Institute for Groundwater Management ModelMuse Tutorial

Ground Water (MHSE19): Tutorial on Groundwater Modelling

Step 1: Receive Some General Information

ModelMuse
 integrates different modules to simulate, for instance, groundwater flow and
transport of solutes in groundwater
 provides a graphical user interface (GUI) to support pre- and postprocessing
 is produced and distributed by United States Geological Survey (USGS)
 is available as free download (see download instructions)
 contains tutorial videos, manuals etc.

Step 2: Perform First Checks

a) ModelMuse icon on desktop?

b) Executable files for Modflow and Modpath available?

Step 3: Create New Model

a) double click on ModelMuse icon

b) select “Create new MODFLOW model” and press “Next”

c) define initial grid (difficult to be changed later!!!)

 note: grid origin is at upper left(!) corner and length unit is m (default)
 set x = 0, y = 2500, z = 250 for grid origin
 set further input data:
number of columns = 40, number of rows = 25, number of layers = 1, model_
top = 265, upper aquifer = 250
(column width, row width, grid angle, and vertical exaggeration can be left un-
changed)
 press “Finish”
 learn about top, front, side, and 3D views (incl. resizing)
 learn about buttons “Click and drag to zoom in”, “Zoom in”, “Zoom out”, “Move
displayed area”, “Undo change in view”, Restore default 2D view”, and “Redo
change in view”
 adjust top view window
 check other views
 check coordinate axes

d) select “File” / “Save as” in the menu bar, and then save input data under a file name
like “myfirstmodel” (or so) by using the format mmZLib

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Step 4: Enter Basic Aquifer Data

a) select “Data” / “Edit Data Sets” in the menu bar

b) select “Required” / “Layer definition” on the left side, then check “Model_Top” and
“Upper_Aquifer_Bottom” (values should be 265 and 250, resp.)

c) select “Required” / “Hydrology”:

 select “Kx” and set Kx = 0.005 (unit of hydraulic conductivity is m/s by default)
 select “Ky” and “Kz” and check respective values
 select “Modflow_Initial_Head”, then set initial head = 257, press “Apply” and
press “Close”

d) select “Create rectangle object” (= square two rows below “Customize”)

 click on upper right corner of grid in top view with left mouse button
 press left mouse button again, keep it down, move cursor to (2500, 1500), and
release left mouse button
 name the object (like “smallK”)
 select tab “Data Sets”, then move to “Required” / “Hydrology” / “Kx”
 replace 0.005 by 0.002 and press “OK”

Step 5: Define Stress Period

a) select “Model” / “Modflow Time” in the menu bar

b) set starting time = 0, ending time = 4320000, length = 4320000, maximum first time
step = 4320000, multiplier = 1, drawdown reference = off
(note: time unit is s by default and 4320000 s = 50 d)

c) press “OK”

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Step 6: Set Head Boundary Conditions

a) select “Model” / “MODFLOW Packages and Programs” in the menu bar

b) select “Boundary conditions” / “Specified head” on the left side, then tick the sub-
item “CHD” and press “OK”

c) select “Create straight-line object” (stairs-like symbol two rows below “Customize”)

d) click on upper left cell in top view with left mouse button, move cursor to lower left
cell, and double-click
 name straight-line object, e.g. “inflowhead”
 select the tab “MODFLOW Features” and then “CHD”
 in the table: set starting time = 0, ending time = 4320000, starting head = 260,
ending head = 260, and press “OK” (please note: you can directly click into the
first column entry, the counter “Number of times” will increase from 0 to 1 by it-
self)

e) click on upper right cell in top view with left mouse button, move cursor to lower
right cell, and double-click
 name straight-line object, e.g. “outflowhead”
 select “MODFLOW Features” and “CHD”
 set starting time = 0 and ending time = 4320000
 click on the symbol “F()” below “Starting head”
 type the following expression into the input field (above “Logical operators”):
interpolate (y, 256, 0, 254, 2500), press “OK”
 click on the symbol “F()” below “Ending head”
 type the following expression into the input field: interpolate (y, 256, 0, 254, 2500),
press “OK”, and press “OK” again

