Integrating groundwater flow models with physical oceanographic models in coastal regions

Abstract 

Amidst increasing human activities and complex interactions between the ocean and land, coastal zones have emerged as dynamic yet vulnerable regions within global ecosystems. Understanding the interplay between groundwater and the ocean is crucial for studying submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and seawater intrusion (SWI), thereby protecting coastal environments and water resources. This study aims to propose a coupling strategy between groundwater flow models and physical oceanographic models to accurately simulate the interactions between coastal groundwater and the ocean.

In this research a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model based on TELEMAC-3D was first constructed to simulate marine conditions under varying salinities and temperatures. Subsequently, a groundwater model using MODFLOW6 was developed. An efficient coupling strategy was introduced through the integration of Python, facilitating precise integration of the hydrodynamic and groundwater models. Validation results of the coupled model against published experimental results demonstrated high accuracy, closely replicating laboratory outcomes within acceptable error margins.

By combining three-dimensional hydrodynamics with groundwater modeling, this study not only represents an innovative attempt at coupling but also provides a robust tool for understanding the complex mechanisms of interaction between the ocean and land.