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Developments on Modeling of Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport

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Abstract

Groundwater modelling is a useful tool to forecast hydraulic heads, changes in groundwater levels and changes in concentrations such as in cases of pollutant plume evolution and evaluating of aquifer protection strategies. Also, modeling can be used to hindcast changes in concentrations. Over the years, several numerical methods have been employed for the development of groundwater flow and transport models with the most popular being the finite difference and finite element approaches. In the present work, a review of the groundwater flow and transport models is presented based on their numerical method approaches in a chronological order. Also, all phases of building a groundwater model and all required information in each phase are included. Finally, the most well-known and used commercial groundwater simulators for flow and transport are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece

    George P. Karatzas

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  1. George P. Karatzas
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Correspondence to George P. Karatzas.

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Karatzas, G.P. Developments on Modeling of Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport. Water Resour Manage 31, 3235–3244 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-017-1729-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-017-1729-z

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