Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

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Computers & Geosciences

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Implementation of a 3-D groundwater ow model in a semi-arid region using

MODFLOW and GIS tools: The ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene aquifer
system (east-central Tunisia)
Fethi Lachaal a,b,n, Ammar Mlayah a, Mourad Bedir a, Jamila Tarhouni b, Christian Leduc c
a

Georesources Laboratory, Water Research and Technology Centre, Borj Cedria Ecopark, PO Box 273 Soliman 8020, Tunisia
Water Sciences and Technique Laboratory, National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, 43 Avenue Charles Nicolle, Mahraje ne, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia
c
IRD, UMR G-EAU, BP 5095, 34196 Montpellier cedex 5, France
b

a r t i c l e i n f o

abstract

Article history:
Received 15 February 2012
Received in revised form
9 April 2012
Accepted 9 May 2012
Available online 24 May 2012

In this work, an integrated methodology was developed to investigate hydrological processes in

ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene aquifer and to validate the groundwater proprieties deduced from the
geological, geophysical, hydrodynamic and hydrochemical studies done in the region, using the
coupling of groundwater ow model MODFLOW 2000 code with Geographic Information System tools.
A 3-D groundwater ow model was developed for this aquifer using a large amount of available
geological and hydrological data.
The groundwater ow model was calibrated and validated with datasets during the 19802007
period. The results show that the ZBH aquifer exhibits the highest sensibility to changes of water
inltration and hydraulic conductivity. The model simulation shows a good degree of understand to the
aquifer hydrogeology. The model can be regarded as a useful tool for analyzing the hydrological
processes for complex groundwater that have similar geological and hydrogeological conditions and
will help to propose a management rescue plan for the studied aquifer, especially for aquifer
characterization in arid and semi arid regions.
& 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords:
Hydrogeology
Groundwater modeling
Geographic information system
MODFLOW

1. Introduction
In arid and semi-arid regions, the intense groundwater
resources exploitation has often led to decrease in the groundwater levels, deterioration of the water quality, and saltwater
intrusion (Foster and Loucks, 2006; Lachaal et al., 2010). In order
to dene a sustainable exploitation of groundwater resources
taking into account the future impact of the global change on
water resources, a proper understanding of the behavior of the
groundwater system and assessment of the groundwater
resources is an important prerequisite (e.g., Carrera-Hernandez
and Gaskin, 2006; Chenini and Ben Mammou, 2010).
Groundwater numerical modeling ow has become an invaluable tool for proper management of the groundwater systems
(Sedki and Ouazar, 2011; Manghi et al., 2011; Dong et al., 2012;
Xu et al., 2012), especially for assessing the impact of existing and
future activities on groundwater resources (Huang et al., 2008).

n
Corresponding author at: Georesources Laboratory, Water Research and
Technology Centre, Borj Cedria Ecopark, PO Box 273 Soliman 8020, Tunisia.
Tel.: 216 97 325 122; fax: 216 79 325 802.
E-mail address: lachaalfethi@yahoo.fr (F. Lachaal).

0098-3004/$ - see front matter & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2012.05.007

In the Sahel of Tunisia region (east-central Tunisia), many

research works showed the complexity of the regional hydrogeology and hydrodynamics (Beni-Akhy, 1998; Lachaal, 2011) due
to the strong tectonic activity and the uvio-deltaic sedimentation (Bedir et al., 1992, 1996). In order to characterize and
determine the aquifer hydrogeology proprieties, previous works
show that all possible investigation methods and available geological, geophysical, hydrodynamic and geochemical data must be
integrated in order to clarify a schema of the aquifers distribution
(Lachaal, 2011; Lachaal et al., 2011). The methodology for characterizing a complex aquifer system was developed and applied
to the Miocene aquifer systems in the Sahel of Tunisia region. It
consists of compiling and combining all available data, especially
the geophysical (seismic reection and wireline logging of drilling
wells), the hydrodynamic and the hydrochemical ones. This
studies show that Miocene series in the Sahel region is compartmentalized into Jemmel, Zeramdine, and MahdiaJebeniana
blocks under the inuence of the tectonic structures of Zeramdine
fault corridor, Mahdia and Moknine grabens, and El Jem halfgraben (Figs. 1 and 2). These structures controlled the Miocene
uvio-deltaic sedimentation and led to the spatial distribution of
Miocene reservoir systems. In addition to the upper Miocene
sandy level reservoir, other reservoir horizons were identied,

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F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

Fig. 1. Location map of the study area (a) and structural map (b) of the JemmelZeramdine Sector.

