Dw. Watkins et al., USE OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION-SYSTEMS LN GROUNDWATER-FLOW MODELING, Journal of water resources planning and management, 122(2), 1996, pp. 88-96
Geographic information systems (GISs) offer data management and spatia
l analysis capabilities that can be useful in ground-water modeling. M
any regional ground-water models require large, unwieldy data sets, an
d calibrating them has traditionally been a trial-and-error, hit-or-mi
ss process. GIS provides automatic data collection, systematic model p
arameter assignment, spatial statistics generation, and the visual dis
play of model results, all of which can improve and facilitate modelin
g. To utilize these abilities, however, GIS and ground-water models mu
st be able to communicate. Researchers and practitioners have achieved
this interface in three ways: (1) linking a GIS to a ground-water mod
el through data-transfer programs; (2) integrating a model with a GIS
database; and (3) embedding modeling capabilities within a GIS. This p
aper emphasizes the usefulness of GIS in ground-water modeling and eva
luates these three methods of GIS-model interfacing. Current needs are
identified, and suggestions for future work are made.