Groundwater modelling in the Thames Basin

Modelling The River Thames.

The groundwater (or aquifer) systems underlying the Thames Basin are complex, but unconnected other than through the River Thames and its tributaries.

The BGS are involved in a number of groundwater modelling exercises within the Thames Basin mainly related to simulating groundwater flows in the Chalk aquifer system. However, more understanding of the groundwater flow systems over other parts of the basin is needed; for example the Jurassic Limestones.

Drawing on our experience within the Thames area we are developing a groundwater model which covers all of the principal and several of the minor aquifers within the Basin. To support this process we have already developed a basin-wide groundwater recharge model that accounts for variations in land use and run-off coefficients.

We have developed a number of groundwater models for specific projects in the Thames Basin, including:

numerical modelling of groundwater flooding on the Berkshire Downs
modelling the effects of climate change on groundwater resources of the chalk of southern England
modelling groundwater flooding the alluvial aquifer of Oxford