HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Sequential surface and subsurface flow modeling in a tropical aquifer under different rainfall scenarios
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This study presents the results of a two-pronged modelling effort for a region of Colombia with one of the highest rainfall rates in the country, and a region with a number of geologic faults which are represented as discrete fractures in the PM domain of the HGS model. The authors have approached the modelling tasks in a sequential manner, first using the Water Modeling Framework (WMF) to estimate groundwater recharge rates using rainfall observations and two alternative synthetic scenarios based on dry and wet conditions. Three aquifer recharge cases were evaluated (base/wet/dry), with results indicating that the changes in the rainfall induce complex variations in recharge. The modelled recharge rates were then applied to subsurface HGS model (without integrated surface hydrology) to evaluate the impact of recharge on groundwater levels.
