DTIC ADA449414: A Guide for Using the Transient Ground-Water Flow Model of the Death Valley Regional Ground-Water Flow System, Nevada and California

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    ReportTitle
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental
Management, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office, under Interagency
Agreement DE-A52-0NV3944 and Office of Repository Development, under Interagency
Agreement DE-A08-02RW267
A Guide for Using the Transient Ground-Water Flow
Model of the Death Valley Regional Ground-Water Flow
System, Nevada and California
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A Guide for Using the Transient Ground-Water Flow Model of the Death
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Valley Regional Ground-Water Flow System, Nevada and California
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A Guide for Using the Transient Ground-
Water Flow Model of the Death Valley
Regional Ground-Water Flow System,
Nevada and California
By Joan B. Blainey, Claudia C. Faunt, and Mary C. Hill
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental
Management, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office, under Interagency
Agreement DE-A152-01NV13944 and Office of Repository Development, under Interagency
Agreement DE-A108-02RW12167
Open-File Report 2006–1104
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior
P. Lynn Scarlett, Acting Secretary
U.S. Geological Survey
P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director
U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006
For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services
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Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to
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Suggested citation:
Blainey, J.B., Faunt, C.C., and Hill, M.C., 2006, A guide for using the transient ground-water flow model of the
Death Valley regional ground-water flow system, Nevada and California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report
2006-1104, 26 p. Available at URL: <http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/ofr2006-1104>.
iii
Contents
Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Purpose and Scope ……………………………………………………………………… 4
Overview of Files Required for the DVRFS Model …………………………………………… 4
MODFLOW Processes ………………………………………………………………………… 5
Global (GLO) Process …………………………………………………………………… 5
Name File: Activating Capabilities and Opening Files ……………………………… 5
Discretization (DIS) File …………………………………………………………… 6
Space Discretization ………………………………………………………… 6
Time Discretization …………………………………………………………… 6
Multiplier (MULT) and Zone (ZONE) Files …………………………………………… 6
Ground-Water Flow (GWF) Process …………………………………………………… 6
Use of Parameters in the Ground-Water Flow Process ………………………………… 6
Ground-Water Flow (GWF) Process Packages for the DVRFS Model …………………… 7
Basic (BAS6) Package …………………………………………………………… 7
Output Control (OC) Option ………………………………………………………… 7
Hydrogeologic-Unit Flow (HUF2) Package ………………………………………… 7
Horizontal-Flow Barrier (HFB6) Package ………………………………………… 8
Recharge (RCH) Package ………………………………………………………… 8
Multi-Node Well (MNW1) Package ……………………………………………… 8
Drain (DRN) Package ……………………………………………………………… 9
Constant-Head Boundary (CHD) Package ………………………………………… 9
Solver Packages …………………………………………………………………… 9
Observation (OBS) Process …………………………………………………………… 10
Head Observation (HOB) Package ………………………………………………… 10
Drain Observation (DROB) Package ……………………………………………… 11
Constant-Head Flow Observation (CHOB) Package ……………………………… 11
Sensitivity (SEN) Process ……………………………………………………………… 12
Parameter-Estimation (PES) Process …………………………………………………… 14
Model Output ………………………………………………………………………………… 14
Typical DVRFS MODFLOW-2000 Modes ……………………………………………………… 16
Forward Mode ………………………………………………………………………… 16
Parameter-Sensitivity Modes …………………………………………………………… 18
Parameter-Estimation Mode …………………………………………………………… 19
Typical Uses of the DVRFS Model …………………………………………………………… 19
Predictive Pumping Scenarios ………………………………………………………… 19
Converting from a Transient to Steady-State Simulation ………………………………… 20
Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………… 23
References Cited ……………………………………………………………………………… 23
Appendix A: File Archive Documentation …………………………………………………… 25
iv
Figures
Figure 1. Map showing geographic and prominent topographic features of the
Death Valley regional ground-water flow system, Nevada and California ……… 2
Figure 2. Map showing simulated discharge areas, major recharge areas,
constant-head boundary flows, and steady-state stress period hydraulic
head in the uppermost active model layer of the Death Valley regional
ground-water flow system, Nevada and California ……………………………… 3
Figure 3. Graph showing annual discharge from Bennetts and Manse springs in
Pahrump Valley, Nevada, 1875–1998 ……………………………………………… 11
Tables
Table 1. MODFLOW-2000 packages and processes used in the Death Valley
regional ground-water flow system model, Nevada and California ……………… 4
Table 2. Map coordinates for the Death Valley regional ground-water flow system,
Nevada and California ……………………………………………………………… 6
Table 3. Description of the parameter names in the sensitivity file and the
associated packages and files …………………………………………………… 13
Table 4. Sensitivity Process and associated factors for Constant-Head Boundary,
Drain, Horizontal-Flow Barrier, and Recharge Packages ………………………… 13
Table 5. Select output files produced by MODFLOW-2000 by active processes …………… 15
Table 6. Plot symbol codes that identify the observation type in all “underscore”
output files created during forward and parameter-sensitivity mode
simulations ……………………………………………………………………… 15
Table 7. Modes of MODFLOW-2000 produced by activating different combinations
of the Sensitivity and Parameter-Estimation Processes, and commonly
used output when the Observation Process is active …………………………… 17
v
Conversion Factors, Datums, and Abbreviations and
Acronyms
SI to Inch/Pound
Multiply By To obtain
cubic meter per day (m3/d) 0.2961 acre-foot per year
cubic meter per day (m3/d) 0.0004087 cubic foot per second
cubic meter per day (m3/d) 264.2 gallon per day
kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile
meter (m) 3.281 foot
meter per day (m/d) 3.281 foot per day
meter per day per meter [(m/d)/m] 1 foot per day per foot
square kilometer (km2) 2.417 acre
square kilometer (km2) 0.3861 square mile
Datums
Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988
(NAVD 88).
Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27).
Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.
vi
Abbreviations and Acronyms
BAS6 Basic Package
CHD Constant-Head Boundary Package
CHOB Constant-Head Flow Observation Package
DE4 Direct Solution Package
DIS Discretization file
DRN Drain Package
DROB Drain Observation Package
DVRFS Death Valley regional ground-water flow system
GWF Ground-Water Flow Process
GLO Global Process
GMG Geometric Multigrid Package
HFB6 Horizontal-Flow Barrier Package
HOB Head Observation Package
HGU Hydrogeologic unit
HUF2 Hydrogeologic-Unit Flow Package
KDEP Hydraulic-conductivity depth-dependence
LIST Listing file
LMG Limit to Algebraic Grid Package
MULT Multiplier file
MNW1 Multi-Node Well Package
OBS Observation Process
OC Output Control
PCG Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient Package
PES Parameter-Estimation Process
RCH Recharge Package
SEN Sensitivity Process
SS Specific storage parameter type for the HUF2 Package
SY Specific yield parameter type for the HUF2 Package
USGS United States Geological Survey
UTM Universal Transverse Mercator
WEL1 Well Package
ZONE Zonation file
A Guide for Using the Transient Ground-Water Flow Model
of the Death Valley Regional Ground-Water Flow System,
Nevada and California
By Joan B. Blainey, Claudia C. Faunt, and Mary C. Hill
Abstract The transient ground-water flow model of the
DVRFS simulates steady-state conditions that represent
predevelopment conditions followed by transient conditions
This report is a guide for executing numerical simulations
from 1913 through 1998 (Faunt and others, 2004b). Recharge
with the transient ground-water flow model of the Death
is constant at average annual values for the entire period of
Valley regional ground-water flow system, Nevada and
simulation; however, the simulated recharge varies spatially.
California using the U.S. Geological Survey modular finite-
Ground-water pumpage from 1913 to 1998 is a transient stress
difference ground-water flow model, MODFLOW-2000.
imposed using average annual values. Along some portions of
Model inputs, including observations of hydraulic head,
the model boundary, constant-head boundary flows represent
discharge, and boundary flows, are summarized. Modification
lateral flow from adjacent basins. Ground-water discharge
of the DVRFS transient ground-water model is discussed for
from evapotranspiration and spring flow is simulated using
two common uses of the Death Valley regional ground-water
head-dependent boundaries. DVRFS model input, output,
flow system model: predictive pumping scenarios that extend
and source code are available at the model archive link at
beyond the end of the model simulation period (1998), and
URL: http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/sir20045205/ (accessed on
model simulations with only steady-state conditions.
December 22, 2005). A complete list and description of the
archived model files are provided in the Appendix A (at back
of report).
Introduction
The DVRFS model uses the Ground-Water Flow Process
of MODFLOW-2000 [which is similar to the capabilities of
The Death Valley regional ground-water flow system MODFLOW-96 (Harbaugh and McDonald, 1996)], as well
(DVRFS) model domain encompasses about 100,000 km2 in as the Observation and Sensitivity-Analysis Processes of
Nevada and California and is bounded by latitudes 35°00’N MODFLOW-2000 (Hill, 1990; Harbaugh and others, 2000;
and 38°15’N and by longitudes 115°00’W and 118°00’W Hill and others, 2000). Subsequent to these publications,
(fig. 1). Belcher and others (2004), San Juan and others additional MODFLOW capabilities were developed and used
(2004), and Faunt and others (2004a, 2004b) documented in the DVRFS model including the Hydrogeologic-Unit Flow
the development of a conceptual understanding of the system (HUF2) Package (Anderman and Hill, 2000, 2003) and the
hydrology and hydrogeology, and ultimately a transient Multi-Node Well (MNW1) Package (Halford and Hanson,
ground-water simulation of the DVRFS. Faunt and others 2002). The HUF2 Package allows the modeler to translate the
(2004a) and San Juan and others (2004) described the hydrogeologic framework into flow model layers by defining
conceptualization of the system hydrology, natural ground- the geometry of the hydrogeologic units independently of the
water discharge including evapotranspiration and springs, flow model layers. The MNW1 Package simulates pumping
pumpage, ground-water recharge, and water levels (fig. 2). In and injection for wells that penetrate multiple flow model
particular, San Juan and others (2004) described model inputs layers.
and their sources, including the calculation of observations
(water levels, flows at the model boundary, and natural
discharge) and observation weights. These observations and
the associated weights form the basis of the data used to
calibrate and evaluate the transient numerical flow model.
 A Guide for Using the Transient Ground-Water Flow Model of the DVRFS, Nevada and California
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Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 11. Shaded-relief 0 40 80 KILOMETERS
from 1:250,000-scale Digital Elevation Model (315° azimuth,
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EXPLANATION
Death Valley regional ground-water flow system Desert boundary
model boundary
Yucca Mountain Project model boundary
Predevelopment Death Valley regional ground-water flow (D'Agnese and others, 1997)
system model boundary (D'Agnese and others, 2002)
Underground Test Area model boundary
Nevada Test Site boundary (IT Corporation, 1996)
Figure 1. Geographic and prominent topographic features of the Death Valley regional ground-water flow system, Nevada and California.
NV_9GVTP_fig_01