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Water Resources of Virginia

shocked quartz
Shocked quartz thin-section
Project

Title
Virginia Coastal Plain Model

Location
Virginia Coastal Plain

Program Support
USGS Ground-Water Resources Program

Cooperating Agencies
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Hampton Roads Planning District Commission

Project Chief
Chuck Heywood

Period of Project
Continuing

 

Virginia Coastal Plain Model
graphic element
steady-state ground-water distribution image
Perspective view of steady-state ground-water distribution computed with the new Coastal Plain Model.

Problem  Large withdrawals from the multi-layer aquifer system of the Virginia Coastal Plain cause regional declines in water levels and alterations in ground-water flow. Current descriptions of the regional aquifer system are not adequate to accurately assess the effects of existing and future withdrawals.

Objective  Characterize the description of the ground-water resources in the Coastal Plain aquifers of Virginia to provide information needed to support sound water-resource management.

Relevance and Benefits (??)(same as Jason's cp_gis.html)
In addition to enhancing management, analysis, and visualization of data needed for the on-going projects, a well-developed GIS for the Virginia Coastal Plain will facilitate continual data revision and documentation, which will be beneficial for future applications. Access to the data will also be enhanced for cooperating public agencies. The GIS could also be further developed to allow access, visualization, and retrieval by the public through a web portal.

Approach
Collect and analyze data on poorly characterized parts of the aquifer 
system, and combine with data and interpretations from other previous and 
ongoing hydrologic studies, to develop an improved hydrogeologic 
framework. Construct a digital numerical ground-water model that 

(1) represents the improved framework, 
(2) can be maintained efficiently with updated withdrawal information and other changing hydrologic conditions, and 
(3) provides information that will fulfill ongoing water-resource 
management needs.

Communication Plan
A Water-Resources Investigations Report will be published to document the revised hydrogeologic framework of the Virginia Coastal Plain. A second Water-Resources Investigations Report will be published to document the ground-water model.


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URL: http://va.water.usgs.gov/projects/cp_model.html
 
Last modified: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 09:05:08 AM