Groundwater solute transport models for simulating the effects of a wellfield protection zone on contaminant transport

The objective is to develop a groundwater flow model of the Surficial Aquifer System in the area of Plantation, Broward County, Florida, using the U.S. Geological Survey MODFLOW code and to make a comparison between the use of two supplementary contaminant transport models: MODPATH code and the MT3D code. The advantages and limitations of the two solute transport models are described and an evaluation is made of their accuracy with respect to delineation of traveltime related to capture zones of wells. Final results of the computer simulations indicate that this study area is sensitive to river bed hydraulic conductivity and the stress of the continuous pumping at a nearby wellfield. Therefore, a critical factor in selecting an appropriate flow model for delineating the traveltime-related capture zone of a well is a model which simplifies the flow system while still preserving hydrogeologic characteristics of the flow system.