“Modeling of Saline Water Intrusion using MODFLOW in Una Coastal Aquifer of Gujarat, India.”

Abstract

Abstract: Groundwater is the most valuable and extensively dispersed resource on the planet, and unlike any other mineral resource, it is replenished annually by meteoric precipitation. The present study would include simulation and modelling of the problem of seawater intrusion in the Una coastal area of Gujarat. The interrelationships of two miscible fluids in porous media have been widely explored both theoretically and experimentally. Because of the extreme salinity, many agricultural wells are no longer used. This high salinity is a sign of a process known as saltwater intrusion, which occurs mostly in coastal aquifers due to excessive pumping. Modelling software has also been utilized to analyze the behavior of groundwater flow models. Numerical models may simulate diverse groundwater scenarios and link them to groundwater management. To simulate seawater intrusion, MODFLOW-2005, a grid-based variable density-dependent flow model, is used. Water balance research reveals that rainwater recharge is the aquifer's primary input. To compute the water level in the area and estimate the position of the seawater intrusion barrier, the saltwater intrusion phenomena were simulated using the MODFLOW software combined with the SWI2 package. The model was used to visualize the salinity levels of the coastal aquifer's groundwater and their fluctuation over time and space from May 2004 to October 2014. The model was developed for a 10-year stress period with 100-time steps, which included a 5-year steady state and 5 years transient state stress period using the previous 10 years of pre-monsoon and postmonsoon data. This research would assist to describe Pumping's impact on groundwater levels and seawater intrusion was studied. Keywords: MODFLOW, Saltwater Intrusion, Modelling, Numerical Model, Coastal aquifer