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Step 7: Try First MODFLOW Test Run

a) select “Model” / “MODFLOW Program Locations” in the menu bar, then check the
“Modflow 2005” and “ModelMonitor” entries (if red: reconnect the link to the down-
loaded files) and press “OK”

b) select “File” / “Save” (no model archive needs to be created)

c) select “Run MODFLOW-2005” by clicking on the green triangle below “Grid”

d) confirm the file name to save MODFLOW input files (*.nam where “*” stands for
the model name)

e) check information from ModelMonitor (“green smileys” – hopefully …)

f) close ModelMonitor window

g) check budget in output listing (it’s located near the end of the file)

h) close output listing and the black “command prompt” window

i) select “Import and display model results” (coloured symbol below “Data”)

j) select model file *.fhd

k) select “Contour grid” and press “OK”

l) select “Update the existing data sets with new values” (not needed in very first try)

m) check hydraulic head isolines

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Step 8: Set Recharge Boundary Condition

a) select “Model” / “MODFLOW Packages and Programs” in the menu bar

b) select “Boundary conditions” / “Specified flux” on the left side, then tick the sub-
item “RCH” and press “OK”

c) select “Create rectangle object” for recharge zone containing inflow boundary
 click on upper left corner of grid in top view with left mouse button
 press left mouse button again, keep it down, move cursor to (2000, 0), and re-
lease left mouse button
 name object (like “recharge_left”)
 select “MODFLOW Features” and “RCH”
 set starting time = 0, ending time = 4320000, and select “F()” below “Recharge
rate”
 type the following expression into the input field: 150/1000/365/24/3600 [no “=”
required] (unit for recharge rate is m/s by default, i.e. conversion from mm/a is
needed), press “OK”, and press “OK” again

d) select “Create rectangle object” for recharge zone containing outflow boundary
 click on upper right corner of grid in top view with left mouse button
 press left mouse button again, keep it down, move cursor to (2000, 0), and re-
lease left mouse button
 name object (like “recharge_right”)
 select “MODFLOW Features” and “RCH”
 set starting time = 0 and ending time = 4320000
 select “F()” below “Recharge rate”, type the following expression into the input
field: 200/1000/365/24/3600, press “OK”, and press “OK” again

e) try another MODFLOW test run according to steps 7b) ff.

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Step 9: Set River Boundary Condition

a) select “Model” / “MODFLOW Packages and Programs” in the menu bar

b) select “Boundary conditions” / “Head-dependent flux” on the left side, then tick the
sub-item “RIV” and press “OK”

c) select “Create polyline object” (symbol consisting of three line segments, two rows
below “View”) for river
 click on lower left corner in top view with left mouse button, move cursor to
(2500, 1500), and double-click
 name polyline object (like “river”)
 select “MODFLOW Features” and “RIV”
 set starting time = 0 and ending time = 4320000
 select “F()” below “River stage”, type the following expression into the input
field: interpolate (x, 260, 0, 258, 2500), and press “OK”
 select “F()” below “Conductance per unit length or area”, type the following ex-
pression into the input field: 1000/24/3600, and press “OK” (This corresponds to a
streambed conductance of 1000 m²/d.)
 select “F()” below “River bottom”, type the following expression into the input
field: interpolate (x, 255, 0, 253, 2500), press “OK”, and press “OK” again (This
corresponds to a water depth of 5 m.)
d) try another MODFLOW test run according to steps 7b) ff.

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Step 10: Define Wells

a) select “Model” / “MODFLOW Packages and Programs” in the menu bar

b) select “Boundary conditions” / “Specified flux” on the left side, then tick the sub-
item “WEL” and press “OK”

c) select “Create point object” (dot symbol two rows below “Navigation”) for first well
 click on cell containing the well location (3050, 1550)
 name point object (like “well 1”)
 select “MODFLOW Features” and “WEL”
 set starting time = 0 and ending time = 4320000
 select “F()” below “Pumping rate per unit length or area”, type the following ex-
pression into the input field: -2000/24/3600 and press “OK” (Please do not forget
the negative sign! Input corresponds to a pumping rate of 2000 m³/d.)
 select “Vertices”, set X = 3050, Y = 1550, and press “OK”

d) select “Create point object” for second well

 click on cell containing the well location (3050, 1450)
 name point object (like “well 2”)
 select “MODFLOW Features” and “WEL”
 set starting time = 0 and ending time = 4320000
 select “F()” below “Pumping rate per unit length or area”, type the following ex-
pression into the input field: -5000/24/3600, and press “OK” (Please do not forget
the negative sign! Input corresponds to a pumping rate of 5000 m³/d.)
 select “Vertices”, set X = 3050, Y = 1450, and press “OK”

e) try another MODFLOW test run according to steps 7b) ff.

f) if needed, change pumping rates and repeat step e)

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Step 11: Refine Grid

a) learn about buttons “Delete grid lines”, “Drag grid lines”, “Add vertical grid line”,
“Add horizontal grid line” and “Subdivide grid cells” (left group in second row of
symbols)

b) zoom in near well locations, select “Subdivide grid cells”, mark both cells containing
a well, set “subdivide each column into” = 2, “subdivide each row into” = 2, and
press “OK” [note: The “layers” section has to be remain unchanged!]

c) repeat step b) several times to split a subsequently increasing number of columns

and rows

d) zoom in near well 1, select “Delete grid lines” and click on the intersection of grid
lines at the well location

e) select “Subdivide grid cells”, mark the cell containing well 1, set “subdivide each
column into” = 3, “subdivide each row into” = 3, and press “OK”

f) zoom in near well 2, select “Delete grid lines” and click on the grid line passing
through the well location

g) select “Subdivide grid cells”, mark the cell containing well 2, set “subdivide each
row into” = 3, and press “OK”
h) select “Restore default 2D view” and learn about symbol “Show or hide 2D grid-
lines” (on the very right in second row of symbols)

i) try MODFLOW test run according to steps 7b) ff.

j) if needed, change pumping rates according to 10c), 10d) and repeat step i)

Step 12: Prepare Particle Tracking

a) select “Model” / “MODFLOW Program Locations” in the menu bar, then check the
“MODPATH v6” entry (if red: reconnect the link to the downloaded files) and press
“OK”

b) select “Model” / “MODFLOW Output Control” / “Head”, set external file type = bi-
nary, and press “OK”

c) select “Model” / “MODFLOW Packages and Programs” in the menu bar, then go to
“Post processors” / “MODPATH”, set: “Output mode” = Pathlines, “Reference
time for simulation” = 4320000, “Tracking direction” = backward, and press “OK”

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Step 13: Carry out Particle Tracking Using MODPATH

a) select “Data” / “Edit Data Sets” in the menu bar, then click on “Required” / “MOD-
PATH” / “Porosity” on the left side. Set porosity = 0.2, press “Apply”, and press
“Close”

b) zoom in near well locations, select “Select objects” (the red cursor), and double click
on point object “well1”
 select “MODFLOW Features” / “MODPATH”
 select “initial particle placement” and “cylinder”
 set number of particles around cylinder = 20 and press “OK”

c) double click on point object “well2”

 select “MODFLOW Features” / “MODPATH”
 select “initial particle placement” and “cylinder”
 set number of particles around cylinder = 20 and press “OK”

d) select “File” / “Save” (no model archive needs to be created)

e) select “Run MODFLOW-2005” by clicking on the green triangle below “Grid”

f) select “Run MODFLOW-2005” by clicking on the black(!) triangle below “Grid” and
select “Export MODPATH Input Files”

g) confirm the file name to save MODPATH input files (*.mpn)

h) check output listing

i) close output listing and the black command prompt window

j) select “Data visualization” (coloured symbol to the right of the middle in second row
of symbols)
 select “MODPATH Pathlines” / “Basic”
 set “MODPATH pathline file” = *.path
 select “Options”
 set Color by = “None”, press “Apply”, and press “Close”

k) check pathlines

l) select “File” / “Save” (no model archive needs to be created) and change porosity
according to step a) and repeat steps f) – k)
(Please note that another MODFLOW run according to step e) needs to be carried
out before MODPATH is started if other parameters, which affect the flow behaviour,
were changed.)