Computer modeling is a powerful tool we routinely use for large and small clients for planning, management scenarios, and water rights purposes. LRE has several experienced hydrogeologists who routinely utilize the USGS’s MODFLOW computer modeling program for simple and complex analyses.   

For water supply planning, we use models to determine the best location or design of a well, evaluate optimal well spacing, evaluate wells verses infiltration galleries, design or optimize well fields, estimate pumping costs or future production capabilities, and evaluate operational management scenarios. Depending on time and budget, we may create simple models in just a few hours or create sophisticated models that are carefully calibrated (compared to observed data) and routinely updated.

For water rights cases and augmentation plans, LRE frequently develops and uses models to evaluate the well impacts on senior water rights. LRE also routinely evaluates models created by others that are used in water rights adjudications that could affect our clients.

LRE uses automated calibration codes to efficiently calibrate models and for the statistical analysis of various types of model uncertainty. We utilize parallel processing to speed up run times when calibrating large models. LRE can also evaluate and quantify land subsidence associated with fluid withdrawals.