Best stormwater modeling software for small-medium size project

[GJ1970]

What is the best modeling software for small to medium sized residential and small commercial development projects? I've seen HydroCAD used, but am curious if there's something better than this? Most of the project I'm looking at doing are small-medium projects. Say not more than 100 lot subdivisions or 7-10 acre commercial developments.

I do have a couple copies of Civil 3D, that includes the Storm and Sanitary analysis extension. I don't know if this solution is overly complex.

Thanks

 

[beej67]

If you already have Civil3D, then you can use Hydraflow Hydrographs which is built into it. I prefer HydroCAD to the stuff native in Civ3d for many reasons, which we could go into if you like, and HydroCAD is also really affordable. But if you know what you're doing you can use either one and get reasonable and reliable results. I am unaware of anything simpler than either of these two, and you wouldn't want to use anything simpler because hydrology isn't simple.



Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[GJ1970]

Thanks for the input beej67. If HydroCAD is on par with the C3D tools, I will probably go with HydroCAD. No sense in burning a C3D license for just stormwater calcs.

 

[beej67]

Yeah, if you haven't already committed to the C3D environment, which many people of course have, then HydroCAD is a better option, both in modeling capability and robustness, and in overall cost. But lots of folks are committed to the total C3D package from the outset, and in those cases it won't hurt you much to go with what you've got.

If you run into anything that involves dynamic tailwater, run away fast from Hydraflow Hydrographs. It's garbage once you start getting into true node based modeling. HydroCAD handles these situations relatively well, although I think ICPR and SWMM may have some advantages in extremely nuanced situations. The best boon of HydroCAD is the developers answer your emails.

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[Twinkie]

Short of doing a continuous simulation model, HydroCAD hands down.

 

[pinkpig]

HydroCAD is good and able to handle a lot of situation. also consider HEC-HMS and SWMM and HEC-RAS.