{"id":1220,"date":"2026-05-12T21:47:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T21:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/chapter\/specific-types-of-groundwater-flow-models\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T03:16:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T03:16:14","slug":"specific-types-of-groundwater-flow-models","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/chapter\/specific-types-of-groundwater-flow-models\/","title":{"raw":"10.3 Specific Types of Groundwater Flow Models","rendered":"10.3 Specific Types of Groundwater Flow Models"},"content":{"raw":"<div id=\"specific-types-of-groundwater-flow-models\" class=\"level1\">\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\r\n\r\nWe have defined the word model and presented reasons for using models. Now, we discuss the various types of models used to simulate groundwater flow in more detail.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"qualitative-models\" class=\"level3\">\r\n<h3>Qualitative Models<\/h3>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\r\n\r\nSimple groundwater contour maps and flow nets are geometric models that provide qualitative information about groundwater flow processes. For example, a groundwater contour map can be used to infer the direction of groundwater flow and identify changes in hydraulic gradient throughout the mapped area, which can in turn be used to identify heterogeneities in aquifers.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"conceptual-hydrogeological-models\" class=\"level3\">\r\n<h3>Conceptual Hydrogeological Models<\/h3>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\r\n\r\nAll the aspects of a groundwater flow system described in Sections 1 through 9 can be used to develop a summary of the relevant aspects of an aquifer or groundwater flow system. This summary is called a <em>conceptual hydrogeological model<\/em> (CSM). A CSM contains information about aquifer structure; aquifer boundaries; recharge and discharge mechanisms along with estimates of recharge and discharge rates; hydrostratigraphic units that make up the various components of the aquifer and associated confining units along with their properties; interpretations of groundwater flow paths; and projections about future changes to the aquifer (e.g., pumping from wells, effects of climate change). A CSM is the first objective of major aquifer studies, and developing a reliable CSM is a prerequisite for developing the process models described in the subsequent sections of this book.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"physical-or-analog-models\" class=\"level3\">\r\n<h3>Physical or Analog Models<\/h3>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\r\n\r\nPhysical models that simulate groundwater flow include tanks full of sand or other sediments with input pipes and drains that can be used to simulate flow through porous media. Physical models made from layers of sand or clay have also been used extensively in structural geology problems. Another physical model simulating fluid flow used two glass plates sandwiched together with small channels etched on the surface of the plates.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nAnalog models use the similarity between Darcy\u2019s law and other physical processes to model fluid flow. The most popular way of doing this is with electrical circuit models in which the flow of current represents the flow of groundwater, the changes in voltage represent the changes in head, and the resistance of the conductors represents the hydraulic conductivity, as in Equation\u00a0<a href=\"#X2ccb090841b7e9812340d016e8b3902e5c0e321\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">(89)<\/span><\/a>and Equation\u00a0<a href=\"#Xcde060dcd3310f0ca7050722e157145133b2d64\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">(90)<\/span><\/a>. Capacitors can be added to the circuit to simulate aquifer storage.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<table style=\"width: 85%;\" data-custom-style=\"Table\"><colgroup> <col style=\"width: 8%;\" \/> <col style=\"width: 64%;\" \/> <col style=\"width: 11%;\" \/> <\/colgroup>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><\/th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: center;\">Darcy\u2019s law: [latex]q = - K\\frac{dh}{dl}[\/latex]<\/th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: right;\"><span id=\"X2ccb090841b7e9812340d016e8b3902e5c0e321\" class=\"anchor\">(89)<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">Ohm\u2019s law: [latex]I = - \\frac{1}{R}\\frac{dV}{dl}[\/latex]<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\"><span id=\"Xcde060dcd3310f0ca7050722e157145133b2d64\" class=\"anchor\">(90)<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nwhere (parameter dimensions are dark green font with mass as M, length as L, time as T):\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<table style=\"width: 85%;\" data-custom-style=\"Table\"><colgroup> <col style=\"width: 10%;\" \/> <col style=\"width: 5%;\" \/> <col style=\"width: 68%;\" \/> <\/colgroup>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]q[\/latex]<\/th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/th>\r\n<th>water flow through a conductive porous medium<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]I[\/latex]<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/td>\r\n<td>current flow through an electrical conductor<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]K\\ and\\ 1\/R[\/latex]<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/td>\r\n<td>proportionality coefficients (K is hydraulic conductivity and R is electrical resistance, which