Numerical Simulation of Groundwater Using Mathematical Model (Case Study: Kahorestan Aquifer, Hormozgan Province, Southern Iran)

Document Type : Research paper

Authors

1 M.Sc. Alumnus, Department of Water Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Water Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran.

3 Researcher, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University‑Sexton Campus, Halifax, NS, Canada.

10.22034/hydro.2026.67840.1334

Abstract

The proper management and planning for the sustainable exploitation of groundwater resources is essential due to the limitation of surface water resources and groundwater overexploitation in the dry region. Groundwater simulation using mathematical models allows the aquifer behavior to be investigated in response to different hydrological, climatic, and management conditions. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of calibration, sensitivity analysis, validation, and optimization of the saturated permeability and specific yield coefficients of the Kohourestan aquifer, located in the west of Hormozgan province, using the popular hydrological model MODFLOW under the GMS user interface. The difference between the measured and simulated groundwater levels in the model calibration stages was evaluated using the root mean square error (RMSE) criterion. The RMSE values in the calibration steady state, unsteady state calibration, and validation were calculated by the model to be 0.093, 1.03, and 0.998, respectively, which indicates the appropriate accuracy of the model. The results of model calibration in two steady and unsteady states showed that the northwestern areas of the aquifer have the highest values ​​of the permeability coefficient, which vary from 25 to 35 m/day. However, in the southeastern areas, the permeability coefficient is sharply reduced. The accumulation of coarse-grained and fine-grained sediments has led to a significant increase and decrease in the permeability coefficient in the upstream and downstream of the aquifer.

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References

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Hydrogeology
Volume 10, Issue 1
August 2025
Pages 50-60

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