monthly); y(yearly); aa(ave annual);
MGTOUT Management output file (print codes apply) (mgt_out.txt)
HYDCON Hydrograph connect output file (hydcon.out)
FDCOUT Flow duration curve output file (flow_duration_curve.out)
n=no print; avann=print
HEADER Header.
All of the following codes are entered as : ‘y’ (yes) or ‘n’ (no)
to print on a daily, monthly, yearly or avann timestep.
BASIN_WB Water balance BASIN output variables
BASIN_NB Nutrient balance BASIN output variables
BASIN_LS Losses BASIN output variables
BASIN_PW Plant weather BASIN output variables
BASIN_AQU Aquifer BASIN output variables
BASIN_RES Reservoir BASIN output file variables
BASIN_CHA Channel BASIN output file variables
BASIN_SD_CHA CHANDEG BASIN output file variables
BASIN_PSC Point source BASIN output file variables
REGION_WB Water balance REGION output variables
REGION_NB Nutrient balance REGION output variables
REGION_LS Losses REGION output variables
REGION_PW Plant weather REGION output variables
REGION_AQU Aquifer REGION output variables
 SWAT+ INPUTS 7
REGION_RES Reservoir REGION output variables
REGION_CHA Channel REGION output variables
REGION_SD_CHA SWATDEG Channel REGION output variables
REGION_PSC Point source REGION output variables
LSUNIT_WB Water balance ROUTING UNIT output variables
LSUNIT_NB Nutrient balance ROUTING UNIT output variables
LSUNIT_LS Losses ROUTING UNIT output variables
LSUNIT_PW Plant weather ROUTING UNIT output variables
HRU_WB Water balance HRU output variables
HRU_NB Nutrient balance HRU output variables
HRU_LS Losses HRU output variables
HRU_PW Plant weather HRU output variables
HRU_LTE_WB Water balance HRU-LTE output variables
HRU_LTE_NB Nutrient balance HRU-LTE output variables
HRU_LTE_LS Losses HRU-LTE output variables
HRU_LTE_PW Plant weather HRU-LTE output variables
CHANNEL Channel output variables
CHANNEL_SD SWAT DEG (lte) channel output variables
AQUIFER Aquifer output variables
RESERVOIR Reservoir output variables
RECALL Recall output variables
HYD Hydin output and hydout_output variables
RU Routing Unit output variables

OBJECT.PRT
The object print file allows the user to define output and is space delimited. Below is a sample OBJECT.PRT file:
object.prt:
NUMB OBTYP OBTYPNO HYDTYP FILENAME
1 sdc 1 tot two_stage.out

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the object print file
HEADER Header
NUMB The sequential number
OBTYP Type of object to print (“hru”, “hlt”, “ru”, ‘res”, “cha”, “exc”,
“dr”, “out”, “sdc”)
(hru, hru_lte, routing unit, reservoir, channel, export
coefficient, delivery ratio, outlet, swat-deg channel)
OBTYPNO Object type number
HYDTYP Hydrograph type to print (“tot”, “rhg”, “sur”, “lat”, “til”)
(total flow, recharge, surface, lateral, tile)
 8 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
FILENAME Filename of output file (user defined).

OBJECT.CNT
The object count file contains the total counts for the watershed simulation and is space delimited. Below is a
sample OBJECT.CNT file:
object.cnt:
NAME AREA_LS_HAREA_TOT_HA OBJ HRU LTE RU MODFLOW AQU CHA RES REC EXCO DR CANAL PUMP OUT CHANDEG 2DAQU
2_stage 30 33 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the object count file
HEADER Header to describe the following inputs; Not used in model;
NAME Name of the watershed
AREA_LS_HA Area of the landscape units (ha)
AREA_TOT_HA Total area of the watershed (ha)
OBJS Total number of objects (sum of all following objects)
HRU Total number of HRU’s
HRU_LTE Total number of HRU LTE (SWAT-DEG)
RU Total number of routing units
MODFLOW Total number of modflow
AQU Total number of aquifers
CHAN Total number of channels
RES Total number of reservoirs
RECALL Total number of recdays
EXCO Total number of export coefficients
DR Total number of delivery ratios
CANAL Total number of canals
PUMP Total number of pumps
OUTLET Total number of outlets
CHANDEG Total number of LTE channels (SWAT-DEG)
AQU2D Total number of 2D aquifers
 SWAT+ INPUTS 9
CONSTITUENTS.CS
The CONSTITUENTS.CS file contains the input variables for the pesticide constituents. Below is a sample
CONSTITUENTS.CS file:

constituents.cs
4 !pesticides
aatrex banvel prowl roundup
2 !pathogens
fecal_col_form e_coli
1 !metals
mercury
2 !salts
sodium magnesium

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
NUM_PESTS Number of pesticides simulated
NAME_PATHS Pesticide names (for each NUM_PESTS)
NUM_PATHS Number of pathogens simulated
NAME_PATHS Pathogen names (for each NUM_PATHS)
NUM_METALS Number of heavy metals simulated
NAME_METALS Heavy metal names (for each NUM_METALS)
NUM_SALTS Number of salts simulated
NAME_SALTS Salt names (for each NUM_SALTS)

BASIN – General watershed attributes are defined in the basin input file. These attributes control a diversity
of physical processes at the watershed level. The interfaces will automatically set these parameters to the
“default” or recommended values listed in the variable documentation. Users can use the default values or
change them to better reflect what is happening in a given watershed. Variables governing bacteria or pesticide
transport need to be initialized only if these processes are being modeled in the watershed. Even if nutrients are
not being studied in a watershed, some attention must be paid to these variables because nutrient cycling
impacts plant growth which in turn affects the hydrologic cycle.

CODES.BSN
Below is a partial sample CODES.BSN FILE:
codes.bsn: Basin control -
PETFILE WWQFILE PET EVENT CRK SUBWQ SED_DET RTE DEG WQ RTPEST CN CFAC CSWAT BF_FLG UHYD SED_CH TDRN WTDN_P_MODEL ABSTR ATMO SMAX I_SUBHW
test.pet test.wwq 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the codes.bsn file.
PETFILE Potential ET filename
WWQFILE Watershed stream water quality filename
PET Potential evapotranspiration (PET) method.
There are four options for potential ET calculations:
0 Priestley-Taylor method
1 Penman/Monteith method
2 Hargreaves method
3 read in potential ET values
Numerous methods exist to calculate potential evapotranspiration.
Three of the most popular or widely-used are included in SWAT.
However, if a method other than Priestley-Taylor,
Penman/Monteith, or Hargreaves is recommended for the area in
which the watershed is located, the user can calculate daily PET
values with the recommended method and import them into SWAT.
A discussion of Priestley-Taylor, Penman-Monteith and Hargreaves
PET methods is found in Chapter 2:2 of the theoretical
documentation.
Required.
EVENT Rainfall/runoff/routing option:
0 daily rainfall/curve number runoff/daily routing
1 sub-daily rainfall/Green & Ampt infiltration/sub-daily routing
Option 0 is the default option.
Required.
CRK Crack flow code.
There are two options:
0 do not model crack flow in soil
1 model crack flow in soil
Crack, or bypass, flow is a newer feature in SWAT and has been
tested on a limited basis in simulations of some areas in Texas. This
type of flow should be modeled only on soils classified as Vertisols.
The default option is to model the watershed without crack flow.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 11
SUBWQ Subbasin water quality code.
The algorithms used to calculate loadings of algae, organic
carbonaceous biological oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen to
the stream network (see Chapter 4:4 in Theoretical Documentation)
were derived from results of limited studies and are still in the
testing phase. ISUBWQ allows the user to choose to apply or not
apply the algorithms.
0 do not calculate algae/CBOD loadings and set dissolved
oxygen to saturated oxygen concentration
1 calculate algae/CBOD/dissolved oxygen loadings using
algorithms documented in Theoretical Documentation
The default option is ISUBWQ=0.
Required.
SED_DET Code governing calculation of daily maximum half-hour rainfall
value:
0 generate daily value using triangular distribution
1 use monthly maximum half-hour rainfall value for all days
in month
The user has the option of using the monthly maximum half-hour
rainfall for all days in the month. The randomness of the triangular
distribution used to generated daily values causes the maximum
half-hour rainfall value to jump around. For small plots or
microwatersheds in particular, the variability of the triangular
distribution is unrealistic.
Required.
RTE Channel water routing method:
0 variable storage method
1 Muskingum method
The user must be careful to define MSK_CO1, MSK_CO2 and
MSK_X when the Muskingum method is chosen.
The default option is IRTE=0.
Required.
DEG Channel degradation code.
There are two options:
0 channel dimensions are not updated as a result of degradation
(the dimensions remain constant for the entire simulation)
1 channel dimensions are updated as a result of degradation
Traditionally, channel dimensions remain fixed, or constant,
throughout the simulation. The change in channel dimensions with
time is a new feature in SWAT that is still in the testing phase. The
recommended option is to keep the channel dimensions constant.
Required.
12 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
WQ In-stream water quality code.
The variable identifies whether in-stream transformation of
nutrients using the QUAL2E algorithms and in-stream
transformation of pesticides is allowed to occur.
0 do not model in-stream nutrient and pesticide transformations
1 model in-stream nutrient and pesticide transformations
The default option is IWQ=0.
Required.
RTPEST Redefined to the sequence number -- changed to no nutrient stress
of pest in NPNO( : )to be routed through the watershed
CN Daily curve number calculation method:
0 calculate daily CN value as a function of soil moisture
1 calculate daily CN value as a function of plant
evapotranspiration
2 use traditional SWAT method which bases CN on soil
moisture but retention is adjusted for mildly-sloped tiled-
drained watersheds
Option 0 was the only method used to calculate the daily CN value
in versions of SWAT prior to SWAT2012. Calculation of the daily
CN value as a function of plant evapotranspiration was added
because the soil moisture method was predicting too much runoff
in shallow soils. By calculating daily CN as a function of plant
evapotranspiration, the value is less dependent on soil storage and
more dependent on antecedent climate.
Required.
CFAC = 0 for C-factor calculation using Cmin.
CFAC
= 1 for new C-factor calculation. (0-1)
Code for new carbon routines:
CSWAT
0 = original routines
1 = new carbon routines
Baseflow distribution factor during the day for subdaily runs.
BF_FLG
0 = baseflow evenly distributed to each time step during the day
0.5 = even weights between even distribution and rainfall
pattern
1= profile of baseflow in a day follows rainfall pattern
Unit hydrograph method:
UHYD
1 = triangular UH
2 = gamma function UH
Instream sediment model, 0=Bagnold model, 1=Brownlie model,
SED_CH
2=Yang model
 SWAT+ INPUTS 13
Tile drainage equations flag/code
TDRN
Tile drainage routines flag/code: 1 = DRAINMOD tile equations
(Subroutine DRAINS)
1 simulate tile flow using subroutine drains(wt_shall)
0 simulate tile flow using subroutine origtile(wt_shall,d)
water table depth algorithms flag/code
WTDN
1 simulate wt_shall using subroutine new water table depth
routine
0 simulate wt_shall using subroutine original water table depth
routine
Soil phosphorus model
SOL_P_MODEL
0 = original soil phosphorus model
1 = new soil phosphorus model
ABSTR Initial abstraction on impervious cover (mm)
Atmospheric deposition interval (character)
ATMO
‘m’ = monthly
‘y’ = yearly
‘a’ = annual
Maximum depressional storage code; 1=dynamic stmaxd
SMAX
computed as a function of random roughness and rain intensity by
depstor.f; 0 = static stmaxd from .bsn for global value or .sdr for
specific HRU’s
I_SUBHW Code for routing headwaters

PARAMETERS.BSN
General watershed attributes are defined in the basin input file. These attributes control a diversity of
physical processes at the watershed level. The interfaces will automatically set these parameters to the “default”
or recommended values listed in the variable documentation. Users can use the default values or change them to
better reflect what is happening in a given watershed. Variables governing bacteria or pesticide transport need to
be initialized only if these processes are being modeled in the watershed. Even if nutrients are not being studied
in a watershed, some attention must be paid to these variables because nutrient cycling impacts plant growth
which in turn affects the hydrologic cycle.

Below is a sample PARAMETERS.BSN FILE:

parameter Basin para
NAME EVLAI FFCB SURLAG ADJ_PKR PRF SPCON SPEXP CMN N_UPDIS P_UPDIS NPERCO PPERCO PHOSKD PSP RSDCO PERCOP MSK_CO1 MSK_C02 MSK_X TRNSRCH EVRCH CNCOEF CDN SDNCOBACT_SWF TB_ADJ CN_FROZDORM_HR SMXCO FIXCO NFIXMXDECR_MINSD_COVCO VCRITS_STLR_CO UHALPHA ERO_SPLRILL_MULT ROS_EXPO C_FACTOR CH_D50 SIG_G R2ADJ IGEN
LREW 3 1 4 0.7 0 0.005 1 0.004 0 5 0 0 120 100 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.5 0 0 0 0 0.004 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.7 1.2 0.3 50 1.57 0 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
14 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
HEADER Headers
NAME Name

EVLAI Leaf area index at which no evaporation occurs from water surface.
EVLAI is used in HRUs where a plant is growing in a ponded
environment (e.g. rice). Currently, this is simulated only in HRUs
defined as depressional areas/potholes.
Evaporation from the water surface is allowed until the leaf area of
the plant reaches the value specified for EVLAI. Chapter 8:1 in the
Theoretical Documentation provides more detail on the use of this
parameter.
EVLAI should be set between 0.0 and 10.0. If no value for EVLAI
is entered, the model will set EVLAI = 3.0.
Required if depressional areas/potholes are modeled in the
watershed.
FFCB Initial soil water storage expressed as a fraction of field capacity
water content.
All soils in the watershed will be initialized to the same fraction.
FFCB should be between 0.0 and 1.0. If FFCB is not set to a value,
the model will calculate it as a function of average annual
precipitation. The default method is to allow the model to calculate
FFCB (set FFCB = 0.0).
We recommend using a 1 year equilibration period for the model
where the watershed simulation is set to start 1 year prior to the
period of interest. This allows the model to get the water cycling
properly before any comparisons between measured and simulated
data are made. When an equilibration period is incorporated, the
value for FFCB is not going to impact model results.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 15
SURLAG Surface runoff lag coefficient.
In large subbasins with a time of concentration greater than 1 day, only a portion
of the surface runoff will reach the main channel on the day it is generated.
SWAT incorporates a surface runoff storage feature to lag a portion of the
surface runoff release to the main channel.
SURLAG controls the fraction of the total available water that will be allowed to
enter the reach on any one day. Figure 4-7 plots the fraction of total available
water entering the reach at different values for surlag and tconc.
Note that for a given time of concentration, as surlag decreases in value more
water is held in storage. The delay in release of surface runoff will smooth the
streamflow hydrograph simulated in the reach.
If no value for SURLAG is entered, the model will set SURLAG =
4.0.
Required.

ADJ_PKR Peak rate adjustment factor for sediment routing in the subbasin
(tributary channels).
Sediment routing is a function of peak flow rate and mean daily
flow. Because SWAT originally could not directly calculate the sub-
daily hydrograph due to the use of precipitation summarized on a
daily basis, this variable was incorporated to allow adjustment for
the effect of the peak flow rate on sediment routing. This factor is
used in the MUSLE equation and impacts the amount of erosion
generated in the HRUs.
If no value for ADJ_PKR is entered, the model will set
ADJ_PKR=1.0.
Required.
16 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PRF Peak rate adjustment factor for sediment routing in the main
channel.
Sediment routing is a function of peak flow rate and mean daily
flow. Because SWAT originally could not directly calculate the
sub-daily hydrograph, this variable was incorporated to allow
adjustment for the effect of the peak flow rate on sediment routing.
This variable impacts channel degradation.
If no value for PRF is entered, the model will set PRF = 1.0.
Required.
SPCON Linear parameter for calculating the maximum amount of sediment
that can be reentrained during channel sediment routing.
The maximum amount of sediment that can be transported from a
reach segment is calculated conc sed ,ch ,mx = c sp ⋅ v ch , pk
spexp
where
concsed,ch,mx is the maximum concentration of sediment that can
be transported by the water (ton/m3 or kg/L), csp is a coefficient
defined by the user, vch,pk is the peak channel velocity (m/s), and
spexp is an exponent defined by the user.
SPCON should be between 0.0001 and 0.01. If no value for
SPCON is entered, the model will set SPCON = 0.0001.
Required.
SPEXP Exponent parameter for calculating sediment reentrained in
channel sediment routing
The maximum amount of sediment that can be transported from a
reach segment is calculated conc sed ,ch ,mx = c sp ⋅ v ch , pk
spexp
where
concsed,ch,mx is the maximum concentration of sediment that can
be transported by the water (ton/m3 or kg/L), csp is a coefficient
defined by the user, vch,pk is the peak channel velocity (m/s), and
spexp is an exponent defined by the user.
The exponent, spexp, normally varies between 1.0 and 2.0 and was
set at 1.5 in the original Bagnold stream power equation (Arnold et
al., 1995). If no value for SPEXP is entered, the model will set
SPEXP = 1.0.
Required.
CMN Rate factor for humus mineralization of active organic nutrients (N
and P).
Chapters 3:1 and 3:2 of the Theoretical Documentation describe the
use of this parameter in the mineralization calculations.
If no value for CMN is specified, the model will set CMN = 0.0003.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 17
N_UPDIS Nitrogen uptake distribution parameter.
Root density is greatest near the surface, and plant nitrogen uptake
in the upper portion of the soil will be greater than in the lower
portion. The depth distribution of nitrogen uptake is controlled by
βn, the nitrogen uptake distribution parameter.
The importance of the nitrogen uptake distribution parameter lies in
its control over the maximum amount of nitrate removed from the
upper layers. Because the top 10 mm of the soil profile interacts with
surface runoff, the nitrogen uptake distribution parameter will
influence the amount of nitrate available for transport in surface
runoff. The model allows lower layers in the root zone to fully
compensate for lack of nitrate in the upper layers, so there should
not be significant changes in nitrogen stress with variation in the
value used for βn.
If no value for N_UPDIS is entered, the model will set N_UPDIS =
20.0.
Figure 4-9 illustrates nitrogen uptake as a function of depth for four
different uptake distribution parameter values.
Required.
18 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Phosphorus uptake distribution parameter.
P_UPDIS
This parameter controls plant uptake of phosphorus from the
different soil horizons in the same way that UBN controls nitrogen
uptake. The illustration of nitrogen uptake as a function of depth
for four different uptake distribution parameter values in Figure 4-
9 is valid for phosphorus uptake as well.
Phosphorus removed from the soil by plants is taken from the solution
phosphorus pool. The importance of the phosphorus uptake distribution
parameter lies in its control over the maximum amount of solution P removed
from the upper layers. Because the top 10 mm of the soil profile interacts with
surface runoff, the phosphorus uptake distribution parameter will influence the
amount of labile phosphorus available for transport in surface runoff. The model
allows lower layers in the root zone to fully compensate for lack of solution P in
the upper layers, so there should not be significant changes in phosphorus stress
with variation in the value used for βp.
If no value for P_UPDIS is entered, the model will set P_UPDIS =
20.0.
Required.
NPERCO Nitrate percolation coefficient.
NPERCO controls the amount of nitrate removed from the surface
layer in runoff relative to the amount removed via percolation.
The value of NPERCO can range from 0.01 to 1.0. As NPERCO →
0.0, the concentration of nitrate in the runoff approaches 0. As
NPERCO → 1.0, surface runoff has the same concentration of
nitrate as the percolate.
If no value for NPERCO is entered, the model will set NPERCO =
0.20.
Required.
PPERCO Phosphorus percolation coefficient (10 m3/Mg).
The phosphorus percolation coefficient is the ratio of the solution
phosphorus concentration in the surface 10 mm of soil to the
concentration of phosphorus in percolate.
The value of PPERCO can range from 10.0 to 17.5 If no value for
PPERCO is entered, the model will set PPERCO = 10.0.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 19
PHOSKD Phosphorus soil partitioning coefficient (m3/Mg).
The phosphorus soil partitioning coefficient is the ratio of the
soluble phosphorus concentration in the surface 10 mm of soil to the
concentration of soluble phosphorus in surface runoff.
The primary mechanism of phosphorus movement in the soil is by
diffusion. Diffusion is the migration of ions over small distances (1-
2 mm) in the soil solution in response to a concentration gradient.
Due to the low mobility of solution phosphorus, surface runoff will
only partially interact with the solution P stored in the top 10 mm of
soil.
If no value for PHOSKD is entered, the model will set PHOSKD =
175.0.
Required.
20 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PSP Phosphorus availability index.
Many studies have shown that after an application of soluble P
fertilizer, solution P concentration decreases rapidly with time due
to reaction with the soil. This initial “fast” reaction is followed by a
much slower decrease in solution P that may continue for several
years (Barrow and Shaw, 1975; Munns and Fox, 1976; Rajan and
Fox, 1972; Sharpley, 1982). In order to account for the initial rapid
decrease in solution P, SWAT assumes a rapid equilibrium exists
between solution P and an “active” mineral pool. The subsequent
slow reaction is simulated by the slow equilibrium assumed to exist
between the “active” and “stable” mineral pools. The algorithms
governing movement of inorganic phosphorus between these three
pools are taken from Jones et al. (1984).
Equilibration between the solution and active mineral pool is
governed by the phosphorus availability index. This index specifies
the fraction of fertilizer P which is in solution after an incubation
period, i.e. after the rapid reaction period.
A number of methods have been developed to measure the
phosphorus availability index. Jones et al. (1984) recommends a
method outlined by Sharpley et al. (1984) in which various amounts
of phosphorus are added in solution to the soil as K2HPO4. The soil
is wetted to field capacity and then dried slowly at 25°C. When dry,
the soil is rewetted with deionized water. The soil is exposed to
several wetting and drying cycles over a 6-month incubation period.
At the end of the incubation period, solution phosphorus is
determined by extraction with anion exchange resin.
The P availability index is then calculated:
Psolution , f − Psolution ,i
pai =
fert minP
where pai is the phosphorus availability index, Psolution,f is the
amount of phosphorus in solution after fertilization and incubation,
Psolution,I is the amount of phosphorus in solution before fertilization,
and fertminP is the amount of soluble P fertilizer added to the sample.
If no value for PSP is entered, the model will set PSP = 0.40.
Required.
RSDCO Residue decomposition coefficient.
The fraction of residue which will decompose in a day assuming
optimal moisture, temperature, C:N ratio and C:P ratio.
If no value for RSDCO is entered, the model will set RSDCO = 0.05.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 21
PERCOP Pesticide percolation coefficient.
PERCOP controls the amount of pesticide removed from the surface
layer in runoff and lateral flow relative to the amount removed via
percolation. The value of PERCOP can range from 0.01 to 1.0. As
PERCOP → 0.0, the concentration of pesticide in the runoff and
lateral flow approaches 0. As PERCOP → 1.0, surface runoff and
lateral flow has the same concentration of pesticide as the percolate.
If no value for PERCOP is entered, the model will set PERCOP =
0.50.
Required if pesticide transport is of interest.
MSK_CO1 Calibration coefficient used to control impact of the storage time
constant (Km) for normal flow (where normal flow is when river is
at bankfull depth) upon the Km value calculated for the reach.
Required only if IRTE = 1.
MSK_CO2 Calibration coefficient used to control impact of the storage time
constant (Km) for low flow (where low flow is when river is at 0.1
bankfull depth) upon the Km value calculated for the reach.
Required only if IRTE = 1.
MSK_X MSK_X is a weighting factor that controls the relative importance
of inflow and outflow in determining the storage in a reach.
The weighting factor has a lower limit of 0.0 and an upper limit of
0.5. This factor is a function of the wedge storage. For reservoir-
type storage, there is no wedge and X = 0.0. For a full-wedge, X =
0.5. For rivers, X will fall between 0.0 and 0.3 with a mean value
near 0.2.
If no value for MSK_X is entered, the model will set MSK_X = 0.2.
Required only if IRTE = 1.
TRNSRCH Fraction of transmission losses from main channel that enter deep
aquifer. The remainder if the transmission losses enter bank storage.
In arid watersheds, transmission losses from the main channel
network may be permanently lost due to transmission to aquifers
that do not contribute flow back to the stream network. This variable
allows the user to specify the fraction of transmission losses from
the channel network that is permanently lost.
TRNSRCH varies between 0.00 and 1.00. The default value for
TRNSRCH is 0.00.
Required.
22 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
EVRCH Reach evaporation adjustment factor.
The evaporation coefficient is a calibration parameter for the user
and is allowed to vary between 0.0 and 1.0. This coefficient was
created to allow reach evaporation to be dampened in arid regions.
The original equation tends to overestimate evaporation in these
areas.
If no value for EVRCH is entered, the model will set EVRCH =
1.00.
Required.
CNCOEF Plant ET curve number coefficient.
ET weighting coefficient used to calculate the retention coefficient
for daily curve number calculations dependent on plant
evapotranspiration.
This value can vary between 0.5 and 2.0. If no value is entered for
CNCOEF, the model will set CNCOEF = 1.0.
Required if ICN = 1.
CDN Denitrification exponential rate coefficient.
This coefficient allows the user to control the rate of denitrification.
Acceptable values for CDN range from 0.0 to 3.0. If no value for
CDN is specified, the model will set CDN = 1.4.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 23
SDNCO Denitrification threshold water content.
Fraction of field capacity water content above which denitrification
takes place.
Denitrification is the bacterial reduction of nitrate, NO -3 , to N2 or
N2O gases under anaerobic (reduced) conditions. Because SWAT
does not track the redox status of the soil layers, the presence of
anaerobic conditions in a soil layer is defined by this variable. If the
soil water content calculated as fraction of field capacity is ≥
SDNCO, then anaerobic conditions are assumed to be present and
denitrification is modeled. If the soil water content calculated as a
fraction of field capacity is < SDNCO, then aerobic conditions are
assumed to be present and denitrification is not modeled.
If no value for SDNCO is specified, the model will set SDNCO =
1.10.
Required.
BACT_SWF Fraction of manure applied to land areas that has active colony
forming units.
If no value for BACT_SWF is specified, the model will set
BACT_SWF = 0.15.
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
TB_ADJ New variable in testing.
Adjustment factor for subdaily unit hydrograph basetime.
CN_FROZ Parameter for frozen soil adjustment on infiltration/runoff.
If no value for CNFROZ_BSN is entered, the model will set
CNFROZ_BSN = 0.000862.
Optional.
DORM_HR Time threshold used to define dormancy (hours). The maximum
day length minus DORM_HR is equal to when dormancy occurs.
Optional.
SMXCO Adjustment factor for maximum curve number S factor. Coefficient
curve number method that uses antecedent climate.
Optional.
FIXCO Nitrogen fixation coefficient. (0.0 – 1.0)
1.0 = fixes 100% of nitrogen demand. 0.0 = fixes none of nitrogen
demand.
NFIXMX Maximum daily-n fixation (kg/ha). (1.0 – 20.0)
DECR_MIN Minimum daily residue decay (fraction 0.0 – 0.05)
RSD_COVCO Residue cover factor for computing fraction of cover. (0.1 – 0.5)
24 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
VCRIT Critical velocity
RES_STR_CO Reservoir sediment settling coefficient (0.09 – 0.27)
UHALPHA Alpha coefficient for gamma function unit hydrograph. Required
if iuh = 2 is selected
EROS_SPL Splash erosion coefficient (0.9 – 3.1)
RILL_MULT Rill erosion coefficient – multiplier to USLE_K for soil susceptible
to rill erosion (0.5-2.0)
EROS_EXPO Exponential coefficient for overland flow – (1.5-3.0)
C_FACTOR Scaling parameter for cover and management factor for overland
flow erosion (0.03/0.001/0.45)
CH_D50 Median particle diameter of main channel (mm) (50/10/100)
SIG_G Geometric standard deviation of particle size (1.57/1.0/5.0)
R2ADJ Curve number retention parameter adjustment for low gradient,
non-draining soils (dimensionless) (0-3)
Random generator seed code.
A set of random numbers is needed by SWAT to generate weather
data. SWAT has a set of default random numbers embedded in the
code. To use the default random numbers, the user should set IGN
= 0. This is the default value for IGN.
In some situations, a user may wish to vary the weather sequence
between runs. One method to do this is to set IGN to a different
number every time the model is run. This code will activate a
random number generator, which will replace the default set of
random numbers with a new set. The value to which IGN is set
determines the number of times the random number generator is
cycled before the simulation begins. The seeds produced by the
random number generator are then utilized by the weather generator
instead of the default values.
Measured weather data read into the model is not affected by this
variable. However, if the measured data contains missing values, the
weather generator is activated to produce data to replace the missing
values. The data produced to replace missing values will be affected
by this variable.
Required.
Randon generator code 0 = use default number; 1 = generate new
IGEN
numbers in every simulation
 SWAT+ INPUTS 25
CLIMATE – The CLIMATE section of file.cio contains filenames for the entire simulation
run. The list of the filenames are listed below with a brief description of the inputs within each
file.

WEATHER-STA.CLI
The weather station climate file contains the weather stations that will be included in the simulation and is space
delimited. Below is a sample WEATHER-STA.CLI file:

weather-sta.cli
NAME WGN PGAGE TGAGE SGAGE HGAGE WGAGE WNDIR ATMODEP
wea1 wgn001 mentone.pcp mentone.tmp sim sim sim null atmo_2
wea2 wgn001 warsaw.pcp warsaw.tmp sim sim sim null atmo_3

Variable name Definition

TITLE Title of the weather station.
HEADER Headings
WST_NAME The weather station name
WGN The weather generator station name (from the weather-wgn.cli
file)
PGAGE The precipitation station name (from pcp.cli file). If
precipitation is generated, ‘sim’ should be input.
TGAGE The temperature station name (from tmp.cli file). If
temperature will be generated, ‘sim’ should be input.
SGAGE The solar radiation station name (from slr.cli file). If solar
radiation will be generated, ‘sim’ should be input.
HGAGE The relative humidity station name (from hmd.cli file). If
relative humidity will be generated, ‘sim’ should be input.
WGAGE The wind station name (from wnd.cli file). If wind will be
generated, ‘sim’ should be input.
WNDIR The wind direction name (from wind-dir.cli file). If wind
direction will be generated, ‘null’ should be input.
ATMODEP The atmospheric deposition file name. If no atmospheric
deposition file is used, ‘null’ should be input.

WEATHER-WGN.CLI
The weather generator climate file contains the weather generator stations that will be included in the simulation
and is space delimited. Below is a sample WEATHER-WGN.CLI file:
 26 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
weather-wWeather
wgn001 43.07 -94.3 374.9 31
TMPMX TMPMN TMPSTDM TMPTDMNPCPMM PCPSTD PCPSKW PR_WD PR_WW PCPD RAINHMX SOLARAV DEWPT WINDAV
-3.9 -13.52 6.76 7.5 18.5 4.01 2.09 0.12 0.32 4.48 3.35 7.12 -11.06 5.61
-1.22 -10.79 7.04 7.72 18 4.6 2.72 0.12 0.25 3.83 4.43 10.81 -8.92 5.59
5.8 -4.3 7.36 6.22 43.4 8.24 1.81 0.15 0.33 5.6 6.5 15 -3.91 5.8
14.81 2.12 7.32 4.87 80.4 9.58 1.69 0.22 0.39 7.83 18.45 17.93 0.87 6.04
21.53 8.87 5.64 4.55 107.3 11.83 2.31 0.25 0.46 9.9 24.11 20.78 4.12 5.47
26.52 14.38 4.49 3.74 128.6 17.15 2.84 0.28 0.39 9.47 40.11 22.84 6.66 4.78
28.12 16.55 3.58 3.16 107.4 12.61 1.59 0.25 0.32 8.37 35.16 23.21 15.92 3.89
26.69 15.22 3.67 3.48 105.3 18 4.34 0.21 0.36 7.77 39.17 20.41 15.27 3.57
23.15 10.25 5.33 4.86 72.6 12.77 2.61 0.2 0.33 6.8 15.72 15.92 5.13 4.22
15.74 3.41 6.44 5.13 59.2 9.29 1.59 0.15 0.41 6.44 12.93 11.1 1.54 4.9
6.07 -3.99 7.17 5.86 39.8 8.97 2.6 0.13 0.36 5.17 5.93 7.16 -3.25 5.42
-2.17 -11.12 7.07 7.4 24.6 4.88 1.77 0.13 0.23 4.62 3.21 5.66 -8.88 5.48

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the weather-wgn.cli file
WGN_NAME The weather station name (to be referenced in weather-sta.cli
file.
LATITUDE Latitude of weather station used to create statistical parameters
(degrees).
The latitude is expressed as a real number with minutes and
seconds converted to fractions of a degree.
LONGITUDE Longitude of weather station (degrees).
ELEV Elevation of weather station (m).
Required if elevation bands are modeled in watershed.
RAIN_YRS The number of years of maximum monthly 0.5 h rainfall data
used to define values for RAIN_HHMX(1) -
RAIN_HHMX(12).
If no value is input for RAIN_YRS, SWAT will set
RAIN_YRS = 10.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 27
TMPMX(MON) Average or mean daily maximum air temperature for month
(ºC).
This value is calculated by summing the maximum air
temperature for every day in the month for all years of record
and dividing by the number of days summed:
N

∑T mx ,mon
µmx mon = d =1
N
where µmxmon is the mean daily maximum temperature for
the month (°C), Tmx,mon is the daily maximum temperature
on record d in month mon (°C), and N is the total number of
daily maximum temperature records for month mon.
Required.
28 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
TMPMN(MON) Average or mean daily minimum air temperature for month
(ºC).
This value is calculated by summing the minimum air
temperature for every day in the month for all years of record
and dividing by the number of days summed:
N

∑T mn ,mon
µmnmon = d =1
N
where µmnmon is the mean daily minimum temperature for the
month (°C), Tmn,mon is the daily minimum temperature on
record d in month mon (°C), and N is the total number of daily
minimum temperature records for month mon.
Required.
TMPSTDMX(MO Standard deviation for daily maximum air temperature in
N)
month (ºC).
This parameter quantifies the variability in maximum
temperature for each month. The standard deviation is
calculated:

 N 2 
 ∑ (Tmx ,mon − µmx mon ) 
σmx mon =  d =1 
 N −1 
 
 
where σmxmon is the standard deviation for daily maximum
temperature in month mon (ºC), Tmx,mon is the daily maximum
temperature on record d in month mon (°C), µmxmon is the
average daily maximum temperature for the month (°C), and N
is the total number of daily maximum temperature records for
month mon.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 29
TMPSTDMN(MO Standard deviation for daily minimum air temperature in
N)
month (ºC).
This parameter quantifies the variability in minimum
temperature for each month. The standard deviation is
calculated:

 N 2 
 ∑ (Tmn ,mon − µmnmon ) 
σmnmon =  d =1 
 N −1 
 
 
where σmnmon is the standard deviation for daily minimum
temperature in month mon (ºC), Tmn,mon is the daily minimum
temperature on record d in month mon (°C), µmnmon is the
average daily minimum temperature for the month (°C), and N
is the total number of daily minimum temperature records for
month mon.
Required.
PCPMM(MON) Average or mean total monthly precipitation (mm H2O).
N

∑R day ,mon
Rmon = d =1
yrs
where Rmon is the mean monthly precipitation (mm H2O),
Rday,mon is the daily precipiation for record d in month mon (mm
H2O), N is the total number of records in month mon used to
calculate the average, and yrs is the number of years of daily
precipitation records used in calculation.
Required.
30 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PCPSTD(MON) Standard deviation for daily precipitation in month (mm
H2O/day ).
This parameter quantifies the variability in precipitation for
each month. The standard deviation is calculated:

 N 2 
 ∑ (Rday ,mon − Rmon ) 
σ mon =  d =1 
 N −1 
 
 
where σmon is the standard deviation for daily precipitation in
month mon (mm H2O), Rday,mon is the amount of precipitation
for record d in month mon (mm H2O), Rmon is the average
precipitation for the month (mm H2O), and N is the total
number of daily precipitation records for month mon. (Note:
daily precipitation values of 0 mm are included in the standard
deviation calculation).
Required.
PCPSKW(MON) Skew coefficient for daily precipitation in month.
This parameter quantifies the symmetry of the precipitation
distribution about the monthly mean. The skew coefficient is
calculated:

N ⋅ ∑ (Rday ,mon − Rmon )

N
3

g mon = d =1

(N − 1) ⋅ (N − 2) ⋅ (σ mon )3
where gmon is the skew coefficient for precipitation in the
month, N is the total number of daily precipitation records for
month mon, Rday,mon is the amount of precipitation for record d
in month mon (mm H2O), Rmon is the average precipitation for
the month (mm H2O), and σmon is the standard deviation for
daily precipitation in month mon (mm H2O). (Note: daily
precipitation values of 0 mm are included in the skew
coefficient calculation).
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 31
PR_WD(MON) Probability of a wet day following a dry day in the month.
This probability is calculated:
daysW
Pi (W D ) =
D ,i

days dry ,i

where Pi(W/D) is the probability of a wet day following a dry

day in month i, daysW/D,i is the number of times a wet day
followed a dry day in month i for the entire period of record,
and daysdry,i is the number of dry days in month i during the
entire period of record. A dry day is a day with 0 mm of
precipitation. A wet day is a day with > 0 mm precipitation.
Required.
PR_WW(MON) Probability of a wet day following a wet day in the month.
This probability is calculated:
daysW W ,i
Pi (W W ) =
days wet ,i

where Pi(W/W) is the probability of a wet day following a wet

day in month i, daysW/W,i is the number of times a wet day
followed a wet day in month i for the entire period of record,
and dayswet,i is the number of wet days in month i during the
entire period of record. A dry day is a day with 0 mm of
precipitation. A wet day is a day with > 0 mm precipitation.
Required.
PCPD(MON) Average number of days of precipitation in month.
This parameter is calculated:
days wet ,i
d wet ,i =
yrs

where d wet ,i is the average number of days of precipitation in

month i, dayswet,i is the number of wet days in month i during
the entire period of record, and yrs is the number of years of
record.
Required.
RAINHMX(MON) Maximum 0.5 hour rainfall in entire period of record for month
(mm H2O).
This value represents the most extreme 30-minute rainfall
intensity recorded in the entire period of record.
Required.
32 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
SOLARAV(MON) Average daily solar radiation for month (MJ/m2/day).
This value is calculated by summing the total solar radiation
for every day in the month for all years of record and dividing
by the number of days summed:
N

∑H day ,mon
µrad mon = d =1
N
where µradmon is the mean daily solar radiation for the month
(MJ/m2/day), Hday,mon is the total solar radiation reaching the
earth’s surface for day d in month mon (MJ/m2/day), and N is
the total number of daily solar radiation records for month mon.
Required.
DEWPT(MON) Average daily dew point temperature for each month (ºC) or
relative humidity (fraction) can be input.
If all twelve months are less than one, the model assumes
relative humidity is input. Relative humidity is defined in
equation 1:3.5.1 in the SWAT Theoretical documentation as
the amount of water vapor in the air as a fraction of saturation
humidity. If any month has a value greater than 1.0, the model
assumes dewpoint temperature is input.
Dew point temperature is the temperature at which the actual
vapor pressure present in the atmosphere is equal to the
saturation vapor pressure. This value is calculated by summing
the dew point temperature for every day in the month for all
years of record and dividing by the number of days summed:
N

∑T dew ,mon
µdewmon = d =1
N
where µdewmon is the mean daily dew point temperature for the
month (ºC), Tdew,mon is the dew point temperature for day d in
month mon (ºC), and N is the total number of daily dew point
records for month mon. Dew point is converted to relative
humidity using equations 1:3.5.1 and
1:3.5.2 in the Theoretical Documentation.
Required for Penman-Monteith potential evaporation equation.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 33
WINDAV(MON) Average daily wind speed in month (m/s).
This value is calculated by summing the average or mean wind
speed values for every day in the month for all years of record
and dividing by the number of days summed:
N

∑µ wnd ,mon
µwnd mon = d =1
N
where µwndmon is the mean daily wind speed for the month
(m/s), µwnd,mon is the average wind speed for day d in month
mon (m/s), and N is the total number of daily wind speed
records for month mon.
Required.