is the inverse of electrical conductance)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]dh\/dl[\/latex]<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/td>\r\n<td>head drop across the conductive porous medium<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]dV\/dl[\/latex]<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/td>\r\n<td>voltage drop across the electrical conductor<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"mathematical-models\" class=\"level3\">\r\n<h3>Mathematical Models<\/h3>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\r\n\r\nAny equation that represents a physical process is a model of that process. Darcy\u2019s law is a model that represents the flow of groundwater in one dimension. Because it is a model, it tells us something about how the system behaves\u2014that is, flow is linearly proportional to the hydraulic gradient\u2014and it can be used to make predictions about the system\u2014for example, to calculate travel times and flow velocities.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nA good deal of this book talks about the basic equations that govern the flow of groundwater in a three\u2011dimensional, transient system. Specific solutions to this equation can be developed and used simulate groundwater flow in flow systems and aquifers. The basic groundwater flow equation is shown as Equation\u00a0<a href=\"#Xafec48d012e2e5ebf0f4da688a3d63cc79b5891\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">(91)<\/span><\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<table style=\"width: 85%;\" data-custom-style=\"Table\"><colgroup> <col style=\"width: 8%;\" \/> <col style=\"width: 64%;\" \/> <col style=\"width: 11%;\" \/> <\/colgroup>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th><\/th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: center;\">[latex]\\frac{\\partial\\left( K_{x}\\frac{\\partial h}{\\partial x} \\right)}{\\partial x} + \\frac{\\partial\\left( K_{y}\\frac{\\partial h}{\\partial y} \\right)}{\\partial y} + \\frac{\\partial\\left( K_{z}\\frac{\\partial h}{\\partial z} \\right)}{\\partial z} = S_{s}\\frac{\\partial h}{\\partial t}[\/latex]<\/th>\r\n<th style=\"text-align: right;\"><span id=\"Xafec48d012e2e5ebf0f4da688a3d63cc79b5891\" class=\"anchor\">(91)<\/span><\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nThis equation describes the flow of groundwater and change in storage with time at a single point in a flow system. If we apply boundary conditions to this partial differential equation, then for simple geometry and homogenous properties we can solve the equation for a specific flow system using an analytical solution.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nThe problem with using this equation for practical groundwater flow problems is that parameters and boundary conditions vary in space and time, and we have an infinite number of points in any system\u2014and therefore an infinite number of equations to solve\u2014and the heads and fluxes at each point are dependent upon the heads and fluxes at all the surrounding points. We can\u2019t simultaneously solve an infinite number of equations, so we must simplify the system in some way and then use that simplification to solve the problem and model the system. There are many methods for solving equations like these, but they are variations of two basic approaches to solving partial differential equations: analytical and numerical.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nAnalytical Solutions\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nOne can consider a specific scenario, develop some assumptions that simplify the system, and then use those assumptions to develop an <em>analytical solution<\/em> to the equation. The Theis equation is an example. Theis considered a specific situation\u2014radial flow to a well\u2014with several simplifying assumptions\u2014homogeneity, constant thickness, infinite extent, a fully penetrating well of infinitesimal radius, and so on\u2014and derived an equation that directly solves for the drawdown in the aquifer at some distance from a pumping well and at some time after pumping started.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nAnalytical solutions are advantageous because they are easy to use\u2014since they can be solved directly\u2014and they give unambiguous results at any of the infinite number of locations within the system. However, they are limited because they require simplification of the systems, and so they are not always applicable to solving meaningful problems. Also, we may have a specific situation for which we want to derive a solution, but the situation may be so complex that a direct solution isn\u2019t possible. In such cases we turn to numerical approaches.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nNumerical Solutions\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nIf an analytical solution is not possible, an alternate approach to solving the equation is to develop an approximation called a <em>numerical solution<\/em>. The basic procedure for developing a numerical solution is to first determine the problem domain\u2014the geometry and volume of the system\u2014 and its boundary conditions, then reduce the infinite number of points\u2014and corresponding equations\u2014in the system to a finite number of points, and then use an <em>iterative<\/em> method to solve the equations at those points.