Fig. 2. AA0 Hydrogeological cross section showing the inuence of Zeramdine fault corridor in the differentiation of the ZeramdineBeni Hassen and the JemmelBembla
Miocene deep aquifer.

correlated, and a new distribution of the Miocene aquifers are

presented (Lachaal et al., 2011). Using the new structural results a
new hydrogeology characterization and conceptualization for the
ZBH Miocene aquifer that is the most complex aquifers in
the Sahel region, was done and prove a good relation between
the geological structure, the groundwater ow hydrodynamic
compartimentation, and chemical proprieties (Lachaal et al., in
press-b).
The present study is concerned with the development of a 3-D
groundwater ow model to characterize the groundwater ow
system and the groundwater levels in the ZBH area, using
coupling of MODFLOW and Geographic Information System
(GIS) tools and based on all available geological, geophysical
and piezometric data set together with several eld surveys.
The challenge in this work is to apply a numerical ow model
to a complex deep aquifer in semi-arid region due to its intense

tectonic activities and to evaluate the compatibility of the data

deduced from different investigation methods.

2. Study area characterization

The study area covers the Jemmel, Zeramdine and Beni Hassen
plains with 2610 km2 between 3902,500 and 3956,000 north
parallels and the 640,000 and 700,000 east meridians (Fig. 1). It
is bordered to the West by the Zeramdine fault corridor, to the
South by the MahdiaJebeniana plain, to the North by the
Moknine fault and platform, and to the East by the Mediterranean
Sea (Fig. 1).
Geological outcrops in the studied area are mainly Pliocene
and Quaternary deposits. The oldest sediment outcropping in the
Zeramdine fold is the Upper Miocene Oum Douil Formation

F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

(Burollet, 1956; Gaaloul, 1995; Manna-Tayech, 2009) alternating

clay and sandy clay (Fig. 2). The thickness and the lithology of
these sediments are variable.
The study area has a semi-arid climate. The mean annual
precipitation for the 19802007 period is 360 mm yr  1 with 90%
of rainfall occurring from September to March. The monthly
temperature averages are 12.7 and 27.5 1C in July and August,
respectively (Lachaal, 2011).

189

construct the three-dimensional groundwater ow numerical model.

However to develop such a database it is mandatory beforehand to
conceptualize a model that explains the kind and the structure of the
data that should be included in the base. In this work we propose the
conceptual model of aquifers systems that is sketched in Fig. 4. This
sketch explains the input data and the process applied to get from it
the nal data needed for modeling.
3.1. Data collection and data processing
Numerous data from many sources and different types were
collected, homogenized and integrated in the spatial database
(Fig. 4). Topographic and geological maps (1:50,000) were digitized
and georeferenced, and attributes of vectors and areas were. The
General Direction of Water Resources (DGRE), Tunisian Ministry of
Agriculture provided the information about 73 water wells. Twentyfour seismic reexion proles were provided by the Tunisian Company of Petroleum Activities (ETAP) from petroleum exploration in
1971, 1984, and 1993 (Fig. 1). Geographical location of each well was
introduced with the descriptive data in a spatial layer. Seismic
reectors of bottom and top of the sandy layers were identied and

3. Database
The investigation and groundwater modeling include some stages
that are shown in Fig. 3. rst, the development of a spatial database,
whatever the domain of application, permits to gather all the required
data in one structure making easier the access and offering the
possibility to update it when needed (Bonomi, 2009; Chesnaux et al.,
2011). The characterization and conceptualization of the ZBH Miocene aquifer was done using the SIG tools. In fact, a hydrogeological
spatial database was developed to the aquifer in order to simplify the
use, the interpretation of the available hydrogeological data, and to

Governing equations

Data collection
Generated layers for
groundwater system

Database

Model discretisation
Conceptualmodel

Review of available data

and definition of data needs

Boundary conditions
Construction of
mathematicalmodel
Initial conditions

Model selection (Modflow)

The steady state model

Construction of numericalmodel

hydraulic
conductivity

Groundwater
discharge

Groundwater
recharge

Run
Non accepted
uncertainties

Calculated head

Calibration (comparison of
calculated and observed head
accepted
uncertainties

The transient stata model

recharge +
extraction

Initial
head

specific storage
and porosit

Run

Calculatedhead

Non accepted
uncertainties

Calibration (comparison of
calculated and observed head

Model validation

Use of the numerical model

Fig. 3. Procedure of groundwater modeling studies.