WIND-DIR.CLI
This file contains the wind direction values that will be included in the simulation and is space delimited.
Below is a sample WIND-DIR.CLI file:

wind-dir.cl
2
AL_BAN
0 0
3.46 3.47 3.64 3.3 2.55 2.26 2.09 2.06 2.44 2.37 2.8 3.11
10 10 8 7 8 7 6 9 13 14 12 11
4 5 4 4 4 4 4 6 9 8 6 5
4 4 4 4 6 6 6 8 9 8 6 5
3 4 4 4 5 6 6 7 9 8 5 4
5 6 5 5 6 8 8 9 12 10 6 7
5 5 5 4 5 6 6 5 7 6 4 7
9 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 7 6 8 8
9 7 8 9 7 7 7 5 5 5 6 7
12 9 11 13 11 10 12 8 6 5 7 8
7 6 7 9 8 8 9 5 4 3 5 4
3 4 4 5 6 6 7 5 3 2 3 3
2 3 3 4 4 5 5 4 2 2 3 3
3 4 5 4 5 5 6 5 2 3 4 5
6 7 7 7 5 5 4 4 2 4 7 6
9 8 8 7 6 6 4 6 4 7 10 8
7 8 8 7 6 5 4 6 7 9 9 8

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the wind direction file (may be blank)
MWND_DIR The maximum number of wind direction stations in the file.
NAME Wind Station name
SKIP Next 2 lines are not read in by the model
WND_DIR The monthly wind directions input data (16 lines/directions)
 34 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PCP.CLI
This file contains the information on the precipitation gages included in the simulation and is space delimited.
A path has been added to file.cio to enable the daily files to be present in another folder; if path is null daily is
in same project folder as other data. Below is a sample PCP.CLI file:

pcp.cli
FILENAME
mentone.pcp
warsaw.pcp

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the precipitation climate file (may be blank)
HEADER The header information for the pcp.cli file
PCP_FILENAME The name of the precipitation file containing daily
precipitation input data (description of the pcp_filename data
follows)

PCP_FILENAME
The pcp_filename is input in the pcp.cli file. The description of the ‘pcp_filename’ contains the daily
precipitation amounts for the simulation and is space delimited. A path has been added to file.cio to enable the
daily files to be present in another folder; if path is null daily is in same project folder as other data. Below is a
sample of the file (partial listing):

mentone.pcp
NBYR TSTEP LAT LONG ELEV
114 0 41.14 -85.98 268
1900 1 0.3
1900 2 0
1900 3 0
1900 4 0
1900 5 0
1900 6 0.6
1900 7 0.5
1900 8 0
1900 9 3.6
1900 10 3.5
1900 11 2.3
 SWAT+ INPUTS 35
Variable name Definition
TITLE Description of the precipitation file (may be blank)
HEADER
NBYR The header information for the file
TSTEP Timestep of the simulation
LAT Latitude of the precipitation gage
LONG Longitude of the precipitation gage
ELEV Elevation of the precipitation gage
IYR The year of the precipitation amount
ISTEP The step (day, sub-daily) of the precipitation amount
PCP The amount of precipitation amount (mm) for istep (enter -99.0
for missing days)

TMP.CLI
This file contains information on the maximum and minimum temperatures included in the simulation and is
space delimited. A path has been added to file.cio to enable the daily files to be present in another folder; if
path is null daily is in same project folder as other data. Below is a sample TMP.CLI file:

tmp.cli
FILENAME
mentone.tmp
warsaw.tmp

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the maximum and minimum temperature file
(may be blank)
HEADER The header information for the tmp.cli file
TMP_FILENAME The name of the temperature file containing daily maximum
and minimum temperatures.

TMP_FILENAME
The tmp_filename is input in the tmp.cli file. The description of the ‘tmp_filename’ contains the daily
maximum and minimum temperatures for the simulation and is space delimited. Below is a sample of the file:
 36 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
mentone.tmp
NBYR LAT LONG ELEV
114 41.14 -85.98 268
1900 1 -99 -99
1900 2 -99 -11.5
1900 3 -99 -7.5
1900 4 3.1 -9.4
1900 5 5.7 -0.2
1900 6 6.8 -0.1
1900 7 11.2 2.6
1900 8 7.7 -99
1900 9 8 -3.4
1900 10 4.9 1.3
1900 11 -99 -1.2

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the temperature file (may be blank)
HEADER Headings
NBYR The header information for the file
LAT Latitude of the temperature gage
LONG Longitude of the temperature gage
ELEV Elevation of the temperature gage
IYR The year of the temperature data
ISTEP Timestep
TMP_MAX The maximum temperatures for istep (enter -99.0 for missing
days)
TMP_MIN The minimum temperatures for istep (enter -99.0 for missing
days)

SLR.CLI
This file contains the information on the solar radiation daily data included in the simulation and is space
delimited. A path has been added to file.cio to enable the daily files to be present in another folder; if path is
null daily is in same project folder as other data. Below is a sample SLR.CLI file:

slr.cli
NUMB FILENAME
1 gage1.slr
 SWAT+ INPUTS 37
Variable name Definition
TITLE Description of the solar radiation file (may be blank)
HEADER The header information for the slr.cli file
SLR_FILENAME The name of the solar radiation file containing values of solar
radiation

SLR_FILENAME
The slr_filename is input in the slr.cli file. The description of the ‘slr_filename’ contains the daily solar
radiation values for the simulation and is space delimited. Below is a sample of the file (partial listing):
gage1.slr
NBYR LAT LONG ELEV
25 0.0 0.0 0.0
1988 1 12.9
1988 2 27.4
1988 3 22.7
1988 4 0
1988 5 9.7

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the solar radiation file (may be blank)
HEADER Headings
NBYR The header information for the file
LAT Latitude of the solar radiation gage
LONG Longitude of the solar radiation gage
ELEV Elevation of the solar radiation gage
IYR The year of the solar radiation data
ISTEP Timestep
SLR The solar radiation value for istep (MJ/m^2; -99.0 to generate
missing days)

HMD.CLI
This file contains the information on the relative humidity stations included in the simulation and is space
delimited. A path has been added to file.cio to enable the daily files to be present in another folder; if path is
null daily is in same project folder as other data. Below is a sample HMD.CLI file:

HMD.CLI
NUMB FILENAME
1 gage1.hmd
 38 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the relative humidity file (may be blank)
HEADER The header information for the hmd.cli file
HMD_FILENAME The name of the relative humidity file containing daily relative
humidity input data

HMD_FILENAME
The hmd_filename is input in the hmd.cli file. The description of the ‘hmd_filename’ contains the daily relative
humidity values for the simulation and is space delimited. Below is a sample of the file (partial listing):
gage1.HMD
NBYR LAT LONG ELEV
25 0.0 0.0 0.0
1988 1 1
1988 2 0.8
1988 3 0.7
1988 4 1
1988 5 0.5

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the relative humidity file (may be blank)
HEADER Headings
NBYR The header information for the file
LAT Latitude of the relative humidity gage
LONG Longitude of the relative humidity gage
ELEV Elevation of the relative humidity gage
IYR The year of the relative humidity data
ISTEP Timestep
RELHUM The relative humidity value for istep (-99.0 to generate missing
days)
WND.CLI
This file contains the information on the windspeed input data included in the simulation and is space delimited.
A path has been added to file.cio to enable the daily files to be present in another folder; if path is null daily is
in same project folder as other data. Below is a sample WND.CLI file (partial listing):

WND.CLI
NUMB FILENAME
1 gage1.wnd
 SWAT+ INPUTS 39
Variable name Definition
TITLE Description of the wnd.cli file (may be blank)
HEADER The header information for the wnd.cli file
WND_FILENAME The name of the precipitation file containing daily windspeed
input data

WND_FILENAME
The wnd_filename is input in the wnd.cli file. The description of the ‘wnd_filename’ contains the daily wind
values for the simulation and is space delimited. Below is a sample of the file (partial listing):
gage1.WND
NBYR LAT LONG ELEV
25 0.0 0.0 0.0
1988 1 3.8
1988 2 4.4
1988 3 2.8
1988 4 2
1988 5 3.1

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the windspeed file (may be blank)
HEADER Headings
NBYR The header information for the file
LAT Latitude of the windspeed gage
LONG Longitude of the windspeed gage
ELEV Elevation of the windspeed gage
IYR The year of the windspeed data
ISTEP Timestep
WNDSPD The windspeed value for istep (-99.0 to generate missing days)

ATMO.CLI
The ATMO.CLI file contains the input variables for atmospheric deposition. The atmospheric deposition input file
contains annual average atmospheric nitrogen deposition values including ammonium, nitrate, dry ammonium
and dry nitrate and can be read in as average annual, yearly or monthly. This file is optional. An example annual
file is listed below:
 40 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
atmo_annual.dat
NUM_STA TIMESTEP MO_INIT YR_INIT NUM_AA
3 aa 0 0 0
atmo_1 desc_not read
0.35 (NH4_RF)
3.24 (NO3_RF)
0.13 (NH4_DRY)
0.12 (NO3_DRY)
atmo_2
0.35 (NH4_RF)
3.24 (NO3_RF)
0.13 (NH4_DRY)
0.12 (NO3_DRY)
atmo_3
0.35 (NH4_RF)
3.24 (NO3_RF)
0.13 (NH4_DRY)
0.12 (NO3_DRY)

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. The title line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.

HEADER The second line is the header for the inputs. This line is not
processed by the model.

NUM_STA Total number of deposition stations in the file

TIMESTEP There are three different timesteps for the file to be read and
should be character.
‘aa’ = annual average (constant)
‘mo’ = monthly
‘yr’ = yearly

MO_INIT Initial month of the input data (applies to month option only)
input 0 for other options;

YR_INIT Initial year of the input data (applies to year and monthly
option only) input 0 for annual;

NUM_AA Number of average annual values in file;

NAME Initial month of the input data (applies to month option only)
input 0 for other options;
 SWAT+ INPUTS 41
Ammonia in rainfll (mg/l)
NH4_RF
Nitrate in rainfall (mg/l)
NO3_RF
Ammonia deposition (kg/ha/yr)
NH4_DRY
Nitrate dry deposition (kg/ha/yr)
NO3_DRY

CONNECT – The CONNECT section of file.cio contains the filenames for the object
connectivity for the simulation run. All connect (.con) files read in the same input variables,
only differing in the connect units (HRU, HRU-LTE, ROUT_UNIT, modflow, aquifer,
aquifer2d, channel, reservoir, recall, exco, delivery ratio, outlet and chandeg).
 42 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
EXPLANATION OF SPATIAL OBJECTS

SUBBASIN
The subbasin is defined by the DEM in the GIS interface as it always has been. All flow within the subbasin drains to the
subbasin outlet.

LANDSCAPE UNIT
A landscape unit is defined as a collection of HRU’s and can be defined as a subbasin, or it could be a flood plain or
upland unit, or it could be a grid cell with multiple HRU’s. The landscape unit is not routed, it only used for output. The
landscape unit output files (waterbal, nutbal, losses, and plant weather) are output for HRU’s, landscape units, and for
the basin. Two input files are required: 1) landscape elements and, 2) landscape define. The elements file includes
HRU’s and their corresponding LSU fraction and basin fractions. The define file specifies which HRU’s are contained in
each LSU.

ROUTING UNIT
A routing unit is a collection of hydrographs that can be routed to any spatial object. The routing unit can be configured
as a subbasin, then total flow (surface, lateral and tile flow) from the routing unit can be sent to a channel and all
recharge from the routing unit sent to an aquifer. This is analogous to the current approach in SWAT. However, SWAT+
gives us much more flexibility in configuring a routing unit. For example, in CEAP, we are routing each HRU (field)
through a small channel (gully or grass waterway) before it reaches the main channel. In this case, the routing unit is a
collection of flow from the small channels. We also envision simulating multiple representative hillslopes to define a
routing unit. Also, we are setting up scenarios that define a routing unit using tile flow from multiple fields and sending
that flow to a wetland.

The routing unit is the spatial unit SWAT+ that allows us to lump outputs and route the outputs to any other spatial
object. It gives us considerably more flexibility than the old subbasin lumping approach in SWAT, and will continue to be
a convenient way of spatial lumping until we can simulate individual fields or cells in each basin.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 43
HRU.CON
The HRU.CON file contains the connectivity for the HRU spatial objects within the watershed that will be
included in the simulation and is space delimited. Below is a sample HRU.CON file:

hru.con
NUMB NAME GIS_ID AREA LAT LONG ELEV HRU WST CONST_TYPE OVERFLOW RULESET OUT_TOT
1 bench 1 0.48 0 0 0 1 wea1 0 0 0 0
2 field 2 495.27 0 0 0 2 wea2 0 0 0 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the connect file
HEADER The header information for the HRU connect file
NUMB Number of object unit
NAME Name of the object connect
GIS_ID ID number (used for GIS_ID number for manipulating
databases)
AREA_HA Area of the object (ha)
LAT Latitude of the object
LONG Longitude of the object
ELEV Elevation of the object
PROPS Object properties number (Spatial objects for PROPS
abbreviations - HRU, HLT, RU, MFL, AQU, CHA,
RES, REC, EXC, DR, OUT, SDC)
WST Weather station number (‘weather-sta.cli’ file)
CONSTIT Constituent data pointer (pesticides, pathogens, heavy
metals, salts)
PROPS2(OVERFLOW) Overbank connectivity pointer to landscape units
RULESET Ruleset pointer for flow fraction of hydrograph
SRC_TOT Total number of incoming (source) objects
OBTYP_OUT Outflow object type
(’hru’;’hlt’,’ru’;’mfl’; aqu’; ’cha’; ’res’; ’exc’; ’dr’;
‘out’;’sdc’) (default == ‘null’)

SPATIAL OBJECTS
HRU HYDROLOGIC RESPONSE UNIT
HLT HRU LITE
RU ROUTING UNIT
MFL MODFLOW
AQU AQUIFER
44 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
CHA CHANNEL
RES RESERVOIR
REC RECALL
EXC EXPORT COEFFICIENTS
DR DELIVERY RATIO
CAN CANAL
PUM PUMP
OUT OUTLET
SDC SWAT DEG CHANNEL
OBTYPNO_OUT Outflow object type name
HTYP_OUT Outflow hydrograph (1=’tot’;
2=’rhg’;3=’sur’;4=’lat’;5=’til’;
(default = ‘null’)
OUTFLOW HYDROGRAPHS
TOT TOTAL
RHG RECHARGE
SUR SURFACE
LAT LATERAL
TIL TILLAGE
FRAC_OUT Fraction of hydrograph
 SWAT+ INPUTS 45
CHANNEL – The CHANNEL section of file.cio contains the filenames for simulation of a
channel in the model. In order to simulate the physical processes affecting the flow of water and transport of
sediment in the channel network of the watershed, SWAT requires information on the physical characteristics of
the main channel within each subbasin. The channel input files summarizes the physical characteristics of the
channel which affect water flow and transport of sediment, nutrients and pesticides.

INITIAL.CHA
The INITIAL.CHA file contains the input variables for the initialization of a channel. Below is a partial sample
INITIAL.CHA file:

Variable name Definition

TITLE Title of the initial channel file
HEADER The header information for the initial channel file
NAME Name of the channel
VOL Reservoir volume (m^3)
SED Amount of sediment in reservoir (kg/L)
ORGN Amount of organic nitrogen in reservoir (kg N)
NO3 Amount of nitrate in reservoir (kg N)
NO2 Amount of nitrite in reservoir (kg N)
NH3 Amount of ammonia in reservoir (kg)
ORGP Amount of organic phosphorous in reservoir (kg P)
SOLP Amount of soluble phosphorous in reservoir (kg P)
SECI Secci-disk depth (m)
SAN Amount of sand in reservoir (kg/L)
SIL Amount of silt in reservoir (kg/L)
CLA Amount of clay in reservoir (kg/L)
SAG Amount of small aggregates in reservoir (kg/L)
LAG Amount of large aggregates in reservoir (kg/L)
GRA Amount of gravel in reservoir (kg/L)
CHLA Amount of chlorophyll-a in reservoir (kg chl-a)
PSOL Amount of soluble phosphorous in reservoir (kg/L)
PSOR Amount of sorbed phosphorous in reservoir (kg/L)
BACTLP Less persistent bacteria stored in reservoir (# cfu/100ml)
BACTP Persistent bacteria stored in reservoir (# cfu/100ml)
 46 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
CHANNEL.CHA
The CHANNEL.CHA file contains the input variables for the initialization of a channel. Below is a sample
CHANNEL.CHA file:
channel.cha
CHA_NUMB CHA_NAME CHA_INI CHA_HYD CHA_SED CHA_NUT CHA_PST CHA_LS_LNKHA_AQU_LNK
1 cha1 null cha1 null null null 0 0
2 cha2 null cha2 null null null 0 0
3 cha3 null cha3 null null null 0 0
4 cha4 null cha4 null null null 0 0
5 cha5 null cha5 null null null 0 0
6 cha6 null cha6 null null null 0 0
7 cha7 null cha7 null null null 0 0
8 cha8 null cha8 null null null 0 0
9 cha9 null cha9 null null null 0 0
10 cha10 null cha10 null null null 0 0
11 cha11 null cha11 null null null 0 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the channel file
HEADER The header information for the channel file
NUMB Number of the channel
NAME Name of the channel
INIT Initial data (points to initial.cha)
HYD Channel hydrology inputs (points to hydrology.cha)
SED Channel sediment inputs (points to sediment.cha)
NUT Channel nutrient inputs (points to nutrients.cha)
PST Channel pesticide inputs (points to pesticide.cha)
LS_LNK Landscape linkage (points to chan-surf.lin)
AQU_LNK Aquifer linkage (points to chan-aqu.lin)

HYDROLOGY.CHA
The HYDROLOGY.CHA file contains the input variables for the hydrology inputs of a channel. Below is a sample
HYDROLOGY.CHA file:
 SWAT+ INPUTS 47
hydrology.cha
CHA_HYD_NAME CHA_WD CHA_DP CHA_SLP CHA_LEN CHA_MANN CHA_K CHA_WDR ALPHA_BNK SIDE_SLP
cha1 3.29 0.338 0.002 0.794 0.075 0 9.73 0 0
cha2 2.719 0.301 0.008 0.474 0.075 0 9.026 0 0
cha3 4.286 0.397 0.004 3.042 0.075 0 10.802 0 0
cha4 2.566 0.291 0.004 0.48 0.075 0 8.82 0 0
cha5 3.254 0.336 0.006 1.474 0.075 0 9.688 0 0
cha6 2.729 0.302 0.005 0.674 0.075 0 9.038 0 0
cha7 2.881 0.312 0.005 0.764 0.075 0 9.234 0 0
cha8 3.038 0.322 0.006 1.444 0.075 0 9.429 0 0
cha9 4.254 0.395 0.004 2.63 0.075 0 10.77 0 0
cha10 2.536 0.289 0.005 0.517 0.075 0 8.78 0 0
cha11 3.288 0.338 0.003 1.693 0.075 0 9.728 0 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the channel hydrology file
HEADER The header information for the channel hydrology file
NAME Name of the channel hydrology
W Average width of the main channel (m)
D Average depth of the main channel (m)
S Average slope of the main channel (m/m)
L Main channel length (km)
N Manning’s “n” value for the main channel
K Effective hydraulic conductivity of main channel alluvium
(mm/hr)
WDR Channel width to depth ratio (m/m)
ALPHA_BNK Alpha factor for bank storage recession curve (days)
SIDE Change in horizontal distance per unit

SEDIMENT.CHA
The SEDIMENT.CHA file contains the input variables for the sediment inputs of a channel. Below is a sample
SEDIMENT.CHA file:

sediment.cha:
CHA_SED_NAMSED_EQN ER_FACT COV_FACT BNK_BD BED_BD BNK_KD BED_KD BNK_D50 BED_D50 BNK_CSS BED_CSS EROD1 EROD2
null 0 0 0 1.5 1.5 0.5 0.5 1.5 1.5 0.05 0.05 0 0
48 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE Description of the sediment channel file
HEADER The header information for the sediment channel file
NAME Name of the sediment channel
EQN Sediment routine methods:
0 = original SWAT method;
1 Bagnold’s
2 Kodatie
3 Molinas WU
4 Yang
COV1 Channel erodibility factor (0.0-1.0)
COV2 Channel cover factor (0.0-1.0)
BNK_BD Bulk density of channel bank sediment (g/cc)
BED_BD Bulk density of channel bed sediment (g/cc)
BNK_KD Erodibility of channel bank sediment by jet test
BED_KD Erodibility of channel bed by jet test
BNK_D50 D50 (median) particle size diameter of channel bank
BED_D50 D50 (median) particle size diameter of channel bed
TC_BNK Critical shear stress of channel bank (N/m^2)
TC_BED Critical shear stress of channel bed (N/m^2)
EROD1-12 Value of 0.0 indicates a non-erosive channel while a value of
1.0 indicates no resistance to erosion
 SWAT+ INPUTS 49
NUTRIENTS.CHA
The NUTRIENTS.CHA file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial
NUTRIENTS.CHA file:
nutrients.cha:
NAME ONCO OPCO RS1 RS2 RS3 RS4 RS5 RS6 RS7 RK1 RK2 RK3 RK4 RK5 RK6 BC1 BC2 BC3 BC4 LAO IGROPT AI0 AI2 AI3 AI4 AI5 AI6 MUMAX RHOQ TFACT K_l K_N K_P LAMBDA0 LAMBDA1 LAMDA2 P_N
nut_cha1 0 0 1 0.05 0.5 0.05 0.05 2.5 2.5 1.71 1 2 0 1.71 1.71 0.55 1.1 0.21 0.35 2 2 AI1 0.08 0.01 1.6 2 3.5 1.07 2 2.5 0.4 0.75 0.02 0.025 1 0.03 0.054

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the nutrients.cha file.
NAME Name of the nutrients channel
ONCO Channel organic N concentration (ppm)
OPCO Channel organic P concentration (ppm)
RS1 Local algal settling rate in the reach at 20º C (m/day).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of RS1 are converted to m/hr by the
model. Values for RS1 should fall in the range 0.15 to 1.82
m/day. If no value for RS1 is entered, the model sets RS1
= 1.0 m/day.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
RS2 Benthic (sediment) source rate for dissolved phosphorus in
the reach at 20º C (mg dissolved P/(m2·day)).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of RS2 are converted to mg dissolved
P/(m2·hr) by the model. If no value for RS2 is entered, the
model sets RS2 = 0.05 mg dissolved P/(m2·day).
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
RS3 Benthic source rate for NH4-N in the reach at 20º C (mg
NH4-N/(m2·day)).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of RS3 are converted to mg NH4-
N/(m2·hr) by the model. If no value for RS3 is entered, the
model sets RS3 = 0.5 mg NH4-N/(m2·day).
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
50 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
RS4 Rate coefficient for organic N settling in the reach at 20º C
(day-1).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of RS4 are converted to hr-1 by the
model. Values for RS4 should fall in the range 0.001 to
0.10 day-1. If no value for RS4 is entered, the model sets
RS4 = 0.05 day-1.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
RS5 Organic phosphorus settling rate in the reach at 20º C (day-
1
).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of RS5 are converted to hr-1 by the
model. Values for RS5 should fall in the range 0.001 to 0.1
day-1. If no value for RS5 is entered, the model sets RS5 =
0.05 day-1.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
RS6 Rate coefficient for settling of arbitrary non-conservative
constituent in the reach at 20º C (day-1).
If no value for RS6 is entered, the model sets RS6 = 2.5.
Not currently used by the model.
RS7 Benthic source rate for arbitrary non-conservative
constituent in the reach at 20º C (mg ANC/(m2·day)).
If no value for RS7 is entered, the model sets RS7 = 2.5.
Not currently used by the model.
RK1 Carbonaceous biological oxygen demand deoxygenation
rate coefficient in the reach at 20º C (day-1).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of RK1 are converted to hr-1 by the
model. Values for RK1 should fall in the range 0.02 to 3.4
day-1. If no value for RK1 is entered, the model sets RK1 =
1.71 day-1.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 51
Variable name Definition
RK2 Oxygen reaeration rate in accordance with Fickian
diffusion in the reach at 20º C (day-1).
Numerous methods have been developed to calculate the
reaeration rate at 20°C, κ2,20. A few of the methods are
listed below. Brown and Barnwell (1987) provide
additional methods.
Using field measurements, Churchill, Elmore and
Buckingham (1962) derived the relationship:

κ 2,20 = 5.03 ⋅ vc 0.969 ⋅ depth −1.673

where κ2,20 is the reaeration rate at 20°C (day-1), vc is the

average stream velocity (m/s), and depth is the average
stream depth (m).
O’Connor and Dobbins (1958) incorporated stream
turbulence characteristics into the equations they
developed. For streams with low velocities and isotropic
conditions,

κ 2, 20 = 294 ⋅
(Dm ⋅ vc )0.5
depth1.5
where κ2,20 is the reaeration rate at 20°C (day-1), Dm is the
molecular diffusion coefficient (m2/day), vc is the average
stream velocity (m/s), and depth is the average stream
depth (m). For streams with high velocities and
nonisotropic conditions,
D ⋅ slp 0.25
0.5
κ 2, 20 = 2703 ⋅ m
depth1.25
where κ2,20 is the reaeration rate at 20°C (day-1), Dm is the
molecular diffusion coefficient (m2/day), slp is the slope of
the streambed (m/m), and depth is the average stream depth
(m). The molecular diffusion coefficient is calculated

Dm = 177 ⋅ 1.037Twater −20

where Dm is the molecular diffusion coefficient (m2/day),
and Twater is the average water temperature (°C).
52 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
RK2, cont. Owens et al. (1964) developed an equation to determine the
reaeration rate for shallow, fast moving streams where the
stream depth is 0.1 to 3.4 m and the velocity is 0.03 to 1.5
m/s.
0.67
vc
κ 2, 20 = 5.34 ⋅
depth1.85
where κ2,20 is the reaeration rate at 20°C (day-1), vc is the
average stream velocity (m/s), and depth is the average
stream depth (m).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of RK2 are converted to hr-1 by the
model. Values for RK2 should fall in the range 0.01 to
100.0 day-1. If no value for RK2 is entered, the model sets
RK2 = 50.0 day-1.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
RK3 Rate of loss of carbonaceous biological oxygen demand
due to settling in the reach at 20º C (day-1).
Values for RK3 should fall in the range -0.36 to 0.36 day-1.
The recommended default for RK3 is 0.36 day-1 (not set by
model).
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
RK4 Benthic oxygen demand rate in the reach at 20º C (mg
O2/(m2·day)).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of RK4 are converted to (mg
O2/(m2·hr)) by the model. If no value for RK4 is entered,
the model sets RK4 = 2.0 mg O2/(m2·day).
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
RK5 Coliform die-off rate in the reach at 20º C (day-1).
Values for RK5 should fall in the range 0.05 to 4.0. If no
value for RK5 is entered, the model sets RK5 = 2.0.
Not currently used by the model.
RK6 Decay rate for arbitrary non-conservative constituent in the
reach at 20º C (day-1).
If no value for RK6 is entered, the model sets RK6 = 1.71.
Not currently used by the model.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 53
Variable name Definition
BC1 Rate constant for biological oxidation of NH4 to NO2 in the
reach at 20º C in well-aerated conditions (day-1).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of BC1 are converted to hr-1 by the
model. Values for BC1 should fall in the range 0.1 to 1.0
day-1. If no value for BC1 is entered, the model sets BC1 =
0.55 day-1.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
BC2 Rate constant for biological oxidation of NO2 to NO3 in the
reach at 20º C in well-aerated conditions (day-1).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of BC2 are converted to hr-1 by the
model. Values for BC2 should fall in the range 0.2 to 2.0
day-1. If no value for BC2 is entered, the model sets BC2 =
1.1 day-1.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
BC3 Rate constant for hydrolysis of organic N to NH4 in the
reach at 20º C (day-1).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of BC3 are converted to hr-1 by the
model. Values for BC3 should fall in the range 0.2 to 0.4
day-1. If no value for BC3 is entered, the model sets BC3 =
0.21 day-1.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
BC4 Rate constant for mineralization of organic P to dissolved
P in the reach at 20º C (day-1).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), the units of BC4 are converted to hr-1 by the
model. Values for BC4 should fall in the range 0.01 to 0.70
day-1. If no value for BC4 is entered, the model sets BC4 =
0.35 day-1.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
54 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
LAO Qual2E light averaging option. Qual2E defines four light
averaging options.
1 Depth-averaged algal growth attenuation factor for
light (FL) is computed from one daylight average solar
radiation value calculated in the steady state
temperature heat balance.
2 FL is computed from one daylight average solar
radiation value supplied by the user.
3 FL is obtained by averaging the hourly daylight values
of FL computed from the hourly daylight values of
solar radiation calculated in the steady state
temperature heat balance.
4 FL is obtained by averaging the hourly daylight values
of FL computed from the hourly daylight values of
solar radiation calculated from a single value of total
daily, photosynthetically active, solar radiation and an
assumed cosine function.
The only option currently active in SWAT is 2.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
IGROPT Qual2E algal specific growth rate option. Qual2E provides
three different options for computing the algal growth rate.
1 Multiplicative: the effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and
light are multiplied together to calculate the net effect
on the local algal growth rate
2 Limiting nutrient: the local algal growth rate is limited
by light and one of the nutrients (nitrogen or
phosphorus)
3 Harmonic mean: the local algal growth rate is limited
by light and the harmonic mean of the nutrient
interactions
 SWAT+ INPUTS 55
Variable name Definition
IGROPT, cont. The multiplicative option multiplies the growth factors for
light, nitrogen and phosphorus together to determine their net
effect on the local algal growth rate. This option has its
biological basis in the mutiplicative effects of enzymatic
processes involved in photosynthesis.
The limiting nutrient option calculates the local algal growth
rate as limited by light and either nitrogen or phosphorus. The
nutrient/light effects are multiplicative, but the
nutrient/nutrient effects are alternate. The algal growth rate is
controlled by the nutrient with the smaller growth limitation
factor. This approach mimics Liebig’s law of the minimum.
The harmonic mean is mathematically analogous to the total
resistance of two resistors in parallel and can be considered a
compromise between the multiplicative and limiting nutrient
options. The algal growth rate is controlled by a multiplicative
relation between light and nutrients, while the
nutrient/nutrient interactions are represented by a harmonic
mean.
The default option is the limiting nutrient option (2).
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
AI0 Ratio of chlorophyll-a to algal biomass (μg-chla/mg algae).
Values for AI0 should fall in the range 10-100. If no value for
AI0 is entered, the model will set AI0 = 50.0.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
AI1 Fraction of algal biomass that is nitrogen (mg N/mg alg).
Values for AI1 should fall in the range 0.07-0.09. If no value
for AI1 is entered, the model will set AI1 = 0.08.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
AI2 Fraction of algal biomass that is phosphorus (mg P/mg alg).
Values for AI2 should fall in the range 0.01-0.02. If no value
for AI2 is entered, the model will set AI2 = 0.015.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
AI3 The rate of oxygen production per unit of algal photosynthesis
(mg O2/mg alg).
Values for AI3 should fall in the range 1.4-1.8. If no value for
AI3 is entered, the model will set AI3 = 1.6.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
56 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
AI4 The rate of oxygen uptake per unit of algal respiration (mg
O2/mg alg).
Values for AI4 should fall in the range 1.6-2.3. If no value for
AI4 is entered, the model will set AI4 = 2.0.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
AI5 The rate of oxygen uptake per unit of NH3-N oxidation (mg
O2/mg NH3-N).
Values for AI5 should fall in the range 3.0-4.0. If no value for
AI5 is entered, the model will set AI5 = 3.5.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
AI6 The rate of oxygen uptake per unit of NO2-N oxidation (mg
O2/mg NO2-N).
Values for AI6 should fall in the range 1.00-1.14. If no value
for AI6 is entered, the model will set AI6 = 1.07.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
MUMAX Maximum specific algal growth rate at 20º C (day-1).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), MUMAX is converted to (hr-1) by the model.
Values for MUMAX should fall in the range 1.0-3.0. If no
value for MUMAX is entered, the model will set MUMAX =
2.0.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
RHOQ Algal respiration rate at 20º C (day-1).
If routing is performed on an hourly time step (see IEVENT
in .bsn file), RHOQ is converted to (hr-1) by the model. Values
for RHOQ should fall in the range 0.05-0.50. If no value for
RHOQ is entered, the model will set RHOQ = 0.30.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
TFACT Fraction of solar radiation computed in the temperature heat
balance that is photosynthetically active.
Values for TFACT should fall in the range 0.01-1.0. If no
value for TFACT is entered, the model will set TFACT = 0.3.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 57
Variable name Definition
K_L Half-saturation coefficient for light (kJ/(m2·min)).
Values for K_L should fall in the range 0.2227-1.135. If no
value for K_L is entered, the model will set K_L = 0.75.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
K_N Michaelis-Menton half-saturation constant for nitrogen (mg
N/L).
The Michaelis-Menton half-saturation constant for nitrogen
and phosphorus define the concentration of N or P at which
algal growth is limited to 50% of the maximum growth rate.
Typical values for KN range from 0.01 to 0.30 mg N/L. Values
for K_N should fall in the range 0.01-0.30. If no value for
K_N is entered, the model will set K_N = 0.02.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
K_P Michaelis-Menton half-saturation constant for phosphorus
(mg P/L).
The Michaelis-Menton half-saturation constant for nitrogen
and phosphorus define the concentration of N or P at which
algal growth is limited to 50% of the maximum growth rate.
Typical values for KP will range from 0.001 to 0.05 mg P/L.
If no value for K_P is entered, the model will set K_P = 0.025.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
LAMBDA0 Non-algal portion of the light extinction coefficient (m-1).
The light extinction coefficient, k  , is calculated as a
function of the algal density using the nonlinear equation:

k  = k ,0 + k ,1 ⋅ α 0 ⋅ algae + k ,2 ⋅ (α 0 ⋅ algae )

23

where k ,0 is the non-algal portion of the light extinction

coefficient (m-1), k ,1 is the linear algal self shading
coefficient (m-1 (μg-chla/L)-1), k , 2 is the nonlinear algal self
shading coefficient (m-1 (μg-chla/L)-2/3), α0 is the ratio of
chlorophyll a to algal biomass (μg chla/mg alg), and algae
is the algal biomass concentration (mg alg/L).
 58 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
LAMBDA0, cont. This equation allows a variety of algal, self-shading, light
extinction relationships to be modeled. When k ,1 = k , 2 = 0
, no algal self-shading is simulated. When k,1 ≠ 0 and k, 2 = 0
, linear algal self-shading is modeled. When k ,1 and k , 2 are
set to a value other than 0, non-linear algal self-shading is
modeled. The Riley equation (Bowie et al., 1985) defines
k ,1 = 0.0088 m -1 (µg - chla/L )
−1
and
k ,2 = 0.054 m -1 (µg - chla/L )
−2 3
.

