Possible SWAT+ Check issue with monthly recall point-source flow summary

25 views
Skip to first unread message

Namraj Jaishi

unread,
May 8, 2026, 9:56:30 AMMay 8
to SWAT+ Editor

Hello SWAT+ Editor/SWAT+ team,

I am modeling the Caney Creek watershed in Montgomery County, Texas using SWAT+ rev. 61.0.2.61 and SWAT+ Editor v3.2.1. I added monthly recall point-source data using rec_typ = 2, with each pt###.rec file containing monthly flo values in m³, following the SWAT+ recall documentation.

I noticed a possible issue or confusing behavior in SWAT+ Check under the Point Sources section. SWAT+ Check reports:

Total Point Source + Inlet Load:

  • Flow = 8.54 cms

  • Sediment = 60,470 Mg/yr

  • Nitrogen = 824,017 kg/yr

  • Phosphorus = 865 kg/yr

Load from Inlet + PS:

  • Flow = 99.75%

However, when I directly audit the active monthly recall files listed in recall.rec, the point-source flow is much smaller:

Active sources:
pt017, pt026, pt032, pt043, pt055, pt077, pt087, pt097, pt103, pt107

Direct calculation from the active pt*.rec files:

  • Total flow over full simulation = 23,533,901.5 m³

  • Correct mean point-source flow = 0.02869 cms

  • Correct mean point-source flow = 0.6549 MGD

  • Correct maximum monthly point-source flow = 0.4324 cms

  • Correct maximum monthly point-source flow = 9.8701 MGD

The channel output also shows that streamflow is much larger than the point-source input. For example, in channel_sd_yr.txt, flo_out for the main channel is around 7–8 cms on average, so the point-source flow should not be close to 99.75% of total flow.

Interestingly, if I divide the total multi-year recall volume by about 32 days, I get almost the same value as SWAT+ Check:

23,533,901.5 m³ / (32 × 86,400 s) ≈ 8.51 cms

This is very close to the 8.54 cms shown in SWAT+ Check. It looks like SWAT+ Check may be converting the total simulation monthly recall volume using an incorrect or unintended time denominator, rather than calculating the average point-source discharge over the full simulation period.

Could you please clarify how SWAT+ Check calculates “Total Point Source + Inlet Load” for monthly recall objects? Is this expected behavior, or could it be a bug in the point-source flow summary for rec_typ = 2 monthly recall data?

For reference:

  • SWAT+ rev: 61.0.2.61

  • SWAT+ Editor: v3.2.1

  • Recall type: monthly, rec_typ = 2

  • flo units in pt*.rec: m³ per monthly timestep

  • Output folder: TxtInOut

  • Main files checked: recall.rec, pt*.rec, channel_sd_yr.txt, channel_sd_mon.txt

Thank you for your help.

gebregiyorgis Kassie

unread,
May 26, 2026, 8:01:54 AMMay 26
to Namraj Jaishi, SWAT+ Editor
I want to replace non-calibrated meters in the editor with calibrated parameters. Can you help me with how to do it? 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SWAT+ Editor" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to swatplus-edit...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swatplus-editor/3f4da489-7096-487d-b2cb-9c754b36de26n%40googlegroups.com.

Natalja C.

unread,
May 26, 2026, 9:30:55 AMMay 26
to SWAT+ Editor
Hello,

I think the issue is with misinterpretation of the Inputs.
The recall should be entered as the total volume per time. I.e. if your daily point source inputs is 1m^3/s of flow, then the DAILY point source should contain the value of 1*86400 = 86400. (86400 is the amount of seconds per day). Same for monthly, etc. 
If you will enter the point source value of 1, then it will be 1/86400 = 0.00001157407 m^3/s 

Best,
Natalja
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages