Prepared in cooperation with the U.S.

Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program

MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Version mf6.0.0—August 11, 2017

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
Cover. Binary computer code illustration.
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Running a Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Form of Input Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Block and Keyword Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Specification of Block Information in OPEN/CLOSE File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
File Name Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Lengths of Character Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Simulation Name File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Temporal Discretization (TDIS) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Information for Existing MODFLOW Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Array Input (READARRAY) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
READARRAY Control Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
READARRAY Variable Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
READARRAY Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
List Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Units of Length and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Steady-State Simulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Volumetric Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Cell-By-Cell Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
GWF Model Name File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Structured Discretization (DIS) Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Discretization with Vertices (DISV) Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
i
Unstructured Discretization (DISU) Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Initial Conditions (IC) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Output Control (OC) Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Observation (OBS) Utility for a GWF Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Node Property Flow (NPF) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Horizontal Flow Barrier (HFB) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Storage (STO) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Constant-Head (CHD) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Well (WEL) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Drain (DRN) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
ii
 Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
River (RIV) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
General-Head Boundary (GHB) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Recharge (RCH) Package – List-Based Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Recharge (RCH) Package – Array-Based Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Evapotranspiration (EVT) Package – List-Based Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Evapotranspiration (EVT) Package – Array-Based Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Multi-Aquifer Well (MAW) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Example Input File – Conductance Calculated using Thiem Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Example Input File – Conductance Calculated using Screen Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Example Input File – Flowing Well with Conductance Specified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
iii
 Streamflow Routing (SFR) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Lake (LAK) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Lake Table Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Water Mover (MVR) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Ghost-Node Correction (GNC) Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Groundwater Flow (GWF) Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Example Observation Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Iterative Model Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Example Input File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
iv
 v

Observation (OBS) Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Structure of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Available Observation Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Time-Variable Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Time Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Time-Series Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Using Time Series in a Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Time-Array Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Time-Array-Series Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Explanation of Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Using Time-Array Series in a Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Binary Grid File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
DIS Grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
DISV Grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
DISU Grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Dependent Variable File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
DIS Grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
DISV Grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
DISU Grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
LAK, MAW, and SFR Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Groundwater Flow Model Budget File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Format of Budget File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Variations for Discretization Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Budget File Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Intercell Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
LAK, MAW, SFR, and UZF Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Observation Output File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
References Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R–1
Appendix A. List of Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A–1

Figures
1. Schematic diagram showing the vertices and cells defined using the Discretization by Ver-
tices Package. The list of vertices used to define each cell must be in clockwise order. From
Langevin and others (2017) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
2. Illustration of a simple stream network having seven reaches with a junction having two
reaches, a confluence of two reaches, and the resulting reach connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
vi

Tables
1. Character variable maximum sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2. Model types available in Version mf6.0.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3. Exchange types available in Version mf6.0.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4. IPRN Code and corresponding print formats for array readers. These print codes determine
how the user-provided array is written to the list file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4. IPRN Code and corresponding print formats for array readers. These print codes determine
how the user-provided array is written to the list file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
5. Ftype values described in this report. The Pname column indicates whether or not a package
name can be provided in the name file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6. Available GWF model observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
7. Available CHD Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8. Available WEL Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9. Available DRN Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
10. Available RIV Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
11. Available GHB Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
11. Available GHB Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
12. Available RCH Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
13. Available EVT Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
14. Available MAW Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
15. Available SFR Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
16. Available LAK Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
17. Available UZF Package observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
18. Available GWF-GWF Exchange observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
19. IMS variable values for the available complexity options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
20. Available observation types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
21. Budget file variations that depend on discretization package type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
22. Types of information that may be contained in the GWF Model budget file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
23. Data written to the LAK Package binary output file. Flow terms are listed in the order they are
written to the LAK Package binary output file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
24. Data written to the MAW Package binary output file. Flow terms are listed in the order they
are written to the MAW Package binary output file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
25. Data written to the SFR Package binary output file. Flow terms are listed in the order they are
written to the SFR Package binary output file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
26. Data written to the UZF Package binary output file. Flow terms are listed in the order they are
written to the UZF Package binary output file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
A–1. List of block names organized by component and input file type. OPEN/CLOSE indicates
whether or not the block information can be contained in separate file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A–1
Introduction
MODFLOW 6 is a command line executable program that reads input from ASCII text files, and
optionally from binary files. MODFLOW 6 writes simulation output to ASCII text and binary files. MOD-
FLOW 6 itself, like its predecessors, does not provide any graphical output, though users may decide to adopt
a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for preparing model input and visualizing model output. This document pro-
vides details on the format of the input files and the format of the output files. Details on the numerical meth-
ods and the underlying theory for MODFLOW 6 are described in separate reports (Hughes and others, 2017;
Langevin and others, 2017; Provost and others, 2017). Instructions for preparing the input or visualizing the
output is beyond the scope of this report.

Running a Simulation
MODFLOW 6 is run from the command line by entering the name of the MODFLOW 6 executable pro-
gram. If the run is successful, it will conclude with a statement about normal termination.
MODFLOW 6
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MODULAR HYDROLOGIC MODEL
VERSION mf6.0.0 August 11, 2017

MODFLOW 6 compiled Aug 07 2017 10:52:44 with IFORT compiler (ver. 17.00)

This software is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision.

It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The
software has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS). No warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS or the
U.S. Government as to the functionality of the software and related
material nor shall the fact of release constitute any such warranty. The
software is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S.
Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the
authorized or unauthorized use of the software.

Run start date and time (yyyy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss): 2017/08/07 14:30:04

Writing simulation list file: mfsim.lst

Using Simulation name file: mfsim.nam
Solving: Stress period: 1 Time step: 1
Run end date and time (yyyy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss): 2017/08/07 14:30:04
Elapsed run time: 0.187 Seconds

Normal termination of simulation.

MODFLOW 6 requires that a simulation name file (described in a subsequent section titled “Simulation Name
File”) be present in the working directory. This simulation name file must be named “mfsim.nam”. If the
mfsim.nam file is not located in the present working directory, then MODFLOW 6 will terminate with the fol-
lowing error.
MODFLOW 6
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MODULAR HYDROLOGIC MODEL
VERSION mf6.0.0 August 11, 2017

MODFLOW 6 compiled Aug 07 2017 10:52:44 with IFORT compiler (ver. 17.00)

This software is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision.

It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The
software has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS). No warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS or the
U.S. Government as to the functionality of the software and related
material nor shall the fact of release constitute any such warranty. The
software is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S.
2 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the
authorized or unauthorized use of the software.

Run start date and time (yyyy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss): 2017/08/07 14:31:28

Writing simulation list file: mfsim.lst

ERROR REPORT:

*** ERROR OPENING FILE "mfsim.nam" ON UNIT 1001

SPECIFIED FILE STATUS: OLD
SPECIFIED FILE FORMAT: FORMATTED
SPECIFIED FILE ACCESS: SEQUENTIAL
SPECIFIED FILE ACTION: READ
IOSTAT ERROR NUMBER: 29
-- STOP EXECUTION (openfile)
Stopping due to error(s)

During execution MODFLOW 6 creates a simulation output file, called a listing file, with the name
“mfsim.lst”. This file contains general simulation information, including information about exchanges between
models, timing, and solver progress. Separate listing files are also written for each individual model. These
listing files contains the details for the specific models.
In the event that MODFLOW 6 encounters an error, the error message is written to the command line win-
dow as well as to the simulation listing file. The error message will also contain the name of the file that was
being read when the error occurred, if possible. This information can be used to diagnose potential causes of
the error.

Form of Input Instructions

MODFLOW 6 differs from its predecessors in the form of the input. Whereas previous MODFLOW ver-
sions read numerical values, arrays, and lists in a highly structured form, MODFLOW 6 reads information in
the form of blocks and keywords. MODFLOW 6 also reads arrays and lists of information, but these arrays
and lists are tagged with identifying block names or keywords. MODFLOW 6 will terminate with an error if it
detects an unrecognized block or keyword.

Block and Keyword Input

Input to MODFLOW 6 is provided within blocks. A block is a section of an ASCII input file that begins
with a line that has “BEGIN” followed by the name of the block and ends with a line the begins with “END”
followed by the name of the block. MODFLOW 6 will terminate with an error if blocks do not begin and end
with the same name, or if a “BEGIN” or “END” line is missing. Information within a block differs depending
on the part of MODFLOW 6 that reads the block. In general, keywords are used within blocks to turn options
on or specify the type of information that follows the keyword. If an unrecognized keyword is encountered in a
block, MODFLOW 6 will terminate with an error.
The keyword approach is adopted in MODFLOW 6 to improve readability of the MODFLOW 6 input
files, enhance discovery of errors in input files, and improve support for backward compatibility by allowing
the program to expand in functionality while allowing previously developed models to be run with newer ver-
sions of the program.
Within these user instructions, keywords are shown in capital letters to differentiate them from other input
that is provided by the user. For example, “BEGIN” and “END” are recognized by MODFLOW 6 , and so
they are capitalized. Also, line indentation is used within these user instructions to help with readability of the
blocks. Typically, lines within a block are indented two spaces to accentuate that the lines are part of the block.
 Form of Input Instructions 3

This indentation is not enforced by the program, but users are encouraged to use it within their own input files
to improve readability.
Unless stated otherwise in this user guide, information contained within a block can be listed in any order.
If the same keyword is provided more than once, then the program will use the last information provided by
that keyword.
Comment lines and blanks lines are also allowed within most blocks and within most input files. Valid
comment characters include “#” “!”, and “//”. Comments can also be placed at the end of some input lines,
after the required information. Comments are not allowed at the end of some lines if the program is required to
read an arbitrary number of non-keyword items. Comments included at the end of the line must be separated
from the rest of the line by at least one space.
Unless otherwise noted in the input instructions, multiple blocks of the same name cannot be specified in a
single input file. The block order within the input file must follow the order presented in the input instructions.
Each input file typically begins with an OPTIONS block, which is generally not required, followed by one or
more data blocks.
The following is an example of how the input instructions for a block are presented in this document.
BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[MAXIMUM_ITERATION <maxsfrit>]
END OPTIONS

This example shows the items that may be specified with this OPTIONS block. Optional items are enclosed
between “[” and “]” symbols, and these optional items can be nested as shown with the “[AUXILIARY
<auxiliary(naux)>]” item. The “<” and “>” symbols indicate a variable that must be provided by the
user. In this case, auxiliary is an array of size naux. Because there are bracket symbols around the entire
item, the user it not required to specify anything for this item. Likewise, the user may or may not invoke the
“PRINT INPUT” option. Lastly, the user can specify “MAXIMUM ITERATION” followed by a numeric value for
“maxsfrit”. If the user does not specify an optional item, then a default condition will apply. Behavior of the
default condition is described in the input instructions for that item.
A valid user input block for OPTIONS might be:
#This is my options block
BEGIN OPTIONS
AUXILIARY temperature salinity
MAXIMUM_ITERATION 10
END OPTIONS

The following is another valid user input block for OPTIONS:

#This is an alternative options block
BEGIN OPTIONS
# Assign two auxiliary variables
AUXILIARY temperature salinity
# Specify the maximum iteration
MAXIMUM_ITERATION 10
#specify the print input option
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS
#done with the options block

Specification of Block Information in OPEN/CLOSE File

For most blocks, information can be read from a separate text file. In this case, all of the information for
the block must reside in the text file. The file name is specified using the OPEN/CLOSE keyword as the first
and only entry in the block as follows:
4 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

#This is an alternative options block

BEGIN OPTIONS
OPEN/CLOSE myoptblock.txt
END OPTIONS

When MODFLOW encounters the OPEN/CLOSE keyword, the program opens the specified file on unit 99
and continues processing the information in the file as if it were within the block itself. When the program
reaches the end of the file, the file is closed, and the program returns to reading the original package file. The
next line after the OPEN/CLOSE line must end the block.
Some blocks do not support the OPEN/CLOSE capability. A list of all of the blocks, organized by com-
ponent and input file type, are listed in a table in appendix A. This table also indicates the blocks that do not
support the OPEN/CLOSE capability.

File Name Input

Some blocks may require that a file name be entered. Although spaces within a file name are not generally
recommended, they can be specified if the entire file name is enclosed within single quotes, which means that
the file name itself cannot have a single quote within it. On Windows computers, file names are not case sen-
sitive, and thus, “model.dis” can be referenced within the input files as “MODEL.DIS”. On some other oper-
ating systems, however, file names are case sensitive and the case used in the input instructions must exactly
reflect the case used to name the file.

Lengths of Character Variables

Character variables, which are used to store names of models, packages, observations and other objects,
are limited in the number of characters that can be used. Table 1 lists the limit used for each type of character
variable.

Table 1. Character variable maximum sizes.

Size limit name Size Variable(s) affected

LENAUXNAME 16 Auxiliary variable names
LENBOUNDNAME 40 Boundary names
LENMODELNAME 16 Model names
LENOBSNAME 40 Observation names
LENPACKAGENAME 16 Package names
LENSOLUTIONNAME 16 Solution names
LENTIMESERIESNAME 24 Time-series and time-array-series names
 Simulation Name File 5

Simulation Name File

The simulation name file contains information about simulation options, simulation timing, models that
are present in the simulation, how models exchange information, and how models are solved.
The present version of MODFLOW 6 uses the concept of a solution group. For most simulations, a solu-
tion group will contain one solution and one model within that solution. The solution group is designed, how-
ever, so that multiple solutions can be solved together in a picard iteration loop. This might be used in the
future to solve for coupled variable-density flow and transport, for example, or to iteratively couple other types
of models that cannot be tightly coupled at the matrix level within a single numerical solution. The solution
group is flexible so that multiple solution groups can be included in a simulation. More information on solu-
tion groups will be added to this document as new model types and exchanges are added that can take advan-
tage of the concept.
The simulation name file is read from a file in the current working directory with the name “mfsim.nam”.
Input within the simulation name file is provided through the following input blocks, which must be listed in
the order shown below. The options block itself is optional. All other blocks are required.

Structure of Blocks

BEGIN OPTIONS
[CONTINUE]
[NOCHECK]
[MEMORY_PRINT_OPTION <memory_print_option>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN TIMING
TDIS6 <tdis6>
END TIMING

BEGIN MODELS
<mtype> <mfname> <mname>
<mtype> <mfname> <mname>
...
END MODELS

BEGIN EXCHANGES
<exgtype> <exgfile> <exgmnamea> <exgmnameb>
<exgtype> <exgfile> <exgmnamea> <exgmnameb>
...
END EXCHANGES

BEGIN SOLUTIONGROUP <group_num>

[MXITER <mxiter>]
<slntype> <slnfname> <slnmnames(nslnmod)>
<slntype> <slnfname> <slnmnames(nslnmod)>
...
END SOLUTIONGROUP

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

CONTINUE—keyword flag to indicate that the simulation should continue even if one or more solutions
do not converge.
6 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

NOCHECK—keyword flag to indicate that the model input check routines should not be called prior to
each time step. Checks are performed by default.
memory print option—is a flag that controls printing of detailed memory manager usage to the end
of the simulation list file. NONE means do not print detailed information. SUMMARY means print only
the total memory for each simulation component. ALL means print information for each variable
stored in the memory manager. NONE is default if memory print option is not specified.

Block: TIMING

tdis6—is the name of the Temporal Discretization (TDIS) Input File.

Block: MODELS

mtype—is the type of model to add to simulation.

mfname—is the file name of the model name file.
mname—is the user-assigned name of the model. The model name cannot exceed 16 characters and must
not have blanks within the name. The model name is case insensitive; any lowercase letters are con-
verted and stored as upper case letters.

Block: EXCHANGES

exgtype—is the exchange type.

exgfile—is the input file for the exchange.
exgmnamea—is the name of the first model that is part of this exchange.
exgmnameb—is the name of the second model that is part of this exchange.

Block: SOLUTIONGROUP

group num—is the group number of the solution group. Solution groups must be numbered sequen-
tially, starting with group number one.
mxiter—is the maximum number of outer iterations for this solution group. The default value is 1. If
there is only one solution in the solution group, then MXITER must be 1.
slntype—is the type of solution. The Integrated Model Solution (IMS6) is the only supported option in
this version.
slnfname—name of file containing solution input.
slnmnames—is the array of model names to add to this solution.

Table 2. Model types available in Version mf6.0.0.

Mtype Type of Model

GWF6 Groundwater Flow Model
 Simulation Name File 7

Table 3. Exchange types available in Version mf6.0.0.

Exgtype Type of Exchange

GWF6-GWF6 Exchange between two Groundwater Flow Models

Example Input File

# This block is optional

BEGIN OPTIONS
END OPTIONS

# Simulation timing information

BEGIN TIMING
TDIS6 simulation.tdis
END TIMING

# List of models in the simulation

BEGIN MODELS
#modeltype namefile modelname
GWF6 model1.nam GWF_Model_1
GWF6 model2.nam GWF_Model_2
END MODELS

# List of exchanges in the simulation

BEGIN EXCHANGES
GWF6-GWF6 simulation.exg GWF_Model_1 GWF_Model_2
END EXCHANGES

# Models are part of the same numerical solution

BEGIN SOLUTIONGROUP 1
IMS6 simulation.ims GWF_Model_1 GWF_Model_2
END SOLUTIONGROUP
8 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Temporal Discretization (TDIS) Package

Timing for all models of the simulation is controlled by the Temporal Discretization (TDIS) Package.
Input to the TDIS Package is read from the filename specified for TDIS in the TIMING input block of the sim-
ulation name file.

Structure of Blocks

BEGIN OPTIONS
[TIME_UNITS <time_units>]
[START_DATE_TIME <start_date_time>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NPER <nper>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PERIODDATA
<perlen> <nstp> <tsmult>
<perlen> <nstp> <tsmult>
...
END PERIODDATA

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

time units—is the time units of the simulation. This is a text string that is used as a label within
model output files. Values for time units may be “unknown”, “seconds”, “minutes”, “hours”,
“days”, or “years”. The default time unit is “unknown”.
start date time—is the starting date and time of the simulation. This is a text string that is used as
a label within the simulation list file. The value has no affect on the simulation. The recommended
format for the starting date and time is described at https://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-datetime.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nper—is the number of stress periods for the simulation.

Block: PERIODDATA

perlen—is the length of a stress period.

nstp—is the number of time steps in a stress period.
tsmult—is the multiplier for the length of successive time steps. The length of a time step is calculated
by multiplying the length of the previous time step by TSMULT. The length of the first time step,
tsmult−1
∆t1 , is related to PERLEN, NSTP, and TSMULT by the relation ∆t1 = perlen tsmult nstp −1 .
 Temporal Discretization (TDIS) Package 9

Example Input File

# Comment for this TDIS input file

BEGIN OPTIONS
TIME_UNITS DAYS
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NPER 2
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PERIODDATA
365.00 1 1.0 Items: PERLEN NSTP TSMULT
365.00 10 1.2 Items: PERLEN NSTP TSMULT
END PERIODDATA
10 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input

This section describes the data files for a MODFLOW 6 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model. A GWF Model
is added to the simulation by including a GWF entry in the MODELS block of the simulation name file.
There are three types of spatial discretization approaches that can be used with the GWF Model. Input
for a GWF Model may be entered in a structured form, like for previous MODFLOW versions, in that users
specify cells using their layer, row, and column indices. Users may also work with a layered grid in which
cells are defined using vertices. In this case, users specify cells using the layer number and the cell number.
Lastly, GWF Models may be entered as fully unstructured models, in which cells are specified using only their
cell number. Once a spatial discretization approach has been selected, then all input with cell indices must be
entered accordingly.
The GWF Model is designed to permit input to be gathered, as it is needed, from many different files.
Likewise, results from the model calculations can be written to a number of output files. The GWF Model
Listing File is a key file to which the GWF model output is written. As MODFLOW 6 runs, information about
the GWF Model is written to the GWF Model Listing File, including much of the input data (as a record of the
simulation) and calculated results. Details about the files used by each package are provided in this section on
the GWF Model Instructions.
MODFLOW 6 is further designed to allow the user to control the amount, type, and frequency of infor-
mation to be output. Much of the output will be written to the Simulation and GWF Model Listing Files, but
some model output can be written to other files. The Listing Files can become very large for common mod-
els. Text editors are useful for examining the Listing File. The GWF Model Listing File includes a summary
of the input data read for all packages. In addition, the GWF Model Listing File optionally contains calculated
head controlled by time step, and the overall volumetric budget controlled by time step. The Listing Files also
contain information about solver convergence and error messages. Output to other files can include head and
cell-by-cell flow terms for use in calculations external to the model or in user-supplied applications such as
plotting programs.
The GWF Model reads a file called the Name File, which specifies most of the files that will be used in
a simulation. Several files are always required whereas other files are optional depending on the simulation.
The Output Control Package receives instructions from the user to control the amount and frequency of output.
Details about the Name File and the Output Control Package are described in this section.

Information for Existing MODFLOW Users

MODFLOW 6 contains most of the functionality of MODFLOW-2005, MODFLOW-NWT, MODFLOW-

USG, and MODFLOW-LGR. To the existing MODFLOW user, however, MODFLOW 6 will feel different
from previous MODFLOW versions. Some packages have been divided, renamed, or removed, and some
capabilities, which previously caused confusion or were implemented due to computer memory limitations,
are no longer supported (for example, “quasi-3d confining units” are not supported in the GWF Model). The
form of the input files for MODFLOW 6 is different from previous MODFLOW versions in that input files
are now divided into blocks, and keywords are used to specify options and input variables. Extensive testing
was used as part of the development process to ensure that MODFLOW 6 simulation results are identical to
the results from previous MODFLOW versions. In some cases, it was not possible to exactly replicate the sim-
ulation results from previous MODFLOW versions. In those cases, the differences could be explained by an
option that is no longer supported, or because of slight differences in the underlying formulation.
The following list, which is repeated from Langevin and others (2017), summarizes the major differences
between the GWF Model in MODFLOW 6 and previous versions of MODFLOW. This list is intended for
those with a general understanding of the capabilities in previous versions of MODFLOW.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 11

1. The GWF Model in MODFLOW 6 supports three alternative input packages for specifying the grid used
to discretize the groundwater system.

• The Discretization (DIS) Package defines a grid based on layers, rows, and columns. In this report,
this type of grid is referred to as a “regular MODFLOW grid” because it corresponds to traditional
MODFLOW grids. An interior cell in a regular MODFLOW grid is connected to four adjacent cells
in the same layer, to one overlying cell, and to one underlying cell.
• The Discretization by Vertices (DISV) Package defines a grid using a list of (x, y) vertex pairs and
the number of layers. A list of vertices is provided by the user to define a two-dimensional horizon-
tal grid in plan view. This list of vertices may define a regular MODFLOW grid, or they may define
more complex grids, such as grids consisting of triangles, hexagons, or Voronoi polygons, for exam-
ple. This same two-dimensional horizontal grid applies to each layer in the model. Cells defined
using the DISV Package are referenced by layer number and by the cell number within the horizon-
tal grid. Within a layer, a cell may be horizontally connected to any number of surrounding cells in
that layer. In the vertical direction a cell can be connected to only one overlying cell and only one
underlying cell. Grids defined with the DISV Package are considered to be unstructured.
• The unstructured Discretization (DISU) Package is the most flexible of the three packages and is
patterned after the unstructured grid implemented in MODFLOW-USG. For each cell, the user spec-
ifies a list of connected cells and the connection properties. When the DISU Package is used, cells
are referenced only by their cell number; unlike the MODFLOW-USG approach, there is no concept
of a layer in the DISU Package in MODFLOW 6, but cells may still overlie or underlie one another.

2. For the layered grid types supported in the GWF Model (DIS and DISV), cells can be permanently
excluded from the grid for the simulation. Input values (such as hydraulic conductivity) are still required
for these excluded cells, and the program will write special codes or zero values for output, but the pro-
gram does not allocate memory or store values for excluded cells during run time. In this case, the matrix
equations are formulated for a reduced system in which only the included cells are numbered. Users can
also mark excluded cells as “vertical pass-through cells.” When these vertical pass-through cells are
encountered, the program connects the cells overlying and underlying the pass-through cell. This capa-
bility allows “pinched” cells to be removed from the solution. These options to exclude cells or exclude
them as pass-through cells are available for the DIS and DISV Packages through specification of the IDO-
MAIN array; the IDOMAIN capability is not available for the DISU Package.

3. There is no longer a Basic Package input file. Initial head values are specified using an Initial Conditions
(IC) Package, and constant heads are specified using the Time Varying Specified Head (CHD) Package.
Cells that are permanently excluded from the simulation can be eliminated using the IDOMAIN capa-
bility entered through the DIS or DISV Packages. For a cell that may transition from inactive (“dry”) to
active (“wet”) during a simulation, the user can start the cell as inactive by assigning an initial head below
the cell bottom.

4. The Newton-Raphson formulations and accompanying upstream weighting schemes implemented in

MODFLOW-NWT and MODFLOW-USG for handling dry or nearly dry cells have been synthesized into
a single formulation. The Newton-Raphson formulation in the GWF Model for MODFLOW 6 remains an
optional alternative to the standard formulation used in most previous MODFLOW versions. Much of this
report is focused on systematically explaining standard and Newton-Raphson formulations for the GWF
Model and its packages.

5. Information on temporal discretization, such as number of stress periods, period lengths, number of
time steps, and time step multipliers, is specified at the simulation level, rather than for an individual
12 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

model. This information is provided in the Timing Module, which controls the temporal discretization
and applies to all models within a simulation. The Timing Module is part of the MODFLOW 6 frame-
work and is described separately in Hughes and others (2017).

6. Aquifer properties used to calculate hydraulic conductance are specified in the Node Property Flow
(NPF) Package. In MODFLOW 6, the NPF Package calculates intercell conductance values, manages
cell wetting and drying, and adds Newton-Raphson terms for intercell flow expressions. The NPF Pack-
age allows individual cells to be designated as confined or convertible; this was not an option in previ-
ous MODFLOW versions as the designation was by layer. The NPF Package also has several options for
simulating drainage problems and problems involving perched aquifers where an active cell overlies a
partially saturated cell. The default NPF Package behavior (in which none of these options are set) is the
most stable for typical groundwater problems. The default NPF Package behavior does not correspond
to the default behavior for other MODFLOW internal flow packages. The NPF Package does not support
quasi-3D confining units. The NPF Package replaces the Layer Property Flow (LPF), Block-Centered
Flow (BCF), and Upstream Weighting (UPW) Packages from previous MODFLOW versions. Capabili-
ties of the Hydrogeologic Unit Flow (HUF) Package (Anderman and Hill, 2000, 2003) are not supported
in the GWF Model of MODFLOW 6 .

7. Aquifer storage properties are specified in the Storage (STO) Package. If the STO Package is excluded
for a model, then the model represents steady-state conditions. If the STO Package is included, users
can specify steady-state or transient conditions by stress period as needed. Compressible storage con-
tributions are no longer approximated as zero for unconfined layers; contributions from pore drainage and
compressible storage are separated in the model output.

8. The Horizontal Flow Barrier (HFB) Package (Hsieh and Freckleton, 1993; Harbaugh, 2005) in MOD-
FLOW 6 allows barrier properties and locations to change by stress period. The capability to change bar-
riers by stress period was not supported in previous MODFLOW versions.

9. The GWF Model in MODFLOW 6 allows multiple stress packages of the same type to be specified for
a single GWF Model. This capability is also available in MODFLOW-CDSS (Banta, 2011). Package
entries written to the budget file and budget terms in the listing file are written separately for each pack-
age.

10. Input of boundary conditions for simulation in multiple stress periods is entered differently than for pre-
vious MODFLOW versions. Boundary conditions are specified for a stress period in a “PERIOD” block.
These boundary conditions remain active at their specified values until a subsequent “PERIOD” block is
encountered or the end of the simulation is reached. Individual entries within the “PERIOD” block can be
specified as a time-series entry. Values for these variables, which may correspond to a well pumping rate
or a drain conductance, for example, are interpolated from a time-series dataset, for each time step, using
several different interpolation options.

11. The Flow and Head Boundary (FHB) Package (Leake and Lilly, 1997; Harbaugh, 2005) is not supported
in MODFLOW 6 ; however, its capabilities can be replicated using the WEL Package, the CHD Package,
and the new time-series capability.

12. There is one Evapotranspiration (EVT) Package for MODFLOW 6 . The MODFLOW 6 EVT Package
contains the functionality of the MODFLOW-2005 EVT Package, the Segmented Evapotranspiration
(ETS) Package (Banta, 2000), and the Riparian Evapotranspiration (RIP-ET) Package (Maddock and oth-
ers, 2012).
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 13

13. A new Multi-Aquifer Well (MAW) Package replaces the Multi-Node Well (MNW1 and MNW2) Pack-
ages (Halford and Hanson, 2002; Konikow and others, 2009). The new package does not contain all of
the options available in MNW1 and MNW2, but it does contain the most commonly used ones. It also has
new capabilities for simulating flowing wells. The MAW Package is solved as part of the matrix solution
and is tightly coupled with the GWF Model. This tight coupling with the GWF Model may substantially
improve convergence for simulations of groundwater flow to multi-aquifer wells.

14. Most capabilities of the Stream (STR) and Streamflow Routing (SFR) Packages (Prudic, 1989; Prudic
and others, 2004; Niswonger and Prudic, 2005) are included in MODFLOW 6 as a new SFR Package.
The new SFR Package contains all of the functionality of the SFR Package in MODFLOW-2005 with
the following exceptions: (a) the concept of a “segment” has been eliminated, (b) only rectangular cross
sections are supported for stream reaches, and (c) unsaturated zone flow beneath stream reaches cannot be
simulated.

15. A new Lake (LAK) Package replaces the existing MODFLOW Lake Packages (Merritt and Konikow,
2000). In addition to being able to represent lakes that are incised into the model grid, the new LAK
Package can also represent sub-grid scale lakes that are conceptualized as being on top of the model. The
new package contains most of the capabilities available in previous LAK Packages. The LAK Package
documented here does not represent unsaturated zone flow beneath a lake or support for the coalescing
lake option described in Merritt and Konikow (2000).

16. A new Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF) Package, based on the one described by Niswonger and others
(2006), is included in the GWF Model of MODFLOW 6. The new UZF Package allows the UZF capa-
bilities to be applied to only selected cells of the GWF model. The new UZF Package also supports a
multi-layer option, which allows for vertical heterogeneity in unsaturated zone properties.

17. A new Water Mover (MVR) Package is included in MODFLOW 6. The MVR Package can be used to
transfer water from individual “provider” features of selected packages (WEL, DRN, RIV, GHB, MAW,
SFR, LAK, and UZF) to individual ”receiver” features of the advanced packages (MAW, SFR, LAK, and
UZF). Simple rules are used to determine how much of the available water is moved from the provider to
the receiver, which allows management controls to be represented.

18. MODFLOW 6 contains a flexible new Observation (OBS) capability, which allows the user to define
many different types of continuous-in-time or point-in-time observations. The new OBS capability
replaces the Observation Process (Hill and others, 2000), the Gage Package, and the HYDMOD capabil-
ity (Hanson and Leake, 1999) in previous MODFLOW versions. Flow, head, and drawdown observations
can be obtained for the GWF Model. Flow and other package-specific observations, such as the head in a
multi-aquifer well or lake stage, for example, can also be obtained. These observed values can be used
subsequently with a parameter estimation program or they can be used to make time-series plots of a
wide range of simulated values. The new OBS capability does not support specification of field-measured
observations, calculation of residuals, or interpolation within a grid, as was supported in previous ver-
sions of the MODFLOW OBS Process.

19. The GWF Model described in this report does not support the following list of packages and capabilities.
Support for some of these capabilities may be added in future MODFLOW 6 versions.

• Interbed Storage Package (Leake and Prudic, 1991),

• Subsidence Package (Hoffmann and others, 2003),
• Subsidence and Aquifer-System Compaction Package for Water-Table Aquifers (Leake and Gal-
loway, 2007),
14 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

• Drain with Return Flow Package (Banta, 2000)

• Reservoir Package (Fenske and others, 1996),
• Seawater Intrusion Package (Bakker and others, 2013),
• Surface-Water Routing Process (Hughes and others, 2012),
• Connected Linear Network Process (Panday and others, 2013),
• Parameter Value File (Harbaugh, 2005), and
• Link to the MT3DMS Contaminant Transport Model (Zheng and others, 2001).

In addition to this list of major differences, there are other differences between MODFLOW 6 and previ-
ous MODFLOW versions in terms of the input and output files and the way users interact with the program.
These differences include:

1. The MODFLOW 6 program begins by reading a simulation name file. The simulation name file must be
named “mfsim.nam.”

2. All real variables in MODFLOW 6 are declared as double precision floating point numbers. Real vari-
ables written to binary output files are also written in double precision.

3. Unit numbers are no longer specified by the user. Unit numbers are determined automatically by MOD-
FLOW 6 based upon user-provided file names.

4. The GWF Model name file contains a list of packages that are active for the model. Names for output
files are not specified in the name file. Names for output files, such as the head and budget files are speci-
fied in the OC Package.

5. The EXTERNAL option for reading arrays and lists is no longer supported; however, the OPEN/CLOSE
option is still supported. The SFAC option for lists is no longer supported; however, many packages allow
for specification of an auxiliary variable which can serve as a multiplier on a column of values in the list.

6. The CHD Package contains new flexibility. Cells can transition between constant-head cells and active
cells during the simulation. This was not allowed in previous MODFLOW versions. Also, the CHD Pack-
ages no longer performs linear interpolation between a starting (shead) and ending head (ehead). Only
a single head value is provided for each constant-head cell. The capability to linearly interpolate a head
value for each time step within a stress period is available through the use of time series.

7. There are two different forms of input for the RCH and EVT Packages: array-based input and list-based
input. For models that use DIS Package, the RCH and EVT input can be provided as arrays, which is con-
sistent with previous MODFLOW versions. To use array input, the user must specify the READASAR-
RAYS keyword in the options block. The READASARRAYS option can also be used for models that
use the DISV Package. If the READASARRAYS option is not specified, then input to the RCH and EVT
Packages is provided in list form. List-based input is the only option supported when the DISU Package
is used.
List-based input offers several advantages over the array-based input for specifying recharge and evapo-
transpiration. First, multiple list entries can be specified for a single cell. This makes it possible to divide
a cell into multiple areas, and assign a different recharge or evapotranspiration rate for each area (perhaps
based on land use or some other criteria). In this case, the user would likely specify an auxiliary vari-
able to serve as a multiplier. This multiplier would be calculated by the user and provided in the input file
as the fractional cell are for the individual recharge entries. Another advantage to using list-based input
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 15

for specifying recharge is that “boundnames” can be specified. Boundnames work with the Observations
capability and can be used to sum recharge or evapotranspiration rates for entries with the same bound-
name. A disadvantage of the list-based input is that one cannot easily assign recharge or evapotranspira-
tion rates to the entire model without specifying a list of model cells. For this reason MODFLOW 6 also
supports array-based input.

8. Calculation and reporting of drawdown for the model grid is no longer supported, as this calculation is
easily performed as a postprocessing step. Calculation of drawdown is supported as an observation type
by the OBS Package; drawdown is calculated as the difference between the starting head specified in the
IC Package and the calculated head.

9. There are differences in the output files created by MODFLOW 6, such as:

• A separate listing file is written for the simulation. This simulation listing file contains information
about the simulation, including solver information. Separate listing files are written for each GWF
Model that is part of the simulation.
• Unformatted head files written by MODFLOW 6 are consistent with those written by previous
MODFLOW versions; however, all real values are written in double precision.
• The budget file written by the GWF Model is always written in “compact” form (as opposed to full
three-dimensional arrays) and uses new method codes, which allow model and package names to be
written to the file. Simulated intercell flows are always written in a compressed sparse row format,
even for regular MODFLOW grids.
• Information about the GWF Model grid is written to a separate file, called a “binary grid file” each
time the model runs. The binary grid file can be used by postprocessing programs for subsequent
analysis. The format of the binary grid file is described in a section on “Binary Output Files.”

Array Input (READARRAY)

Some GWF Model packages require arrays of information to be provided by the user. This information is
read using a generic READARRAY capability in MODFLOW 6. Within this user guide, variables that are read
with READARRAY are marked accordingly, as shown in example input instructions for a DATA block.
BEGIN DATA
ARRAY1
<array1(nval)> -- READARRAY
END DATA

In this example, the uppercase ARRAY1 is a text string that is recognized by the program. While reading
through the DATA block, the program would recognize ARRAY1, and would then use READARRAY to fill
array1 with nval values.

READARRAY Control Line

READARRAY works similar to the array readers in previous MODFLOW versions. It begins by reading a
control line. The control line has one of three forms shown below, and is limited to a length of 999 characters.
1. CONSTANT <constant>

With CONSTANT, all values in the array are set equal to constant.
2. INTERNAL [FACTOR <factor>] [IPRN <iprn>]

With INTERNAL, the individual array elements will be read from the same file that contains the control line.
16 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

3. OPEN/CLOSE <fname> [FACTOR <factor>] [(BINARY)] [IPRN <iprn>]

With OPEN/CLOSE, the array will be read from the file whose name is specified by fname. This file will be
opened just prior to reading the array and closed immediately after the array is read. A file that is read using
this control line can contain only a single array.

READARRAY Variable Descriptions

<constant>—is a real number constant for real arrays and an integer constant for integer arrays. The
constant value is assigned to the entire array.

FACTOR <factor>—are a keyword and a real number factor for real arrays and an integer factor for integer
arrays. The individual elements of the array are multiplied by factor after they are read. If factor is
specified as 0, then it is changed to 1.

(BINARY)—is an option that indicates the OPEN/CLOSE file contains array data in binary (unformatted)
form. A binary file that can be read by MODFLOW may be created in only two ways. The first way is to
use MODFLOW to create the file by saving heads in a binary file. This is commonly done when the user
desires to use computed heads from one simulation as initial heads for a subsequent simulation. The other
way to create a binary file is to write a special program that generates a binary file. “(BINARY)” can be
specified only when the control line is OPEN/CLOSE.

IPRN <iprn>—are a keyword and a flag that indicates whether the array being read should be written to the
Listing File after the array has been read and a code for indicating the format that should be used when
the array is written. The format codes are the same as for MODFLOW-2005. IPRN is set to zero when
the specified value exceeds those defined. If IPRN is less than zero or if the keyword and flag are omitted,
the array will not be printed.

Table 4. IPRN Code and corresponding print formats for array readers. These print codes determine how the user-provided
array is written to the list file.

IPRN Real Integer

0 10G11.4 10I11
1 11G10.3 60I1
2 9G13.6 40I2
3 15F7.1 30I3
4 15F7.2 25I4
5 15F7.3 20I5
6 15F7.4 10I11
7 20F5.0 25I2
8 20F5.1 15I4
9 20F5.2 10I6
10 20F5.3
11 20F5.4
12 10G11.4
13 10F6.0
14 10F6.1
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 17

Table 4. IPRN Code and corresponding print formats for array readers. These print codes determine how the user-provided
array is written to the list file.

IPRN Real Integer

15 10F6.2
16 10F6.3
17 10F6.4
18 10F6.5
19 5G12.5
20 6G11.4
21 7G9.2

READARRAY Examples
The following examples use free-format control lines for reading an array. The example array is a real
array consisting of 4 rows with 7 columns per row:
CONSTANT 5.7 This sets an entire array to the value "5.7".
INTERNAL FACTOR 1.0 IPRN 3 This reads the array values from the
1.2 3.7 9.3 4.2 2.2 9.9 1.0 file that contains the control line.
3.3 4.9 7.3 7.5 8.2 8.7 6.6 Thus, the values immediately follow the
4.5 5.7 2.2 1.1 1.7 6.7 6.9 control line.
7.4 3.5 7.8 8.5 7.4 6.8 8.8
OPEN/CLOSE inp.txt FACTOR 1.0 IPRN 3 Read array from formatted file "inp.dat".
OPEN/CLOSE inp.bin FACTOR 1.0 (BINARY) IPRN 3 Read array from binary file "inp.bin".
OPEN/CLOSE test.dat FACTOR 1.0 IPRN 3 Read array from file "test.dat".

Some arrays define information that is required for the entire model grid, or part of a model grid. This type
of information is provided in a special type of data block called a “GRIDDATA” block. For example, hydraulic
conductivity is required for every cell in the model grid. Hydraulic conductivity is read from a “GRIDDATA”
block in the NPF Package input file. For GRIDDATA arrays with one value for every cell in the model grid,
the arrays can optionally be read in a LAYERED format, in which an array is provided for each layer of the
grid. Alternatively, the array can be read for the entire model grid. As an example, consider the GRIDDATA
block for the IC Package shown below:
BEGIN GRIDDATA
STRT [LAYERED]
<strt(nodes)> -- READARRAY
END GRIDDATA

Here, the initial heads for the model are provided in the strt array. If the optional LAYERED keyword
is present, then a separate array is provided for each layer. If the LAYERED keyword is not present, then the
entire starting head array is read at once. The LAYERED keyword may be useful to discretization packages
of type DIS and DISV, which support the concept of layers. Models defined with the DISU Package are not
layered.
For a structured DIS model, the READARRAY utility is used to read arrays that are dimensioned to the
full size of the grid (of size nlay*nrow*ncol). This utility first reads an array name, which associates the
input to be read with the desired array. For these arrays, an optional keyword “LAYERED” can be located next
to the array name. If “LAYERED” is detected, then a control line is provided for each layer and the array is
filled with values for each model layer. If the “LAYERED” keyword is absent, then a single control line is
used and the entire array is filled at once.
18 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

For example, the following block shows one way the starting head array (STRT) could be specified for a
model with 4 layers. Following the array name and the “LAYERED” keyword are four control lines, one for
each layer.
STRT LAYERED
CONSTANT 10.0 #layer 1
CONSTANT 10.0 #layer 2
CONSTANT 10.0 #layer 3
CONSTANT 10.0 #layer 4

In this next example, the “LAYERED” keyword is absent. In this case, the control line applies to the entire
strt array. One control line is required, and a constant value of 10.0 will be assigned to STRT for all cells in
the model grid.
STRT
CONSTANT 10.0 #applies to all cells in the grid

List Input
Some items consist of several variables, such as layer, row, column, stage, and conductance, for example.
List input refers to a block of data with a separate item on each line. For some common list types, the first set
of variables is a cell identifier (denoted as cellid in this guide), such as layer, row, and column. With lists,
the input data for each item must start on a new line. All variables for an item are assumed to be contained in a
single line. Each input variable has a data type, which can be Double Precision, Integer, or Character. Integers
are whole numbers and must not include a decimal point or exponent. Double Precision numbers can include
a decimal point and an exponent. If no decimal point is included in the entered value, then the decimal point is
assumed to be at the right side of the value. Any printable character is allowed for character variables.
Variables starting with the letters I-N are most commonly integers; however, in some instances, a charac-
ter string may start with the letters I-N. Variables starting with the letters A-H and O-Z are primarily double
precision numbers; however, these variable names may also be used for character data. In MODFLOW 6 all
variables are explicitly declared within the source code, as opposed to the implicit type declaration in previous
MODFLOW versions. This explicit declaration means that the variable type can be easily determined from the
source code.
Free formatting is used throughout the input instructions. With free format, values are not required to
occupy a fixed number of columns in a line. Each value can occupy one or more columns as required to rep-
resent the value; however, the values must still be included in the prescribed order. One or more spaces, or a
single comma optionally combined with spaces, must separate adjacent values. Also, a numeric value of zero
must be explicitly represented with 0 and not by one or more spaces when free format is used, because detect-
ing the difference between a space that represents 0 and a space that represents a value separator is not possi-
ble. Free format is similar to Fortran’s list directed input.
Two capabilities included in Fortran’s list-directed input are not included in the free-format input imple-
mented in MODFLOW 6. Null values in which input values are left unchanged from their previous values are
not allowed. In general, MODFLOW’s input values are not defined prior to their input. A “/” cannot be used
to terminate an input line without including values for all the variables; data values for all required input vari-
ables must be explicitly specified on an input line. For character data, MODFLOW’s free format implemen-
tation is less stringent than the list-directed input of Fortran. Fortran requires character data to be delineated
by apostrophes. MODFLOW does not require apostrophes unless a blank or a comma is part of a character
variable.
As an example of a list, consider the PERIOD block for the GHB Package. The input format is shown
below:
BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 19

<cellid(ncelldim)> <bhead> <cond> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]

<cellid(ncelldim)> <bhead> <cond> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PERIOD

Each line represents a separate item, which consists of variables. In this case, the first variable of the item,
cellid is an array of size ncelldim. The next two variables of the item are bhead and cond. Lastly, the item
has two optional variables, aux and boundname. Three of the variables shown in the list are colored in blue.
Variables that are colored in blue mean that they can be represented with a time series. The time series capabil-
ity is described in the section on Time-Variable Input in this document.
The following is simple example of a PERIOD block for the GHB Package, which shows how a list is
entered by the user.
BEGIN PERIOD 1
# lay row col stage cond
1 13 1 988.0 0.038
1 14 9 1045.0 0.038
END PERIOD

As described earlier in the section on “Block and Keyword Input,” block information can be read from a
separate text file. To activate reading a list from separate text file, the first and only entry in the block must be
a control line of the following form:
OPEN/CLOSE <fname>

where fname is the name of the file containing the list. Lists for the stress packages (CHD, WEL, DRN, RIV,
GHB, RCH, and EVT) have an additional BINARY option. The BINARY option is not supported for the
advanced stress packages (LAK, MAW, SFR, UZF). The BINARY options is specified as follows:
OPEN/CLOSE <fname> [(BINARY)]

If the (BINARY) keyword is found on the control line, then the file is opened as an unformatted file on
unit 99, and the list is read. There are a number of requirements for using the (BINARY) option for lists. All
stress package lists begin with integer values for the cellid (layer, row, and column, for example). These val-
ues must be represented as integer numbers in the unformatted file. Also, all auxiliary data must be included
in the binary file; auxiliary data must be represented as double precision numbers. Lastly, the (BINARY)
option does not support entry of boundname, and so the BOUNDNAMES option should not be activated in
the OPTIONS block for the package.

Units of Length and Time

The GWF Model formulates the groundwater flow equation without using prescribed length and time
units. Any consistent units of length and time can be used when specifying the input data for a simulation.
This capability gives a certain amount of freedom to the user, but care must be exercised to avoid mixing units.
The program cannot detect the use of inconsistent units. For example, if hydraulic conductivity is entered in
units of feet per day and pumpage as cubic meters per second, the program will run, but the results will be
meaningless. Other processes generally are expected to work with consistent length and time units; however,
other processes could conceivably place restrictions on which units are supported.
The user can set flags that specify the length and time units (see the input instructions for the Timing Mod-
ule and Spatial Discretization Files), which may be useful in various parts of MODFLOW. For example, the
program will label the table of simulation time with time units if the time units are specified by the optional
TIME UNITS label, which can be set in the TDIS Package. If the time units are not specified, the program
still runs, but the table of simulation time does not indicate the time units. An optional LENGTH UNITS label
can be set in the Discretization Package. Situations in other processes may require that the length or time units
be specified. In such situations, the input instructions will state the requirements. Remember that specifying
20 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

the unit flags does not enforce consistent use of units. The user must insure that consistent units are used in all
input data.

Steady-State Simulations
A steady-state simulation is represented by a single stress period having a single time step with the storage
term set to zero. Setting the number and length of stress periods and time steps is the responsibility of the Tim-
ing Module of the MODFLOW 6 framework. The length of the stress period and time step will not affect the
head solution because the time derivative is not calculated in a steady-state problem. Setting the storage term
to zero is the responsibility of the Storage Package. Most other packages need not ”know” that a simulation is
steady state.
A GWF Model also can be mixed transient and steady state because each stress period can be designated
transient or steady state. Thus, a GWF Model can start with a steady-state stress period and continue with one
or more transient stress periods. The settings for controlling steady-state and transient options are in the Stor-
age Package. If the Storage Package is not specified for a GWF Model, then the storage terms are zero and the
GWF Model will be steady state.

Volumetric Budget
A summary of all inflows (sources) and outflows (sinks) of water is called a water budget. The water bud-
get for the GWF Model is termed a volumetric budget because volumes of water and volumetric flow rates are
involved; thus strictly speaking, a volumetric budget is not a mass balance, although this term has been used in
other model reports. MODFLOW 6 calculates a water budget for the overall model as a check on the accept-
ability of the solution, and to provide a summary of the sources and sinks of water to the flow system. The
water budget is printed to the GWF Model Listing File for selected time steps.
Numerical solution techniques for simultaneous equations do not always result in a correct answer; in par-
ticular, iterative solvers may stop iterating before a sufficiently close approximation to the solution is attained.
A water budget provides an indication of the overall acceptability of the solution. The system of equations
solved by the model actually consists of a flow continuity statement for each model cell. Continuity should
also exist for the total flows into and out of the model—that is, the difference between total inflow and total
outflow should equal the total change in storage. In the model program, the water budget is calculated inde-
pendently of the equation solution process, and in this sense may provide independent evidence of a valid solu-
tion.
The total budget as printed in the output does not include internal flows between model cells—only flows
into or out of the model as a whole. For example, flow to or from rivers, flow to or from constant-head cells,
and flow to or from wells are all included in the overall budget terms. Flow into and out of storage is also con-
sidered part of the overall budget inasmuch as accumulation in storage effectively removes water from the flow
system and storage release effectively adds water to the flow—even though neither process, in itself, involves
the transfer of water into or out of the ground-water regime. Each hydrologic package calculates its own con-
tribution to the budget.
For every time step, the budget subroutine of each hydrologic package calculates the rate of flow into and
out of the system due to the process simulated by the package. The inflows and outflows for each component
of flow are stored separately. Most packages deal with only one such component of flow. In addition to flow,
the volumes of water entering and leaving the model during the time step are calculated as the product of flow
rate and time-step length. Cumulative volumes, from the beginning of the simulation, are then calculated and
stored.
The GWF Model uses the inflows, outflows, and cumulative volumes to write the budget to the Listing
File at the times requested by the model user. When a budget is written, the flow rates for the last time step
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 21

and cumulative volumes from the beginning of simulation are written for each component of flow. Inflows are
written separately from outflows. Following the convention indicated above, water entering storage is treated
as an outflow (that is, as a loss of water from the flow system) while water released from storage is treated as
an inflow (that is, a source of water to the flow system). In addition, total inflow and total outflow are written,
as well as the difference between total inflow and outflow. The difference is then written as a percentage error,
calculated using the formula:

100(IN − OU T )
D= (1)
(IN + OU T )/2

where D is the percentage error term, IN is the total inflow to the system, and OU T is the total outflow.
If the model equations are solved correctly, the percentage error should be small. In general, flow rates
may be taken as an indication of solution validity for the time step to which they apply, while cumulative vol-
umes are an indication of validity for the entire simulation up to the time of the output. The budget is written
to the GWF Model Listing File at the end of each stress period whether requested or not.

Cell-By-Cell Flows

In some situations, calculating flow terms for various subregions of the model is useful. To facilitate such
calculations, provision has been made to save flow terms for individual cells in a separate binary file so they
can be used in computations external to the model itself. These individual cell flows are referred to here as
“cell-by-cell” flow terms and are of four general types: (1) cell-by-cell stress flows, or flows into or from an
individual cell caused by one of the external stresses represented in the model, such as evapotranspiration or
recharge; (2) cell-by-cell storage terms, which give the rate of accumulation or depletion of storage in an indi-
vidual cell; and (3) internal cell-by-cell flows, which are actually the flows across individual cell faces—that
is, between adjacent model cells. These four kinds of cell-by-cell flow terms are discussed further in subse-
quent paragraphs. To save any of these cell-by-cell terms, two flags in the model input must be set. The input
to the Output Control file indicates the time steps for which cell-by-cell terms are to be saved. In addition,
each hydrologic package includes an option called SAVE FLOWS that must be set if the cell-by-cell terms
computed by that package are to be saved. Thus, if the appropriate option in the Evapotranspiration Package
input is set, cell-by-cell evapotranspiration terms will be saved for each time step for which the saving of cell-
by-cell flow is requested through the Output Control Option. Only flow values are saved in the cell-by-cell
files; neither water volumes nor cumulative water volumes are included. The flow dimensions are volume per
unit time, where volume and time are in the same units used for all model input data. The cell-by-cell flow val-
ues are stored in unformatted form to make the most efficient use of disk space; see the Budget File section
toward the end of this user guide for information on how the data are written to a file.
The cell-by-cell storage term gives the net flow to or from storage in a variable-head cell. The net storage
for each cell in the grid is saved in transient simulations if the appropriate flags are set. Withdrawal from stor-
age in the cell is considered positive, whereas accumulation in storage is considered negative.
The cell-by-cell constant-head flow term gives the flow into or out of an individual constant-head cell
(specified with the CHD Package). This term is always associated with the constant-head cell itself, rather than
with the surrounding cells that contribute or receive the flow. A constant-head cell may be surrounded by as
many as six adjacent variable-head cells for a regular grid or any number of cells for the other grid types. The
cell-by-cell calculation provides a single flow value for each constant-head cell, representing the algebraic sum
of the flows between that cell and all of the adjacent variable-head cells. A positive value indicates that the net
flow is away from the constant-head cell (into the variable-head part of the grid); a negative value indicates
that the net flow is into the constant-head cell.
22 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

The internal cell-by-cell flow values represent flows across the individual faces of a model cell. Flows
between cells are written in the compressed row storage format, whereby the flow between cell n and each
one of its connecting m neighbor cells are contained in a single one-dimensional array. Flows are positive for
the cell in question. Thus the flow reported for cell n and its connection with cell m is opposite in sign to the
flow reported for cell m and its connection with cell n. These internal cell-by-cell flow values are useful in
calculations of the groundwater flow into various subregions of the model, or in constructing flow vectors.
Cell-by-cell stress flows are flow rates into or out of the model, at a particular cell, owing to one particular
external stress. For example, the cell-by-cell evapotranspiration term for cell n would give the flow out of the
model by evapotranspiration from cell n. Cell-by-cell stress flows are considered positive if flow is into the
cell, and negative if out of the cell.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 23

GWF Model Name File

The GWF Model Name File specifies the options and packages that are active for a GWF model. The
Name File contains two blocks: OPTIONS and PACKAGES. The length of each line must be 299 characters
or less. The lines in each block can be in any order. Files listed in the PACKAGES block must exist when the
program starts.
Comment lines are indicated when the first character in a line is one of the valid comment characters.
Commented lines can be located anywhere in the file. Any text characters can follow the comment charac-
ter. Comment lines have no effect on the simulation; their purpose is to allow users to provide documentation
about a particular simulation.

