Conceptual and Numerical Groundwater Flow Model of the Cedar River Alluvial Aquifer System with Simulation of Drought Stress on Groundwater Availability near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for 2011 through 2013
Links
- Document: Report (8.51 MB pdf) , XML
- Appendix: Poster (3.88 MB pdf) — Geophysical methods used to better characterize surface water, alluvial aquifer, and bedrock aquifer interaction in the Cedar River Valley, Iowa
- Dataset: U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System database — USGS water data for the Nation
- Data Releases:
- USGS Data Release — Airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey data and inverted resistivity models, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, May 2017
- USGS Data Release — MODFLOW-NWT model used to simulate groundwater levels in the Cedar River alluvial aquifer near Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- USGS Data Release — Geophysical data collected in the Cedar River floodplain, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 2015–2017
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Between July 2011 and February 2013, the City of Cedar Rapids observed water level declines in their horizontal collector wells approaching 11 meters. As a result, pumping from these production wells had to be halted, and questions were raised about the reliability of the alluvial aquifer under future drought conditions. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Cedar Rapids, completed a study to better understand the effects of drought stress on the Cedar River alluvial aquifer using a numerical groundwater flow model. Previously published groundwater flow models were combined with newly collected airborne, waterborne, down-hole, and land-based geophysical survey data and provided a detailed three-dimensional lithologic model of the Cedar River alluvial aquifer and surrounding area. An improved conceptual model for the groundwater flow system and a lithologic model were used to build and inform a numerical groundwater flow model capable of simulating water levels observed in the City of Cedar Rapids horizontal collector wells during the 2012 drought. Model performance was assessed primarily on the ability of the model to simulate water table elevation at six monitoring wells. Statistical tests were used to assess the numerical model during the calibration period, and results varied from satisfactory to unsatisfactory, likely because of stage changes in the Cedar River and production well withdrawal rates near monitoring wells. Simulated water levels during the 2012 drought indicated a depression near the horizontal collector wells, although simulated elevations at these locations and at monitoring wells were generally overestimated compared to measured values. The numerical groundwater flow model was modified to account for a decrease in seepage rate caused by low flow in the Cedar River and increased production. With seepage rate modification, model results improved; the simulated water table elevations were like those observed in horizontal collector and monitoring wells. Results demonstrated the ability of the model to simulate water levels observed in the horizontal collector wells during the 2012 drought when accounting for a decrease in infiltration from the Cedar River.
Suggested Citation
Haj, A.E., Ha, W.S., Gruhn, L.R., Bristow, E.L., Gahala, A.M., Valder, J.F., Johnson, C.D., White, E.A., and Sterner, S.P., 2021, Conceptual and numerical groundwater flow model of the Cedar River alluvial aquifer system with simulation of drought stress on groundwater availability near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for 2011 through 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2021–5065, 59 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20215065.
ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)
Study Area
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Representation of the Conceptual Model in the Groundwater Flow Model
- Numerical Model of Groundwater Flow
- Groundwater Flow Results for the 2012 Drought Period
- Summary
- References Cited
- Appendix
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Conceptual and numerical groundwater flow model of the Cedar River alluvial aquifer system with simulation of drought stress on groundwater availability near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for 2011 through 2013 |
| Series title | Scientific Investigations Report |
| Series number | 2021-5065 |
| DOI | 10.3133/sir20215065 |
| Year Published | 2021 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | Central Midwest Water Science Center |
| Description | Report: ix, 59 p.; Appendix; 3 Data Releases; Dataset |
| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| City | Cedar Rapids |
| Online Only (Y/N) | Y |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |