This modeling application was used to evaluate potential impacts of a wellfield on a nearby creek.

Groundwater computer modeling projects have been completed for Springfield, Oregon and Big Sky, Montana. Several modeling projects have been completed for the Springfield Utility Board beginning with a Wellhead Protection Program in the early 1990s. Since that time, SUB has applied the same model, or more refined sub-versions, to assess maximum yield for a wellfield, interference drawdown of proposed new wells, construction dewatering for a new slow sand filtration treatment plant, flowpath delineations for new well additions, and water rights conflicts.

This aerial photo was overlayed onto a digital elevation model, providing 3D views for model setup, interpretation, and presentation.

The Big Sky Meadow Village model represents a water table aquifer, five production wells, and the Middle Fork West Gallatin River. Steady-state and transient calculations were made to assess flow paths to wells and wellfield capacity.

A groundwater computer model was developed for the Big Sky Meadow Village aquifer for wellhead protection. At that time, the model was also used to include two new future well sites. As these well sites came to fruition, the model was further refined and used to rank candidate well sites in comparison to one another. Applying an optimization model enabled the maximum yield to be determined while considering interference drawdown effects of the multiple pumping wells.