Explore the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator
Watch the water table rise and fall with rainfall and pumping, place a well, and see a contamination plume spread toward it through a permeable aquifer.
- Free to use
- No signup
- Nothing to install
- Runs in your browser
Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.
See it in action
The Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator with sample data entered and the result showing.
What is the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator?
Watch the water table rise and fall with rainfall and pumping, place a well, and see a contamination plume spread toward it through a permeable aquifer. It runs in your browser, so a change to a setting or a drag on an object shows up at once.
Hydrogeologists model exactly this recharge-pumping-contamination balance to protect municipal wells from pollution and to avoid over-pumping aquifers dry.
3 steps to your result
Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.
What you get
The water table rises with recharge (rainfall soaking in) and falls with pumping.
Higher soil permeability lets water (and contaminants) move faster underground.
Pumping creates a cone of depression that can pull a contaminant plume toward a well.
Add a contamination source and increase pumping to see the plume reach the well faster.
Raise permeability and compare how fast the plume spreads.
Balance rainfall and pumping to keep the water table steady.
Used for
Pick one to see how it fits.
Teachers
For teachers: project the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator on the board, let students predict the result, then run it together and test this: Raise permeability and compare how fast the plume spreads. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Try it freeHow it compares
A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.
| This simulation | Textbook diagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Drag, tap and change settings | Fixed picture |
| Install | Nothing to install | Not needed |
| Cost | Free to use | Depends on the book |
Questions people ask
Why does pumping pull contamination toward a well?
Pumping lowers the water table locally, creating a pressure gradient (cone of depression) that draws surrounding groundwater, and anything dissolved in it, toward the well.
What makes an aquifer good for water supply?
High permeability and good thickness let water flow to a well quickly and in large volume.
Is the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator free to use?
Yes. The Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator is free, needs no signup or download and runs in your web browser. It is part of the Geology group of AZRS simulations.
Does the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator takes touch input as well as mouse input, so you can use its 4 adjustable settings with a finger. A larger screen makes the controls and graphs easier to read.
How do I use the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator?
1. In the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator, use the controls to change Rainfall (recharge), Pumping rate, Soil permeability, Aquifer thickness. The simulation reacts instantly. 2. In the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator, press "Add contamination source", "Remove contamination", "Reset aquifer" to start, reset or change what is happening. 3. Start with this experiment: Add a contamination source and increase pumping to see the plume reach the well faster. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator responds in real time. 4. Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: The water table rises with recharge (rainfall soaking in) and falls with pumping.
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Try the Groundwater & Aquifer Simulator now
Watch the water table rise and fall with rainfall and pumping, place a well, and see a. Free to use.
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