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nThe process of reducing the system to a finite number of points is called <em>discretization<\/em>\u2014that is, making a continuous function into a discrete function. An example is shown in <a href=\"#X068dec2c328e8a6441d5326d18d3bd506262706\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">Figure\u00a073<\/span><\/a>. In this example, an alluvial aquifer that contains an infinite number of points is discretized by superimposing a regular grid of six columns and eight rows containing 48 points, or <em>nodes<\/em>. Each point contains a version of the groundwater flow equation that calculates hydraulic head at each point based on the values of head at the surrounding points. The grid also has boundary conditions based on the physical boundaries of the model\u2014the river and the granite fault block\u2014and the northern and southern extent of the study area that are symmetry boundaries (<a href=\"\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/chapter\/characteristics-of-flow-systems\/#X24ecf30221738b7eafc82db564d7cac50842032\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">Figure\u00a061<\/span><\/a>).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Captioned Figure\">\r\n\r\n<img style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; ;width: 5.30105in; height: 2.75163in;\" src=\"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2026\/05\/file75-2.png\" alt=\"\" \/>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Block Text\">\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<div class=\"figcaption-text\">\r\n\r\n<span id=\"X068dec2c328e8a6441d5326d18d3bd506262706\" class=\"anchor\"><strong>Figure\u00a073\u00a0\u2013<\/strong>\u00a0a) Map of an alluvial aquifer, bounded by a river to the west and a fault\u2011block granite to the east; and b) discretization of the alluvial aquifer with boundary conditions and model nodes.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\r\n\r\nOnce the model grid has been discretized and the equations are added to each node, an initial value of head is assigned to each node and the set of equations are solved. However, the value of head at each node is dependent upon the value at each of the four surrounding nodes (<a href=\"#Xd81b51eebe477c896117d1f019b165bab95ccd1\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">Figure\u00a074<\/span><\/a>). If the head at a given node is calculated based on the heads at the surrounding nodes, then when the head is calculated at the next adjacent node, its head changes so the head at the first node needs to be recalculated.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Captioned Figure\">\r\n\r\n<img style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; ;width: 1.88312in; height: 1.81234in;\" src=\"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2026\/05\/file76-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Block Text\">\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<div class=\"figcaption-text\">\r\n\r\n<span id=\"Xd81b51eebe477c896117d1f019b165bab95ccd1\" class=\"anchor\"><strong>Figure\u00a074\u00a0\u2011\u00a0<\/strong>The value at any node is dependent upon the values at the surrounding nodes.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\r\n\r\nThis is where the numerical part of the method is applied. This is done by assigning initial heads to all nodes, then using matrix solutions\u2014which can be thought of in a simplified sense as starting at one corner of the model, calculating a head at that node, then systematically moving across the row to calculate the value at each node. The same process is then applied to the next row, then the next, and so on, until all nodes have been calculated and the value at each node has been recorded. The process is then repeated, and the values from the second set of calculations\u2014that is, the second iteration\u2014are compared to the first set of calculations and the difference between each set is calculated. This process is then repeated multiple times until the change in head from one iteration to the next is so small that it can be considered negligible. At this point, the model has <em>converged<\/em> on an approximate solution. Simple models with well\u2011chosen initial heads can converge in only a few iterations, while complex models can take hundreds or even thousands of iterations to converge. Complex models can also experience mathematical instability, which in turn results in models that never converge.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nThis iterative process is where the importance of modern computers comes in. A person using a pencil, paper, and a hand\u2011held calculator could take years to calculate and solve a simple model with only a few nodes. Developing numerical models was not feasible until the development of digital computers that can do lots of calculations in incredibly short time. Computing power is so great now that inexpensive desktop computers can solve sophisticated models in a relatively short time. However, the processing time can become significant if there is a lot of detail in the model, or if an automated calibration or uncertainty analysis is applied to a large model.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\r\n\r\nDiscretizing a system involves decisions concerning how much detail needs to be built into the model, and these decisions are based in many ways on the model objectives and the amount of detail required for the results. The more nodes that are included in the model grid, the more computationally intensive the model. Also, more complexity increases the possibility of numerical instability and a model that won\u2019t converge. In many cases, simpler models are better because there is less estimation and uncertainty, and frequently they are sufficient to provide the information that we need.