The optimisation model for groundwater management in the unconfined aquifer using the Shuffled Complex Evolution algorithm

Groundwater exploitation that exceeds its recharge capacity can have a negative impact on the hydrogeological environment. Optimal exploitation means maximising pumping discharge with the least reduction in the hydraulic head. In groundwater exploitation, the position of wells, number of wells, and the discharge of groundwater pumping greatly determine changes in hydraulic head and groundwater flow patterns in a given hydrological area. This article proposes an optimisation model which is expected to be useful for finding the optimal pumping discharge value from production wells in a hydrological area. This model is a combination of solving the Laplace equation for two-dimensional groundwater flow in unconfined aquifers and the optimum variable search method based on the Shuffled Complex Evolution (SCE-UA) algorithm. Laplace equation uses the finite difference method for the central difference rule of the Crank Nicolson scheme. The system of equations has been solved using the M-FILE code from MATLAB. This article is a preliminary study which aims to examine the stability level of the optimisation equation system. Testing using a hypothetical data set shows that the model can work effectively, accurately, and consistently in solving the case of maximising pumping discharge from production wells in a hydrological area with a certain hydraulic head limitation. Consequently, the system of equations can also be applied to the case of confined aquifers.

---

Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa nr SONP/SP/546092/2022 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2024).