GroMoPo Metadata for Edwards Aquifer numerical model

Numerical models have been an integral component in management of the Edwards Aquifer for over four decades. The scale and complexity of the models have varied considerably during this time, with the changes attributed to improvements in both numerical software and the conceptual models on which the models are predicated. Resolution of early models was coarse, which rendered them useful only in large-scale, groundwater-resource assessments. Increased resolution and improved refinement in the conceptualization of the complex hydrostratigraphic framework of the Edwards Aquifer have led to expanded applicability of the ensuing models in terms of accommodating local-scale hydraulic features such as pumping scenarios and changes in recharge/discharge mechanisms (i.e., urbanization and climate change). As part of these improvements and advancements, regional-scale groundwater availability models augmented by local-scale models based upon improved conceptualization provide the ability to: (1) replicate more extreme conditions, such as the drought-of-record; (2) improve boundary conditions by extending models to include natural hydraulic boundaries; and (3) couple groundwater flow models with surface-water flow models so that the entire terrestrial water cycle can be accommodated during water-resource management scenario assessment.