ABSTRACT
Groundwater models were used to describe or predict hydrogeologic conditions before microcomputers. Some models started in a physical form, such as an aquarium filled with sand. Once a database of well construction records or well-logs is created, the data can be used to illustrate surface and subsurface features and to describe the flow characteristics of groundwater. The first step to understanding the hydrogeology of an area is having an idea of the groundwater flow patterns and the material water must travel through. Groundwater flow direction is usually determined by measuring the static water levels in wells located in the same aquifer that have become equilibrated with the aquifer after construction. By plotting these static water levels on a map and connecting points of equal hydraulic head, a static water level contour map can be created to show groundwater flow direction for a given area.
