Groundwater resources in the North China Plain

Shallow groundwater is a major object of exploitation in the North China Plain. About 20 billion m³/yr of fresh groundwater and about 20 billion m³/yr of surface water are available. Present water demand is about equal to or exceeds the utilizable water resources in the North China Plain. Strict economy of water use is needed along with strengthened water control, a restructured development plan, and artificial recharge.     

Groundwater sustainability and groundwater/surface-water interaction in arid Dunhuang Basin,northwest China

The Dunhuang Basin, a typical inland basin in northwestern China, suffers a net loss of groundwater and the occasional disappearance of the Crescent Lake. Within this region, the groundwater/surface-water interactions are important for the sustainability of the groundwater resources. A three-dimensional transient groundwater flow model was established and calibrated using MODFLOW 2000, which was used to predict changes to these interactions once a water diversion project is completed. The simulated results indicate that introducing water from outside of the basin into the Shule and Danghe rivers could reverse the negative groundwater balance in the Basin. River-water/groundwater interactions control the groundwater hydrology, where river leakage to the groundwater in the Basin will increase from 3,114?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2017 to 11,875?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2021, and to 17,039?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2036. In comparison, groundwater discharge to the rivers will decrease from 3277?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2017 to 1857?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2021, and to 510?×?10⁴ m³/year by 2036; thus, the hydrology will switch from groundwater discharge to groundwater recharge after implementing the water diversion project. The simulation indicates that the increased net river infiltration due to the water diversion project will raise the water table and then effectively increasing the water level of the Crescent Lake, as the lake level is contiguous with the water table. However, the regional phreatic evaporation will be enhanced, which may intensify soil salinization in the Dunhuang Basin. These results can guide the water allocation scheme for the water diversion project to alleviate groundwater depletion and mitigate geo-environmental problem.     

变异条件下内蒙古呼包平原地下水演化趋势

重点探讨气候变异对内蒙古呼包平原地下水资源、地下水流场和动态的影响。在介绍呼包平原水文地质条件的基础上,运用地下水模型软件PMWIN 5.1建立了研究区双层地下水流模型,并根据1998年地下水动态观测和统测资料对模型进行识别。通过对近51 a降水量的分析,确定将连续出现的2个特枯年作为地下水的变异条件,运用地下水模型对变异条件下地下水状态进行模拟,结果表明：2年间对地下水的严重超采,使地下水亏空量达75 296.34 万m³,潜水和承压含水层的地下水位大幅度下降,潜水位最大下降4 m左右,承压水位最大下降17 m左右;漏斗中心主要集中在开采量大的呼和浩特和包头市区。     

Emergency Plan for Water Supply in Consecutive Droughts and Sustainable Water Resources Management in Beijing

Beijing, the capital city of China, has suffered from acute water shortage, with only 300 m3/a of water resources available per capita. In addition, Beijing has experienced a prolonged period of consecutive droughts from 1999 to 2010. Water crisis has constrained the socio-economic development of Beijing. Meanwhile, the national "South-to-North Water Transfer"(STNWT) project, which is expected to provide some relief to the water crisis in Beijing, is still under development. In order to ensure the security of water supply in Beijing before the completion of the STNWT project, several measures have been implemented to cope with droughts, including pumping groundwater from emergency well fields,water saving, recycling of water, rain and flood water harvesting, and the diversion of water from neighboring rivers and groundwater basins. Groundwater from four emergency well fields contributes the most to the public and domestic water supplies in Beijing, supplying a total volume of 1.8×10~9 m~3.The water crisis is supposed to be mitigated by the completion of the STNWT project. After the completion of this project, more sustainable management of water resources will be implemented,including the use of aquifers as groundwater reservoirs and conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater resources.     

Application of MODFLOW and geographic information system to groundwater flow simulation in North China Plain, China

