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Central Valley Hydrologic Modeling (CVHM)

CVHM2 Input Data

The input data sets for CVHM2 are taken from many models and sources like climate, land use, well log lithology, ground & surface water level, subsidence, and more.

CVHM2 Reference

A 3D computer model of the hydrologic system of the Central Valley

To aid water managers in understanding how water moves through the Central Valley aquifer system in California, water-supply scenarios, and addressing issues related to water competition, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a hydrologic modeling tool, the Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM). The CVHM is an extensive, detailed three-dimensional (3D) computer model of the hydrologic system of the Central Valley (Faunt, 2009). The CVHM simultaneously accounts for changing water supply and demand across the landscape and simulates surface water and groundwater flow throughout the entire Central Valley.

A screenshot in CVHM1 showing the kriged texture within the groundwater flow model.

CVHM1

Version 1 of the Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM1) is a 3D computer model of the hydrologic system of the Central Valley, simulating monthly water budgets for April 1961 through September 2003 (Faunt, 2009).

A screenshot showing the distribution of the percentage of coarse-grained deposits of the Central Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2) texture model for the fence diagram with all cells of <25% coarseness shown in cooler colors

CVHM2

Version 2 of the Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM2) updates the simulation from April 1961 through September 2019. CVHM2 includes updates to datasets, as well as new data and tools (Faunt and others, 2024).

A screenshot showing the average land use by zone in the groundwater modeling comparison.

Model Comparison

Interactive visualization comparing input datasets for two models for the Central Valley, the Fine-Grid California Central Valley Groundwater-Surface Water Simulation Model (C2VSimFG) from the California Department of Water Resources (CA DWR) and the updated version 2 of the Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM2) from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Benefits to California Water Managers

CVHM helps to address water issues such as:

  • Conjunctive water use (interdependent use of surface water and groundwater)
  • Land-use change, including environmental, agricultural, and urban changes, and their effects on water resources
  • Climate variability

References

Faunt, C.C., ed., 2009, Groundwater Availability of the Central Valley Aquifer, California: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1766, 225 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1766.

Faunt, C. C., Traum, J. A., Boyce, S. E., Seymour, W. A., Jachens, E. R., Brandt, J. T., Sneed, M., Bond, S., & Marcelli, M. F. (2024). Groundwater Sustainability and Land Subsidence in California’s Central Valley. Water, 16(8), 1189, https://doi.org/10.3390/w16081189.