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Surface and groundwater flow modeling for calibrating steady state using MODFLOW in Colorado River Delta, Baja California, Mexico

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Abstract

This study presents the data-scarce and hydro-geologically important surface and groundwater system of Colorado river delta, Mexico, with the aim of understanding dynamics of surface–groundwater interactions in the Delta aquifers applying hydrological conceptual model into integrated hydrological numerical model for Colorado river delta (MCRD) aquifer, calibrated based on averages of daily basis data throughout 8-year period. The model was developed using MODFLOW-OWHM code under the ModelMuse Graphical User Interface, where surface–groundwater interactions through unsaturated zone were simulated using River package (RIV) and Unsaturated-Zone Flow (UZF1) MODFLOW packages under data scare conditions. In the steady-state calibration: gross recharge, contributed 93.3%, lateral inflow 3.2% and stream leakage 3.4% of the total groundwater inflow. The groundwater outflow consisted of groundwater evapotranspiration 87.5%, stream leakage 3.1%, groundwater pumping 3.09% and lateral outflow 6.31%. Processes encountered in the calibrated parameterizations show groundwater flows axially from almost all directions of the model towards the golf of California at the south border of the model, match the course of the Colorado River and laterally towards new river (Rio Nuevo) in the North-west, with a larger portion flowing out southward than north-west ward. Though this study shows Groundwater and surface water interactions in MCRD, cannot be embedded in operational water management yet, it provides a means to assess focal areas for future data collection and model improvements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Mexicali, 21280, Baja California, Mexico

    Kedir Mohammed Bushira & Jorge Ramirez Hernandez

  2. Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, 1380 A&M Circle, El Paso, TX, 79927, USA

    Zhuping Sheng

Authors
  1. Kedir Mohammed Bushira
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  2. Jorge Ramirez Hernandez
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  3. Zhuping Sheng
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Correspondence to Kedir Mohammed Bushira.

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Bushira, K.M., Hernandez, J.R. & Sheng, Z. Surface and groundwater flow modeling for calibrating steady state using MODFLOW in Colorado River Delta, Baja California, Mexico. Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 3, 815–824 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-017-0337-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-017-0337-5

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