Optimum Groundwater Pumping Rate in Safwan-Zubair Area, Basrah Province, Using Simulated Annealing Technique

Abstract

Safwan-Zubair area is located in the south –west part of Basrah Province in the south of Iraq, this area is involved within the Dibdibba plain which is considered as a part of Iraqi Western Desert. Dibdibba formation consists mainly from sand and gravel with some cementing materials like silt and clay, especially in the west of Zubair area. A linked simulation-optimization model for obtaining the optimum pumping rate of groundwater is presented in this paper. Processing Modflow for Windows (PMWIN v.5) is selected to simulate the aquifer behavior being studied. This model is integrated with an optimization model which is based on the simulated annealing (SA) technique. The calibrated values of hydraulic conductivity vary over the range (15-150) m/day; while, the calibrated values of specific yield vary over the range (0.125-0.45). The objective function converges to a maximum value of (0.636925E+8 m3/year). The percentage ratio of inactive wells is 10.9 %, many wells in the study area that occupy incorrect positions, these wells must be turn off for obtaining optimum pumping rate in the study area.