Texture2Par: A texture-driven tool for estimating subsurface hydraulic properties

Abstract

Subsurface hydraulic properties, critical in the development of groundwater models, are often inferred from aquifer tests and complemented by geologic information. In alluvial aquifers in particular, well and boring logs can provide a three-dimensional distribution of the presence of coarse-grained and fine-grained sediment (texture) as an important mapping of heterogeneity often correlated with hydraulic properties. Texture2Par was developed to incorporate texture data in the estimation of aquifer parameters for groundwater models. The software aggregates and interpolates texture data to a model grid, calculates hydraulic conductivity and storage parameters, and writes input files for the MODFLOW and IWFM simulation codes. Texture2Par includes options to represent a depth-dependent decrease in hydraulic conductivity, hydrostratigraphic units representing different depositional environments, and pilot points to represent relationships between texture and aquifer properties that may vary throughout groundwater flow systems. The paper presents the underlying methods and the application of Texture2Par using synthetic and real-world examples.