Structure of Blocks
BEGIN OPTIONS
[LIST <list>]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[NEWTON [UNDER_RELAXATION]]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN PACKAGES
<ftype> <fname> [<pname>]
<ftype> <fname> [<pname>]
...
END PACKAGES

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

list—is name of the listing file to create for this GWF model. If not specified, then the name of the list
file will be the basename of the GWF model name file and the ’.lst’ extension. For example, if the
GWF name file is called “my.model.nam” then the list file will be called “my.model.lst”.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of all model stress package information will be written
to the listing file immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of all model package flow rates will be printed to the
listing file for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Con-
trol. If there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed
for the last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that all model package flow terms will be written to the file specified
with “BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
NEWTON—keyword that activates the Newton-Raphson formulation for groundwater flow between con-
nected, convertible groundwater cells and stress packages that support calculation of Newton-
Raphson terms for groundwater exchanges. Cells will not dry when this option is used. By default,
the Newton-Raphson formulation is not applied.
UNDER RELAXATION—keyword that indicates whether the groundwater head in a cell will be under-
relaxed when water levels fall below the bottom of the model below any given cell. By default,
Newton-Raphson UNDER RELAXATION is not applied.
24 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Block: PACKAGES

ftype—is the file type, which must be one of the following character values shown in table 5. Ftype
may be entered in any combination of uppercase and lowercase.
fname—is the name of the file containing the package input. The path to the file should be included if
the file is not located in the folder where the program was run.
pname—is the user-defined name for the package. Pname is restricted to 16 characters. No spaces are
allowed in Pname. Pname character values are read and stored by the program for stress packages
only. These names may be useful for labeling purposes when multiple stress packages of the same
type are located within a single GWF Model. If Pname is specified for a stress package, then Pname
will be used in the flow budget table in the listing file; it will also be used for the text entry in the
cell-by-cell budget file. Pname is case insensitive and is stored in all upper case letters.

Table 5. Ftype values described in this report. The Pname column indicates whether or not a package name can be provided in
the name file.

Ftype Input File Description Pname

LIST Listing File
DIS6 Rectilinear Discretization Input File
DISV6 Discretization by Vertices Input File
DISU6 Unstructured Discretization Input File
IC6 Initial Conditions Package
OC6 Output Control Option
NPF6 Node Property Flow Package
STO6 Storage Package
HFB6 Horizontal Flow Barrier Package
CHD6 Time-Variant Specified Head Option *
WEL6 Well Package *
DRN6 Drain Package *
RIV6 River Package *
GHB6 General-Head Boundary Package *
RCH6 Recharge Package *
EVT6 Evapotranspiration Package *
MAW6 Multi-Aquifer Well Package *
SFR6 Streamflow Routing Package *
LAK6 Lake Package *
UZF6 Unsaturated Zone Flow Package *
MVR6 Water Mover Package
GNC6 Ghost-Node Correction Package
OBS6 Observations Option

Example Input File

 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 25

# This block is optional

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

# List of packages. List can be listed in any order.

BEGIN PACKAGES
IC6 bcf2ss.ic
NPF6 bcf2ss.npf
WEL6 bcf2ss.wel WEL-COUNTY
RIV6 bcf2ss.riv
RCH6 bcf2ss.rch
OC6 bcf2ss.oc
DIS6 bcf2ss.dis
END PACKAGES
26 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Structured Discretization (DIS) Input File

Discretization information for structured grids is read from the file that is specified by “DIS6” as the file
type. Only one discretization input file (DISU6, DISV6 or DIS6) can be specified for a model.

Structure of Blocks
BEGIN OPTIONS
[LENGTH_UNITS <length_units>]
[NOGRB]
[XORIGIN <xorigin>]
[YORIGIN <yorigin>]
[ANGROT <angrot>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NLAY <nlay>
NROW <nrow>
NCOL <ncol>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN GRIDDATA
DELR [LAYERED]
<delr(ncol)> -- READARRAY
DELC [LAYERED]
<delc(nrow)> -- READARRAY
TOP [LAYERED]
<top(ncol, nrow)> -- READARRAY
BOTM [LAYERED]
<botm(ncol, nrow, nlay)> -- READARRAY
[IDOMAIN [LAYERED]
<idomain(ncol, nrow, nlay)> -- READARRAY]
END GRIDDATA

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

length units—is the length units used for this model. Values can be “FEET”, “METERS”, or “CEN-
TIMETERS”. If not specified, the default is “UNKNOWN”.
NOGRB—keyword to deactivate writing of the binary grid file.
xorigin—x-position of the lower-left corner of the model grid. A default value of zero is assigned if
not specified. The value for xorigin does not affect the model simulation, but it is written to the
binary grid file so that postprocessors can locate the grid in space.
yorigin—y-position of the lower-left corner of the model grid. If not specified, then a default value
equal to zero is used. The value for yorigin does not affect the model simulation, but it is written
to the binary grid file so that postprocessors can locate the grid in space.
angrot—counter-clockwise rotation angle (in degrees) of the lower-left corner of the model grid. If not
specified, then a default value of 0.0 is assigned. The value for angrot does not affect the model
simulation, but it is written to the binary grid file so that postprocessors can locate the grid in space.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nlay—is the number of layers in the model grid.

 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 27

nrow—is the number of rows in the model grid.

ncol—is the number of columns in the model grid.

Block: GRIDDATA

delr—is the is the column spacing in the row direction.

delc—is the is the row spacing in the column direction.
top—is the top elevation for each cell in the top model layer.
botm—is the bottom elevation for each cell.
idomain—is an optional array that characterizes the existence status of a cell. If the idomain array is
not specified, then all model cells exist within the solution. If the idomain value for a cell is 0, the
cell does not exist in the simulation. Input and output values will be read and written for the cell,
but internal to the program, the cell is excluded from the solution. If the idomain value for a cell
is 1, the cell exists in the simulation. If the idomain value for a cell is -1, the cell does not exist in
the simulation. Furthermore, the first existing cell above will be connected to the first existing cell
below. This type of cell is referred to as a “vertical pass through” cell.

Example Input File

#The OPTIONS block is optional

BEGIN OPTIONS
LENGTH_UNITS METERS
END OPTIONS

#The DIMENSIONS block is required

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NLAY 10
NROW 1
NCOL 21
END DIMENSIONS

#The GRIDDATA block is required

BEGIN GRIDDATA
DELR
INTERNAL FACTOR 1.
.1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 0.01
DELC
CONSTANT 1.0
TOP LAYERED
CONSTANT 1.
BOTM LAYERED
CONSTANT 0.9
CONSTANT 0.8
CONSTANT 0.7
CONSTANT 0.6
CONSTANT 0.5
CONSTANT 0.4
CONSTANT 0.3
CONSTANT 0.2
CONSTANT 0.1
CONSTANT 0.0
END GRIDDATA
28 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Discretization with Vertices (DISV) Input File

Discretization information for DISV grids is read from the file that is specified by “DISV6” as the file
type. Only one discretization input file (DISV6, DISU6 or DIS6) can be specified for a model.
The approach for numbering cell and cell vertices for the DISV Package is shown in figure 1. The list of
vertices for a cell must be in clockwise order. Closing of the cell polygon by repeating the first vertex as the
last vertex is not required in the present implementation. Internally within the program, however, the first ver-
tex number is added to the end of the vertex list in order to close the polygon. Thus, users have the option for
whether or not to close cell polygons.

A. Quad-based grid B. Triangular grid

1 2 5 1 2 3
2 4
1 2 1 3 5
4 5 6 7
3 9 6 8 10
4 6
4 5 7 9
3 10
11 12
8 9 10
6 7
8 7 13 14

Cell NVERT Vertices Cell NVERT Vertices

1 4 [1 2 3 4] 1 3 [1 5 4]
2 5 [2 5 6 9 3] 2 3 [1 2 5]
3 5 [4 3 11 7 8] 3 3 [2 6 5]
4 4 [3 9 10 11] 4 3 [2 3 6]
5 4 [9 6 12 10] 5 3 [3 7 6]
6 4 [11 10 13 7] 6 3 [4 5 8]
7 4 [10 12 14 13] 7 3 [5 9 8]
8 3 [5 6 9]
9 3 [6 10 9]
10 3 [6 7 10]

EXPLANATION
2 Cell center and cell number
4 Vertex and vertex number

Figure 1. Schematic diagram showing the vertices and cells defined using the Discretization by Vertices Package. The list of
vertices used to define each cell must be in clockwise order. From Langevin and others (2017).

Structure of Blocks

BEGIN OPTIONS
[LENGTH_UNITS <length_units>]
[NOGRB]
[XORIGIN <xorigin>]
[YORIGIN <yorigin>]
[ANGROT <angrot>]
END OPTIONS
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 29

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NLAY <nlay>
NCPL <ncpl>
NVERT <nvert>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN GRIDDATA
TOP [LAYERED]
<top(1, ncpl)> -- READARRAY
BOTM [LAYERED]
<botm(nlay, ncpl)> -- READARRAY
[IDOMAIN [LAYERED]
<idomain(nlay, ncpl)> -- READARRAY]
END GRIDDATA

BEGIN VERTICES
<iv> <xv> <yv>
<iv> <xv> <yv>
...
END VERTICES

BEGIN CELL2D
<icell2d> <xc> <yc> <ncvert> <icvert(ncvert)>
<icell2d> <xc> <yc> <ncvert> <icvert(ncvert)>
...
END CELL2D

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

length units—is the length units used for this model. Values can be “FEET”, “METERS”, or “CEN-
TIMETERS”. If not specified, the default is “UNKNOWN”.
NOGRB—keyword to deactivate writing of the binary grid file.
xorigin—x-position of the origin used for model grid vertices. This value should be provided in a real-
world coordinate system. A default value of zero is assigned if not specified. The value for xorigin
does not affect the model simulation, but it is written to the binary grid file so that postprocessors
can locate the grid in space.
yorigin—y-position of the origin used for model grid vertices. This value should be provided in a real-
world coordinate system. If not specified, then a default value equal to zero is used. The value for
yorigin does not affect the model simulation, but it is written to the binary grid file so that postpro-
cessors can locate the grid in space.
angrot—counter-clockwise rotation angle (in degrees) of the model grid coordinate system relative to a
real-world coordinate system. If not specified, then a default value of 0.0 is assigned. The value for
angrot does not affect the model simulation, but it is written to the binary grid file so that postpro-
cessors can locate the grid in space.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nlay—is the number of layers in the model grid.

ncpl—is the number of cells per layer. This is a constant value for the grid and it applies to all layers.
nvert—is the total number of (x, y) vertex pairs used to characterize the horizontal configuration of the
model grid.
30 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Block: GRIDDATA

top—is the top elevation for each cell in the top model layer.
botm—is the bottom elevation for each cell.
idomain—is an optional array that characterizes the existence status of a cell. If the idomain array is
not specified, then all model cells exist within the solution. If the idomain value for a cell is 0, the
cell does not exist in the simulation. Input and output values will be read and written for the cell,
but internal to the program, the cell is excluded from the solution. If the idomain value for a cell
is 1, the cell exists in the simulation. If the idomain value for a cell is -1, the cell does not exist in
the simulation. Furthermore, the first existing cell above will be connected to the first existing cell
below. This type of cell is referred to as a “vertical pass through” cell.

Block: VERTICES

iv—is the vertex number. Records in the VERTICES block must be listed in consecutive order from 1
to nvert.
xv—is the x-coordinate for the vertex.
yv—is the y-coordinate for the vertex.

Block: CELL2D

icell2d—is the cell2d number. Records in the CELL2D block must be listed in consecutive order from
1 to ncpl.
xc—is the x-coordinate for the cell center.
yc—is the y-coordinate for the cell center.
ncvert—is the number of vertices required to define the cell. There may be a different number of ver-
tices for each cell.
icvert—is an array of integer values containing vertex numbers (in the VERTICES block) used to
define the cell. Vertices must be listed in clockwise order. Cells that are connected must share ver-
tices.

Example Input File

#The OPTIONS block is optional
BEGIN OPTIONS
LENGTH_UNITS METERS
END OPTIONS

#The DIMENSIONS block is required

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NCPL 4
NLAY 3
NVERT 9
END DIMENSIONS

#The GRIDDATA block is required

BEGIN GRIDDATA
TOP
CONSTANT 3.0
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 31

BOTM LAYERED
CONSTANT 2.0
CONSTANT 1.0
CONSTANT 0.0
IDOMAIN LAYERED
INTERNAL FACTOR 1
1 1 1 0
CONSTANT 1
CONSTANT 1
END GRIDDATA

#The VERTICES block is required

BEGIN VERTICES
1 0. 1.
2 .5 1.
3 1. 1.
4 0 .5
5 .5 .5
6 1. .5
7 0. 0.
8 .5 0.
9 1. 0.
END VERTICES

BEGIN CELL2D
1 .25 .75 4 1 2 5 4
2 .75 .75 4 2 3 6 5
3 .25 .25 4 4 5 8 7
4 .75 .25 4 5 6 9 8
END CELL2D
32 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Unstructured Discretization (DISU) Input File

Discretization information for unstructured grids is read from the file that is specified by “DISU6” as the
file type. Only one discretization input file (DISU6, DISV6 or DIS6) can be specified for a model.
The shape and position of each cell can be defined using vertices. This information is optional and is only
read if the number of vertices (NVERT) in the DIMENSIONS block is specified and is assigned a value larger
than zero. If the vertices and two-dimensional cell information is provided in this file, then this information is
also written to the binary grid file. Providing this information may be useful for other postprocessing programs
that read the binary grid file.

Structure of Blocks
BEGIN OPTIONS
[LENGTH_UNITS <length_units>]
[NOGRB]
[XORIGIN <xorigin>]
[YORIGIN <yorigin>]
[ANGROT <angrot>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NODES <nodes>
NJA <nja>
[NVERT <nvert>]
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN GRIDDATA
TOP [LAYERED]
<top(nodes)> -- READARRAY
BOT [LAYERED]
<bot(nodes)> -- READARRAY
AREA [LAYERED]
<area(nodes)> -- READARRAY
END GRIDDATA

BEGIN CONNECTIONDATA
IAC [LAYERED]
<iac(nodes)> -- READARRAY
JA [LAYERED]
<ja(nja)> -- READARRAY
IHC [LAYERED]
<ihc(nja)> -- READARRAY
CL12 [LAYERED]
<cl12(nja)> -- READARRAY
HWVA [LAYERED]
<hwva(nja)> -- READARRAY
[ANGLDEGX [LAYERED]
<angldegx(nja)> -- READARRAY]
END CONNECTIONDATA

BEGIN VERTICES
<iv> <xv> <yv>
<iv> <xv> <yv>
...
END VERTICES

BEGIN CELL2D
<icell2d> <xc> <yc> <ncvert> <icvert(ncvert)>
<icell2d> <xc> <yc> <ncvert> <icvert(ncvert)>
...
END CELL2D
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 33

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

length units—is the length units used for this model. Values can be “FEET”, “METERS”, or “CEN-
TIMETERS”. If not specified, the default is “UNKNOWN”.
NOGRB—keyword to deactivate writing of the binary grid file.
xorigin—x-position of the origin used for model grid vertices. This value should be provided in a real-
world coordinate system. A default value of zero is assigned if not specified. The value for xorigin
does not affect the model simulation, but it is written to the binary grid file so that postprocessors
can locate the grid in space.
yorigin—y-position of the origin used for model grid vertices. This value should be provided in a real-
world coordinate system. If not specified, then a default value equal to zero is used. The value for
yorigin does not affect the model simulation, but it is written to the binary grid file so that postpro-
cessors can locate the grid in space.
angrot—counter-clockwise rotation angle (in degrees) of the model grid coordinate system relative to a
real-world coordinate system. If not specified, then a default value of 0.0 is assigned. The value for
angrot does not affect the model simulation, but it is written to the binary grid file so that postpro-
cessors can locate the grid in space.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nodes—is the number of cells in the model grid.

nja—is the sum of the number of connections and nodes. When calculating the total number of con-
nections, the connection between cell n and cell m is considered to be different from the connection
between cell m and cell n. Thus, nja is equal to the total number of connections, including n to m
and m to n, and the total number of cells.
nvert—is the total number of (x, y) vertex pairs used to define the plan-view shape of each cell in the
model grid. If nvert is not specified or is specified as zero, then the VERTICES and CELL2D
blocks below are not read.

Block: GRIDDATA

top—is the top elevation for each cell in the model grid.
bot—is the bottom elevation for each cell.
area—is the cell surface area (in plan view).

Block: CONNECTIONDATA

iac—is the number of connections (plus 1) for each cell. The sum of iac must be equal to nja.
ja—is a list of cell number (n) followed by its connecting cell numbers (m) for each of the m cells con-
nected to cell n. The number of values to provide for cell n is iac(n). This list is sequentially pro-
vided for the first to the last cell. The first value in the list must be cell n itself, and the remaining
cells must be listed in an increasing order (sorted from lowest number to highest). Note that the cell
and its connections are only supplied for the GWF cells and their connections to the other GWF
cells. Also note that the JA list input may be chopped up to have every node number and its con-
nectivity list on a separate line for ease in readability of the file. To further ease readability of the
file, the node number of the cell whose connectivity is subsequently listed, may be expressed as a
negative number the sign of which is subsequently corrected by the code.
34 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

ihc—is an index array indicating the direction between node n and all of its m connections. If ihc = 0
– cell n and cell m are connected in the vertical direction. Cell n overlies cell m if the cell number
for n is less than m; cell m overlies cell n if the cell number for m is less than n. If ihc = 1 – cell
n and cell m are connected in the horizontal direction. If ihc = 2 – cell n and cell m are connected
in the horizontal direction, and the connection is vertically staggered. A vertically staggered connec-
tion is one in which a cell is horizontally connected to more than one cell in a horizontal connection.
cl12—is the array containing connection lengths between the center of cell n and the shared face with
each adjacent m cell.
hwva—is a symmetric array of size nja. For horizontal connections, entries in hwva are the horizontal
width perpendicular to flow. For vertical connections, entries in hwva are the vertical area for flow.
Thus, values in the hwva array contain dimensions of both length and area. Entries in the hwva array
have a one-to-one correspondence with the connections specified in the ja array. Likewise, there is
a one-to-one correspondence between entries in the hwva array and entries in the ihc array, which
specifies the connection type (horizontal or vertical). Entries in the hwva array must be symmetric;
the program will terminate with an error if the value for hwva for an n − m connection does not
equal the value for hwva for the corresponding m − n connection.
angldegx—is the angle (in degrees) between the horizontal x-axis and the outward normal to the face
between a cell and its connecting cells (see figure 8 in the MODFLOW-USG documentation). The
angle varies between zero and 360.0. angldegx is only needed if horizontal anisotropy is specified
in the NPF Package. angldegx does not need to be specified if horizontal anisotropy is not used.
angldegx is of size nja; values specified for vertical connections and for the diagonal position are
not used. Note that angldegx is read in degrees, which is different from MODFLOW-USG, which
reads a similar variable (anglex) in radians.

Block: VERTICES

iv—is the vertex number. Records in the VERTICES block must be listed in consecutive order from 1
to nvert.
xv—is the x-coordinate for the vertex.
yv—is the y-coordinate for the vertex.

Block: CELL2D

icell2d—is the cell2d number. Records in the CELL2D block must be listed in consecutive order from
1 to nodes.
xc—is the x-coordinate for the cell center.
yc—is the y-coordinate for the cell center.
ncvert—is the number of vertices required to define the cell. There may be a different number of ver-
tices for each cell.
icvert—is an array of integer values containing vertex numbers (in the VERTICES block) used to
define the cell. Vertices must be listed in clockwise order.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 35

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
LENGTH_UNITS METERS
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NODES 9
NJA 33
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN GRIDDATA
TOP
CONSTANT 0.
BOT
CONSTANT -10
AREA
INTERNAL FACTOR 1
10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000 10000
END GRIDDATA

BEGIN CONNECTIONDATA
IHC
CONSTANT 1
IAC
INTERNAL FACTOR 1
3 4 3 4 5 4 3 4 3
JA
INTERNAL FACTOR 1
1 2 4
2 1 3 5
3 2 6
4 1 5 7
5 2 4 6 8
6 3 5 9
7 4 8
8 5 7 9
9 6 8
CL12
INTERNAL FACTOR 1
0 50 50
0 50 50 50
0 50 50
0 50 50 50
0 50 50 50 50
0 50 50 50
0 50 50
0 50 50 50
0 50 50
HWVA
INTERNAL FACTOR 1
0 100 100
0 100 100 100
0 100 100
0 100 100 100
0 100 100 100 100
0 100 100 100
0 100 100
0 100 100 100
0 100 100
END CONNECTIONDATA
36 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Initial Conditions (IC) Package

Initial Conditions (IC) Package information is read from the file that is specified by “IC6” as the file type.
Only one IC Package can be specified for a GWF model.

Structure of Blocks

BEGIN GRIDDATA
STRT [LAYERED]
<strt(nodes)> -- READARRAY
END GRIDDATA

Explanation of Variables
Block: GRIDDATA

strt—is the initial (starting) head—that is, head at the beginning of the GWF Model simulation. strt
must be specified for all simulations, including steady-state simulations. One value is read for every
model cell. For simulations in which the first stress period is steady state, the values used for STRT
generally do not affect the simulation (exceptions may occur if cells go dry and (or) rewet). The
execution time, however, will be less if STRT includes hydraulic heads that are close to the steady-
state solution. A head value lower than the cell bottom can be provided if a cell should start as dry.

Example Input File

#The OPTIONS block is optional

BEGIN OPTIONS
END OPTIONS

#The GRIDDATA block is required

BEGIN GRIDDATA
STRT LAYERED
CONSTANT 0.0 Initial Head layer 1
CONSTANT 0.0 Initial Head layer 2
END GRIDDATA
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 37

Output Control (OC) Option

Input to the Output Control Option of the Groundwater Flow Model is read from the file that is specified
as type “OC6” in the Name File. If no “OC6” file is specified, default output control is used. The Output Con-
trol Option determines how and when heads are printed to the listing file and/or written to a separate binary
output file. Under the default, head and overall budget are written to the Listing File at the end of every stress
period. The default printout format for head is 10G11.4.
Output Control data must be specified using words. The numeric codes supported in earlier MODFLOW
versions can no longer be used.
All budget output is saved in the ”COMPACT BUDGET” form. COMPACT BUDGET indicates that the
cell-by-cell budget file(s) will be written in a more compact form than is used in the 1988 version of MOD-
FLOW (McDonald and Harbaugh, 1988); however, programs that read these data in the form written by
MODFLOW-88 will be unable to read the new compact file.
For the PRINT and SAVE options of heads, there is no longer an option to specify individual layers.
Whenever one of these arrays is printed or saved, all layers are printed or saved.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[BUDGET FILEOUT <budgetfile>]
[HEAD FILEOUT <headfile>]
[HEAD PRINT_FORMAT COLUMNS <columns> WIDTH <width> DIGITS <digits> <format>]
END OPTIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
[SAVE <rtype> <ocsetting>]
[PRINT <rtype> <ocsetting>]
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

BUDGET—keyword to specify that record corresponds to the budget.

FILEOUT—keyword to specify that an output filename is expected next.
budgetfile—name of the output file to write budget information.
HEAD—keyword to specify that record corresponds to head.
headfile—name of the output file to write head information.
PRINT FORMAT—keyword to specify format for printing to the listing file.
columns—number of columns for writing data.
width—width for writing each number.
digits—number of digits to use for writing a number.
38 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

format—write format can be EXPONENTIAL, FIXED, GENERAL, or SCIENTIFIC.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
SAVE—keyword to indicate that information will be saved this stress period.
PRINT—keyword to indicate that information will be printed this stress period.
rtype—type of information to save or print. Can be BUDGET or HEAD.
ocsetting—specifies the steps for which the data will be saved.
ALL
FIRST
LAST
FREQUENCY <frequency>
STEPS <steps(nstp)>

ALL—keyword to indicate save for all time steps in period.

FIRST—keyword to indicate save for first step in period. This keyword may be used in conjunction with
other keywords to print or save results for multiple time steps.
LAST—keyword to indicate save for last step in period. This keyword may be used in conjunction with
other keywords to print or save results for multiple time steps.
frequency—save at the specified time step frequency. This keyword may be used in conjunction with
other keywords to print or save results for multiple time steps.
steps—save for each step specified in steps. This keyword may be used in conjunction with other
keywords to print or save results for multiple time steps.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
HEAD FILEOUT AdvGW_tidal.hds
BUDGET FILEOUT AdvGW_tidal.cbc
HEAD PRINT_FORMAT COLUMNS 100 WIDTH 15 DIGITS 4 GENERAL
END OPTIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 1
PRINT HEAD FIRST
PRINT HEAD LAST
PRINT BUDGET LAST
SAVE HEAD ALL
SAVE BUDGET ALL
END PERIOD

# No output for stress periods 2 through 24

BEGIN PERIOD 2
END PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD 25
PRINT HEAD STEPS 6 12 23
SAVE BUDGET FIRST
SAVE BUDGET LAST
SAVE BUDGET FREQUENCY 5
END PERIOD
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 39

Observation (OBS) Utility for a GWF Model

GWF Model observations include the simulated groundwater head (head), calculated drawdown
(drawdown) at a node, and the flow between two connected nodes (flow-ja-face). The data required for
each GWF Model observation type is defined in table 6. For flow-ja-face observation types, negative and
positive values represent a loss from and gain to the cellid specified for ID, respectively.

Table 6. Available GWF model observation types.

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

type
GWF head cellid – Head at a specified cell.
GWF drawdown cellid – Drawdown at a specified cell calculated
as difference between starting head and
simulated head for the time step.
GWF flow-ja-face cellid cellid Flow between two adjacent cells.

Example Observation Input File

An example GWF Model observation file is shown below.
begin options
digits 10
print_input
end options

begin continuous FILEOUT my_model.gwf.head.csv

# obsname obstype ID
L1 head 1 51 51 # heads at lay 1 row 51 col 51
L2 head 2 51 51 # heads at lay 2 row 51 col 51
end continuous

begin continuous FILEOUT my_model.gwf.ddn.csv

# obsname obstype ID
L1ddn drawdown 1 51 51 # heads at lay 1 row 51 col 51
L2ddn drawdown 2 51 51 # heads at lay 2 row 51 col 51
end continuous

begin continuous FILEOUT my_model.gwf.flow.csv

# obsname obstype ID ID1
L1rfflow flow-ja-face 1 51 51 1 51 52
L2rfflow flow-ja-face 2 51 51 2 51 52
L1-L2flow flow-ja-face 1 51 51 2 51 51
end continuous
40 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Node Property Flow (NPF) Package

Input to the Node Property Flow (NPF) Package is read from the file that has type “NPF6” in the Name
File. A single NPF Package is required for each GWF model.

