About CoSWAT

The model

CoSWAT brings SWAT+ hydrological modelling to a global setting. Its published model provides a common starting point for investigating water resources and climate impacts, with regional evaluation and calibration guiding further improvements.

The project was initiated and is led by Celray James Chawanda. Its community approach brings together model development and regional knowledge through shared methods and code.

A repeatable modelling workflow

The CoSWAT Framework provides tools to prepare, run and analyse SWAT+ models at different scales. Its source code is available under the MIT licence, with a Docker-based setup to help keep the software environment consistent.

This platform brings model exploration, shared data and calibration work into one place. The framework remains the starting point for preparing model regions.

Contribute to CoSWAT

Regional observations, calibration work and improvements to the framework all help develop a useful shared model. Keep the model version, input sources and evaluation period with your work so that others can understand and reproduce it.

Code contributions and technical issues can be shared through the framework repository. The Calibration workspace is being developed for sharing and evaluating model improvements.

How to cite

For the published global model, cite the model paper below. Also record the framework version and credit the datasets and model extensions used in your study.

Research using CoSWAT

The research collection covers model publications, extensions and wider assessments, including CoSWAT-WQ's contribution to the WMO State of Global Water Resources 2025 report.