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MODFLOW-NWT and MODPATH6 models used to simulate contributing areas in hypothetical sedimentary rock aquifers under extreme recharge events

Metadata Updated: January 16, 2026

MODFLOW-NWT groundwater flow models and MODPATH6 particle tracking simulations were developed to determine contributing areas (CAs) for and advective travel times to domestic wells under extreme recharge events in a small hypothetical watershed underlain by dipping sedimentary rocks. The hypothetical models are based on hydrogeologic conditions in the Newark Basin, located in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, USA. During extreme recharge events, groundwater supply wells have increased vulnerability to contaminants or pathogens originating at land surface that are flushed into the subsurface. Fractured-rock aquifers are particularly vulnerable because transport to wells can be very fast owing to preferential flow paths through high-permeability fractures with small effective porosities. A base case (BC) scenario was developed in which the flow models simulate transient extreme recharge events and twice daily pumping, and the particle tracking uses a porosity of 0.0001. Alternate transient scenarios were developed in which the models have fewer vertical fractures (FewVF), increased recharge (Rch6.4), or larger effective porosity (Por.001), and an alternate steady-state scenario (StSt) was developed that uses long-term average recharge and pumping rates. For the BC and StSt scenarios, MODFLOW-NWT simulations were run for 48 different pumping well locations (24 shallow well locations and 24 mid-depth well locations). For the FewVF and Rch6.4 scenarios, MODFLOW-NWT simulations were run for the 24 mid-depth well locations. For all scenarios, MODPATH simulations were conducted to define the CAs, the travel times from the CAs to the well, and the arrival times at the well. Transient simulations used hourly releases of particles at the water table throughout the extreme recharge event. The StSt scenario had a single release at the beginning of the simulations. Software tools are provided in this data release to post-process the MODPATH results and produce figures similar to those in the companion journal article (https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.13169). This USGS data release contains all the input and selected output files for the simulations described in the companion journal article (https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.13169).

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date January 11, 2026
Metadata Updated Date January 16, 2026

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date January 11, 2026
Metadata Updated Date January 16, 2026
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/USGS_0e512c95-6c26-4f61-94ae-caebf4e7b54d
Data Last Modified 2022-01-04T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Datagov Dedupe Retained 20260116141420
Harvest Object Id aed5a922-aa4d-4272-97e9-a1f16f63daf5
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
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Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash e5efb6adb9365e1c7b33e0b75b7d2095d0619772e1ce08ab6f3796e55bb1a389
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