By Autodesk Technologist for ICM/SWMMEPASWMM5 and EPANET INP File Data Section Educational Tool
Helping across the full stormwater spectrum: SWMM (50+ yrs), InfoSWMM/ESRI (20 yrs), InfoWorks ICM (15 yrs), & Autodesk AEC Collection (5 yrs) Grandpa (10 yrs)
December 6, 2025
This is an app that I always wanted to make - it shows you the inp file data sections of SWMM5 and EPANET with all of the parameters, examples and tips. A SWMM5 user can learn a bit about EPANET and vice versa. I did this app in @replit and it took a few days of iterations, It can only be made as both SWMM5 and the EPANET are open source so the AI tools know both very well and thanks to Dr Lew Rossman the documentation for both excellent and AI approved.
The reason there is even a GUI and Engine for SWMM5 is thanks to the yeoman work of Lew Rossman over two decades. It was also possible as he was able to leverage the EPANET UX and data structure for SWMM5 during the SWMM5 CRADA years between EPA and CDM between 2001 and 2005. #SWMM5 owes so much to #EPANET. He is a small app that shows how the the inp file data sections are related,. You cannot import inp file but the docs have few examples., Importing is for another app in the future.
This is also important to me as I have been at Innovyze and now Autodesk Water for almost 18 years now seeing how InfoWater and now InfoWater Pro use the EPANET engine and InfoSWMM used the SWMM5 engine. In all those years I wish I understood the inp file of EPANET better - so this is for a past me or people in a similar boat. I like vibe coding and the best part is that I get to make apps I always wish I had and apps that I can use on my cell phone.
Another reason for this is was seeing how Luke Butler was so good at explaining EPANET on LinkedIn so I was inspired by his example. He also mentions SWMM5 on GitHub. Our own Nathan Gerdts, PE also had some good suggestions for this app. I will add that I am also interested due to the AWI team of Shawn Huang and Felipe Hernández who add great custom InfoWater Pro features so I hear WDS modeling daily. Thanks also to past Innovyze colleagues who developed InfoWater which had a big impact on my life as InfoSWMM was its SSF offshoot in ArcMap. No InfoSWMM without InfoWater. Thanks, Paul F. Boulos, PhD, BCEE, Hon.D.WRE, Dist.DNE, Dist.M.ASCE, NAC, NAE Roger Ro Feng Shang Philip Lai Erick Heath, P.E. and many others but since they do not use LinkedIn will just mention Chun Hou Orr. Thanks also Serpil Kara and Grant Clemons for all of the years you helped with InfoSWMM and InfoSewer.
SWMM5 Controls
Nice DOCS file showing both SWMM5 and EPANET
Web App Link for the SWMM5 and EPANET INP File Data Section Viewer
https://swmm5epanetinpviewer.com
The Beginning, Middle or End depending on your perspective.