Visual MODFLOW Flex

Overview

Visual MODFLOW Flex is more than just a graphical user interface for MODFLOW groundwater simulations. Visual MODFLOW Flex brings together industry-standard codes for groundwater flow and contaminant transport, essential analysis and calibration tools, and stunning 3D visualization capabilities in a single, easy-to-use software environment.

With Visual MODFLOW Flex, groundwater modelers have all the tools required for addressing local to regional-scale water quality, groundwater supply, and source water protection issues.

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Why Choose Visual MODFLOW Flex?

Build models faster and more efficiently

With integrated 3D conceptual modeling, you will never have to rebuild a model again. Model inputs and grid design can be updated at any point in the modeling process as modeling objectives change, more data are collected and a better understanding of the sub-surface is achieved.

Simple, easy-to-use

Since 1995, Visual MODFLOW has been recognized for its intuitive, easy-to-use interface. With Visual MODFLOW Flex, modeling steps are conveniently presented in an intuitive, workflow-driven graphical user interface, allowing you to see what steps you’ve completed, your current step and what steps you need to finish to reach your modeling objectives.

Save time and money

Visual MODFLOW Flex provides both GIS-based 3D conceptual modeling and numerical modeling all within a single integrated software environment. This reduces the need to maintain costly 3rd party pre-processing tools and eliminates the error-prone process of transferring data back-and-forth between different software packages and data formats.

Model with confidence

The 3D conceptual modeling capabilities allow you to easily interpret and analyze raw GIS data in 2D, 3D and cross-sectional viewers. This provides a visual quality assurance of the data and allows you to gain a solid understanding of the subsurface before designing the numerical model.

Build larger, more complex models

Visual MODFLOW Flex is equipped to handle vast quantities of detailed, high resolution data. With 64-bit support, you can leverage the extra memory available on 64-bit computer and simulate large and complex regional-scale groundwater systems.

Build credible models

With integrated modeling, model inputs and outputs can be easily visualized alongside raw GIS field data in 3D. This allows you to establish model credibility by demonstrating how numerical model data (model layers, flow parameters, recharge data) were generated from conceptual data (borehole logs, GIS data). Calculated heads and pathlines can also be displayed alongside conceptual model data to validate assumptions and further demonstrate model credibility.

Easily compare multiple models

Visual MODFLOW Flex’s unique design permits easy side-by-side comparisons of multiple models allowing you to assess alternative modeling scenarios, grid indiscretions and hydro-geologic interpretations.

Get started fast

Advance your technical knowledge and become an expert in no time with a wealth of learning and support resources including step-by-step tutorials, comprehensive user’s guide, videos, online training courses and free webinars.

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Visual MODFLOW Flex Applications

Visual MODFLOW Flex can be used for an array of groundwater applications.

• Delineate well capture zones for domestic water supply development
• Design and optimize pumping well locations for mine dewatering projects
• Determine contaminant fate and exposure pathways for risk assessment
• Simulate surface water-groundwater interactions
• Watershed scale/regional groundwater modeling
• Evaluate groundwater remediation systems (pump and treat, funnel and gate etc)
• Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR)
• Evaluate saltwater intrusion

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What's New In Visual MODFLOW Flex 9.0

MODFLOW 6

Visual MODFLOW Flex now supports MODFLOW-6, the newest core version of the groundwater modeling code developed by the USGS. MODFLOW-6 is based on a redesigned framework that supports 3D groundwater flow, solute transport, and various processes with an all new and more legible input file structure for both structured and unstructured grids.

• The following MODFLOW-6 flow packages are supported in Visual MODFLOW Flex:
• Simulation Packages:
• NAM – Simulation Name File
• TDIS – Time Discretization
• IMS – Iterative Model Solution
• Groundwater Flow Model (GWF):Simulate saturated groundwater flow using structured finite difference grids or unstructured control volume finite difference grids (Voronoi or Quadtree).
• NAM – Groundwater Flow Model Name File
• DIS – Discretization Package
• DISV – Discretization by Vertices Package
• IC – Initial Conditions (Heads)
• OC – Output Control Package
• NPF – Node Property Flow Package
• STO – Storage Package
• CHD* – Time Varying Constant Head Package
• WEL* – Well Package
• DRN* – Drain Package
• RIV* – River Package
• GHB* – General-Head Boundary Package
• RCH – Recharge Package
• EVT – Evapotranspiration Package
• Solute Transport Model (GWT):Simulate groundwater solute transport using structured finite difference grids or unstructured control volume finite difference grids (Voronoi or Quadtree), including a variety of sorption, reaction, and immobile domain models.
• NAM – Groundwater Flow Model Name File
• DIS – Discretization Package
• DISV – Discretization by Vertices Package
• IC – Initial Conditions (Concentrations)
• OC – Output Control Package
• ADV – Advection Package
• DSP – Dispersion Package
• MST – Mobile Storage Transfer Package
• IST – Immobile Storage Transfer Package (up to three immobile domains)
• SSM – Source Sink Mixing Package
• CNC* – Time Varying Constant Concentration Package
• SRC* – Mass Source Loading Package

Multiple Instance Packages: MODFLOW-6 allows you to include multiple instances of certain packages (marked with * above) in a simulation and track budgets separately for each package.

• Support for ZoneBudget-6:Evaluate sub-regional flows for your groundwater flow models using MODFLOW-6.

Engines and Packages:

• Assign Grid (In)active cell zones using data objects:You can use point, polyline, and polygon data objects to set the active/inactive flag for grid cells in the Finite Difference grid workflows
• Import MNW1 Wells from Classic Projects:Well information using the MNW1 well model in Classic Projects can be imported into Visual MODFLOW Flex
• Minimum thickness for Unstructured Grids:You can specify a minimum cell thickness below which unstructured grid cells will be removed from the grid so that you have more control on grid design around pinchout areas.
• MODPATH with SEAWAT:You can run a MODPATH particle tracking simulation based on a SEAWAT flow (and transport) run
• Compare:Compare results for heads, drawdowns, or concentrations between two model runs using the same unstructured grid.

Performance, Usability and other Enhancements

• The unstructured grid workflow now uses the more familiar and intuitive conceptual well controls that uses coordinates and well screen information instead of cell indices
• You can specify default Total and Effective Porosity values at the Define Modeling Objectives step
• You can add particles for a particle track simulation based on Well objects in the Model Explorer as well as in the Data Explorer
• Improved speed and performance saving and loading projects
• You can specify a custom default project save location to save time when creating new projects
• New Keyboard Shortcuts:
• Press CTRL+T at the Translate Step to translate a model
• Press CTRL+R at the Run Step to run a model

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