Kitsap Groundwater Model Completed
The Issue: Groundwater provides a major source of drinking water for the population of the Kitsap Peninsula. Consequently, as the population grows, so does the demand for groundwater. However, the quantity of usable groundwater is limited, largely because the Peninsula is bounded by seawater and the potential for water-level declines and seawater intrusion increases as groundwater usage increases.
How the USGS will help: The major objectives of the study are to characterize the groundwater-flow system on the Kitsap Peninsula and its interaction with associated surface-water features, and to integrate this information into a numerical groundwater flow model to assist water resource managers in the development of a long-term watershed management plan.
9722-CWQ - Characterization and Numerical Simulation of the Groundwater Resources on the Kitsap Peninsula, Kitsap, Mason, and Pierce Counties, Washington - Completed FY2016
Problem - Groundwater provides a major source of drinking water for the population of the Kitsap Peninsula. Consequently, as the population grows, so does the demand for groundwater. However, the quantity of usable groundwater is limited, largely because the Peninsula is bounded by seawater and the potential for water-level declines and seawater intrusion increases as groundwater usage increases.
Objectives - The major objectives of the study are to characterize the groundwater-flow system on the Kitsap Peninsula and its interaction with associated surface-water features, and to integrate this information into a numerical groundwater flow model to assist water resource managers in the development of a long-term watershed management plan. This study also will create project management tools to facilitate communication between project partners and stakeholders, and to establish consistent methods and practices among project participants for project data collection, QA/QC, and archiving.
Relevance and Benefits - This study is consistent with the national USGS mission and goals and to water-resource issues identified in the USGS Science Strategy. The study addresses groundwater availability and sustainability, which is a priority issue under the Water Census of the United States as outlined in Facing Tomorrow's challenges: USGS Science in the Decade 2007-2017. This study also will provide resource managers on the Kitsap Peninsula with a numerical flow model to assist in the development of a long-term watershed management plan to meet the needs of current and future water demands within the watershed, while also working to protect and improve its natural resources. This study is appropriate for inclusion in the USGS Cooperative Program because it will provide information that advances understanding of hydrologic processes.
Approach - A project website and a quality-assurance/quality-control plan will be developed to facilitate communication and methods between project partners and stakeholders. Existing and new groundwater and surface-water data will be compiled and evaluated to characterize the flow system, and entered into the National Water Information System data base. A numerical groundwater-flow model will be constructed to simulate potential anthropogenic and climatic impacts on groundwater and surface water resources, and the model will be transferred to the Planning Unit for assisting development of a long-term watershed management plan.
A cell-by-cell water budget output from USGS Kitsap Peninsula groundwater model for VELMA
Below are publications associated with this project.
Numerical simulation of the groundwater-flow system of the Kitsap Peninsula, west-central Washington
Hydrogeologic framework, groundwater movement, and water budget of the Kitsap Peninsula, west-central Washington
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
The Issue: Groundwater provides a major source of drinking water for the population of the Kitsap Peninsula. Consequently, as the population grows, so does the demand for groundwater. However, the quantity of usable groundwater is limited, largely because the Peninsula is bounded by seawater and the potential for water-level declines and seawater intrusion increases as groundwater usage increases.
How the USGS will help: The major objectives of the study are to characterize the groundwater-flow system on the Kitsap Peninsula and its interaction with associated surface-water features, and to integrate this information into a numerical groundwater flow model to assist water resource managers in the development of a long-term watershed management plan.
9722-CWQ - Characterization and Numerical Simulation of the Groundwater Resources on the Kitsap Peninsula, Kitsap, Mason, and Pierce Counties, Washington - Completed FY2016
Problem - Groundwater provides a major source of drinking water for the population of the Kitsap Peninsula. Consequently, as the population grows, so does the demand for groundwater. However, the quantity of usable groundwater is limited, largely because the Peninsula is bounded by seawater and the potential for water-level declines and seawater intrusion increases as groundwater usage increases.
Objectives - The major objectives of the study are to characterize the groundwater-flow system on the Kitsap Peninsula and its interaction with associated surface-water features, and to integrate this information into a numerical groundwater flow model to assist water resource managers in the development of a long-term watershed management plan. This study also will create project management tools to facilitate communication between project partners and stakeholders, and to establish consistent methods and practices among project participants for project data collection, QA/QC, and archiving.
Relevance and Benefits - This study is consistent with the national USGS mission and goals and to water-resource issues identified in the USGS Science Strategy. The study addresses groundwater availability and sustainability, which is a priority issue under the Water Census of the United States as outlined in Facing Tomorrow's challenges: USGS Science in the Decade 2007-2017. This study also will provide resource managers on the Kitsap Peninsula with a numerical flow model to assist in the development of a long-term watershed management plan to meet the needs of current and future water demands within the watershed, while also working to protect and improve its natural resources. This study is appropriate for inclusion in the USGS Cooperative Program because it will provide information that advances understanding of hydrologic processes.
Approach - A project website and a quality-assurance/quality-control plan will be developed to facilitate communication and methods between project partners and stakeholders. Existing and new groundwater and surface-water data will be compiled and evaluated to characterize the flow system, and entered into the National Water Information System data base. A numerical groundwater-flow model will be constructed to simulate potential anthropogenic and climatic impacts on groundwater and surface water resources, and the model will be transferred to the Planning Unit for assisting development of a long-term watershed management plan.
- Science
A cell-by-cell water budget output from USGS Kitsap Peninsula groundwater model for VELMA
The Issue: The Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments (VELMA) model is a spatially explicit, eco-hydrological watershed model that was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The VELMA model can be used to examine a wide variety of environmental systems; however, an area where the model could be improved is in its accounting of the interaction of groundwater and... - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Numerical simulation of the groundwater-flow system of the Kitsap Peninsula, west-central Washington
A groundwater-flow model was developed to improve understanding of water resources on the Kitsap Peninsula. The Kitsap Peninsula is in the Puget Sound lowland of west-central Washington, is bounded by Puget Sound on the east and by Hood Canal on the west, and covers an area of about 575 square miles. The peninsula encompasses all of Kitsap County, Mason County north of Hood Canal, and part of PierAuthorsLonna M. Frans, Theresa D. OlsenHydrogeologic framework, groundwater movement, and water budget of the Kitsap Peninsula, west-central Washington
This report presents information used to characterize the groundwater-flow system on the Kitsap Peninsula, and includes descriptions of the geology and hydrogeologic framework, groundwater recharge and discharge, groundwater levels and flow directions, seasonal groundwater-level fluctuations, interactions between aquifers and the surface‑water system, and a water budget. The Kitsap Peninsula is inAuthorsWendy B. Welch, Lonna M. Frans, Theresa D. Olsen - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.