Numerical Simulation of Contaminant Transport in Subsurface Soil Using MODFLOW Software

Abstract

Groundwater demand is increasing rapidly due to the growing contamination of surface water resources in the present scenario. Surface water bodies like the ocean, wetlands, and estuaries always influence it. Inevitably, groundwater is also facing a major threat of contamination. It is not possible to directly observe the subsurface groundwater flow processes. Industrial discharge is a major source of pollutants in the study area. Hence, it is imperative to study the dynamics of groundwater and contamination characteristics in this area. A geographic information system (GIS) integrated with the MODFLOW is adopted to achieve the purpose. Major input parameters include water quality and water level data collected from 2016 to 2020. The model uses site soil characteristics, flow parameters, and recharge data to match the field conditions. The results project the present status of water availability in the aquifer system and the level of contamination in the study area. The simulated water levels correlate with the observed values with an error estimate (root mean square error) of 0.95. The results of this study can be utilized to suggest the predictive measure to be adopted to restore the water quality and quantity aspect in the study area. Further, it can be extended to predict treatment measures to reduce future contamination. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.