Conjunctive use of surface and groundwater for coastal and deltaic systems

A regional conjunctive use model is developed for a near-real deltaic aquifer system, irrigated from a diversion system, with some reference to hydrogeoclimatic conditions prevalent in the east coastal deltas of India. Water resources are sufficiently available in these regions under average monsoon rainfall conditions, but their distribution in space and time has been ever challenging to water managers. Surface-water availability shows temporal fluctuations in terms of floods and droughts, and groundwater availability shows mainly spatial variability in terms of quality and quantity due to the hydrogeologic setting, boundary conditions, and aquifer properties. The combined simulation-optimization model proposed in this study is solved as a nonlinear, nonconvex combinatorial problem using a simulated annealing algorithm and an existing sharp interface model. The computational burden is managed within practical time frames by replacing the flow simulator with artificial neural networks and using efficient algorithmic guidance.