Citation :

Hussein Ilaibi Zamil Al-Sudani, "Numerical Modeling of Groundwater Aquifer in Debagah Basin - North of Iraq," International Journal of Recent Engineering Science (IJRES), vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 20-28, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23497157/IJRES-V12I5P103

Abstract

Numerical modeling has emerged as a crucial tool across various scientific and engineering disciplines, enabling the simulation and prediction of complex systems. It is a key tool for managing groundwater resources and enables researchers to examine the interactions resulting from various factors, such as recharge and extraction, which can help in developing an optimal plan for utilizing these resources in hydrogeological basins. The numerical model created for the confined aquifer in the central and southern parts of the Debagah basin in northern Iraq showed a decrease in groundwater levels between 13 and 18 meters, mainly in the central-western area of the modeled part of the studied area, after operating the model for five years in the first phase. In the second phase, 25 new wells with a daily discharge of 690 m3 were added for the same period. The decline observed from the model relates to the pressure within the confined aquifer, not a reduction in the aquifer's thickness, since the piezometric groundwater level before and after the simulation was higher than the aquifer level in all wells. This indicates that the confined aquifer remained fully saturated with water but experienced a decrease in hydraulic pressure. This pressure reduction could be mitigated if the natural recharge rate of the confined aquifer layers increases, suggesting the potential for sustainable groundwater exploitation across the entire modeled area.

Keywords

Groundwater, Numerical Modeling, Debagah Basin, North of Iraq.

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