Simulation of surface water-groundwater interaction using MODFLOW-OWHM (case study: Shazand plain)

The uncontrolled increase of population in the country, the limitation of surface water resources and the overexploitation of aquifers have caused irreparable damage to the country's natural resources in recent years. Integrated hydrological models have made it possible to analyze groundwater and surface water with high temporal and spatial resolution. The aim of this study is to understand the interactions of groundwater with surface water in the Shazand plain aquifer in Markazi province using the MODFLOW-OWHM model under the ModelMuse graphical user interface. In this study, SFR package is used to simulate river flow and its exchanges with the aquifer. The model is calibrated manually for September 2010 to September 2011. The simulation results of the model showed that Shazand plain rivers have a very small portion in feeding the aquifer and its discharge and the highest portion in feeding the aquifer in most months of the year is due to infiltration from rainfall. The highest discharge in the dry months of the year is due to wells exploitation and in the other months is due to the head dependent flux. Therefore, this study can be a strong basis for further studies to assess climate change on surface water and groundwater resources and water resources management strategies in the country.