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div id=\"specific-types-of-groundwater-flow-models\" class=\"level1\">\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\n<p>We have defined the word model and presented reasons for using models. Now, we discuss the various types of models used to simulate groundwater flow in more detail.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"qualitative-models\" class=\"level3\">\n<h3>Qualitative Models<\/h3>\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\n<p>Simple groundwater contour maps and flow nets are geometric models that provide qualitative information about groundwater flow processes. For example, a groundwater contour map can be used to infer the direction of groundwater flow and identify changes in hydraulic gradient throughout the mapped area, which can in turn be used to identify heterogeneities in aquifers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"conceptual-hydrogeological-models\" class=\"level3\">\n<h3>Conceptual Hydrogeological Models<\/h3>\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\n<p>All the aspects of a groundwater flow system described in Sections 1 through 9 can be used to develop a summary of the relevant aspects of an aquifer or groundwater flow system. This summary is called a <em>conceptual hydrogeological model<\/em> (CSM). A CSM contains information about aquifer structure; aquifer boundaries; recharge and discharge mechanisms along with estimates of recharge and discharge rates; hydrostratigraphic units that make up the various components of the aquifer and associated confining units along with their properties; interpretations of groundwater flow paths; and projections about future changes to the aquifer (e.g., pumping from wells, effects of climate change). A CSM is the first objective of major aquifer studies, and developing a reliable CSM is a prerequisite for developing the process models described in the subsequent sections of this book.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"physical-or-analog-models\" class=\"level3\">\n<h3>Physical or Analog Models<\/h3>\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\n<p>Physical models that simulate groundwater flow include tanks full of sand or other sediments with input pipes and drains that can be used to simulate flow through porous media. Physical models made from layers of sand or clay have also been used extensively in structural geology problems. Another physical model simulating fluid flow used two glass plates sandwiched together with small channels etched on the surface of the plates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>Analog models use the similarity between Darcy\u2019s law and other physical processes to model fluid flow. The most popular way of doing this is with electrical circuit models in which the flow of current represents the flow of groundwater, the changes in voltage represent the changes in head, and the resistance of the conductors represents the hydraulic conductivity, as in Equation\u00a0<a href=\"#X2ccb090841b7e9812340d016e8b3902e5c0e321\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">(89)<\/span><\/a>and Equation\u00a0<a href=\"#Xcde060dcd3310f0ca7050722e157145133b2d64\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">(90)<\/span><\/a>. Capacitors can be added to the circuit to simulate aquifer storage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<table style=\"width: 85%;\" data-custom-style=\"Table\">\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 8%;\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 64%;\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 11%;\" \/> <\/colgroup>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: center;\">Darcy\u2019s law: [latex]q = - K\\frac{dh}{dl}[\/latex]<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: right;\"><span id=\"X2ccb090841b7e9812340d016e8b3902e5c0e321\" class=\"anchor\">(89)<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">Ohm\u2019s law: [latex]I = - \\frac{1}{R}\\frac{dV}{dl}[\/latex]<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\"><span id=\"Xcde060dcd3310f0ca7050722e157145133b2d64\" class=\"anchor\">(90)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>where (parameter dimensions are dark green font with mass as M, length as L, time as T):<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<table style=\"width: 85%;\" data-custom-style=\"Table\">\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 10%;\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 5%;\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 68%;\" \/> <\/colgroup>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]q[\/latex]<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/th>\n<th>water flow through a conductive porous medium<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]I[\/latex]<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/td>\n<td>current flow through an electrical conductor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]K\\ and\\ 1\/R[\/latex]<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/td>\n<td>proportionality coefficients (K is hydraulic conductivity and R is electrical resistance, which is the inverse of electrical conductance)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]dh\/dl[\/latex]<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/td>\n<td>head drop across the conductive porous medium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: right;\">[latex]dV\/dl[\/latex]<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">=<\/td>\n<td>voltage drop across the electrical conductor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mathematical-models\" class=\"level3\">\n<h3>Mathematical Models<\/h3>\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\n<p>Any