Visual MODFLOW

Visual MODFLOW is the proven standard for professional 3D groundwater flow and contaminant transport modeling using MODFLOW-2000, MODPATH, MT3DMS and RT3D. Visual MODFLOW Pro seamlessly combines the standard Visual MODFLOW package with WinPEST and the Visual MODFLOW 3D-Explorer to give you the most complete and powerful graphical modeling environment available.




 

Main Features of Visual MODFLOW

Data Input

• The most powerful and easy-to-use graphical interface available
• Interactive model display in both plan view and cross-sectional view
• Import AutoCAD (.dxf) files or bitmap image (.bmp) files for site base maps
• Rotate and align the model grid over the site base map
• Graphical grid design tools and automatic grid smoothing
• Import variable layer surface elevations from discrete data or gridded data files
• Import time schedules for transient boundary conditions and observation points
• Assign multi-level observation wells and create observation groups

Simulation Capabilities

• Full support for MODFLOW-2000, MT3DMS, RT3D 2.5, MT3D99 and WinPEST
• Full support for the Stream Routing Package
• Seamless integration with the Win32 MODFLOW Suite
• Interactive display of model solution convergence for on-the-fly modification of solver settings and graphical display of transient simulation results
• Includes the WHS Solver (fastest and more stable than PCG2)
• Support for the Link-Algebraic Multi-grain Package
• Batch processing of multiple simulations for sensitivity analyses

Model Calibration

• Comprehensive selection of calibration plots and statistics (scatter plots, residual histograms, and time series plots)
• Automatic calibration using WinPEST

Model Display

• Color-shaded contouring of model properties and simulation results
• Customizable display of contoured results, pathlines and overlay priorities
• Detailed graphical summaries of global and local mass budgets
• Print full-color, high-resolution plots to any printer or plotter
• Export screen display to graphics formats such as Enhanced Windows Metafile (.emf), AutoCAD (.dxf), and ESRI Shape (.shp) files
• Export model results to 2-D or 3-D ASCII text files supported by virtually ANY 3-D visualization software
• Advanced 3-D visualization and animation
  
   

Proven Benefits of Visual MODFLOW

Visual MODFLOW now makes groundwater modeling accessible for any hydrogeologist or engineer who is familiar with the basic concepts and limitations of groundwater modeling. With Visual MODFLOW, you don't need to know all the awkward codes and cryptic data formats required by MODFLOW nor do you need to be concerned about maintaining consistent units, keeping track of the model `stress periods' or figuring out what VCONT and IBOUND values are. Visual MODFLOW does what every good interface should do: it takes care of these issues in an easy-to-understand and transparent manner so you only need to be concerned with REAL DATA, REAL TIMES and COMMONLY USED UNITS. In addition, the Visual MODFLOW interface contains a logical menu structure that guides you through the steps required to build and calibrate a groundwater flow and contaminant transport model.

Building, calibrating and interpreting a groundwater flow and contaminant transport model is difficult enough. Why make your job any more difficult? Try Visual MODFLOW and see why thousands of groundwater and environmental professionals have selected Visual MODFLOW as the software of choice for their groundwater modeling projects.



 

Professional Applications of Visual MODFLOW

• Evaluate Groundwater Remediation Systems
• Delineate Well Capture Zones
• Simulate Natural Attenuation of Contaminated Groundwater
• Estimate the Reductive Dechlorination of TCE, PCE and DCE in Groundwater
• Design and Optimize Pumping Well Locations for Dewatering Projects
• Determine Contaminant Fate and Exposure Pathways for Risk Assessment

Visual MODFLOW was first released in August 1994 and is currently being used by over 5,000 consultants, regulators and educators worldwide. In addition, Visual MODFLOW is the featured software package in many continuing education courses offered around the world. Clearly, when you purchase Visual MODFLOW, you are getting the model of choice for practicing groundwater professionals and environmental engineers around the world.



 

Using Visual MODFLOW

Designing the Model
The process of building the input data file for a groundwater flow and/or transport model is often the most time-intensive and tedious task associated with groundwater modeling projects. The logical structure and layout of the Visual MODFLOW interface eliminates these difficulties by guiding the user through the sequence of steps necessary to build a groundwater flow and contaminant transport model. Once you start using Visual MODFLOW you will immediately realize the benefits of easily switching between plan view and cross-sectional view at any time. In addition, the many powerful and easy-to-use graphical tools give you all the flexibility you need to assign complex property distributions, multiple pumping wells and steady-state or transient boundary conditions.

Running the Simulation
Visual MODFLOW includes the Win32 MODFLOW Suite with MODFLOW-96, MODPATH, Zone Budget, MT3DMS and RT3D, all specially compiled to run as true Windows 95/98/NT 32-Bit applications. (MT3D99 can also be included for $600 more). This unique and powerful modeling utility actually provides you with the ability to control the numerical solution process by manipulating the solver parameters and convergence criteria while the solution is in progress. In addition, it provides a real-time graphical display of the solution convergence data and a detailed graphical summary of the Zone Budget results. After each successful run is complete, the Win32 MODFLOW Suite automatically produces all the necessary files required to analyze and interpret the final results using Visual MODFLOW's postprocessing graphical features.