Structure of Blocks

BEGIN OPTIONS
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[ALTERNATIVE_CELL_AVERAGING <alternative_cell_averaging>]
[THICKSTRT]
[VARIABLECV [DEWATERED]]
[PERCHED]
[REWET WETFCT <wetfct> IWETIT <iwetit> IHDWET <ihdwet>]
[XT3D [RHS]]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN GRIDDATA
ICELLTYPE [LAYERED]
<icelltype(nodes)> -- READARRAY
K [LAYERED]
<k(nodes)> -- READARRAY
[K22 [LAYERED]
<k22(nodes)> -- READARRAY]
[K33 [LAYERED]
<k33(nodes)> -- READARRAY]
[WETDRY [LAYERED]
<wetdry(nodes)> -- READARRAY]
[ANGLE1 [LAYERED]
<angle1(nodes)> -- READARRAY]
[ANGLE2 [LAYERED]
<angle2(nodes)> -- READARRAY]
[ANGLE3 [LAYERED]
<angle3(nodes)> -- READARRAY]
END GRIDDATA

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that cell-by-cell flow terms will be written to the file specified with
“BUDGET SAVE FILE” in Output Control.
alternative cell averaging—is a text keyword to indicate that an alternative method will
be used for calculating the conductance for horizontal cell connections. The text value for
alternative cell averaging can be “LOGARITHMIC”, “AMT-LMK”, or “AMT-HMK”.
“AMT-LMK” signifies that the conductance will be calculated using arithmetic-mean thickness and
logarithmic-mean hydraulic conductivity. “AMT-HMK” signifies that the conductance will be calcu-
lated using arithmetic-mean thickness and harmonic-mean hydraulic conductivity. If the user does
not specify a value for alternative cell averaging, then the harmonic-mean method will be
used. This option cannot be used if the XT3D option is invoked.
THICKSTRT—indicates that cells having a negative icelltype are confined, and their cell thickness for
conductance calculations will be computed as STRT-BOT rather than TOP-BOT.
VARIABLECV—keyword to indicate that the vertical conductance will be calculated using the saturated
thickness and properties of the overlying cell and the thickness and properties of the underlying cell.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 41

If the DEWATERED keyword is also specified, then the vertical conductance is calculated using
only the saturated thickness and properties of the overlying cell if the head in the underlying cell
is below its top. If these keywords are not specified, then the default condition is to calculate the
vertical conductance at the start of the simulation using the initial head and the cell properties. The
vertical conductance remains constant for the entire simulation.
DEWATERED—If the DEWATERED keyword is specified, then the vertical conductance is calculated
using only the saturated thickness and properties of the overlying cell if the head in the underlying
cell is below its top.
PERCHED—keyword to indicate that when a cell is overlying a dewatered convertible cell, the head dif-
ference used in Darcy’s Law is equal to the head in the overlying cell minus the bottom elevation
of the overlying cell. If not specified, then the default is to use the head difference between the two
cells.
REWET—activates model rewetting. Rewetting is off by default.
wetfct—is a keyword and factor that is included in the calculation of the head that is initially estab-
lished at a cell when that cell is converted from dry to wet.
iwetit—is a keyword and iteration interval for attempting to wet cells. Wetting is attempted every
iwetit iteration. This applies to outer iterations and not inner iterations. If iwetit is specified
as zero or less, then the value is changed to 1.
ihdwet—is a keyword and integer flag that determines which equation is used to define the initial head
at cells that become wet. If ihdwet is 0, h = BOT + W ET F CT (hm − BOT ). If ihdwet is not
0, h = BOT + W ET F CT (T HRESH).
XT3D—keyword indicating that the XT3D formulation will be used. If the RHS keyword is also included,
then the XT3D additional terms will be added to the right-hand side. If the RHS keyword is
excluded, then the XT3D terms will be put into the coefficient matrix. Use of XT3D will substan-
tially increase the computational effort, but will result in improved accuracy for anisotropic conduc-
tivity fields and for unstructured grids in which the CVFD requirement is violated.
RHS—If the RHS keyword is also included, then the XT3D additional terms will be added to the right-
hand side. If the RHS keyword is excluded, then the XT3D terms will be put into the coefficient
matrix.

Block: GRIDDATA

icelltype—flag for each cell that specifies how saturated thickness is treated. 0 means saturated thick-
ness is held constant; >0 means saturated thickness varies with computed head when head is below
the cell top; <0 means saturated thickness varies with computed head unless the THICKSTRT
option is in effect. When THICKSTRT is in effect, a negative value of icelltype indicates that sat-
urated thickness will be computed as STRT-BOT and held constant.
k—is the hydraulic conductivity. When anisotropy is applied, k corresponds to the K11 tensor compo-
nent. All included cells (IDOMAIN > 0) must have a k value greater than zero.
k22—is the hydraulic conductivity of second ellipsoid axis; for an unrotated case this is the hydraulic
conductivity in the y direction. If k22 is not included in the GRIDDATA block, then k22 is equal
to k. For a regular grid in which no rotation angles are specified, k22 is the hydraulic conductivity
along columns in the y direction. For an unstructured grid, the user must assign principal x and y
axes and provide the angle for each cell connection relative to the assumed x direction. All included
cells (IDOMAIN > 0) must have a k22 value greater than zero.
42 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

k33—is the hydraulic conductivity of third ellipsoid axis; for an unrotated case, this is the vertical
hydraulic conductivity. When anisotropy is applied, k33 corresponds to the K33 tensor component.
All included cells (IDOMAIN > 0) must have a k33 value greater than zero.
wetdry—is a combination of the wetting threshold and a flag to indicate which neighboring cells can
cause a cell to become wet. If wetdry < 0, only a cell below a dry cell can cause the cell to become
wet. If wetdry > 0, the cell below a dry cell and horizontally adjacent cells can cause a cell to
become wet. If wetdry is 0, the cell cannot be wetted. The absolute value of wetdry is the wet-
ting threshold. When the sum of BOT and the absolute value of wetdry at a dry cell is equaled or
exceeded by the head at an adjacent cell, the cell is wetted. wetdry must be specified if “REWET”
is specified in the OPTIONS block. If “REWET” is not specified in the options block, then wetdry
can be entered, and memory will be allocated for it, even though it is not used.
angle1—is rotation angle of the hydraulic conductivity tensor in degrees. The angle represents the
counter-clockwise rotation of the hydraulic conductivity ellipsoid within the x − y plane. A value
of zero, which is the default value if angle1 is not specified, indicates that K11 is aligned with the
x-axis of the model grid (the row direction for a regular grid) and K22 is aligned with the y-axis of
the model grid (the column direction for a regular grid).
angle2—is rotation angle of the hydraulic conductivity tensor in degrees. The angle represents the tilt
of the hydraulic conductivity ellipsoid up and out of the x − y plane.
angle3—is rotation angle of the hydraulic conductivity tensor in degrees. The angle represents the rota-
tion of the hydraulic conductivity tensor around its dominant axis.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
SAVE_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

BEGIN GRIDDATA
#
#icelltype(nodes) is 0:confined, 1:convertible
ICELLTYPE
constant 0
#
# horizontal hydraulic conductivity
K
constant 1.0
#
# vertical hydraulic conductivity
K33
constant 0.1
END GRIDDATA
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 43

Horizontal Flow Barrier (HFB) Package

Input to the Horizontal Flow Barrier (HFB) Package is read from the file that has type “HFB6” in the
Name File. Only one HFB Package can be specified for a GWF model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[PRINT_INPUT]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXHFB <maxhfb>
END DIMENSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<cellid1(ncelldim)> <cellid2(ncelldim)> <hydchr>
<cellid1(ncelldim)> <cellid2(ncelldim)> <hydchr>
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of horizontal flow barriers will be written to the listing
file immediately after it is read.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxhfb—integer value specifying the maximum number of horizontal flow barriers that will be entered
in this input file. The value of maxhfb is used to allocate memory for the horizontal flow barriers.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
cellid1—identifier for the first cell. For a structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid1 is the
layer, row, and column numbers of the cell. For a grid that uses the DISV input file, cellid1 is the
layer number and cell2d number for the two cells. If the model uses the unstructured discretization
(DISU) input file, then cellid1 is the node numbers for the cell. The barrier is located between
cells designated as cellid1 and cellid2. For models that use the DIS and DISV grid types, the
layer number for cellid1 and cellid2 must be the same. For all grid types, cells must be horizon-
tally adjacent or the program will terminate with an error.
44 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

cellid2—identifier for the second cell. See cellid1 for description of how to specify.
hydchr—is the hydraulic characteristic of the horizontal-flow barrier. The hydraulic characteristic is
the barrier hydraulic conductivity divided by the width of the horizontal-flow barrier. If hydraulic
characteristic is negative, then it acts as a multiplier to the conductance between the two model cells
specified as containing a barrier. For example, if the value for hydchr was specified as 1.5, the con-
ductance calculated for the two cells would be multiplied by 1.5.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXHFB 1
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 1
#L1 R1 C1 L2 R2 C2 HYDCHR
1 1 4 1 1 5 0.1
END PERIOD 1
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 45

Storage (STO) Package

Input to the Storage (STO) Package is read from the file that has type “STO6” in the Name File. If the
STO Package is not included for a model, then storage changes will not be calculated, and thus, the model will
be steady state. Only one STO Package can be specified for a GWF model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[STORAGECOEFFICIENT]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN GRIDDATA
ICONVERT [LAYERED]
<iconvert(nodes)> -- READARRAY
SS [LAYERED]
<ss(nodes)> -- READARRAY
SY [LAYERED]
<sy(nodes)> -- READARRAY
END GRIDDATA

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
[STEADY-STATE]
[TRANSIENT]
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that cell-by-cell flow terms will be written to the file specified with
“BUDGET SAVE FILE” in Output Control.
STORAGECOEFFICIENT—keyword to indicate that the ss array is read as storage coefficient rather than
specific storage.

Block: GRIDDATA

iconvert—is a flag for each cell that specifies whether or not a cell is convertible for the storage cal-
culation. 0 indicates confined storage is used. >0 indicates confined storage is used when head is
above cell top and unconfined storage is used when head is below cell top. A mixed formulation is
when when a cell converts from confined to unconfined (or vice versa) during a single time step.
ss—is specific storage (or the storage coefficient if STORAGECOEFFICIENT is specified as an
option).
sy—is specific yield.
46 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
STEADY-STATE—keyword to indicate that stress-period iper is steady-state. Steady-state conditions
will apply until the TRANSIENT keyword is specified in a subsequent BEGIN PERIOD block.
TRANSIENT—keyword to indicate that stress-period iper is transient. Transient conditions will apply
until the STEADY-STATE keyword is specified in a subsequent BEGIN PERIOD block.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
SAVE_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

BEGIN GRIDDATA
#cell storage conversion 0:confined, 1:convertible
ICONVERT
constant 1
#specific storage (for all model cells)
SS
constant 1.e-5
#specific yield (specified by layer because of LAYERED keyword)
SY LAYERED
constant 0.2
constant 0.15
constant 0.15
END GRIDDATA

BEGIN PERIOD 1
STEADY-STATE
END PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD 2
TRANSIENT
END PERIOD

#stress period 3 will be transient because

#a BEGIN PERIOD block is not provided.

BEGIN PERIOD 4
STEADY-STATE
END PERIOD
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 47

Constant-Head (CHD) Package

Input to the Constant-Head (CHD) Package is read from the file that has type “CHD6” in the Name File.
Any number of CHD Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model; however, an error will
occur if a CHD Package attempts to make a GWF cell a constant-head cell when that cell has already been
designated as a constant-head cell either within the present CHD Package or within another CHD Package.
In previous MODFLOW versions, it was not possible to convert a constant-head cell to an active cell.
Once a cell was designated as a constant-head cell, it remained a constant-head cell until the end of the end
of the simulation. In MODFLOW 6 a constant-head cell will become active again if it is not included as a
constant-head cell in subsequent stress periods.
Previous MODFLOW versions allowed specification of SHEAD and EHEAD, which were the starting
and ending prescribed heads for a stress period. Linear interpolation was used to calculate a value for each
time step. In MODFLOW 6 only a single head value can be specified for any constant-head cell in any stress
period. The time-series functionality must be used in order to interpolate values to individual time steps.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND <maxbound>
END DIMENSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<cellid(ncelldim)> <head> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<cellid(ncelldim)> <head> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
48 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of CHD head value.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of constant-head
cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of constant-head information will be written to the list-
ing file immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of constant-head flow rates will be printed to the listing
file for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If
there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the
last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that constant-head flow terms will be written to the file specified
with “BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the constant-head package. See the
“Observation utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists
observation type(s) supported by the constant-head package.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxbound—integer value specifying the maximum number of constant-head cells that will be specified
for use during any stress period.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
head—is the head at the boundary.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each constant head. The values of auxiliary
variables must be present for each constant head. The values must be specified in the order of the
auxiliary variables specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the
Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values
can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 49

boundname—name of the constant head boundary cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that
can contain as many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must
be enclosed within single quotes.

Example Input File

#The OPTIONS block is optional

BEGIN OPTIONS
AUXILIARY temperature
BOUNDNAMES
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

#The DIMENSIONS block is required

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND 2
END DIMENSIONS

#The following block of constant-head cells will be activated

#for stress period 1. This block will remain active throughout
#the simulation.

BEGIN PERIOD 1
#l r c head temperature boundname
1 1 2 100. 20.5 chd_1_2
1 1 3 100. 20.4 chd_1_3
END PERIOD 1

Available observation types

CHD Package observations are limited to the simulated constant head flow rate (chd). The data required
for the CHD Package observation type is defined in table 7. Negative and positive values for an observation
represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model, respectively.

Table 7. Available CHD Package observation types.

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

type
CHD chd cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname constant-head boundary or a group of cells
with constant-head boundaries.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
DIGITS 8
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS
50 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

BEGIN SINGLE FILEOUT my_model.chd01.csv

# obsname obstype ID
chd_2_1 CHD 1 1 2
chd_2_2 CHD 1 2 2
chd_2_3 CHD 1 3 2
chd_2_4 CHD 1 4 2
END SINGLE

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.chd02.csv

# obsname obstype ID
chd_3_flow CHD CHD_1_3
END CONTINUOUS
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 51

Well (WEL) Package

Input to the Well (WEL) Package is read from the file that has type “WEL6” in the Name File. Any num-
ber of WEL Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[AUTO_FLOW_REDUCE <auto_flow_reduce>]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[MOVER]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND <maxbound>
END DIMENSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<cellid(ncelldim)> <q> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<cellid(ncelldim)> <q> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of well flow rate.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of well cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of well information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
52 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of well flow rates will be printed to the listing file for
every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is
no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the last time
step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that well flow terms will be written to the file specified with “BUD-
GET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
auto flow reduce—keyword and real value that defines the fraction of the cell thickness used as
an interval for smoothly adjusting negative pumping rates to 0 in cells with head values less than
or equal to the bottom of the cell. Negative pumping rates are adjusted to 0 or a smaller negative
value when the head in the cell is equal to or less than the calculated interval above the cell bottom.
auto flow reduce is set to 0.1 if the specified value is less than or equal to zero. By default, nega-
tive pumping rates are not reduced during a simulation.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the Well package. See the “Observa-
tion utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observation
type(s) supported by the Well package.
MOVER—keyword to indicate that this instance of the Well Package can be used with the Water Mover
(MVR) Package. When the MOVER option is specified, additional memory is allocated within the
package to store the available, provided, and received water.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxbound—integer value specifying the maximum number of wells cells that will be specified for use
during any stress period.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
q—is the volumetric well rate. A positive value indicates recharge (injection) and a negative value indi-
cates discharge (extraction). If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the
“Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each well. The values of auxiliary variables
must be present for each well. The values must be specified in the order of the auxiliary variables
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 53

specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the Options block includes
a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a
time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
boundname—name of the well cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can contain as many
as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be enclosed within
single quotes.

Example Input File

#The OPTIONS block is optional
BEGIN OPTIONS
AUXILIARY depth screen_length
BOUNDNAMES
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

#The DIMENSIONS block is required

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND 5
END DIMENSIONS

#The following block of wells will be activated for stress periods

#2 and 3. No wells are present in stress period 1 due to an
#absence of a block for that period.
BEGIN PERIOD 2
#layer row col Q depth screen_length boundname

#wells 1 and 2
7 102 17 -19000 275.9 17.6 CW_1
9 192 44 -13000 280.0 24.0 CW_2

#wells 3 through 5
9 109 67 -24000 295.1 12.1 CW_3
10 43 17 -12000 301.3 9.6 CW_4
11 12 17 -17000 315.0 18.6 CW_5

END PERIOD

#Turn off all wells for stress period 4

BEGIN PERIOD 4
#An empty block indicates that there are no wells.
END PERIOD

#For stress period 5, turn on wells 1 and 4,

#and add three wells that are grouped in a well field
BEGIN PERIOD 5
#layer row col Q depth screen_length boundname
7 102 17 -19000 275.9 17.6 CW_1
10 43 17 -12000 301.3 9.6 CW_4

#wells in well field

5 27 50 -11000 190.0 20.0 well_field
5 27 51 -10000 185.0 20.0 well_field
5 28 50 -12000 187.3 15.0 well_field
END PERIOD

#Use a list of wells in file wells.dat for stress period 6 until

#the end of the simulation. Use the SFAC variable to multiply
#all pumping rates by 1000.
54 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

BEGIN PERIOD 6
OPEN/CLOSE wells.dat SFAC 1000.
END PERIOD

Available observation types

Well Package observations include the simulated well rates (wel) and the well discharge that is avail-
able for the MVR package (to-mvr). The data required for each WEL Package observation type is defined
in table 8. The sum of wel and to-mvr is equal to the simulated well discharge rate, which may be less than
the specified q if the AUTO FLOW REDUCE option is enabled. Negative and positive values for an observation
represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model, respectively.

Table 8. Available WEL Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
WEL wel cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname well boundary or a group of well boundaries.
WEL to-mvr cellid or – Well boundary discharge that is available for
boundname the MVR package for a well boundary or a
group of well boundaries.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
DIGITS 7
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.wel.obs.csv

# obsname obstype ID
wel-7-102-17 WEL 7 102 17
wel-7-102-17 WEL CW_1
well-field WEL well_field
END CONTINUOUS
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 55

Drain (DRN) Package

Input to the Drain (DRN) Package is read from the file that has type “DRN6” in the Name File. Any num-
ber of DRN Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[MOVER]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND <maxbound>
END DIMENSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<cellid(ncelldim)> <elev> <cond> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<cellid(ncelldim)> <elev> <cond> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of drain conductance.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of drain cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of drain information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
56 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of drain flow rates will be printed to the listing file for
every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is
no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the last time
step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that drain flow terms will be written to the file specified with “BUD-
GET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the Drain package. See the “Observa-
tion utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observation
type(s) supported by the Drain package.
MOVER—keyword to indicate that this instance of the Drain Package can be used with the Water Mover
(MVR) Package. When the MOVER option is specified, additional memory is allocated within the
package to store the available, provided, and received water.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxbound—integer value specifying the maximum number of drains cells that will be specified for use
during any stress period.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
elev—is the elevation of the drain. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the
“Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
cond—is the hydraulic conductance of the interface between the aquifer and the drain. If the Options
block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be
obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each drain. The values of auxiliary variables
must be present for each drain. The values must be specified in the order of the auxiliary variables
specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the Options block includes
a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a
time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 57

boundname—name of the drain cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can contain as
many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be enclosed
within single quotes.

Example Input File

#The OPTIONS block is optional

BEGIN OPTIONS
BOUNDNAMES
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

#The DIMENSIONS block is required

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND 5
END DIMENSIONS

#The following block of drains will be activated for for the entire stress period
BEGIN PERIOD 1
#node elevation conductance boundname
73 10.2 1000. my_drn
76 10.2 1000. my_drn
79 10.2 1000. my_drn
80 10.2 1000. my_drn
81 10.2 1000. my_drn
END PERIOD

Available observation types

Drain Package observations include the simulated drain rates (drn) and the drain discharge that is avail-
able for the MVR package (to-mvr). The data required for each DRN Package observation type is defined
in table 9. The sum of drn and to-mvr is equal to the simulated drain discharge rate for a drain boundary or
group of drain boundaries.

Table 9. Available DRN Package observation types.

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

type
DRN drn cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname drain boundary or group of drain boundaries.
DRN to-mvr cellid or – Drain boundary discharge that is available
boundname for the MVR package for a drain boundary
or a group of drain boundaries.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
58 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

DIGITS 8
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.drn01.csv

# obsname obstype ID
drn_73 DRN 73
drn_79 DRN 79
END CONTINUOUS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.drn02.csv

# obsname obstype ID
drn_80 DRN 80
drn_all DRN my_drn
END CONTINUOUS
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 59

River (RIV) Package

Input to the River (RIV) Package is read from the file that has type “RIV6” in the Name File. Any number
of RIV Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[MOVER]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND <maxbound>
END DIMENSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<cellid(ncelldim)> <stage> <cond> <rbot> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<cellid(ncelldim)> <stage> <cond> <rbot> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of riverbed conductance.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of river cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of river information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
60 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of river flow rates will be printed to the listing file for
every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is
no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the last time
step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that river flow terms will be written to the file specified with “BUD-
GET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the River package. See the “Observa-
tion utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observation
type(s) supported by the River package.
MOVER—keyword to indicate that this instance of the River Package can be used with the Water Mover
(MVR) Package. When the MOVER option is specified, additional memory is allocated within the
package to store the available, provided, and received water.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxbound—integer value specifying the maximum number of rivers cells that will be specified for use
during any stress period.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
stage—is the head in the river. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the
“Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
cond—is the riverbed hydraulic conductance. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry
(see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the
time-series name in place of a numeric value.
rbot—is the elevation of the bottom of the riverbed. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE
entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering
the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each river. The values of auxiliary variables
must be present for each river. The values must be specified in the order of the auxiliary variables
specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the Options block includes
a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a
time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 61

boundname—name of the river cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can contain as
many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be enclosed
within single quotes.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
BOUNDNAMES
TS8 FILEIN river_stages.ts
END OPTIONS

begin dimensions
MAXBOUND 20
end dimensions

BEGIN PERIOD 1
# layer row col stage cond rbot BoundName
1 3 1 river_stage_1 1001. 35.9
1 4 2 river_stage_1 1002. 35.8
1 5 3 river_stage_1 1003. 35.7
1 5 4 river_stage_1 1004. 35.6
1 6 5 river_stage_1 1005. 35.5
1 6 6 river_stage_1 1006. 35.4 riv1_c6
1 6 7 river_stage_1 1007. 35.3 riv1_c7
1 5 8 river_stage_1 1008. 35.2
1 5 9 river_stage_1 1009. 35.1
1 5 10 river_stage_1 1010. 35.0
1 10 1 river_stage_2 1001. 36.9 riv2_upper
1 9 2 river_stage_2 1002. 36.8 riv2_upper
1 8 3 river_stage_2 1003. 36.7 riv2_upper
1 7 4 river_stage_2 1004. 36.6
1 7 5 river_stage_2 1005. 36.5
1 6 6 river_stage_2 1006. 36.4 riv2_c6
1 6 7 river_stage_2 1007. 36.3 riv2_c7
1 7 8 river_stage_2 1008. 36.2
1 7 9 river_stage_2 1009. 36.1
1 7 10 river_stage_2 1010. 36.0
END PERIOD

Available observation types

River Package observations include the simulated river flow rates (riv) and the river discharge that is
available for the MVR package (to-mvr). The data required for each RIV Package observation type is defined
in table 10. The sum of riv and to-mvr is equal to the simulated river flow rate. Negative and positive values
for an observation represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model, respectively.

Table 10. Available RIV Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
RIV riv cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname river boundary.
62 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
RIV to-mvr cellid or – River boundary discharge that is available for
boundname the MVR package.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
DIGITS 7
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.riv.csv

# obsname type ID
rv1-5-4 RIV 1 5 4
rv1-6-5 RIV 1 6 5
rv1-c7 RIV riv1_c7 # flow at boundary "riv1_c7"
rv2-7-4 RIV 1 7 4
rv2-8-5 RIV 1 7 5
rv2-9-6 RIV 1 6 6
END CONTINUOUS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.riv.flows.csv

# obsname type ID
rv1-3-1 RIV 1 3 1
rv1-4-2 RIV 1 4 2
rv1-5-3 RIV 1 5 3
rv1-c6 RIV riv1_c6
rv2-upper RIV riv2_upper
END CONTINUOUS
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 63

General-Head Boundary (GHB) Package

Input to the General-Head Boundary (GHB) Package is read from the file that has type “GHB6” in the
Name File. Any number of GHB Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[MOVER]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND <maxbound>
END DIMENSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<cellid(ncelldim)> <bhead> <cond> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<cellid(ncelldim)> <bhead> <cond> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of general-head boundary conduc-
tance.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of general-head
boundary cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of general-head boundary information will be written to
the listing file immediately after it is read.
64 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of general-head boundary flow rates will be printed to
the listing file for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Out-
put Control. If there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are
printed for the last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that general-head boundary flow terms will be written to the file
specified with “BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the General-Head Boundary package.
See the “Observation utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20
lists observation type(s) supported by the General-Head Boundary package.
MOVER—keyword to indicate that this instance of the General-Head Boundary Package can be used with
the Water Mover (MVR) Package. When the MOVER option is specified, additional memory is allo-
cated within the package to store the available, provided, and received water.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxbound—integer value specifying the maximum number of general-head boundary cells that will be
specified for use during any stress period.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
bhead—is the boundary head. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-
Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name
in place of a numeric value.
cond—is the hydraulic conductance of the interface between the aquifer cell and the boundary. If the
Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values
can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each general-head boundary. The values of
auxiliary variables must be present for each general-head boundary. The values must be specified
in the order of the auxiliary variables specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time
series and the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input”
section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a
numeric value.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 65

boundname—name of the general-head boundary cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that
can contain as many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must
be enclosed within single quotes.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT (echo input to listing file)
PRINT_FLOWS (print the flows to the listing file)
TS8 FILEIN tides.ts
BOUNDNAMES
END OPTIONS

# Dimensions block
BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND 15
END DIMENSIONS

# Stress-period block(s)
BEGIN PERIOD 1
#Lay Row Col Bhead Cond boundname
2 1 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 2 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 3 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 4 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 5 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 6 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 7 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 8 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 9 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 10 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 11 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 12 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 13 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 14 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
2 15 10 tides 15.0 Estuary-L2
END PERIOD

Available observation types

General-Head Boundary Package observations include the simulated general-head boundary flow rates
(ghb) and the general-head boundary discharge that is available for the MVR package (to-mvr). The data
required for each GHB Package observation type is defined in table 11. The sum of ghb and to-mvr is equal
to the simulated general-head boundary flow rate. Negative and positive values for an observation represent a
loss from and gain to the GWF model, respectively.

