SWATgrid: An interface for setting up SWAT in a grid-based discretization scheme

This paper presents a model interface that enables the user to incorporate spatial detail into a SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model run. deling purposes a watershed has to be spatially discretized. All currently developed interfaces preparing SWAT input data use the sub-watershed discretization scheme. The application of this concept results in a loss of spatial information in the input data such as land-use or soil type maps. Setting up SWAT in a grid-based scheme would avoid this loss of information. Therefore, an interface preparing the input data for setting up SWAT based on grid cells was developed: “SWATgrid”. SWATgrid allows the user to incorporate spatial detail into a SWAT model run and enables the coupling of spatial information such as remote sensing data with SWAT. s paper the functionality of SWATgrid will be demonstrated by comparing results of SWATgrid with conventional SWAT model results. The development of the grid-based discretization scheme will be presented using a SWAT test data set. Current developments as well as problems that occurred will be discussed and future steps will be pointed out.