Optimal groundwater management in deltaic regions using simulated annealing and neural networks

This study deals with the optimal management of groundwater in deltaic aquifer systems with some reference to east coastal hydro-geo-climatic conditions of India. A system of cooperative wells is proposed to supplement surface water sources to meet the demand during the non-monsoon season, without inducing excessive saltwater intrusion. The management models are solved as nonlinear, non-convex, combinatorial problems. The management models are solved by interfacing simulated annealing (SA) algorithm with an existing SHARP interface flow model to determine an optimal policy for location and pumpages of cooperative wells. Computational burden arising from SA algorithm is managed within practical timeframes by replacing the simulator with an artificial neural network.