Table 11. Available GHB Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
GHB ghb cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname general-head boundary or group of general-
head boundaries.
66 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Table 11. Available GHB Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
GHB to-mvr cellid or – General-head boundary discharge that is
boundname available for the MVR package from a
general-head boundary or group of general-
head boundaries.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
DIGITS 7
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.ghb.obs.csv

# obsname obstype ID
ghb-2-6-10 GHB 2 6 10
ghb-2-7-10 GHB 2 7 10
END CONTINUOUS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.ghb.flows.csv

# obsname obstype ID
Estuary2 GHB Estuary-L2
END CONTINUOUS
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 67

Recharge (RCH) Package – List-Based Input

Input to the Recharge (RCH) Package is read from the file that has type “RCH6” in the Name File. Any
number of RCH Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model.
Recharge input can be specified using lists or arrays, unless the DISU Package is used. List-based input
must be used if discretization is specified using the DISU Package. List-based input for recharge is the default,
and is described here. Instructions for specifying array-based recharge are described in the next section.
List-based input offers several advantages over the array-based input for specifying recharge. First, multi-
ple list entries can be specified for a single cell. This makes it possible to divide a cell into multiple areas, and
assign a different recharge rate for each area (perhaps based on land use or some other criteria). In this case,
the user would likely specify an auxiliary variable to serve as a multiplier. This multiplier would be calculated
by the user and provided in the input file as the fractional cell are for the individual recharge entries. Another
advantage to using list-based input for specifying recharge is that boundnames can be specified. Boundnames
work with the Observations capability and can be used to sum recharge rates for entries with the same bound-
name. A disadvantage of the list-based input is that one cannot easily assign recharge to the entire model
without specifying a list of model cells. For this reason MODFLOW 6 also supports array-based input for
recharge.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[FIXED_CELL]
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND <maxbound>
END DIMENSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<cellid(ncelldim)> <recharge> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<cellid(ncelldim)> <recharge> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

FIXED CELL—indicates that recharge will not be reassigned to a cell underlying the cell specified in the
list if the specified cell is inactive.
68 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of recharge.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of recharge cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of recharge information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of recharge flow rates will be printed to the listing file
for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If
there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the
last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that recharge flow terms will be written to the file specified with
“BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the Recharge package. See the “Obser-
vation utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observa-
tion type(s) supported by the Recharge package.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxbound—integer value specifying the maximum number of recharge cells cells that will be specified
for use during any stress period.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
recharge—is the recharge flux rate (LT −1 ). This rate is multiplied inside the program by the surface
area of the cell to calculate the volumetric recharge rate. A time-series name may be specified.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 69

aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each recharge. The values of auxiliary variables
must be present for each recharge. The values must be specified in the order of the auxiliary vari-
ables specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the Options block
includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained
from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
boundname—name of the recharge cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can contain as
many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be enclosed
within single quotes.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
AUXILIARY var1 var2 mult
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
BOUNDNAMES
TS8 FILEIN recharge_rates.ts
# Note: Time-series file recharge_rates.ts defines time series rch_1
AUXMULTNAME mult
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND 10
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 1
RECHARGE
# Lay Row Col Rate Var1 Var2 mult BoundName
1 1 1 rch_1 1.0 2.0 1.0 Rch-1-1
1 1 2 rch_1 1.1 2.1 1.0 Rch-1-2
1 1 3 rch_1 1.2 2.2 0.5
1 2 1 rch_1 1.3 2.3 1.0 Rch-2-1
1 2 2 rch_1 1.4 2.4 1.0 Rch-2-2
1 2 3 rch_1 1.5 2.5 1.0
1 2 4 rch_1 1.6 2.6 0.5
1 3 1 rch_1 1.7 2.7 1.0
1 3 2 rch_1 1.8 2.8 1.0
1 3 3 rch_1 1.9 2.9 1.0
END PERIOD

Available observation types

Recharge Package observations are limited to the simulated recharge flow rates (rch). The data required
for the RCH Package observation type is defined in table 12. Negative and positive values for an observation
represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model, respectively.

Table 12. Available RCH Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
RCH rch cellid or – Flow to the groundwater system through a
boundname recharge boundary or a group of recharge
boundaries.
70 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.rch.csv

rch1-1 RCH Rch-1-1
rch1-2 RCH Rch-1-2
rch2-1 RCH Rch-2-1
rch2-2 RCH Rch-2-2
rch2-3 RCH 1 2 3
END CONTINUOUS
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 71

Recharge (RCH) Package – Array-Based Input

Input to the Recharge (RCH) Package is read from the file that has type “RCH6” in the Name File. Any
number of RCH Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model.
Recharge input can be specified using lists or arrays. Array-based input for recharge is activated by pro-
viding READASARRAYS within the OPTIONS block. Instructions for specifying list-based recharge is
described in the previous section. Array-based input for recharge provides a similar approach for providing
recharge rates as previous MODFLOW versions. Array-based input for recharge can be used only with the
DIS and DISV Packages. Array-based input for recharge cannot be used with the DISU Package.
When array-based input is used for recharge, the DIMENSIONS block should not be specified. The array
size is determined from the model grid.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
READASARRAYS
[FIXED_CELL]
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[TAS6 FILEIN <tas6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
END OPTIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
[IRCH [LAYERED]
<irch(ncol*nrow; ncpl)> -- READARRAY]
RECHARGE [LAYERED]
<recharge(ncol*nrow; ncpl)> -- READARRAY
[AUX [LAYERED]
<aux(ncol*nrow; ncpl)> -- READARRAY]
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

READASARRAYS—indicates that array-based input will be used for the Recharge Package. This keyword
must be specified to use array-based input.
FIXED CELL—indicates that recharge will not be reassigned to a cell underlying the cell specified in the
list if the specified cell is inactive.
auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
72 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of recharge.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of recharge information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of recharge flow rates will be printed to the listing file
for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If
there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the
last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that recharge flow terms will be written to the file specified with
“BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
TAS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-array-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
tas6 filename—defines a time-array-series file defining a time-array series that can be used to assign
time-varying values. See the Time-Variable Input section for instructions on using the time-array
series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the Recharge package. See the “Obser-
vation utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observa-
tion type(s) supported by the Recharge package.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
irch—irch is the layer number that defines the layer in each vertical column where recharge is
applied. If irch is omitted, recharge by default is applied to cells in layer 1. irch can only be used
if READASARRAYS is specified in the OPTIONS block.
recharge—is the recharge flux rate (LT −1 ). This rate is multiplied inside the program by the surface
area of the cell to calculate the volumetric recharge rate. The recharge array may be defined by a
time-array series (see the ”Using Time-Array Series in a Package” section).
aux—is an array of values for auxiliary variable aux(iaux), where iaux is a value from 1 to naux, and
aux(iaux) must be listed as part of the auxiliary variables. A separate array can be specified for
each auxiliary variable. If an array is not specified for an auxiliary variable, then a value of zero is
assigned. If the value specified here for the auxiliary variable is the same as auxmultname, then the
recharge array will be multiplied by this array.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 73

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
AUXILIARY var1 var2 mymult
READASARRAYS
HIGHEST_ACTIVE
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
AUXMULTNAME mymult
END OPTIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 1

# For this model, the absence of an IRCH array causes

# recharge to apply to model layer 1. To make recharge
# apply to layer 2 instead, the following lines
# (uncommented) could be used:
# IRCH
# constant 2

# recharge rate
RECHARGE
constant 0.0040

# auxiliary variable (var1) array

var1
constant 100.

# auxiliary variable (var2) array

var2
constant 0.

# auxiliary variable (mymult) array

# Because ‘‘AUXMULTNAME mymult’’ was specified in the
# options block, the MYMULT array will be used to multiply
# the values in the RECHARGE array
MYMULT
INTERNAL FACTOR 1.0
0.5 1.0 1.0 0.5
1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
0.5 1.0 1.0 0.5

END PERIOD
74 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Evapotranspiration (EVT) Package – List-Based Input

Input to the Evapotranspiration (EVT) Package is read from the file that has type “EVT6” in the Name
File. Any number of EVT Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model. All single-valued
variables are free format.
Evapotranspiration input can be specified using lists or arrays, unless the DISU Package is used. List-
based input must be used if discretization is specified using the DISU Package. List-based input for recharge
is the default, and is described here. Instructions for specifying array-based recharge are described in the next
section.
List-based input offers several advantages over the array-based input for specifying evapotranspiration.
First, multiple list entries can be specified for a single cell. This makes it possible to divide a cell into multiple
areas, and assign a different evapotranspiration rate or extinction depth for each area (perhaps based on vege-
tation type or some other criteria). In this case, the user would likely specify an auxiliary variable to serve as a
multiplier. This multiplier would be calculated by the user and provided in the input file as the fractional cell
are for the individual evapotranspiration entries. Another advantage to using list-based input for specifying
evapotranspiration is that boundnames can be specified. Boundnames work with the Observations capability
and can be used to sum evapotranspiration rates for entries with the same boundname. A disadvantage of the
list-based input is that one cannot easily assign evapotranspiration to the entire model without specifying a list
of model cells. For this reason MODFLOW 6 also supports array-based input for evapotranspiration.
ET input is read in list form, as shown in the PERIOD block below. Each line in the PERIOD block
defines all input for one cell. Entries following cellid, in order, define the ET surface (etss), maximum ET
flux rate (etsr), extinction depth (etsx), all (netseg – 1) pxdp values, all (netseg – 1) petm values, all aux-
iliary variables (if AUXILIARY option is specified), and boundary name (if BOUNDNAMES option is speci-
fied).

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[FIXED_CELL]
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[SURF_RATE_SPECIFIED]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND <maxbound>
NSEG <nseg>
END DIMENSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<cellid(ncelldim)> <surface> <rate> <depth> <pxdp(nseg-1)> <petm(nseg-1)> [<petm0>] [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<cellid(ncelldim)> <surface> <rate> <depth> <pxdp(nseg-1)> <petm(nseg-1)> [<petm0>] [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PERIOD
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 75

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

FIXED CELL—indicates that evapotranspiration will not be reassigned to a cell underlying the cell speci-
fied in the list if the specified cell is inactive.
auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of evapotranspiration rate.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of evapotranspi-
ration cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of evapotranspiration information will be written to the
listing file immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of evapotranspiration flow rates will be printed to the
listing file for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Con-
trol. If there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed
for the last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that evapotranspiration flow terms will be written to the file specified
with “BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the Evapotranspiration package. See
the “Observation utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists
observation type(s) supported by the Evapotranspiration package.
SURF RATE SPECIFIED—indicates that the evapotranspiration rate at the ET surface will be specified as
PETM0 in list input.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxbound—integer value specifying the maximum number of evapotranspiration cells cells that will be
specified for use during any stress period.
nseg—number of ET segments. Default is one. When nseg is greater than 1, pxdp and petm arrays
must be specified nseg-1 times each, in order from the uppermost segment down. pxdp defines the
extinction-depth proportion at the bottom of a segment. petm defines the proportion of the maxi-
mum ET flux rate at the bottom of a segment.
76 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
surface—is the elevation of the ET surface (L). A time-series name may be specified.
rate—is the maximum ET flux rate (LT −1 ). A time-series name may be specified.
depth—is the ET extinction depth (L). A time-series name may be specified.
pxdp—is the proportion of the ET extinction depth at the bottom of a segment (dimensionless). A time-
series name may be specified.
petm—is the proportion of the maximum ET flux rate at the bottom of a segment (dimensionless). A
time-series name may be specified.
petm0—is the proportion of the maximum ET flux rate that will apply when head is at or above the ET
surface (dimensionless). PETM0 is read only when the SURF RATE SPECIFIED option is used. A
time-series name may be specified.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each evapotranspiration. The values of auxil-
iary variables must be present for each evapotranspiration. The values must be specified in the order
of the auxiliary variables specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and
the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), val-
ues can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
boundname—name of the evapotranspiration cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can
contain as many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be
enclosed within single quotes.

Example Input File

# Example for structured model with list-based input

BEGIN OPTIONS
AUXNAMES Mult
BOUNDNAMES
TS8 FILEIN EtRate.ts
# Note: Time-series file EtRate.ts defines time series et_rate
AUXMULTNAME Mult
PRINT_INPUT

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND 10
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 1
# Lay Row Col SURFACE RATE DEPTH PXPD1 PXPD2 PETM1 PETM2 Mult Name
1 1 13 110.0 et_rate 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.2 ET-1
1 2 13 110.0 et_rate 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.4 ET-2
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 77

1 3 13 110.0 et_rate 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.6 ET-3

1 4 13 110.0 et_rate 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.8 ET-4
1 5 13 110.0 2.e-2 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 1.0 ET-5
1 6 13 110.0 2.e-2 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 1.0 ET-6
1 7 13 110.0 2.e-2 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.7 ET-7
1 8 13 110.0 2.e-2 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.5 ET-8
1 9 13 110.0 2.e-2 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.3 ET-9
1 10 13 110.0 et_rate 10.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.1 ET-10
END PERIOD

Available observation types

Evapotranspiration Package observations are limited to the simulated evapotranspiration flow rates (evt).
The data required for the EVT Package observation type is defined in table 13. Negative and positive values
for an observation represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model, respectively.

Table 13. Available EVT Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
EVT evt cellid or – Flow from the groundwater system through
boundname an evapotranspiration boundary or group of
evapotranspiration boundaries.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.evt.csv

et1-1 EVT 1 1 1
et1-2 EVT 1 1 2
et2-1 EVT 1 2 1
et2-2 EVT 1 2 2
et2-3 EVT 1 2 3
END CONTINUOUS
78 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Evapotranspiration (EVT) Package – Array-Based Input

Input to the Evapotranspiration (EVT) Package is read from the file that has type “EVT6” in the Name
File. Any number of EVT Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model. All single-valued
variables are free format.
Evapotranspiration input can be specified using lists or arrays. Array-based input for evapotranspiration is
activated by providing READASARRAYS within the OPTIONS block. Instructions for specifying list-based
evapotranspiration is described in the previous section. Array-based input for evapotranspiration provides a
similar approach for providing evapotranspiration rates as previous MODFLOW versions. Array-based input
for evapotranspiration can be used only with the DIS and DISV Packages. Array-based input for evapotranspi-
ration cannot be used with the DISU Package.
When array-based input is used for evapotranspiration, the DIMENSIONS block should not be speci-
fied. The array size is determined from the model grid. Segmented evapotranspiration cannot be used with
the READASARRAYS option.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
READASARRAYS
[FIXED_CELL]
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[TAS6 FILEIN <tas6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
END OPTIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
[IEVT [LAYERED]
<ievt(ncol*nrow; ncpl)> -- READARRAY]
SURFACE [LAYERED]
<surface(ncol*nrow; ncpl)> -- READARRAY
RATE [LAYERED]
<rate(ncol*nrow; ncpl)> -- READARRAY
DEPTH [LAYERED]
<depth(ncol*nrow; ncpl)> -- READARRAY
AUX(IAUX) [LAYERED]
<aux(iaux)(ncol*nrow; ncpl)> -- READARRAY
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

READASARRAYS—indicates that array-based input will be used for the Evapotranspiration Package. This
keyword must be specified to use array-based input.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 79

FIXED CELL—indicates that evapotranspiration will not be reassigned to a cell underlying the cell speci-
fied in the list if the specified cell is inactive.
auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of evapotranspiration rate.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of evapotranspiration information will be written to the
listing file immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of evapotranspiration flow rates will be printed to the
listing file for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Con-
trol. If there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed
for the last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that evapotranspiration flow terms will be written to the file specified
with “BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
TAS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-array-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
tas6 filename—defines a time-array-series file defining a time-array series that can be used to assign
time-varying values. See the Time-Variable Input section for instructions on using the time-array
series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the Evapotranspiration package. See
the “Observation utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists
observation type(s) supported by the Evapotranspiration package.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
ievt—ievt is the layer number that defines the layer in each vertical column where evapotranspiration
is applied. If ievt is omitted, evapotranspiration by default is applied to cells in layer 1.
surface—is the elevation of the ET surface (L).
rate—is the maximum ET flux rate (LT −1 ).
depth—is the ET extinction depth (L).
aux(iaux)—is an array of values for auxiliary variable aux(iaux), where iaux is a value from 1 to naux,
and aux(iaux) must be listed as part of the auxiliary variables. A separate array can be specified for
each auxiliary variable. If an array is not specified for an auxiliary variable, then a value of zero is
assigned. If the value specified here for the auxiliary variable is the same as auxmultname, then the
evapotranspiration rate will be multiplied by this array.
80 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
READASARRAYS
AUXILIARY var1 var2
HIGHEST_ACTIVE
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 1
#For a structured grid, IEVT defaults to model
# layer 1, so no need to enter IEVT here.

#ET surface elevation

SURFACE
constant 150.0
#Maximum ET rate
RATE
constant 0.007
#ET extinction depth
DEPTH
constant 15.0
#auxiliary variable (var1) array
var1
constant 100.0
#auxiliary variable (var2) array
var2
constant 0.0
END PERIOD
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 81

Multi-Aquifer Well (MAW) Package

Input to the Multi-Aquifer Well (MAW) Package is read from the file that has type “MAW6” in the Name
File. Any number of MAW Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_HEAD]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[HEAD FILEOUT <headfile>]
[BUDGET FILEOUT <budgetfile>]
[NO_WELL_STORAGE]
[FLOWING_WELLS]
[SHUTDOWN_THETA <shutdown_theta>]
[SHUTDOWN_KAPPA <shutdown_kappa>]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[MOVER]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NMAWWELLS <nmawwells>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PACKAGEDATA
<wellno> <radius> <bottom> <strt> <condeqn> <ngwfnodes> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<wellno> <radius> <bottom> <strt> <condeqn> <ngwfnodes> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PACKAGEDATA

BEGIN CONNECTIONDATA
<wellno> <icon> <cellid(ncelldim)> <scrn_top> <scrn_bot> <hk_skin> <radius_skin>
<wellno> <icon> <cellid(ncelldim)> <scrn_top> <scrn_bot> <hk_skin> <radius_skin>
...
END CONNECTIONDATA

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<wellno> <mawsetting>
<wellno> <mawsetting>
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
82 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of multi-aquifer
well cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of multi-aquifer well information will be written to the
listing file immediately after it is read.
PRINT HEAD—keyword to indicate that the list of multi-aquifer well heads will be printed to the listing
file for every stress period in which “HEAD PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is no
Output Control option and PRINT HEAD is specified, then heads are printed for the last time step of
each stress period.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of multi-aquifer well flow rates will be printed to the
listing file for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Con-
trol. If there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed
for the last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that multi-aquifer well flow terms will be written to the file specified
with “BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
HEAD—keyword to specify that record corresponds to head.
headfile—name of the binary output file to write stage information.
BUDGET—keyword to specify that record corresponds to the budget.
FILEOUT—keyword to specify that an output filename is expected next.
budgetfile—name of the binary output file to write budget information.
NO WELL STORAGE—keyword that deactivates inclusion of well storage contributions to the multi-
aquifer well package continuity equation.
FLOWING WELLS—keyword that activates the flowing wells option for the multi-aquifer well package.
shutdown theta—value that defines the weight applied to discharge rate for wells that limit the water
level in a discharging well (defined using the HEAD LIMIT keyword in the stress period data).
SHUTDOWN THETA is used to control discharge rate oscillations when the flow rate from the aquifer is
less than the specified flow rate from the aquifer to the well. Values range between 0.0 and 1.0, and
larger values increase the weight (decrease under-relaxation) applied to the well discharge rate. The
head limit option has been included to facilitate backward compatibility with previous versions
of MODFLOW but use of the rate scaling option instead of the head limit option is recom-
mended. By default, SHUTDOWN THETA is 0.7.
shutdown kappa—value that defines the weight applied to discharge rate for wells that limit the water
level in a discharging well (defined using the HEAD LIMIT keyword in the stress period data).
SHUTDOWN KAPPA is used to control discharge rate oscillations when the flow rate from the aquifer
is less than the specified flow rate from the aquifer to the well. Values range between 0.0 and 1.0,
and larger values increase the weight applied to the well discharge rate. The head limit option
has been included to facilitate backward compatibility with previous versions of MODFLOW but
use of the rate scaling option instead of the head limit option is recommended. By default,
SHUTDOWN KAPPA is 0.0001.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 83

TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.

FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the MAW package. See the “Observa-
tion utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observation
type(s) supported by the MAW package.
MOVER—keyword to indicate that this instance of the MAW Package can be used with the Water Mover
(MVR) Package. When the MOVER option is specified, additional memory is allocated within the
package to store the available, provided, and received water.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nmawwells—integer value specifying the number of multi-aquifer wells that will be simulated for all
stress periods.

Block: PACKAGEDATA

wellno—integer value that defines the well number associated with the specified PACKAGEDATA data
on the line. wellno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nmawwells. Multi-aquifer
well information must be specified for every multi-aquifer well or the program will terminate with
an error. The program will also terminate with an error if information for a multi-aquifer well is
specified more than once.
radius—radius for the multi-aquifer well.
bottom—bottom elevation of the multi-aquifer well.
strt—starting head for the multi-aquifer well.
condeqn—character string that defines the conductance equation that is used to calculate the satu-
rated conductance for the multi-aquifer well. Possible multi-aquifer well condeqn strings include:
SPECIFIED–character keyword to indicate the multi-aquifer well saturated conductance will be
specified. THEIM–character keyword to indicate the multi-aquifer well saturated conductance will
be calculated using the Theim equation. SKIN–character keyword to indicate that the multi-aquifer
well saturated conductance will be calculated using the screen top and bottom, screen hydraulic con-
ductivity, and skin radius. CUMULATIVE–character keyword to indicate that the multi-aquifer well
saturated conductance will be calculated using a combination of the Theim equation and the screen
top and bottom, screen hydraulic conductivity, and skin radius. MEAN–character keyword to indicate
the multi-aquifer well saturated conductance will be calculated using using the aquifer and screen
top and bottom, aquifer and screen hydraulic conductivity, and well and skin radius.
ngwfnodes—integer value that defines the number of GWF nodes connected to this (wellno) multi-
aquifer well. One or more screened intervals can be connected to the same GWF node. ngwfnodes
must be greater than zero.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each multi-aquifer well. The values of auxiliary
variables must be present for each multi-aquifer well. The values must be specified in the order of
the auxiliary variables specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the
Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values
can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
84 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

boundname—name of the multi-aquifer well cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can
contain as many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be
enclosed within single quotes.

Block: CONNECTIONDATA

wellno—integer value that defines the well number associated with the specified CONNECTIONDATA
data on the line. wellno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nmawwells. Multi-
aquifer well connection information must be specified for every multi-aquifer well connection to
the GWF model (ngwfnodes) or the program will terminate with an error. The program will also
terminate with an error if connection information for a multi-aquifer well connection to the GWF
model is specified more than once.
icon—integer value that defines the GWF connection number for this multi-aquifer well connection
entry. iconn must be greater than zero and less than or equal to ngwfnodes for multi-aquifer well
wellno.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
scrn top—value that defines the top elevation of the screen for the multi-aquifer well connection.
scrn top can be any value if condeqn is SPECIFIED or THEIM. If the specified scrn top is
greater than the top of the GWF cell it is set equal to the top of the cell.
scrn bot—value that defines the bottom elevation of the screen for the multi-aquifer well connection.
scrn bot can be any value if condeqn is SPECIFIED or THEIM. If the specified scrn bot is less
than the bottom of the GWF cell it is set equal to the bottom of the cell.
hk skin—value that defines the skin (filter pack) hydraulic conductivity (if condeqn for the multi-
aquifer well is SKIN, CUMULATIVE, or MEAN) or conductance (if condeqn for the multi-aquifer well
is SPECIFIED) for each GWF node connected to the multi-aquifer well (ngwfnodes). hk skin can
be any value if condeqn is THEIM.
radius skin—real value that defines the skin radius (filter pack radius) for the multi-aquifer well.
radius skin can be any value if condeqn is SPECIFIED or THEIM. Otherwise, radius skin must
be greater than radius for the multi-aquifer well.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
wellno—integer value that defines the well number associated with the specified PERIOD data on the
line. wellno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nmawwells.
mawsetting—line of information that is parsed into a keyword and values. Keyword values that
can be used to start the mawsetting string include: STATUS, FLOWING WELL, RATE, WELL HEAD,
HEAD LIMIT, SHUT OFF, RATE SCALING, and AUXILIARY.
STATUS <status>
FLOWING_WELL <fwelev> <fwcond>
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 85

RATE <rate>
WELL_HEAD <well_head>
HEAD_LIMIT <head_limit>
SHUT_OFF <minrate> <maxrate>
RATE_SCALING <pump_elevation> <scaling_length>
AUXILIARY <auxname> <auxval>

status—keyword option to define well status. status can be ACTIVE, INACTIVE, or CONSTANT. By
default, status is ACTIVE.
FLOWING WELL—keyword to indicate the well is a flowing well. The flowing well option can be used
to simulate flowing wells when the simulated well head exceeds the specified drainage elevation.
fwelev—elevation used to determine whether or not the well is flowing.
fwcond—conductance used to calculate the discharge of a free flowing well. Flow occurs when the head
in the well is above the well top elevation (fwelev).
rate—is the volumetric pumping rate for the multi-aquifer well. A positive value indicates recharge
and a negative value indicates discharge (pumping). rate only applies to active (IBOUND> 0)
multi-aquifer wells. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable
Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place
of a numeric value. By default, the rate for each multi-aquifer well is zero.
well head—is the head in the multi-aquifer well. well head is only applied to constant head (STATUS
is CONSTANT) and inactive (STATUS is INACTIVE) multi-aquifer wells. If the Options block includes
a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a
time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
head limit—is the limiting water level (head) in the well, which is the minimum of the well rate or
the well inflow rate from the aquifer. head limit is only applied to discharging wells (rate< 0).
head limit can be deactivated by specifying the text string ‘off’. The head limit option is
based on the head limit functionality available in the MNW2 (Konikow and others, 2009) pack-
age for MODFLOW-2005. The head limit option has been included to facilitate backward com-
patibility with previous versions of MODFLOW but use of the rate scaling option instead of the
head limit option is recommended. By default, head limit is ‘off’.
SHUT OFF—keyword for activating well shut off capability. Subsequent values define the minimum and
maximum pumping rate that a well must exceed to shutoff or reactivate a well, respectively, dur-
ing a stress period. shut off is only applied to discharging wells (rate< 0) and if head limit
is specified (not set to ‘off’). If head limit is specified, shut off can be deactivated by specify-
ing a minimum value equal to zero. The shut off option is based on the shut off functionality
available in the MNW2 (Konikow and others, 2009) package for MODFLOW-2005. The shut off
option has been included to facilitate backward compatibility with previous versions of MODFLOW
but use of the rate scaling option instead of the shut off option is recommended. By default,
shut off is not used.
minrate—is the minimum rate that a well must exceed to shutoff a well during a stress period. The
well will shut down during a time step if the flow rate to the well from the aquifer is less than
minrate. If a well is shut down during a time step, reactivation of the well cannot occur until the
next time step to reduce oscillations. minrate must be less than maxrate.
maxrate—is the maximum rate that a well must exceed to reactivate a well during a stress period. The
well will reactivate during a timestep if the well was shutdown during the previous time step and
the flow rate to the well from the aquifer exceeds maxrate. Reactivation of the well cannot occur
until the next time step if a well is shutdown to reduce oscillations. maxrate must be greater than
minrate.
86 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

RATE SCALING—activate rate scaling. If rate scaling is specified, both pump elevation and
scaling length must be specified. rate scaling cannot be used with head limit.
pump elevation—is the elevation of the multi-aquifer well pump (pump elevation).
pump elevation cannot be less than the bottom elevation (bottom) of the multi-aquifer well. By
default, pump elevation is set equal to the bottom of the largest GWF node number connected to a
MAW well.
scaling length—height above the pump elevation (scaling length) below which the pumping rate
is reduced. The default value for scaling length is the well radius.
AUXILIARY—keyword for specifying auxiliary variable.
auxname—name for the auxiliary variable to be assigned auxval. auxname must match one of the aux-
iliary variable names defined in the OPTIONS block. If auxname does not match one of the auxiliary
variable names defined in the OPTIONS block the data are ignored.
auxval—value for the auxiliary variable. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see
the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.