Database
Construction

Data
Collection

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F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

Topography

Digitizing
contours

TIN
map

DEM

Outcrop area
(lithology)

Rainfall

Petroleum
wells

Boreholes

Digitizing
contours

Attribute
data
editing

Attribute
data
editing

Attribute
data
editing

Lithology
map

Rainfall
map

Depth reservoir
characterization

Recharge
map

Reservoir
depth

Seismic
speed

Seismic-reflexion
profiles

Attribute
data
editing

Structure

Attribute
data
editing

Piezometer

Attribute
data
editing

Goundwater
wells simples

Attribute
data
editing

Top and button

aquifer reflectors

Two-way traveltime
Aquifer
Seismic
structure map structural maps (TWT) speed map
of the reservoir layers

Piezometric
head

Hydrochimical
map

Spatial Data
Analysis

Groundwater
geometric map
(depth )

Data classification

Data
Modeling

Data modeling

Generated layers for groundwater

system modeling and monitoring
Fig. 4. Logical model of the applied GIS- database (Lachaal et al., in press-b).

two-way travel time structural maps and elevation maps were drawn
for the different layers using GeoFrame Charisma software (v3.8,
Schlumberger) and ARC VIEW Software (ESRI). The seismic horizons
were calibrated using the time-depth conversion curve of the
petroleum wells and the outcrops in the region. The obtained spatial
data were introduced in the spatial database. The piezometric data
provided by the DGRE consists of monthly water level measurements
in 17 wells between 1995 and 2008. In addition, we used also
piezometric data from previous campaigns done by Hubert (1968)
and Amri (1989).
3.2. Outputs from the hydrogeological database
Several kind of information could be derived from the database
from which we can indicate top and base elevation maps of the
different reservoir layers of the ZBH aquifer, structural and
piezometric head maps, and hydrogeological 3-D model.
All required GIS data for conceptual modeling is converted to the
appropriate formats for numerical modeling using the ARC GIS
3.2 software package (ESRI). The subsurface catchment, the geometric
boundary of the modeled aquifer, the aquifer base and top of the
different aquifer layers, the recharge zone (Miocene outcrop and
hydraulic structures), the observation, and pumping wells positions
are saved as shape les which is compatible with the used modeling
software.
4. Hydrogeological setting and aquifer structure
The groundwater resources in the Zeramdine and Beni Hassen
regions are made of two hydrogeological systems. The shallow

system is composed by the ZBH and Jemmel-Bembla (JB) aquifers,

with depths less than 50 m. They occur within the sandy and
sandy-clay deposits of the Plio-Quaternary (Bouri and Ben Dhia,
2010). The deep system is composed of the ZBH and JB Miocene
aquifers (Lachaal et al., in press-a), which are composed of clay
and sandy-clay series that was deposited in the Serravallian and
Tortonian period (Gaaloul, 1995; Manna-Tayech, 2009).
Both the water table and water ow in the Miocene aquifers
are inuenced by the tectonic structures. The Mahdia graben acts
as a hydraulic screen between two hydraulic systems: the ZBH
and Jebeniana-Ksour Essef (JKE) deep aquifers. Water ow in each
block (north and south) is totally independent of the other
(Lachaal et al., 2011).
The ZBH aquifer is one of the most important aquifer within
the Sahel of Tunisia. It is unconned in the Zeramdine area and
conned close to the Mediterranean Sea (Hubert, 1968; BeniAkhy, 1998).

5. The piezometric evolution and comportment of the

ZeramdineBeni Hassen aquifer
The historical evolution of the piezometric levels has been
realized on the 19682008 period. We reinterpreted and modied
the piezometric maps done by Hubert (1968) and Amri (1989),
using the new results of geological, geophysical and geometric
studies.
The piezometric map done in 1968 (Fig. 5) is the oldest
existing map for the ZBH deep aquifer. It shows a high piezometric value in Zeramdine and Beni Hassen regions that represent
the recharge area, and a low values located at Henchir Sidi

F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

191

Fig. 5. Piezometric head evolution of the ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene deep aquifer: (a) 1968 (modied from Hubert (1968)), (b) 1989 (modied from Amri (1989))
and (d) September 2007.

