Applied Model Calibration & Uncertainty Analysis and Optimization Using Groundwater Vistas - Short Course
A Short Course for Intermediate and Advanced Modelers

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University of Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia, US

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Virginia:
DoubleTree Hotel at Tysons Corner
7801 Leesburg Pike (Rt 7)
Falls Church, Virginia
(703) 893-1340

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Groundwater Vistas Course Description
The seminar addresses three challenging issues of interest to experienced groundwater modelers: model calibration, evaluation of uncertainty, and remedial design optimization. The course also seeks to provide professional development opportunities for experienced modelers. While there are numerous seminars and training courses targeted at beginning and intermediate modelers, very few are offered on advanced topics.

MODFLOW is the most widely used groundwater flow model in the world. You will learn how to use MODFLOW and the popular Groundwater Vistas software to calibrate complex models using a variety of techniques. The course covers the hands-on use of PEST, UCODE and the inverse engine in Groundwater Vistas. Other techniques and software for model calibration are also described in lectures.

Analysis of uncertainty is a neglected topic in groundwater modeling, partly because practical ways of assessing uncertainty have not been available. Stochastic simulation has been described in the scientific literature of our field for many years; however, these techniques have seldom been applied to complex models. Most stochastic simulators use simple analytic models that are usually one dimensional. With the newest PC computers, the processing power is now sufficient to apply these stochastic techniques to real-world groundwater modeling problems. This course introduces you to the first practical stochastic groundwater model, Stochastic MODFLOW, MODPATH, and MT3D. A geostatistical package called GISLIB will also be used in conjunction with Stochastic MODFLOW.

Optimization of well field and pump&treat systems is a powerful technique for reducing the cost of remediation systems or well field operation. There are several optimization models available now and Groundwater Vistas supports many of them. The optimization part of this course will focus on MODOFC, which was developed at the University of Massachusetts by David Ahlfeld and R. Guy Riefler. It is a free model that can be downloaded from http://www.ecs.umass.edu/modofc.

The first third of the course focuses on inverse calibration techniques including the use of Groundwater Vistas, PEST, UCODE, and others. The next third of the course covers theory and use of the new Stochastic MODFLOW, MODPATH, and MT3D. The last portion of the course is devoted to optimization with MODOFC. Your time will be evenly split between lecture and hands-on use of the software.

Instructors
James Rumbaugh is a national leader in the field of groundwater modeling and has performed modeling studies in the US, Caribbean, and Europe. Jim was co-founder of Geraghty & Miller's Modeling Group and Technical Director for Modeling Services until he left to start ESI. He is the Chairman of the ASTM task group funded by U.S. EPA to develop standards for groundwater modeling practice and is now the Chairman of Subcommittee D18.21 on Groundwater and Vadose Zone Investigations. He has written some of the most popular groundwater modeling software in use today including ModelCad and Groundwater Vistas. Jim has taught numerous groundwater modeling training courses to private industry and to government clients.

Educational Level & CEUs
The course is intended for intermediate and experienced groundwater modelers with significant experience in the use of MODFLOW. Knowledge of the Groundwater Vistas software will be helpful but not required. This course qualifies for 2.4 CEUs.

What You Receive with the Groundwater Vistas Course
You will receive a complete copy of course notes and background information. You will also get a CD-ROM with course exercises, the PEST-LITE calibration software, and a copy of Stochastic MODFLOW, MODPATH, and MT3D. Course participants are eligible for a 30% discount on Groundwater Vistas and Stochastic Groundwater Vistas.

Enrollment
Due to the complex subject matter, enrollment is limited to a maximum of 25 participants. If you plan to attend, please register early.

Course Cost
Basic Course $1,150
Course with Groundwater Vistas (regular & stochastic versions) - $1 ,975

If you already have Groundwater Vistas:
Course with Stochastic Groundwater Vistas - $ 1,500

Groundwater Vistas - $ 595 (30% discount)
Stochastic GV/MODFLOW - $ 350 (in addition to the cost of GV - 30% discount)

Groundwater Vistas Course Outline

Day 1

8:30 a.m.
Lecture – Introduction to Model Calibration & Uncertainty Analysis

9:00 a.m.
Lecture – A Protocol for Model Calibration

9:30 a.m.
Lecture – Assessing Data Error and Parameter Uncertainty

10:30 a.m.
Computer Lab Session – Model Calibration with Groundwater Vistas

12:00 noon
Lunch

1:00 p.m.
Lecture – Inverse Modeling Techniques

2:00 p.m.
Lecture – Inverse Modeling with Groundwater Vistas, PEST, and UCODE

3:00 p.m.
Computer Lab Session – Using PEST and UCODE for Model Calibration

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 p.m.
Optional Evening Session – Guest lectures from other experts in the field and/or additional computer sessions

Day 2

8:30 a.m.
Lecture – Review of Other Inverse Techniques (MODFLOWP, ITOUGH2, Hydro-FACT, Genetic Algorithms, Simulated Annealing,etc.)

10:00 a.m.
Computer Lab Session – Comparison of Different Techniques for Model Calibration

12:00 noon
Lunch

1:00 p.m.
Lecture – Introduction and History of Stochastic Simulation

2:30 p.m.
Lecture – Introduction to Uncertainty Analysis

3:30 p.m.
Computer Lab Session – Using Stochastic MODFLOW

5:00 p.m.
Dinner

7:00 p.m.
Optional Evening Session – Guest lectures from other experts in the field and/or additional computer sessions

Day 3

8:30 a.m.
Lecture – Applied Uncertainty Analysis Using Stochastic MODFLOW/MT3D/MODPATH

10:00 a.m.
Computer Lab Session – Stochastic MODFLOW & MODPATH

12:00 noon
Lunch

1:00 p.m.
Lecture – Interpretation of Stochastic Simulation Results

2:30 p.m.
Lecture – Geostatistical Analysis and Stochastic Simulation

3:30 p.m.
Computer Lab Session – Using Stochastic MODFLOW & MT3D

5:00 p.m.
Adjourn

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To register or if you have any questions, contact: info@surfacewater.com.