If no value for LAMBDA0 is entered, the model will set

LAMBDA0 = 1.0.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
LAMBDA1 Linear algal self-shading coefficient (m-1·(μg chla/L)-1).
See explanation for LAMBDA0 for more information on this
variable.
Values for LAMBDA1 should fall in the range 0.0065-0.065.
If no value for LAMBDA1 is entered, the model will set
LAMBDA1 = 0.03.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
LAMBDA2 Nonlinear algal self-shading coefficient (m-1·(μg chla/L)-2/3).
See explanation for LAMBDA0 for more information on this
variable.
The recommended value for LAMBDA2 is 0.0541. If no value
for LAMBDA2 is entered, the model will set LAMBDA2 =
0.054.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.
P_N Algal preference factor for ammonia.
Values for P_N should fall in the range 0.01-1.0. If no value
for P_N is entered, the model will set P_N = 0.5.
Required if in-stream nutrient cycling is being modeled.

PESTICIDE.CHA
The PESTICIDE.CHA file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial
PESTICIDE.CHA file:

pesticide.cha
CHA_PST_NAME PST_REAC PST_VOLAT PST_KOC PST_MIX PST_RSP PST_STL SEDPST_ACT SEDPST_BUR SEDPST_CONC SEDPST_REAC
cha_pst1 0.007 0.01 0 0.001 0 1 0.03 0.002 0 0.05
 SWAT+ INPUTS 59
Variable name Definition
TITLE This line is reserved for the pesticide section title. This line
is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings
NAME Name of the pesticide channel
PST_REA Pesticide reaction coefficient in reach (day-1).
The rate constant is related to the aqueous half-life:
0.693
k p ,aq =
t1 / 2,aq
where kp,aq is the rate constant for degradation or removal
of pesticide in the water (1/day), and t1/2,aq is the aqueous
half-life for the pesticide (days).
If no value for CHPST_REA is entered, the model will set
CHPST_REA = 0.007 day-1.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
PST_VOL Pesticide volatilization coefficient in reach (m/day).
The volatilization mass-transfer coefficient can be
calculated based on Whitman’s two-film or two-resistance
theory (Whitman, 1923; Lewis and Whitman, 1924 as
described in Chapra, 1997). While the main body of the gas
and liquid phases are assumed to be well-mixed and
homogenous, the two-film theory assumes that a substance
moving between the two phases encounters maximum
resistance in two laminar boundary layers where transfer is
a function of molecular diffusion. In this type of system the
transfer coefficient or velocity is:
He
vv = K l ⋅
H e + R ⋅ TK ⋅ (K l K g )
where vv is the volatilization mass-transfer coefficient
(m/day), Kl is the mass-transfer velocity in the liquid
laminar layer (m/day), Kg is the mass-transfer velocity in
the gaseous laminar layer (m/day), He is Henry’s constant
(atm m3 mole-1), R is the universal gas constant (8.206 ×
10-5 atm m3 (K mole)-1), and TK is the temperature (K).
For rivers where liquid flow is turbulent, the transfer
coefficients are estimated using the surface renewal theory
(Higbie, 1935; Danckwerts, 1951; as described by Chapra,
1997). The surface renewal model visualizes the system as
60 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
PST_VOL, cont. consisting of parcels of water that are brought to the surface
for a period of time. The fluid elements are assumed to
reach and leave the air/water interface randomly, i.e. the
exposure of the fluid elements to air is described by a
statistical distribution. The transfer velocities for the liquid
and gaseous phases are calculated:

K l = rl ⋅ Dl K g = rg ⋅ Dg
where Kl is the mass-transfer velocity in the liquid laminar
layer (m/day), Kg is the mass-transfer velocity in the
gaseous laminar layer (m/day), Dl is the liquid molecular
diffusion coefficient (m2/day), Dg is the gas molecular
diffusion coefficient (m2/day), rl is the liquid surface
renewal rate (1/day), and rg is the gaseous surface renewal
rate (1/day).
O’Connor and Dobbins (1956) defined the surface renewal
rate as the ratio of the average stream velocity to depth.
86400 ⋅ vc
rl =
depth
where rl is the liquid surface renewal rate (1/day), vc is the
average stream velocity (m/s) and depth is the depth of flow
(m).
If no value for CHPST_VOL is entered, the model will set
CHPST_VOL = 0.01.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
PST_KOC Pesticide partition coefficient between water and sediment
in reach (m3/g).
The pesticide partition coefficient can be estimated from
the octanol-water partition coefficient (Chapra, 1997):
K d = 3.085 × 10 −8 ⋅ K ow

where Kd is the pesticide partition coefficient (m3/g) and

Kow is the pesticide’s octanol-water partition coefficient (
−3
mg m octanol (mg m −water
3
) ).
−1
 SWAT+ INPUTS 61
Variable name Definition
PST_KOC Values for the octanol-water partition coefficient have been
published for many chemicals. If a published value cannot
be found, it can be estimated from solubility (Chapra,
1997):
log(K ow ) = 5.00 − 0.670 ⋅ log( pst sol
′ )

′ is the pesticide solubility (μmoles/L). The

where pst sol
solubility in these units is calculated:
pst sol
′ =
pst sol ⋅ 10 3
MW
′ is the pesticide solubility (μmoles/L), pstsol is
where pst sol
the pesticide solubility (mg/L) and MW is the molecular
weight (g/mole).
If no value for CHPST_KOC is entered, the model will set
CHPST_KOC = 0.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
PST_MIX Mixing velocity (diffusion/dispersion) for pesticide in
reach (m/day).
The diffusive mixing velocity, vd, can be estimated from
the empirically derived formula (Chapra, 1997):
69.35
vd = ⋅ φ ⋅ MW −2 / 3
365
where vd is the rate of diffusion or mixing velocity (m/day),
φ is the sediment porosity, and MW is the molecular weight
of the pesticide compound.
If no value for CHPST_MIX is entered, the model will set
CHPST_MIX = 0.001.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
PST_RSP Resuspension velocity for pesticide sorbed to sediment
(m/day).
If no value for CHPST_RSP is entered, the model will set
CHPST_RSP = 0.002.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
PST_STL Settling velocity for pesticide sorbed to sediment (m/day).
If no value for CHPST_STL is entered, the model will set
CHPST_STL = 1.0.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
 62 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
SEDPST_ACT Depth of active sediment layer for pesticide (m).
If no value for SEDPST_ACT is entered, the model will set
SEDPST_ACT = 0.03.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
SEDPST_BRY Pesticide burial velocity in reach bed sediment (m/day).
If no value for SEDPST_BRY is entered, the model will set
SEDPST_BRY = 0.002.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
SEDPST_CONC Initial pesticide concentration in reach bed sediment
(mg/m3 sediment).
We recommend using a 1 year equilibration period for the
model where the watershed simulation is set to start 1 year
prior to the period of interest. This allows the model to get
the water cycling properly before any comparisons
between measured and simulated data are made. When an
equilibration period is incorporated, the value for
SEDPST_CONC is not going to be important if a
pesticide with a short half-life is being modeled. For
pesticides with a long half-life, this variable is important.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.
SEDPST_REA Pesticide reaction coefficient in reach bed sediment
(day-1).
The rate constant is related to the sediment half-life:
0.693
k p ,sed =
t1 / 2,sed
where kp,sed is the rate constant for degradation or removal
of pesticide in the sediment (1/day), and t1/2,sed is the
sediment half-life for the pesticide (days).
If no value for SEDPST_REA is entered, the model will set
SEDPST_REA = 0.05.
Required if in-stream pesticide cycling is being modeled.

PATHOGENS.CHA (NEEDS ADDRESSING)

The PATHOGENS.CHA file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial
PATHOGENS.CHA file:
 SWAT+ INPUTS 63
Variable name Definition
TITLE This line is reserved for the pesticide section title. This line
is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings
NAME Name of the pathogens channel

METALS.CHA(NEEDS ADDRESSING)
The METALS.CHA file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial
METALS.CHA file:

Variable name Definition

TITLE This line is reserved for the pesticide section title. This line
is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings
NAME Name of the metals channel

SALT.CHA (NEEDS ADDRESSING)

The SALT.CHA file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial
SALT.CHA file:

Variable name Definition

TITLE This line is reserved for the pesticide section title. This line
is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings
NAME Name of the salt channel

CHANNEL-LTE.CHA

The CHANNEL-LTE.CHA file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
CHANNEL-LTE.CHA file:
channel-lte.cha
NAME ORDER RTE_DB CHW CHD CHS CHL CHN CHK CHEROD CHCOV HC_COV CHSEQ D50 CLAY BD CHSS BEDLD TCHEAR_BNK HC_KH HC_HGT HC_INI
BcGully_MainTrib null null 8.373 3.8 0.0231 0.229 0.05 1 0.2 0.05 0.95 0.0115 0.005 46 1.87 0.53 0.2 39 0.75 0.188 1 0
64 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the channel-lte file.
NAME Name of the nutrients channel
ORDER
ROUTE_DB Pointer to routing_nut_data (nutrients.cha)
CHW Average width of main channel at top of bank (m).
Required.
CHD Depth of main channel from top of bank to bottom (m).
Required.
CHS Average slope of main channel along the channel length
(m/m).
Required.
CHL Length of main channel (km).
Required.
CHN Manning’s “n” value for the main channel.
Required.
Table 25-1: Values of Manning’s roughness coefficient, n, for channel flow (Chow, 1959).1
 SWAT+ INPUTS 65
Characteristics of Channel Median Range
Excavated or dredged
Earth, straight and uniform 0.025 0.016-0.033
Earth, winding and sluggish 0.035 0.023-0.050
Not maintained, weeds and brush 0.075 0.040-0.140
Natural streams
Few trees, stones or brush 0.050 0.025-0.065
Heavy timber and brush 0.100 0.050-0.150
1
Chow (1959) has a very extensive list of Manning’s roughness coefficients. These values
represent only a small portion of those he lists in his book.
66 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
CHK Effective hydraulic conductivity in main channel alluvium
(mm/hr).
Required.
Streams may be categorized by their relationship to the
groundwater system. A stream located in a discharge area
that receives groundwater flow is a gaining or effluent
stream (Figure 25-1a). This type of stream is characterized
by an increase in discharge downstream. A stream located
in a recharge area is a losing or influent stream. This type
of stream is characterized by a decrease in discharge
downstream. A losing stream may be connected to (Figure
25-1b) or perched above (Figure 25-1c) the groundwater
flow area. A stream that simultaneously receives and loses
groundwater is a flow-through stream (Figure 25-1d).

Figure 25-1: Stream-groundwater relationships: a) gaining stream receiving water from groundwater
flow; b) losing stream connected to groundwater system; c) losing stream perched above
groundwater system; and d) flow-through stream (After Dingman, 1994).

Typical values for Kch for various alluvium materials are given in Table 25-2. For
perennial streams with continuous groundwater contribution, the effective
conductivity will be zero.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 67
Variable name Definition
CHK cont.
Table 25-2: Example hydraulic conductivity values for various bed materials (from Lane, 1983).
Bed material group Bed material Hydraulic
characteristics conductivity
1 Very clean gravel and large
Very high loss rate sand > 127 mm/hr
2 Clean sand and gravel, field
High loss rate conditions 51-127 mm/hr
3 Sand and gravel mixture
Moderately high loss with low silt-clay content 25-76 mm/hr
rate
4 Sand and gravel mixture
Moderate loss rate with high silt-clay content 6-25 mm/hr
5 Consolidated bed material;
Insignificant to low loss high silt-clay content 0.025-2.5 mm/hr
rate

CHEROD CHEROD is set to a value between 0.0 and 1.0. A value of

0.0 indicates a non-erosive channel while a value of 1.0
indicates no resistance to erosion.
COV If CH_EQ is 0 the
CH_COV1 – Channel erodibility factor.
0 = non-erosive channel
1 = no resistance to erosion
The channel erodibility factor is conceptually similar to the
soil erodibility factor used in the USLE equation. Channel
erodibility is a function of properties of the bed or bank
materials.

If CH_EQN ≠ 0:
Channel bank vegetation coefficient for critical shear stress
(Julian and Torres, 2006)
Bank Vegetation CH_COV1
None 1.00
Grassy 1.97
Sparse trees 5.40
Dense trees 19.20

Required.
 68 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
HC_COV Head cut cover factor
CHSEQ Equilibrium channel slope (m/m)
D50 Channel median sediment size (%)
CLAY Clay percent of bank and bed (%)
BD Dry bulk density (t/m3)
CHSS Channel side slope
BEDLDCOEF Percent of sediment entering the channel that is bed
material
TC Time of concentration
SHEAR_BNK Bank shear coefficient – fraction of bottom shear
HC_KH Headcut erodibility
HC_HGT Headcut height (m)
HC_INI Initial channel length for gullies (km)

RESERVOIR – The RESERVOIR section of file.cio contains the filenames for simulation of a
reservoirs in the model. Reservoirs are impoundments located on the main channel network of
the watershed. Reservoirs receive loadings from all upstream subbasins. The reservoir input file
(.res) contains input data to simulate water and sediment processes.

INITIAL.RES
The INITIAL.RES file contains the input variables for the initialization of a channel. Below is a sample partial
INITIAL.RES file:

initial.res:
NAME VOL SED ORGN NO3 NO2 NH3 ORGP SOLP SECI SAN SIL CLA SAG LAG GRA CHLA PST_MASSSPST_MASS BACTLP BACTP
res_init1 0.9 200 10 2 0.2 0.1 1 0.1 1 0 1 9 0 0 0 0.1 0.01 0 0 0
 SWAT+ INPUTS 69

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the initial_res file.
Initial name of the reservoir
NAME
VOL Initial reservoir volume.
If the reservoir is in existence at the beginning of the
simulation period, the initial reservoir volume is the
volume on the first day of simulation. If the reservoir
begins operation in the midst of a SWAT simulation, the
initial reservoir volume is the volume of the reservoir the
day the reservoir becomes operational (104 m3).
SED Initial sediment concentration in the reservoir (mg/L).
If the reservoir is in existence at the beginning of the
simulation period, the initial sediment concentration is the
concentration on the first day of simulation. If the reservoir
begins operation in the midst of a SWAT simulation, the
initial sediment concentration is the concentration the day
the reservoir becomes operational (mg/L).
ORGN Amount of organic N in reservoir
Initial concentration of NO3-N in reservoir (mg N/L).
NO3
Initial concentration of NO2-N in reservoir (mg N/L).
NO2
NH3 Initial concentration of NH3-N (ammonia) in reservoir (mg
N/L).
ORGP Initial concentration of organic P in reservoir (mg P/L).
We recommend using a 1 year equilibration period for the
model where the watershed simulation is set to start 1 year
prior to the period of interest. This allows the model to get
the water cycling properly before any comparisons between
measured and simulated data are made. When an
equilibration period is incorporated, the value for ORGP is
not going to be important if the reservoir is in operation at
the beginning of the simulation. However, if the reservoir
starts operation in the middle of a simulation, this value
needs to be reasonably accurate.
Amount of soluble phosphorus in the reservoir
SOLP
(read in as mg/L and converted to kg/L)
See comment for ORGP.
 70 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
SECI Secchi-disk depth(m)
Amount of sand in the reservoir
SAN
(read in as mg/L and converted to kg/L)
Amount of silt in the reservoir
SIL
(read in as mg/L and converted to kg/L)
Amount of clay in the reservoir
CLA
(read in as mg/L and converted to kg/L)
Amount of small aggregates in the reservoir
SAG
(read in as mg/L and converted to kg/L)
LAG Amount of large aggregates in the reservoir
(read in as mg/L and converted to kg/L)
Amount of gravel in the reservoir
GRA (read in as mg/L and converted to kg/L)
Amount of chlorophyll-s in the reservoir
CHLA (read in as mg/L and converted to kg/L)
Amount of pest in res (read inas mg/L and converted to kg/L)
PSOL
Amount of pest in res (read inas mg/L and converted to kg/L)
PSOR
Less persistent bacteria stored in the reservoir
BACTLP (# cfu/100ml)
Persistent bacteria stored in the reservoir
BACTP (# cfu/100ml)

RESERVOIR.RES
The reservoir input file (.res) contains input data to simulate water and sediment processes while the lake water
quality file (.lwq) contains input data to simulate nutrient and pesticide cycling in the water body.
Below is a sample RESERVOIR.RES file:

reservoir.res
RES_NUMB RES_NAME RES_INI RES_HYD RELEASE RES_SED RES_NUT RES_PST
1 pnd1 res001 pnd1 lrew_sm_res res001 res001 res001
2 pnd2 res001 pnd2 lrew_sm_res res001 res001 res001
3 pnd3 res001 pnd3 lrew_sm_res res001 res001 res001
4 pnd4 res001 pnd4 lrew_sm_res res001 res001 res001
5 pnd5 res001 pnd5 lrew_sm_res res001 res001 res001

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the reservoir.res file.
NUMB The number of the reservoir
NAME The name of the reservoir
 SWAT+ INPUTS 71
VARIABLE The initial reservoir data name (points to initial.res)
NAME
INIT Initial reservoir data (points to initial.res)
HYD Hydraulic conductivity of the reservoir bottom (mm/hr).
(points to hydrology.res file)
If seepage occurs in the water body, the hydraulic
conductivity must be set to a value other than 0.
Required.
RELEASE Average daily principal spillway release rate (m3/s). (points
to release.res)
The name for this variable is slightly misleading. SWAT
uses this variable when the volume of water in the reservoir
is between the principal and emergency spillway volumes.
If the amount of water exceeding the principal spillway
volume can be released at a rate ≤ REL, than all of the water
volume in excess of the principal spillway volume is
released. Otherwise the release rate, REL is used.

SED Initial sediment concentration in the reservoir (mg/L).

(points to sediment.res)
If the reservoir is in existence at the beginning of the
simulation period, the initial sediment concentration is the
concentration on the first day of simulation. If the reservoir
begins operation in the midst of a SWAT simulation, the
initial sediment concentration is the concentration the day
the reservoir becomes operational (mg/L).
Required.
NUT Nutrient reservoir inputs (points to nutrients.res)
PST Pesticide reservoir inputs (points to pesticide.res file)

HYDROLOGY.RES
Reservoirs are impoundments located on the main channel network of the watershed. Reservoirs receive loadings
from all upstream subbasins. The reservoir input file (.res) contains input data to simulate water and sediment
processes while the lake water quality file (.lwq) contains input data to simulate nutrient and pesticide cycling in
the water body.
Below is a sample HYDROLOGY.RES file:

hydrology.res
RES_HYD_NAME YR_OP MON_OP AREA_PS VOL_PS AREA_ES VOL_ES RES_K EVAP_CO SHP_CO_1 SHP_CO_2
pnd1 0 0 4.95 12.375 5.445 13.613 0 1 0 0
pnd2 0 0 4.41 11.025 4.851 12.128 0 1 0 0
pnd3 0 0 3.06 7.65 3.366 8.415 0 1 0 0
pnd4 0 0 8.55 21.375 9.405 23.513 0 1 0 0
pnd5 0 0 2.16 5.4 2.376 5.94 0 1 0 0
pnd6 0 0 2.52 6.3 2.772 6.93 0 1 0 0
72 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Definition
Variable name
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the hydrology.res file.
The name of the reservoir
NAME
Year the reservoir became operational (eg 1980).
IYRES

If 0 is input for MORES and IYRES, the model assumes the

reservoir is in operation at the beginning of the simulation.
Required.
MORES Month the reservoir became operational (0-12).
If 0 is input for MORES and IYRES, the model assumes the
reservoir is in operation at the beginning of the simulation.
Required.
PSA Reservoir surface area when the reservoir is filled to the
principal spillway (ha).
See comment for ESA.
Required.

PVOL Volume of water needed to fill the reservoir to the principal

spillway (104 m3).
See comment for RES_ESA.
Required.

ESA Reservoir surface area when the reservoir is filled to the

emergency spillway (ha).
For SWAT to calculate the reservoir surface area each day
the surface area at two different water volumes must to be
defined. Variables referring to the principal spillway can be
thought of as variables referring to the normal reservoir
storage volume while variables referring to the emergency
spillway can be thought of as variables referring to
maximum reservoir storage volume.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 73
EVOL Volume of water needed to fill the reservoir to the
emergency spillway (104 m3).
See comment for RES_ESA.
Required.
K Hydraulic conductivity of the reservoir bottom (mm/hr).
If seepage occurs in the water body, the hydraulic
conductivity must be set to a value other than 0.
Required.
Lake evaporation coefficient.
EVRSV Default = 0.6
Required.
BR1 Vol_surface area coefficient for reservoirs (model estimates
if zero)
BR2 Vol_surface area coefficient for reservoirs (model estimates
if zero)

NUTRIENTS.RES
While water quality is a broad subject, the primary areas of concern are nutrients, organic chemicals—both
agricultural (pesticide) and industrial, heavy metals, bacteria and sediment levels in streams and large water
bodies. SWAT is able to model processes affecting nutrient, pesticide and sediment levels in the main channels
and reservoirs.
Below is a sample partial NUTRIENTS.RES file:

nutrients.res:
RES_NUT_NAME MID_BEG MID_END MID_N_STL N_STL MID_P_STL P_STL CHLA_CO SECCI_CO THETA_N THETA_P CONC_NMIN CONC_PMIN
res001 4 10 0.5 2 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 0.1 0.01

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the nutrients.res file.
NAME The name of the reservoir
IRES1 Beginning month of mid-year nutrient settling period.
The model allows the user to define two settling rates for
each nutrient and the time of the year during which each
settling rate is used. A variation in settling rates is allowed
74 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
so that impact of temperature and other seasonal factors
may be accounted for in the modeling of nutrient settling.
To use only one settling rate for the entire year, both
variables for the nutrient may be set to the same value.
Setting all variables to zero will cause the model to ignore
settling of nutrients in the water body.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 75
IRES2 Ending month of mid-year nutrient settling period.
See comment for IRES1.
Required.
NSETLR1 Nitrogen settling rate in reservoir for months IRES1
through IRES2 (m/year).
See explanation for PSETLR1 for more information about
this parameter.
Required if nutrient cycling is being modeled.
NSETLR2 Nitrogen settling rate in reservoir for months other than
IRES1-IRES2 (m/year).
See explanation for PSETLR1 for more information about
this parameter.
Required if nutrient cycling is being modeled.
PSETLR1 Phosphorus settling rate in reservoir for months IRES1
through IRES2 (m/year).
The apparent settling velocity is most commonly reported
in units of m/year and this is how the values are input to the
model. For natural lakes, measured phosphorus settling
velocities most frequently fall in the range of 5 to 20 m/year
although values less than 1 m/year to over 200 m/year have
been reported (Chapra, 1997). Panuska and Robertson
(1999) noted that the range in apparent settling velocity
values for man-made reservoirs tends to be significantly
greater than for natural lakes. Higgins and Kim (1981)
reported phosphorus apparent settling velocity values from
–90 to 269 m/year for 18 reservoirs in Tennessee with a
median value of 42.2 m/year. For 27 Midwestern
reservoirs, Walker and Kiihner (1978) reported phosphorus
apparent settling velocities ranging
from –1 to 125 m/year with an average value of 12.7
m/year. A negative settling rate indicates that the reservoir
sediments are a source of N or P; a positive settling rate
indicates that the reservoir sediments are a sink for N or P.
Table 30-1 summarizes typical ranges in phosphorus
settling velocity for different systems.
Required if nutrient cycling is being modeled.
 76 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Table 30-1: Recommended apparent settling velocity values for phospho
(Panuska and Robertson, 1999)

Nutrient Dynamics Range in

settling vel
values
(m/year)
Shallow water bodies with high net internal phosphorus flux ν≤0
Water bodies with moderate net internal phosphorus flux 1<ν<
Water bodies with minimal net internal phosphorus flux 5<ν<
Water bodies with high net internal phosphorus removal ν > 16

PSETLR2 Phosphorus settling rate in reservoir for months other than

IRES1-IRES2 (m/year).
See explanation for PSETLR1 for more information about
this parameter.
Required if nutrient cycling is being modeled.
CHLAR Chlorophyll a production coefficient for reservoir.
Chlorophyll a concentration in the reservoir is calculated
from the total phosphorus concentration. The equation
assumes the system is phosphorus limited. The chlorophyll
a coefficient was added to the equation to allow the user to
adjust results to account for other factors not taken into
account by the basic equation such as nitrogen limitations.
The default value for CHLAR is 1.00, which uses the
original equation.
Required if nutrient cycling is being modeled.
SECCIR Water clarity coefficient for the reservoir.
The clarity of the reservoir is expressed by the secci-disk
depth (m) which is calculated as a function of chlorophyll
a. Because suspended sediment also can affect water
clarity, the water clarity coefficient has been added to the
equation to allow users to adjust for the impact of factors
other than chlorophyll a on water clarity.
The default value for SECCIR is 1.00, which uses the
original equation.
Required if nutrient cycling is being modeled.
THETA_N Temperature adjustment for nitrogen loss (settling)
THETA_P Temperature adjustment for phosphorus loss (settling)
CONC_NMIN Minimum nitrogen concentration for settling (ppm)
CONC_PMIN Minimum phosphorus concentration for settling (ppm)

PESTICIDE.RES
 SWAT+ INPUTS 77
Reservoirs are impoundments located on the main channel network of the watershed. Reservoirs receive
loadings from all upstream subbasins. The reservoir input file (.res) contains input data to simulate water and
sediment processes while the lake water quality file (.lwq) contains input data to simulate nutrient and pesticide
cycling in the water body.
Below is a sample partial PESTICIDE.RES file:

pesticide.res:
RES_PST_NAME PST_CON PST_KOC PST_MIX PST_REA PST_RSP PST_STL PST_VOL SEDPST_ACT SEDPST_BRYEDPST_CONC SEDPST_REA
res001 0 0.5 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.2 0.01 0.2 0.05 0.01 1

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the nutrients.res file.
NAME Reservoir pesticide Name
PST_CONC Initial pesticide concentration in the Lake water for the
pesticide defined by IRTPEST (mg/m3).
We recommend using a 1 year equilibration period for the
model where the watershed simulation is set to start 1 year
prior to the period of interest. This allows the model to get
the water cycling properly before any comparisons
between measured and simulated data are made. When an
equilibration period is incorporated, the value for ORGP is
not going to be important if the reservoir is in operation at
the beginning of the simulation. However, if the reservoir
starts operation in the middle of a simulation, this value
needs to be reasonably accurate.
Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.
78 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PST_KOC Pesticide partition coefficient between water and sediment
(m3/g).
The pesticide partition coefficient can be estimated from the
octanol-water partition coefficient (Chapra, 1997):
K d = 3.085 × 10 −8 ⋅ K ow

where Kd is the pesticide partition coefficient (m3/g) and

Kow is the pesticide’s octanol-water partition coefficient (
−3
mg m octanol (mg m −water
3
) ). Values for the octanol-water
−1

partition coefficient have been published for many

chemicals. If a published value cannot be found, it can be
estimated from solubility (Chapra, 1997):
log(K ow ) = 5.00 − 0.670 ⋅ log( pst sol
′ )

where pst sol′ is the pesticide solubility (μmoles/L). The

solubility in these units is calculated:
pst sol
′ =
pst sol ⋅ 10 3
MW
′ is the pesticide solubility (μmoles/L), pstsol is
where pst sol
the pesticide solubility (mg/L) and MW is the molecular
weight (g/mole).
PST_KOC ranges between 10-4 to 10 m3/g.
Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.

PST_MIX Pesticide diffusion or mixing velocity (m/day)

The diffusive mixing velocity, vd, can be estimated from the
empirically derived formula (Chapra, 1997):
69.35
vd = ⋅ φ ⋅ MW −2 / 3
365
where vd is the rate of diffusion or mixing velocity (m/day),
φ is the sediment porosity, and MW is the molecular weight
of the pesticide compound.
Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 79
PST_REA Reaction coefficient of the pesticide in lake water (day-1)
The rate constant is related to the aqueous half-life:
0.693
k p ,aq =
t1 / 2,aq
where kp,aq is the rate constant for degradation or removal of
pesticide in the water (1/day), and t1/2,aq is the aqueous half-
life for the pesticide (days).

Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.

PST_RSP Resuspension velocity of pesticide sorbed to sediment
(m/day).
Pesticide in the sediment layer is available for resuspension
which transfers it back into the water.
Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.

PST_STL Settling velocity of pesticide sorbed to sediment (m/day).

Pesticide in the particulate phase may be removed from the
water layer by settling. Settling transfers pesticide from the
water to the sediment layer.
Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.
80 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PST_VOL Volatilization coefficient of the pesticide from the lake
water (m/day).
The volatilization mass-transfer coefficient can be
calculated based on Whitman’s two-film or two-resistance
theory (Whitman, 1923; Lewis and Whitman, 1924 as
described in Chapra, 1997). While the main body of the gas
and liquid phases are assumed to be well-mixed and
homogenous, the two-film theory assumes that a substance
moving between the two phases encounters maximum
resistance in two laminar boundary layers where transfer is
a function of molecular diffusion. In this type of system the
transfer coefficient or velocity is:
He
vv = K l ⋅
H e + R ⋅ TK ⋅ (K l K g )
where vv is the volatilization mass-transfer coefficient
(m/day), Kl is the mass-transfer velocity in the liquid laminar
layer (m/day), Kg is the mass-transfer velocity in the gaseous
laminar layer (m/day), He is Henry’s constant (atm m3 mole-
1
), R is the universal gas constant (8.206 × 10-5 atm m3 (K
mole)-1), and TK is the temperature (K).
For lakes, the transfer coefficients are estimated using a
stagnant film approach:
D Dg
Kl = l Kg =
zl zg

where Kl is the mass-transfer velocity in the liquid laminar

layer (m/day), Kg is the mass-transfer velocity in the gaseous
laminar layer (m/day), Dl is the liquid molecular diffusion
coefficient (m2/day), Dg is the gas molecular diffusion
coefficient (m2/day), zl is the thickness of the liquid film (m),
and zg is the thickness of the gas film (m).
Alternatively, the transfer coefficients can be estimated with
the equations:
0.25 0.25
 32   18 
K l = K l ,O2 ⋅   K g = 168 ⋅ µ w ⋅  
 MW   MW 
where Kl is the mass-transfer velocity in the liquid laminar
layer (m/day), Kg is the mass-transfer velocity in the gaseous
laminar layer (m/day), K l ,O is the oxygen transfer
2

coefficient (m/day), MW is the molecular weight of the

compound, and µw is the wind speed (m/s). Chapra (1997)
lists several different equations that can be used to calculate
K l ,O .
2

Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.

 SWAT+ INPUTS 81

SPST_ACT Depth of active sediment layer in reservoir (m).

Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.

SPST_BRY Burial velocity of pesticide in lake bed sediment (m/day).

Pesticide in the sediment layer may be lost by burial.
Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.
SPST_CONC Initial pesticide concentration in the lake bed sediments.
(mg/m3).
We recommend using a 1 year equilibration period for the
model where the watershed simulation is set to start 1 year
prior to the period of interest. This allows the model to get
the water cycling properly before any comparisons between
measured and simulated data are made. When an
equilibration period is incorporated, the value for
SPST_CONC is not going to be important if a pesticide with
a short half-life is being modeled. For pesticides with a long
half-life, this variable is important.
Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.
SPST_REA Reaction coefficient of pesticide in reservoir bottom
sediment (day-1)
The rate constant is related to the sediment half-life:
0.693
k p ,sed =
t1 / 2,sed
where kp,sed is the rate constant for degradation or removal
of pesticide in the sediment (1/day), and t1/2,sed is the
sediment half-life for the pesticide (days).
Required if pesticide cycling is being modeled.

PATHOGENS.RES (NEEDS ADDRESSING)

The PATHOGENS.RES file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial
PATHOGENS.RES file:
 82 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE This line is reserved for the pesticide section title. This line
is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings
NAME Name of the pathogens reservoir

METALS.RES (NEEDS ADDRESSING)

The METALS.CHA file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial
METALS.CHA file:

Variable name Definition

TITLE This line is reserved for the pesticide section title. This line
is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings
NAME Name of the metals reservoir

SALT.RES (NEEDS ADDRESSING)

The SALT.RES file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial SALT.RES
file:

Variable name Definition

TITLE This line is reserved for the pesticide section title. This line
is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings
NAME Name of the salt reservoir

SEDIMENT.RES
Reservoirs are impoundments located on the main channel network of the watershed. Reservoirs receive loadings
from all upstream subbasins. The reservoir input file (.res) contains input data to simulate water and sediment
processes while the lake water quality file (.lwq) contains input data to simulate nutrient and pesticide cycling in
the water body. Below is a sample SEDIMENT.RES file:

sediment.res:
RES_SED_NAME SED_AMT RES_D50 SED_STL STL_VEL
res001 100 20 10 2

Variable name Definition

 SWAT+ INPUTS 83
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the sediment.res file.
NAME The name of the reservoir
NSED Equilibrium sediment concentration in the reservoir (mg/L).
The amount of suspended solid settling that occurs in the
water body on a given day is calculated as a function of
concentration. Settling occurs only when the sediment
concentration in the water body exceeds the equilibrium
sediment concentration specified by the user.
Required.
 84 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
D50 Median particle diameter of sediment (µm).
Sediment Class Size (µm) Approx. Size
Boulders > 256,000 > Volley ball
Cobbles > 64,000 > Tennis ball
Pebbles > 2,000 > Match Head
Sand
V. Course 1,500
Medim 375
V. Fine 94
Silt
V. Coarse 47
Medium 11.7 No longer visible to the huma
V. Fine 4.9
Clay 1.95

SWAT calculates the median sediment particle diameter for

impoundments located within a subbasin using the equation:

 m m m 
d 50 = exp 0.41 ⋅ c + 2.71 ⋅ silt + 5.7 ⋅ s 
 100 100 100 
where d50 is the median particle size of the sediment (µm), mc is percent
clay in the surface soil layer, msilt is the percent silt in the surface soil
layer, ms is the percent sand in the surface soil layer.
Because reservoirs are located on the main channel network and receive
sediment from the entire area upstream, defaulting the sand, silt, and
clay fractions to those of a single subbasin or HRU in the upstream area
is not appropriate. Instead the user is allowed to set the median particle
size diameter to a representative value.
If no value is defined for the median particle diameter, the model will
set RES_D50 = 10 µm.
Required.

