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Modeling of groundwater level changes in an urban area

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Abstract

Groundwater level changes, mostly depletion, are widespread around the world due to the high population and industrial growth. Numerical models can provide relevant information in a data scares location and thus could be great means to save both money and time. In this study, an attempt was made to analyze changes in the groundwater level using the widely accepted MODFLOW-2005 model. This study covered 22 wards among the 41 wards of Chittagong city in Bangladesh and the simulation was run for the year 2009–2016. Compare to the observed water heads, the simulated model could reasonably predict water heads with a residual of less than 10%. From 2009 to 2016, the model outcome showed a depletion rate of about 4.75 m/year in the central part of the city. Finally, the model was run for the year 2020 to predict the future condition of the water head. From this, there are five wards in the central part facing a serious groundwater lowering problem. Thus, to save this natural resource more comprehensive strategies as well as ground extraction regulations should be made. And in this context, this study will provide an overview of this urgent issue in this city.

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Acknowledgements

This study has been carried out in the Department of Civil Engineering, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Bangladesh. Funding for this work was provided by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh for a research project Modeling of Groundwater Lowering in Chittagong (MGLC), and additional support from the Department of Civil Engineering in CUET, CWASA, CDA, and BWDB, are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), 4349, Chittagong, Bangladesh

    Aysha Akter

  2. Department of Geography Geology and Planning, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA

    Shoukat Ahmed

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  1. Aysha Akter
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  2. Shoukat Ahmed
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Correspondence to Aysha Akter.

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Akter, A., Ahmed, S. Modeling of groundwater level changes in an urban area. Sustain. Water Resour. Manag. 7, 7 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-020-00480-x

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