Example Input File – Conductance Calculated using Thiem Equation

begin options
print_input
print_head
print_flows
boundnames
newton
head fileout maw-1.head.bin
budget fileout maw-1.cbc
end options

begin dimensions
nmawwells 2
end dimensions

begin packagedata
# wellno radius bottom strt condeqn ngwnodes name
1 0.15 -100.0 9.14 theim 2 pwell
2 0.25 -100.0 9.14 theim 1 iwell
end packagedata

begin connectiondata
# wellno conn l r c stop sbot k rskin
1 1 1 51 51 0 0 0 0
1 2 2 51 51 0 0 0 0
2 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
end connectiondata

begin period 1
1 rate_scaling -90. 5.
1 rate -1767.
2 status inactive
end period

begin period 100

2 status active
2 rate 529.
1 rate -2767.
end period
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 87

Example Input File – Conductance Calculated using Screen Geometry

begin options
print_input
print_head
print_flows
boundnames
newton
end options

begin dimensions
nmawwells 2
end dimensions

begin packagedata
# wellno radius bottom strt condeqn ngwnodes name
1 0.15 -100.0 9.14 mean 2 pwell
2 0.25 -100.0 9.14 mean 1 iwell
end packagedata

begin connectiondata
# wellno conn l r c stop sbot k rskin
1 1 1 51 51 0. -100. 361. .25
1 2 2 51 51 0. -100. 361. .25
2 1 2 2 2 -50. -100. 361 .50
end connectiondata

begin period 1
1 rate_scaling -90. 5.
1 rate -1767.
2 status inactive
end period

begin period 100

2 status active
2 rate 529.
1 rate -2767.
end period

Example Input File – Flowing Well with Conductance Specified

begin options
print_input
print_head
print_flows
boundnames
flowing_wells
newton
end options

begin dimensions
nmawwells 1
end dimensions

begin packagedata
# wellno radius bottom strt condeqn ngwnodes name
1 0.15 -514.9 9.14 specified 2 ntwell
end packagedata

begin connectiondata
# wellno conn l r c stop sbot k rskin
1 1 1 51 51 -50 -514.9 111.3763 0
1 2 2 51 51 -50 -514.9 445.9849 0
end connectiondata

begin period 1
1 rate 0
88 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

1 flowing_well 0. 7500. 0.5

end period

Available observation types

Multi-Aquifer Well Package observations include well head and all of the terms that contribute to the con-
tinuity equation for each multi-aquifer well. Additional LAK Package observations include the conductance
for a well-aquifer connection conductance (conductance) and the calculated flowing well-aquifer connection
conductance (fw-conductance). The data required for each MAW Package observation type is defined in
table 14. Negative and positive values for maw observations represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model,
respectively. For all other flow terms, negative and positive values represent a loss from and gain from the
MAW package, respectively.

Table 14. Available MAW Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
MAW head wellno or – Head in a multi-aquifer well. If boundname
boundname is specified, boundname must be unique for
each multi-aquifer well.
MAW from-mvr wellno or – Simulated inflow to a well from the MVR
boundname package for a multi-aquifer well or a group
of multi-aquifer wells.
MAW maw wellno or icon or Simulated flow rate for a multi-aquifer well
boundname – or a group of multi-aquifer wells and its
aquifer connection(s). If boundname is not
specified for ID, then the simulated multi-
aquifer well-aquifer flow rate at a specific
multi-aquifer well connection is observed.
In this case, ID2 must be specified and is the
connection number icon.
MAW rate wellno or – Simulated pumping rate for a multi-aquifer
boundname well or a group of multi-aquifer wells.
MAW rate-to-mvr wellno or – Simulated well discharge that is available for
boundname the MVR package for a multi-aquifer well or
a group of multi-aquifer wells.
MAW fw-rate wellno or – Simulated flowing well flow rate for a multi-
boundname aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer
wells.
MAW fw-to-mvr wellno or – Simulated flowing well discharge rate that is
boundname available for the MVR package for a multi-
aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer
wells.
MAW storage wellno or – Simulated storage flow rate for a multi-
boundname aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer
wells.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 89

Table 14. Available MAW Package observation types.—Continued

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
MAW constant wellno or – Simulated constant-flow rate for a multi-
boundname aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer
wells.
MAW conductance wellno or icon or Simulated well conductance for a multi-
boundname – aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer wells
and its aquifer connection(s). If boundname
is not specified for ID, then the simulated
multi-aquifer well conductance at a specific
multi-aquifer well connection is observed.
In this case, ID2 must be specified and is the
connection number icon.
MAW fw-conductance wellno or – Simulated flowing well conductance for
boundname a multi-aquifer well or a group of multi-
aquifer wells.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRECISION SINGLE
DIGITS 10
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.maw.csv

m1head head 1
m1rate01 maw 1 1
m1rate02 maw 1 2
m1rate maw well-1
m2rate01 maw well-2
END CONTINUOUS
90 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Streamflow Routing (SFR) Package

Input to the Streamflow Routing (SFR) Package is read from the file that has type “SFR6” in the Name
File. Any number of SFR Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model; however, water can-
not be routed between reaches in separate packages except in cases where the MVR Package is used to route
water between separate packages.
Reach connectivity must be explicitly specified for this version of the SFR Package, unlike the abbrevi-
ated SFR Package segment connectivity specified in previous versions of MODFLOW. Explicit specification
of reach connectivity has been adopted to facilitate better validation of stream network connectivity by the
program. Explicit reach connectivity means that a reach must be specified as an upstream connection for all
downstream connections to the reach. Downstream connections for a reach are denoted with a negative reach
number. Flow in a reach is unidirectional, always flowing from the upstream end to the downstream end of a
reach. An example of the reach connectivity for a hypothetical stream network is shown in figure 2.
U

D U
1 2
D U

U 5
EXPLANATION
Reach connections 3
Stream
Reach connectivity Reach connection
D
reach connections Flow direction
U
1 -2 5 Stream reach number
U Upstream end of reach
2 1 -3 -5
4 D Downstream end of reach
3 2 -4
4 3 -7
5 2 -6 U
D
6
6 5 -7 7
D

7 4 6
D

Figure 2. Simple stream network having seven reaches with a junction having two reaches, a confluence of two reaches, and
the resulting reach connectivity. Downstream connections for a reach must include the reach as an upstream connection for all
downstream connections to the reach. Downstream connections for a reach are denoted with a negative reach number.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_STAGE]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[STAGE FILEOUT <stagefile>]
[BUDGET FILEOUT <budgetfile>]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[MOVER]
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 91

[MAXIMUM_ITERATIONS <maximum_iterations>]
[MAXIMUM_DEPTH_CHANGE <maximum_depth_change>]
[UNIT_CONVERSION <unit_conversion>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NREACHES <nreaches>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PACKAGEDATA
<rno> <cellid(ncelldim)> <rlen> <rwid> <rgrd> <rtp> <rbth> <rhk> <man> <ncon> <ustrf> <ndv> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<rno> <cellid(ncelldim)> <rlen> <rwid> <rgrd> <rtp> <rbth> <rhk> <man> <ncon> <ustrf> <ndv> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PACKAGEDATA

BEGIN CONNECTIONDATA
<rno> <ic(ncon(rno))>
<rno> <ic(ncon(rno))>
...
END CONNECTIONDATA

IF ndv IS GREATER THAN ZERO FOR ANY REACH

BEGIN DIVERSIONS
<rno> <idv> <iconr> <cprior>
<rno> <idv> <iconr> <cprior>
...
END DIVERSIONS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<rno> <sfrsetting>
<rno> <sfrsetting>
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of stream reach
cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of stream reach information will be written to the list-
ing file immediately after it is read.
PRINT STAGE—keyword to indicate that the list of stream reach stages will be printed to the listing file
for every stress period in which “HEAD PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is no Out-
put Control option and PRINT STAGE is specified, then stages are printed for the last time step of
each stress period.
92 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of stream reach flow rates will be printed to the listing
file for every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If
there is no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the
last time step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that stream reach flow terms will be written to the file specified with
“BUDGET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
STAGE—keyword to specify that record corresponds to stage.
stagefile—name of the binary output file to write stage information.
BUDGET—keyword to specify that record corresponds to the budget.
FILEOUT—keyword to specify that an output filename is expected next.
budgetfile—name of the binary output file to write budget information.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the SFR package. See the “Observa-
tion utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observation
type(s) supported by the SFR package.
MOVER—keyword to indicate that this instance of the SFR Package can be used with the Water Mover
(MVR) Package. When the MOVER option is specified, additional memory is allocated within the
package to store the available, provided, and received water.
maximum iterations—value that defines an maximum number of Streamflow Routing Newton-
Raphson iterations allowed for a reach. By default, maxsfrit is equal to 100.
maximum depth change—value that defines the depth closure tolerance. By default, dmaxchg is equal
to 1 × 10−5 .
unit conversion—value (or conversion factor) that is used in calculating stream depth for stream
reach. A constant of 1.486 is used for flow units of cubic feet per second, and a constant of 1.0 is
used for units of cubic meters per second. The constant must be multiplied by 86,400 when using
time units of days in the simulation.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nreaches—integer value specifying the number of stream reaches. There must be nreaches entries in
the PACKAGEDATA block.

Block: PACKAGEDATA

rno—integer value that defines the reach number associated with the specified PACKAGEDATA data
on the line. rno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nreaches. Reach information
must be specified for every reach or the program will terminate with an error. The program will also
terminate with an error if information for a reach is specified more than once.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 93

cellid—The keyword ‘none’ must be specified for reaches that are not connected to an underlying
GWF cell. The keyword ‘none’ is used for reaches that are in cells that have IDOMAIN values less
than one or are in areas not covered by the GWF model grid. Reach-aquifer flow is not calculated if
the keyword ‘none’ is specified.
rlen—real value that defines the reach length. rlen must be greater than zero.
rwid—real value that defines the reach width. rwid must be greater than zero.
rgrd—real value that defines the stream gradient (slope) across the reach. rgrd must be greater than
zero.
rtp—real value that defines the top elevation of the reach streambed.
rbth—real value that defines the thickness of the reach streambed. rbth can be any value if cellid is
‘none’. Otherwise, rbth must be greater than zero.
rhk—real value that defines the hydraulic conductivity of the reach streambed. rhk can be any positive
value if cellid is ‘none’. Otherwise, rhk must be greater than zero.
man—real or character value that defines the Manning’s roughness coefficient for the reach. man must be
greater than zero. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable
Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place
of a numeric value.
ncon—integer value that defines the number of reaches connected to the reach.
ustrf—real value that defines the fraction of upstream flow from each upstream reach that is applied
as upstream inflow to the reach. The sum of all ustrf values for all reaches connected to the same
upstream reach must be equal to one and ustrf must be greater than or equal to zero.
ndv—integer value that defines the number of downstream diversions for the reach.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each stream reach. The values of auxiliary vari-
ables must be present for each stream reach. The values must be specified in the order of the auxil-
iary variables specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the Options
block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be
obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
boundname—name of the stream reach cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can contain
as many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be enclosed
within single quotes.

Block: CONNECTIONDATA

rno—integer value that defines the reach number associated with the specified CONNECTIONDATA
data on the line. rno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to NREACHES. Reach connec-
tion information must be specified for every reach or the program will terminate with an error. The
program will also terminate with an error if connection information for a reach is specified more
than once.
ic—integer value that defines the reach number of the reach connected to the current reach and whether
it is connected to the upstream or downstream end of the reach. Negative ic numbers indicate con-
nected reaches are connected to the downstream end of the current reach. Positive ic numbers indi-
cate connected reaches are connected to the upstream end of the current reach. The absolute value
of ic must be greater than zero and less than or equal to NREACHES.

Block: DIVERSIONS
94 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

rno—integer value that defines the reach number associated with the specified DIVERSIONS data on
the line. rno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to NREACHES. Reach diversion infor-
mation must be specified for every reach with a ndv value greater than 0 or the program will termi-
nate with an error. The program will also terminate with an error if diversion information for a given
reach diversion is specified more than once.
idv—integer value that defines the downstream diversion number for the diversion for reach rno. idv
must be greater than zero and less than or equal to ndv for reach rno.
iconr—integer value that defines the downstream reach that will receive the diverted water. idv must
be greater than zero and less than or equal to NREACHES. Furthermore, reach iconr must be a down-
stream connection for reach rno.
cprior—character string value that defines the the prioritization system for the diversion, such as
when insufficient water is available to meet all diversion stipulations, and is used in conjunction
with the value of flow value specified in the STRESS PERIOD DATA section. Available diversion
options include: (1) cprior = ‘FRACTION’, then the amount of the diversion is computed as a
fraction of the streamflow leaving reach rno (QDS ); in this case, 0.0 ≤ divflow ≤ 1.0. (2) cprior
= ‘EXCESS’, a diversion is made only if QDS for reach rno exceeds the value of divflow. If this
occurs, then the quantity of water diverted is the excess flow (QDS − divflow) and QDS from
reach rno is set equal to divflow. This represents a flood-control type of diversion, as described
by Danskin and Hanson (2002). (3) cprior = ‘THRESHOLD’, then if QDS in reach rno is less
than the specified diversion flow (divflow), no water is diverted from reach rno. If QDS in reach
rno is greater than or equal to (divflow), (divflow) is diverted and QDS is set to the remainder
(QDS − divflow)). This approach assumes that once flow in the stream is sufficiently low, diver-
sions from the stream cease, and is the ‘priority’ algorithm that originally was programmed into the
STR1 Package (Prudic, 1989). (4) cprior = ‘UPTO’ – if QDS in reach rno is greater than or equal
to the specified diversion flow (divflow), QDS is reduced by divflow. If QDS in reach rno is less
than (divflow), divflow is set to QDS and there will be no flow available for reaches connected to
downstream end of reach rno.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
rno—integer value that defines the reach number associated with the specified PERIOD data on the line.
rno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to NREACHES.
sfrsetting—line of information that is parsed into a keyword and values. Keyword values that can
be used to start the sfrsetting string include: STATUS, MANNING, STAGE, INFLOW, RAINFALL,
EVAPORATION, RUNOFF, DIVERSION, UPSTREAM FRACTION, and AUXILIARY.
STATUS <status>
MANNING <manning>
STAGE <stage>
INFLOW <inflow>
RAINFALL <rainfall>
EVAPORATION <evaporation>
RUNOFF <runoff>
DIVERSION <idv> <divrate>
UPSTREAM_FRACTION <upstream_fraction>
AUXILIARY <auxname> <auxval>
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 95

status—keyword option to define stream reach status. status can be ACTIVE, INACTIVE, or SIMPLE.
The SIMPLE status option simulates streamflow using a user-specified stage for a reach or a
stage set to the top of the reach (depth = 0). In cases where the simulated leakage calculated using
the specified stage exceeds the sum of inflows to the reach, the stage is set to the top of the reach
and leakage is set equal to the sum of inflows. Upstream factions should be changed using the
UPSTREAM FRACTION sfrsetting if the status for one or more reaches is changed to ACTIVE
or INACTIVE. For example, if one of two downstream connections for a reach is inactivated, the
upstream fraction for the active and inactive downstream reach should be changed to 1.0 and
0.0, respectively, to ensure that the active reach receives all of the downstream outflow from the
upstream reach. By default, status is ACTIVE.
manning—real or character value that defines the Manning’s roughness coefficient for the reach.
manning must be greater than zero. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see
the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
stage—real or character value that defines the stage for the reach. The specified stage is only applied
if the reach uses the simple routing option. If STAGE is not specified for reaches that use the sim-
ple routing option, the specified stage is set to the top of the reach. If the Options block includes a
TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time
series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
inflow—real or character value that defines the volumetric inflow rate for the streamflow routing reach.
If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section),
values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric
value. By default, inflow rates are zero for each reach.
rainfall—real or character value that defines the volumetric rate per unit area of water added by pre-
cipitation directly on the streamflow routing reach. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIES-
FILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by
entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value. By default, rainfall rates are zero for each
reach.
evaporation—real or character value that defines the volumetric rate per unit area of water subtracted
by evaporation from the streamflow routing reach. A positive evaporation rate should be provided.
If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section),
values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric
value. By default, evaporation rates are zero for each reach.
runoff—real or character value that defines the volumetric rate of diffuse overland runoff that enters
the streamflow routing reach. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the
“Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value. By default, runoff rates are zero for each reach.
DIVERSION—keyword to indicate diversion record.
idv—diversion number.
divrate—real or character value that defines the volumetric diversion (divflow) rate for the stream-
flow routing reach. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-
Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name
in place of a numeric value.
upstream fraction—real value that defines the fraction of upstream flow (ustrf) from each
upstream reach that is applied as upstream inflow to the reach. The sum of all ustrf values for all
reaches connected to the same upstream reach must be equal to one.
96 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

AUXILIARY—keyword for specifying auxiliary variable.

auxname—name for the auxiliary variable to be assigned auxval. auxname must match one of the aux-
iliary variable names defined in the OPTIONS block. If auxname does not match one of the auxiliary
variable names defined in the OPTIONS block the data are ignored.
auxval—value for the auxiliary variable. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see
the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
UNIT_CONVERSION 1.486
BOUNDNAMES
PRINT_STAGE
PRINT_FLOWS
STAGE FILEOUT sfr-1.stage.bin
BUDGET FILEOUT sfr-1.cbc
END OPTIONS

#dimension block is required

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NREACHES 37
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PACKAGEDATA
#rno k i j rlen rwid rgrd rtp rbth rhk man ncon ustrf ndv boundname
1 1 1 1 4500. 12 8.67E-04 1093.048 3.0 0.00003 0.03 1 1.0 0 reach1
2 1 2 2 7000. 12 8.67E-04 1088.059 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0 reach2
3 1 3 3 6000. 12 8.67E-04 1082.419 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0 reach3
4 1 3 4 5550. 12 8.67E-04 1077.408 3.0 0.00003 0.03 3 1.0 1 reach4
5 1 4 5 6500. 12 9.43E-04 1071.934 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
6 1 5 6 5000. 12 9.43E-04 1066.509 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
7 1 6 6 5000. 12 9.43E-04 1061.792 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
8 1 7 6 5000. 12 9.43E-04 1057.075 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
9 1 8 6 5000. 12 9.43E-04 1052.359 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
10 1 3 5 5000. 10 5.45E-04 1073.636 2.0 0.00003 0.03 2 0.0 0 canal
11 1 3 6 5000. 10 5.45E-04 1070.909 2.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0 canal
12 1 3 7 4500. 10 5.45E-04 1068.318 2.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0 canal
13 1 4 8 6000. 10 5.45E-04 1065.455 2.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0 canal
14 1 5 8 5000. 10 5.45E-04 1062.455 2.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0 canal
15 1 6 8 2000. 10 5.45E-04 1060.545 2.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0 canal
16 1 510 2500. 10 1.81E-03 1077.727 3.0 0.00003 0.03 1 1.0 0
17 1 5 9 5000. 10 1.81E-03 1070.909 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
18 1 6 8 3500. 10 1.81E-03 1063.182 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
19 1 6 8 4000. 15 1.00E-03 1058.000 3.0 0.00003 0.03 3 1.0 0
20 1 7 7 5000. 15 1.00E-03 1053.500 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
21 1 8 7 3500. 15 1.00E-03 1049.250 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
22 1 8 6 2500. 15 1.00E-03 1046.250 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
23 1 9 6 5000. 12 9.09E-04 1042.727 3.0 0.00003 0.03 3 1.0 0
24 1 10 7 5000. 12 9.09E-04 1038.182 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
25 1 11 7 5000. 12 9.09E-04 1033.636 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
26 1 12 7 5000. 12 9.09E-04 1029.091 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
27 1 13 7 2000. 12 9.09E-04 1025.909 3.0 0.00003 0.03 2 1.0 0
28 1 14 9 5000. 55 9.67E-04 1037.581 3.0 0.00006 0.025 1 1.0 0
29 1 13 8 5500. 55 9.67E-04 1032.500 3.0 0.00006 0.025 2 1.0 0
30 1 13 7 5000. 55 9.67E-04 1027.419 3.0 0.00006 0.025 2 1.0 0
31 1 13 6 5000. 40 1.25E-03 1021.875 3.0 0.00006 0.025 3 1.0 0
32 1 13 5 5000. 40 1.25E-03 1015.625 3.0 0.00006 0.025 2 1.0 0
33 1 13 4 5000. 40 1.25E-03 1009.375 3.0 0.00006 0.025 2 1.0 0
34 1 13 3 5000. 40 1.25E-03 1003.125 3.0 0.00006 0.025 2 1.0 0
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 97

35 1 13 2 5000. 40 1.25E-03 996.8750 3.0 0.00006 0.025 2 1.0 0

36 1 13 1 3000. 40 1.25E-03 991.8750 3.0 0.00006 0.025 2 1.0 0
37 none 5000. 40 1.25E-03 985.6250 3.0 0.00006 0.025 1 1.0 0
END PACKAGEDATA

BEGIN CONNECTIONDATA
#rno ic1 ic2 ic3
1 -2
2 1 -3
3 2 -4
4 3 -5 -10
5 4 -6
6 5 -7
7 6 -8
8 7 -9
9 8 -23
10 4 -11
11 10 -12
12 11 -13
13 12 -14
14 13 -15
15 14 -19
16 -17
17 16 -18
18 17 -19
19 15 18 -20
20 19 -21
21 20 -22
22 21 -23
23 9 22 -24
24 23 -25
25 24 -26
26 25 -27
27 26 -31
28 -29
29 28 -30
30 29 -31
31 27 30 -32
32 31 -33
33 32 -34
34 33 -35
35 34 -36
36 35 -37
37 36
END CONNECTIONDATA

BEGIN DIVERSIONS
# rno idv iconr cprior
4 1 10 UPTO
END DIVERSIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 1
# rno sfrsetting
1 inflow 25.
16 inflow 10.
28 inflow 150.
4 diversion 1 10.
10 status simple
11 status simple
12 status simple
13 status simple
14 status simple
15 status simple
10 stage 1075.5454
11 stage 1072.6363
12 stage 1069.8727
13 stage 1066.8181
14 stage 1063.6181
98 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

15 stage 1061.5818
END PERIOD

Available observation types

Streamflow Routing Package observations include reach stage and all of the terms that contribute to the
continuity equation for each stream reach. Additional SFR Package observations include the sum of inflows
from upstream reaches and from mover terms (upstream-flow) and downstream outflow from a reach prior
to diversions and the mover package (downstream-flow). The data required for each SFR Package observa-
tion type is defined in table 15. Negative and positive values for sfr observations represent a loss from and
gain to the GWF model, respectively. For all other flow terms, negative and positive values represent a loss
from and gain from the SFR package, respectively.

Table 15. Available SFR Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
SFR stage rno or – Surface-water stage in a stream-reach bound-
boundname ary. If boundname is specified, boundname
must be unique for each reach.
SFR ext-inflow rno or – Inflow into a stream-reach from an external
boundname boundary for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR inflow rno or – Inflow into a stream-reach from upstream
boundname reaches for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR from-mvr rno or – Inflow into a stream-reach from the MVR
boundname package for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR rainfall rno or – Rainfall rate applied to a stream-reach or a
boundname group of stream-reaches.
SFR runoff rno or – Runoff rate applied to a stream-reach or a
boundname group of stream-reaches.
SFR sfr rno or – Simulated flow rate for a stream-reach and
boundname its aquifer connection for a stream-reach or a
group of stream-reaches.
SFR evaporation rno or – Simulated evaporation rate from a stream-
boundname reach or a group of stream-reaches.
SFR outflow rno or – Outflow from a stream-reach to downstream
boundname reaches for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR ext-outflow rno or – Outflow from a stream-reach to an external
boundname boundary for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR to-mvr rno or – Outflow from a stream-reach that is available
boundname for the MVR package for a stream-reach or a
group of stream-reaches.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 99

Table 15. Available SFR Package observation types.—Continued

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
SFR upstream-flow rno or – Upstream flow for a stream-reach or a group
boundname of stream-reaches from upstream reaches and
the MVR package.
SFR downstream-flow rno or – Downstream flow for a stream-reach or a
boundname group of stream-reaches prior to diversions
and the MVR package.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
DIGITS 8
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.sfr.csv

# obsname obstype id
gage1stage STAGE reach4
gage2stage STAGE 7
gage2inflow INFLOW 7
gage2disch DOWNSTREAM-FLOW 7
gage3stage STAGE 14
END CONTINUOUS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.sfr.leakage.csv

# obsname obstype id
leak1 SFR reach1
leak10 SFR 10
leak11 SFR 11
leak12 SFR 12
leak13 SFR 13
leak14 SFR 14
leak15 SFR 15
leakcanal SFR canal #Sum of flows between canal reaches and groundwater
END CONTINUOUS
100 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Lake (LAK) Package

Input to the Lake (LAK) Package is read from the file that has type “LAK6” in the Name File. Any num-
ber of LAK Packages can be specified for a single groundwater flow model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_STAGE]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[STAGE FILEOUT <stagefile>]
[BUDGET FILEOUT <budgetfile>]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[MOVER]
[SURFDEP <surfdep>]
[TIME_CONVERSION <time_conversion>]
[LENGTH_CONVERSION <length_conversion>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NLAKES <nlakes>
NOUTLETS <noutlets>
NTABLES <ntables>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PACKAGEDATA
<lakeno> <strt> <nlakeconn> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
<lakeno> <strt> <nlakeconn> [<aux(naux)>] [<boundname>]
...
END PACKAGEDATA

IF nlakeconn IS GREATER THAN ZERO FOR ANY LAKE

BEGIN CONNECTIONDATA
<lakeno> <iconn> <cellid(ncelldim)> <claktype> <bedleak> <belev> <telev> <connlen> <connwidth>
<lakeno> <iconn> <cellid(ncelldim)> <claktype> <bedleak> <belev> <telev> <connlen> <connwidth>
...
END CONNECTIONDATA

IF ntables IS GREATER THAN ZERO

BEGIN TABLES
<lakeno> TAB6 FILEIN <tab6_filename>
<lakeno> TAB6 FILEIN <tab6_filename>
...
END TABLES

IF noutlets IS GREATER THAN ZERO FOR ANY LAKE

BEGIN OUTLETS
<outletno> <lakein> <lakeout> <couttype> <invert> <width> <rough> <slope>
<outletno> <lakein> <lakeout> <couttype> <invert> <width> <rough> <slope>
...
END OUTLETS

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 101

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>

<lakeno> <laksetting>
<lakeno> <laksetting>
...
<outletno> <outletsetting>
<outletno> <outletsetting>
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of lake cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of lake information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
PRINT STAGE—keyword to indicate that the list of lake stages will be printed to the listing file for every
stress period in which “HEAD PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is no Output Control
option and PRINT STAGE is specified, then stages are printed for the last time step of each stress
period.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of lake flow rates will be printed to the listing file for
every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is
no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the last time
step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that lake flow terms will be written to the file specified with “BUD-
GET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
STAGE—keyword to specify that record corresponds to stage.
stagefile—name of the binary output file to write stage information.
BUDGET—keyword to specify that record corresponds to the budget.
FILEOUT—keyword to specify that an output filename is expected next.
budgetfile—name of the binary output file to write budget information.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
102 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the LAK package. See the “Observa-
tion utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observation
type(s) supported by the LAK package.
MOVER—keyword to indicate that this instance of the LAK Package can be used with the Water Mover
(MVR) Package. When the MOVER option is specified, additional memory is allocated within the
package to store the available, provided, and received water.
surfdep—real value that defines the surface depression depth for VERTICAL lake-GWF connections.
If specified, surfdep must be greater than or equal to zero. If SURFDEP is not specified, a default
value of zero is used for all vertical lake-GWF connections.
time conversion—value that is used in converting outlet flow terms that use Manning’s equation or
gravitational acceleration to consistent time units. time conversion should be set to 1.0, 60.0,
3,600.0, 86,400.0, and 31,557,600.0 when using time units (time units) of seconds, minutes,
hours, days, or years in the simulation, respectively. convtime does not need to be specified if no
lake outlets are specified or time units are seconds.
length conversion—real value that is used in converting outlet flow terms that use Manning’s equa-
tion or gravitational acceleration to consistent length units. length conversion should be set to
3.28081, 1.0, and 100.0 when using length units (length units) of feet, meters, or centimeters in
the simulation, respectively. length conversion does not need to be specified if no lake outlets
are specified or length units are meters.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nlakes—value specifying the number of lakes that will be simulated for all stress periods.
noutlets—value specifying the number of outlets that will be simulated for all stress periods. If
NOUTLETS is not specified, a default value of zero is used.
ntables—value specifying the number of lakes tables that will be used to define the lake stage, volume
relation, and surface area. If NTABLES is not specified, a default value of zero is used.

