Application of the SWAT hydrologic model to a tropical watershed at Brazil

• Describes the application of SWAT to predict streamflows at a tropical watershed
• SWAT calibration and validation provided satisfactory results.
• SWAT provided better results for minimum and average streamflow than peak flow.

The current paper presents the evaluation of the ability of the SWAT hydrological model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) to reproduce continuous daily streamflows of the upper Itapemirim River basin (Brazil). The model parameters were calibrated and validated with data collected from 1993 to 2000. The model was found to be highly sensitive to baseflow, its primary calibration variable. Validation analyses resulted in values of statistical indexes (NS = 0.67; NSlog = 0.68; PBIAS = 22% and RSR = 0.57) that show that SWAT performance was satisfactory in this application.