Pond with ID 54 has a zero-length channel leading to it: please remove or move downstream

[Mahabub Chowdhury]

Hello everyone,

I’m running into an error while using SWAT+ in QSWAT during the Add Lakes step.
The message I get is:

“Pond with ID 54 has a zero-length channel leading to it: please remove or move downstream.”

For those who have dealt with this before:

• What’s the best way to fix zero-length channel errors?

• Should I move all points slightly downstream, or is there a more efficient way to handle this in bulk?

• Since my ponds are small, would it be better to model them as HRU ponds instead of reservoirs?

• Any advice or workflow examples would be really appreciated—especially from anyone who has handled multiple small ponds using SWAT+.

Thank you so much for your attention!!!

 

[Chris George]

Delineation is limited by the resolution of your DEM. In particular,
important points, like channel junctions, entrances and exits to lake
shapes, must be in different DEM pixels. So when you get such a warning
you just need to move the item involved.

If your ponds are small and too close together you might be better if
you marked them as ponds (set RES = 2) in the inlets outlets file and
removed them from the lakes file.

Chris

On 10/8/2025 5:29 PM, Mahabub Chowdhury wrote:
> Hello everyone, I’m running into an error while using SWAT+ in QSWAT
> during the Add Lakes step. The message I get is: “Pond with ID 54 has a
> zero-length channel leading to it: please remove or move downstream. ”
> For those who have dealt with

> ZjQcmQRYFpfptBannerStart
> This Message Is From an External Sender
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> ZjQcmQRYFpfptBannerEnd
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I’m running into an error while using *SWAT+ in QSWAT* during the /Add
> Lakes/ step.

> The message I get is:
>

> *“Pond with ID 54 has a zero-length channel leading to it: please
> remove or move downstream.”*

>
> For those who have dealt with this before:
>

> *
>
> What’s the best *way to fix zero-length channel errors?*
>
> *
>
> Should I *move all points slightly downstream*, or is there a more

> efficient way to handle this in bulk?
>

> *
>
> Since my ponds are *small*, would it be better to *model them as HRU
> ponds* instead of reservoirs?
>
> *

>
> Any advice or workflow examples would be really appreciated—
> especially from anyone who has handled multiple small ponds using SWAT+.
>
> Thank you so much for your attention!!!
>

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