SED_STLR Sediment settling rate

VELSETLR Sediment settling velocity

WEIR.RES
Below is a sample WEIR.RES file:

weir.res:
WEIR_NAME NUM_STEPS C K W BCOEF CCOEF
shape001 24 1 15000 2 1.75 1
 SWAT+ INPUTS 85
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This
line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the weir.res file.
NAME The name of the reservoir
NUM_STEPS The number of time steps in day for weir routing
C Weir discharge coefficient
K Energy coefficient (broad_crested-147,000’
sharp crested=153,000)
W The width of the weir (m)
BCOEF Velocity exponent coefficient for bedding
material
CCOEF Depth exponent coefficient for bedding material

WETLAND.WET
Below is a sample WETLAND.WET file:
wetland.wet
NUMB NAME INIT HYD RELEASE SED NUT PST
1 wetland1 wetland001 pnd1 null res001 res001 res001
2 wetland2 wetland001 pnd1 null res001 res001 res001
3 wetland3 wetland001 pnd1 null res001 res001 res001
4 wetland4 wetland001 pnd1 null res001 res001 res001
5 wetland5 wetland001 pnd1 null res001 res001 res001
6 wetland6 wetland001 pnd1 null res001 res001 res001

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This
line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the wetland.wet file.
NAME The name of the wetland
INIT Initial wetland data
HYD Hydrology wetland data
RELEASE 0 = simulated; 1 = measured outflow
SED Sediment wetland data
NUT Nutrient wetland data
PST Pesticide wetland data
 86 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

HYDROLOGY.WET
Below is a sample HYDROLOGY.WET file:

hydrology.wet
NAME PSA PVOL ESA EVOL K EVRSV ACOEF BCOEF CCOEF FRAC
pnd1 0.5 12.25125 0.9 14.82401 0.02 0.6 0 0 1 0.5

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the hydrology.wet file.
The name of the hydrology
NAME
PSA Fraction of hru area at principal spillway (ie: when surface
inlet riser flow starts) (frac)
PVOL Average depth of water at principal spillway (mm)
ESA Fraction of hru area at emergency spillway (ie: when starts
to spill into ditch)
EVOL Average depth of water at emergency spillway (mm)
K Hydraulic conductivity of the res bottom (mm/hr)
EVRSV Lake evap coeff
ACOEF Vol-surface area coefficient for hru impoundment
BCOEF Vol-depth coefficient for hru impoundment
CCOEF Vol-depth coefficient for hru impoundment
FRAC Fraction of hru that drains into impoundment

ROUTING UNIT

The subbasin general input file contains information related to a diversity of features within the subbasin. Data
contained in the subbasin input file can be grouped into the following categories: subbasin size and location,
specification of climatic data used within the subbasin, the amount of topographic relief within the subbasin and
its impact on the climate, properties of tributary channels within the subbasin, variables related to climate change,
the number of HRUs in the subbasin and the names of HRU input files.

ROUT_UNIT.DEF
 SWAT+ INPUTS 87
The rout_unit.def file contains data that defines HRU’s in the subbasin.
Below is a sample rout_unit.def file:
rout_unit.def
RTU_NUMB TU_NAMEELEM_TOT ELEM1 ELEM2
1 sub1 2 1 -21
2 sub2 2 22 -28
3 sub3 2 29 -39
4 sub4 2 40 -42
5 sub5 2 43 -62
6 sub6 2 63 -67
7 sub7 2 68 -87
8 sub8 2 88 -92

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the rout_unit.def file
HEADER Headers for the rout_unit.def file.
NUMB Routing unit number
NAMEDUM The name of the subbasin
NSPU Total number of elements to follow
ELEM_CNT1 Starting element
ELEM_CNT2 Ending element

ROUT_UNIT.ELE
Below is a sample ROUT_UNIT.ELE file:

Rout_unit.ele
NUMB NAME OBTYP OBTYPNO HTYP FRAC IDR
1 hru1 hru 1 tot 0.082 0
2 hru2 hru 2 tot 0.005 0
3 hru3 hru 3 tot 0.478 0
4 hru4 hru 4 tot 0.003 0
5 hru5 hru 5 tot 0.016 0
6 hru6 hru 6 tot 0.011 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the rout_unit.ele file
HEADER Headers for the rout_unit.ele file.
NUMB The number of the connect (routing) unit
NAME The name of the connect (routing) unit
 88 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
OBTYP Outflow object type
(1=hru;2=hru_lte,3=subbasin;5=aquifer;6=channel;
11=export coefficients; 12=delivery ratios; outlet=15)
Number of HRU_LTE’s or 1st HRU lte command. Points
OBTYPNO
to the exco_connect.dat object.
Hydrograph type (1=tot, 2-surface). Points to del_ratio.dat
HTYP
file.
Fraction of element in the subbasin (expansion factor -1.0
FRAC
= 100%)
Delivery ratio through the aquifer. The subsurface flow
IDR
that is delivered through the aquifer. Points to
del_ratio.dat file.

ROUT_UNIT.RTU
Below is a sample ROUT_UNIT.RTU file:

rout_unit.rtu
NUMB NAME ELEM_DEF ELEM_DR TOPOSUB_DB FIELD_DB
1 sub1 sub1 null top1 fld1
2 sub2 sub2 null top2 fld2
3 sub3 sub3 null top3 fld3
4 sub4 sub4 null top4 fld4
5 sub5 sub5 null top5 fld5
6 sub6 sub6 null top6 fld6
Variable name Definition
TITLE The title of the rout_unit.rtu file
HEADER Headers for the rout_unit.rtu file.
NUMB Number of the subbasin
NAME The name of the parm unit
ELEM_DEF Points to define.sub
ELEM_DR Delivery ratio definition
TOPOSUB_DB Topography link
FIELD_DB Field database definition (points to field.fld)

ROUT_UNIT.DR

Below is a partial sample ROUT_UNIT.DR file:

Variable name Definition

 SWAT+ INPUTS 89
TITLE The title of the rout_unit.dr file
HEADER Headers for the rout_unit.dr file.
FLO Volume of water (m^3)
SED sediment (metric tons)
ORGN Organic N (kg N)
SEDP Organic P (kg P)
NO3 NO3-N (kg N)
SOLP Mineral (soluble P) (kg P)
PSOL Pesticide in solution (mg pst)
PSOR Pesticide sorbed to sediment (mg pst)
CHLA Chlorophyll-a (kg)
NH3 NH3 (kg N)
NO2 NO2 (kg N)
CBOD Carbonaceous biological oxygen demand (kg)
DOX Dissolved oxygen (kg)
BACP Persistent bacteria (# cfu/100ml)
BACLP Less persistent bacteria (# cfu/100ml)
MET1 Conservative metal #1 (kg)
MET2 Conservative metal #2 (kg)
MET3 Conservative metal #3 (kg)
SAN Detached sand (tons)
SIL Detached silt (tons)
CLA Detached clay (tons)
SAG Detached small ag (tons)
LAG Detached large ag (tons)
GRV gravel (tons)
TEMP Temperature (deg c)

HRU – HRU’s are now defined by weather, topography, soil, landuse, operational management, potholes,
subsurface drainage, structural operations, septic systems, plant community, initial soil chemistry, pesticides,
bacteria, impoundments, snow and atmospheric deposition. Each HRU points to objects in each of the associated
data files. HRU’s consist of plants and soils on the landscape and now are not associated with aquifers and ponds
and wetlands. HRUs are defined as contiguous areas (ie fields or grid cells) and a delivery from edge-of-field to
subbasin outlet is computed in the subbasin module. This is not necessary when landscape units or grid cells are
used. Several inputs for each HRU are required in addition to pointing to data files, including drainage area.
These variables may be moved to a calibration file.

HRU-DATA.HRU
Below is a sample HRU-DATA.HRU file:
 90 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
hru-data.h
NUMB NAME TOPO HYD SOILAND_USE_MGTOIL_NUTR_INIT URF_STOR SNOW FIELD
1 hru1 top1 hyd1 soil003 lrew_ag04 soilnut001 null snow001 null
2 hru2 top2 hyd2 soil004 lrew_ag04 soilnut001 null snow001 null
3 hru3 top3 hyd3 soil005 lrew_ag03 soilnut001 null snow001 null
4 hru4 top4 hyd4 soil006 lrew_ag01 soilnut001 null snow001 null
5 hru5 top5 hyd5 soil008 lrew_ag04 soilnut001 null snow001 null
6 hru6 top6 hyd6 soil009 lrew_ag04 soilnut001 null snow001 null

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the hru-data.hru file.
NUMB HRU Number
NAME Name of the HRU
TOPO Topographic data (points to topography.hyd)
HYD Hydrologic data (points to hydrology.hyd)
SOIL Soil name (points to soils.sol)
LAND_USE_MGT Landuse name (points to landuse.lum)
SOIL_NUTR_INIT Initial soil chemical properties (points to nutrients.sol)
SURF_STOR Surface storage name
SNOW Snow name (points to snow.sno)
FIELD Field name (points to field.fld)

HRU-LTE.HRU

Below is a sample HRU-LTE.HRU file:

hru-lte.hru
NUMB NAME DAKM2 CN2 CN3_SWF TC SOILDEP PERCO SLOPE SLOPELEN ETCO SY ABF REVAPC PERCC SW GW GWFLOW GWDEEP SNOW XLAT TEXT TROPICAL IGROW1 IGROW2 IPLANT STRESS IPET IRR IRRSC TDRAIN USLEK USLEC USLEP USLELS
1 BcGully_MainTrib 0.0572 85 0 60 1330 1 0.02 229 1 0.05 0.05 0 0.01 0.5 3 0 300 0 31.5 clay_loam non_trop grow_suml_end_sum berm 1 p_t no_irrutside_bsn 0 0.37 0.2 0.6 0.32

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the hru-lte.hru file.
NUMB Number
NAME Name of the SWAT-DEG hru file
DAKM2 Drainage area (km^2)
CN2 Condition II curve number
CN3_SWF Soil water factor for cn3 (used in calibration) 0 =fc; 1=saturation
(porosity)
TC Time of concentration (min)
SOILDEP Soil profile depth (mm)
SLOPE Land surface slope (m/m)
 SWAT+ INPUTS 91
SLOPELEN Land surface slope length (m)
SY Specific yld of the shallow aquifer
ABF Alpha factor groundwater
REVAPC Revap coefficient-amt of et from shallow aquifer
PERCC Percolation coeff from shallow to deep
SW Initial soil water (frac of awc) (fraction)
GW Initial shallow aquifer storage (mm)
GWFLOW Initial shallow aquifer flow (mm)
GWDEEP Initial deep aquifer flow (mm)
SNOW Initial snow water equivalent (mm)
XLAT Latitude
TEXT Soil texture (character):
sand; loamy_sand; sandy_loam; loam; silt_loam; silt;
silty_clay; clay_loam; sandy_clay_loam; sandy_clay;
silty_clay; clay;

Tropics (character):
TROPICAL
‘non_trop’ = non-tropical
‘trop’ = tropical

Start of growing season (character – from dtable.dtl file):

IGROW1
‘pl_grow_sum’
‘pl_end_sum’
‘pl_grow_win’
‘pl_end_win’
End of growing season
IGROW2
‘pl_grow_sum’
‘pl_end_sum’
‘pl_grow_win’
‘pl_end_win’
Plant type (as listed in plants.plt)
PLANT
Plant stress – pest, root restriction, soil quality, nutrient, (non
STRESS
water, temp)
IPET Potential evapotranspiration (PET) method (character):
‘harg’ = Hargreaves method
‘p_t’ = Priestley-Taylor method
Numerous methods exist to calculate potential evapotranspiration.
Three of the most popular or widely-used are included in SWAT.
However, if a method other than Priestley-Taylor,
Penman/Monteith, or Hargreaves is recommended for the area in
which the watershed is located, the user can calculate daily PET
values with the recommended method and import them into SWAT.
A discussion of Priestley-Taylor, Penman-Monteith and Hargreaves
PET methods is found in Chapter 2:2 of the theoretical
documentation.
Required.
92 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
IRR Irrigation code (character):
‘no_irr’ = no irrigation
‘irr’ = irrigation
Water applied to an HRU is obtained from one of five types of water
sources: a reach, a reservoir, a shallow aquifer, a deep aquifer, or a
source outside the watershed. In addition to the type of water source,
the model must know the location of the water source (unless the
source is outside the watershed). For the reach, shallow aquifer or
deep aquifer, SWAT needs to know the subbasin number in which
the source is located. If a reservoir is used to supply water, SWAT
must know the reservoir number.
This variable, along with IRRNO, specifies the source of irrigation
water applied in the HRU. Irrigation water may be diverted from
anywhere in the watershed or outside the watershed. IRRSC tells the
model what type of water body the irrigation water is being diverted
from.

Irrigation source (character):

IRRSRC
‘outside_bsn’ = outside basin
‘shal_aqu’ = shallow aquifer
‘deep_aqu’ = deep aquifer

Irrigation source location.

Water applied to an HRU is obtained from one of five types of
water sources: a reach, a reservoir, a shallow aquifer, a deep
aquifer, or a source outside the watershed. In addition to the type
of water source, the model must know the location of the water
source (unless the source is outside the watershed). For the reach,
shallow aquifer or deep aquifer, SWAT needs to know the
subbasin number in which the source is located. If a reservoir is
used to supply water, SWAT must know the reservoir number

TDRAIN Design subsurface tile drain time (hr)

USLEK USLE equation soil erodibility (K) factor (units: 0.013 (metric ton
m2 hr)/(m3-metric ton cm)).
Some soils erode more easily than others even when all other factors are the
same. This difference is termed soil erodibility and is caused by the properties of
the soil itself. Wischmeier and Smith (1978) define the soil erodibility factor as
the soil loss rate per erosion index unit for a specified soil as measured on a unit
plot. A unit plot is 22.1-m (72.6-ft) long, with a uniform length-wise slope of
 SWAT+ INPUTS 93
USLEK, cont. 9-percent, in continuous fallow, tilled up and down the slope.
Continuous fallow is defined as land that has been tilled and kept
free of vegetation for more than 2 years. The units for the USLE soil
erodibility factor in MUSLE are numerically equivalent to the
traditional English units of 0.01 (ton acre hr)/(acre ft-ton inch).
Wischmeier and Smith (1978) noted that a soil type usually becomes
less erodible with decrease in silt fraction, regardless of whether the
corresponding increase is in the sand fraction or clay fraction.
Direct measurement of the erodibility factor is time consuming and
costly. Wischmeier et al. (1971) developed a general equation to
calculate the soil erodibility factor when the silt and very fine sand
content makes up less than 70% of the soil particle size distribution.
USLEK, cont. 0.00021 ⋅ M 1.14 ⋅ (12 − OM ) + 3.25 ⋅ (c soilstr − 2 ) + 2.5 ⋅ (c perm − 3)
KUSLE =
100
USLEK, cont. where KUSLE is the soil erodibility factor, M is the particle-size
parameter, OM is the percent organic matter (%), csoilstr is the soil
structure code used in soil classification, and cperm is the profile
permeability class.
The particle-size parameter, M, is calculated
M = (msilt + mvfs ) ⋅ (100 − mc )

where msilt is the percent silt content (0.002-0.05 mm diameter

particles), mvfs is the percent very fine sand content (0.05-0.10 mm
diameter particles), and mc is the percent clay content (< 0.002 mm
diameter particles).
The percent organic matter content, OM, of a layer can be
calculated:
OM = 1.72 ⋅ orgC
where orgC is the percent organic carbon content of the layer (%).
94 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
USLEK, cont. Soil structure refers to the aggregation of primary soil particles into
compound particles which are separated from adjoining aggregates
by surfaces of weakness. An individual natural soil aggregate is
called a ped. Field description of soil structure notes the shape and
arrangement of peds, the size of peds, and the distinctness and
durability of visible peds. USDA Soil Survey terminology for
structure consists of separate sets of terms defining each of these
three qualities. Shape and arrangement of peds are designated as
type of soil structure; size of peds as class; and degree of distinctness
as grade.
Angular Blocky: bounded by planes intersecting at relatively
sharp angles
Subangular Blocky: having mixed rounded and plane faces
with vertices mostly rounded
The soil-structure codes for the equation are defined by the type and
class of soil structure present in the layer. There are four primary
types of structure, several of which are further broken down into
subtypes:
-Platy, with particles arranged around a plane, generally horizontal

-Prismlike, with particles arranged around a verticle line and

bounded by relatively flat vertical surfaces
Prismatic: without rounded upper ends
Columnar: with rounded caps
-Blocklike or polyhedral, with particles arranged around a point
and bounded by flat or rounded surfaces which are casts of the
molds formed by the faces of surrounding peds
-Spheroidal or polyhedral, with particles arranged around a point
and bounded by curved or very irregular surfaces that are not
accomodated to the adjoining aggregates
Granular: relatively non-porous
Crumb: very porous
The size criteria for the class will vary by type of structure and are
summarized in Table 22-2.
USLEK, cont. Definition
Table 22-2: Size classes of soil structure
Shape of structure
Prismatic and
Size Classes Platy Columnar Blocky Granular
Very fine < 1 mm < 10 mm < 5 mm < 1 mm
Fine 1-2 mm 10-20 mm 5-10 mm 1-2 mm
Medium 2-5 mm 20-50 mm 10-20 mm 2-5 mm
Coarse 5-10 mm 50-100 mm 20-50 mm 5-10 mm
Very coarse > 10 mm > 100 mm > 50 mm > 10 mm
 SWAT+ INPUTS 95
The codes assigned to csoilstr are:
USLEK, cont.
1 very fine granular
2 fine granular
3 medium or coarse
granular
4 blocky, platy, prismlike or
massive

Permeability is defined as the

capacity of the soil to transmit water
and air through the most restricted
horizon (layer) when moist. The
profile permeability classes are
based on the lowest saturated
hydraulic conductivity in the profile.
The codes assigned to cperm are:
1 rapid (> 150 mm/hr)
2 moderate to rapid (50-150
mm/hr)
3 moderate (15-50 mm/hr)
4 slow to moderate (5-15
mm/hr)
5 slow (1-5 mm/hr)
6 very slow (< 1 mm/hr)

Williams (1995) proposed an

alternative equation:
KUSLE = f csand ⋅ f cl − si ⋅ f orgc ⋅ f hisand
where fcsand is a factor that gives low
soil erodibility factors for soils with
high coarse-sand contents and high
values for soils with little sand, fcl-si
is a factor that gives low soil
erodibility factors for soils with high
clay to silt ratios, forgc is a factor that
reduces soil erodibility for soils with
high organic carbon content, and
fhisand is a factor that reduces soil
erodibility for soils with extremely
high sand contents. The factors are
calculated:
   m  
f csand =  0.2 + 0.3 ⋅ exp  − 0.256 ⋅ ms ⋅ 1 − silt  
   100  
0. 3
USLEK, cont.  msilt 
f cl − si =  
 c
m + m silt 
96 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
 0.0256 ⋅ orgC
USLEK, cont. f orgc = 1 −
 orgC + exp[3.72 − 2.95 ⋅ or

  m
 0.7 ⋅ 1 −
  1
f hisand = 1 −
 m  
 1 − s  + exp  − 5.51 +
  100  
where ms is the percent sand content
(0.05-2.00 mm diameter particles),
msilt is the percent silt content (0.002-
0.05 mm diameter particles), mc is
the percent clay content (< 0.002 mm
diameter particles), and orgC is the
percent organic carbon content of the
layer (%).
Required.

USLEC USLE cover factor

USLEP USLE equation support practice factor.

The support practice factor, PUSLE, is defined as the ratio of soil loss
with a specific support practice to the corresponding loss with up-
and-down slope culture. Support practices include contour tillage,
stripcropping on the contour, and terrace systems. Stabilized
waterways for the disposal of excess rainfall are a necessary part of
each of these practices.
Contour tillage and planting provides almost complete protection
against erosion from storms of low to moderate intensity, but little
or no protection against occasional severe storms that cause
extensive breakovers of contoured rows. Contouring is most
effective on slopes of 3 to 8 percent. Values for PUSLE and slope-
length limits for contour support practices are given in Table 20-4.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 97
Table 20-4: P factor values and slope-length
USLEP, cont. limits for contouring (Wischmeier and Smith,
1978).
Land slope (%) PUSLE
1 to 2 0.60
3 to 5 0.50
6 to 8 0.50
9 to 12 0.60
13 to 16 0.70
17 to 20 0.80
21 to 25 0.90
Stripcropping is a practice in which
contoured strips of sod are alternated
with equal-width strips of row crop or
small grain. Recommended values for
contour stripcropping are given in
Table 20-5.

USLEP, cont. Table 20-5: P factor values, maximum strip

width and slope-length limits for contour
stripcropping (Wischmeier and Smith, 1978).
Land slope PUSLE values1 S
(%) A B C
1 to 2 0.30 0.45 0.60
3 to 5 0.25 0.38 0.50
6 to 8 0.25 0.38 0.50
9 to 12 0.30 0.45 0.60
13 to 16 0.35 0.52 0.70
17 to 20 0.40 0.60 0.80
21 to 25 0.45 0.68 0.90
1
P values:
A: For 4-year rotation of row crop, small grain with
meadow seeding, and 2 years of meadow. A second
row crop can replace the small grain if meadow is
established in it.
B: For 4-year rotation of 2 years row crop, winter
grain with meadow seeding, and 1-year meadow.
C: For alternate strips of row crop and
winter grain

USLEP, cont. Terraces are a series of horizontal

ridges made in a hillside. There are
several types of terraces. Broadbase
terraces are constructed on gently
sloping land and the channel and
ridge are cropped the same as the
interterrace area. The steep backslope
terrace, where the backslope is in sod,
is most common on steeper land.
Impoundment terraces are terraces
with underground outlets.
 98 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
USLEP, cont. Terraces divide the slope of the hill into segments equal to the
horizontal terrace interval. With terracing, the slope length is the
terrace interval. For broadbase terraces, the horizontal terrace
interval is the distance from the center of the ridge to the center of
the channel for the terrace below. The horizontal terrace interval for
steep backslope terraces is the distance from the point where
cultivation begins at the base of the ridge to the base of the
frontslope of the terrace below.
Values for PUSLE for contour farming terraced fields are listed in
Table 20-6. These values apply to broadbase, steep backslope and
level terraces. Keep in mind that the values given in Table 20-6 do
not account for all erosion control benefits of terraces. The shorter
slope-length used in the calculation of the length-slope factor will
produce additional reduction.
Required.
Table 20-6: P factor values for contour-farmed
USLEP, cont. terraced fields1
Farm planning Com
Land Grad
slope Contour Stripcrop chann
(%) P factor2 P factor sod ou
1 to 2 0.60 0.30 0.1
3 to 8 0.50 0.25 0.1
9 to 12 0.60 0.30 0.1
13 to 16 0.70 0.35 0.1
17 to 20 0.80 0.40 0.1
21 to 25 0.90 0.45 0.1
1
Slope length is the horizontal terrace interval. The listed
values are for contour farming. No additional contouring
factor is used in the computation.
2
Use these values for control of interterrace erosion within
specified soil loss tolerances.
3
These values include entrapment efficiency and are used
for control of offsite sediment within limits and for
estimating the field’s contribution to watershed sediment
yield.

USLELS USLE equation length slope (LS) factor

EXCO – Export Coefficient

EXCO.EXC
The EXCO.EXC file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample EXCO.EXC file:
exco.exc
NAME OM PEST PATH HMET SALT
exco1 exco_om1 exco_pest1 exco_path1 exco_hmet1 exco_salt1
exco2 exco_om2 exco_pest2 exco_path2 exco_hmet2 exco_salt2

Variable name Definition

 SWAT+ INPUTS 99
TITLE The title of the exco.exc file
HEADER Headers for the exco.exc file
NAME Name of the export coefficient (in exco.con file)
OM_NAME Name of the organic matter (in exco_om.exc file)
PEST_NAME Name of the pesticides (in exco_pest.exc file)
PATH_NAME Name of the pathogens (in exco_path.exc file)
SALT_NAME Name of the salt (in exco_salt.exc file)

EXCO_OM_EXC
The EXCO_OM_EXC file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
EXCO_OM.EXC file:

exco_om.exc
flo sed orgn sedp no3 solp psol psor chla nh3 no2 cbod dox bacp bacpl met1 met2 met3 san sil cla sag lag grv temp
exco_om1 12.5 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 100 90 80 70 60
exco_om2 22.5 110 99 88 77 66 55 44 33 22 11 19 28 37 46 55 64 73 82 91 190 98 87 76 65

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the exco_om.exc file
HEADER Headers for the exco_om.exc file
NAME Name of the organic matter (exco.exc file)
 100 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
FLO Volume of water (m^3)
SED sediment (metric tons)
ORGN Organic N (kg N)
SEDP Organic P (kg P)
NO3 NO3-N (kg N)
SOLP Mineral (soluble P) (kg P)
PSOL Pesticide in solution (mg pst)
PSOR Pesticide sorbed to sediment (mg pst)
CHLA Chlorophyll-a (kg)
NH3 NH3 (kg N)
NO2 NO2 (kg N)
CBOD Carbonaceous biological oxygen demand (kg)
DOX Dissolved oxygen (kg)
BACP Persistent bacteria (# cfu/100ml)
BACPL Less persistent bacteria (# cfu/100ml)
MET1 Conservative metal #1 (kg)
MET2 Conservative metal #2 (kg)
MET3 Conservative metal #3 (kg)
SAN Detached sand (tons)
SIL Detached silt (tons)
CLA Detached clay (tons)
SAG Detached small ag (tons)
LAG Detached large ag (tons)
GRV gravel (tons)
TEMP Temperature (deg c)

EXCO_PEST.EXC
exco_pest.exc
aatrex_sol aatrex_sor banvel_sol banvel_sor prowl_sol prowl_sor roundup_sol roundup_sor
exco_pest1 12.5 100 90 80 70 60 50 40
exco_pest2 22.5 110 99 88 77 66 55 44

The EXCO_PEST.EXC file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
EXCO_PEST.EXC file:
 SWAT+ INPUTS 101
Variable name Definition
TITLE The title of the exco_pest.exc file
HEADER Headers for the exco_pest.exc file
NAME Name of the pesticide (exco.exc file)
EXCO_PEST_SOL Pesticide soluble constituent mass
EXCO_PEST_SOR Pesticide sorbed constituent mass

EXCO_PATH.EXC
The EXCO_PATH.EXC file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
EXCO_PATH.EXC file:

exco_path.exc
fecals_sol fecals_sor e_coli_sol e_coli_sor
exco_path1 12.5 100 90 80
exco_path2 22.5 110 99 88

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the exco_path.exc file
HEADER Headers for the exco_path.exc file
NAME Name of the pathogens (exco.exc file)
EXCO_PATH_SOL Pathogen soluble constituent mass
EXCO_PATH_SOR Pathogen sorbed constituent mass

EXCO_HMET.EXC
The EXCO_HMET.EXC file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
EXCO_HMET.EXC file:
exco_hmet.exc
mercury_sol mercury_sor
exco_hmet1 12.5 100
exco_hmet2 22.5 110

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the exco_hmet.exc file
HEADER Headers for the exco_hmet.exc file
NAME Name of the heavy metals (exco.exc file)
EXCO_HMET_SOL Heavy metal soluble constituent mass
EXCO_HMET_SOL Heavy metal sorbed constituent mass
 102 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

EXCO_SALT.EXC
The EXCO_SALT.EXC file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
EXCO_SALT.EXC file:
exco_salt.exc
sodium_sol sodium_sor magnesium_sol magnesium_sor
exco_salt1 12.5 100 90 80
exco_salt2 22.5 110 99 88

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the exco_salt.exc file
HEADER Headers for the exco_salt.exc file
NAME Name of salt (exco.exc file)
EXCO_HMET_SOL Salt soluble constituent mass
EXCO_HMET_SOL Salt sorbed constituent mass

RECALL

RECALL.REC
The RECALL.REC file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample RECALL.REC
file:

recall.rec
NUMB NAME TYP FILENAME
1 daily 1 recall_day.rec

Variable name Definition

TITLE This line is reserved for the recall record title. This line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headers
NUMB Sequential number of recall
NAME Daily, monthly, annual
TYP 1==daily; 2=monthly; 3=annual;
FILENAME Name of recall file to be read
EXAMPLE RECALL_DAY.REC FILE:
recall_day.rec
11
IYR ISTEP flo sed orgn sedp no3 solp psol psor chla nh3 C no2 cbod dox bacp bacpl met1 met2 met3 san sil cla sag lag grv temp
2006 1 10167.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2006 2 10059.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2006 3 9233.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2006 4 7760.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
 SWAT+ INPUTS 103
Variable name Definition
TITLE This line is reserved for the recall daily, monthly or annual
title. This line is not processed by the model and may be
left blank.
NBYR Number of years of recall data
IYR Current year of input data
ISTEP Current day of input data
 104 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
FLO Volume of water (m^3)
SED sediment (metric tons)
ORGN Organic N (kg N)
SEDP Organic P (kg P)
NO3 NO3-N (kg N)
SOLP Mineral (soluble P) (kg P)
PSOL Pesticide in solution (mg pst)
PSOR Pesticide sorbed to sediment (mg pst)
CHLA Chlorophyll-a (kg)
NH3 NH3 (kg N)
NO2 NO2 (kg N)
CBOD Carbonaceous biological oxygen demand (kg)
DOX Dissolved oxygen (kg)
BACP Persistent bacteria (# cfu/100ml)
BACLP Less persistent bacteria (# cfu/100ml)
MET1 Conservative metal #1 (kg)
MET2 Conservative metal #2 (kg)
MET3 Conservative metal #3 (kg)
SAN Detached sand (tons)
SIL Detached silt (tons)
CLA Detached clay (tons)
SAG Detached small ag (tons)
LAG Detached large ag (tons)
GRV gravel (tons)
TEMP Temperature (deg c)

DR –Delivery Ratio
DELRATIO.DEL
The DELRATIO.DEL file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
DELRATIO.DEL file:

delratio.del
NAME OM_FILE PEST_FILE PATH_FILE HMET_FILE SALTS_FILE
dr01 dr_om.del dr_pest.del dr_path.del dr_hmet.del dr_salt.del
 SWAT+ INPUTS 105
Variable name Definition
TITLE The title of the delratio.del file
HEADER Headers for the delratio.del file
NAME Name of the export coefficient (in delratio.con file)
OM_NAME Name of the organic matter (in dr_om.del file)
PEST_NAME Name of the pesticides (in dr_pest.del file)
PATH_NAME Name of the pathogens (in dr_path.del file)
SALT_NAME Name of the salt (in dr_salt.del file)

DR_OM.DEL
The DR_OM.DEL file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample DR_OM.DEL
file:
dr_om.del
flo sed orgn sedp no3 solp psol psor chla nh3 no2 cbod dox bacp bacpl met1 met2 met3 san sil cla sag lag grv temp C
dr_om1 0.125 0.1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5
dr_om2 0.225 0.11 0.99 0.88 0.77 0.66 0.55 0.44 0.33 0.22 0.11 0.19 0.28 0.37 0.46 0.55 0.64 0.73 0.82 0.91 0.19 0.98 0.87 0.76 0.65 0.54

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the dr_om.del file
HEADER Headers for the dr_om.del file
NAME Name of the organic matter (delratio.del file)
 106 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
FLO Volume of water (m^3)
SED sediment (metric tons)
ORGN Organic N (kg N)
SEDP Organic P (kg P)
NO3 NO3-N (kg N)
SOLP Mineral (soluble P) (kg P)
PSOL Pesticide in solution (mg pst)
PSOR Pesticide sorbed to sediment (mg pst)
CHLA Chlorophyll-a (kg)
NH3 NH3 (kg N)
NO2 NO2 (kg N)
CBOD Carbonaceous biological oxygen demand (kg)
DOX Dissolved oxygen (kg)
BACP Persistent bacteria (# cfu/100ml)
BACPL Less persistent bacteria (# cfu/100ml)
MET1 Conservative metal #1 (kg)
MET2 Conservative metal #2 (kg)
MET3 Conservative metal #3 (kg)
SAN Detached sand (tons)
SIL Detached silt (tons)
CLA Detached clay (tons)
SAG Detached small ag (tons)
LAG Detached large ag (tons)
GRV gravel (tons)
TEMP Temperature (deg c)

DR_PEST.DEL
The DR_PEST.DEL file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
DR_PEST.DEL file:

dr_pest.del
aatrex_sol aatrex_sor banvel_sol banvel_sor prowl_sol prowl_sor roundup_sol roundup_sor
dr_pest1 0.125 0.1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4
dr_pest2 0.225 0.11 0.99 0.88 0.77 0.66 0.55 0.44
 SWAT+ INPUTS 107
The DR_PEST.DEL file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample partial
DR_PEST_DEL file:

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the DR_PEST.DEL file
HEADER Headers for the DR_PEST.DEL file
NAME Name of the pesticide
DR_PEST_SOL Pesticide soluble constituent mass
DR_PEST_SOR Pesticide sorbed constituent mass

DR_PATH.DEL
The DR_PATH.DEL file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
DR_PATH.DEL file:

dr_path.del
fecals_sol fecals_sor e_coli_sol e_coli_sor
dr_path1 0.125 0.1 0.9 0.8
dr_path2 0.225 0.11 0.99 0.88

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the dr_path.del file
HEADER Headers for the dr_path.del file
NAME Name of the pathogens (delratio.del file)
DR_PATH_SOL Pathogen soluble constituent mass
DR_PATH_SOR Pathogen sorbed constituent mass

DR_HMET.DEL
The DR_HMET.DEL file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
DR_HMET.DEL file:

dr_hmet.del
mercury_sol mercury_sor
dr_hmet1 0.125 0.1
dr_hmet2 0.225 0.11
 108 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The title of the dr_hmet.exc file
HEADER Headers for the dr_hmet.exc file
NAME Name of the heavy metals (delratio.del file)
DR_HMET_SOL Heavy metal soluble constituent mass
DR_HMET_SOL Heavy metal sorbed constituent mass

DR_SALT.DEL
The DR_SALT.DEL file contains the input variables for the nutrients of a channel. Below is a sample
EXCO_DR_SALT.DEL file:
dr_salt.del
sodium_sol sodium_sormagnesium_solmagnesium_sor
dr_salt1 0.125 0.1 0.9 0.8
dr_salt2 0.225 0.11 0.99 0.88

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title of the dr_salt.del file
HEADER Headers for the dr_salt.del file
NAME Name of salt (delratio.del file)
DR_HMET_SOL Salt soluble constituent mass
DR_HMET_SOL Salt sorbed constituent mass

AQUIFER –
AQUIFER.AQU

Below is a sample AQUIFER.AQU file:

aquifer.aqu:
NUMB AQUNM FLO STOR HGT NO3 MINP ORGN ORGP DELAY ALPHA REVAP SEEP SPYLD HLIFE_N FLO_MIN REVAP_MIN
1 aqu1 2500 1000 1 0 0 0 0 31 0.048 0.02 0.05 0.003 0 1000 750
2 aqu2 2500 1000 1 0 0 0 0 31 0.048 0.02 0.05 0.003 0 1000 750
3 aqu3 2500 1000 1 0 0 0 0 31 0.048 0.02 0.05 0.003 0 1000 750
4 aqu4 2500 1000 1 0 0 0 0 31 0.048 0.02 0.05 0.003 0 1000 750
5 aqu5 2500 1000 1 0 0 0 0 31 0.048 0.02 0.05 0.003 0 1000 750
6 aqu6 2500 1000 1 0 0 0 0 31 0.048 0.02 0.05 0.003 0 1000 750

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headings for the aquifer.aqu file.
NUMB Number
 SWAT+ INPUTS 109
AQUNM Name
FLO Initial depth of water in the shallow aquifer (mm H2O).