Block: PACKAGEDATA

lakeno—integer value that defines the lake number associated with the specified PACKAGEDATA data
on the line. lakeno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nlakes. Lake information
must be specified for every lake or the program will terminate with an error. The program will also
terminate with an error if information for a lake is specified more than once.
strt—real value that defines the starting stage for the lake.
nlakeconn—integer value that defines the number of GWF nodes connected to this (lakeno) lake. There
can only be one vertical lake connection to each GWF node. nlakeconn must be greater than zero.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each lake. The values of auxiliary variables
must be present for each lake. The values must be specified in the order of the auxiliary variables
specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the Options block includes
a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a
time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
boundname—name of the lake cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can contain as many
as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be enclosed within
single quotes.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 103

Block: CONNECTIONDATA

lakeno—integer value that defines the lake number associated with the specified CONNECTIONDATA
data on the line. lakeno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nlakes. Lake connec-
tion information must be specified for every lake connection to the GWF model (nlakeconn) or the
program will terminate with an error. The program will also terminate with an error if connection
information for a lake connection to the GWF model is specified more than once.
iconn—integer value that defines the GWF connection number for this lake connection entry. iconn
must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nlakeconn for lake lakeno.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
claktype—character string that defines the lake-GWF connection type for the lake connection. Possible
lake-GWF connection type strings include: VERTICAL–character keyword to indicate the lake-GWF
connection is vertical and connection conductance calculations use the hydraulic conductivity cor-
responding to the K33 tensor component defined for cellid in the NPF package. HORIZONTAL–
character keyword to indicate the lake-GWF connection is horizontal and connection conductance
calculations use the hydraulic conductivity corresponding to the K11 tensor component defined for
cellid in the NPF package. EMBEDDEDH–character keyword to indicate the lake-GWF connection is
embedded in a single cell and connection conductance calculations use the hydraulic conductivity
corresponding to the K11 tensor component defined for cellid in the NPF package. EMBEDDEDV–
character keyword to indicate the lake-GWF connection is embedded in a single cell and connection
conductance calculations use the hydraulic conductivity corresponding to the K33 tensor compo-
nent defined for cellid in the NPF package. Embedded lakes can only be connected to a single cell
(nlakconn = 1) and there must be a lake table associated with each embedded lake.
bedleak—real value that defines the bed leakance for the lake-GWF connection. bedk must be greater
than or equal to zero.
belev—real value that defines the bottom elevation for a HORIZONTAL lake-GWF connection. Any
value can be specified if claktype is VERTICAL, EMBEDDEDH, or EMBEDDEDV. If claktype is
HORIZONTAL and belev is not equal to telev, belev must be greater than or equal to the bottom
of the GWF cell cellid. If belev is equal to telev, belev is reset to the bottom of the GWF cell
cellid.
telev—real value that defines the top elevation for a HORIZONTAL lake-GWF connection. Any value can
be specified if claktype is VERTICAL, EMBEDDEDH, or EMBEDDEDV. If claktype is HORIZONTAL
and telev is not equal to belev, telev must be less than or equal to the top of the GWF cell
cellid. If telev is equal to belev, telev is reset to the top of the GWF cell cellid.
connlen—real value that defines the distance between the connected GWF cellid node and the lake
for a HORIZONTAL, EMBEDDEDH, or EMBEDDEDV lake-GWF connection. connlen must be greater than
zero for a HORIZONTAL, EMBEDDEDH, or EMBEDDEDV lake-GWF connection. Any value can be speci-
fied if claktype is VERTICAL.
connwidth—real value that defines the connection face width for a HORIZONTAL lake-GWF connection.
connwidth must be greater than zero for a HORIZONTAL lake-GWF connection. Any value can be
specified if claktype is VERTICAL, EMBEDDEDH, or EMBEDDEDV.

Block: TABLES
104 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

lakeno—integer value that defines the lake number associated with the specified TABLES data on the
line. lakeno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nlakes. The program will termi-
nate with an error if table information for a lake is specified more than once or the number of speci-
fied tables is less than ntables.
TAB6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a table file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
tab6 filename—character string that defines the path and filename for the file containing lake table
data for the lake connection. The ctabname file includes the number of entries in the file and the
relation between stage, surface area, and volume for each entry in the file. Lake table files for
EMBEDDEDH and EMBEDDEDV lake-GWF connections also include lake-GWF exchange area data for
each entry in the file. Input instructions for the ctabname file is included at the LAK package lake
table file input instructions section.

Block: OUTLETS

outletno—integer value that defines the outlet number associated with the specified OUTLETS data
on the line. outletno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to noutlets. Outlet infor-
mation must be specified for every outlet or the program will terminate with an error. The program
will also terminate with an error if information for a outlet is specified more than once.
lakein—integer value that defines the lake number that outlet is connected to. lakein must be greater
than zero and less than or equal to nlakes.
lakeout—integer value that defines the lake number that outlet discharge from lake outlet outletno
is routed to. lakeout must be greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to nlakes. If
lakeout is zero, outlet discharge from lake outlet outletno is discharged to an external boundary.
couttype—character string that defines the outlet type for the outlet outletno. Possible couttype
strings include: SPECIFIED–character keyword to indicate the outlet is defined as a specified flow.
MANNING–character keyword to indicate the outlet is defined using Manning’s equation. WEIR–
character keyword to indicate the outlet is defined using a sharp weir equation.
invert—real value that defines the invert elevation for the lake outlet. Any value can be specified if
couttype is SPECIFIED. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-
Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name
in place of a numeric value.
width—real value that defines the width of the lake outlet. Any value can be specified if couttype is
SPECIFIED. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input”
section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a
numeric value.
rough—real value that defines the roughness coefficient for the lake outlet. Any value can be speci-
fied if couttype is not MANNING. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the
“Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
slope—real value that defines the bed slope for the lake outlet. Any value can be specified if couttype
is not MANNING. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable
Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place
of a numeric value.

Block: PERIOD
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 105

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
lakeno—integer value that defines the lake number associated with the specified PERIOD data on the
line. lakeno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nlakes.
laksetting—line of information that is parsed into a keyword and values. Keyword values that can be
used to start the laksetting string include: STATUS, STAGE, RAINFALL, EVAPORATION, RUNOFF,
WITHDRAWAL, and AUXILIARY.
STATUS <status>
STAGE <stage>
RAINFALL <rainfall>
EVAPORATION <evaporation>
RUNOFF <runoff>
WITHDRAWAL <withdrawal>
AUXILIARY <auxname> <auxval>

status—keyword option to define lake status. status can be ACTIVE, INACTIVE, or CONSTANT. By
default, status is ACTIVE.
rate—real or character value that defines the extraction rate for the lake outflow. A positive value
indicates inflow and a negative value indicates outflow from the lake. rate only applies to active
(IBOUND> 0) lakes. A specified rate is only applied if couttype for the outletno is SPECIFIED.
If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), val-
ues can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
By default, the rate for each SPECIFIED lake outlet is zero.
stage—real or character value that defines the stage for the lake. The specified stage is only applied
if the lake is a constant stage lake. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see
the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
rainfall—real or character value that defines the rainfall rate for the lake. value must be greater than
or equal to zero. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable
Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place
of a numeric value.
evaporation—real or character value that defines the maximum evaporation rate for the lake. value
must be greater than or equal to zero. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see
the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
runoff—real or character value that defines the runoff rate for the lake. value must be greater than
or equal to zero. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable
Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place
of a numeric value.
withdrawal—real or character value that defines the maximum withdrawal rate for the lake. value
must be greater than or equal to zero. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see
the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
AUXILIARY—keyword for specifying auxiliary variable.
106 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

auxname—name for the auxiliary variable to be assigned auxval. auxname must match one of the aux-
iliary variable names defined in the OPTIONS block. If auxname does not match one of the auxiliary
variable names defined in the OPTIONS block the data are ignored.
auxval—value for the auxiliary variable. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see
the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-
series name in place of a numeric value.
outletno—integer value that defines the outlet number associated with the specified PERIOD data on
the line. outletno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to noutlets.
outletsetting—line of information that is parsed into a keyword and values. Keyword values that
can be used to start the outletsetting string include: RATE, INVERT, WIDTH, SLOPE, and ROUGH.
RATE <rate>
INVERT <invert>
WIDTH <width>
SLOPE <slope>
ROUGH <rough>

invert—real or character value that defines the invert elevation for the lake outlet. A specified invert
value is only used for active lakes if couttype for lake outlet outletno is not SPECIFIED. If the
Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values
can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
rough—real or character value that defines the width of the lake outlet. A specified width value is only
used for active lakes if couttype for lake outlet outletno is not SPECIFIED. If the Options block
includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained
from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
width—real or character value that defines the width of the lake outlet. A specified width value is only
used for active lakes if couttype for lake outlet outletno is not SPECIFIED. If the Options block
includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained
from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
slope—real or character value that defines the bed slope for the lake outlet. A specified slope value is
only used for active lakes if couttype for lake outlet outletno is MANNING. If the Options block
includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained
from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.

Example Input File

begin options
PRINT_INPUT
BOUNDNAMES
PRINT_STAGE
PRINT_FLOWS
STAGE FILEOUT lak-1.stage.bin
BUDGET FILEOUT lak-1.cbc
end options

begin dimensions
nlakes 1
noutlets 1
end dimensions
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 107

begin packagedata
# lakeno strt lakeconn boundname
1 110.00 57 LAKE_1
end packagedata

begin connectiondata
# lakeno iconn layer row column claketype bedleak belev telev connlen connwidth
1 1 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 2 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 3 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 4 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 5 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 6 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 7 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 8 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 9 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 10 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 11 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 12 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 13 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 14 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 15 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 16 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 17 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 18 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 19 3 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 20 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 21 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 22 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 23 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 24 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 25 2 10 11 VERTICAL 0.1 0 0 0 0
1 26 1 6 7 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 27 1 7 6 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 28 1 6 8 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 29 1 6 9 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 30 1 6 10 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 31 1 6 11 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 32 1 7 12 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 33 1 8 6 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 34 1 8 12 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 35 1 9 6 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 36 1 9 12 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 37 1 10 6 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 38 1 10 12 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 39 1 12 7 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 40 1 11 6 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 41 1 12 8 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 42 1 12 9 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 43 1 12 10 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 44 1 12 11 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 45 1 11 12 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 46 2 7 8 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 47 2 8 7 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 48 2 7 9 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 49 2 7 10 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 50 2 8 11 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 51 2 9 7 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 52 2 9 11 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 53 2 11 8 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 54 2 10 7 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 55 2 11 9 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 56 2 11 10 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
1 57 2 10 11 HORIZONTAL 0.1 0 0 500 500
end connectiondata

begin outlets
# outletno lakein lakeout couttype invert width rough slope
108 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

1 1 0 SPECIFIED 0 0 0 0
end outlets

begin period 1
1 rainfall 0.0116
1 evaporation 0.0103
1 rate -100.
end period

begin period 100

1 constant
1 rate 0.
end period

Available observation types

Lake Package observations include lake stage and all of the terms that contribute to the continuity equa-
tion for each lake. Additional LAK Package observations include flow rates for individual outlets, lakes, or
groups of lakes (outlet); the lake volume (volume); lake surface area (surface-area); wetted area for
a lake-aquifer connection (wetted-area); and the conductance for a lake-aquifer connection conductance
(conductance). The data required for each LAK Package observation type is defined in table 16. Nega-
tive and positive values for lak observations represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model, respectively.
For all other flow terms, negative and positive values represent a loss from and gain from the LAK package,
respectively.

Table 16. Available LAK Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
LAK stage lakeno or – Surface-water stage in a lake. If boundname
boundname is specified, boundname must be unique for
each lake.
LAK ext-inflow lakeno or – Specified inflow into a lake or group of
boundname lakes.
LAK outlet-inflow lakeno or – Simulated inflow from upstream lake outlets
boundname into a lake or group of lakes.
LAK inflow lakeno or – Sum of specified inflow and simulated inflow
boundname from upstream lake outlets into a lake or
group of lakes.
LAK from-mvr lakeno or – Inflow into a lake or group of lakes from the
boundname MVR package.
LAK rainfall lakeno or – Rainfall rate applied to a lake or group of
boundname lakes.
LAK runoff lakeno or – Runoff rate applied to a lake or group of
boundname lakes.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 109

Table 16. Available LAK Package observation types.—Continued

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
LAK lak lakeno or iconn Simulated flow rate for a lake or group
boundname or – of lakes and its aquifer connection(s). If
boundname is not specified for ID, then the
simulated lake-aquifer flow rate at a specific
lake connection is observed. In this case,
ID2 must be specified and is the connection
number iconn.
LAK withdrawal lakeno or – Specified withdrawal rate from a lake or
boundname group of lakes.
LAK evaporation lakeno or – Simulated evaporation rate from a lake or
boundname group of lakes.
LAK ext-outflow outletno or – External outflow from a lake outlet, a lake, or
boundname a group of lakes to an external boundary. If
boundname is not specified for ID, then the
external outflow from a specific lake outlet
is observed. In this case, ID is the outlet
number outletno.
LAK to-mvr outletno or – Outflow from a lake outlet, a lake, or a group
boundname of lakes that is available for the MVR pack-
age. If boundname is not specified for ID,
then the outflow available for the MVR pack-
age from a specific lake outlet is observed. In
this case, ID is the outlet number outletno.
LAK storage lakeno or – Simulated storage flow rate for a lake or
boundname group of lakes.
LAK constant lakeno or – Simulated constant-flow rate for a lake or
boundname group of lakes.
LAK outlet outletno or – Simulate outlet flow rate from a lake outlet,
boundname a lake, or a group of lakes. If boundname
is not specified for ID, then the flow from a
specific lake outlet is observed. In this case,
ID is the outlet number outletno.
LAK volume lakeno or – Simulated lake volume or group of lakes.
boundname
LAK surface-area lakeno or – Simulated surface area for a lake or group of
boundname lakes.
LAK wetted-area lakeno or iconn Simulated wetted-area for a lake or group
boundname or – of lakes and its aquifer connection(s). If
boundname is not specified for ID, then the
wetted area of a specific lake connection is
observed. In this case, ID2 must be specified
and is the connection number iconn.
110 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Table 16. Available LAK Package observation types.—Continued

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
LAK conductance lakeno or iconn Calculated conductance for a lake or group
boundname or – of lakes and its aquifer connection(s). If
boundname is not specified for ID, then
the calculated conductance of a specific
lake connection is observed. In this case,
ID2 must be specified and is the connection
number iconn.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRECISION SINGLE
DIGITS 10
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.lak.csv

l1stage stage 1
l1vol volume 1
vflow lak 1 1
hflow1 lak 1 2
hflow2 lak 1 3
hflow3 lak 1 4
hflow4 lak 1 5
lakflow lak lake_1
END CONTINUOUS
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 111

Lake Table Input File

Lake tables of stage, volume, and surface area can be specified for individual lakes. Lake tables are spec-
ified by including file names in the LAKE TABLES block of the LAK Package. These file names correspond
to a lake table input file. The format of the lake table input file is described here.

Structure of Blocks

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NROW <nrow>
NCOL <ncol>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN TABLE
<stage> <volume> <sarea> [<barea>]
<stage> <volume> <sarea> [<barea>]
...
END TABLE

Explanation of Variables
Block: DIMENSIONS

nrow—integer value specifying the number of rows in the lake table. There must be nrow rows of data
in the TABLE block.
ncol—integer value specifying the number of colums in the lake table. There must be ncol columns of
data in the TABLE block. For lakes with HORIZONTAL and/or VERTICAL ctype connections, NROW
must be equal to 3. For lakes with EMBEDDEDH or EMBEDDEDV ctype connections, NROW must be
equal to 4.

Block: TABLE

stage—real value that defines the stage corresponding to the remaining data on the line.
volume—real value that defines the lake volume corresponding to the stage specified on the line.
sarea—real value that defines the lake surface area corresponding to the stage specified on the line.
barea—real value that defines the lake-GWF exchange area corresponding to the stage specified on the
line. barea is only specified if the claktype for the lake is EMBEDDEDH or EMBEDDEDV.

Example Input File

begin dimensions
nrow 11
ncol 3
end dimensions

begin table
# stage volume sarea
0 0. 0.
1 0.5 1.
112 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

2 1.0 2.
3 2.0 2.
4 3.0 2.
5 4.0 2.
6 5.0 2.
7 6.0 2.
8 7.0 2.
9 8.0 2.
10 9.0 2.
end table
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 113

Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF) Package

Input to the Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF) Package is read from the file that has type “UZF6” in the Name
File.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[AUXMULTNAME <auxmultname>]
[BOUNDNAMES]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[BUDGET FILEOUT <budgetfile>]
[TS6 FILEIN <ts6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
[MOVER]
[SIMULATE_ET]
[LINEAR_GWET]
[SQUARE_GWET]
[SIMULATE_GWSEEP]
[UNSAT_ETWC]
[UNSAT_ETAE]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NUZFCELLS <nuzfcells>
NTRAILWAVES <ntrailwaves>
NWAVESETS <nwavesets>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PACKAGEDATA
<iuzno> <cellid(ncelldim)> <landflag> <ivertcon> <surfdep> <vks> <thtr> <thts> <thti> <eps> [<boundname>]
<iuzno> <cellid(ncelldim)> <landflag> <ivertcon> <surfdep> <vks> <thtr> <thts> <thti> <eps> [<boundname>]
...
END PACKAGEDATA

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
<iuzno> <finf> <pet> <extdp> <extwc> <ha> <hroot> <rootact> [<aux(naux)>]
<iuzno> <finf> <pet> <extdp> <extwc> <ha> <hroot> <rootact> [<aux(naux)>]
...
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—defines an array of one or more auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number
of auxiliary variables that can be provided on this line; however, lists of information provided in
subsequent blocks must have a column of data for each auxiliary variable name defined here. The
number of auxiliary variables detected on this line determines the value for naux. Comments cannot
114 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

be provided anywhere on this line as they will be interpreted as auxiliary variable names. Auxiliary
variables may not be used by the package, but they will be available for use by other parts of the
program. The program will terminate with an error if auxiliary variables are specified on more than
one line in the options block.
auxmultname—name of auxiliary variable to be used as multiplier of GWF cell area used by UZF cell.
BOUNDNAMES—keyword to indicate that boundary names may be provided with the list of UZF cells.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of UZF information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of UZF flow rates will be printed to the listing file for
every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is
no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the last time
step of each stress period.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that UZF flow terms will be written to the file specified with “BUD-
GET FILEOUT” in Output Control.
BUDGET—keyword to specify that record corresponds to the budget.
FILEOUT—keyword to specify that an output filename is expected next.
budgetfile—name of the binary output file to write budget information.
TS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
ts6 filename—defines a time-series file defining time series that can be used to assign time-varying
values. See the “Time-Variable Input” section for instructions on using the time-series capability.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—name of input file to define observations for the UZF package. See the “Observa-
tion utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observation
type(s) supported by the UZF package.
MOVER—keyword to indicate that this instance of the UZF Package can be used with the Water Mover
(MVR) Package. When the MOVER option is specified, additional memory is allocated within the
package to store the available, provided, and received water.
SIMULATE ET—keyword specifying that ET in the unsaturated (UZF) and saturated zones (GWF) will
be simulated. ET can be simulated in the UZF cell and not the GWF cell by emitting keywords
LINEAR GWET and SQUARE GWET.
LINEAR GWET—keyword specifying that groundwater ET will be simulated using the original ET formu-
lation of MODFLOW-2005.
SQUARE GWET—keyword specifying that groundwater ET will be simulated by assuming a constant ET
rate for groundwater levels between land surface (TOP) and land surface minus the ET extinction
depth (TOP-EXTDP). Groundwater ET is smoothly reduced from the PET rate to zero over a nominal
interval at TOP-EXTDP.
SIMULATE GWSEEP—keyword specifying that groundwater discharge (GWSEEP) to land surface will be
simulated. Groundwater discharge is nonzero when groundwater head is greater than land surface.
UNSAT ETWC—keyword specifying that ET in the unsaturated zone will be simulated as a function of the
specified PET rate while the water content (THETA) is greater than the ET extinction water content
(extwc).
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 115

UNSAT ETAE—keyword specifying that ET in the unsaturated zone will be simulated simulated using a
capillary pressure based formulation. Capillary pressure is calculated using the Brooks-Corey reten-
tion function.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nuzfcells—is the number of UZF cells. More than 1 UZF cell can be assigned to a GWF cell; how-
ever, only 1 GWF cell can be assigned to a single UZF cell. If the MULTILAYER option is used
then UZF cells can be assigned to GWF cells below (in deeper layers than) the upper most active
GWF cells.
ntrailwaves—is the number of trailing waves. NTRAILWAVES has a default value of 7 and can be
increased to lower mass balance error in the unsaturated zone.
nwavesets—is the number of UZF cells specified. NWAVSETS has a default value of 40 and can be
increased if more waves are required to resolve variations in water content within the unsaturated
zone.

Block: PACKAGEDATA

iuzno—integer value that defines the UZF cell number associated with the specified PACKAGEDATA
data on the line. iuzno must be greater than zero and less than or equal to nuzfcells. UZF infor-
mation must be specified for every UZF cell or the program will terminate with an error. The pro-
gram will also terminate with an error if information for a UZF cell is specified more than once.
cellid—is the cell identifier, and depends on the type of grid that is used for the simulation. For a
structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and column. For a grid that
uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer and cell2d number. If the model uses the unstructured
discretization (DISU) input file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
landflag—integer value set to one for land surface cells indicating that boundary conditions can be
applied and data can be specified in the PERIOD block. A value of 0 specifies a non-land surface
cell.
ivertcon—integer value set to specify underlying UZF cell that receives water flowing to bottom of
cell. If unsaturated zone flow reaches water table before the cell bottom then water is added to GWF
cell instead of flowing to underlying UZF cell. A value of 0 indicates the UZF cell is not connected
to an underlying UZF cell.
surfdep—is the surface depression depth of the UZF cell.
vks—is the vertical saturated hydraulic conductivity of the UZF cell.
thtr—is the residual (irreducible) water content of the UZF cell.
thts—is the saturated water content of the UZF cell.
thti—is the initial water content of the UZF cell.
eps—is the epsilon exponent of the UZF cell.
boundname—name of the UZF cell cell. boundname is an ASCII character variable that can contain as
many as 40 characters. If boundname contains spaces in it, then the entire name must be enclosed
within single quotes.

Block: PERIOD
116 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
iuzno—integer value that defines the UZF cell number associated with the specified PERIOD data on
the line.
finf—real or character value that defines the applied infiltration rate of the UZF cell (LT −1 ). If the
Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values
can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
pet—real or character value that defines the potential evapotranspiration rate of the UZF cell and spec-
ified GWF cell. Evapotranspiration is first removed from the unsaturated zone and any remain-
ing potential evapotranspiration is applied to the saturated zone. If ivertcon is greater than zero
then residual potential evapotranspiration not satisfied in the UZF cell is applied to the underlying
UZF and GWF cells. pet is always specified, but is only used if SIMULATE ET is specified in the
OPTIONS block. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable
Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place
of a numeric value.
extdp—real or character value that defines the evapotranspiration extinction depth of the UZF cell.
If ivertcon is greater than zero and extdp extends below the GWF cell bottom then remaining
potential evapotranspiration is applied to the underlying UZF and GWF cells. extdp is always spec-
ified, but is only used if SIMULATE ET is specified in the OPTIONS block. If the Options block
includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained
from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
extwc—real or character value that defines the evapotranspiration extinction water content of the UZF
cell. extwc is always specified, but is only used if SIMULATE ET and UNSAT ETWC are specified
in the OPTIONS block. If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-
Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name
in place of a numeric value.
ha—real or character value that defines the air entry potential (head) of the UZF cell. ha is always spec-
ified, but is only used if SIMULATE ET and UNSAT ETAE are specified in the OPTIONS block. If the
Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values
can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
hroot—real or character value that defines the root potential (head) of the UZF cell. hroot is always
specified, but is only used if SIMULATE ET and UNSAT ETAE are specified in the OPTIONS block.
If the Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section),
values can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric
value.
rootact—real or character value that defines the root activity function of the UZF cell. rootact is
the length of roots in a given volume of soil divided by that volume. Values range from 0 to about 3
cm−2 , depending on the plant community and its stage of development. rootact is always speci-
fied, but is only used if SIMULATE ET and UNSAT ETAE are specified in the OPTIONS block. If the
Options block includes a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values
can be obtained from a time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each UZF. The values of auxiliary variables
must be present for each UZF. The values must be specified in the order of the auxiliary variables
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 117

specified in the OPTIONS block. If the package supports time series and the Options block includes
a TIMESERIESFILE entry (see the “Time-Variable Input” section), values can be obtained from a
time series by entering the time-series name in place of a numeric value.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
OBS6 UZF.obs
SIMULATE_ET
UNSAT_ETWC
LINEAR_GWET
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NUZFCELLS 10
NTRAILWAVES 7
NWAVESETS 40
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PACKAGEDATA
1 1 1 1 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
2 1 1 2 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
3 1 1 3 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
4 1 1 4 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
5 1 1 5 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
6 1 1 6 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
7 1 1 7 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
8 1 1 8 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
9 1 1 9 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
10 1 1 10 1 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.35 0.1 4.0
END PACKAGEDATA

BEGIN PERIOD 1
2 0.00005 0.00002 2.0 0.10
3 0.00008 0.00002 2.0 0.10
4 0.00009 0.00002 2.0 0.10
5 0.0001 0.00002 2.0 0.10
6 0.0001 0.00002 2.0 0.10
7 0.00009 0.00002 2.0 0.10
8 0.00008 0.00002 2.0 0.10
9 0.00005 0.00002 2.0 0.10
END PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD 2
2 0.00009 0.00003 2.0 0.10
3 0.0001 0.00003 2.0 0.10
4 0.0001 0.00003 2.0 0.10
5 0.00015 0.00003 2.0 0.10
6 0.00015 0.00003 2.0 0.10
7 0.0001 0.00003 2.0 0.10
8 0.0001 0.00003 2.0 0.10
9 0.00009 0.00003 2.0 0.10
END PERIOD

Available observation types

Unsaturated Zone Flow Package observations include all exchange terms with the GWF model and all
of the terms that contribute to the continuity equation for each UZF cell. Additional UZF Package observa-
tions include the net infiltration into UZF cells in land-surface cells (net-infiltration) and the water con-
tent in UZF cells a specified depth below the top of a UZF cell (water-content). The data required for each
118 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

UZF Package observation type is defined in table 17. Negative and positive values for uzf-gwrch, uzf-gwd,
uzf-gwd-to-mvr, and uzf-gwet observations represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model, respec-
tively. For all other flow terms, negative and positive values represent a loss from and gain from the UZF pack-
age, respectively.