Bannour. The map shows, also, a sub-vertical water ow from the

Miocene sandy outcrops in two directions. First, to the East,
towards the Sidi Bannour and Chiba regions, second to the South
in the direction of the Boumerde s region. The piezometric map of
1989 shows the same water circulation and a piezometric
decrease relatively to the piezometric head in 1968. These two
maps do not distinguish between ZBH, JB and JKE deep aquifers.
The aquifer boundaries are not sufciently dened. The actual
piezometric head observations are used to estimate the piezometric in the aquifer upstream.
The piezometric head contour map in the ZBH deep aquifer
from September 2007 is illustrated in Fig. 5. Groundwater head
ranges between 0 and 85 m. Water ow follows two directions.

The major one is from West to East, with a hydraulic gradient

varying between 15.5% and 1.5% in the upstream and downstream parts of the aquifer, respectively. The second water ow
direction is from Northwest to Southeast. The hydraulic gradient
is about 0.8%. The groundwater recharge area is situated in the
Zeramdine, Beni Hassen and Ain Ben Jennet regions (Hubert,
1968; Beni-Akhy, 1998).The discharge elds are situated in the
seashore.
The piezometric study of over the 19952008 period done by
Lachaal et al. (2010) revealed three piezometric comportment
types: (1) A seasonal uctuation that is very signicant in the ZBH
upstream, represents the recharge area and it is explained by the
direct effect of rainwater inltration in the recharge area. (2) An

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F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

occasional seasonal uctuation is located in the recharge area and

reects a strong inter-annual variability of recharge. (3) A continuous piezometric depression was identied in all the aquifer
area especially, the high piezometric depression is observed in the
middle and downstream of the aquifer.

6. Conceptual hydrogeological model

The ZBH Miocene conceptual model has been constructed and
is presented in the companion paper (see Lachaal et al., in pressb) (Fig. 8). The aquifer is a multilayer system represented by four
layers, formed by sand beds with local clay intercalations.
The Zeramdine petroleum well (ZM-1) presents the section
of the four aquifer layers. From bottom to top, the four sand
reservoir layers are:
The rst reservoir layer (730820 m) is formed by sand with
clayey intercalations.
The second (235340 m) consists of four sandy levels, with
clayey intercalations.
The third (115130 m) is a sandy layer.
The fourth reservoir layer forms the ZBH upper aquifer which
outcrops in the Zeramdine, Beni Hassen and Ain Ben Jennet
regions, whereas, in the Sidi Bannour area, it is buried to a
depth of 250 m.
The Zeramdine faults corridor, the Moknine and Mahdia grabens
correspond to the aquifer boundaries from the West, North and
South, respectively. To the East, water ows to the Mediterranean Sea,
on which is imposed a constant head (Fig. 6). The aquifer geometry is
complex and is inuenced by the tectonic structures. The aquifer is
shallow in the upstream. The recharge area is situated in the Miocene
outcrops (the Zeramdine, Beni Hassen and Ain Ben Jennet regions)
with an area of 50 km2. In the southern part, the aquifer communicates with the Mahdia-Ksour Essef aquifer. For the central and
downstream regions, the aquifer is captive.
The hydrodynamics of the water is very complex, inuenced by
the aquifer geometry and the tectonic structures. The groundwater
ow converging from Miocene outcrops in two directions. The main
direction is from West to East. The secondary ow is from NW to SE.
The groundwater extraction is intense in the central and downstream
parts and it increases during the last years.

balance and Darcys law equations (Bear, 1972):

