Groundwater Modeling in a Semi-confined Aquifer Using GIS and MODFLOW

Groundwater modeling is an effective tool used to understand the behavior of the aquifer system under different hydrological stresses and to prevent excessive withdrawal of water. The Chauras region located in Bhandara District in Maharashtra, India, is a typical semi-confined aquifer in the thick alluvium deposits which is depleting very fast due to overexploitation. The agriculture in the region is very good, and three crops are grown in the area. The main objective of this research is the simulation of future groundwater scenarios using remote sensing and GIS, and groundwater modeling to find a solution to drastically decreasing groundwater levels. The study also focuses on methods to recharge the semi-confined aquifer, which is overlain by a 12-m-thick clay layer. A suitability analysis concludes that recharge using the direct technique can convert the total fallow land to agricultural land with crop, thus further increasing the productivity of the region.