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MODFLOW-2005 model used to estimate paleo-recharge volumes and project future water-level changes in Ash Meadows groundwater basin, southwest Nevada, based on Devils Hole paleo-water-table record

Metadata Updated: August 29, 2024

This data release documents a modified version of the Death Valley version 3 steady-state (DV3-SS) model described in U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1863 (https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1863). The DV3-SS model was modified by conversion into a superposition model with initial heads of 0 ft (0 m). Simulated water-level changes are relative to modern, predevelopment (pre-1950) conditions, where modern levels have a reference datum of 0 ft (0 m). The modified DV3-SS model is a three-dimensional, groundwater model (MODFLOW-2005) that was used to estimate paleo-recharge in the Ash Meadows groundwater basin, southwest Nevada, using the Devils Hole (cave 2) water-table record that spans the last 350,000 years. Two steady-state (paleo-recharge) scenarios were developed. Scenario 1 simulates paleo-recharge during peak glaciation when the Devils Hole water-table elevation was +31.2 ft (+9.5 m) above the modern level. Scenario 2 simulates the peak interglacial when the Devils Hole water-table elevation was below the modern level but above -5.25 ft (-1.6 m). Two transient (future recharge) scenarios were developed by running the modified DV3-SS model as a transient model. Transient scenarios 1 and 2 simulate 10 and 20 percent decreases in modern recharge, respectively. Transient scenarios are used to estimate future water-level declines in Devils Hole and the time period for equilibration to changes in future recharge. Input and output files for the paleo-recharge and future scenarios are in the model and output directories, respectively. The modified DV3-SS model and transient model used the calibrated hydraulic properties and recharge distribution from the original DV3-SS model (https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1863). The ancillary directory includes (1) 151 MODFLOW-2005 recharge files used to simulate 151 paleo-recharge scenarios (Appendix A); (2) batch files, executables, and post-processing utilities to sequentially run the 151 paleo-recharge scenarios and process results (Appendix B); and (3) a transient version of the modified DV3-SS model to determine the timescale for equilibration to steady-state conditions assuming modern recharge is reduced by 10 or 20 percent (Appendix C).

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 June 1, 2023
Metadata Updated Date August 29, 2024

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI EDI

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date June 1, 2023
Metadata Updated Date August 29, 2024
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
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Identifier USGS:670229ac-8134-4c3c-8db3-9c72f4fdb01f
Data Last Modified 20220217
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
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Metadata Catalog ID https://datainventory.doi.gov/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
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Harvest Source Id 52bfcc16-6e15-478f-809a-b1bc76f1aeda
Harvest Source Title DOI EDI
Metadata Type geospatial
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Publisher Hierarchy White House > U.S. Department of the Interior > U.S. Geological Survey
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash ac92c957bbeb2e9a061b5e31ac49166d563ac8069c0111bf5a6e870f1f56e10b
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