Groundwater Level Prediction through GMS Software – Case Study of Karvan Area, Iran

Mandana Bayat,Saeid Eslamian,Gholamreza Shams,Alborz Hajiannia

doi:10.2478/quageo-2020-0028

Mandana Bayat, Saeid Eslamian + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2020-0028

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Abstract

Abstract Iran, being located in arid and semi-arid regions, faces an increase in human demand for water, and the global climate change has led to the excessive use of groundwater. China, India and Iran were ranked from first to third, respectively, in excessive groundwater consumption in 2005. The effects of effective parameters on groundwater recharge such as precipitation, surface recharge and well water harvesting in the Karvan aquifer are assessed. Groundwater flow models have typically been and are being adopted since the beginning of this millennium to better manage groundwater resources. The decrease in groundwater level and the potential environmental hazards thereof have made the researchers here to apply the Groundwater Modelling System (GMS software) in 3D in the subject area. This modelling is calibrated and validated for 86 months at steady and unsteady states. In this study, six scenarios are defined as both an increase and a decrease of 30% in precipitation, both an increase and a decrease of 30% in surface recharge, an increase of 10% in well water harvesting and a decrease of 30% in well water harvesting. The best scenario is selected for the subject area water management.

Highlights

With the development of industry, agriculture and the improvement in people’s living standards, the demand for water resources is expanding rapidly leading to excessive groundwater consumption with the potential of causing damages to environment
The effects of effective parameters on groundwater recharge such as precipitation, surface recharge and well water harvesting in the Karvan aquifer are assessed
Six scenarios are defined as both an increase and a decrease of 30% in precipitation, both an increase and a decrease of 30% in surface recharge, an increase of 10% in well water harvesting and a decrease of 30% in well water harvesting

Summary

Introduction

With the development of industry, agriculture and the improvement in people’s living standards, the demand for water resources is expanding rapidly leading to excessive groundwater consumption with the potential of causing damages to environment. On annual bases Iran consumes an average of 5 billion m3 water, which exceeds the available capacity of groundwater layers. Groundwater level control in north China is subject to river water level control, where the hydraulic-hydrogeological conditions and sensitivity analysis of the effective parameters are assessed in GMS software. The changes in Mahash River Basin of India assessed by modelling it in the MODFLOW software reveal that inability to accurately predict water resource management plans is due to the lack of further information, leading to the inability to model unsteady state (Khedri, Pande 2016). GMS software is capable of modelling the aquifer in both steady and unsteady states in the 2D as well as 3D modes by imposing changes in atmospheric parameters and conditions in the area, which leads to better groundwater management in the area. Groundwater level prediction through GMS software – case study of Karvan area, Iran

Materials and methods

Findings

Conclusion