Numerical modeling of groundwater contamination

Abstract

The effectiveness of numerical models in simulating flow and behavior of contaminants in porous media has not previously been tested for complex boundary conditions encountered in most field problems. This study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of a model describing movement of contaminants in a shallow, unconfined aquifer. The aquifer selected for use in this study is located in the Denver Basin. The numerical model used in this study consists of a finite difference form of the two dimensional flow equation and a solution of the convective dispersion equation by the method of characteristics. The equations were solved using the CDC 6400 computer at Colorado State University. The study established that this numerical model is effective in an application to a field problem with certain limitations. These limitations, their effects on the validity of the solution, and the behavior of the flow situation in the field as interpreted from model results are discussed.