MODFLOW-NWT groundwater flow model used to evaluate groundwater availability with five forecast scenarios in the Northern High Plains Aquifer in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming
Dates
Release Date
2020-01-01
Start Date
2009-05-01
End Date
2049-12-31
Publication Date
2023-09-15
Citation
Peterson, S.M., Traylor, J.P., and Guira, M., 2020, MODFLOW-NWT groundwater flow model used to evaluate groundwater availability with five forecast scenarios in the Northern High Plains Aquifer in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P92UNY4F.
Summary
This groundwater flow model used a previously developed three-dimensional groundwater flow model (https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20165153) was used to assess future groundwater availability in the Northern High Plains aquifer in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. In this groundwater flow model, a modified version of a previously published soil-water-balance (SWB) model (https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20165153) estimates recharge and groundwater withdrawals for irrigation using climatic, soils, land-cover data. For this groundwater flow model, the SWB output was adjusted in areas where surface water is used for irrigation and adjusted the same as was done through calibration of the previously-developed groundwater flow model. [...]
Summary
This groundwater flow model used a previously developed three-dimensional groundwater flow model (https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20165153) was used to assess future groundwater availability in the Northern High Plains aquifer in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. In this groundwater flow model, a modified version of a previously published soil-water-balance (SWB) model (https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20165153) estimates recharge and groundwater withdrawals for irrigation using climatic, soils, land-cover data. For this groundwater flow model, the SWB output was adjusted in areas where surface water is used for irrigation and adjusted the same as was done through calibration of the previously-developed groundwater flow model. The model was designed as a tool for regional evaluations of groundwater resources and of groundwater interactions with streams and other hydrologic features resulting from current or forecasted conditions. For this study, five forecast scenarios are included, a baseline forecast, two forecasts evaluating the effects of land use changes, and two forecast evaluating the effects of climatic changes. This USGS data release also includes MODFLOW-NWT (version 1.0.5) source code and SWB source code. This USGS data release contains all of the input and output files for the model described in the associated model documentation report (https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1864).
This groundwater model was created as a demonstration of groundwater availability under various conditions in the Northern High Plains aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Groundwater availability is defined as groundwater in storage and groundwater that is available through the interaction with streams and other hydrologic features under various potential future conditions. The development of the model input and output files included in this data release are documented in U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1864 (https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1864).
Preview Image
Image of the model domain and active area of the model.