MODFLOW is a groundwater modeling program. It can be compiled and remedied according to the practical applications. Because of its structure and fixed data format, MODFLOW can be integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology for water resource management. The North China Plain (NCP), which is the politic, economic and cultural center of China, is facing with water resources shortage and water pollution. Groundwater is the main water resource for industrial, agricultural and domestic usage. It is necessary to evaluate the groundwater resources of the NCP as an entire aquifer system. With the development of computer and internet information technology it is also necessary to integrate the groundwater model with the GIS technology. Because the geological and hydrogeological data in the NCP was mainly in MAPGIS format, the powerful function of GIS of disposing of and analyzing spatial data and computer languages such as Visual C and Visual Basic were used to define the relationship between the original data and model data. After analyzing the geological and hydrogeological conditions of the NCP, the groundwater flow numerical simulation modeling was constructed with MODFLOW. On the basis of GIS, a dynamic evaluation system for groundwater resources under the internet circumstance was completed. During the process of constructing the groundwater model, a water budget was analyzed, which showed a negative budget in the NCP. The simulation period was from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2003. During this period, the total recharge of the groundwater system was 49,374 × 10⁶ m³ and the total discharge was 56,530 × 10⁶ m³ the budget deficit was −7,156 × 10⁶ m³. In this integrated system, the original data including graphs and attribution data could be stored in the database. When the process of evaluating and predicting groundwater flow was started, these data were transformed into files that the core program of MODFLOW could read. The calculated water level and drawdown could be displayed and reviewed online.     

Eco-environmental problems and effective utilization of water resources in the Kashi Plain, western Terim Basin, China

Since ancient times, water resources, mainly from melting snow in the high mountains, have nourished a large area of an oasis in the Kashi Plain in the western Terim Basin, China. In the last half-century, however, the rapid growth of population and the overexploitation of water, soil, and biological resources have led to drought, salinization, and desertification in the area, and consequently have hindered the development of sustainable agriculture. In this study, groundwater reservoirs with sustainable water supplies equivalent to 44.65×10⁸ m³/year were identified, which has made it possible to implement several projects in the area to improve the ecological and agricultural environment. Three strategies are proposed for the integrated development and management of both surface-water and groundwater resources in the area. Electronic Publication     

雄安新区地下水资源概况、特征及可开采潜力

地下水资源在中国社会经济发展中发挥重要作用,特别是在地表水资源相对匮乏的北方地区。掌握一个地区地下水资源状况、动态变化特征及可开采潜力,对该地区的供水安全保障至关重要。本文选择雄安新区,在近年来开展的区域水文地质调查、监测及综合研究等成果基础上,结合前人研究,对雄安新区区域水文地质条件、地下水动态变化特征等进行分析总结;以恢复地下水降落漏斗为地下水可持续开采利用方案的目标,从白洋淀流域平原区尺度,设置现状开采条件、河流补水、工农业节水及地下水禁(限)采等不同情景方案,采用地下水数值模拟技术,综合分析不同情景30年后的预测结果,提出白洋淀流域平原区地下水可持续开采利用方案;在流域地下水可持续开采利用方案基础上,分析雄安新区地下水可开采的最大资源量,进而评价雄安新区地下水可开采潜力。结果显示,雄安新区区域水文地质条件相对简单,浅层富水性中等,深层富水性较强;地下水位为多年下降状态,近年来,浅、深层地下水整体呈企稳或回升状态,局部地区仍有所下降;地下水质量总体良好,且较为稳定。根据评价结果,雄安新区地下水可开采潜力约为1.80×10~8m~3/a,其中,浅层地下水可开采潜力约为1.50×10~8m~3/a,深层地下水可开采潜力约为0.30×10~8m~3/a。     

Holistic assessment of groundwater resources and regional environmental problems in the North China Plain

Water balance components of the North China Plain (NCP) were analyzed, indicating the decrease both in precipitation and evaporation. The decreased precipitation and expansion of water use for agriculture, industrial and domestic purposes have caused a water crisis, which was managed until now by diverting water from the Yellow River and over exploitation of groundwater. The groundwater resource was assessed by estimating its recharge in both upper unconfined and lower confined layers, yielding a total value of 1.65 × 10¹⁰ m³/a. Total groundwater use was estimated and judged by the actual water table drawdown. Salt accumulation, water table decrease, fluoride and nitrate pollution were all found to be major regional environmental problems. Furthermore, heavy metals were found in high content in the soil and surface water in suburbs of large cities, posing a potential risk of pollution in the groundwater. It has been verified by isotropic data that dry conditions have occurred since 10 ka and are therefore part of the natural process. Possible solutions for water crises in the NCP are proposed.     

