Introduction

Chapter 2 is divided into two parts that coincide with the two modes of Graphic Groundwater:

  1. You enter Grid mode when Graphic Groundwater first starts. Here you:


    1. Specify the scale for your model.


    2. Import a bitmap or Windows metafile graphic image as background for your model (optional).


    3. Create a grid for the model. In Graphic Groundwater, you can develop a uniform grid where every row and column share the same dimension, or customize the grid if you want row and column spacing to vary.


  2. In Model mode you:


    1. Add layers to the model.


    2. Determine the status of each cell; active, constant head, or inactive.


    3. Specify the properties for the cells, e.g. hydraulic conductivity, initial head, storage, top elevation, and bottom elevation, etc.


    4. Specify the cells where stresses occur, e.g., the cells that gain or lose water to drains, evapotranspiration, general head boundaries, recharge, rivers, or wells.


    5. Specify when the stresses will operate and the number of stress periods over which the model will run.


    6. Control model output.


    7. Run the model.


    8. Analyze results through contour plots and particle tracking, if desired.

In general, you will go through the two modes sequentially during the process of model development.