Groundwater Modelling

With the growing concern about groundwater resources both with respect to quantity and quality, the need for groundwater modelling tools is increasing. Although there are a number of excellent introductions to the concepts of groundwater flow and pollution transport, the student or practising engineer wishing to develop a model and do practical work on the computer finds that there is still a gap between the understanding of concepts and the ability to handle the actual computations. A great deal of groundwater modelling software for personal computers and microcomputers has appeared recently, but taking these models from the shelf and applying them without a background on their capabilities often leads to disappointment and frustration. This book provides the reader with all necessary details to start modelling on his own. It gives a comprehensive introduction to the major techniques currently used in the modelling of groundwater flow and pollutant transport in groundwater. Both self-contained and comprehensive, it presents a wide variety of methods currently applied in the management, protection, and remediation of groundwater resources, which allows the reader to take the step from understanding the concepts to the ability to handle actual computations. All major techniques are illustrated by a total of 19 sample programs in BASIC which can be modified by the reader to suit his own need. The programs can be run directly on an Apple II+ or compatible personal computer, and with slight modifications, most can be transferred to other microcomputers with BASIC capability and at least 48K of central memory. The necessary modifications for running the programs on an IBM-PC are indicated in the appendix.Students and professionals in the fields of hydrogeology and civil and environmental engineering will find this to be an extremely useful book. Knowledge of the basic concepts of hydrogeology is assumed and, starting from that basis, the book will enable them to understand mathematical groundwater models and write computer programs of their own.