We recommend using a 1 year equilibration period for the model

where the watershed simulation is set to start 1 year prior to the
period of interest. This allows the model to get the water cycling
properly before any comparisons between measured and simulated
data are made. When an equilibration period is incorporated, the
value for FLO is not that important.
STOR Initial depth of water in the deep aquifer (mm H2O).
We recommend using a 1 year equilibration period for the model
where the watershed simulation is set to start 1 year prior to the
period of interest. This allows the model to get the water cycling
properly before any comparisons between measured and simulated
data are made. When an equilibration period is incorporated, the
value for STOR is not that important. In watersheds where there is
no irrigation with water from the deep aquifer, this variable has no
impact at all.
If no value for STOR is entered, the model sets STOR = 1000.0
mm.
HGT Initial groundwater height (m).
Steady-state groundwater flow and the height of the water table are
linearly proportional. The equations used to calculate the change in
groundwater height with change in flow are included in SWAT.
However, the groundwater height is not currently printed out in any
of the output files.
This variable is not active.
Initial concentration of nitrate in shallow aquifer. (mg N/L or ppm).
NO3
Nitrate levels in the shallow aquifer are modeled, allowing for
variation in nitrate concentration and groundwater loadings of
nitrate contributed to streamflow in the subbasin.
Optional.
Concentration of soluble phosphorus in groundwater contribution to
MINP
streamflow from subbasin (mg P/L or ppm).
This is a fixed concentration used throughout the entire period of
simulation.
Optional.
Organic N in the base flow (mg/L) (range 0.0 – 200.0)
ORGN
default = 0.0
Optional.
Organic P in the base flow (mg/L) (range 0.0 – 200.0) default = 0.0
ORGP
Optional.
110 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
DELAY The delay time, δgw, cannot be directly measured. It can be estimated
by simulating aquifer recharge using different values for δgw and
comparing the simulated variations in water table level with
observed values. Johnson (1977) developed a simple program to
iteratively test and statistically evaluate different delay times for a
watershed. Sangrey et al. (1984) noted that monitoring wells in the
same area had similar values for δgw, so once a delay time value for
a geomorphic area is defined, similar delay times can be used in
adjoining watersheds within the same geomorphic province.
Required.
ALPHA Baseflow alpha factor (1/days).
The baseflow recession constant, αgw, is a direct index of
groundwater flow response to changes in recharge (Smedema and
Rycroft, 1983). Values vary from 0.1-0.3 for land with slow
response to recharge to 0.9-1.0 for land with a rapid response.
Although the baseflow recession constant may be calculated, the
best estimates are obtained by analyzing measured streamflow
during periods of no recharge in the watershed.
It is common to find the baseflow days reported for a stream gage
or watershed. This is the number of days for base flow recession to
decline through one log cycle. When baseflow days are known, the
alpha factor can be calculated:
Q 
⋅ ln[10] =
1 1 2.3
α gw = ⋅ ln  gw, N  =
N  Q gw,0  BFD BFD

where αgw is the baseflow recession constant, and BFD is the

number of baseflow days for the watershed.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 111
REVAP Groundwater "revap" coefficient.
Water may move from the shallow aquifer into the overlying
unsaturated zone. In periods when the material overlying the aquifer
is dry, water in the capillary fringe that separates the saturated and
unsaturated zones will evaporate and diffuse upward. As water is
removed from the capillary fringe by evaporation, it is replaced by
water from the underlying aquifer. Water may also be removed from
the aquifer by deep-rooted plants which are able to uptake water
directly from the aquifer.
This process is significant in watersheds where the saturated zone is
not very far below the surface or where deep-rooted plants are
growing. Because the type of plant cover will affect the importance
of revap in the water balance, the parameters governing revap can
be varied by land use.
As REVAP approaches 0, movement of water from the shallow
aquifer to the root zone is restricted. As REVAP approaches 1, the
rate of transfer from the shallow aquifer to the root zone approaches
the rate of potential evapotranspiration. The value for REVAP
should be between 0.02 and 0.20.
This variable, along with REVAPMN, is the reason a different
groundwater file is created for each HRU rather than each subbasin.
Required.
Deep aquifer percolation fraction.
SEEP

The fraction of percolation from the root zone which recharges the
deep aquifer. The value for RCHRG_DP should be between 0.0 and
1.0.
Required.
SPYLD Specific yield of the shallow aquifer (m3/m3).
Specific yield is defined as the ratio of the volume of water that drains by gravity

to the total volume of rock.

Specific yield is required to calculate groundwater height

fluctuations.
This variable is not active
 112 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
HLIFE_N Half-life of nitrate in the shallow aquifer (days).

Nitrate in the shallow aquifer may be removed by uptake by bacteria

present in the aquifer or by chemical conversion to other compounds
in regions of the aquifer that are depleted in oxygen (reduced
environment). The half-life, as for half-life values reported for
pesticides, is the time period required for the concentration of nitrate
to drop to one-half its original value. The reduction is a net reduction
by all processes occurring in the shallow aquifer.
Optional.
FLO_MIN Minimum aquifer storage to allow return flow [m]
REVAP_MIN Threshold depth of water in the shallow aquifer for “revap” or
percolation to the deep aquifer to occur (mm H2O).
Movement of water from the shallow aquifer to the unsaturated zone
is allowed only if the volume of water in the shallow aquifer is equal
to or greater than REVAPMN.
This variable, along with GW_REVAP, is the reason a different
groundwater file is created for each HRU rather than each subbasin.
Required.

HERD – (not currently active)

ANIMAL.HRD

HERD.HRD

RANCH.HRD

WATER_RIGHTS – (not currently active)

DEFINE.WRO

ELEMENT.WRO

WATER_RIGHTS.WRO

LINK –
CHAN-SURF.LIN
 SWAT+ INPUTS 113
Below is a sample CHAN_SURF.LIN FILE:

chan-surf.l
1
NUMB NAME NSPU OBTYP OBTYP_NO OBTYP OBTYP_NO
1 chan1 1 hru 1
2 chan2 1 sub 1
8 chan3 2 sub 3 sub 4
9 chan4 2 hru 5 hru 6

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title line for the chan-surf.lin file (optional)
MCHA_SP Total number of channel links in file
HEADER Headings for the chan-surf.lin file
NUMB The sequential number of the channel links
NAME The unique name of the channel link
NUM The total objects following
OBTYP The object type (1=hru; 2=hru_lte; 11=export coeff;
OBTYPNO Number of hru_lte’s or 1st hru_lte command

CHAN-AQU.LIN
Below is a sample CHAN-AQU.LIN FILE:

chan-aqu.lin
4
NUMB NAME NSPU AQU1 AQU2 AQU3
1 chan1 3 1 2 3
2 chan2 1 4
8 chan3 2 5 6
9 chan4 2 8 9

Variable name Definition

TITLE The title line for the chan-aqu.lin file (may be blank)
MCHA_SP Total number of channel aquifer links in file
HEADER Headings
NUMB The sequential number of the channel aquifer links
NAME The unique name of the channel link
NSPU The total objects following
AQU_NO The aquifer number
 114 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
HYDROLOGY –
HYDROLOGY.HYD
Data contained in the hydrology.dat data file can be grouped into the following categories: topographic
characteristics, water flow, erosion, land cover, and depressional storage areas.

Below is a partial sample HYDROLOGY.HYD FILE:

hydrology.hyd
NAME LAT_TIME LAT_SED CANMX ESCO EPCO ERORGN ERORGP CN3_SWF BIOMIX DEP_IMPLAT_ORGN LAT_ORGHARG_PET CNCOEF PERCO
HRU0010104 0 0 0 0.95 1 0 0 0 0.2 5000 0 0 0.0023 0.3 1
HRU0010105 0 0 0 0.95 1 0 0 0 0.2 5000 0 0 0.0023 0.3 1
HRU0010108 0 0 0 0.95 1 0 0 0 0.2 5000 0 0 0.0023 0.3 1
HRU0010109 0 0 0 0.95 1 0 0 0.5 0.2 5000 0 0 0.0023 0.3 1
HRU0010110 0 0 0 0.95 1 0 0 0.5 0.2 5000 0 0 0.0023 0.3 1

Variable name Definition

NAME Name
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the nutrients.res file.
NAME Name
LAT_TTIME Lateral flow travel time (days).
Setting LAT_TTIME = 0.0 will allow the model to calculate the
travel time based on soil hydraulic properties. This variable should
be set to a specific value only by hydrologists familiar with the base
flow characteristics of the watershed.
Required.
LAT_SED Sediment concentration in lateral and groundwater flow (mg/L).
Sediment concentration in lateral and groundwater flow is usually
very low and does not contribute significantly to total sediment
yields unless return flow is very high.
Optional.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 115
CANMX Maximum canopy storage (mm H2O).
The plant canopy can significantly affect infiltration, surface runoff
and evapotranspiration. As rain falls, canopy interception reduces
the erosive energy of droplets and traps a portion of the rainfall
within the canopy. The influence the canopy exerts on these
processes is a function of the density of plant cover and the
morphology of the plant species.
When calculating surface runoff, the SCS curve number method
lumps canopy interception in the term for initial abstractions. This
variable also includes surface storage and infiltration prior to runoff
and is estimated as 20% of the retention parameter value for a given
day (see Chapter 2:1). When the Green and Ampt infiltration
equation is used to calculate infiltration, the interception of rainfall
by the canopy must be calculated separately.

SWAT allows the maximum amount of water that can be held in

canopy storage to vary from day to day as a function of the leaf area
index. CANMX is the maximum amount of water that can be
trapped in the canopy when the canopy is fully developed (mm
H2O).
Required.
116 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
ESCO Soil evaporation compensation factor.
This coefficient has been incorporated to allow the user to modify
the depth distribution used to meet the soil evaporative demand to
account for the effect of capillary action, crusting and cracks. ESCO
must be between 0.01 and 1.0. As the value for ESCO is reduced,
the model is able to extract more of the evaporative demand from
lower levels.
The change in depth distribution resulting from different values of
esco are graphed in Figure 19-1.
If no value for ESCO is entered, the model will set ESCO = 0.95.
The value for ESCO may be set at the watershed or HRU level
(ESCO in .bsn, see Chapter 4).
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 117
EPCO Plant uptake compensation factor.
The amount of water uptake that occurs on a given day is a function
of the amount of water required by the plant for transpiration, Et,
and the amount of water available in the soil, SW. If upper layers in
the soil profile do not contain enough water to meet the potential
water uptake, users may allow lower layers to compensate. The plant
uptake compensation factor can range from 0.01 to 1.00. As epco
approaches 1.0, the model allows more of the water uptake demand
to be met by lower layers in the soil. As epco approaches 0.0, the
model allows less variation from the original depth distribution to
take place.
If no value for EPCO is entered, the model will set EPCO = 1.0. The
value for EPCO may be set at the watershed or HRU level (EPCO
in .bsn, see Chapter 4).
Required.
ERORGN Organic N enrichment ratio for loading with sediment.
As surface runoff flows over the soil surface, part of the water’s
energy is used to pick up and transport soil particles. The smaller
particles weigh less and are more easily transported than coarser
particles. When the particle size distribution of the transported
sediment is compared to that of the soil surface layer, the sediment
load to the main channel has a greater proportion of clay sized
particles. In other words, the sediment load is enriched in clay
particles. Organic nitrogen in the soil is attached primarily to
colloidal (clay) particles, so the sediment load will also contain a
greater proportion or concentration of organic N than that found in
the soil surface layer.
The enrichment ratio is defined as the ratio of the concentration of
organic nitrogen transported with the sediment to the concentration
in the soil surface layer. SWAT will calculate an enrichment ratio
for each storm event, or allow the user to define a particular
enrichment ratio for organic nitrogen that is used for all storms
during the simulation. To calculate the enrichment ratio, the value
for ERORGN is set to zero. The default option is to allow the model
to calculate the enrichment ratio.
Required.
118 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
ERORGP Phosphorus enrichment ratio for loading with sediment.
The enrichment ratio is defined as the ratio of the concentration of
phosphorus transported with the sediment to the concentration of
phosphorus in the soil surface layer. SWAT will calculate an
enrichment ratio for each storm event, or allow the user to define a
particular enrichment ratio for phosphorus attached to sediment that
is used for all storms during the simulation.
If the value for ERORGP is set to zero, the model will calculate an
enrichment ratio for every storm event. The default option is to
allow the model to calculate the enrichment ratio.
Required.
CN3_SWF Pothole evaporation coefficient
BIOMIX Biological mixing efficiency.
Biological mixing is the redistribution of soil constituents as a result
of the activity of biota in the soil (e.g. earthworms, etc.). Studies
have shown that biological mixing can be significant in systems
where the soil is only infrequently disturbed. In general, as a
management system shifts from conventional tillage to conservation
tillage to no-till there will be an increase in biological mixing.
SWAT allows biological mixing to occur to a depth of 300 mm (or
the bottom of the soil profile if it is shallower than 300 mm).
The efficiency of biological mixing is defined by the user and is
conceptually the same as the mixing efficiency of a tillage
implement. The redistribution of nutrients by biological mixing is
calculated using the same methodology as that used for a tillage
operation. Biological mixing is performed at the end of every
calendar year.
If no value for BIOMIX is entered, the model will set BIOMIX =
0.20.
Optional.
DEP_IMP Depth to the bottom of soil profile (mm).
default = 5000.
Perched water tables are created when water percolating through the
soil profile reaches a layer of low hydraulic conductivity that causes
water to pond at the upper boundary of the impervous layer. This
variable defines the depth to the impervious layer in the soil profile
and is required if perched water tables, depressional storage
areas/potholes, or tile drainage is being modeled in the HRU (or
subbasin for depressional storage areas).
If perched water tables do not occur in the HRU leave this variable
set to 0. If a generic depth is defined using DEPIMP_BSN (.bsn),
set DEP_IMP = 0 to use the basin-level value.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 119
LAT_ORGN If no value for BIOMIX is entered, the model will set BIOMIX =
0.20.
Optional.
Organic P in the base flow (mg/L) (range 0.0 – 200.0) default = 0.0
LAT_ORGP
Optional.
HARG_PET Coefficient related to radiation used in Hargreaves equation
CNCOEF Plant ET curve number coefficient.
ET weighting coefficient used to calculate the retention coefficient
for daily curve number calculations dependent on plant
evapotranspiration.
This value can vary between 0.5 and 2.0. If no value is entered for
CNCOEF, the model will set CNCOEF = 1.0.
Required if ICN = 1.
PERCO Percolation coefficient - adjusts soil moisture for perc to occur
(1.0 = fc)

TOPOGRAPHY.HYD
Data contained in the topo.dat data file can be grouped into the following categories: topographic characteristics,
water flow, erosion, land cover, and depressional storage areas.

Below is a sample TOPOGRAPHY.HYD FILE:

topography.hyd
NAME SLOPE SLOPE_LEN LAT_LEN DIS_STREAM DEP_CO
hru00101 0.0377 91.46342 50 35 0.5
hru00101 0.0333 91.46342 50 35 0.5
hru00101 0.0255 91.46342 0 35 0.5
hru00101 0.0505 91.46342 0 35 0.5
hru00101 0.0232 91.46342 0 35 0.5
hru00101 0.0089 91.46342 0 35 0.5
hru00103 0.0368 91.46342 0 35 0.5

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the topography.hyd file.
NAME Sequential number of topo in file
SLOPE Average slope steepness in HRU (m/m)
SLOPE_LEN Average slope length for erosion (m)
LAT_LEN Slope length for lateral subsurface flow (m)
DIS_STREAM Average distance to stream (m)
 120 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
DEP_CO Deposition coefficient

FIELD.FLD

Below is a sample FIELD.FLD FILE:

field.fld
NAME LENGTH WIDTH ANGLE
ditch_bench 600 8 30

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the field.fld file.
NAME Name of the field
LENGTH Field length for wind erosion (m)
WID Field width for wind erosion (m)
ANG Field angle for wind erosion (m)

STRUCTURAL –

TILEDRAIN.STR
Tile drains remove excess water for an area to optimize plant growth. Drains may be added at the
beginning of the simulation in the .mgt file. To account for the installation of tile drains mid-simulation, the
option was included as a schedulable operation.

Below is a sample TILEDRAIN.STR FILE:

tiledrain.str
NAME DEPTH TIME LAG RADIUS DIST DRAIN_CO PUMPCAP LATKSAT
mw24_1000 1000 24 96 100 30 10 1 2

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not processed
by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
NAME Name
DEPTH Depth of drain tube from the soil surface
TIME Time to drain soil to field capacity
 SWAT+ INPUTS 121
LAG Drain tile lag time
RADIUS Effective radius of drains (mm)
Range (3.0 – 40.0 mm)
DIST Distance between two drain tubes or tiles (mm)
Range (7600 – 30000 mm)
DRAIN_CO Daily drainage coefficient (mm day-1).
Tile drainage routines flag/code: 1 = DRAINMOD tile equations
(Subroutine DRAINS)
Range (10-51 mm day-1)
PUMPCAP Pump capacity (mm h-1)
Default value = 1.042 mm h-1 or 22 mm day-1
LATKSAT Multiplication factor to determine lateral ksat (conk(j1,j)) from
SWAT ksat input value (sol_k(j1,j)) for HRU
Range (0.01 - 4.00)

SEPTIC.STR
The Onsite Wastewater Systems (OWSs) input file contains information related to a diversity of features of OWSs
within the subbasin. Data contained in the septic.dat data file are: type of septic system, geometry of biozone,
characteristics of biomass, and bio-physical reaction coefficients occurring in the biozone (Adapted from Siegrist
et al., 2005).

Below is a partial sample SEPTIC.STR FILE: (ALL VARIABLES NOT INCLUDED IN SAMPLE):
septic.str
NAME TYP YR OPT CAP AREA TFAIL DEPTH THK STRM_DISTDENSITY BD
standard 1 0 0 2.5 100 70 500 50 0.5 1.5 1000
failing 1 0 0 2.5 100 1 500 50 0.5 1.5 1000

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not processed
by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
NAME Name
122 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
TYP The type of septic system

Type Definition
1 Generic type conventional system
2 Generic type advanced system
3 Septic tank with conventional drainfield
4 Septic tank with SASa type 1
5 Septic tank with SAS type 2
6 Septic tank with in-tank N removal and SAS
7 Septic tank with effluent N removal recycle
8 Septic tank with corrugated plastic trickling
Filter
9 Septic tank with open-cell form trickling filter
10 Single pass sand filter 1
11 Single pass sand filter 2
12 Single pass sand filter 3
13 Single pass sand filter 4
14 At grade recirculating sand filter
15 Maryland style RSFb
16 RSF
17 Septic tank w/ constructed wetland
and surface water discharge
18 Municipal wastewater w/ constructed wetland
and surface water discharge 1
19 Municipal wastewater w/ constructed wetland
and surface water discharge 2
20 Municipal wastewater w/ constructed wetland
21 Municipal wastewater w/ lagoon and
constructed wetland
22 Waterloo biofilter (plastic media) 1
23 Waterloo biofilter (plastic media) 2
24 Peat biofilter
25 Recirculating textile filter
26 Foam or textile filter effluent
27 Septic, recirculating gravel filter,
UV disinfection
28 Untreated Effluent - Texas A&M reference
Year the septic system became operational (eg 1980).
YR
If 0 is input for isep_iyr, the model assumes the septic system is in
operation at the beginning of the simulation
 SWAT+ INPUTS 123
OPT Initial septic HRU operational condition. User can define the default
condition of a septic HRU as either active (sep_opt=1), failing
(sep_opt=2), or non-septic (sep_opt=0). An active system
automatically becomes failing as biozone layer gets clogged over
time. A failing system turns to an active system after user specified
“number of days for rehabilitation” defined by isep_tfail.

CAP Number of permanent residents in the house. SEP_cap for a typical

US residence is 2.5 and ranges 1~10000.
AREA Average area of drainfield of individual septic systems (m2).
Typically recommended drainfield area per person is about 40 to
70 (m2). This varies from state to state in the United States. For a
household with 2.5 people, generally a drainfield area of 100 (m2)
is recommended. User can modify the bz_area based on the
number of people in a household. The bz_area and sep_cap may be
modified appropriately to study the effects of larger population
size using septic systems.
TFAIL Time until failing systems gets fixed (days). An active system
becomes failing as the biozone gets clogged and hydraulic failure
occurs. A failing system automatically turns active during the
simulation and septic parameters are re-initialized to default values
after the user specified number of days (days assigned for
isep_tfail) for rehabilitation. The default value for isep_tfail is 70
days but it can range between 10~100000 days. For testing long
term failure, isep_tfail can be increased as per the failing duration.
isep_opt should be set at 2 for simulating failing conditions..
Z Depth to the top of biozone layer from the ground surface (mm).
The thickness includes top soil layer and septic tank effluent (STE)
distribution chamber including perforated pipe. The default is
500mm and the depth typically ranges between 10-10000mm.
THK Thickness of the biozone layer (mm). The biozone layer is thin soil
layer underneath the STE distribution chamber where pollutants
are degraded by naturally existing live biomass bacteria. The
default thickness is 50mm and ranges 5~100mm.

STRM_DIST Distance to the stream from the septic HRU (km)

Currently not available.
DENSITY Number of septic systems per square kilometer.
Currently not available.
BD Density of biomass (kg/m3), typically in the range of 900~1100
kg/m3. The default is 1000 kg/m3.
 124 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
BOD_DC BOD decay rate coefficient. Biozone BOD coefficient is
normalized by the volume of biomass in the formula. The default
value is 0.5 and the value ranges 0.1~ 5.
BOD_CONV A conversion factor representing the proportion of mass bacterial
growth and mass BOD degraded in the STE. The default value is
0.32 and the value ranges 0.1~ 0.5.
FC1 Linear coefficient for calculation of field capacity in the biozone.
The default value is 30 and the value ranges 0~ 50.
FC2 Exponential coefficient for calculation of field capacity in the
biozone. The default value is 0.8 and the value ranges 0.5~ 1.
FECAL Fecal coliform bacteria decay rate coefficient. Biozone fecal
coliform coefficient is normalized by the volume of biomass in the
formula. The default value is 1.3 and the value ranges 0.5~ 2.
PLQ Conversion factor for plaque from total dissolved solids. The
default value is 0.1 and the value ranges 0.08~ 0.95.
MRT Mortality rate coefficient. The default value is 0.5 and the value
ranges 0.01~ 1.
RSP Respiration rate coefficient. The default value is 0.16 and the value
ranges 0.01~ 1.
SLG1 Linear coefficient for calculating the rate of biomass sloughing.
The default value is 0.3 and the value ranges 0.01~ 0.5.
SLG2 Exponential coefficient for calculating the rate of biomass
sloughing. The default value is 0.5 and the value ranges 0.1~ 2.5.
NITR Nitrification rate coefficient. Biozone nitrification rate coefficient
is normalized by the volume of biomass in the formula. The
default value is 1.5 and the value ranges 0.1~ 300.
DENITR Denitrification rate coefficient. Biozone denitrification rate
coefficient is normalized by the volume of biomass in the formula.
The default value is 0.32 and the value ranges 0.1~50.
PDISTRB Linear P sorption distribution coefficient (L/kg). The default value
is 128 and the value ranges 1.4~478.
PSORPMAX Maximum P sorption capacity (mg P/kg Soil). The default value is
850 and the value ranges 0~17600.
SOLPSLP Slope of the linear effluent soluble P equation. The default value is
0.04 and the value ranges 0~0.3.
SOLPINTC Intercept of the linear effluent soluble P equation. The default
value is 3.1 and the value ranges 0~10.

FILTERSTRIP.STR
A filter strip is a strip of dense vegetation located to intercept runoff from upslope pollutant sources and
filter it. Filter strips remove contaminants by reducing overland flow velocity which results in the deposition of
 SWAT+ INPUTS 125
particulates. The filter strip area also acts as an area of increased infiltration, reducing both the runoff volume
and non-particulate contaminants. The filter strip used algorithm used in SWAT was derived from White and
Arnold (2009). Filter strips reduce sediment, nutrients, bacteria, and pesticides, but do not affect surface runoff
in SWAT. The variables which may be entered on the pesticide application line are listed and described below.

Below is a sample FILTERSTRIP.STR FILE:

filterstrip.str
NAME VFSRATIO VFSCON VFSCH
field_border 0.1 0.003 0.2 Field_border
high_engineered 0.1 0.001 0.05 Highly_engineered_low_channelized

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not processed
by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
NAME Name
VFSI Flag for the simulation of filter strips (VFSI = 1/0 active/inactive).
VFSRATIO Ratio of field area to filter strip area (unitless). Ranges from 0 to
300 with values from 30-60 being most common. Default value is
40
VFSCON Fraction of the HRU which drains to the most concentrated ten
percent of the filters strip area. Runoff generated upslope a filter
strip is not uniformly distributed across the entire length of the
strip. Ten percent of the filter strip can receive between 0.25 and
0.75 of the runoff from the entire filed. Default value is 0.5.
VFSCH Fraction of the flow within the most concentrated ten percent of
the filter strip which is fully channelized (dimensionless). Flow
which is fully channelized is not subject to filtering or infiltration
effects. Default value is 0.0

GRASSEDWW.STR

Grassed waterways are vegetated channels which transport runoff from a field. Vegetation within the
waterways reduces flow velocities, and protects the waterway from the scouring potential of concentrated flow.
These are generally broad and shallow channels; the channel simulated in SWAT has a side slope of 8:1. Grasses
waterways trap sediment and other contaminants by reducing flow velocities which increases deposition of
particulate contaminates.

Below is a sample GRASSEDWW.STR FILE:

 126 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
grassedww.str
NAME MAN_N SPCON DEPTH WIDTH LENGTH SLOPE
grwway_high 0.05 0.02 1 4 0.5 0.1 Slope_>8
grwway_med 0.05 0.02 0.75 3 0.75 0.035 Slope_2-5
grwway_low 0.05 0.02 0.5 2 1 0.01 Slope_0-2

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not processed
by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
NAME Name
GRWAT_I On/off Flag for waterway simulation
GRWAT_N Mannings's n for grassed waterway
GRWAT_SPCON sediment transport coefficient defined by user
GRWAT_D depth of Grassed waterway (m)
GRWAT_W width of grass waterway
GRWAT_L length of Grass Waterway (km)
GRWAT_S slope of grass waterway (m/m)

BMPUSER.STR
There are many conservation practices for which approximate removal efficiencies have been established
which are unsupported by SWAT or any other existing model. To allow these practices to be included, this generic
conservation practice operation allows fixed removal efficiencies to be specified by constituent.

Below is a sample BMPUSER.STR FILE:

bmpuser.str - Little River Experimental Watershed

NAME BMP_FLAG BMP_SED BMP_PP BMP_SP BMP_PN BMP_SN BMP_BAC
bmpusr1 1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not processed
by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
NAME User BMP Name
BMP_FLAG Code to turn on/off user BMP (range 0-1)( mgt1i)
BMP_SED Sediment removal by BMP (%) (range 0-100)
BMP_PP Particulate (Organic) phosphorous removal by BMP (%) (range 0-
100)
BMP_SP Soluble phosphorous removal by BMP (%) (range 0-100)
 SWAT+ INPUTS 127
BMP_PN Particulate (Organic) nitrogen removal by BMP (%) (range 0-100)
BMP_SN Soluble nitrogen removal by BMP (%) (range 0-100)
BMP_BAC Bacteria removed by BMP (%) (range 0-100)

HRU_PARM_DB– The parameters database files are supplied with the model containing
Input parameters for most of the common plants, fertilizers, pesticides, urban, are included in
the database files with the option for the user to add new parameters to each file.
PLANTS.PLT
Information required to simulate plant growth is stored by plant species in the plant growth database file. This
database file is supplied with the model. The plant growth database distributed with SWAT includes parameters
for most of the common plant species. If a user needs to model a land use or plant not included in the database,
please feel free to contact the SWAT development team for assistance in determining plant parameters. Appendix
A documents the source of parameter values in the distributed database file. Below is a partial sample PLANTS.PLT
file (see plants.plt in example input dataset directory for complete file):

plants.plt:
name plnt_typ plnt_hu bm_e harv_idx lai_pot frac_hu1 lai_max1 frac_hu2 lai_max2 hu_lai_deccan_ht_mart_dp_max
agrl warm_ann 2000 33.5 0.45 3 0.15 0.05 0.5 0.95 0.64 1 2
agrr warm_ann 2000 39 0.5 3 0.15 0.05 0.5 0.95 0.7 2.5 2
agrc cold_annua 2000 30 0.4 4 0.05 0.05 0.45 0.95 0.5 0.9 1.3
orcd trees 2000 15 0.1 4 0.1 0.15 0.5 0.75 0.99 3.5 2
hay perennial 2000 35 0.9 4 0.05 0.05 0.49 0.95 0.99 0.5 2
frst trees 2000 15 0.76 5 0.05 0.05 0.4 0.95 0.99 6 3.5
frsd trees 2000 15 0.76 5 0.05 0.05 0.4 0.95 0.99 6 3.5
frse trees 2000 15 0.76 5 0.15 0.7 0.25 0.99 0.99 10 3.5
wetl perennial 2000 47 0.9 6 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.95 0.7 2.5 2.2
wetf trees 2000 15 0.76 5 0.05 0.05 0.4 0.95 0.99 6 3.5
wetn perennial 2000 47 0.9 6 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.95 0.7 2.5 2.2

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments.
The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
128 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PLANTNM A four character code to represent the land cover/plant
name.
The 4-letter codes in the plant growth and urban databases
are used by the GIS interfaces to link land use/land cover
maps to SWAT plant types. This code is printed to the
output files.
When adding a new plant species or land cover category,
the four letter code for the new plant must be unique.
Required.
PLNT_TYP Land cover/plant classification (read in as character):
warm_annual_legume
cold_annual_legume
perennial_legume
warm_annual
cold_annual
perennial
trees
tropical_trees
tropical_grasses
Processes modeled differently for the 7 groups are:
1 warm season annual legume
• simulate nitrogen fixation
• root depth varies during growing season due to root
growth
2 cold season annual legume
• simulate nitrogen fixation
• root depth varies during growing season due to root
growth
fall-planted land covers will go dormant when daylength is
less than the threshold daylength
 SWAT+ INPUTS 129
Variable name Definition
3 perennial legume
IDC, cont.
• simulate nitrogen fixation
• root depth always equal to the maximum allowed
for the plant species and soil
• plant goes dormant when daylength is less than the
threshold daylength
4 warm season annual
• root depth varies during growing season due to root
growth
5 cold season annual
• root depth varies during growing season due to root
growth
• fall-planted land covers will go dormant when
daylength is less than the threshold daylength
6 perennial
• root depth always equal to the maximum allowed
for the plant species and soil
• plant goes dormant when daylength is less than the
threshold daylength
7 trees
• root depth always equal to the maximum allowed
for the plant species and soil
• partitions new growth between leaves/needles
(20%) and woody growth (80%). At the end of each
growing season, a fraction of the biomass is
converted to residue
Required.
PHU Total number of heat units to bring crop to maturity
BIO_E Radiation-use efficiency or biomass-energy ratio
((kg/ha)/(MJ/m2)).
Radiation-use efficiency (RUE) is the amount of dry
biomass produced per unit intercepted solar radiation. The
radiation-use efficiency is assumed to be independent of
the plant’s growth stage. BIO_E represents the potential or
unstressed growth rate (including roots) per unit of
intercepted photosynthetically active radiation.
130 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
BIO_E, cont. Determination of RUE is commonly performed and a
literature review will provide those setting up experiments
with numerous examples. The following overview of the
methodology used to measure RUE was summarized from
Kiniry et al (1998) and Kiniry et al (1999).
To calculate RUE, the amount of photosynthetically active
radiation (PAR) intercepted and the mass of aboveground
biomass is measured several times throughout a plant’s
growing season. The frequency of the measurements taken
will vary but in general 4 to 7 measurements per growing
season are considered to be adequate. As with leaf area
determinations, the measurements should be performed on
non-stressed plants.
Intercepted radiation is measured with a light meter. Whole
spectrum and PAR sensors are available and calculations
of RUE will be performed differently depending on the
sensor used. A brief discussion of the difference between
whole spectrum and PAR sensors and the difference in
calculations is given in Kiniry (1999). The use of a PAR
sensor in RUE studies is strongly encouraged.
When measuring radiation, three to five sets of
measurements are taken rapidly for each plant plot. A set
of measurements consists of 10 measurements above the
leaf canopy, 10 below, and 10 more above. The light
measurements should be taken between 10:00 am and 2:00
pm local time.
The measurements above and below the leaf canopy are
averaged and the fraction of intercepted PAR is calculated
for the day from the two values. Daily estimates of the
fraction of intercepted PAR are determined by linearly
interpolating the measured values.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 131
Variable name Definition
BIO_E, cont. The fraction of intercepted PAR is converted to an amount
of intercepted PAR using daily values of incident total solar
radiation measured with a standard weather station. To
convert total incident radiation to total incident PAR, the
daily solar radiation values are multiplied by the percent of
total radiation that has a wavelength between 400 and 700
mm. This percent usually falls in the range 45 to 55% and
is a function of cloud cover. 50% is considered to be a
default value.
Once daily intercepted PAR values are determined, the
total amount of PAR intercepted by the plant is calculated
for each date on which biomass was harvested. This is
calculated by summing daily intercepted PAR values from
the date of seedling emergence to the date of biomass
harvest.
To determine biomass production, aboveground biomass is
harvested from a known area of land within the plot. The
plant material should be dried at least 2 days at 65°C and
then weighed.
RUE is determined by fitting a linear regression for
aboveground biomass as a function of intercepted PAR.
The slope of the line is the RUE. Figure 14-1 shows the
plots of aboveground biomass and summed intercepted
photosynthetically active radiation for Eastern gamagrass.
(Note that the units for RUE values in the graph, as well as
values typically reported in literature, are different from
those used by SWAT. To obtain the value used in SWAT,
multiply by 10.)
This parameter can greatly change the rate of growth,
incidence of stress during the season and the resultant yield.
This parameter should be one of the last to be adjusted.
Adjustments should be based on research results. Care
should be taken to make adjustments based only on data
with no drought, nutrient or temperature stress.
Required.
132 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

Variable name Definition

Figure 14-1: Aboveground biomass and summed intercepted photosynthetically

active radiation for Eastern gamagrass (after Kiniry et al.,1999).
HVSTI Harvest index for optimal growing conditions.
The harvest index defines the fraction of the aboveground
biomass that is removed in a harvest operation. This value
defines the fraction of plant biomass that is “lost” from the
system and unavailable for conversion to residue and
subsequent decomposition. For crops where the harvested
portion of the plant is aboveground, the harvest index is
always a fraction less than 1. For crops where the harvested
portion is belowground, the harvest index may be greater
than 1. Two harvest indices are provided in the database,
the harvest index for optimal growing conditions (HVSTI)
and the harvest index under highly stressed growing
conditions (WSYF).
 SWAT+ INPUTS 133
Variable name Definition
HVSTI, cont. To determine the harvest index, the plant biomass removed
during the harvest operation is dried at least 2 days at 65°C
and weighed. The total aboveground plant biomass in the
field should also be dried and weighed. The harvest index
is then calculated by dividing the weight of the harvested
portion of the plant biomass by the weight of the total
aboveground plant biomass. Plants will need to be grown
in two different plots where optimal climatic conditions
and stressed conditions are produced to obtain values for
both harvest indices.
Required.
BLAI Maximum potential leaf area index.
BLAI is one of six parameters use to quantify leaf area
development of a plant species during the growing season.
Figure 14-2 illustrates the relationship of the database
parameters to the leaf area development modeled by
SWAT.

Figure 14-2: Leaf area index as a function of fraction of growing season for Alamo switchgrass
134 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
BLAI, cont. To identify the leaf area development parameters, record
the leaf area index and number of accumulated heat units
for the plant species throughout the growing season and
then plot the results. For best results, several years worth of
field data should be collected. At the very minimum, data
for two years is recommended. It is important that the
plants undergo no water or nutrient stress during the years
in which data is collected.
The leaf area index incorporates information about the
plant density, so field experiments should either be set up
to reproduce actual plant densities or the maximum LAI
value for the plant determined from field experiments
should be adjusted to reflect plant densities desired in the
simulation. Maximum LAI values in the default database
correspond to plant densities associated with rainfed
agriculture.
The leaf area index is calculated by dividing the green leaf
area by the land area. Because the entire plant must be
harvested to determine the leaf area, the field experiment
needs to be designed to include enough plants to
accommodate all leaf area measurements made during the
year.
Although measuring leaf area can be laborious for large
samples, there is no intrinsic difficulty in the process. The
most common method is to obtain an electronic scanner and
feed the harvested green leaves and stems into the scanner.
Older methods for estimating leaf area include tracing of
the leaves (or weighed subsamples) onto paper, the use of
planimeters, the punch disk method of Watson (1958) and
the linear dimension method of Duncan and Hesketh
(1968).
Chapter 5:1 in the Theoretical Documentation reviews the
methodology used to calculate accumulated heat units for a
plant at different times of the year as well as determination
of the fraction of total, or potential, heat units that is
required for the plant database.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 135
Variable name Definition
BLAI, cont. The values for BLAI in the plant growth database are based
on average plant densities in dryland (rainfed) agriculture.
BLAI may need to be adjusted for drought-prone regions
where planting densities are much smaller or irrigated
conditions where densities are much greater.
Required.
FRGRW1 Fraction of the plant growing season or fraction of total
potential heat units corresponding to the 1st point on the
optimal leaf area development curve.
Please see Figure 14-2 and the explanation given for
parameter BLAI to obtain additional information about this
parameter and methods used to measure it.
Required.
LAIMX1 Fraction of the maximum leaf area index corresponding to
the 1st point on the optimal leaf area development curve.
Please see Figure 14-2 and the explanation given for
parameter BLAI to obtain additional information about this
parameter and methods used to measure it.
Required.
FRGRW2 Fraction of the plant growing season or fraction of total
potential heat units corresponding to the 2nd point on the
optimal leaf area development curve.
Please see Figure 14-2 and the explanation given for
parameter BLAI to obtain additional information about this
parameter and methods used to measure it.
Required.
LAIMX2 Fraction of the maximum leaf area index corresponding to
the 2nd point on the optimal leaf area development curve.
Please see Figure 14-2 and the explanation given for
parameter BLAI to obtain additional information about this
parameter and methods used to measure it.
Required.
136 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
DLAI Fraction of growing season when leaf area begins to decline.
Please see Figure 14-2 and the explanation given for
parameter BLAI to obtain additional information about this
parameter and methods used to measure it.
Required.
CHTMX Maximum canopy height (m).
Maximum canopy height is a straightforward measurement.
The canopy height of non-stressed plants should be recorded
at intervals throughout the growing season. The maximum
value recorded is used in the database.
Required.
RDMX Maximum root depth (m).
To determine maximum rooting depth, plant samples need to
be grown on soils without an impermeable layer. Once the
plants have reached maturity, soil cores are taken for the
entire depth of the soil. Each 0.25 meter increment is washed
and the live plant material collected. Live roots can be
differentiated from dead roots by the fact that live roots are
whiter and more elastic and have an intact cortex. The
deepest increment of the soil core in which live roots are
found defines the maximum rooting depth.
Required.
T_OPT Optimal temperature for plant growth (ºC).
Both optimal and base temperatures are very stable for
cultivars within a species.
Optimal temperature for plant growth is difficult to measure
directly. Looking at Figure 14-3, one might be tempted to
select the temperature corresponding to the peak of the plot
as the optimal temperature. This would not be correct.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 137
Variable name Definition
T_OPT, cont. The peak of the plot defines the optimal temperature for
leaf development—not for plant growth.
If an optimal temperature cannot be obtained through a
review of literature, use the optimal temperature listed for
a plant already in the database with similar growth habits.
Review of temperatures for many different plants have
provided generic values for base and optimal temperatures
as a function of growing season. In situations, where
temperature information is unavailable, these values may
be used. For warm season plants, the generic base
temperature is ~8ºC and the generic optimal temperature is
~25ºC. For cool season plants, the generic base temperature
is ~0ºC and the generic optimal temperature is ~13ºC.
Required.
T_BASE Minimum (base) temperature for plant growth (ºC).
SWAT uses the base temperature to calculate the number
of heat units accrued every day. The minimum or base
temperature for plant growth varies with growth stage of
the plant. However, this variation is ignored by the
model—SWAT uses the same base temperature throughout
the growing season.
Base temperature is measured by growing plants in growth
chambers at several different temperatures. The rate of leaf
tip appearance as a function of temperature is plotted.
Extrapolating the line to the leaf tip appearance rate of 0.0
leaves/day gives the base or minimum temperature for
plant growth. Figure 14-3 plots data for corn. (Note that the
line intersects the x-axis at 8°C.)
Required.
138 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
T_BASE, cont.

