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Groundwater app to determine flow direction and gradient.
Derek Morrison1, Clyde Munster
1Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77873.
Ground Water
|June 6, 2014
Summary
A new groundwater flow calculator program and mobile app automate hydraulic gradient and groundwater flow direction determination. This digital tool simplifies Ralph Heath's USGS manual method for field use.
Area of Science:
- Hydrogeology
- Geospatial analysis
- Environmental science
Background:
- Determining groundwater flow direction and hydraulic gradient is crucial for hydrogeological studies.
- Traditional methods, like Ralph Heath's manual process in USGS Water Supply Paper 2220, can be time-consuming and complex.
- The need for efficient and accessible tools for field hydrogeologists is evident.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a computational program, the groundwater flow calculator, for rapid hydraulic gradient and groundwater flow direction assessment.
- To automate the established manual procedure outlined by Ralph Heath.
- To create a mobile application for convenient field deployment of the groundwater flow calculation method.
Main Methods:
- Development of a computational program (groundwater flow calculator).
- Automation of the manual graphical method described in USGS Water Supply Paper 2220.
- Creation of a mobile application for smartphone-based field use.
Main Results:
- The groundwater flow calculator program successfully automates the determination of hydraulic gradient and groundwater flow direction.
- The mobile app provides a user-friendly interface for field application of the calculation method.
- Significant reduction in time and complexity compared to the original hand-drawn process.
Conclusions:
- The groundwater flow calculator and its mobile app offer an efficient and accessible solution for hydrogeological field assessments.
- Digital automation enhances the practical application of established hydrogeological principles.
- The tool supports improved data collection and analysis in groundwater studies.
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