equation that represents a physical process is a model of that process. Darcy\u2019s law is a model that represents the flow of groundwater in one dimension. Because it is a model, it tells us something about how the system behaves\u2014that is, flow is linearly proportional to the hydraulic gradient\u2014and it can be used to make predictions about the system\u2014for example, to calculate travel times and flow velocities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>A good deal of this book talks about the basic equations that govern the flow of groundwater in a three\u2011dimensional, transient system. Specific solutions to this equation can be developed and used simulate groundwater flow in flow systems and aquifers. The basic groundwater flow equation is shown as Equation\u00a0<a href=\"#Xafec48d012e2e5ebf0f4da688a3d63cc79b5891\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">(91)<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<table style=\"width: 85%;\" data-custom-style=\"Table\">\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 8%;\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 64%;\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 11%;\" \/> <\/colgroup>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: center;\">[latex]\\frac{\\partial\\left( K_{x}\\frac{\\partial h}{\\partial x} \\right)}{\\partial x} + \\frac{\\partial\\left( K_{y}\\frac{\\partial h}{\\partial y} \\right)}{\\partial y} + \\frac{\\partial\\left( K_{z}\\frac{\\partial h}{\\partial z} \\right)}{\\partial z} = S_{s}\\frac{\\partial h}{\\partial t}[\/latex]<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: right;\"><span id=\"Xafec48d012e2e5ebf0f4da688a3d63cc79b5891\" class=\"anchor\">(91)<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>This equation describes the flow of groundwater and change in storage with time at a single point in a flow system. If we apply boundary conditions to this partial differential equation, then for simple geometry and homogenous properties we can solve the equation for a specific flow system using an analytical solution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>The problem with using this equation for practical groundwater flow problems is that parameters and boundary conditions vary in space and time, and we have an infinite number of points in any system\u2014and therefore an infinite number of equations to solve\u2014and the heads and fluxes at each point are dependent upon the heads and fluxes at all the surrounding points. We can\u2019t simultaneously solve an infinite number of equations, so we must simplify the system in some way and then use that simplification to solve the problem and model the system. There are many methods for solving equations like these, but they are variations of two basic approaches to solving partial differential equations: analytical and numerical.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>Analytical Solutions<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>One can consider a specific scenario, develop some assumptions that simplify the system, and then use those assumptions to develop an <em>analytical solution<\/em> to the equation. The Theis equation is an example. Theis considered a specific situation\u2014radial flow to a well\u2014with several simplifying assumptions\u2014homogeneity, constant thickness, infinite extent, a fully penetrating well of infinitesimal radius, and so on\u2014and derived an equation that directly solves for the drawdown in the aquifer at some distance from a pumping well and at some time after pumping started.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>Analytical solutions are advantageous because they are easy to use\u2014since they can be solved directly\u2014and they give unambiguous results at any of the infinite number of locations within the system. However, they are limited because they require simplification of the systems, and so they are not always applicable to solving meaningful problems. Also, we may have a specific situation for which we want to derive a solution, but the situation may be so complex that a direct solution isn\u2019t possible. In such cases we turn to numerical approaches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>Numerical Solutions<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>If an analytical solution is not possible, an alternate approach to solving the equation is to develop an approximation called a <em>numerical solution<\/em>. The basic procedure for developing a numerical solution is to first determine the problem domain\u2014the geometry and volume of the system\u2014 and its boundary conditions, then reduce the infinite number of points\u2014and corresponding equations\u2014in the system to a finite number of points, and then use an <em>iterative<\/em> method to solve the equations at those points.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>The process of reducing the system to a finite number of points is called <em>discretization<\/em>\u2014that is, making a continuous function into a discrete function. An example is shown in <a href=\"#X068dec2c328e8a6441d5326d18d3bd506262706\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">Figure\u00a073<\/span><\/a>. In this example, an alluvial aquifer that contains an infinite number of points is discretized by superimposing a regular grid of six columns and eight rows containing 48 points, or <em>nodes<\/em>. Each point contains a version of the groundwater flow equation that calculates hydraulic head at each point based on the values of head at the surrounding points. The grid also has boundary conditions based on the physical boundaries of the model\u2014the river and the granite fault block\u2014and the northern and southern extent of the study area that are symmetry boundaries (<a href=\"\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/chapter\/characteristics-of-flow-systems\/#X24ecf30221738b7eafc82db564d7cac50842032\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">Figure\u00a061<\/span><\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Captioned Figure\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; ;width: 5.30105in; height: 2.75163in;\" src=\"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2026\/05\/file75-2.