Figure 14-3: Rate of leaf tip appearance as a function of temperature for corn (after Kiniry et
al, 1991)

CNYLD Normal fraction of nitrogen in yield (kg N/kg yield).

In addition to the amount of plant biomass removed in the
yield, SWAT needs to know the amount of nitrogen and
phosphorus removed in the yield. The harvested portion of
the plant biomass is sent to a testing laboratory to determine
the fraction of nitrogen and phosphorus in the biomass.
This value is estimated on a dry weight basis.
Required.
CPYLD Normal fraction of phosphorus in yield (kg P/kg yield).
In addition to the amount of plant biomass removed in the
yield, SWAT needs to know the amount of nitrogen and
phosphorus removed in the yield. The harvested portion of
the plant biomass is sent to a testing laboratory to determine
the fraction of nitrogen and phosphorus in the biomass.
This value is estimated on a dry weight basis.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 139
Variable name Definition
PLTNFR1 Nitrogen uptake parameter #1: normal fraction of nitrogen
in plant biomass at emergence (kg N/kg biomass)
In order to calculate the plant nutrient demand throughout
a plant’s growing cycle, SWAT needs to know the fraction
of nutrient in the total plant biomass (on a dry weight basis)
at different stages of crop growth. Six variables in the plant
database provide this information: PLTNFR(1),
PLTNFR(2), PLTNFR(3), PLTPFR(1), PLTPFR(2), and
PLTPFR(3). Plant samples are analyzed for nitrogen and
phosphorus content at three times during the growing
season: shortly after emergence, near the middle of the
season, and at maturity. The plant samples can be sent to
testing laboratories to obtain the fraction of nitrogen and
phosphorus in the biomass.
Ideally, the plant samples tested for nutrient content should
include the roots as well as the aboveground biomass.
Differences in partitioning of nutrients to roots and shoots
can cause erroneous conclusions when comparing
productivity among species if only the aboveground
biomass is measured.
Required.
PLTNFR2 Nitrogen uptake parameter #2: normal fraction of nitrogen
in plant biomass at 50% maturity (kg N/kg biomass)
Please read the explanation for parameter PLTNFR(1) to
obtain additional information about this parameter and
methods used to measure it.
Required.
PLTNFR3 Nitrogen uptake parameter #3: normal fraction of nitrogen
in plant biomass at maturity (kg N/kg biomass)
Please read the explanation for parameter PLTNFR(1) to
obtain additional information about this parameter and
methods used to measure it.
Required.
140 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
PLTPFR1 Phosphorus uptake parameter #1: normal fraction of
phosphorus in plant biomass at emergence (kg P/kg
biomass)
Please read the explanation for parameter PLTNFR(1) to
obtain additional information about this parameter and
methods used to measure it.
Required.
PLTPFR2 Phosphorus uptake parameter #2: normal fraction of
phosphorus in plant biomass at 50% maturity (kg P/kg
biomass)
Please read the explanation for parameter PLTNFR(1) to
obtain additional information about this parameter and
methods used to measure it.
Required.
PLTPFR3 Phosphorus uptake parameter #3: normal fraction of
phosphorus in plant biomass at maturity (kg P/kg biomass)
Please read the explanation for parameter PLTNFR(1) to
obtain additional information about this parameter and
methods used to measure it.
Required.
WSYF Lower limit of harvest index ((kg/ha)/(kg/ha)).
The value between 0.0 and HVSTI which represents the
lowest harvest index expected due to water stress.
Please read the explanation for parameter HVSTI to obtain
additional information about this parameter and methods
used to measure it.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 141
Variable name Definition
USLE_C Minimum value of USLE C factor for water erosion
applicable to the land cover/plant.
The minimum C factor can be estimated from a known
average annual C factor using the following equation
(Arnold and Williams, 1995):
CUSLE ,mn = 1.463 ln[CUSLE ,aa ] + 0.1034
where CUSLE,mn is the minimum C factor for the land cover
and CUSLE,aa is the average annual C factor for the land
cover.
Required.
GSI Maximum stomatal conductance at high solar radiation and
low vapor pressure deficit (m·s-1).
Stomatal conductance of water vapor is used in the
Penman-Monteith calculations of maximum plant
evapotranspiration. The plant database contains three
variables pertaining to stomatal conductance that are
required only if the Penman-Monteith equations are chosen
to model evapotranspiration: maximum stomatal
conductance (GSI), and two variables that define the
impact of vapor pressure deficit on stomatal conductance
(FRGMAX, VPDFR).
Körner et al (1979) defines maximum leaf diffusive
conductance as the largest value of conductance observed
in fully developed leaves of well-watered plants under
optimal climatic conditions, natural outdoor CO2
concentrations and sufficient nutrient supply. Leaf
diffusive conductance of water vapor cannot be measured
directly but can be calculated from measurements of
transpiration under known climatic conditions. A number
of different methods are used to determine diffusive
conductance: transpiration measurements in
photosynthesis cuvettes, energy balance measurements or
weighing experiments, ventilated diffusion porometers and
non-ventilated porometers. Körner (1977) measured
diffusive conductance using a ventilated diffusion
porometer.
142 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
GSI, cont. To obtain maximum leaf conductance values, leaf
conductance is determined between sunrise and late
morning until a clear decline or no further increase is
observed. Depending on phenology, measurements are
taken on at least three bright days in late spring and
summer, preferably just after a rainy period. The means of
maximum leaf conductance of 5 to 10 samples each day are
averaged, yielding the maximum diffusive conductance for
the species. Due to the variation of the location of stomata
on plant leaves for different plant species, conductance
values should be calculated for the total leaf surface area.
Required.
VPDFR Vapor pressure deficit (kPa) corresponding to the second
point on the stomatal conductance curve.
(The first point on the stomatal conductance curve is
comprised of a vapor pressure deficit of 1 kPa and the
fraction of maximum stomatal conductance equal to 1.00.)
As with radiation-use efficiency, stomatal conductance is
sensitive to vapor pressure deficit. Stockle et al (1992)
compiled a short list of stomatal conductance response to
vapor pressure deficit for a few plant species. Due to the
paucity of data, default values for the second point on the
stomatal conductance vs. vapor pressure deficit curve are
used for all plant species in the database. The fraction of
maximum stomatal conductance (FRGMAX) is set to 0.75
and the vapor pressure deficit corresponding to the fraction
given by FRGMAX (VPDFR) is set to 4.00 kPa. If the user
has actual data, they should use those values, otherwise the
default values are adequate.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 143
Variable name Definition
GMAXFR Fraction of maximum stomatal conductance corresponding
to the second point on the stomatal conductance curve.
(The first point on the stomatal conductance curve is
comprised of a vapor pressure deficit of 1 kPa and the
fraction of maximum stomatal conductance equal to 1.00.)
Please read the explanation for parameter VPDFR to obtain
additional information about this parameter and methods
used to measure it.
Required.
WAVP Rate of decline in radiation use efficiency per unit increase
in vapor pressure deficit.
Stockle and Kiniry (1990) first noticed a relationship
between RUE and vapor pressure deficit and were able to
explain a large portion of within-species variability in RUE
values for sorghum and corn by plotting RUE values as a
function of average daily vapor pressure deficit values.
Since this first article, a number of other studies have been
conducted that support the dependence of RUE on vapor
pressure deficit. However, there is still some debate in the
scientific community on the validity of this relationship. If
the user does not wish to simulate a change in RUE with
vapor pressure deficit, the variable WAVP can be set to 0.0
for the plant.
To define the impact of vapor pressure deficit on RUE,
vapor pressure deficit values must be recorded during the
growing seasons that RUE determinations are being made.
It is important that the plants are exposed to no other stress
than vapor pressure deficit, i.e. plant growth should not be
limited by lack of soil water and nutrients.
Vapor pressure deficits can be calculated from relative
humidity (see Chapter 1:2 in Theoretical Documentation)
or from daily maximum and minimum temperatures using
the technique of Diaz and Campbell (1988) as described by
Stockle and Kiniry (1990). The change in RUE with vapor
pressure deficit is determined by fitting a linear regression
for RUE as a function of vapor pressure deficit. Figure 14-
4 shows a plot of RUE as a function of vapor pressure
deficit for grain sorghum.

Variable name Definition

144 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
WAVP, cont.

Figure 14-4: Response of radiation-use efficiency to mean daily vapor pressure deficit for grain
sorghum (after Kiniry, 1999).

From Figure 14-4, the rate of decline in radiation-use

efficiency per unit increase in vapor pressure deficit,
∆ruedcl, for sorghum is 8.4×10-1 g⋅MJ-1⋅kPa-1. When RUE is
adjusted for vapor pressure deficit, the model assumes the
RUE value reported for BIO_E is the radiation-use
efficiency at a vapor pressure deficit of 1 kPa.
The value of WAVP varies among species, but a value of 6
to 8 is suggested as an approximation for most plants.
Required.
CO2HI Elevated CO2 atmospheric concentration (μL CO2/L air)
corresponding the 2nd point on the radiation use efficiency
curve.
(The 1st point on the radiation use efficiency curve is
comprised of the ambient CO2 concentration, 330 μL
CO2/L air, and the biomass-energy ratio reported for
BIO_E)
 SWAT+ INPUTS 145
Variable name Definition
CO2HI, cont. In order to assess the impact of climate change on
agricultural productivity, SWAT incorporates equations
that adjust RUE for elevated atmospheric CO2
concentrations. Values must be entered for CO2HI and
BIOEHI in the plant database whether or not the user plans
to simulate climate change.
For simulations in which elevated CO2 levels are not
modeled, CO2HI should be set to some number greater
than 330 ppmv and BIOEHI should be set to some number
greater than BIO_E.
To obtain radiation-use efficiency values at elevated CO2
levels for plant species not currently in the database, plants
should be established in growth chambers set up in the field
or laboratory where CO2 levels can be controlled. RUE
values are determined using the same methodology
described in the explanation of BIO_E.
Required.
BIOEHI Biomass-energy ratio corresponding to the 2nd point on the
radiation use efficiency curve.
(The 1st point on the radiation use efficiency curve is
comprised of the ambient CO2 concentration, 330 μL
CO2/L air, and the biomass-energy ratio reported for
BIO_E.)
Please read the explanation for parameter CO2HI and
BIO_E to obtain additional information about this
parameter and methods used to measure it.
Required.
RSDCO_PL Plant residue decomposition coefficient.
The plant residue decomposition coefficient is the fraction
of residue that will decompose in a day assuming optimal
moisture, temperature, C:N ratio, and C:P ratio.
This variable was originally in the basin input file (.bsn),
but was added to the crop database so that users could vary
decomposition by plant species. A default value of 0.05 is
used for all plant species in the database.
Required.
146 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
ALAI_MIN Minimum leaf area index for plant during dormant period
(m2/m2).
This variable pertains to perennials and trees only. (The
value is never used for other types of plants.) In versions of
SWAT prior to SWAT2012, the minimum leaf area index
for plants during the dormant period was always set to 0.75.
Because this value was not ideal for all plants (trees in
particular), users are now allowed to vary the minimum
LAI for dormancy.
Please see the explanation given for parameter BLAI to
obtain additional information about this parameter and
methods used to measure it.
Required.
LAIXCO_TREE Fraction of tree biomass accumulated each year that is
converted to residue during dormancy.
This variable pertains to trees only. (The value is never
used for other types of plants.) BIO_LEAF governs the
amount of biomass that falls off the tree and is converted to
residue when the plant goes dormant in the winter. In
versions of SWAT prior to SWAT2012, the fraction of
biomass converted to residue at the beginning of dormancy
was always defined as 0.30.
Required if land cover is classified as a tree (see IDC).
MAT_YRS Number of years required for tree species to reach full
development (years).
This variable pertains to trees only. (The value is never
used for other types of plants.)
Required if land cover is classified as a tree (see IDC).
BMX_PEREN Maximum biomass for a forest (metric tons/ha).
This variable pertains to trees only. (The value is never
used for other types of plants.)
The maximum biomass for a mature forest stand generally
falls in the range of 30-50 metric tons/ha.
Required if land cover is classified as a tree (see IDC).
EXT_COEF Light extinction coefficient.
This coefficient is used to calculate the amount of
intercepted photosynthetically active radiation. In versions
of SWAT prior to SWAT2012, the light extinction
coefficient was always defined as 0.65.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 147
EXT_COEF Differences in canopy structure for a species are described
(CONT) by the number of leaves present (leaf area index) and the
leaf orientation. Leaf orientation has a significant impact
on light interception and consequently on radiation-use
efficiency. More erect leaf types spread the incoming light
over a greater leaf area, decreasing the average light
intensity intercepted by individual leaves (Figure 14-5). A
reduction in light intensity interception by an individual
leaf favors a more complete conversion of total canopy-
intercepted light energy into biomass.

vertically
oriented
leaf

horizontally oriented leaf

Figure 14-5: Light intensity interception as a function of leaf
orientation. The vertically oriented leaf intercepts 4 units of light while
a horizontally oriented leaf of the same length intercepts 6 units of light.
Using the light extinction coefficient value (kℓ) in the Beer-
Lambert formula (equation 5:2.1.1) to quantify efficiency
of light interception per unit leaf area index, more erect leaf
types have a smaller kℓ.
To calculate the light extinction coefficient, the amount of
photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) intercepted and
the mass of aboveground biomass (LAI) is measured
several times throughout a plant’s growing season using the
methodology described in the previous sections. The light
extinction coefficient is then calculated using the Beer-
Lambert equation:
 TPAR  1
= (1 − exp(− k  ⋅ LAI )) or k  = − ln
TPAR
⋅
PAR  PAR  LAI
where TPAR is the transmitted photosynthetically active
radiation, and PAR is the incoming photosynthetically
active radiation.
LEAF_TOV_MIN Perennial leaf turnover rate with minimum stress (months)
LEAF_TOV_MAX Perennial leaf turnover rate with maximum stress (months)
148 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
BM_DIEOFF Biomass dieoff fraction.
This coefficient is the fraction above ground biomass that
dies off at dormancy. Default value = 0.10.
RSR1 Initial root to shoot ration at the beginning of the growing
season. Default = 0.40.
RSR2 Root to shoot ration at the end of the growing season.
Default = 0.20.
Plant population corresponding to the 1st point on the
POP1
population lai curve (plants/m^2)
Frac of max leaf area index corresponding to the 1st
FRLAI1
point on the leaf area development curve (frac)
Plant population corresponding to the 2nd point on the
POP2
population lai curve (plants/m^2)
Frac of max leaf area index corresponding to the 2nd
FRLAI2
point on the leaf area development curve (frac)
Frac of field capacity to initiate growth of tropical
FRSW_GRO
plants during monsoon season - pcom()%plcur()%iseason
(frac)
WIND_STL Wind erosion factor for standing live biomass
WIND_STD Wind erosion factor for standing dead residue
WIND_FLAT Wind erosion factor for flat residue
 SWAT+ INPUTS 149
FERTILIZER.FRT
The fertilizer database summarizes the relative fractions of nitrogen and phosphorus pools in the different
fertilizers. Information on levels of bacteria in manure is also stored in this file. Appendix A documents the source
of parameter values in the database file provided with the model. Below is a partial listing of the fertilizer.frt file.

fertilizer.fr
FERT_NAMFR_MINN FR_MINP FR_ORGN FR_ORGP FR_NH3n BACT_PER BACT_LPERBACT_KD FR_WEP FERT_TYPE
elem-n 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
elem-p 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
anh-nh3 0.82 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
150 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the fertilizer.frt file.
FERTNM Name of fertilizer/manure (up to 8 characters allowed).
Required.
FMINN Fraction of mineral N (NO3 and NH4) in fertilizer (kg min-
N/kg fertilizer).
Value should be between 0.0 and 1.0.
Required.
FMINP Fraction of mineral P in fertilizer (kg min-P/kg fertilizer).
Value should be between 0.0 and 1.0.
Required.
FORGN Fraction of organic N in fertilizer (kg org-N/kg fertilizer).
Value should be between 0.0 and 1.0.
Required.
FORGP Fraction of organic P in fertilizer (kg org-P/kg fertilizer).
Value should be between 0.0 and 1.0.
Required.
FNH3N Fraction of mineral N in fertilizer applied as ammonia (kg
NH3-N/kg min-N).
Value should be between 0.0 and 1.0.
Required.
BACTPDB Concentration of persistent bacteria in manure/fertilizer (#
cfu/g manure).
Optional.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 151
Variable name Definition
BACTLPDB Concentration of less-persistent bacteria in
manure/fertilizer (# cfu/g manure).
Optional.
BACTKDDB Fraction of bacteria in solution.
Value should be between 0.0 and 1.0. As the bacteria
partition coefficient approaches 0.0, bacteria is primarily
sorbed to soil particles. As the bacteria partition coefficient
approaches 1.0, bacteria is primarily in solution.
Optional.
 152 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
TILLAGE.TIL
Tillage operations redistribute nutrients, pesticide and residue in the soil profile. Appendix A documents the
source of parameter values in the database file provided with the model.
Below is a partial listing of the tillage.til file.
tillage.til:
TILLNM EFFMIX DEPTIL RANRNS RIDGE_HT RIDGE_SP Description
fallplow 0.95 150 75 0 0 genericfallplowingoperation
sprgplow 0.5 125 50 0 0 genericspringplowingoperation
constill 0.25 100 40 0 0 genericconservationtillage
zerotill 0.05 25 10 0 0 genericno-tillmixing
duckftc 0.55 100 15 0 0 duckfootcultivator
fldcult 0.3 100 20 0 0 fieldcultivator
furowout 0.75 25 15 0 0 furrow-outcultivator
marker 0.45 100 15 0 0 marker(cultivator)
rollcult 0.5 25 15 0 0 rollingcultivator
rowcult 0.25 25 15 0 0 rowcultivator
discovat 0.5 25 15 0 0 discovator
leveler 0.5 25 15 0 0 leveler
 SWAT+ INPUTS 153
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the tillage.til.res file.
TILLNM Name of fertilizer/manure (up to 8 characters allowed).
Required.
EFFMIX Mixing efficiency of tillage operation.
The mixing efficiency specifies the fraction of materials
(residue, nutrients and pesticides) on the soil surface which
are mixed uniformly throughout the soil depth specified by
DEPTIL. The remaining fraction of residue and nutrients is
left in the original location (soil surface or layer).
Required.
DEPTIL Depth of mixing caused by the tillage operation (mm).
Required.
RANRNS Random roughness (mm)
Required.
RIDGE_HT Ridge height (mm)
Required.
RIDGE_SP Ridge interval (mm)
Required.

PESTICIDE.PST
The pesticide database contains parameters that govern pesticide fate and transport in the HRUs. Appendix A
documents the source of parameter values in the database file provided with the model. Below is a partial listing
of the pesticide.pst file.
pesticide.p
PESTNM SKOC PST_WOF HLIFE_F HLIFE_S AP_EF PST_WSOL Description
245-tp 2600 0.4 5 20 0.75 2.5 Silvex Amine
2plus2 20 0.95 10 21 0.75 660000 Mecoprop
aatrex 171 0.45 5 60 0.75 33 Atrazine
abate 100000 0.65 5 30 0.75 0 Abate
acaraben 2000 0.05 10 20 0.75 13 Chlorobenzilate Salt
accelera 20 0.9 7 7 0.75 100000 Endothall
acclaim 9490 0.2 5 9 0.75 0.8 Fenoxaprop-Ethyl Sodium Salt
alanap 20 0.95 7 14 0.75 231000 Naptalam
alar 10 0.95 4 7 0.75 100000 Daminozide
aldrin 300 0.05 2 28 0.75 0.1 Aldrin
154 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the pestidide.pst file.
PESTNM Name of pesticide/toxin. (up to 17 characters allowed)
Required.
SKOC Soil adsorption coefficient normalized for soil organic
carbon content (mg/kg)/(mg/L).
Pesticide in the soil environment can be transported in
solution or attached to sediment. The partitioning of a
pesticide between the solution and soil phases is defined by
the soil adsorption coefficient for the pesticide. The soil
adsorption coefficient is the ratio of the pesticide
concentration in the soil or solid phase to the pesticide
concentration in the solution or liquid phase:
C
K p = solidphase
C solution
where Kp is the soil adsorption coefficient ((mg/kg)/(mg/L)
or m3/ton), Csolidphase is the concentration of the pesticide
sorbed to the solid phase (mg chemical/kg solid material or
g/ton), and Csolution is the concentration of the pesticide in
solution (mg chemical/L solution or g/ton). The definition
of the soil adsorption coefficient in this equation assumes
that the pesticide sorption process is linear with
concentration and instantaneously reversible.
Because the partitioning of pesticide is dependent upon the
amount of organic material in the soil, the soil adsorption
coefficient input to the model is normalized for soil organic
carbon content. The relationship between the soil
adsorption coefficient and the soil adsorption coefficient
normalized for soil organic carbon content is:
orgC
K p = K oc ⋅
100
 SWAT+ INPUTS 155
Variable name Definition
SKOC, cont. where Kp is the soil adsorption coefficient
((mg/kg)/(mg/L)), Koc is the soil adsorption coefficient
normalized for soil organic carbon content
3
((mg/kg)/(mg/L) or m /ton), and orgC is the percent
organic carbon present in the soil.
Required.
PST_WOF Wash-off fraction.
The wash-off fraction quantifies the fraction of pesticide on
the plant canopy that may be dislodged. The wash-off
fraction is a function of the nature of the leaf surface, plant
morphology, pesticide solubility, polarity of the pesticide
molecule, formulation of the commercial product and
timing and volume of the rainfall event.
Required.
HLIFE_F Degradation half-life of the chemical on the foliage (days).
The half-life for a pesticide defines the number of days
required for a given pesticide concentration to be reduced
by one-half. The half-life entered for a pesticide is a lumped
parameter that includes the net effect of volatilization,
photolysis, hydrolysis, biological degradation and
chemical reactions.
For most pesticides, the foliar half-life is much less than the
soil half-life due to enhanced volatilization and
photodecomposition. If the foliar half-life is available for
the pesticide this value should be used. If the foliar half-life
is not available, the foliar half-life can be estimated using
the following rules:
1) Foliar half-life is assumed to be less than the soil half-
life by a factor of 0.5 to 0.25, depending on vapor
pressure and sensitivity to photodegradation.
2) Foliar half-life is adjusted downward for pesticides with
vapor pressures less than 10-5 mm Hg.
3) The maximum foliar half-life assigned is 30 days.
Required.
 156 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
HLIFE_S Degradation half-life of the chemical in the soil (days).
The half-life for a pesticide defines the number of days
required for a given pesticide concentration to be reduced
by one-half. The soil half-life entered for a pesticide is a
lumped parameter that includes the net effect of
volatilization, photolysis, hydrolysis, biological
degradation and chemical reactions.
Required.
AP_EF Application efficiency.
The fraction of pesticide applied which is deposited on the
foliage and soil surface (0.1-1.0). The remainder is lost.
The application efficiency for all pesticides listed in the
database is defaulted to 0.75. This variable is a calibration
parameter.
Required.
PST_WSOL Solubility of the chemical in water (mg/L or ppm)
The water solubility value defines the highest concentration
of pesticide that can be reached in the runoff and soil pore
water. While this is an important characteristic, researchers
have found that the soil adsorption coefficient, Koc, tends to
limit the amount of pesticide entering solution so that the
maximum possible concentration of pesticide in solution is
seldom reached.
Reported solubility values are determined under laboratory
conditions at a constant temperature, typically between
20°C and 30°C.
Required.

PATHOGENS.PTH

Below is a sample partial PATHOGENS.PTH:

bacteria.bac:
BACTNM DO_SOLN GR_SOLN DO_SORB GR_SORB KD T_ADJ WASHOFF DO_PLNT GR_PLNT _MANURE PERCO T_THRSHDO_STREAMR_STREAM DO_RES GR_RES SWFCONC_MIN
path_01 10 5 12 6 0.05 1.05 0.1 100 1 0.9 10 100 0 0 0 0 0.15 100

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the bacteria.bac file.
BACTNM Name of bacteria
 SWAT+ INPUTS 157
DO_SOLN Die-off factor for persistent bacteria in soil solution at 20°C. (1/day)
SWAT allows two different bacteria types to be modeled in a given
simulation. In the input/output files these two types are referred to
as ‘persistent’ and ‘less persistent’. These terms are purely
descriptive and are used solely to differentiate between the two
types. The bacteria input variables in the .bsn file govern the actual
persistence of the two bacteria types. The user may choose to model
no, one, or two types of bacteria.
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
GR_SOLN Growth factor for persistent bacteria in soil solution at 20°C. (1/day)
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
DO_SORB Die-off factor for persistent bacteria adsorbed to soil particles at
20°C. (1/day)
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
GR_SORB Growth factor for persistent bacteria adsorbed to soil particles at
20°C. (1/day)
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
KD Bact part coeff bet sol and sorbed phase in surf runoff
T_ADJ Temperature adjustment factor for bacteria die-off/growth.
If no value for THBACT is entered, the model will set THBACT =
1.07.
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
WASHOFF Wash-off fraction for persistent bacteria.
Fraction of persistent bacteria on foliage that washes off during a
rainfall event.
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
DO_PLNT Die-off factor for persistent bacteria on foliage at 20°C. (1/day)
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
GR_PLNT Growth factor for persistent bacteria on foliage at 20°C. (1/day)
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
FR_MANURE Fraction of manure applied to land areas that has active colony
forming units.
If no value for SWF is specified, the model will set SWF = 0.15.
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
 158 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PERCO Bacteria percolation coefficient (10 m3/Mg).
The bacteria percolation coefficient is the ratio of the solution
bacteria concentration in the surface 10 mm of soil to the
concentration of bacteria in percolate.
The value of BACTMIX can range from 7.0 to 20.0. If no value for
BACTMIX is entered, the model will set BACTMIX = 10.0.
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
Threshold detection level for less persistent bac when bacteria
DET_THRSHD
levels drop to this amount the model considers bacteria in the soil
to be insignificant and sets the levels to zero
DO_STREAM Die-off factor for persistent bacteria in streams (moving water) at
20°C. (1/day)
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
GR_STREAM growth factor for persistent bacteria in streams
DO_RES Die-off factor for less persistent bacteria in streams (moving water)
at 20°C. (1/day)
Required if bacteria processes are of interest.
GR_RES growth factor for less persistent bacteria in reservoirs
SWF fraction of manure containing active colony forming units
CONC_MIN

METALS.MTL (ENTIRE FILE NEEDS ATTENTION)

SALTS.STL (ENTIRE FILE NEEDS ATTENTION)

URBAN.URB
The urban database summarizes parameters used by the model to simulate different types of urban areas.
Appendix A documents the source of parameter values in the database file provided with the model. Below is a
partial listing of the urban.urb file.
urban.urb:
urbnm fimp fcimp curbden urbcoef dirtmx thalf tnconc tpconc tno3conc urbcn2
residen_high_den 0.6 0.44 0.24 0.18 225 0.75 550 223 7.2 98 Residentia Density
residen_med_den 0.38 0.3 0.24 0.18 225 0.75 550 223 7.2 98 Residentia Density
residen_ml_den 0.2 0.17 0.24 0.18 225 0.75 460 196 6 98 Residentia Density
residen_low_den 0.12 0.1 0.24 0.18 225 0.75 460 196 6 98 Residentia Density
commercial 0.67 0.62 0.28 0.18 200 1.6 420 240 5.5 98 Commercial
industrial 0.84 0.79 0.14 0.18 400 2.35 430 104 5.6 98 Industrial
transportation 0.98 0.95 0.12 0.18 340 3.9 480 212 6.3 98 Transportation
institutional 0.51 0.47 0.12 0.18 340 3.9 480 212 6.3 98 Institutional
residential 0.38 0.3 0.24 0.18 225 0.75 550 223 7.2 98 Residential
 SWAT+ INPUTS 159
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for the variables
URBNM 4-character code for urban land type.
The 4-letter codes in the plant growth and urban databases
are used by the GIS interfaces to link land use/land cover
maps to SWAT plant types. This code is printed to the
output files.
When adding a new urban category, the four letter code
for the new urban land type must be unique.
Required.
FIMP Fraction total impervious area in urban land type. This
includes directly and indirectly connected impervious
areas.
Urban areas differ from rural areas in the fraction of total
area that is impervious. Construction of buildings, parking
lots and paved roads increases the impervious cover in a
watershed and reduces infiltration. With development, the
spatial flow pattern of water is altered and the hydraulic
efficiency of flow is increased through artificial channels,
curbing, and storm drainage and collection systems.
Required.
FCIMP Fraction directly connected impervious area in urban land
type.
160 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
FCIMP, cont. Impervious areas can be differentiated into two groups—
the area that is hydraulically connected to the drainage
system and the area that is not directly connected. As an
example, assume there is a house surrounded by a yard
where runoff from the roof flows into the yard and is able
to infiltrate into the soil. The rooftop is impervious but it
is not hydraulically connected to the drainage system. In
contrast, a parking lot whose runoff enters a storm water
drain is hydraulically connected.
When modeling urban areas the connectedness of the
drainage system must be quantified. The best methods for
determining the fraction total and directly connected
impervious areas is to conduct a field survey or analyze
aerial photographs.
Required.
CURBDEN Curb length density in urban land type (km/ha).
Curb length may be measured directly by scaling the total
length of streets off of maps and multiplying by two. To
calculate the density, the curb length is divided by the area
represented by the map.
Required.
URBCOEF Wash-off coefficient for removal of constituents from
impervious area (mm-1).
Wash off is the process of erosion or solution of
constituents from an impervious surface during a runoff
event. The original default value for urbcoef was calculated
as 0.18 mm-1 by assuming that 13 mm of total runoff in one
hour would wash off 90% of the initial surface load (Huber
and Heaney, 1982). Using sediment transport theory,
Sonnen (1980) estimated values for the wash-off
coefficient ranging from 0.002-0.26 mm-1. Huber and
Dickinson (1988) noted that values between 0.039 and
0.390 mm-1 for the wash-off coefficient give sediment
concentrations in the range of most observed values. This
variable is used to calibrate the model to observed data.
Required.
DIRTMX Maximum amount of solids allowed to build up on
impervious areas (kg/curb km).
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 161
Variable name Definition
THALF Number of days for amount of solids on impervious areas
to build up from 0 kg/curb km to half the maximum
allowed, i.e. 1/2 DIRTMX (days).
Required.
TNCONC Concentration of total nitrogen in suspended solid load
from impervious areas (mg N/kg sed).
Required.
TPCONC Concentration of total phosphorus in suspended solid load
from impervious areas (mg P/kg sed).
Required.
TNO3CONC Concentration of nitrate in suspended solid load from
impervious areas (mg NO3-N/kg sed).
Required.
URBCN2 Curve number for moisture condition II in impervious areas
of urban land type.
Required.

SEPTIC.SEP
Information of water quality or effluent characteristics required to simulate different types of Onsite Wastewater
Systems (OWSs) is stored in the septic water quality database. The database file distributed with SWAT includes
water quality data for most of conventional, advanced, and failing septic systems. Information contained in the
septic water quality database is septic tank effluent flow rate for per capita and effluent characteristics of various
septic systems. The database is developed based on the field data summarized by Siegrist et al. (2005), McCray
et al. (2005) and OWTS 201 (2005). Below is a partial listing of the septic.sep file.

septic.sep -
SEPNM QSBODCONCS TSSCONCSNH4CONCSNO3CONCSNO2CONCSRGNCONCS MINPS ORGPS FCOLIS
GCON 0.227 170 75 42.4 0 0 10 6 1 10000000
GADV 0.227 22 14 18.9 9.6 0 3 5.1 0.9 543
COND 0.227 170 75 58 0.2 0 14 9 1 10000000
SAS1 0.227 170 75 60 0 0 10 8.5 1.5 10000000
SAS2 0.227 170 75 0 0 0 0 9 1 10000000
162 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the septic.sep file.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 163
SEPNM Abridged name of a septic system
sptname Definition
GCON Generic type conventional system
GADV Generic type advanced system
COND Septic tank with conventional drainfield
SAS1 Septic tank with SASa type 1
SAS2 Septic tank with SAS type 2
SAS3 Septic tank with in-tank N removal and SAS
SAS4 Septic tank with effluent N removal recycle
Septic tank with corrugated plastic trickling
SAS5
Filter
SAS6 Septic tank with open-cell form trickling filter
SPF1 Single pass sand filter 1
SPF2 Single pass sand filter 2
SPF3 Single pass sand filter 3
SPF4 Single pass sand filter 4
RCF1 At grade recirculating sand filter
RCF2 Maryland style RSFb
RCF3 RSF
Septic tank w/ constructed wetland
CWT1
and surface water discharge
Municipal wastewater w/ constructed wetland
CWT2
and surface water discharge 1
Municipal wastewater w/ constructed wetland
CWT3
and surface water discharge 2
CWT4 Municipal wastewater w/ constructed wetland
Municipal wastewater w/ lagoon and
CWT5
constructed wetland
BFL1 Waterloo biofilter (plastic media) 1
BFL2 Waterloo biofilter (plastic media) 2
BFL3 Peat biofilter
TXF1 Recirculating textile filter
TXF2 Foam or textile filter effluent
Septic, recirculating gravel filter,
GFL1
UV disinfection
USPT Untreated Effluent - Texas A&M reference
a: Sand absorption system
b: Recirculating sand filter
164 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
QS Septic tank effluent (STE) flow rate (m3/capita/day).
McCray et al. (2005) proposed 0.227 m3/capita/day as the
median value for USA based on the data collected from
various sources.

100
90

Cumulative Frequency, %
80
70
60 - 414878.3 + 100.16x 3.63
y=
50 2949092.6 + x 3.63
40
R2=0.99987
30
20
10
0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Mean Residential flow (gal/cap/d)

Figure 34.1 Cumulative frequency distribution for residential septic

tank effluent flow rate (after McCray et al., 2005)
BODCONCS 7 day Biochemical oxygen demand in STE (mg/L). BOD
for a conventional system is typically 170 mg/L. The value
varies greatly for different types of septic systems (See
Table A-1 of Siegrist et al., 2005).
Required.
TSSCONCS Total suspended solids in STE (mg/L). TSS for a
conventional system is typically 75 mg/L. The value varies
greatly for different types of septic systems (See Table A-
1 of Siegrist et al., 2005).
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 165
Variable name Definition
NH4CONCS Ammonium nitrogen in STE (mg-N/L). NH4 for a
conventional system is typically 60 mg-N/L (ranging 17~78
mg-N/L). The value varies greatly for different types of
septic systems (See Table A-1 of Siegrist et al., 2005).