Assessment of water level threshold for groundwater restoration and over-exploitation remediation the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Plain

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Plain (BTHP) is the political, economic and cultural center of China, where groundwater is the main source of water supply to support social and economic development. Continuous overdraft of the resources has caused a persistent decline of groundwater level and formed a huge cone of depression at a regional scale. This paper addresses current groundwater situation over the BTHP area. The paper also delineates the groundwater flow field, using groundwater level data, in order to provide an effective method for the restoration of groundwater level and associated water resources management. Based on the analysis of multiple factors, such as groundwater level, soil salinization, ground subsidence, groundwater recharge and storage, urban underground space security, formation of fractures, and seawater intrusion, the threshold for groundwater level restoration is defined, and some measures for groundwater over-exploitation management are accordingly proposed. The study shows that: (i) Since the 1980s to 2020, shallow groundwater level in the western part of the BTHP area has dropped by 25 m to 60 m, while the cumulative decline of deep groundwater in the central and eastern regions is in the range of 40–80 m; (ii) The water table of the shallow groundwater within the depression zone over the Western Piedmont Plain should be controlled in the range of 15–30 m below ground level (mbgl), while the depth of groundwater level in large and medium-sized urban areas should be controlled within 20–30 mbgl. The groundwater level in the resource preservation area should be controlled within 10–15 mbgl, and the groundwater level in the area with identified soil salinization in the central and eastern plain should be controlled within 3–10 mbgl. However, for the deep groundwater in the central and eastern plainwater, the main focus of the resources management is to control the land subsidence. The water level in the severe land subsidence area should be controlled within 45–60 mbgl, and in the general subsidence area should be controlled within 30–45 mbgl; (iii) Based on the water level recovery threshold and proposed groundwater overdraft management program, if the balance of abstraction and recharge is reached in 2025, the shallow groundwater abstraction needs to be gradually reduced by about 2×10⁸ m³. Meanwhile, the ecological water replenishment of rivers through the South-to-North Water Transfer Project should be increased to 28.58×10⁸ m³/a, and the deep groundwater abstraction needs to be gradually reduced by 2.24×10⁸ m³. To reach the target of shallow groundwater level in 2040, surface water replacement is recommended with a rate of 25.77×10⁸ m³/a and the ecological water replenishment of rivers in the South-to-North Water Diversion Project should reach 33.51×10⁸ m³/a. For deep groundwater recovery, it is recommended to replace the deep freshwater extraction with the utilization of shallow salt water by 2.82×10⁸ m³ , in addition to the amount of 7.86×10⁸ m³ by water diversion. The results are of great significance to the remediation of groundwater over-exploitation, the regulation of water resources development and utilization, and ecological protection in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei plain.     

Groundwater flow and geochemistry in the lower reaches of the Yellow River: a case study in Shandang Province, China

Water samples were collected from the Yellow River and from wells for chemical and isotopic measurement in the counties of Yucheng and Qihe, to which 6–9×10⁸ m³ of water is diverted annually from the Yellow River. A zone of high electrical conductivity (EC) in groundwater corresponds well on the regional scale with a ridge in groundwater level, which is the main flow path through the region, but has a low gradient. The zone of highest EC along this ridge occurs at a position with the lowest ground altitude in the study area. The unique characteristic of the groundwater is the linear relationship among the principal anions as the result of mixing. The mixing effect is confirmed by its isotopic signature, which was then used to calculate the contributions from three sources: rainfall, old water, and diverted water with an average mixing rate of 18, 17, and 65%, respectively. As an indicator of water movement, Cl^– content varies across a wide range in the profile from 30–10 m with a maximum concentration at about 1.2 m depth. Concentrations are relatively stable at about 2 m, which is the average boundary of the saturated and unsaturated zone. The water from the Yellow River has proved to be dominant in mixing in the aquifer in terms of groundwater flow and geochemistry. Electronic Publication     

黄河流域地下水资源状况及其生态环境问题

黄河流域是中国重要的生态屏障和经济地带,上中下游面临着不同生态环境问题,水在生态环境问题的形成演化过程中起着重要作用。本文从黄河流域地下水动态特征、地下水资源的数量、质量及开发利用等方面,分析了黄河流域地下水资源及饮水安全状况。黄河流域年度地下水资源量393.55亿m~3,银川平原、河套平原等7处主要平原(盆地)地下水资源量为81.91亿m~3,占比超过20%;黄河流域地下水质量以Ⅰ～Ⅳ类为主,劣质地下水主要受总硬度、硫酸盐、铁、溶解性总固体等天然原生组分影响,砷、氟、硒、碘等原生组分超标是流域部分地区地下水饮水安全的主要威胁;2020年与2019年同期相比,黄河流域地下水位呈上游稳定、中游局部上升、下游下降的态势,主要地下水降落漏斗形态基本稳定。针对黄河源区、宁蒙河套平原等重点区段,分析了存在的主要生态环境问题,提出了全面开展流域水文地质与水资源调查评价,深入开展黄河流域及重点地区水平衡分析等工作建议。     