 





dh
@
@h
@
@h
@
@h
Ss

Kx

Ky

Kz
qs
dt
@x
@x
@y
@y
@z
@z

where h is the hydraulic head, Ss is the specic storage, qs is a sink

or source, and Kx, Ky, Kz is the hydraulic conductivity in x, y, z
directions, respectively. In the study area, the governing Eq. (1),
together with the appropriate boundary conditions, the initial
conditions, annual-averaged inltration and groundwater extraction quantities, the spatial distribution of the hydrogeological
parameters that control the ow, constitutes the mathematical
model of the groundwater ow.
7.2. Groundwater model selection
The MODFLOW model was chosen for simulating the 3-D
groundwater ow system of the ZBH deep aquifer. This deterministic numerical model based on Darcys law and mass conservation concept was developed by McDonald and Harbaugh (1988)
and Harbaugh et al. (2000). This model is well-documented and
extensively used all over the world, which can be readily
incorporated into future studies for optimal water resources
management, based on the horizontal and vertical discretisation
of the modeling domain which solves the groundwater ow
equation for each cell. The Visual MODFLOW version 3.1
(Waterloo Hydrogeologic Inc, 2003) was adopted to simulate
the three-dimension unsteady groundwater ow in this study.
7.3. Model discretisation
The numerical model domain is assumed to a rectangle shape
(41  14 km) and an area of 574 km2. It is located between the
parallels 3925,000 and 3939,000 north and 653,000 and 692,000 East.
We have adopted the UTM global coordinate system, also used in the
database. The modeling grid consists of 28 rows and 78 columns
(Fig. 7). Each cell has a dimension of 500  500 m aligned to the
WestEast direction that coincides with the main groundwater ow
direction. The grid cells are designated as inactive outside the model
domain and as active inside the model domain. The transient stress
period of the ZBH model is one year, based primarily on the
availability of annual pumping data and annual recharge data, but
the groundwater ow equation was solved by MODFLOW for 12 time
steps in each stress period.
7.4. Used data

7. 3-D groundwater ow numerical model

7.1. Governing equations
Three-dimentional groundwater ow can be mathematically
represented given the following equation based on water mass

7.4.1. Aquifer geometry

The geometry of the ZBH Miocene aquifer system is determined,
using the combination of geophysics (seismic reexion proles, oil
and water wells logging: gamma gamma, spontaneous potential, and
electrical resistivity), geological and hydrogeological data.

Fig. 6. Conceptual 3-D model of the ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene deep aquifer (Lachaal et al., in press-b).

F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

193

Fig. 7. Domain model discretisation and boundary conditions of ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene deep aquifer.

The top and base elevation of the upper aquifer layer is

variable and depends on the tectonic architecture of the region.
It varies from 150 to  300 m shows the presence of high zones in
the regions of Beni Hassen and Zeramdine and other collapsed
along the Mahdia fault. The base elevation of the upper aquifer
layer varies between 50 and  350 m. The thickness of the rst
aquifer layer varies between 50 and 100 m. In Zeramdine, Beni
Hassen and Ain Ben Jannet, the rst reservoir layer outcrop in the
surface and show a thickness of 50 m, is the recharge area.
However, in the region of Sidi Bannour, the aquifer thickness
increases and reaches 100 m.
The top and base elevation of the other tree aquifer layers are
deduced from the conversion of TWT maps of the different
reservoir layers published by Lachaal et al. (2011) using the ARC
VIEW software. The conversion of the TWT in milliseconds into
depth in meters is based on the following equation Eq. (2):
Elevation map

TWT map
 V map
2

where Elevation map is the top and base elevation maps of the
aquifer layers. TWT map is the Two-way travel time maps of the
different reectors of the top and base of the aquifer layers. The V
map represents the overage seismic speed of each reector. It was
deduced from the interpolation of overage seismic speed calculated in the petroleum wells by ETAP.
7.4.2. Hydrogeological parameters
Estimation of the hydraulic conductivity and specic storage of
the ZBH Miocene aquifer system have been obtained from the
analysis of two series of pumping tests data done in the study
area. The rst consists of nine points carried out by Hubert (1968)
and the second including 16 tests that were carried out by the
DGRE. The results and the interpretations of the available 25
pumping tests are shown in Table 1. The calculated hydraulic
parameters range between 4  10  6 and 2  10  3 m s  1. The
strange variability that characterizes the hydraulic parameters is
explained by the uvio-deltaic nature of the Miocene sediments
and their rapid facies variations.
7.4.3. Groundwater extraction
The groundwater extraction is studied during the 19732007
period. It increased from 0.97 M m3 yr  1 in 1985 to 4 M m3 yr  1
in 2002. The well number has increased from 4 in 1973 to 26 in
2007. The groundwater extraction evolution can be divided into
three periods (Fig. 8):