Figure 34.2 Cumulative frequency distribution for ammonium

concentration in the septic tank effluent flow rate (after McCray et al.,
2005)
Required.
NO3CONCS Nitrate nitrogen in STE (mg-N/L). NO3 for a conventional
system ranges 0~1.94 mg-N/L. The value varies for
different types of septic systems (See Table A-1 of Siegrist
et al., 2005).
Required.
NO2CONCS Nitrite nitrogen in STE (mg-N/L). NO2 for a conventional
system is typically very low.
Required.
ORGNCONCS Organic nitrogen in STE (mg-N/L). ORGN for a
conventional system ranges 9.4~15 mg-N/L.
Required.

Variable name Definition

 166 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
MINPS Concentration of mineral phosphorus in the septic tank
effluent (mg/L). Required.
ORGPS Organic phosphorus in STE (mg-P/L). ORGP for a
conventional system is typically 1 mg-p/L.
Required.
FCOLIS Total number of fecal coliform in STE (cfu/100mL).
FCOLI for a conventional system is typically 1E7
cfu/100mL. The value varies greatly for different types of
septic systems (See Table A-1 of Siegrist et al., 2005).
Required.

SNOW.SNO
The SNOW.SNO file contains the input variables for snow. Below is a partial listing of the snow.sno file.

snow.sno
NAME FALLTMP MELTTMP MELTMX MELTMN TIMP COVMX COV50 INIT_MM
snow001 1.0 2.0 6.0 3.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
HEADER Headers for the snow.sno file.
NAME Name of the snow parameters
FALLTMP Snowfall temperature (ºC).
Mean air temperature at which precipitation is equally likely to
be rain as snow/freezing rain. The snowfall temperature should
be between –5 ºC and 5 ºC.
A default recommended for this variable is SFTMP = 1.0.
Required in watersheds where snowfall is significant.
MELTTMP Snow melt base temperature (ºC).
The snow pack will not melt until the snow pack temperature
exceeds a threshold value, Tmlt. The snow melt base
temperature should be between –5 ºC and 5 ºC.
A default recommended for this variable is SMTMP = 0.50.
Required in watersheds where snowfall is significant.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 167
MELTMX Melt factor for snow on June 21 (mm H2O/ºC-day).
If the watershed is in the Northern Hemisphere, SMFMX will
be the maximum melt factor. If the watershed is in the Southern
Hemisphere, SMFMX will be the minimum melt factor.
SMFMX and SMFMN allow the rate of snow melt to vary
through the year. The variables account for the impact of snow
pack density on snow melt.
In rural areas, the melt factor will vary from 1.4 to 6.9 mm
H2O/day-°C (Huber and Dickinson, 1988). In urban areas,
values will fall in the higher end of the range due to
compression of the snow pack by vehicles, pedestrians, etc.
Urban snow melt studies in Sweden (Bengston, 1981;
Westerstrom, 1981) reported melt factors ranging from 3.0 to
8.0 mm H2O/day-°C. Studies of snow melt on asphalt
(Westerstrom, 1984) gave melt factors of 1.7 to 6.5 mm
H2O/day-°C.
If no value for SMFMX is entered, the model will set SMFMX
= 4.5.
Required in watersheds where snowfall is significant.
168 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
MELTMN Melt factor for snow on December 21 (mm H2O/ºC-day).
If the watershed is in the Northern Hemisphere, SMFMN will
be the minimum melt factor. If the watershed is in the Southern
Hemisphere, SMFMN will be the maximum melt factor.
SMFMX and SMFMN allow the rate of snow melt to vary
through the year. The variables account for the impact of snow
pack density on snow melt.
In rural areas, the melt factor will vary from 1.4 to 6.9 mm
H2O/day-°C (Huber and Dickinson, 1988). In urban areas,
values will fall in the higher end of the range due to
compression of the snow pack by vehicles, pedestrians, etc.
Urban snow melt studies in Sweden (Bengston, 1981;
Westerstrom, 1981) reported melt factors ranging from 3.0 to
8.0 mm H2O/day-°C. Studies of snow melt on asphalt
(Westerstrom, 1984) gave melt factors of 1.7 to 6.5 mm
H2O/day-°C.
If no value for SMFMN is entered, the model will set SMFMN
= 4.5.
Required in watersheds where snowfall is significant.
TIMP Snow pack temperature lag factor.
The influence of the previous day’s snow pack temperature on
the current day’s snow pack temperature is controlled by a
lagging factor,  sno . The lagging factor inherently accounts for
snow pack density, snow pack depth, exposure and other
factors affecting snow pack temperature. TIMP can vary
between 0.01 and 1.0. As  sno approaches 1.0, the mean air
temperature on the current day exerts an increasingly greater
influence on the snow pack temperature and the snow pack
temperature from the previous day exerts less and less
influence. As TIMP goes to zero, the snow pack's temperature
will be less influenced by the current day's air temperature.
If no value for TIMP is entered, the model will set TIMP = 1.0.
Required in watersheds where snowfall is significant.
COVMX Minimum snow water content (mm H20)
COV50 Fraction of COVMX
INIT_MM Initial snow water content at start of simulation
 SWAT+ INPUTS 169

OPS– The OPS files contain management operations for fertilizer, pesticide, grazing, harvest,
irrigation and sweep.

HARV.OPS
The inputs for grazing are found in the HARV.OPS file. This operation harvests the portion of the plant designated
as yield and removes the yield from the HRU, but allows the plant to continue growing. This operation is used
for hay cuttings. A sample HARV.OPS file is listed below.
harv.ops
NAME TYP HI_OVR EFF BM_MIN
grain grain 0 0.95 0
grass_mulch biomass 0.5 0 2000
grass_bag biomass 0.5 1 2000
silage biomass 0.9 0.95 0
forest_cut tree 0.95 0.99 0
stover_high residue 0.9 1 1000
stover_med residue 0.6 1 2000
stover_los residue 0.3 1 3000
hay_cut_high biomass 0.8 1 3000
hay_cut_low biomass 0.8 1 1000
potatoes tuber 1.1 0.95 0
peanuts tuber 1.1 0.95 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments.
The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
 170 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
NAME Name of harvest operation
TYP grain;biomass;residue;tree;tuber;
HI_OVR Harvest index override ((kg/ha)/(kg/ha))
This variable will force the ratio of yield to total
aboveground biomass to the specified value. For grain
harvest, the harvest index in the plant growth database
(plant.dat) is used that assumes that only the seed is being
harvested (HI_OVR is not used in grain harvest). If
biomass is cut and removed (for example, in hay cuttings),
HIOVR must be used to specify the amount of biomass cut.
Optional.
EFF Harvest efficiency.
For grain harvest, the harvest efficiency defines the fraction
of yield biomass removed by the harvesting equipment,
with the remaining yield lost. For biomass harvest, if
HARVEFF is close to zero, the cutting or clipping are left
on the ground and if HARVEFF is 1.0, all cut biomass
(yield) is removed. If the harvest efficiency is not set or
0.00 is entered, the model assumes the user wants to ignore
harvest efficiency and sets the fraction to 1.00 so that the
entire yield is removed from the HRU.
Optional.
BM_MIN minimum biomass to allow harvest (kg/ha)

GRAZE.OPS
The inputs for grazing are found in the GRAZE.OPS file. This operation removes plant biomass at a specified rate
and allows simultaneous application of manure. A sample GRAZE.OPS file is listed below.
graze.ops
NAME FERTNM DAYS EAT TRAMP MANURE BIO_MIN
fr_gr dairy_fr 365 10 5 5 500
fr_congr dairy_fr 365 10 5 5 4000

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments.
The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
 SWAT+ INPUTS 171
NAME Name of grazing operation
FERTNM Name of grazing operation from fertilizer database
EAT Dry weight of biomass consumed daily ((kg/ha)/day
TRAMP Dry weight of biomass trampled daily ((kg/ha)/day)
Trampling becomes significant as the number of animals
grazing per hectare increases. This is a very subjective
value which is typically set equal to BIO_EAT, i.e. the
animals trample as much as they eat.
MANURE Dry weight of manure deposited daily ((kg/ha)/day).
BIO_MIN Minimum plant biomass for grazing (kg/ha)

IRR.OPS
The inputs for irrigation are found in the IRR.OPS file. This operation applies water to the HRU on the specified
day. A sample IRR.OPS file is listed below:

irr.ops
IRR_OP_NAME IRR_EFF RQ_RATIO DEPTH IRR_SALT IRR_NO3 IRR_PO4
surface 0.5 0.4 0 0 0 0
sprinkler 0.7 0.1 0 0 0 0
drip 0.9 0 0 0 0 0
subsurface 1 0 150 0 0 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments.
The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
NAME Name of irrigation operation
EFF Irrigation in-field efficiency (0-1).
SURQ Surface runoff ratio (0-1). (.1 is 10% surface runoff)
(fraction)
DEP_MM Depth of irrigation water applied on HRU (mm).
Required.
SALT Concentration of salt in irrigation (mg/kg). Not currently
operational.
NO3 Concentration of nitrate in irrigation (mg/kg)
PO4 Concentration of phosphate in irrigation
 172 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

CHEM_APP.OPS
The inputs for sweeping operations are found in the CHEM_APP.OPS file. A sample CHEM_APP.OPS file is listed
below:
chem_app.ops
PEST_OP_NAME FORM OPERATION APP_EFF FOLIAR_EFF INJECT_DEP SURF_FRAC DRIFT_POT AERIAL_UNIF
broadcast solid spread 0.9 0 0 1 0 1
band solid spread 0.9 0 0 1 0 0.5
foliar liquid spray 0.8 0.7 0 1 0 1
inject liquid inject 0.95 0 150 0.2 0 1
aerial_liquid liquid spray 0.7 0.7 0 1 0.5 1
aerial_solid solid spread 0.9 0 0 1 0.1 1
drill solid inject 0.95 0 50 0.05 0 1
side_dress solid spread 0.9 0 0 1 0 0.5
fertigate liquid spray 0.9 0.5 0 1 0.2 1
basal liquid spread 0.9 0 0 1 0 0.1
rope_wick liquid direct 1 0.95 0 1 0 1
tree_inject liquid inject 0.95 0 300 0 0 0.01

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments.
The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for variables
NAME Name of chemical application operation
FORM solid; liquid
OP_TYP operation type-spread; spray; inject; direct
APP_EFF application efficiency
FOLIAR_EFF foliar efficiency
INJECT_DEP injection depth (mm)
SURF_FRAC surface fraction-amount in upper 10 mm
DRIFT_POT drift potential
AERIAL_UNIF aerial uniformity

FIRE.OPS
The inputs for sweeping operations are found in the FIRE.OPS file. A sample FIRE.OPS file is listed below.
fire.ops
NAME CN2_UPD FRAC_BURN
grass 8 1
tree_intense 8 0.9
tree_low 6 0.7

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments.
The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 173
HEADER Headings for variables
NAME Name of fire operation
CN2_UPD change in SCS curve number II value
FR_BURN fraction burned

SWEEP.OPS
The inputs for sweeping operations are found in the SWEEP.OPS file. A sample SWEEP.OPS file is listed below:

sweep.ops
SWP_OP_NAME SWP_EFF FR_CURB
high_eff 0.8 0.9
174 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for the variables
NAME Street sweeping operation name
EFF Removal efficiency of sweeping operation
The removal efficiency of street sweeping is a function of
the type of sweeper, whether flushing is a part of the
street cleaning process, the quantity of total solids, the
frequency of rainfall events and the constituents
considered. Removal efficiency can vary depending on the
constituent being considered, with efficiencies being
greater for particulate constituents. The removal
efficiencies for nitrogen and phosphorus are typically less
than the solid removal efficiency (Pitt, 1979).
Because SWAT assumes a set concentration of nutrient
constituents in the solids, the same removal efficiency is in
effect used for all constituents. Table 20-7 provides
removal efficiencies for various street cleaning programs.
SWEEPEFF is a fraction that ranges between 0.0 and 1.0.
A value of 0.0 indicates that none of the built-up sediments
are removed while a value of 1.0 indicates that all of the
built-up sediments are removed.
Required.

FR_CURB Fraction of curb length available for sweeping.

The availability factor, frav, is the fraction of the curb
length that is sweepable. The entire curb length is often
not available for sweeping due to the presence of cars and
other obstacles.
FR_CURB can range from 0.01 to 1.00. If no value is
entered for FR_CURB (FR_CURB left blank or set to 0.0, the
model will assume 100% of the curb length is available for
sweeping.
Required.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 175
LUM – A primary goal of environmental modeling is to assess the impact of human activities on a given
system. Central to this assessment is the itemization of the land and water management practices taking place
within the system. The primary file used to summarize these practices is the HRU management file (.sch). This
file contains input data for planting, harvest, irrigation applications, nutrient applications, pesticide applications,
and tillage operations. Information regarding tile drains and urban areas is also stored in this file.

LANDUSE.LUM

Below is a sample LANDUSE.LUM FILE:

landuse.lum:
NAME CAL_GROUP PLANT_COV MGT_OPS CN_LU CONS_PRAC URB_LU URB_RO OVN TILEDRAIN SEPTIC FSTRIP GRASSWW BMPUSER
forestmixed null frst_mixed null wood_f up_down_slope null null fallow_nores null null null null null
pasture null pasture null pasth up_down_slope null null fallow_nores null null null null null
agriculture null corn_soybean csoy_ai_nt rc_strowres_p up_down_slope null null fallow_nores null null null null null
urban null urban_residential null urban up_down_slope residen_low_den buildup_washoff fallow_nores null null null null null
fpbench null canary_grass canary_nomgt pasth up_down_slope null null fallow_nores null null null null null
176 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the landuse.lum file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
HEADER Headings for landuse.lum variables
NAME Name of land use treatments/practice/conditions
CAL_GRP Calibration group
PLANT_COV Plant cover from plants.plt
MGT_OPS Management operation
 SWAT+ INPUTS 177
CN_LU Landuse curve number identifier (from table)
Table 19d-1: Runoff Curve Numbers for Cultivated Agricultural
Lands

Runoff Curve Numbers for Other Agricultural Lands

178 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
 SWAT+ INPUTS 179
CONS_PRAC USLE equation support practice (P) factor
URB_LU Urban land use
URB_RO Urban simulation runoff code:
USGS_REG - simulate using USGS regression equations
Build up/wash off – simulate using build up washoff
algorithm
Most large watersheds and river basins contain areas of
urban land use. Estimates of the quantity and quality of
runoff in urban areas are required for comprehensive
management analysis. SWAT calculates runoff from urban
areas with the SCS curve number method or the Green &
Ampt equation. Loadings of sediment and nutrients are
determined using one of two options. The first is a set of
linear regression equations developed by the USGS (Driver
and Tasker, 1988) for estimating storm runoff volumes and
constituent loads. The other option is to simulate the
buildup and washoff mechanisms, similar to SWMM –
Storm Water Management Model (Huber and Dickinson,
1988).
OVN Manning’s “n” value for overland flow (points to
ovn_table.lum)
TILEDRAIN Tile drain (points to tiledrain.str)
SEPTIC Septic tank (points to septic.str)
FSTRIP Filter strip file (points to filterstrip.str)
GRASSWW Grassed waterways (points to grassww.str)
BMPUSER Best management practices (points to bmpuser.str)

MANAGEMENT.SCH
The inputs management operations are found in the MANAGEMENT.SCH file. A sample MANAGEMENT.SCH file is
listed below:
management.sch
NAME NUM_OPS OP MON DAY HUSC OP_DATAP_METHOD OP_OVER
csoy_ai_nt 7 1
autoirr_str.8
fert 0 0 0.14 anh-nh3 inject 200 FERTILIZER
plnt 0 0 0.15 corn null 0 PLANT CORN BEGIN
hvkl 10 30 1.2 corn grain 0 HARVKILL
skip 0 0 0 null null 0 SKIP_YEAR
plnt 0 0 0.15 soyb null 0 PLANT SOYBEANS
hvkl 10 30 1.2 soyb grain 0 HARVKILL
skip 0 0 0 null null 0 SKIP_YEAR
canary_nomgt 0 0
 180 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
SWAT will simulate different types of management operations. The variables for the different operations will
be defined in separate sections. The type of operation simulated is identified by the code given for the variable
MGT_OP.
The different codes for MGT_OP are:
PCO plant community: this operation initializes the plant
community in the HRU
PLNT planting/beginning of growing season: this operation
initializes the growth of a specific land cover/plant type in the
HRU
HARV harvest only operation: this operation harvests the portion of
the plant designated as yield and removes the yield from the
HRU, but allows the plant to continue growing. This operation
is used for hay cuttings.
HVKL harvest and kill operation: this operation harvests the
portion of the plant designated as yield, removes the yield
from the HRU and converts the remaining plant biomass to
residue on the soil surface.
TILL tillage operation: this operation mixes the upper soil layers
and redistributes the nutrients/chemicals/etc. within those
layers
IRRM irrigation operation: this operation applies water to the HRU
on the specified day. (IRROPS.DAT)
FERT fertilizer application: this operation adds nutrients to the soil
in the HRU on the specified day (FERTOPS.DAT)
PEST pesticide application: this operation applies a pesticide to the
plant and/or soil in the HRU on the specified day
GRAZ grazing operation: this operation removes plant biomass at a
specified rate and allows simultaneous application of manure.
BURN burn operation: the burn operation records the biomass,
residue and phosphorus that is burned.
SWEP street sweeping operation: this operation removes sediment
and nutrient build-up on impervious areas in the HRU. This
operation can only be used when the urban build up/wash off
routines are activated for the HRU (see IURBAN).
SKIP skip operation: this operation skips to the end of the year.

For each year of management operations provided, the operations must be listed in chronological
order starting in January.
For simulations where a certain amount of crop yield and biomass is required, the user can force
the model to meet this amount by setting a harvest index target and a biomass target. These targets are
effective only if a harvest and kill operation is used to harvest the crop. Variables are listed below.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 181
Variable name Definition
TITLE Title for the management.sch file. Optional (may be
blank)
HEADER Header for the management.sch variables
NAME Name of the operations
NUM_OPS Number of operations following
NUM_AUTOS Number of auto schedule
OP Management operation name:
pcom = plant community
plnt = beginning of growing season
harv = harvests the portion of the plant designated as
yield and removes the yield from the HRU, but allows the
plant to continue to grow.
hvkl = harvests the portion of the plant designated as
yield, removes the yield from the HRU and converts the
remaining plant biomass to residue on the soil surface.
till = mixed the upper soil layers and redistributes the
nutrients/chemicals, etc within thos layers
irrm = applies water to the HRU on the specified day
fert = adds nutrients to the soil in the specified day
pest = applies a pesticide to the plant and/or soil in the
HRU on a specified day
graz = removes plant biomass at a specified rate and
allows simultaneous application of manure
burn = burning
swep = removes sediment and nutrient build up on
impervious areas in the HRU. This operation can only be
used when the urban build up/wash off routines are
activated for the HRU (see IURBAN)
skip
MON Month operation takes place.
Either MONTH/DAY or HUSC is required.
DAY Day operation takes place.
Either MONTH/DAY or HUSC is required.
HUSC Fraction of total base zero heat units at which operation
takes place.
Heat unit scheduling is explained in Chapter 5:1 of the
Theoretical Documentation. If MONTH and DAY are not
provided, HUSC must be set to a value.
Either MONTH/DAY or HUSC is required.
 182 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
OP_CHAR Operation type character
OP_PLANT Plant name in community
OP3 Harvest index override

Further explanation of management.sch file:

management.sch
OP OP_DATA from file ---> OP_METHOD from file --->
plnt cots initial.plt null
harv corn initial.plt grain harv.ops
kill
hvkl soyb initial.plt grain harv.ops
till riprsubs tillage.til till.ops
irrm drip irr.ops
fert anh-nh3 fertlizer.frt broadcast chem_app.ops
pest aatrex pesticide.pst inject chem_app.ops
graz graze.ops
burn fire.ops
swep sweep.ops
skip
mons
dwm
 SWAT+ INPUTS 183

OBJECT.CNT FILE
object.cnt: Spatial object counts – (2-stage)
OBJ HRU LTE SUB MODFL AQU CHA RES REC EXCO DR CANAL PUMP OUT CHDEG 2DAQU
4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0

HRU.CON FILE
hru.con (2-stage)
NUMB NAME AREA LAT LONG ELEV HRU WST CON_TYP OVERFLOW RULESET OUT_TOT
1 bench 0.480 0.000 0.000 0.000 1 wea1 0 0 0 0
 184 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
HRU-DATA.HRU
hru-data.hru: HRU properties – (2-stage)
NUM NAM TOPO HYD SOIL LU_MGT SOLN_INI SURF_STOR SNOW FLD SCH_UPD
1 hru0010104 hru00101 hru0010104 IN025 agriculture IN025 null snow01 null null

LANDUSE_LUM: General land use properties (2-stage - partial file)

NAME CAL_GRP PLNT_COV MGT_OPS CN_LU CONS_PRAC
forestmixed null frst_mixed null wood_f up_down_slope
pasture null pasture null pasth up_down_slope
agriculture null corn_soybean csoy_ai_nt rc_strowres_p up_down_slope
urban null urban_residential null urban up_down_slope
fpbench null canary_grass canary_nomgt pasth up_down_slope

MANAGEMENT.SCH: Management schedules – (2-stage)

NAME NUM_OPS OP MON DAY HUSC OP_DATA OP_METHOD OP_OVER
csoy_ai_nt 7 1
autoirr_str.8
fert 0 0 0.140 anh-nh3 inject 200. FERTILIZER
plnt 0 0 0.150 corn null 0.0 PLNT CORN
hvkl 10 30 1.200 corn grain 0.0 HARVKILL
skip 0 0 0.000 null null 0.0 SKIP_YEAR
plnt 0 0 0.150 soyb null 0.0 PLNT SOYB
hvkl 10 30 1.200 soyb grain 0.0 HARVKILL
skip 0 0 0.000 null null 0.0 SKIP_YEAR
canary_nomgt 0 0
CNTABLE.LUM
The SCS curve number is a function of the soil’s permeability, land use and antecedent soil water
conditions. Typical curve numbers for moisture condition II are listed in the following tables for various land
covers and soil types (SCS Engineering Division, 1986). These values are appropriate for a 5% slope.
The curve number may be updated in plant, tillage, and harvest/ kill operations. If CNOP is never defined for
these operations, the value set for CN2 will be used throughout the simulation. If CNOP is defined for an
operation, the value for CN2 is used until the time of the operation containing the first CNOP value. From that
point on, the model only uses operation CNOP values to define the curve number for moisture condition II. Values
for CN2 and CNOP should be entered for pervious conditions. In HRUs with urban areas, the model will adjust
the curve number to reflect the impact of the impervious areas.

Below is the CNTABLE.LUM FILE:

 SWAT+ INPUTS 185
cntable.lum
LANDUSE CN_A CN_B CN_C CN_D LANDUSE_DESCRIPTION TREATMENT CONDITION
fal_bare 77 86 91 94 Fallow Bare_soil ----
fal_res_p 76 85 90 93 Fallow Crop_residue_cover Poor
fal_res_g 74 83 88 90 Fallow Crop_residue_cover Good
rc_strow_p 72 81 88 91 Row_crops Straight_row Poor
rc_strow_g 67 78 85 89 Row_crops Straight_row Good
rc_strowres_p 71 80 87 90 Row_crops Straight_row_w_residue Poor
rc_strowres_g 64 75 82 85 Row_crops Straight_row_w_residue Good
rc_cont_p 70 79 84 88 Row_crops Contoured Poor
rc_cont_g 65 75 82 86 Row_crops Contoured Good
rc_contres_p 69 78 83 87 Row_crops Contoured_w_residue Poor
rc_contres_g 64 74 81 85 Row_crops Contoured_w_residue Good
rc_contter_p 66 74 80 82 Row_crops Contoured_&_terraced Poor
rc_contter_g 62 71 78 81 Row_crops Contoured_&_terraced Good
rc_conterres_p 65 73 79 81 Row_crops Contoured_&_terraced_w_residue Poor
rc_conterres_g 61 70 77 80 Row_crops Contoured_&_terraced_w_residue Good
sg_strow_p 65 76 84 88 Small_grains Straight_row Poor
sg_strow_g 63 75 83 87 Small_grains Straight_row Good
sg_strowres_p 64 75 83 86 Small_grains Straight_row_w_residue Poor
sg_strowres_g 60 72 80 84 Small_grains Straight_row_w_residue Good
sg_cont_p 63 74 82 85 Small_grains Contoured Poor
sg_cont_g 61 73 81 84 Small_grains Contoured Good
sg_contres_p 62 73 81 84 Small_grains Contoured_w_residue Poor
sg_contres_g 60 72 80 83 Small_grains Contoured_w_residue Good
sg_contter_p 61 72 79 82 Small_grains Contoured_&_terraced Poor
sg_contter_g 59 70 78 81 Small_grains Contoured_&_terraced Good
sg_conterres_p 60 71 78 81 Small_grains Contoured_&_terraced_w_residue Poor
sg_conterres_g 58 69 77 80 Small_grains Contoured_&_terraced_w_residue Good
legr_strow_p 66 77 85 89 Close-seeded_or_broadcast_legumes_or_rotation Straight_row Poor
legr_strow_g 58 72 81 85 Close-seeded_or_broadcast_legumes_or_rotation Straight_row Good
legr_cont_p 64 75 83 85 Close-seeded_or_broadcast_legumes_or_rotation Contoured Poor
legr_cont_g 55 69 78 83 Close-seeded_or_broadcast_legumes_or_rotation Contoured Good
legr_contter_p 63 73 80 83 Close-seeded_or_broadcast_legumes_or_rotation Contoured_&_terraced Poor
legr_contter_g 51 67 76 80 Close-seeded_or_broadcast_legumes_or_rotation Contoured_&_terraced Good
pastg_p 68 79 86 89 Pasture_grassland_or_range-continuous_forage_for_grazing ---- Poor
pastg_f 49 69 79 84 Pasture_grassland_or_range-continuous_forage_for_grazing ---- Fair
pastg_g 39 61 74 80 Pasture_grassland_or_range-continuous_forage_for_grazing ---- Good
pasth 30 58 71 78 Meadow-continuous_grass_protected_from_grazing_mowed_for_hay ---- ----
brush_p 48 67 77 83 Brush-brush-weed-grass_mixture_with_brush_the_major_element ---- Poor
brush_f 35 56 70 77 Brush-brush-weed-grass_mixture_with_brush_the_major_element ---- Fair
brush_g 30 48 65 73 Brush-brush-weed-grass_mixture_with_brush_the_major_element ---- Good
woodgr_p 57 73 82 86 Woods-grass_combination_(orchard_or_tree_farm) ---- Poor
woodgr_f 43 65 76 82 Woods-grass_combination_(orchard_or_tree_farm) ---- Fair
woodgr_g 32 58 72 79 Woods-grass_combination_(orchard_or_tree_farm) ---- Good
wood_p 45 66 77 83 Woods ---- Poor
wood_f 36 60 73 79 Woods ---- Fair
wood_g 30 55 70 77 Woods ---- Good
farm 59 74 82 86 Farmsteads-buildings_lanes_driveways_and_surrounding_lots ---- ----
open_p 68 79 86 89 Open_spaces_(lawns_parks_golfcourses_cemeteries_etc.) ---- Poor
urban 98 98 98 98 Paved_parking_lots_roofs_driveways_etc_(excl_right-of-way) ---- ----
paveroad 83 89 92 93 Paved_streets_and_roads;_open_ditches_(incl._right-of-way) ---- ----
gravroad 76 85 89 91 Gravel_streets_and_roads_(including_right-of-way) ---- ----
dirtroad 72 82 87 89 Dirt_streets_and_roads_(including_right-of-way) ---- ----
 186 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the cntable.lum file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
HEADER Headings for cntable.lum variables
NAME Name of land use treatments/practice/conditions
CNA Land use curve number A
CNB Land use curve number B
CNC Land use curve number C
CND Land use curve number D
Land use description follows (not read by model)

CONS_PRACTICE.LUM
Below is a sample CONS_PRACTICE.LUM FILE:
 SWAT+ INPUTS 187
cons_practice.lum
NAME P_FACTOR OPE_LEN_MAX DESCRIPTION
up_down_slope 1 121 Up_and_down_slope
cross_slope 0.75 121 Cross_slope_tillage
contour_farming 0.5 121 Contour_tillage
strip_cros_slope 0.37 121 Strip_cropping_cross_slope
strip_contour 0.25 121 Strip_cropping_contour
contour_1-2 0.3 121 Contour_tillage_1-2%_slopes
contour_3-5 0.5 91 Contour_tillage_3-5%_slopes
contour_6-8 0.5 61 Contour_tillage_6-8%_slopes
contour_9-12 0.6 36 Contour_tillage_9-12%_slopes
contour_13-16 0.7 24 Contour_tillage_13-16%_slopes
contour_17-20 0.8 18 Contour_tillage_17-20%_slopes
contour_21-25 0.9 15 Contour_tillage_21-25%_slopes
strip_1-2_past 0.3 244 Strip_cropping_1-2%_slopes_with-pasture
strip_1-2_row 0.6 244 Strip_cropping_1-2$_slopes_with-rowcrops
strip_3-5_past 0.25 183 Strip_cropping_3-5%_slopes_with-pasture
strip_3-5_row 0.5 183 Strip_cropping_3-5%_slopes_with-rowcrops
strip_6-8_past 0.25 122 Strip_cropping_6-8%_slopes_with-pasture
strip_6-8_row 0.5 122 Strip_cropping_6-8%_slopes_with-rowcrops
strip_9-12_past 0.3 73 Strip_cropping_9-12%_slopes_with-pasture
strip_9-12_row 0.6 73 Strip_cropping_9-12%_slopes_with-rowcrops
strip_13-16_past 0.35 49 Strip_cropping_13-16%_slopes_with-pasture
strip_13-16_row 0.7 49 Strip_cropping_13-16%_slopes_with-rowcrops
strip17-20_past 0.4 36 Strip_cropping_17-20%_slopes_with-pasture
strip_17-20_row 0.8 36 Strip_cropping_17-20%_slopes_with-rowcrops
strip_21-25_past 0.45 30 Strip_cropping_21-25%_slopes_with-pasture
strip_21-25_row 0.9 30 Strip_cropping_21-25%_slopes_with-rowcrops
ter_1-2_sodout 0.12 121 terraces_1-2%_slopes_sod-outlet
ter_1-2_undout 0.05 121 terraces_1-2%_slopes_underflow-outlet
ter_3-8_sodout 0.5 76 terraces_3-8%_slopes_sod-outlet
ter_3-8_undout 0.25 76 terraces_3-8%_slopes_underflow--outlet
ter_9-12_sodout 0.6 61 terraces_9-12%_slopes_sod-outlet
ter_9-12_undout 0.3 61 terraces_9-12%_slopes_underflow--outlet
ter_13-16_sodout 0.7 45 terraces_13-16%_slopes_sod-outlet
ter_13-16_undout 0.35 45 terraces_13-16%_slopes_underflow--outlet
ter_17-20_sodout 0.8 45 terraces_17-20%_slopes_sod-outlet
ter_17-20_undout 0.4 45 terraces_17-20%_slopes_underflow--outlet
ter_21-25_sodout 0.9 30 terraces_21-25%_slopes_sod-outlet
ter_21-25_undout 0.45 30 terraces_21-25%_slopes_underflow--outlet
 188 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the cons_practice.lum file is reserved for
user comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces.
The title line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
HEADER Headings for cons_practice.lum variables
NAME Name of conservation practice
PFAC Usle P factor
SL_LEN_MX Maximum slope length (m)

OVN_TABLE.LUM

Below is a sample OVN_TABLE.LUM FILE:

ovn_table.lum:
OVN_ID MANN_N MIN MAX DESCRIPTION
fallow_nores 0.01 0.008 0.012 Fallow_no_residue
convtill_nores 0.09 0.06 0.12 Conventional_tillage_no_residue
convtill_res 0.19 0.16 0.22 Conventional_tillage_residue
chisplow_nores 0.09 0.06 0.12 Chisel_plow_no_residue
chisplow_res 0.13 0.1 0.16 Chisel_plow_residue
falldisk_res 0.4 0.3 0.5 Fall_disking_residue
notill_nores 0.07 0.04 0.1 No_till_no_residue
notill_0.5-1res 0.12 0.07 0.17 No_till_0.5-1_t/ha_residue
notill_2-9res 0.3 0.17 0.47 No_till_2-9_t/ha_residue
range_sparse 0.13 0.13 0.13 Rangeland_sparse_cover
range_20cover 0.6 0.6 0.6 Rangeland_20%_cover
shortgrass 0.15 0.1 0.2 Short_grass_prairie
densegrass 0.24 0.17 0.3 Dense_grass
bermudagrass 0.41 0.3 0.48 Bermudagrass
forest_light 0.4 0.3 0.5 Forest_light_fair
forest_med 0.6 0.5 0.7 Forest_medimum_good
forest_heavy 0.8 0.7 0.9 Forest_heavy
urban_asphalt 0.11 0.11 0.11 Urban_asphalt
urban_concrete 0.012 0.012 0.012 Urban_concrete
urban_rubble 0.024 0.024 0.024 Urban_rubble
 SWAT+ INPUTS 189
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the ovn_table.lum file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
HEADER Headings for ovn_table.lum variables
NAME Name of conservation practice
OVN Overland flow mannings n – mean
OVN_MIN Overland flow mannings n – min
OVN_MAX Overland flow mannings n - max

CHG – The change section includes the files for soft calibration simulation runs in SWAT+.

