In the actual society, the environmental aspects are a concern when planning projects related to water resources. In this context, numerical models are useful tools to represent the superficial water and groundwater cycle and determine the contamination effects.
Read MoreWorking with graphical user interfases (GUIs) can be slow when one wants to do a severe trial-error runs on a groundwater flow model. Pumping test intepretation requires a lot of attemps in order to calibrate the steady and transient parameters as hydraulic conductivity, vertical anisotropy, specific storage and specific yield.
This tutorial show a procedure to generate the modflow files and run them by scripts in Python. The process allows to setup a generic model for a pumping test interpretation where the pumping rates, and observed head can come in separate files or arrays.
Read MoreMODFLOW is a versatil and applied computer code written in Fortran capable of modeling groundwater flow on steady and transient conditions. MODFLOW can simulate a diverse sort of groundwater flow management cases due to its packages and solvers. This tutorial shows the application of MODFLOW for the simulation of radial drains in a mine tailings facility. The simulation considers 16 drains of 60 m length over a simulation period of 1000 days.
Read MoreNowadays, water resources management requires a better understanding of nature and a superior evaluation of the impacts caused by humans. We are concerned and focused on sustainability because we live on a planet with limited resources and changing environments. In some way, we know that the actual changes are results from past and present actions along with the effect of nature cycles.
Read MoreIf we want to talk about concentrations, solutes and contaminant transport in groundwater, we need to mention the Source/Sink concepts and natural concentrations in groundwater. Sources represent solute mass entering the system, which could be representing spills or natural lixiviation processes. Sinks are the zones where water with solute concentrations leave the system.
Read MoreCurrent and historical mining activities have a seepage and waste-dumps legacy that are the concern for mining companies, population and regulatory authorities.
Old waste-dumps have not been regulated and most of the old tailings have been deposited in soils without covering. Tailing deposits and waste-dumps should be analyzed in a particular way because of the ground, instalation details, mineralized body geology, mined type, weather and other parameters.
Recent mining activities count with major engineering in waste-dumps and tailing deposit instalations, as well as better monitoring evaluation seepage. However, there is still a seepage risk coming from old and new waste-dumps and their transport constituties a potential environmental issue.
Read MoreSome questions from a follower:
Thanks for agreeing to help. I developed a simple mode just to check if it works. But I get this error (attached). There are NO streams in my study area so do I still need to give my model a input for drainage package? I wanted to go around it but I could not proceed, therefore I created streams as drainage lines from DEM.
Read MoreHi Saul, I am Giuseppe and I watched your lessons on ModelMuse on YouTube. I’m trying to learn how to use that software, maybe you can help me if you have time.
Read MoreOnce again I had a crush with the question whether Feflow or Modflow. I think this question is related to how bad are we selling environmental services and environmental software.
It is a matter of faith
Read MoreExercise developed and modified by Karen Martinez, Sandra Teruya and Saul Montoya
This example is a simulation of a mining dump which is a continuous source of concentrated leachate.
Read MoreNumerical modeling has become an important part on most hydrogeological investigations. We can even say that the use of numerical models is on “fashion” in decision making processes about groundwater resources.
Numerical models are mathematical interpretations of nature and groundwater flow. They can have limitations, but still they are the best tools available for the understanding of current groundwater flow conditions and the simulation of predictive scenarios on groundwater resources.
This post shows the 10 most important reasons why a common hydrogeologist should know MODFLOW. Reasons are classified among scientific, professional and others.
Calibration of groundwater flow models in mining
Read MoreThe MODFLOW SUB-WT code has been developed to simulate vertical compaction in regional groundwater flow models due to pumping.
MODFLOW SUB-WT can simulate changes in groundwater storages and compaction in discontinuous layers or extensive confining units. The MODFLOW SUB-WT modeling code considers the compaction of a particular layer of the numerical model as a function of effective effort changes in the layer.
Read MoreWhen I was in second semester of my master degree, the course director gave me this advice: “Learn MODFLOW and you will have a job”. That was a small and sincere advice that helped me on the last eight years as hydrogeologist – numerical modeler. Nowadays, I want to give the guidelines for people interested in how to be a senior hydrogeologist in 6 years.
Read MoreMODFLOW is the groundwater modelling software developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). It appeared in 1984 and has had a constant developement till now. MODFLOW’s capacities allow the representation of regional or local groundwater flow and its interaction with superficial water bodies.
Read MoreSince an homogenous aquifer was modelled, there is an interest in comparing the results with an analytical solution. Some formulas give the drawdown value into the well for a steady flow in confined and unconfined aquifers that are homogeneous, isotropic and infinite in the horizontal extent with a single full penetrating well.
Read MoreMODFLOW is a software for groundwater modeling developed by the USGS. The software is capable of representing conditions related to groundwater flow such as evapotranspiration, recharge, drainage, river interaction among others. Its finite different approach gives the capability to calculate the flow regime with exceptional control on water budget discrepancy. With MODFLOW one can rely on that the flow going in the model is the same as the flow going out of it, from the regional scale and on cross sections.
Read MoreThe concept of a groundwater regime is based on the fact that the occurrence and distribution of groundwater is not merely a product of chance, but the result of a combination of climatic, hydrologic, geologic, topographic and soil-forming factors that together form an integrated dynamic system. These factors are interrelated in such a way that each provides some insight into the functioning of the total system and thus serves as an indicator of local conditions of groundwater occurrence and distribution (PAEL, 1993).
Read MoreImpact assessment of mining projects on groundwater resources can be a challenging task due to uncertainty on groundwater flow regime, the complex numerical tools to successfully simulate stresses on groundwater resources posed by the mining projects, timeframe and budget of EIAs.
In this article, we will call EIA the document issued before the mine begins for regulatory official approval and social license.
Read MoreQuick tutorial for the simulation of a contaminant plume from a waste dump
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