Estimation of Groundwater and Nutrient Fluxes to the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina

A study was conducted between April 2004 and September 2005 to estimate groundwater and nutrient discharge to the Neuse River estuary in North Carolina. The largest groundwater fluxes were observed to occur generally within 20 m of the shoreline. Groundwater flux estimates based on seepage meter measurements ranged from 2.86?×?10⁸ to 4.33?×?10⁸ m³ annually and are comparable to estimates made using radon, a simple water-budget method, and estimates derived by using Darcy’s Law and previously published general aquifer characteristics of the area. The lower groundwater flux estimate (equal to about 9 m³ s^?1), which assumed the narrowest groundwater discharge zone (20 m) of three zone widths selected for an area west of New Bern, North Carolina, most closely agrees with groundwater flux estimates made using radon (3–9 m³ s^?1) and Darcy’s Law (about 9 m³ s^?1). A groundwater flux of 9 m³ s^?1 is about 40% of the surface-water flow to the Neuse River estuary between Streets Ferry and the mouth of the estuary and about 7% of the surface-water inflow from areas upstream. Estimates of annual nitrogen (333 tonnes) and phosphorus (66 tonnes) fluxes from groundwater to the estuary, based on this analysis, are less than 6% of the nitrogen and phosphorus inputs derived from all sources (excluding oceanic inputs), and approximately 8% of the nitrogen and 17% of the phosphorus annual inputs from surface-water inflow to the Neuse River estuary assuming a mean annual precipitation of 1.27 m. We provide quantitative evidence, derived from three methods, that the contribution of water and nutrients from groundwater discharge to the Neuse River estuary is relatively minor, particularly compared with upstream sources of water and nutrients and with bottom sediment sources of nutrients. Locally high groundwater discharges do occur, however, and could help explain the occurrence of localized phytoplankton blooms, submerged aquatic vegetation, or fish kills.     

Groundwater simulation using a numerical model under different water resources management scenarios in an arid region of China

Groundwater plays an important role in the economic development and ecological balance of the arid area of northwest China. Unfortunately, human activity, for example groundwater extraction for irrigation, have resulted in excessive falls in groundwater level, and aquifer overdraft in the oasis, disrupting the natural equilibrium of these systems. A groundwater numerical model for Minqin oasis, an arid area of northwest China, was developed using FEFLOW software to simulate regional groundwater changes under transient conditions. The vertical recharge and discharge (source/sink terms) of the groundwater models were determined from land-use data and irrigation systems for the different crops in the different sub-areas. The calibrated model was used to predict the change for the period from 2000 to 2020 under various water resources management scenarios. Simulated results showed that under current water resources management conditions groundwater levels at Minqin oasis are in a continuous drawdown trend and groundwater depth will be more than 30 m by 2020. Reducing the irrigation area is more effective than water-saving irrigation to reduce groundwater decline at Minqin oasis and the annual groundwater budget would be −0.978 × 10⁸ m³. In addition, water-diversion projects can also reduce the drawdown trend of groundwater at Minqin oasis, and the groundwater budget in the Huqu sub-area would be in zero equilibrium if the annual inflow into the oasis was enhanced to 2.51 × 10⁸ m³. Furthermore, integrative water resources management including water-diversion projects, water-saving irrigation, and reducing the irrigation area are the most effective measures for solving groundwater problems at Minqin oasis.     

Groundwater balance in the Khor Arbaat basin, Red Sea State, eastern Sudan

The Khor Arbaat basin is the main source of potable water supply for the more than 750,000 inhabitants of Port Sudan, eastern Sudan. The variation in hydraulic conductivity and storage capacity is due to the heterogeneity of the sediments, which range from clay and silt to gravely sand and boulders. The water table rises during the summer and winter rainy seasons; it reaches its lowest level in the dry season. The storage capacity of the Khor Arbaat aquifer is estimated to be 21.75?×?10⁶ m³. The annual recharge through the infiltration of flood water is about 1.93?×?10⁶ m³. The groundwater recharge, calculated as underground inflow at the ‘upper gate’, is 1.33?×?10⁵ m³/year. The total annual groundwater recharge is 2.06?×?10⁶ m³. The annual discharge through underground outflow at the ‘lower gate’ (through which groundwater flows onto the coastal plain) is 3.29?×?10⁵ m³/year. Groundwater discharge due to pumping from Khor Arbaat basin is 4.38?×?10⁶ m³/year on average. The total annual groundwater discharge is about 4.7?×?10⁶ m³. A deficit of 2.6?×?10⁶ m³/year is calculated. Although the total annual discharge is twice the estimated annual recharge, additional groundwater flow from the fractured basement probably balances the annual groundwater budget since no decline is observed in the piezometric levels.     