CODES.CAL
The CODES.CAL file contains the input variables for the characteristics of the calibration update properties.
Below is a sample CODES.CAL file:
codes.cal
HYD_HRUHYD_HRULTE PLT SED NUT CHSED CHNUT RES
y n n n n n n n

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the codes.cal file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
HEADER Headings for codes.cal variables
HYD_HRU if y, calibrate hydrologic balance for hru by land use in
each region
HYD_HRU1 if y, calibrate hydrologic balance for hru_lte by land use
in each region
PLT if y, calibrate plant growth by land use (by plant) in each
region
SED if y, calibrate sediment yield by land use in each region
NUT if y, calibrate nutrient balance by land use in each region
CHSED if y, calibrate channel widening and bank accretion by
stream order
CHNUT if y, calibrate channel nutrient balance by stream order
RES if y, calibrate reservoir budgets by reservoir

CAL_PARMS.CAL
The CAL_PARMS.CAL file contains the input variables for the characteristics of the calibration update properties.
Below is a sample CAL_PARMS.CAL file:
 190 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
cal_parms.upd
187
NAME OBJ_TYP ABSMIN ABSMAX UNITS
cn2 hru 25 98 null
usle_p hru 0 1 null
ovn hru 0.01 30 null
elev hru 0 5000 m
slope hru 0 1 m/m
slope_len hru 10 150 m
lat_ttime hru 0 180 days
lat_sed hru 0 5000 g/L
lat_len hru 0 150 m

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the cal_parms.cal file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
MCHG_PAR Maximum number of calibration parm changes
HEADER Headings for cal_parms.cal variables
NAME cn2, esco, awc, etc.
OB_TYP object type the parameter is associated with (hru, chan,
res, basin, etc)
ABSMIN minimum range for variable
ABSMAX maximum change for variable
UNITS units used for each parameter

CALIBRATION.CAL
The CALIBRATION.CAL file contains the input variables for the characteristics of the calibration update
properties. Below is a sample CALIBRATION.CAL file:

calibratio
8
NAME CHG_TYPE VAL CONDS LYR1 LYR2 YEAR1 YEAR2 DAY1 DAY2 NUM_TOT
k pctchg 25 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
k pctchg 20 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
k pctchg 20 0 4 6 0 0 0 0 0
k pctchg 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
k pctchg 25 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
hsg = 0 D
k pctchg 25 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
texture = 0 fsl
k pctchg 25 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
texture = 0 fsl
landuse = 0 past
k pctchg 25 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 6 1 -3 4 -8 12 -18
texture = 0 FSL
landuse = 0 past
 SWAT+ INPUTS 191
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the calibration.cal file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
MCAL Total number of calibration updates in the file
NAME Name of SWAT+ variable (NAME column from
cal_parms.upd file)
CHG_TYPE Type of change (‘absval’, ‘abschg’, ‘pctchg’)
VAL Value of change
CONDS Number of conditions in following lines
LYR1 First layer in range for soil variables (input == 0 assumes all
layers)
LYR2 Last layer in range for soil variables
YEAR1 First year of update (for precip and temp)
YEAR2 Last year of update (for precip and temp)
DAY1 First day in range (for precip and temp)
DAY2 Last day in range (for precip and temp)
NUM_TOT Total number of objects to follow
ELEM_CNT1 Number of elements modified
 192 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
LS_PARMS.CAL
The LS_PARMS.CAL file contains the input variables for the characteristics of the calibration parameter
properties. Below is a sample LS_PARMS.CAL file:

ls_parms.cal
10
NAME CHG_TYP NEG POS LO UP
cn2 abschg -8 8 0 0
esco absval 0 1 0 0
k pctchg -30 30 0 0
k_lo pctchg -99 30 0 0
slope pctchg -25 25 0 0
tconc pctchg -30 30 0 0
etco absval 0.8 1.2 0 0
perco absval -0.99 10 0 0
revapc absval 0 0.4 0 0
cn3_swf abschg 0 1 0 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the ls_parms.cal file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
MLSP Total number of parameter updates in the file
NAME Name of SWAT+ variable (NAME column from
cal_parms.upd file)
CHG_TYPE Type of change (‘absval’, ‘abschg’, ‘pctchg’)
NEG Negative limit of change
POS Positive limit of change
LO Lower limit of parameter
UP Upper limit of parameter

LS_REGIONS.CAL
The LS_REGIONS.CAL file contains the input variables for the characteristics of land use regions parameter
properties for HRUs. Below is a sample LS_REGIONS.CAL file:
 SWAT+ INPUTS 193
ls_regions.cal
1
NAME LUM_NUM NPSU ELEM_CNT
region_1 15 0
NAME SRR ETR TFR SED ORGN ORGP NO3 SOLP
landuse001 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
landuse002 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
landuse003 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
landuse004 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
landuse005 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
landuse006 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
corn_noprac 0.15 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
corn_conprac 0.15 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
oats_noprac 0.15 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
oats_conprac 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
past_noprac 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
past_conprac 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
forest_graze 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
forest_congraze 0.1 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
farmstead 0.15 0.7 0 3 0 0 0 0
 194 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the ls_regions.cal file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
MLSCAL Total number of regions updates in the file
NAME Regions calibration name
LUM_NUM Total number of land use regions in following lines
NUM_REG The number of elements in following lines
REG Elements count
NAME2 Name of the land use management regions
SRR Surface runoff ratio – surface runoff/precip
LFR Lateral flow ratio – soil lat flow/precip
PCR Percolation ratio – perc/precip
ETR ET ratio – ET/precip
TFR Tile flow ratio – tile flow/total runoff
SED Sediment yield (t/ha or t)
ORGN Organic N yield (kg/ha or kg)
ORGP Organic P yield (kg/ha or kg)
NO3 Nitrate yield (kg/ha or kg)
SOLP Soluble P yield (kg/ha or kg)

CH_ORDERS.CAL
The CH_ORDERS.CAL file contains the input variables for the characteristics of channel orders parameter
properties for
SWAT HRUs. Below is a sample CH_ORDERS.CAL file:
chan_orders.cal
1
NAME ORD_NUM NPSU ELEM_CNT
region_1 8 0
ORDER CHW CHD FPD
gully 100 100 0.0
tributary 25 10 0.0
main_upper_c 10 10 0.0
main_lower_c 5 5 0.0
gully_c 0 0 0.0
tributary_c 1 1 0.0
main_upper_c 1 1 0.0
main_lower_c 0.58 0 0.0
 SWAT+ INPUTS 195

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the chn_orders.cal file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
MREG Total number of stream order updates in the file
NAME Regions calibration name
ORD_NUM Total number of stream orders in following lines
NSPU The number of elements in following lines
ELEM_CNT
NAME2 Order name
CHW Channel widening (mm/yr)
CHD Channel down cutting or accretion (mm/yr)
HC Head Cut advance (m/yr)
FPD Flood plain accretion (mm/yr)

CH_PARMS.CAL
The CH_PARMS.CAL file contains the input variables for the characteristics of land use parameter properties for
SWAT HRUs. Below is a sample CH_PARMS.CAL file:

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the chan_parms.cal file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left blank.
MCHP Total number of stream order updates in the file
HEADER Heading
NAME Regions calibration name
CH_TYP Type of change (‘absval’, ‘abschg’, ‘pctchg’)
NEG Negative limit of change
POS Positive limit of change
LO Lower limit of parameter
UP Upper limit of parameter

INIT – The initial files includes initialization data for pesticide and plants.
 196 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PLANT.INI
The PLANT.INI file contains the input variables for the characteristics of the plant community properties. Below
is a sample PLANT.INI file:

plant.ini
NAME LANTS_COM CPNM IGRO LAI BIOMS PHUACC POP YRMAT RSDIN
frst_mixed 1
frst y 0 0 0 0 0 10000
pasture 1 1
past n 0 0 0 0 0 3000
agriculture_land_gen 1 1
agrl n 0 0 0 0 0 1000
urban_residential 1 1
berm n 0 0 0 0 0 3000
corn_soybean 2 2
corn n 0 0 0 0 0 2000
soyb n 0 0 0 0 0 2000
ryegrass 1 1
ryeg y 0 500 0 0 0 2000
canary_grass 1 1
cana y 0 500 0 0 0 2000
 SWAT+ INPUTS 197
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for the variables
NAME Name of plant community
NUMB Number of plants in this community
NAME2 Name of plant in this community
PLANTS_COM Number of plants in the community

CPNM Plant name (from plants.plt database file)

A four character code to represent the land cover/plant
name.
The 4-letter codes in the plant growth and urban databases are used by
the GIS interfaces to link land use/land cover maps to SWAT plant
types. This code is printed to the output files.
When adding a new plant species or land cover category, the four letter
code for the new plant must be unique.
Required.

GRO Land cover status code (character)

This code informs the model whether or not a land cover is
growing at the beginning of the simulation.
‘n’ = no land cover growing
‘y’ = land cover growing
Required.
 198 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
LAI Initial leaf area index.
If a land cover is growing at the beginning of the simulation
(IGRO = 1), the leaf area index of the land cover must be
defined.
Required if IGRO = 1.
BIOMS Initial dry weight biomass (kg/ha).
If a land cover is growing at the beginning of the simulation
(IGRO = 1), the initial biomass must be defined.
Required if IGRO = 1.
PHUACC Total number of heat units or growing degree days needed
to bring plant to maturity.
This value is needed only if a land cover is growing at the
beginning of the simulation (IGRO = 1). Calculation of
PHU_PLT is reviewed in Chapter 5:1 of the Theoretical
Documentation.
Required if IGRO = 1.
POP Plant population
YRMAT Years to maturity
RSDIN Initial residue cover (kg/ha)

SOIL_PLANT.INI
The SOIL_PLANT.INI file contains the input variables for the characteristics of the pesticide properties. Below is
a sample SOIL_PLANT.INI file:

soil_plant.ini
NAME SW_FRAC NUTRIENT PESTICIDES PATHOGENS HEAVY_METALS SALTS
no_init 0.2 in25 no_ini no_ini null null
low_init 0.7 in25 low_ini low_ini null null

PEST_SOIL.INI (NEED ADDRESSING)

The PEST_SOIL.INI file contains the input variables for the characteristics of the pesticide properties. Below is a
sample PEST_SOIL.INI file:
 SWAT+ INPUTS 199
TITLE The first line of the initial.pst file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
HEADER Heading of file
NAME Name of pesticide in community
NUM Number of pesticides in community
EXCO_DF Name of export coefficient file for pesticide community
DR_DF Name of delivery ratio file for pesticide community
NAME2 Name in pesticide community
PLT Amount of pesticide on plant at start of simulation (kg/ha)
SOIL Amount of pesticide in soil at start of simulation (kg/ha)
ENR Pesticide enrichment ratio

PEST_WATER.INI

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for the variables
 200 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
PATH_SOIL.INI (NEEDS UPDATING)
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line is reserved for user comments. This line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
Optional.
MBAC_DB
HEADER Headings for the initial.bac file
NUM Total number of initial bacteria in file
NUM_DB Number of bacteria to follow
PLT Bacteria on plants at beginning of simulation (#cfu/m^2)
SOL Soluble bacteria in soil at beginning of simulation
(#cfu/m^2)
SOR Sorbed bacteria in soil at beginning of simulation
(#cfu/m^2)

PATH_WATER.INI

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for the variables

HMET_SOIL.INI

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for the variables

SALT_SOIL.INI

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for the variables
 SWAT+ INPUTS 201
SALT_WATER.INI

Variable name Definition

TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER Headings for the variables

SOILS – The soils data used by SWAT+ can be divided into two groups, physical
characteristics and chemical characteristics. The physical properties of the soil govern the
movement of water and air through the profile and have a major impact on the cycling of water
within the HRU. Inputs for chemical characteristics are used to set initial levels of the different
chemicals in the soil. While the physical properties are required, information on chemical
properties is optional. The soil input (.sol) file defines the physical properties for all layers in
the soil.

SOILS.SOL
The SOILS.SOL file contains the input variables for the characteristics of the soil properties. Below is a partial
sample SOILS.SOL file (four layer soil):
soils.sol
SNAM NLY HYD_GRP ZMX ANION_EXCRK TEXTURE DEPTH BD AWC K CBN CLAY SILT SAND ROCK ALB USLE_K EC CAL PH
IN025 4B 1524 0.5 0.5 sandy-loam
355.6 1.6 0.13 83 1.74 15 19.09 65.91 1.52 0.01 0.2 0 0 0
812.8 1.7 0.1 65 0.35 12.5 19.65 67.85 1.62 0.12 0.2 0 0 0
1219.2 1.8 0.07 180 0.15 7.5 9.02 83.48 1.71 0.17 0.15 0 0 0
1524 1.8 0.04 300 0.05 6 1.88 92.11 1.71 0.21 0.15 0 0 0
202 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
TITLE The first line of the .sol file is reserved for user comments.
The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is
not processed by the model and may be left blank.
HEADER
SNAM Soil name
NLY Number of layers in the soil
HYDGRP Soil hydrologic group (A, B, C, or D).
Required only for the SWAT ArcView interface.
The U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
classifies soils into four hydrologic groups based on
infiltration characteristics of the soils. NRCS Soil Survey
Staff (1996) defines a hydrologic group as a group of soils
having similar runoff potential under similar storm and
cover conditions. Soil properties that influence runoff
potential are those that impact the minimum rate of
infiltration for a bare soil after prolonged wetting and when
not frozen. These properties are depth to seasonally high
water table, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and depth to
a very slowly permeable layer. The definitions for the
different classes are:
A Soils having high infiltration rates even when
thoroughly wetted, consisting chiefly of sands or
gravel that are deep and well to excessively drained.
These soils have a high rate of water transmission (low
runoff potential).
B Soils having moderate infiltration rates when
thoroughly wetted, chiefly moderately deep to deep,
moderately well to well drained, with moderately fine
to moderately coarse textures. These soils have a
moderate rate of water transmission.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 203
Variable name Definition
HYDGRP, cont. C Soils having slow infiltration rates when thoroughly
wetted, chiefly with a layer that impedes the
downward movement of water or of moderately fine
to fine texture and a slow infiltration rate. These soils
have a slow rate of water transmission (high runoff
potential).
D Soils having very slow infiltration rates when
thoroughly wetted, chiefly clay soils with a high
swelling potential; soils with a high permanent water
table; soils with a clay pan or clay layer at or near the
surface; and shallow soils over nearly impervious
materials. These soils have a very slow rate of water
transmission.

Guidelines used by USDA Soil Survey to categorize soils into Hydrologic

Groups are summarized in Table 22-1.

Table 22-1: Hydrologic Group Rating Criteria

Hydrologic Soil Groups
Criteria* A B C D
Final constant infiltration rate (mm/hr) 7.6-11.4 3.8-7.6 1.3-3.8 0-1.3
Mean permeability: surface layer (mm/hr) > 254.0 84.0-254.0 8.4-84.0 < 8.4
Mean permeability: most restrictive layer
below the surface layer to a depth of 1.0 m > 254.0 84.0-254.0 8.4-84.0 < 8.4
(mm/hr)
Shrink-swell potential: most restrictive High,
Low Low Moderate
layer** Very High
Depth to bedrock or cemented pan (mm) > 1016 > 508 > 508 < 508
DUAL HYDROLOGIC GROUPS A/D B/D C/D
Mean depth to water table (m) < 0.61 < 0.61 < 0.61
*
These criteria are guidelines only. They are based on the theory that the minimum permeability occurs within the uppermost 50 cm.
If the minimum permeability occurs between a depth of 50 to 100 cm, then the Hydrologic Soil Group is increased one group. For
example, C to B. If the minimum permeability occurs below a depth of 100 cm, the Hydrologic Soil Group is based on the
permeability above 100 cm, using the rules previously given.
**
Shrink-swell potential is assigned to a profile using the following guidelines:
Low: All soils with sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, loam or silt loam horizons that are at least 50 cm thick from the surface
without a clay horizon within 100 cm of the surface.
Medium: All soils with clay loam horizons within 50 cm of the surface or soils with clay horizons from 50 to 100 cm beneath
the surface.
High: All soils with clay horizons within 50 cm of the surface. Lower the shrink-swell potential one class when kaolinite clay is
dominant.
204 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
ZMX Maximum rooting depth of soil profile (mm).
If no depth is specified, the model assumes the roots can
develop throughout the entire depth of the soil profile.
ANION_EXCL Fraction of porosity (void space) from which anions are
excluded.
Most soil minerals are negatively charged at normal pH and
the net interaction with anions such as nitrate is a repulsion
from particle surfaces. This repulsion is termed negative
adsorption or anion exclusion.
Anions are excluded from the area immediately adjacent to
mineral surfaces due to preferential attraction of cations to
these sites. This process has a direct impact on the transport
of anions through the soil for it effectively excludes anions
from the slowest moving portion of the soil water volume
found closest to the charged particle surfaces (Jury et al,
1991). In effect, the net pathway of the anion through the
soil is shorter than it would be if all the soil water had to be
used (Thomas and McMahon, 1972).
If no value for ANION_EXCL is entered, the model will
set ANION_EXCL = 0.50.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 205
CRK Potential or maximum crack volume of the soil profile
expressed as a fraction of the total soil volume.
To accurately predict surface runoff and infiltration in areas
dominated by Vertisols, the temporal change in soil volume
must be quantified. Bronswijk (1989, 1990) outlines
methods used to determine the maximum crack volume.
TEXTURE Texture of soil layer (string): sand; loamy_sand; loam;
silt_loam; silt; silty_clay; clay_loam; sandy_clay_loam;
sandy_clay
This data is not processed by the model and the line may
be left blank.
Z(layer #) Depth from soil surface to bottom of layer (mm).
BD(layer #) Moist bulk density (Mg/m3 or g/cm3).
The soil bulk density expresses the ratio of the mass of solid
particles to the total volume of the soil, ρb = MS /VT. In
moist bulk density determinations, the mass of the soil is
the oven dry weight and the total volume of the soil is
determined when the soil is at or near field capacity. Bulk
density values should fall between 1.1 and 1.9 Mg/m3.
AWC(layer #) Available water capacity of the soil layer (mm H2O/mm
soil).
The plant available water, also referred to as the available
water capacity, is calculated by subtracting the fraction of
water present at permanent wilting point from that present
at field capacity, AWC = FC − WP where AWC is the
plant available water content, FC is the water content at
field capacity, and WP is the water content at permanent
wilting point.
Available water capacity is estimated by determining the
amount of water released between in situ field capacity (the
soil water content at soil matric potential of -0.033 MPa)
and the permanent wilting point (the soil water content at
soil matric potential of -1.5 MPa).
K(layer #) Saturated hydraulic conductivity (mm/hr).
The saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ksat, relates soil
water flow rate (flux density) to the hydraulic gradient and
is a measure of the ease of water movement through the
soil. Ksat is the reciprocal of the resistance of the soil matrix
to water flow.
CBN(layer #) Organic carbon content (% soil weight).
When defining by soil weight, the soil is the portion of the
sample that passes through a 2 mm sieve.
206 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016

CLAY(layer #) Clay content (% soil weight).

The percent of soil particles which are < 0.002 mm in
equivalent diameter.
SILT(layer #) Silt content (% soil weight).
The percentage of soil particles which have an equivalent
diameter between 0.05 and 0.002 mm.
SAND(layer #) Sand content (% soil weight).
The percentage of soil particles which have a diameter
between 2.0 and 0.05 mm.
ROCK(layer #) Rock fragment content (% total weight).
The percent of the sample which has a particle diameter >
2 mm, i.e. the percent of the sample which does not pass
through a 2 mm sieve.
ALB(top layer) Moist soil albedo.
The ratio of the amount of solar radiation reflected by a
body to the amount incident upon it, expressed as a
fraction. The value for albedo should be reported when the
soil is at or near field capacity.
USLE_K(top layer) USLE equation soil erodibility (K) factor (units: 0.013
(metric ton m2 hr)/(m3-metric ton cm)).
Some soils erode more easily than others even when all
other factors are the same. This difference is termed soil
erodibility and is caused by the properties of the soil itself.
Wischmeier and Smith (1978) define the soil erodibility
factor as the soil loss rate per erosion index unit for a
specified soil as measured on a unit plot. A unit plot is 22.1-
m (72.6-ft) long, with a uniform length-wise slope of
 SWAT+ INPUTS 207
Variable name Definition
USLE_K, cont. 9-percent, in continuous fallow, tilled up and down the
slope. Continuous fallow is defined as land that has been
tilled and kept free of vegetation for more than 2 years. The
units for the USLE soil erodibility factor in MUSLE are
numerically equivalent to the traditional English units of
0.01 (ton acre hr)/(acre ft-ton inch).
Wischmeier and Smith (1978) noted that a soil type usually
becomes less erodible with decrease in silt fraction,
regardless of whether the corresponding increase is in the
sand fraction or clay fraction.
Direct measurement of the erodibility factor is time
consuming and costly. Wischmeier et al. (1971) developed
a general equation to calculate the soil erodibility factor
when the silt and very fine sand content makes up less than
70% of the soil particle size distribution.
0.00021 ⋅ M 1.14 ⋅ (12 − OM ) + 3.25 ⋅ (c soilstr − 2 ) + 2.5 ⋅ (c perm − 3)
KUSLE =
100
where KUSLE is the soil erodibility factor, M is the
particle-size parameter, OM is the percent organic matter
(%), csoilstr is the soil structure code used in soil
classification, and cperm is the profile permeability class.
The particle-size parameter, M, is calculated
M = (msilt + mvfs ) ⋅ (100 − mc )

where msilt is the percent silt content (0.002-0.05 mm

diameter particles), mvfs is the percent very fine sand
content (0.05-0.10 mm diameter particles), and mc is the
percent clay content (< 0.002 mm diameter particles).
The percent organic matter content, OM, of a layer can be
calculated:
OM = 1.72 ⋅ orgC
where orgC is the percent organic carbon content of the
layer (%).
208 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
USLE_K, cont. Soil structure refers to the aggregation of primary soil
particles into compound particles which are separated from
adjoining aggregates by surfaces of weakness. An
individual natural soil aggregate is called a ped. Field
description of soil structure notes the shape and
arrangement of peds, the size of peds, and the distinctness
and durability of visible peds. USDA Soil Survey
terminology for structure consists of separate sets of terms
defining each of these three qualities. Shape and
arrangement of peds are designated as type of soil structure;
size of peds as class; and degree of distinctness as grade.
Angular Blocky: bounded by planes intersecting at
relatively sharp angles
Subangular Blocky: having mixed rounded and
plane faces with vertices mostly rounded
The soil-structure codes for the equation are defined by the
type and class of soil structure present in the layer. There
are four primary types of structure, several of which are
further broken down into subtypes:
-Platy, with particles arranged around a plane, generally
horizontal
-Prismlike, with particles arranged around a verticle line
and bounded by relatively flat vertical surfaces
Prismatic: without rounded upper ends
Columnar: with rounded caps
-Blocklike or polyhedral, with particles arranged around
a point and bounded by flat or rounded surfaces which
are casts of the molds formed by the faces of
surrounding peds
-Spheroidal or polyhedral, with particles arranged
around a point and bounded by curved or very irregular
surfaces that are not accomodated to the adjoining
aggregates
Granular: relatively non-porous
Crumb: very porous
The size criteria for the class will vary by type of structure
and are summarized in Table 22-2.
 SWAT+ INPUTS 209
Variable name Definition
Table 22-2: Size classes of soil structure
USLE_K, cont. Shape of structure
Prismatic and
Size Classes Platy Columnar Blocky Granular
Very fine < 1 mm < 10 mm < 5 mm < 1 mm
Fine 1-2 mm 10-20 mm 5-10 mm 1-2 mm
Medium 2-5 mm 20-50 mm 10-20 mm 2-5 mm
Coarse 5-10 mm 50-100 mm 20-50 mm 5-10 mm
Very coarse > 10 mm > 100 mm > 50 mm > 10 mm

The codes assigned to csoilstr are:

5 very fine granular
6 fine granular
7 medium or coarse granular
8 blocky, platy, prismlike or massive

Permeability is defined as the capacity of the soil to transmit water and air through
the most restricted horizon (layer) when moist. The profile permeability classes
are based on the lowest saturated hydraulic conductivity in the profile. The codes
assigned to cperm are:
7 rapid (> 150 mm/hr)
8 moderate to rapid (50-150 mm/hr)
9 moderate (15-50 mm/hr)
10 slow to moderate (5-15 mm/hr)
11 slow (1-5 mm/hr)
12 very slow (< 1 mm/hr)

Williams (1995) proposed an alternative equation:

KUSLE = f csand ⋅ f cl − si ⋅ f orgc ⋅ f hisand
where fcsand is a factor that gives low soil erodibility factors for soils with high
coarse-sand contents and high values for soils with little sand, fcl-si is a factor that
gives low soil erodibility factors for soils with high clay to silt ratios, forgc is a
factor that reduces soil erodibility for soils with high organic carbon content, and
fhisand is a factor that reduces soil erodibility for soils with extremely high sand
contents. The factors are calculated:
   m  
f csand =  0.2 + 0.3 ⋅ exp  − 0.256 ⋅ ms ⋅ 1 − silt  
   100  
 210 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
USLE_K, cont.  msilt 
0.3

f cl − si =  
 mc + msilt 

 0.0256 ⋅ orgC 
f orgc = 1 − 
 orgC + exp[3.72 − 2.95 ⋅ orgC ] 

  m  
 0.7 ⋅ 1 − s  
  100  
f hisand = 1 − 
 m    m 
 1 − s  + exp  − 5.51 + 22.9 ⋅ 1 − s  
  100    100  
where ms is the percent sand content (0.05-2.00 mm diameter particles), msilt is the
percent silt content (0.002-0.05 mm diameter particles), mc is the percent clay
content (< 0.002 mm diameter particles), and orgC is the percent organic carbon
content of the layer (%).
EC(layer #) Electrical conductivity (dS/m).
CAL(layer #) Soil CaCo3 (%). (0 – 50%)
PH(layer #) Soil Ph (3-10)

NUTRIENTS.SOL
The NUTRIENTS.SOL file Soil nutrient parameters.
Below is a sample NUTRIENTS.SOL file:
nutrients.sol:
NAME EXP_CO TOTALN INORGN ORGN TOTALP INORGP ORGP WATERSOL_P H3A_P MEHLICH_P BRAY_STRONG_
lrew01 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew02 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew03 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew04 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew05 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew06 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew07 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew08 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew09 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew10 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew11 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
lrew12 0.001 13 6.85 3.34 3.22 3.66 0.39 0.16 0.26 1.22 0.85
 SWAT+ INPUTS 211
TITLE The first line of the nutrients.sol file is reserved for user
comments. The comments may take up to 80 spaces. The
title line is not processed by the model and may be left
blank.
HEADER
NAME Nutrient name
EXP_CO Depth coefficient to adjust concentrations for depth
TOTALN Total N in soil (ppm)
INORGN Inorganic N in soil surface (ppm)
ORGN Organic N in soil surface (ppm)
TOTALP Total P in soil surface (ppm)
INORGP Inorganic P in soil surface (ppm)
ORGP Organic P in soil surface (ppm)
WATERSOL_P Water soluble P in soil surface (ppm)
H3A_P H3a P in soil surface (ppm)
MEHLICH_P Mehlich P in soil surface (ppm)
BRAY_STRONG_P Bray P in soil surface (ppm)

D_TABLE – Decision tables are a precise yet compact way to model complex rule sets and their
corresponding actions.

Decision tables, like flowcharts and if-then-else and switch-case statements, associate conditions with actions to
perform, but in many cases do so in a more elegant way (see Wikipedia – ‘Decision table’)
STRUCTURE OF DECISION TABLES
I. Conditions
II. Condition alternatives
III. Actions
IV. Action entries
Each decision corresponds to a variable, relation or predicate whose possible values are listed among the
condition alternatives. Each action is a procedure or operation to perform, and the entries specify whether (or in
what order) the action is to be performed for the set of condition alternatives the entry corresponds to. Many
decision tables include in their condition alternatives the ‘don’t care’ symbol, a hyphen. Using ‘don’t cares’ can
simply decision tables, especially when a given condition has little influence on the actions to be performed. In
some cases, entire conditions thought to be important initially are found to be irrelevant when none of the
conditions influence which actions are performed.

Decision tables, especially when coupled with the use of a domain-specific language, allow developers and
policy experts to work from the same information, the decision tables themselves.
 212 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Tools to render nested if statements from traditional programming languages into decision tables can also be
used as a debugging tool.

Decision tables have proven to be easier to understand and review than code, and have been used extensively
and successfully to produce specifications for complex systems.

Quadrant I. Number of conditions, alternatives and actions

1. Conditional variables
2. Limit variables (each conditional variable has predefined limit variables
CHAR NAME TYPE DESCRIPTION UNITS LIMIT VAR

soil_water soil wp, fc, ul

w_stress plant
month time
jday time
hu plant
n_stress plant
soil_n soil
soil_p soil
n_applied mgt
plant plant
rot_yr mgt
biomass plant
cover plant/soil
lai
stir_tillage mgt
vol res pvol, evol
flow chan

Quadrant II. Condition alternatives

1. Condition rules – all alternatives met (<, >, =, -)
Quadrant III. Actions
ACTION OPTIONS
irrigate amt, file  irr.ops
release rate,day,weir
plant name from plants.plt
harvest file harv.ops
tillage file till.ops
fire file fire.ops
(structures)
(herd)
(water-rights)

Quadrant IV. Action Entries

1. ‘y’ (yes)
2. ‘n’ (no)
 SWAT+ INPUTS 213
D_TABLE.DTL
The D_TABLE.DTL file contains the input variables for the nutrient characteristics of the soil properties. Below
is a sample D_TABLE.DTL file:

d_table.dtl
2

NAME CONDS ALTS ACTS

pl_grow_sum 2 2 1
VAR OBJ OB_NUM LIM_VAR LIM_OP LIM_CONST ALT1 ALT2
phu_base0 hlt 0 null - 0.15 > <
phu_base0 hlt 0 null - 0.2 < -
ACT_TYP NAME TYPE CONSTAPPLICATION OUTCOME
grow_init hlt 0 start_growth file 0 null y n

NAME CONDS ALTS ACTS

pl_end_sum 2 3 1
VAR OBJ OB_NUM LIM_VAR LIM_OP LIM_CONST ALT1 ALT2 ALT3
phu_base0 hlt 0 null - 0.5 > < -
jday hlt 0 null - 330 - - =
ACT_TYP NAME TYPE CONSTAPPLICATION OUTCOME
grow_end hlt 0 end_growth file 0 null y n y
 214 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable name Definition
TITLE The first line of the file is reserved for user comments. The
comments may take up to 80 spaces. The title line is not
processed by the model and may be left blank.
MDTBL Total number of decision tables in the file
HEADER Header
NAME Name of decision table
CONDS Number of conditions
ALTS Number of alternatives
ACTS Number of actions
VAR Condition variable (vol, sw, time, etc)
OB Object variable (res, hru, canal, etc)
OB_NUM Object number
LIM_VAR Limit variable (evol, pvol, fc, ul, etc)
LIM_OP Limit operator (*,+,-)
LIM_CONST Limit constant
ALT Condition alternatives
TYP Type of action (reservoir, irrigate, fertilizer, etc)
NAME Name of action
OPTION Action option-specific to type of action (ie for reservoir,
option to input rate, days of drawdown, weir equation
pointer, etc)
CONST Constant used for rate, days, etc
FILE_POINTER Pointer for option (ie weir equation pointer)
Action outcomes (‘y’ to perform action; ‘n’ to not
ACT_OUTCOMES perform action
CONST

REGIONS–

LS_UNIT.ELE
The LS_UNIT.ELE file contains the input variables
Below is a sample LS_UNIT.ELE:
 SWAT+ INPUTS 215
ls_unit.ele:
NUMB NAME OBTYP OBTYPNO BSN_FRAC LSU_FRAC REG_FRAC
1 hru1 hru 1 0.00026108 0.0817 0
2 hru2 hru 2 1.67E-05 0.0052 0
3 hru3 hru 3 0.00153037 0.4791 0
4 hru4 hru 4 8.33E-06 0.0026 0
5 hru5 hru 5 5.00E-05 0.0157 0
6 hru6 hru 6 3.61E-05 0.0113 0
7 hru7 hru 7 5.55E-06 0.0017 0
8 hru8 hru 8 0.00012221 0.0383 0
9 hru9 hru 9 7.50E-05 0.0235 0
10 hru10 hru 10 0.00012221 0.0383 0
11 hru11 hru 11 9.44E-05 0.0296 0
12 hru12 hru 12 0.00027497 0.0861 0
13 hru13 hru 13 0.00016665 0.0522 0
14 hru14 hru 14 0.0001472 0.0461 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the LS_UNIT.ELE file
HEADER Headings for file
NUMB The sequential number of the LS_UNIT.ELE
NAME Name
OB_TYP Type of object to print (cha, res, etc)
OBTYPNO Object type number
BSN_FRAC fraction of element in basin (expansion factor)
LSU_FRAC fraction of element in landscape unit (expansion factor)
REG_FRAC fraction of element in region (expansion factor)

LS_UNIT.DEF
The LS_UNIT.DEF file contains the input variables. Below is a sample LS_UNIT.DEF:
 216 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
ls_unit.def
LSU_NUMB LSU_NAME LSU_AREA ELEM_TOT ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 103.5 2 1 -21
2 lcu2 6.21 2 22 -28
3 lcu3 61.92 2 29 -39
4 lcu4 3.06 2 40 -42
5 lcu5 73.8 2 43 -62
6 lcu6 2.07 2 63 -67
7 lcu7 63.36 2 68 -87
8 lcu8 3.42 2 88 -92
9 lcu9 78.57 2 93 -111
10 lcu10 3.33 2 112 -118
11 lcu11 66.51 2 119 -139
12 lcu12 0.72 2 140 -143
13 lcu13 83.25 2 144 -164
14 lcu14 5.04 2 165 -174

Variable Definition
name
TITLE Description of the LS_UNIT.DEF file
MLSU Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the LS_UNIT.DEF
NAME
AREA Surface area
NSPU Total number of elements to follow
ELEM_CNT Element counts

LS_REG.DEF (NEEDS UPDATING)

The LS_REG.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample LS_REG.DEF
ls_reg.def Subbasin
2
NUMB NAME AREA_HA NSPU ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 493.38 1 1 2

Variable Definition
name
 SWAT+ INPUTS 217
TITLE Description of the LS_REG.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
MLUG Number of landuse groups
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the LS_REG.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
NSPU
ELEM_CNT

CH_CATUNIT.DEF
The CH_CATUNIT.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample CH_CATUNIT.DEF
Ch_catunit.def Subbasin
2
NUMB NAME AREA_HA NSPU ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 493.38 1 1 2

Variable Definition
name
TITLE Description of the CH_CATUNIT.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the CH_CATUNIT.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
NSPU
ELEM_CNT

CH_REG.DEF
The CH_REG.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample CH_REG.DEF
TITLE Description of the CH_REG.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the CH_REG.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
 218 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
NSPU
ELEM_CNT

AQU_CATUNIT.ELE
The AQU_CATUNIT.ELE file contains the input variables
Below is a sample AQU_CATTUNIT.ELE
Aqu_catunit.ele
NUMB NAME OBTYP OBTYPNO BSN_FRAC SUB_FRAC REG_FRAC
1 hru1 hru 1 0.500 0.5 0
2 hru2 hru 2 0.500 0.5 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the AQU_CATUNIT.ELE file
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the AQU_CATUNIT.ELE
NAME
OBTYP Type of object to print (cha, res, etc)
OBTYPNO Object type number
BSN_FRAC fraction of element in basin (expansion factor)
SUB_FRAC fraction of element in sub (expansion factor)
REG_FRAC fraction of element in calibration region (expansion factor)

AQU_CATUNIT.DEF
The AQU_CATUNIT.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample AQU_CATUNIT.DEF
Aqu_catunit.def Subbasin
2
NUMB NAME AREA_HA NSPU ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 493.38 1 1 2

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the AQU_CATUNIT.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the AQU_CATUNIT.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
NSPU
 SWAT+ INPUTS 219
ELEM_CNT

AQU_REG.DEF
The AQU_REG.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample AQU_REG.DEF
aqu_reg.def Subbasin
2
NUMB NAME AREA_HA NSPU ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 493.38 1 1 2

Variable Definition
name
TITLE Description of the AQU_REG.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the AQU_REG.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
NSPU
ELEM_CNT

RES_CATUNIT.ELE
The RES_CATUNIT.ELE file contains the input variables
Below is a sample RES_CATTUNIT.ELE
res_catunit.ele
NUMB NAME OBTYP OBTYPNO BSN_FRAC SUB_FRAC REG_FRAC
1 hru1 hru 1 0.500 0.5 0
2 hru2 hru 2 0.500 0.5 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the RES_CATUNIT.ELE file
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the RES_CATUNIT.ELE
NAME
OBTYP Type of object to print (cha, res, etc)
OBTYPNO Object type number
BSN_FRAC fraction of element in basin (expansion factor)
SUB_FRAC fraction of element in sub (expansion factor)
REG_FRAC fraction of element in calibration region (expansion factor)
 220 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
RES_REG.DEF
The RES_REG.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample RES_REG.DEF
res_reg.def Subbasin
2
NUMB NAME AREA_HA NSPU ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 493.38 1 1 2

Variable Definition
name
TITLE Description of the RES_REG.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the RES_REG.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
NSPU
ELEM_CNT

RES_CATUNIT.DEF
The RES_CATUNIT.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample RES_CATUNIT.DEF
res_catunit.def Subbasin
2
NUMB NAME AREA_HA NSPU ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 493.38 1 1 2

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the RES_CATUNIT.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the RES_CATUNIT.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
NSPU
ELEM_CNT

REC_CATUNIT.ELE
The REC_CATUNIT.ELE file contains the input variables
Below is a sample REC_CATTUNIT.ELE
rec_catunit.ele
NUMB NAME OBTYP OBTYPNO BSN_FRAC SUB_FRAC REG_FRAC
1 hru1 hru 1 0.500 0.5 0
 SWAT+ INPUTS 221
2 hru2 hru 2 0.500 0.5 0

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the REC_CATUNIT.ELE file
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the REC_CATUNIT.ELE
NAME
OBTYP Type of object to print (cha, res, etc)
OBTYPNO Object type number
BSN_FRAC fraction of element in basin (expansion factor)
SUB_FRAC fraction of element in sub (expansion factor)
REG_FRAC fraction of element in calibration region (expansion factor)

REC_CATUNIT.DEF
The REC_CATUNIT.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample REC_CATUNIT.DEF
rec_catunit.def Subbasin
2
NUMB NAME AREA_HA NSPU ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 493.38 1 1 2

Variable name Definition

TITLE Description of the REC_CATUNIT.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the REC_CATUNIT.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
NSPU
ELEM_CNT

REC_REG.DEF
The REC_REG.DEF file contains the input variables
Below is a sample REC_REG.DEF
rec_reg.def Subbasin
2
NUMB NAME AREA_HA NSPU ELEM1 ELEM2
1 lcu1 493.38 1 1 2
 222 SWAT+ INPUT/OUTPUT FILE DOCUMENTATION, VERSION 2016
Variable Definition
name
TITLE Description of the REC_REG.DEF file
MREG Number of regions
HEADER
NUMB The sequential number of the REC_REG.DEF
NAME
AREA_HA Surface area
NSPU
ELEM_CNT

PATH_PCP/PATH_TMP/PATH_SLR/PATH_HMD/PATH_WND
The PATH weather files contain the daily values for the simulation run. The data files can be present in the same
directory as the other input data OR in a separate sub-directory. If they are copied to a sub-directory, the following
should be input so the model will read from the files during runtime.

In the following example, the data directory is: c:\LREW and the weather will be read from c:\LREW\weather.

Example: CLIMATE_PCP weather\\

CLIMATE_TMP weather\\
CLIMATE_SLR weather\\
CLIMATE_HMD weather\\
CLIMATE_WND weather\\