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MODFLOW 6 and MODPATH7 used to simulate regional groundwater flow and advective transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and vicinity, New Jersey, 2018

Metadata Updated: November 26, 2025

A three-dimensional groundwater flow model using MODFLOW 6 (version 6.2.2) was developed and calibrated for unconsolidated Coastal Plain aquifers underlying the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) and vicinity, New Jersey, to evaluate groundwater flow pathways of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination associated with use of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). The model was developed and calibrated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) based on the previously developed hydrogeologic framework (https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191134). Steady-state flow in the unconsolidated aquifers was simulated using the MODFLOW 6 which accounts for hydrostratigraphic pinchouts and discontinuities in the Coastal Plain aquifers underlying JBMDL. To account for local patterns of fluid flow driving advective subsurface migration of PFAS, the grid was refined using quadtree meshes spanning areas where historical AFFF use was identified, where PFAS is most likely to pose a potential danger to local drinking water supplies, and along streams that behave as drains in the baseflow-dominated Coastal Plain. The model was calibrated using the parameter-estimation program PEST (version 17.3), which adjusts model parameters to most closely matching 544 water levels and 20 estimated baseflows. The MODPATH7 (version 7.2.001) particle-tracking algorithm was used to estimate advective transport paths of PFAS in the vicinity of JBMDL. Forward tracking was used to determine paths of PFAS away from AFFF source areas to streams, wetlands, pumping wells, and general geographic areas that PFAS may contaminate. Reverse tracking was used to determine particle tracks that intersect off-site PFAS reconnaissance areas to determine PFAS capture zones, or areas within which all sources of PFAS that might be advectively transported into subsurface drinking-water supplies underlying those areas. This USGS data release contains all of the input and output files for the simulations described in the associated model documentation report (https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20221112).

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 September 13, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 26, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 13, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 26, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-62a259d3d34ec53d277072cc
Data Last Modified 2023-01-25T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-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
Harvest Object Id ac54c01d-c42f-419c-8fd3-1f1ee6ce0443
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash b9b77ade3b11e19a492a8dfda36b3ff8a9c144ee49ee6d289b01fff4977c6cf2
Source Schema Version 1.1

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