Diving into Open-Source SWMM

About

For over fifty years, the EPA’s Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) has served as the global standard for urban drainage planning, flood analysis, and water quality studies. As urban environments face more complex water management challenges, the core simulation engine is undergoing its most significant leap in decades with the emergence of SWMM6 and the open-source SWMM2D project. Sponsored by the ASCE-EWRI, this collaborative modernization re-architects the core software to meet the needs of next-generation engineering.

This webinar introduces the new, modernized C++20 SWMM6 engine, which features a data-oriented memory layout, thread-safe parallel simulation capabilities, and Python bindings. We will explore how these structural enhancements support SWMM2D, enabling coupled 1D/2D hydraulics, native GeoPackage GIS integration, and advanced optimization workflows.

Attendees will learn how this modern, accessible, and open-source ecosystem is designed to improve computational runtimes and power modern digital-twin applications.