ModelMuse — The Complete Guide: The Free Graphical Interface for MODFLOW and Groundwater Models
ModelMuse is a free graphical interface from the USGS for building groundwater models. It is what turns MODFLOW from research code into an everyday working tool: instead of writing text files, you draw the model over a map or aerial photo, and the interface writes the input, runs the model and displays the results.
ModelMuse
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
The free graphical interface to MODFLOW — build the model with a mouse instead of text files.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Spatial definition — geometry, layers, conductivity and boundary conditions drawn as polygons, lines and points.
- Data import — shapefiles, elevation models and background images.
- Direct runs — writing the input files and launching the model from the interface.
- Result display — head maps, flow paths and time series.
- Several models — MODFLOW 6 and earlier versions, MODPATH for particle tracking, plus SUTRA and PHAST.
What to know
The main limitation: ModelMuse runs on Windows only. The interface is rich but not intuitive at first, so work through the examples and tutorials the USGS publishes. As US government software it is in the public domain and free for any use.
Related tools
The calculation engine — MODFLOW 6. To prepare GIS layers before import — QGIS. For geochemistry and reactions — PHREEQC.
MODFLOW 6
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
The world standard for groundwater flow and solute transport modelling, from the USGS.
Get it from the vendor
QGIS
QGIS.org
Open-source GIS for spatial analysis, layer work and map production.
Get it from the vendor
PHREEQC
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Aqueous geochemical calculations — equilibrium, dissolution, precipitation and reactive transport.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
For anyone who needs a professional groundwater model without paying for a commercial interface, ModelMuse and MODFLOW are a complete, free pair.