Table 1
Hydrodynamic characteristics of ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene deep aquifer
(deduced from drilling well reports, DGRE).
Well
N1

Well
name

Crepine
length
(m)

Transmissivity
(10  3 m2 s  1)

Hydraulic
conductivity
(10  4 m s  1)

Specic
storage
(l s  1)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

19826/4
17821/4
18999/4
19224/4
19284/4
19204/4
18308/4
18089/4
18321/4
20279/4
19831/4
19477/4
17707/4
18637/4
19527/4
19379/4
18090/4
Ezdine
Abd Jelil
9913/4
10626/4
10626bis/
4
10654/4
8210bis/4
7381/4
8204bis/4

29
48
55.8
29.5
40
62
50.2
36
45
75
83
24
30
35.6
57.2
30
23.7
33.5

1.90
7.40
14.60
6.30
4.00
31.10
5.00
10.70
10.80
2.40
11.90
50.00
10.66
13.60
8.73
2.60
1.18
0.24

0.66
1.54
2.62
2.14
1.00
5.02
1.00
2.97
2.40
0.32
1.43
20.83
3.55
3.82
1.53
0.87
0.50
0.07

0.52
0.17
0.36
0.85
1.80
0.27
0.20
0.28
0.22
0.16
0.18
0.63
0.50
0.28
0.35
0.34
0.09

22.2
29.6
32.6

0.15
0.13
0.12

0.04
0.09
0.04

0.45
0.27
0.23

6.4
7.4
17.1

0.68
0.90
3.00
0.50

0.20
0.10
0.80
0.50

0.10
1.10
3.90
1.15

19
20
21
22
23
24
25

1st period: until 1989, when aquifer extraction has not

exceeded 2 M m3 yr  1. Along the 19731989 period the water
extraction average was 1.48 M m3 year  1. The pumping wells
were limited to 10 with an average of 0.175 M m3 yr  1
per well.
2nd period (19901998): In 1990, the groundwater extraction
has exceeded for the rst time 2 M m3 yr  1. During this
period, the extraction average is about 1.84 M m3 yr  1. The
pumping wells increased from 10 to 17 with an average of
0.14 M m3 yr  1 per well.
3rd period: dates from 1999 to the present. This period is
characterized by annual average harvest to 3.13 M m3 yr  1.
Since 2002, aquifer extraction increased to over 3.5 M m3 yr  1

194

F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

Fig. 8. Extraction evolution of the ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene deep aquifer (19732008).

and pumping wells has increased from 17 in 1999 to 26

in 2007.

measure for the reliability of the operational model. The calibration of the current groundwater model involved two sequential
steps.

7.5. Boundary conditions

It is necessary to dene the different boundary conditions
before building the numerical model. In the case of the ZBH
aquifer, boundary conditions will describe the exchange of ow
between the model and the external system. They are related to
the groundwater structuration. The seismic reexion and the
wireline logging are used to identify the aquifer boundary
conditions.
Fixed-head boundary conditions are applied to the eastern
boundary, it is imposed by the Mediterranean Sea water resistance; it can be represented in the model by river boundary
conditions.
In the southwest side (Boumerde s region) an imposed ow
condition through a resistor General Head Boundary. It represents a water gradient in a southerly direction to the JebenianaKsour Essef aquifer. The ow rate is determined by calculating the
gradient of the water near its southwest limit from the
piezometric map.
To the North, South, and West side, the Moknine, Mahdia and
Zeramdine faults are considered as impermeable boundaries.
They imposed no-ow conditions dh=dt 0 to the modeled
aquifer.
The essential of groundwater recharge is made in Miocene
outcrops in Zeramdine, Beni Hassen and Ain Ben Jennet areas
from the runoff inltration. This area is deduced from the
geological maps of the region. It covers 50 km2.
In addition to the Miocene outcrops 47 hydraulic structures
(12 small lakes and 35 gabion structures for water and land
conservation work), that were built during the 19902001 period
along the watercourse or in topographic depressions favorite the
water runoff inltration.

