Hydrological Modeling PCSWMM vs. HEC-HMS: A Case Study of a Quebec River Watershed

This study explores the application and performance of two prominent hydrological modeling tools, HEC-HMS and PCSWMM, in simulating runoff dynamics in a river watershed. By focusing on the hydrological analysis of one representative river watershed in Quebec, the presentation provides a comparative analysis of the modeling approaches, including their computational frameworks, underlying assumptions, sensitivity to input parameters and suitability for capturing watershed dynamics. Using a combination of historical precipitation data, land use characteristics, and soil properties, both models were calibrated and validated to examine their ability to simulate hydrological behaviors such as runoff generation, groundwater flows, runoff volumes and peak flows.

In particular, the presentation will underscore the strengths and challenges each model presents and will provide an in-depth analysis of the results obtained for the selected river watershed. Through this comparative framework, the study seeks to assess the models' robustness in capturing local hydrological processes and provides a deeper insight into the understanding and selection of tools available in the context of hydrological analysis of river watersheds. Recommendations for potential improvements for the SWMM calculation engine to generate peak flows and runoff volumes are given.