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DRAINS: Australia's leading Stormwater Drainage System design and analysis software.
Developed and supported locally, DRAINS is Australia’s most trusted and widely-accepted modelling and analysis software for stormwater and drainage systems.
Celebrating over 25 years, DRAINS allows users to design and analyse stormwater drainage systems, produce summary graphs and tables, and create pipe long-section drawings.
DRAINS also incorporates the latest Australian Rainfall and Runoff (AR&R) guidelines.
- Draw drainage system components such as sub-catchments, pits, pipes, detention basins, channels and overflow routes.
- Use several available hydrological models recommended by the AR&R guidelines.
- Solve the full unsteady flow equations in pipes, channels and overflow routes.
First software to incorporate AR&R Design Procedures & BOM 2016 IFDs (January 2017)
Features
AR&R Compliant
First software to incorporate the new Australian Rainfall and Runoff (AR&R) design procedures.
Hydrology
Use IL-CL (the AR&R preferred model), Horton ILSAX, Rational & Extended Rational Method models, and a Storage Network Routing Module that includes RORB, RAFTS and WBNM.
Hydraulics
Solve the full unsteady flow equations, which is useful for analysing complex surface flooding situations where storage or backwater effects occur in overflow routes, or when splitting surface flows in multiple directions.
DRAINS Versions
We offer multiple versions of DRAINS.
DRAINS Demo, DRAINS and DRAINS Viewer all include the Australian Rainfall and Runoffs’ (AR&R) Initial Loss – Continuing Loss (IL-CL), Horton (ILSAX) and Rational & Extended Rational Method hydrological models, and are capable of analysing AR&R temporal patterns and design procedures.
The Full Unsteady Hydraulic Model, Storage Network Routing Models (RORB, RAFTS & WBNM hydrological models) and the GIS Module are also included.
Demo
The demo version of DRAINS (available to download here) is fully functional software, except that it is limited to a maximum of five pipes or channels, one irregular channel and limited to viewing existing detention basin data only.
DRAINS
DRAINS solves the full unsteady flow equations in pipes, channels and overflow routes. DRAINS is available in multiple licensing options.
- Solving the full unsteady flow equations is useful for analysing complex surface flooding situations where storage or backwater effects occur in overflow routes, or when splitting surface flows in multiple directions via multiple outgoing overflow routes.
- Pumps, weirs and orifices can be modelled as separate objects allowing for complex arrangements (e.g. multi-level orifice outlets from detention basins or pit diversion chambers, or overland flow diversions across the crown of a road).
- It also includes a flood mapping capability.
DRAINS Viewer
The free DRAINS Viewer allows anyone to open DRAINS files and inspect the model structure, inputs and results. The Viewer operates in the same way as DRAINS, but does not allow models to be altered or run.
- If a DRAINS .drn file contains stored results, these can also be viewed, and exported to spreadsheets.
- The purpose of the Viewer is to make checking or reviewing of DRAINS models easier, either within an organisation, or between organisations such as a consultant preparing a model and a Council reviewing this.
- The Viewer can be freely distributed by DRAINS users to other organisations.
- The Viewer will need to be periodically updated when the DRAINS .drn format alters, otherwise it will not be able to view files created with the latest version of DRAINS.
DRAINS Licensing
DRAINS is available in various licences and options.
Here are some things to consider when planning to purchase a new licence.
Number of Links
Most licences are available in 5, 20, 50 or Unlimited Links.
Subscriptions
Simple recurring payments. Select 30-Day or Annual Terms.
Perpetual Licence
Access DRAINS without a USB on registered devices.
NO LONGER AVAILABLE
USB Licence
Access DRAINS with a USB on any device of your choice.
Network
Shared access between PCs via a Subscription or Perpetual Licence.
All Features
All new licences include the full suite of current DRAINS functionality.
Included Modules
Three additional modules are included with new DRAINS licences.
Storage Network Routing Module
The Storage Network Routing Module adds the RORB, RAFTS and WBNM storage routing hydrological models, useful when modelling large urban or rural sub-catchment areas where estimating the time of concentration with time area routing might be difficult.
DRAINS RAFTS does not rely on XP Rafts and is not affected by the discontinuation of XP Rafts by Innovyze.
GIS Module
The GIS Module is useful where you need to interface with GIS systems that support ESRI shapefiles or Mapinfo MID/MIF files. This module allows transfer of data and results between DRAINS and GIS.
Rational + Extended Rational Method Hydrological Module
The Rational + Extended Rational Method Hydrological Module adds the ability to model the rational method procedures with ARR87, ARR2019 and AS3500.3.
The Extended Rational Method allows users to produce hydrographs to improve detention basin analysis and utilise the full unsteady hydraulic model. This is achieved by including temporal patterns as part of the analysis and including the ability to model ensembles of storms from ARR2019.
Maintenance & Support
All DRAINS subscriptions include ongoing maintenance and support. For Perpetual Licences, Maintenance is renewable every 12 months. If your maintenance has expired, please review your next steps here and request a quote.
In-Person & Online Training
Our DRAINS In-Person Workshops are suitable for both new and experienced DRAINS users. Along with our popular Self-Paced Online Training, we’re excited to also introduce Live Online Training, Private Online Training and Private In-Person Training.
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Live Webinar: ARR Updates & Impacts on Stormwater Modelling
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New version of DRAINS released (v2025.01)
A new version of DRAINS has been released: v2025.01.9147.24925 - 16 January 2025 Download the new version now. RELEASE NOTES FIXED & IMPROVED: Improvements to the Licence Management System REMOVED: Removed the ARR87 warning message window when selecting the design…
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