Surface water models are used to simulate surface water conditions and to assess surface water availability.
Overview
Effective water planning and management requires an accurate assessment of the State’s surface water resources. To that end, the SCDES has supported the development of surface-water quantity models that simulate the surface water system for each of the eight major river basins in South Carolina. The modeling platform is the Simplified Water Allocation Model (SWAM), developed by CDM Smith, Inc. These models will be used to evaluate current and future water availability and will support the development of State and regional water plans. Use the links below to access modeling reports and other documentation for each basin’s SWAM model and to learn more about how the SWAM models were developed.
Surface Water Models
SCDES has publicly released the Simplified Water Allocation Models (SWAM) for the Broad, Edisto, Pee Dee, Salkehatchie, Saluda, and Savannah river basins.
Edisto SWAM Model Virtual Training Workshops
Stakeholder Engagement Process
In collaboration with SCDNR, Clemson University led a stakeholder engagement process during the development of the SWAM models. Two stakeholder meetings were held in each basin and were designed to educate stakeholders on the purpose and functionality of the SWAM models, answer questions about the models, and solicit stakeholder feedback. For more information about the stakeholder engagement process, please visit Clemson’s stakeholder website.
SWAM Model Documentation
