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Criterion | Explanation |
General Description | A graphical user interface (GUI) for developing, running and visualizing groundwater simulations. Provides tools for building three-dimensional groundwater conceptual models using raw GIS data objects. |
Model Domain | Provide a polygon that represents the groundwater model area. The user can import a shapefile/DXF file, or create an empty polygon data object, then digitize the geometry. |
Developer | Waterloo Hydrogeologic |
Hardware computing requirements | For use in Microsoft Windows environments; 8 GB RAM or more recommended |
Code language | C# .NET |
Original application | Originally developed to facilitate running the 1996 version of MODFLOW |
Public/proprietary and cost | Proprietary; starting from $1745.00 USD, based on license type and add-ons |
Physically or empirically based | Physically based |
Mathematical methods used |
After the conceptual model is created, it can be discretized using either the finite difference method, control volume finite difference (CVFD), or the finite element method. | |
Input data requirements | Geographic data: Visual MODFLOW Flex supports Geographic coordinate systems, projected coordinate systems (UTM, StatePlane), and local cartesian coordinates. Spatial and attribute data may be imported from a variety of data types (e.g. points, polygons, polylines, 3D gridded data, raster images, surfaces). Spatial data can be used to delineate and visualize geometry of structural zones, horizons and features of the conceptual model, while attribute data can be used in assigning properties to structural zones and attributes to boundary conditions. General steps of the data importing process (varies slightly by data type):
Visual MODFLOW Classic projects can be imported into Flex. |
Outputs | 2D and 3D viewer displays can be exported to graphics files: *.BMP, *.TIF, *.GIF, *.JPEG |
Pre-processing and post-processing tools | N/A |
Representation of uncertainty | Predictive uncertainty can be output by running PEST within a GUI workflow in Visual MODFLOW. |
Prevalence | Used extensively to run MODFLOW models |
Ease of use for public entities | Readily available for a cost. |
Ease of obtaining information and availability of technical support | Tutorials available through the model webpage: |
https://www.waterloohydrogeologic.com/visual-modflow-flex/ | |
Source code availability | Not provided |
Status of model development | Fully developed and ready for use |
Challenges for integration | Primary challenges are associated with groundwater models that may not integrate well with other models due to different spatial and temporal discretization. |
References https://www.waterloohydrogeologic.com/help/vmod-flex/
Visual MODFLOW 2011.1
User's Manual
, Visual MODFLOW Flex 5.1 Integrated Conceptual 7 & Numerical Groundwater Modeling Software, Waterloo Hydrogeologic. Available online at: https://www.waterloohydrogeologic.com/wp-content/uploads/PDFs/VisualMODFLOWFlex/VMODFlex_UsersManual.pdf