GWM: Groundwater Management Process for MODFLOW Using Optimization

Overview of GWM

Cover image from the GWM manual (Open File Report 2005-1072).

GWM is a Groundwater Management Process for the U.S. Geological Survey modular three-dimensional groundwater model, MODFLOW. GWM uses a response-matrix approach to solve several types of linear, nonlinear, and mixed-binary linear groundwater management formulations. Each management formulation consists of a set of decision variables, an objective function, and a set of constraints. There are two different versions of GWM that are actively supported and available for use:

• GWM-2005: This is currently the standard version of GWM and is based on MODFLOW-2005. GWM-2005 was first released in 2009.
• GWM-VI (Version Independent): This version of GWM can be used with any version of MODFLOW that meets certain requirements on input and output. This version also allows parallel processing of the MODFLOW runs required to solve an optimization problem. This version was first released in 2013.

A third version of the software, GWM-2000, has been superseded but is provided below for historical reference and for those still using MODFLOW-2000.

Download Current Version of GWM

GWM-2005

• GWM-2005 compiled for Microsoft Windows, with source code, test problems, and documentation
• Installation instructions
• Release history

GWM-VI

• GWM-VI compiled for Microsoft Windows, with source code, test problems, and documentation
• Installation instructions
• Release history

Documentation for GWM

GWM-2005

• Ahlfeld and others, 2005, GWM -- A Groundwater-Management Process for the U.S. Geological Survey modular ground-water model (MODFLOW-2000): U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1072.
  This is the initial report that describes the theory and use of the Groundwater Management Process for MODFLOW. (The initial release of GWM was based on MODFLOW-2000.)
• Ahlfeld and others, 2009, GWM-2005 -- A Groundwater-Management Process for MODFLOW-2005 with Local Grid Refinement (LGR) capability: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 6-A33, 67 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/tm6A33
  This report describes updates to the GWM Process for use with MODFLOW-2005 and MODFLOW-LGR, and provides input instructions at the time of the initial GWM-2005 release.
• Ahlfeld and others, 2011, Documentation for the State Variables Package for the Groundwater-Management Process of MODFLOW-2005 (GWM-2005): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 6-A36.
  This report describes the theory and use of state variables in a groundwater-management formulation.
• Ahlfeld and Barlow, 2013, Use of Multi-Node Wells in the Groundwater-Management Process of MODFLOW-2005 (GWM-2005): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 6-A47.
  This report describes the theory and use of multi-node wells in a groundwater-management formulation.

GWM-VI

• Banta and Ahlfeld, 2013, GWM-VI -- Groundwater Management with Parallel Processing for Multiple MODFLOW versions: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 6-A48.

Additional documentation can be found in the 'doc' subdirectory in the GWM-2005 and GWM-VI distributions.

Superseded GWM Versions

GWM-2000 is based on MODFLOW-2000. It does not support all of the functionality that has been developed for GWM-2005 and GWM-VI. Although the code is provided for users still working with MODFLOW-2000, it has been superseded by GWM-2005 and GWM-VI. The software version(s) below are provided online for historical reference only, and the pages may contain outdated information or broken links.

• GWM-2000

Find MODFLOW-Related Software

Visit the MODFLOW and Related Programs page for a list of MODFLOW-related software.

Example USGS Applications of GWM

• Ahlfeld, D.P., and Baro-Montes, Gemma, 2008, Solving unconfined groundwater flow management problems with successive linear programming: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, v. 134, no. 5, p. 404-412.
• Ahlfeld, D.P., and Hoque, Yamen, 2008, Impact of simulation model solver performance on ground water management problems: Ground Water, v. 46, no. 5, p. 716-726.
• Banta, E.R., and Paschke, S.S., 2012, Demonstration optimization analyses of pumping from selected Arapahoe aquifer municipal wells in the west-central Denver Basin, Colorado, 2010-2109: U. S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5140, 37 p.
• Brooks, L.E, 2013, Evaluation of the groundwater flow model for southern Utah and Goshen Valleys, Utah, updated to conditions through 2011, with new projections and groundwater management simulations: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2013-1171, 35 p.
• Luukkonen, C.L., 2010, Model refinement and simulation of groundwater flow in Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5244, 53 p.
• Peterson, S.M, Flynn, A.T., Vrabel, Joseph, and Ryter, D.W., 2015, Simulation of groundwater flow and analysis of the effects of water-management options in the North Platte Natural Resources District, Nebraska: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5093, 67 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155093
• Pulido-Velazquez, David, Ahlfeld, David, Andreu, Joaquin, and Sahuquillo, Andres, 2008, Reducing the computational cost of unconfined groundwater flow in conjunctive-use models at basin scale assuming linear behaviour -- the case of Adra-Campo de Dalias: Journal of Hydrology, v. 353, p. 159-174.
• Ryter, D.R., Kunkel, C.D., Peterson, S.M., and Traylor, J.P., 2015, Numerical simulation of groundwater flow, resource optimization, and potential effects of prolonged drought for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area, central Oklahoma: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5167, 27 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145167.
• Spitz, F.J., Watt, M.K., and DePaul, V.T., 2008, Recovery of ground-water levels from 1988 to 2003 and analysis of potential water-supply management options in Critical Area 1, east-central New Jersey: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5193, 40 p.
• Stanton, J.S., Peterson, S.M., and Fienen, M.N., 2010, Simulation of groundwater flow and effects of groundwater irrigation on stream base flow in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, Nebraska, 1985-2055--Phase Two: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5149, 78 p.

Software License and Purchase Information

This software is a product of the U.S. Geological Survey, which is part of the U.S. Government.

Cost

This software is freely distributed. There is no fee to download and (or) use this software.

License

Users do not need a license or permission from the USGS to use this software. Users can download and install as many copies of the software as they need.

Public Domain

As a work of the United States Government, this USGS product is in the public domain within the United States. You can copy, modify, distribute, and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Additionally, USGS waives copyright and related rights in the work worldwide through CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ).