Hero Image

Groundwater Modeling: Web-Links

Groundwater Modeling Software Distribution Sites:

USGS, Groundwater Modeling Software
EPA, Water Modeling Tools
EPA, Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)
Integrated Groundwater Modeling Center, School of Mines, Colorado
Scientific Software Group (commercial)
Rockware, Inc. (commercial)

Groundwater Modeling Software (public domain/free of charge):

MODFLOW (USGS) - 3D finite difference, saturated flow
MODFLOW Online Guide (USGS) - online instructions to MODFLOW modules
SUTRA (USGS) - 2D/3D finite element, sat/unsat, variable density flow, transport, heat
VS2DI (USGS) - 2D finite difference, unsat flow & transport, heat flow
MT3D-USGS - 3D transport model to MODFLOW
PHAST (USGS) - 3D multicomponent, reactive transport (constant density flow and temperature)
RT3D (Pacific Northwest Laboratory) - MT3DMS + multispecies reactions
TOUGH (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)- 3D multiphase/unsat flow & transport
PFLOTRAN (various US national laboratories) - 3D subsurface flow and reactive transport, unsat/sat, multiphase, porous/fracture, thermo-hydro-chemical
IGW (Interactive Ground Water, Michigan State Univ.) - integrated flow & transport
ParFLOW (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Princeton University) - 3D large grid flow
STOMP (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) - 3D multiphase flow & transport (no longer active/discontinued)
OpenGeoSys - 3D multiphase flow & transport & geochemistry
IWFM (Ca. DWR) - 3D finite element groundwater & surface water flow model
IDC (Ca. DWR) - water demand, pumping, and recharge calculator for use with groundwater models

GUIs for MODFLOW and other model codes:

ModelMuse (USGS, public domain) - GUI for MODFLOW, PHAST
ModelMate (USGS, public domain) - GUI for parameter estimation (UCODE with MODFLOW)
FREEWAT - plugin to ArcGIS-like open source QGIS as GUI for MODFLOW (open source)
Groundwater Vistas
Visual Modflow Flex
Groundwater Modeling System (GMS)
Petrasim (GUI for the TOUGH family of software, 3D modeling)
EQuIS (Earthsoft) - environmental data management software
Argus ONE (generic GUI - legacy/outdated software)  

Groundwater Modeling Software (commercial):

MODHMS (Hydrogeologic Inc) - MODFLOW based watershed model
MODFLOW-SURFACT (Waterloo Hydrologic) - MODFLOW w/unsat/multiphase flow
FEFlow (Wasy Ltd.) - 3D finite element flow & transport & watershed & heat
MikeSHE (DHI Water and Environment) - watershed model w/ MODFLOW
HYDROGEOSPHERE (integrated surface water/watershed/vadose zone/groundwater flow and process model)
GFLOW - analytic element method software, by Haitjema (not updated since 2007)
AnAqSim - GUI for the analytic element method

Groundwater Modeling Demonstrations and Reviews:

Flow and Transport Modeling, Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Aquifers (IGW)
Digital Library, Flow and Transport Modeling (IGW)
Online Tool to Simulate Groundwater Age and Contaminant Trends in Wells (USGS)
Films by the National Committee on Fluid Mechanics

Other Webpages with Modeling Links:

Graphing software for MODFLOW postprocessing (USGS)

To get started with using IWFM, there is an online video workshop, a corresponding online dataset, and the online manual.

QGIS - an open source GIS software, additional learning resources

Paraview - an open source visualization software (2D/3D/animation)

Online Site Assessment Tool (EPA) - web calculators, conversions & resources

Geochemical Modeling and Environmental Modeling Software Links

California Water and Environmental Modeling Forum

Vadose Zone Modeling Software Links (UC Davis Groundwater Coop. Ext. Program)

Harter T. and H. Morel-Seytoux, 2013. Peer Review of the IWFM, MODFLOW and HGS Model Codes: Potential for Water Management Applications in California’s Central Valley and Other Irrigated Groundwater Basins. Final Report, California Water and Environmental Modeling Forum, August 2013, Sacramento, 58 pages. http://www.cwemf.org.

Moran, T., 2016. Projecting Forward: A Framework for Groundwater Modeling under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Stanford Water in the West. 56 pages. http://waterinthewest.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/Groundwater-Model-Report.pdf.

Butte County: Using Models for Interbasin Flow Assessment in the SGMA Context, Report, August 2017.

UC Davis Groundwater Transport Modeling Tools (Cooperative Extension Groundwater Program)