8. Results and discussion

8.1. Model calibration
The calibration aims is obtaining an optimal t between
the calculated and measured data, which is also an important

8.1.1. The steady state model and initial conditions

At rst, the steady state model representing the state of the
aquifer system before water resources development was calibrated using the measured water level data from nine observation
wells measured by Hubert (1968). The aim of this step is to
understand the trend of groundwater level in the whole domain.
Meanwhile, the initial distribution of hydraulic conductivity
values was estimated from pumping test conducted in the study
area (Table 1). The annual averaged rainfall distributions are
applied at the top surface. The inltration rate represents the
groundwater recharge. Hubert (1968) and Beni-Akhy (1998)
estimated the inltration by 10% of the precipitation. In this
study the inltration is assumed by simple hydrological model
that is represented in Eq. (3):
I P150  C inf

3
1

where I is the inltration in mm yr , P is the precipitation in

mm yr  1 and Cinf is the inltration coefcient that is xed
arbitrary and is egested to 9.3% from calibration of the state
model.
For the hydraulic structures and due to the absence of specic
studies, is very difcult to estimate the water inltrated volume
from these structures, that depends on several factors, namely,
the volume and surface area of the hydraulic structure, the
frequency and distribution of rainfall event, and soil lithology.
For cells that contain small lakes, we attributed a 30% as an
inltration coefcient, whereas we estimated a 20% of rainfall as
inltration for the cells containing gabion structures.
To obtain the best match between the calculated and the
observed groundwater levels from the observation wells. It is
necessary to adjust the hydraulic conductivities and inltration
coefcient. Fig. 9 shows a scatter diagram of the observed and
calculated water level in monitoring wells, with correlation
coefcient of 0.95. Therefore, it can be concluded from the
comparisons presented here that the current numerical model
provides a fair simulation of the groundwater ow. Following
calibration, hydraulic conductivity ranged between 1.05  10  6
and 1  10  4 m s  1 (Fig. 10).

F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

8.1.2. Transient state simulations

The modeling period is 27 years from 1980 to 2007 according
to the evaluable data. Before this period the aquifer is slightly
pumped. That is why we supposed that the water level is stable
before this period. The simulating period is divided in to two
periods: 19802004 period is used to transient model calibration
and the 20052007 period is used to model verication.
The transient model calibration was accomplished by simulating groundwater level changes in response to the variations of the
natural and articial recharge quantities due to the rainfall
uctuations and the pumping water quantity. The transient
model based on the preliminary hydrogeological properties
obtained from the steady-state calibration. The porosity for the
unconned party and specic storage for the conned party of the
aquifer were arbitrary chosen.
For the transient simulations, the geometric and the hydraulic
conductivities of the aquifer is the same that as used for the

195

steady state simulations. The resulting ow eld of the steady

state model is used as the initial condition for the subsequent
transient simulations of the ow system in response to the
dynamic recharge. Analogous to the steady state simulation, the
groundwater recharge is assumed by the same hydraulic model
using the same Cinf.
The transient model calibration is accomplished by simulating
hydraulic head changes in response to changes in recharge and
porosity for the unconned party and specic storage for the conned
party, with regard to the time series data of water level. The
comparison of calculated and measured water level in observation
wells are shown in Fig. 11 indicating an acceptable calibration.
Porosity calibrated by the model varies between 5% and 30%, and
specic storage deduced by the model range between 5  10  6 and
5  10  4 m  1. The less important hydrodynamic proprieties were
attributed to the less permeable lithofacies, and the most important
one were attributed to the sand facies.

8.2. Model validation and sensitivity

The aim of model validation is to show that the model
correctly simulates groundwater ow processes which are

Fig. 9. Comparison of observed and calculated head in the steady state.

Fig. 11. Examples of observed and calculated head by the model hydrographs at
ve specic observation wells.

Fig. 10. Calibrated hydraulic conductivity values from the groundwater ow model.

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F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

currently occurring and the evolution of the system with time.

