ParFlow CONUS1.0
ParFlow CONUS1.0 Model
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Steady state groundwater depth simulated by the ParFlow CONUS1.0 model (Figure from Maxwell et al (2015))
The ParFlow CONUS1.0 model is the first version of the national ParFlow-CLM model. It was developed to model groundwater, surface water and land energy fluxes across the contiguous US, and at the time it was the first national model of the US to incorporate lateral groundwater flow.The model covers 6.2 million square kilometers encompassing the majority of the contiguous United States.
The model extends from the bedrock to the treetops and is unique from other large scale modeling approaches because ParFlow simulates 3D variably saturated flow in the subsurface. You can learn more about the ParFlow model here.
The CONUS1 model has been used in a number of studies to quantify groundwater-surface water interactions and watershed behaviors across the country. Initial work with the model focused on a steady state groundwater configuration. This is essentially our best estimate of modern undeveloped groundwater levels based on long term average recharge rates (Refer to the steady state publication list for more information).
Building from this work, we completed a series of transient simulations that use hourly meteorological forcing data to drive dynamic hydrologic conditions. We completed a series of transient simulations using water year 1985 as a baseline and considering the impact of both groundwater pumping and climate warming. In addition we completed a modern simulation of water years 2002-2005 (Refer to the transient publication list for more information).
How to get access to the model
The complete model configuration including all input files and run scripts as well as many of the national outputs for the baseline simulations are archived on the HydroData catalog.
To access all datasets using the gridded data tools explore the HydroData Catalog.
Use the Subset Tools Package to create your own ParFlow model using the national model as a starting point.
Notebooks
Steady State Simulation Publications
- Condon, LE, AS Hering and RM Maxwell (2015). Quantitative assessment of groundwater controls across major US river basins using a multi-model regression algorithm. Advances in Water Resources. 82, 106-123.
- Condon, LE and RM Maxwell (2015). Evaluating the relationship between topography and groundwater using outputs from a continental-scale integrated hydrology model. Water Resources Research. (51)8: 6602-6621.
Transient Simulation Publications
- O’Neill, MMF, DT Tijerina, LE Condon, and RM Maxwell (2021). Assessment of the ParFlow–CLM CONUS 1.0 Integrated Hydrologic Model: Evaluation of Hyper-Resolution Water Balance Components across the Contiguous United States. Geoscientific Model Development 14, no. 12: 7223–54.
- Tijerina, D, LE Condon, K FitzGerald, A Dugger, MM O’Neil, K Sampson, D Gochis and RM Maxwell (2021). Continental Hydrologic Intercomparison Project, Phase 1: A Large-Scale Hydrologic Model Comparison Over the Continental United States. Water Resources Research. 57, e2020WR028931
- Condon, LE, AL Atchley and RM Maxwell (2020). Evapotranspiration depletes groundwater under warming over the contiguous United States. Nature Communications, 11(873).
- Condon, LE and RM Maxwell (2019). Simulating the sensitivity of evapotranspiration and streamflow to large-scale groundwater depletion. Science Advances, 5(6): eaav4574.
- Condon, LE and RM Maxwell (2017). Systematic shifts in Budyko relationships caused by groundwater storage changes. Hydrology and Earth. System Sciences. 21(2): p. 1117-1135, doi:10.5194/hess-21-1117-2017
- Maxwell, RM and LE Condon (2016). Connections between groundwater flow and transpiration partitioning. Science, 353(6297):377-380 doi:10.1126/science.aaf7891.
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