The Surface Water team led by Prof. Ann van Griensven conducts research in the field of hydrological and water quality modelling for simulation of climate change impacts and/or management scenarios from local to global change.

Our main expertise lies in the development and use of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+), especially for tropical regions.

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+) is a hydrologic and water quality modeling system that is used to predict the impacts of land use, land management practices, and climate change on water, sediment, and agricultural chemical yields in large, complex watersheds. It was developed by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The SWAT+ model is a comprehensive, integrated model that combines various sub-models to simulate various hydrologic and water quality processes. It includes a soil erosion model, a surface water routing model, a groundwater model, and a water quality model. It can be used to simulate a wide range of processes, including erosion, sediment transport, nutrient cycling, water balance, crop growth, and water quality.


The group is hosting the AXA Chair on Water Quality and Global Change and the UNESCO Chair on Open Water Science and Education.

Surface water - Publications

Surface water - GitHub