The model is tested during the period of three years: 2005, 2006
and 2007. The piezometric maps for the tested period (2005, 2006
and 2007) produced by the model coincide, in a large part of the
domain with the observed maps. However, in the western central
part have a little error, perhaps due to errors of observation and
the geological heterogeneities.
In order to test the stability of the obtained numeric solution
by the model, the models sensitivity to changes of hydraulic
conductivity and recharge that represent the most signicant
parameters in the process of calibration was checked.
The inltration was decreased and increased by 10% in test
simulations of state model. In the rst case, the groundwater
recharge decreased by 9%, the difference between calculated and
observed piezometric head is about 7 m in some location. In the
second case, the groundwater recharge increased by 11%, the
difference between calculated and observed piezometric head
reach -6 m.
In the steady state model calibration, it was very difcult
to estimate the permeability. In fact, the model is extremely

sensitive to permeability changes. For example, an increase of 5%

in the permeability of the central zone causes a disruption of the
piezometric head throughout the aquifer area that exceeds a few
meters.
8.3. Water balance in steady state
The rst model result is to assess groundwater resources in the
aquifer. The steady state calibration denite the groundwater
ow balance. The groundwater overage recharges inltration rate
amounts to 1.48 M m3 yr  1. This volume is divided into two
parts: the rst portion with 0.26 M m3 yr  1 empties on the side
of Boumerde s to the JKE aquifer system and represent the
communication water quantity between the two aquifer systems.
The second portion of 1.22 M m3 yr  1 empties to the Mediterranean
Sea as its primary outlet.
8.4. Evolution of the groundwater reserves and piezometric
depression
The water balance of the ZBH deep aquifer is variable. It
depends on the groundwater recharge and extraction; these two
parameters have a high irregularity related to the rainfall and
water use irregularities in the region (Fig. 12). Since 1986 the
aquifer is overexploited with a growing decit. In 2007 the
groundwater decit is about 0.69 M m3 yr  1 which represents
the fth of extraction quantities during the same year (Fig. 13).
The model was used also to characterize and reconstruct the
evolution of the piezometric depression through the use of the
transient hydrogeological model. The piezometric depression map
during the 19802007 period, shows a decrease of the piezometric level varying between 0 and 25 m and it is observed in the
whole area of the ZBH aquifer (Fig. 14). The intensive depression
is localized in two regions: The rst is located in the downstream
(Sidi Bannour) where it reaches 15 m. The second zone is located
to the central party with values exceeding 20 m.
8.5. Compatibility degree of data available from the aquifer

Fig. 12. Recharge and extraction evolution of ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene

deep aquifer (19802007).

For modeling, we have compiled the results of different studies

(climatic, geological, geophysics, hydrodynamics and hydrochemistry)

Fig. 13. Water balance evolution of ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene deep aquifer (19802007).

F. Lachaal et al. / Computers & Geosciences 48 (2012) 187198

197

Legend
Drawdown level (m)

Fig. 14. Drawdown map of ZeramdineBeni Hassen Miocene deep aquifer during the 19802007 period.

of the ZBH deep aquifer. The hydrodynamic parameters found t

by the model (porosity, hydraulic conductivity and specic
storage) are widely variable. This spatial variability is related to
the appearance of heterogeneity of uvio-deltaic sediment.
The model thus constructed shows a degree of reliability of
data used. The seismic reection and well logging was used to
determine lateral and vertical aquifer limits, and boundary conditions, while the piezometric study allowed us to propose the
path of groundwater ow.

9. Conclusion
An integrated methodology of groundwater ow model was
developed to validate the groundwater data deduced from the
geological, geophysical, hydrodynamic studies and to complete
the groundwater dynamics characterization of the ZBH Miocene
aquifer. In fact, to investigate hydrological processes in ZBH
Miocene aquifer, a large amount of available geological and
hydrological data was integrated to construct a 3-D groundwater
ow model, using the coupling of MODFLOW with ARC VIEW
Geographic Information System. The combination and the compilation of all available data spatially the geophysical data
(seismic-reection and wireline logging of drilling wells), Hydrodynamic characterization (piezometric comportment and evolution and groundwater ow) were necessary in order to
characterize the studied aquifer. The model was calibrated and
validated with datasets of 19802007 period. Results of the
groundwater dynamics simulation of the study aquifer show that
calculated water levels are close to the observed values. The
model leads us the groundwater characterization. The hydraulic
conductivity and the aquifer water balance are deduced from the
steady state. The porosity, specic storage, and groundwater
reserve evolution are deduced from the transient simulations.
The used methodology allowed us to complete and nalize the
groundwater hydrogeological comprehension.
Most of steps and hypothesis for model construction in this
work may also be used and transferred for other regions with
comparable geological and hydrological conditions, as a management tool to understand the groundwater hydrogeology process
and to understand the behavior of aquifer systems under different
hydrological stresses, whether induced naturally or by human
activities.

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