Groundwater Modeling

Aquifer Resource Management systems are becoming more and more necessary, given the increased regulation, population growth and resulting demand, increased potential for contamination, and depleted groundwater resources. While millions of dollars are spent on well installation, engineering, and construction of conveyance and treatment systems, a very small percentage is spent on actually managing the aquifer. This may be because of the “black box” nature of hydrogeology – we can’t see below the ground.

The conventional approach is to develop a computer model that simulates groundwater flow. Unfortunately, the mathematics used to develop the model rely on assumptions that are not “real”. Moreover, the parameters that are used to make up the model (most importantly transmissivity, flow boundaries, and recharge) are often gross estimates and are arbitrarily tweaked to try and match observed groundwater levels. Models that are currently used across the groundwater industry do not allow for changes in permeability vertically within a single model layer. Therefore, models that do not contain the same number of layers as changes in permeability cannot be used with an acceptable confidence level for accurately depicting what is actually occurring in the aquifer or predicting what will happen under myriad scenarios.

Aqua TrueVue represents the next generation of “smart” groundwater flow modeling. By continually recording and analyzing pumping rate, water level, conductivity, chemical, and precipitation data, groundwater models can become more calibrated over time. In addition, Aqua TrueVue can be connected to automated neural network algorithms that “learn” over time.