Calibrating the Model
Visual MODFLOW comes with an extensive set of built-in model calibration plotting utilities and statistical calculations to help you properly evaluate the modeling results and interpret the calibration data.  The comprehensive calibration plotting utilities and statistical summaries provide you with all the graphical interpretation tools you need to properly and thoroughly analyze the model calibration data. In addition, Visual MODFLOW is the only modeling software package that allows you to assign multilevel observation wells (just like you would find in the field) and group the observation points for isolated analysis of local model regions.

For each simulation Visual MODFLOW calculates the following calibration statistics:

• Mean Error
• Mean Absolute Error
• Standard Error of the Estimate
• Root Mean Error
• Normalized Root Mean Error

These statistics can be calculated for all observations, or just for selected groups of observation points (as defined by the user).

The calibration plotting options provided include:

• Scatter plot of calculated vs. observed data (heads, concentrations and flows)
• Histogram of calibration residuals
• Time-series plot of calculated and observed data (heads, concentrations and flows)
• Time-series plot of calibration statistics (residuals, RMS and scales RMS)
• Bubble plot of calibration residuals (heads, concentrations and flows)

Automatic Calibration using WinPEST
Visual MODFLOW also now fully supports automatic calibration technology using WinPEST, the only true Windows version of PEST. WinPEST has been seamlessly integrated into Visual MODFLOW to allow you to conveniently select the model parameters you want to optimize and then easily launch the built-in WinPEST application directly from Visual MODFLOW. The unique feature of WinPEST is that it not only modifies the MODFLOW input data files but it also modifies and updates the Visual MODFLOW data files. This makes it much more practical and convenient to reload your model files once the automated calibration procedure is completed. While other software packages claim to support PEST, Visual MODFLOW is the only modeling environment that offers a truly seamless integration with the most powerful parameter estimation program available.

Displaying and Interpreting Modeling Results
The ability to visualize and interpret the simulation results is almost as important as creating the model in the first place. In order to get the most out of the model you build, it is critical that you have the tools necessary to properly analyze the results. Visual MODFLOW automatically reads the results created from each successful simulation and provides a comprehensive selection of graphical formats for displaying full-color results in plan view and cross-sectional views

Contouring and Color Maps
Visual MODFLOW creates detailed contour maps of modeling results including:

• Heads, drawdown and multispecies concentrations
• Water table elevations and net recharge
• Head difference between layers and flux between layers
• Layer elevations (top, bottom and thickness)

High-quality color-shaded contouring is also available for creating presentation quality images of all contoured results.

Flow Velocity Vectors and Pathlines
Visual MODFLOW displays flow velocity vectors and flow pathlines (forward tracking and backward tracking). The flow velocity vectors can be used to effectively illustrate the direction and magnitude of the groundwater flow velocity throughout the model domain (in plan view and cross section). The velocity vectors can be evenly distributed throughout the model domain or added by clicking on any point in the model. Forward tracking pathlines are used to determine the flow pathways and predict the amount of time it would take to reach a destination. Backward tracking pathlines are used to determine where the flow at a point is coming from (e.g., delineating well capture zones).

Mass Budgets for Flow and Transport
Visual MODFLOW produces detailed tabular and graphical reports of the mass balances for both the flow and mass  transport simulations. These reports provide global and local summaries of the mass inflows and outflow from the system, or from a localized region of the model

Printing
Visual MODFLOW prints full-color, high-resolution graphics to any printer or plotter supported by Windows 95/98/NT. The graphical display of the simulation results and/or input files can be printed in portrait or landscape format as a full-page image or with a title block that describes the details of the model and the results being displayed. Color-shaded contours can be printed with or without a color legend. Visual MODFLOW also prints the on-screen display to several graphics file formats and exports results to ASCII files in 2-D or 3-D format.

3-D Visualization and Animation
Visual MODFLOW models can be visualized and animated in 3D using the built-in Visual MODFLOW 3D-Explorer. All input parameters and modeling results are automatically read into the Visual MODFLOW 3D-Explorer and displayed using color-shaded contouring on slices, multiple 3D isosurfaces, and 3D pathlines.

Visual MODFLOW PRO - integrated groundwater modeling environment for MODFLOW, MODPATH, MT3D, RT3D, and WinPEST Visual MODFLOW PRO Categories: flow models - pathlines/capture zones, flow models - saturated zone, model interfaces and modeling shells, solute transport models - saturated zone, MODFLOW programs

Visual Modlow Pro

Visual Modflow

Main Features

Proven Benefits

Professional Applications

Using Visual Modflow