松花江—辽河流域地下水资源及其生态环境问题

松花江—辽河流域(简称松辽流域)是中国重要的商品粮基地,地下水资源对维护中国粮食安全具有重要作用。2019年松辽流域地下水资源量为797.31×10~8m~3/a,地下水开发利用量为276.4×10~8m~3。松辽流域地下水面临着水资源局部短缺,局部水位持续下降,"三氮"污染加剧,以及湿地萎缩、土地荒漠化、盐渍化等资源、环境与生态问题。本文对这些问题进行驱动因素分析,主要是气温升高导致水稻适宜区扩大,土地利用方式改变,耕地面积特别是水田面积大幅增加,造成地下水过量开采、地下水面源污染加剧;水库的大量修建加剧干旱缺水地区河道径流减少,地下水补给来源不足,造成地下水供水能力下降,地下水位下降。针对这些问题,提出了加强水资源调查监测,开展水资源合理配置研究,实行地表水和地下水联合调度;加强水资源管理制度建设,强化制度刚性约束;调整农业种植结构,推进节水灌溉,提高水资源利用效率等建议措施。     

Modeling of groundwater flow for Mujib aquifer, Jordan

Jordan is an arid country with very limited water resources. Groundwater is the main source for its water supply. Mujib aquifer is located in the central part of Jordan and is a major source of drinking water for Amman, Madaba and Karak cities. High abstraction rates from Mujib aquifer during the previous years lead to a major decline in water levels and deterioration in groundwater quality. Therefore, proper groundwater management of Mujib aquifer is necessary; and groundwater flow modeling is essential for proper management. For this purpose, Modflow was used to build a groundwater flow model to simulate the behavior of the flow system under different stresses. The model was calibrated for steady state condition by matching observed and simulated initial head counter lines. Drawdown data for the period 1985–1995 were used to calibrate the transient model by matching simulated drawdown with the observed one. Then, the transient model was validated by using drawdown data for the period 1996–2002. The results of the calibrated model showed that the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the B2/A7 aquifer ranges between 0.001 and 40m/d. Calibrated specific yield ranges from 0.0001 to 0.15. The water balance for the steady state condition of Mujib aquifer indicated that the total annual direct recharge is 20.4 × 10⁶m³, the total annual inflow is 13.0 × 10⁶ m³, springs discharge is 15.3 × 10⁶ m³, and total annual outflow is 18.7 × 10⁶ m³. Different scenarios were considered to predict aquifer system response under different conditions. The results of the sensitivity analysis show that the model is highly sensitive to horizontal hydraulic conductivity and anisotropy and with lower level to the recharge rates. Also the model is sensitive to specific yield     

近40年来华北平原地下水位演变研究及其超采治理建议

华北平原是中国三大平原之一,同时也是粮食主产区之一,京津冀协同发展区,雄安新区皆位于区内,地理位置极其重要。地下水是华北平原主要的供水水源,占总供水量70%左右,自20世纪70年代末以来地下水开采强度不断增大,长期处于严重超采状态,形成规模巨大地下水位降落漏斗,进而引发地面沉降、地裂缝、湿地退化、海水入侵等一系列环境地质问题,制约社会经济可持续发展。研究地下水位演变可以为地下水超采治理及降落漏斗修复提供支撑,本文基于华北平原2019—2020年高密度地下水位统测数据及历史水位资料,研究了2020年现状地下水位流场及漏斗分布状况,系统分析了近40年来地下水位变化特征。研究发现:华北平原东西部浅层地下水位呈现差异化发展,20世纪80年代至2014年平原西部浅层地下水位持续快速下降,累计降幅达20～60 m,太行山前冲洪积扇缘一带水位降幅最大,2014年南水北调工程供水后,西部山前主要城市水位止跌回升;中东部地区水位呈现自然波动状态。深层地下水位20世纪80年代至2014年,总体呈下降趋势,中东部地区水位降幅度最大,累计达到40～90 m;2014年后城市区与农业区深层地下水位呈差异化发展,城区水位回升明显,周边农业区仍呈快速下降趋势。此外,在地下水演变分析基础上,以地下水采补平衡及水位恢复为目标,提出了开展超采区防控目标水位阈值研究、制定地下水减采和回补精准治理方案、优化地下水位监测网以及南水北调农业水源置换可行性研究等建议。研究成果对支撑华北平原地下水超采精准治理,地下水位降落漏斗修复和地下水资源合理开发与管理都具有重要意义。     

西北内陆河流域地下水循环特征与地下水资源评价

在系统梳理前人调查研究成果基础上,总结了西北内陆河流域主要的含水层特点,对山区、平原区和沙漠区的地下水循环特点进行了分析,着重对平原区地下水水流系统进行了讨论。由于西北内陆河流域地下水与地表水关系密切,形成了具有密切水力联系的含水层-河流系统,不论是上游开发地表水还是地下水,都会引起整个流域内地下水资源的强烈变化。地下水资源评价表明,西北内陆河流域地下水资源量为783亿m~3/a,其中平原区的地下水资源量为487亿m~3/a,山区与平原区的地下水资源重复量为199亿m~3/a,现状开采量为128亿m~3/a。地下水开发潜力分析表明,除柴达木盆地、塔里木盆地南缘等地区外,其他地区的地下水开采潜力有限,应通过提高水资源的利用效率来提高其承载能力。今后应加大(微)咸水资源化、地下水水库的调查研究,加强地下水的生态功能和生态需水量评价,为地下水资源的合理开发利用提供技术支撑。     

Groundwater resource sustainability in the Wadi Watir delta, Gulf of Aqaba, Sinai, Egypt

The Wadi Watir delta, in the arid Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, contains an alluvial aquifer underlain by impermeable Precambrian basement rock. The scarcity of rainfall during the last decade, combined with high pumping rates, resulted in degradation of water quality in the main supply wells along the mountain front, which has resulted in reduced groundwater pumping. Additionally, seawater intrusion along the coast has increased salinity in some wells. A three-dimensional (3D) groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) was calibrated using groundwater-level changes and pumping rates from 1982 to 2009; the groundwater recharge rate was estimated to be 1.58?×?10⁶ m³/year. A variable-density flow model (SEAWAT) was used to evaluate seawater intrusion for different pumping rates and well-field locations. Water chemistry and stable isotope data were used to calculate seawater mixing with groundwater along the coast. Geochemical modeling (NETPATH) determined the sources and mixing of different groundwaters from the mountainous recharge areas and within the delta aquifers; results showed that the groundwater salinity is controlled by dissolution of minerals and salts in the aquifers along flow paths and mixing of chemically different waters, including upwelling of saline groundwater and seawater intrusion. Future groundwater pumping must be closely monitored to limit these effects.     

Groundwater flow modeling of Quaternary aquifer Ras Sudr,Egypt

Recently, Ras Sudr (the delta of Wadi Sudr) area received a great amount of attention due to different development expansion activities directed towards this area. Although Quaternary aquifer is the most prospective aquifer in Ras Sudr area, it has not yet completely evaluated. The present work deals with the simulation of the Quaternary groundwater system using a three-dimensional groundwater flow model. MODFLOW code was applied for designing the model of the Ras Sudr area. This is to recognize the groundwater potential as well as exploitation plan of the most prospective aquifer in the area. The objectives were to determine the hydraulic parameters of the Quaternary aquifer, to estimate the recharge amount to the aquifer, and to determine the hydrochemistry of groundwater in the aquifer. During this work, available data has been collected and some field investigation has been carried out. Groundwater flow model has been simulated using pilot points’ method. SEAWAT has been also applied to simulate the variable-density flow and sea water intrusion from the west. It can be concluded that: (1) the direction of groundwater flow is from the east to the west, (2) the aquifer system attains a small range of log-transformed hydraulic conductivity. It ranges between 3.05 and 3.35 m/day, (3) groundwater would be exploited by about 6.4 × 10⁶ m³/year, (4) the estimated recharge accounts for 3 × 10⁶ m³/year, (5) an estimated subsurface flow from the east accounts for 2.7 × 10⁶ m³/year, (6) the increase of total dissolved solids (TDS) most likely due to dilution of salts along the movement way of groundwater from recharge area to discharge area in addition to a contribution of sea water intrusion from the west. Moreover, it is worth to note that a part of TDS increase might be through up coning from underlying more saline Miocene sediments. It is recommended that: (1) any plan for increasing groundwater abstraction is unaffordable, (2) reliable estimates of groundwater abstraction should be done and (3) automatic well control system should be made.