Bioretention-Based Stormwater Management Using EPA SWMM: Bibliometric and Systematic Literature Review with Implications for Tropical Regions

Abstract

Rapid urbanization has increased impervious surfaces, reducing infiltration capacity and intensifying stormwater runoff and flood risks. Bioretention, as a Low Impact Development (LID) approach, has been widely applied for sustainable urban stormwater management. However, the development and applicability of the EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM)-based bioretention modeling under tropical climate conditions remain insufficiently synthesized. This study evaluates global research trends, knowledge structures, critical design parameters, and the applicability of SWMM-based bioretention systems in tropical regions through bibliometric analysis and a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA framework. A Scopus-based search covering 2021–2026 identified 1,067 articles for bibliometric analysis and 22 articles for SLR synthesis. Bibliometric analysis revealed four major research clusters: urban climate adaptation, bioretention performance and stormwater quality, SWMM-based hydrological modeling, and urban drainage integration. Research contributions remain dominated by China, the United States, and Europe, while tropical regions represent only 4.7% of the dataset. The SLR shows that bioretention performance depends strongly on hydrological conditions and design characteristics, with peak flow reductions ranging from 14.3% to 94%. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) was identified as the key calibration parameter. The study highlights the need for tropical parameter databases, locally validated SWMM models, and integrated hydrological–water quality simulations.