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Block Text\">\n<blockquote>\n<div class=\"figcaption-text\">\n<p><span id=\"X068dec2c328e8a6441d5326d18d3bd506262706\" class=\"anchor\"><strong>Figure\u00a073\u00a0\u2013<\/strong>\u00a0a) Map of an alluvial aquifer, bounded by a river to the west and a fault\u2011block granite to the east; and b) discretization of the alluvial aquifer with boundary conditions and model nodes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\n<p>Once the model grid has been discretized and the equations are added to each node, an initial value of head is assigned to each node and the set of equations are solved. However, the value of head at each node is dependent upon the value at each of the four surrounding nodes (<a href=\"#Xd81b51eebe477c896117d1f019b165bab95ccd1\"><span data-custom-style=\"Hyperlink\">Figure\u00a074<\/span><\/a>). If the head at a given node is calculated based on the heads at the surrounding nodes, then when the head is calculated at the next adjacent node, its head changes so the head at the first node needs to be recalculated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Captioned Figure\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; ;width: 1.88312in; height: 1.81234in;\" src=\"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2026\/05\/file76-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Block Text\">\n<blockquote>\n<div class=\"figcaption-text\">\n<p><span id=\"Xd81b51eebe477c896117d1f019b165bab95ccd1\" class=\"anchor\"><strong>Figure\u00a074\u00a0\u2011\u00a0<\/strong>The value at any node is dependent upon the values at the surrounding nodes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"First Paragraph\">\n<p>This is where the numerical part of the method is applied. This is done by assigning initial heads to all nodes, then using matrix solutions\u2014which can be thought of in a simplified sense as starting at one corner of the model, calculating a head at that node, then systematically moving across the row to calculate the value at each node. The same process is then applied to the next row, then the next, and so on, until all nodes have been calculated and the value at each node has been recorded. The process is then repeated, and the values from the second set of calculations\u2014that is, the second iteration\u2014are compared to the first set of calculations and the difference between each set is calculated. This process is then repeated multiple times until the change in head from one iteration to the next is so small that it can be considered negligible. At this point, the model has <em>converged<\/em> on an approximate solution. Simple models with well\u2011chosen initial heads can converge in only a few iterations, while complex models can take hundreds or even thousands of iterations to converge. Complex models can also experience mathematical instability, which in turn results in models that never converge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>This iterative process is where the importance of modern computers comes in. A person using a pencil, paper, and a hand\u2011held calculator could take years to calculate and solve a simple model with only a few nodes. Developing numerical models was not feasible until the development of digital computers that can do lots of calculations in incredibly short time. Computing power is so great now that inexpensive desktop computers can solve sophisticated models in a relatively short time. However, the processing time can become significant if there is a lot of detail in the model, or if an automated calibration or uncertainty analysis is applied to a large model.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-custom-style=\"Body Text\">\n<p>Discretizing a system involves decisions concerning how much detail needs to be built into the model, and these decisions are based in many ways on the model objectives and the amount of detail required for the results. The more nodes that are included in the model grid, the more computationally intensive the model. Also, more complexity increases the possibility of numerical instability and a model that won\u2019t converge. In many cases, simpler models are better because there is less estimation and uncertainty, and frequently they are sufficient to provide the information that we need.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"menu_order":37,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1220","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":1495,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1742,"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1220\/revisions\/1742"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/1495"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1220\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1220"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1220"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/books.gw-project.org\/basic-hydrogeology-an-introduction-to-the-fundamentals-of-groundwater-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}