Groundwater flow
Well interference, quantified.
A numerical 3D model to evaluate the drawdown effects and water balance of existing and planned wells and their consequences for protected water uses.
When is it warranted?
When the effects of abstractions can no longer be assessed one at a time.
With nearby wells, larger demand, a sensitive aquifer or a protected water use, a conventional single-well calculation does not show how the system behaves in space. A groundwater flow model handles the aquifers, boundary conditions, recharge and all relevant abstractions in a single water balance.
Typical questions
- how much drawdown will the new well cause?
- do the effects of existing abstractions add up?
- could another water user or wellfield be affected?
- what abstraction regime is sustainable?
Data required
- well coordinates, screen intervals and operating data
- water-level and pumping-test data
- stratigraphic, geophysical and hydrogeological information
- recharge, surface waters and boundary conditions
Model building
From the conceptual system to a verified prediction.
- Conceptual modelProfessional construction of the aquifers and aquitards, flow directions, recharge and system boundaries.
- Numerical 3D modelSpecification of the model grid, hydraulic parameters, wells, surface-water connections and boundary conditions.
- CalibrationComparison of computed and measured heads, water balances and, where needed, changes over time.
- ScenariosComparison of existing, planned, maximum and alternative operating states.
- Uncertainty and sensitivityDocumentation of input-data limitations and the range over which the results apply.
Engineering output
Clear maps, a water balance and a decision-ready conclusion.
The model is not an end in itself. Results are delivered as maps, cross-sections, tables and engineering conclusions that can be used directly for the permitting or investment decision.
Regulatory basis
One basis for assessing well interference is Ministerial Decree 30/2008 (XII. 31.) KvVM Section 5(3), together with Government Decree 147/2010 (IV. 29.). The level of detail and the domain of the model are determined by the specific water body, the wells and the decision at hand.