Table 17. Available UZF Package observation types.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
UZF uzf-gwrch iuzno or – Simulated recharge to the aquifer calculated
boundname by the UZF package for a UZF cell or a
group of UZF cells.
UZF uzf-gwd iuzno or – Simulated groundwater discharge to the land
boundname surface calculated by the UZF package for a
UZF cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF uzf-gwd-to-mvr iuzno or – Simulated groundwater discharge to the land
boundname surface calculated by the UZF package that
is available to the MVR package for a UZF
cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF uzf-gwet iuzno or – Simulated groundwater evapotranspiration
boundname calculated by the UZF package for a UZF
cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF infiltration iuzno or – Specified infiltration rate applied to a UZF
boundname package for a UZF cell or a group of UZF
cells with landflag values not equal to zero.
UZF from-mvr iuzno or – Inflow into a UZF cell from the MVR pack-
boundname age for a UZF cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF rej-inf iuzno or – Simulated rejected infiltration calculated by
boundname the UZF package for a UZF cell or a group
of UZF cells.
UZF rej-inf-to-mvr iuzno or – Simulated rejected infiltration calculated
boundname by the UZF package that is available to the
MVR package for a UZF cell or a group of
UZF cells.
UZF uzet iuzno or – Simulated unsaturated evapotranspiration
boundname calculated by the UZF package for a UZF
cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF storage iuzno or – Simulated storage flow rate for a UZF pack-
boundname age cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF net-infiltration iuzno or – Simulated net infiltration rate for a UZF
boundname package cell or a group of UZF cells.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 119

Table 17. Available UZF Package observation types.—Continued

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
UZF water-content iuzno or depth Unsaturated-zone water content at a user-
boundname specified depth (ID2) relative to the top
of GWF cellid for a UZF cell. The user-
specified depth must be greater than or equal
to zero and less than the thickness of GWF
cellid (TOP - BOT). If boundname is spec-
ified, boundname must be unique for each
UZF cell.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.obs.uzf.csv

id26_infil infiltration 26
id126_infil infiltration 126
id26_dpth=20 water-content 26 20.0
id126_dpth=51 water-content 126 1.0 #depth is below celtop
id126_rch uzf-gwrch 126
END CONTINUOUS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.uzf.budget.uzf.csv

sinf infiltration uzfcells
frommvr from-mvr uzfcells
rejinf rej-inf uzfcells
rejinftomvr rej-inf-to-mvr uzfcells
uzet uzet uzfcells
storage storage uzfcells
net-inf net-infiltration uzfcells
END CONTINUOUS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT my_model.uzf.budget.gwf.csv

gwrch uzf-gwrch uzfcells
gwd uzf-gwd uzfcells
gwdtomvr uzf-gwd-to-mvr uzfcells
gwet uzf-gwet uzfcells
END CONTINUOUS
120 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Water Mover (MVR) Package

The MVR Package can be used to transfer water from a provider to a receiver. Providers are extraction
wells, streamflow routing reaches, lakes and other model features that can be conceptualized as having water
available. The list of packages that can provide water to the MVR Package are:
• Well Package
• Drain Package
• River Package
• General-Head Boundary Package
• Multi-Aquifer Well Package
• Streamflow Routing Package
• Unsaturated Zone Flow Package
• Lake Package
Receivers are package features within the model that solve a continuity equation of inflows, outflows, and
change in storage. These features include multi-aquifer wells, streamflow routing reaches, lakes, and unsatu-
rated zone flow cells. The list of packages that can receive water is shorter than the provider list, because the
WEL, DRN, RIV, and GHB Packages do not represent a continuity equation (boundary stages or elevations are
specified by the user). Therefore, the list of packages that can act as receivers are:
• Multi-Aquifer Well Package
• Streamflow Routing Package
• Unsaturated Zone Flow Package
• Lake Package
The program will terminate with an error if the MVR is used with an unsupported package type.
The MVR Package is based on the calculation of available water that can be moved from one package fea-
ture to another. The equations used to determine how much water can be transferred are as follows, where
QP is the flow rate that can be supported by the provider (the available flow rate), and QR is the actual rate
of water transferred to the receiver.
1. A FACTOR can be specified such that
QR = αQP
where α is the factor to convert the provider flow rate to the receiver flow rate.
2. An EXCESS rate can be specified by the user as QS such that


Q − Q , if QP > QS
P S
QR =
0, otherwise

In the EXCESS case, any water that exceeds the user specified rate is provided to the receiver. No water
is provided to the receiver if the available water is less than the user specified value.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 121

3. A THRESHOLD rate can be specified for QS such that


0, if QS > QP
QR =
Q , otherwise
S

In the THRESHOLD case, no flow is provided to the receiver until the available water exceeds the user
specified QS rate. Once the available water exceeds the user specified rate, then the QS rate is provided
to the receiver.
4. An UPTO rate can be specified for QS such that


Q , if QP > QS
S
QR =
Q , otherwise
P

In the UPTO case, all of the available water will be taken from the provider up to the QS value specified
by the user. Once QS is exceeded, the receiver will continue to get the QS value specified by the user.
In the MVR PERIOD block (as shown below), the user assigns the equation to used for each individual entry
by specifying FACTOR, EXCESS, THRESHOLD, or UPTO to the input variable mvrtype.
Input to the Water Mover (MVR) Package is read from the file that has type “MVR6” in the Name File.
Only one MVR Package can be used per GWF Model.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[MODELNAMES]
[BUDGET FILEOUT <budgetfile>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXMVR <maxmvr>
MAXPACKAGES <maxpackages>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PACKAGES
[<mname>] <pname>
[<mname>] <pname>
...
END PACKAGES

FOR ANY STRESS PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD <iper>
[<mname1>] <pname1> <id1> [<mname2>] <pname2> <id2> <mvrtype> <value>
[<mname1>] <pname1> <id1> [<mname2>] <pname2> <id2> <mvrtype> <value>
...
END PERIOD
122 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of MVR information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of MVR flow rates will be printed to the listing file for
every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is
no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the last time
step of each stress period.
MODELNAMES—keyword to indicate that all package names will be preceded by the model name for the
package. Model names are required when the Mover Package is used with a GWF-GWF Exchange.
The MODELNAME keyword should not be used for a Mover Package that is for a single GWF
Model.
BUDGET—keyword to specify that record corresponds to the budget.
FILEOUT—keyword to specify that an output filename is expected next.
budgetfile—name of the output file to write budget information.

Block: DIMENSIONS

maxmvr—integer value specifying the maximum number of water mover entries that will specified for
any stress period.
maxpackages—integer value specifying the number of unique packages that are included in this water
mover input file.

Block: PACKAGES

mname—name of model containing the package.

pname—is the name of a package that may be included in a subsequent stress period block.

Block: PERIOD

iper—integer value specifying the starting stress period number for which the data specified in the
PERIOD block apply. iper must be less than nper in the TDIS Package and greater than zero. The
iper value assigned to a stress period block must be greater than the iper value assigned for the
previous block.
mname1—name of model containing the package, pname1.
pname1—is the package name for the provider. The package pname1 must be designated to provide
water through the MVR Package by specifying the keyword “MOVER” in its OPTIONS block.
id1—is the identifier for the provider. This is the well number, reach number, lake number, etc.
mname2—name of model containing the package, pname2.
pname2—is the package name for the receiver. The package pname2 must be designated to receive
water from the MVR Package by specifying the keyword “MOVER” in its OPTIONS block.
id2—is the identifier for the receiver. This is the well number, reach number, lake number, etc.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 123

mvrtype—is the character string signifying the method for determining how much water will be moved.
Supported values are “FACTOR” “EXCESS” “THRESHOLD” and “UPTO”. These four options
determine how the receiver flow rate, QR , is calculated. These options are based the options avail-
able in the SFR2 Package for diverting stream flow.
value—is the value to be used in the equation for calculating the amount of water to move. For the
“FACTOR” option, value is the α factor. For the remaining options, value is the specified flow
rate, QS .

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXMVR 16
MAXPACKAGES 5
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PACKAGES
MAW_1
MAW_2
SFR_1
LAK_1
UZF_1
END PACKAGES

BEGIN PERIOD 1
# ***PROVIDER*** ***RECEIVER*** ***FLOW INFO**
# PAK1 PAK1RCH PAK2 PAK2RCH TYPE VALUE
MAW_1 1 MAW_2 21 EXCESS 5.00
MAW_1 11 SFR_1 77 FACTOR 0.25
MAW_1 21 UZF_1 93 FACTOR 0.01
MAW_1 21 LAK_1 3 FACTOR 1.00

SFR_1 1021 MAW_1 21 THRESHOLD 10.0

SFR_1 441 SFR_1 77 FACTOR 0.10
SFR_1 56 UZF_1 93 FACTOR 0.10
SFR_1 4587 LAK_1 3 FACTOR 1.00

UZF_1 4 MAW_1 11 FACTOR 1.00

UZF_1 5 SFR_1 22 FACTOR 1.00
UZF_1 6 UZF_1 45 FACTOR 1.00
UZF_1 7 LAK_1 3 FACTOR 1.00

LAK_1 1 MAW_1 11 EXCESS 1000.

LAK_1 2 SFR_1 22 UPTO 2000.
LAK_1 3 UZF_1 45 UPTO 3000.
LAK_1 4 LAK_1 3 UPTO 3000.
END PERIOD 1
124 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Ghost-Node Correction (GNC) Package

Input to the Ghost-Node Correction (GNC) Package is read from the file that has type “GNC6” in the
Name File. Only one GNC Package can be used per GWF Model.
The GNC Package has two options for adding the correction terms to the system of equations. The
implicit option, which is the default, adds the terms on both the left-hand and right-hand sides of the equa-
tions. When this default option is used, the BICGSTAB linear acceleration option should be specified within
the LINEAR block of the Sparse Matrix Solver. The BICGSTAB acceleration option is designed to handle the
asymmetry in the conductance matrix. When the EXPLICIT option is specified for the GNC Package, then the
correction terms are added to the right-hand side, and either the CG or BICGSTAB acceleration methods can
be used.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[EXPLICIT]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NUMGNC <numgnc>
NUMALPHAJ <numalphaj>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN GNCDATA
<cellidn> <cellidm> <cellidsj(numalphaj)> <alphasj(numalphaj)>
<cellidn> <cellidm> <cellidsj(numalphaj)> <alphasj(numalphaj)>
...
END GNCDATA

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of GNC information will be written to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of GNC flow rates will be printed to the listing file for
every stress period time step in which “BUDGET PRINT” is specified in Output Control. If there is
no Output Control option and PRINT FLOWS is specified, then flow rates are printed for the last time
step of each stress period.
EXPLICIT—keyword to indicate that the ghost node correction is applied in an explicit manner on the
right-hand side of the matrix. The explicit approach will likely require additional outer iterations.
If the keyword is not specified, then the correction will be applied in an implicit manner on the left-
hand side. The implicit approach will likely converge better, but may require additional memory. If
the EXPLICIT keyword is not specified, then the BICGSTAB linear acceleration option should be
specified within the LINEAR block of the Sparse Matrix Solver.
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 125

Block: DIMENSIONS

numgnc—is the number of GNC entries.

numalphaj—is the number of contributing factors.

Block: GNCDATA

cellidn—is the cellid of the cell, n, in which the ghost node is located. For a structured grid that uses
the DIS input file, cellidn is the layer, row, and column numbers of the cell. For a grid that uses
the DISV input file, cellidn is the layer number and cell2d number for the two cells. If the model
uses the unstructured discretization (DISU) input file, then cellidn is the node number for the cell.
cellidm—is the cellid of the connecting cell, m, to which flow occurs from the ghost node. For a struc-
tured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellidm is the layer, row, and column numbers of the cell.
For a grid that uses the DISV input file, cellidm is the layer number and cell2d number for the two
cells. If the model uses the unstructured discretization (DISU) input file, then cellidm is the node
number for the cell.
cellidsj—is the array of cellids for the contributing j cells, which contribute to the interpolated head
value at the ghost node. This item contains one cellid for each of the contributing cells of the ghost
node. Note that if the number of actual contributing cells needed by the user is less than numalphaj
for any ghost node, then a dummy cellid of zero(s) should be inserted with an associated contribut-
ing factor of zero. For a structured grid that uses the DIS input file, cellid is the layer, row, and
column numbers of the cell. For a grid that uses the DISV input file, cellid is the layer number
and cell2d number for the two cells. If the model uses the unstructured discretization (DISU) input
file, then cellid is the node number for the cell.
alphasj—is the contributing factors for each contributing node in cellidsj. Note that if the number
of actual contributing cells is less than numalphaj for any ghost node, then dummy cellids should
be inserted with an associated contributing factor of zero.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NUMGNC 24
NUMALPHAJ 1
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN GNCDATA
10 41 9 0.333333333333
10 43 11 0.333333333333
11 44 10 0.333333333333
11 46 12 0.333333333333
12 47 11 0.333333333333
12 49 13 0.333333333333
16 41 9 0.333333333333
16 59 20 0.333333333333
17 49 13 0.333333333333
17 67 21 0.333333333333
126 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

20 68 16 0.333333333333
20 86 24 0.333333333333
21 76 17 0.333333333333
21 94 25 0.333333333333
24 95 20 0.333333333333
24 113 28 0.333333333333
25 103 21 0.333333333333
25 121 32 0.333333333333
29 113 28 0.333333333333
29 115 30 0.333333333333
30 116 29 0.333333333333
30 118 31 0.333333333333
31 119 30 0.333333333333
31 121 32 0.333333333333
END GNCDATA
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 127

Groundwater Flow (GWF) Exchange

Input to the Groundwater Flow (GWF-GWF) Exchange is read from the file that has type “GWF-GWF” in
the Simulation Name File.
The XT3D capability, which can be used to improve the accuracy of the flow calculation for certain types
of cell connections and to represent anisotropic groundwater flow, is not implemented for the GWF-GWF
Exchange.

Structure of Blocks

BEGIN OPTIONS
[AUXILIARY <auxiliary(naux)>]
[PRINT_INPUT]
[PRINT_FLOWS]
[SAVE_FLOWS]
[CELL_AVERAGING <cell_averaging>]
[VARIABLECV [DEWATERED]]
[NEWTON]
[GNC6 FILEIN <gnc6_filename>]
[MVR6 FILEIN <mvr6_filename>]
[OBS6 FILEIN <obs6_filename>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NEXG <nexg>
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN EXCHANGEDATA
<cellidm1> <cellidm2> <ihc> <cl1> <cl2> <hwva> [<aux(naux)>]
<cellidm1> <cellidm2> <ihc> <cl1> <cl2> <hwva> [<aux(naux)>]
...
END EXCHANGEDATA

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

auxiliary—an array of auxiliary variable names. There is no limit on the number of auxiliary vari-
ables that can be provided. Most auxiliary variables will not be used by the GWF-GWF Exchange,
but they will be available for use by other parts of the program. If an auxiliary variable with the
name “ANGLDEGX” is found, then this information will be used as the angle (provided in degrees)
between the connection face normal and the x axis. Additional information on “ANGLDEGX” is
provided in the description of the DISU Package.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of exchange entries will be echoed to the listing file
immediately after it is read.
PRINT FLOWS—keyword to indicate that the list of exchange flow rates will be printed to the listing file
for every stress period in which “SAVE BUDGET” is specified in Output Control.
SAVE FLOWS—keyword to indicate that cell-by-cell flow terms will be written to the budget file for each
model provided that the Output Control for the models are set up with the “BUDGET SAVE FILE”
option.
128 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

cell averaging—is a keyword and text keyword to indicate the method that will be used for cal-
culating the conductance for horizontal cell connections. The text value for cell averaging
can be “HARMONIC”, “LOGARITHMIC”, or “AMT-LMK”, which means “arithmetic-mean
thickness and logarithmic-mean hydraulic conductivity”. If the user does not specify a value for
cell averaging, then the harmonic-mean method will be used.
VARIABLECV—keyword to indicate that the vertical conductance will be calculated using the saturated
thickness and properties of the overlying cell and the thickness and properties of the underlying cell.
If the DEWATERED keyword is also specified, then the vertical conductance is calculated using
only the saturated thickness and properties of the overlying cell if the head in the underlying cell
is below its top. If these keywords are not specified, then the default condition is to calculate the
vertical conductance at the start of the simulation using the initial head and the cell properties. The
vertical conductance remains constant for the entire simulation.
DEWATERED—If the DEWATERED keyword is specified, then the vertical conductance is calculated
using only the saturated thickness and properties of the overlying cell if the head in the underlying
cell is below its top.
NEWTON—keyword that activates the Newton-Raphson formulation for groundwater flow between con-
nected, convertible groundwater cells. Cells will not dry when this option is used.
FILEIN—keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.
GNC6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a ghost-node correction file.
gnc6 filename—is the file name for ghost node correction input file. Information for the ghost
nodes are provided in the file provided with these keywords. The format for specifying the ghost
nodes is the same as described for the GNC Package of the GWF Model. This includes specifying
OPTIONS, DIMENSIONS, and GNCDATA blocks. The order of the ghost nodes must follow the
same order as the order of the cells in the EXCHANGEDATA block. For the GNCDATA, noden and
all of the nodej values are assumed to be located in model 1, and nodem is assumed to be in model
2.
MVR6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to a mover file.
mvr6 filename—is the file name of the water mover input file to apply to this exchange. Information
for the water mover are provided in the file provided with these keywords. The format for speci-
fying the water mover information is the same as described for the Water Mover (MVR) Package
of the GWF Model, with two exceptions. First, in the PACKAGES block, the model name must
be included as a separate string before each package. Second, the appropriate model name must
be included before pname1 and pname2 in the BEGIN PERIOD block. This allows providers and
receivers to be located in both models listed as part of this exchange.
OBS6—keyword to specify that record corresponds to an observations file.
obs6 filename—is the file name of the observations input file for this exchange. See the “Observa-
tion utility” section for instructions for preparing observation input files. Table 20 lists observation
type(s) supported by the GWF-GWF package.

Block: DIMENSIONS

nexg—keyword and integer value specifying the number of GWF-GWF exchanges.

Block: EXCHANGEDATA
 Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Input 129

cellidm1—is the cellid of the cell in model 1 as specified in the simulation name file. For a structured
grid that uses the DIS input file, cellidm1 is the layer, row, and column numbers of the cell. For
a grid that uses the DISV input file, cellidm1 is the layer number and cell2d number for the two
cells. If the model uses the unstructured discretization (DISU) input file, then cellidm1 is the node
number for the cell.
cellidm2—is the cellid of the cell in model 2 as specified in the simulation name file. For a structured
grid that uses the DIS input file, cellidm2 is the layer, row, and column numbers of the cell. For
a grid that uses the DISV input file, cellidm2 is the layer number and cell2d number for the two
cells. If the model uses the unstructured discretization (DISU) input file, then cellidm2 is the node
number for the cell.
ihc—is an integer flag indicating the direction between node n and all of its m connections. If ihc = 0
then the connection is vertical. If ihc = 1 then the connection is horizontal. If ihc = 2 then the
connection is horizontal for a vertically staggered grid.
cl1—is the distance between the center of cell nodem1 and the its shared face with nodem2.
cl2—is the distance between the center of cell nodem2 and the its shared face with nodem1.
hwva—is the horizontal width of the flow connection between nodem1 and nodem2 if ihc > 0, or it is
the area of the vertical connection between nodem1 and nodem2 if ihc = 0.
aux—represents the values of the auxiliary variables for each GWFGWF Exchange. The values of aux-
iliary variables must be present for each exchange. The values must be specified in the order of the
auxiliary variables specified in the OPTIONS block.

Example Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_INPUT
PRINT_FLOWS
SAVE_FLOWS
AUXILIARY testaux
GNC6 FILEIN simulation.gnc
MVR6 FILEIN simulation.mvr
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
NEXG 36
END DIMENSIONS

# nodem1 nodem2 ihc cl1 cl2 fahl testaux

BEGIN EXCHANGEDATA
#
# left side
16 1 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
16 10 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
16 19 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
23 28 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
23 37 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
23 46 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
30 55 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
30 64 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
30 73 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
#
# right side
20 9 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
20 18 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
130 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

20 27 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99

27 36 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
27 45 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
27 54 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
34 63 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
34 72 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
34 81 1 50. 16.67 33.33 100.99
#
# back
10 1 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
10 2 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
10 3 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
11 4 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
11 5 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
11 6 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
12 7 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
12 8 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
12 9 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
#
# front
38 73 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
38 74 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
38 75 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
39 76 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
39 77 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
39 78 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
40 79 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
40 80 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
40 81 1 50. 17.67 33.33 100.99
END EXCHANGEDATA

Available observation types

GWF-GWF Exchange observations include the simulated flow between two connected nodes
(flow-ja-face). The data required for each GWF-GWF Exchange observation type is defined in table 18.
For flow-ja-face observation types, negative and positive values represent a loss from and gain to the
cellid specified for ID, respectively.

Table 18. Available GWF-GWF Exchange observation types.

Exchange Observation ID ID2 Description

type
GWF-GWF flow-ja-face cellid cellid Flow rate for specified exchange.

Example Observation Input File

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRECISION SINGLE
DIGITS 10
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

# Block defining continuous observations

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT simulation.obs.csv
# obsname obstype
exg1 flow-ja-face 1
END CONTINUOUS
 Iterative Model Solution 131

Iterative Model Solution

An iterative model solution (IMS) is specified within the SOLUTIONGROUP block in the simulation
name file. The model solution will solve all of the models that are added to it, as specified in the simulation
name file, and will include Numerical Exchanges, if they are present. The iterative model solution requires
specification of both nonlinear and linear settings.

Structure of Blocks

BEGIN OPTIONS
[PRINT_OPTION <print_option>]
[COMPLEXITY <complexity>]
[CSV_OUTPUT FILEOUT <csvfile>]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN NONLINEAR
OUTER_HCLOSE <outer_hclose>
OUTER_MAXIMUM <outer_maximum>
[UNDER_RELAXATION <under_relaxation>]
[UNDER_RELAXATION_THETA <under_relaxation_theta>]
[UNDER_RELAXATION_KAPPA <under_relaxation_kappa>]
[UNDER_RELAXATION_GAMMA <under_relaxation_gamma>]
[UNDER_RELAXATION_MOMENTUM <under_relaxation_momentum>]
[BACKTRACKING_NUMBER <backtracking_number>]
[BACKTRACKING_TOLERANCE <backtracking_tolerance>]
[BACKTRACKING_REDUCTION_FACTOR <backtracking_reduction_factor>]
[BACKTRACKING_RESIDUAL_LIMIT <backtracking_residual_limit>]
END NONLINEAR

BEGIN LINEAR
INNER_MAXIMUM <inner_maximum>
INNER_HCLOSE <inner_hclose>
INNER_RCLOSE <inner_rclose> [<rclose_option>]
LINEAR_ACCELERATION <linear_acceleration>
[RELAXATION_FACTOR <relaxation_factor>]
[PRECONDITIONER_LEVELS <preconditioner_levels>]
[PRECONDITIONER_DROP_TOLERANCE <preconditioner_drop_tolerance>]
[NUMBER_ORTHOGONALIZATIONS <number_orthogonalizations>]
[SCALING_METHOD <scaling_method>]
[REORDERING_METHOD <reordering_method>]
END LINEAR

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS

print option—is a flag that controls printing of convergence information from the solver. NONE
means print nothing. SUMMARY means print only the total number of iterations and nonlinear residual
reduction summaries. ALL means print linear matrix solver convergence information to the solution
listing file and model specific linear matrix solver convergence information to each model listing file
in addition to SUMMARY information. NONE is default if print option is not specified.
complexity—is an optional keyword that defines default non-linear and linear solver parameters.
SIMPLE - indicates that default solver input values will be defined that work well for nearly linear
models. This would be used for models that do not include nonlinear stress packages and mod-
els that are either confined or consist of a single unconfined layer that is thick enough to contain
132 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

the water table within a single layer. MODERATE - indicates that default solver input values will be
defined that work well for moderately nonlinear models. This would be used for models that include
nonlinear stress packages and models that consist of one or more unconfined layers. The MODERATE
option should be used when the SIMPLE option does not result in successful convergence. COMPLEX
- indicates that default solver input values will be defined that work well for highly nonlinear mod-
els. This would be used for models that include nonlinear stress packages and models that consist
of one or more unconfined layers representing complex geology and surface-water/groundwater
interaction. The COMPLEX option should be used when the MODERATE option does not result in suc-
cessful convergence. Non-linear and linear solver parameters assigned using a specified complexity
can be modified in the NONLINEAR and LINEAR blocks. If the complexity option is not specified,
NONLINEAR and LINEAR variables will be assigned the simple complexity values.
CSV OUTPUT—keyword to specify that the record corresponds to the comma separated values solver
convergence output.
FILEOUT—keyword to specify that an output filename is expected next.
csvfile—name of the ascii comma separated values output file to write solver convergence infor-
mation. If PRINT OPTION is NONE or SUMMARY, comma separated values output includes maxi-
mum head change convergence information at the end of each outer iteration for each time step.
If PRINT OPTION is ALL, comma separated values output includes maximum head change and max-
imum residual convergence information for the solution and each model (if the solution includes
more than one model) and linear acceleration information for each inner iteration.

Block: NONLINEAR

outer hclose—real value defining the head change criterion for convergence of the outer (nonlinear)
iterations, in units of length. When the maximum absolute value of the head change at all nodes dur-
ing an iteration is less than or equal to outer hclose, iteration stops. Commonly, outer hclose
equals 0.01.
outer maximum—integer value defining the maximum number of outer (nonlinear) iterations – that is,
calls to the solution routine. For a linear problem outer maximum should be 1.
under relaxation—is an optional keyword that defines the nonlinear under-relaxation schemes used.
By default under-relaxation is not used. NONE - under-relaxation is not used. SIMPLE - Simple
under-relaxation scheme with a fixed relaxation factor is used. COOLEY - Cooley under-relaxation
scheme is used. DBD - delta-bar-delta under-relaxation is used. Note that the under-relaxation
schemes are used in conjunction with problems that use the Newton-Raphson formulation, how-
ever, experience has indicated that the Cooley under-relaxation and damping work well also for the
Picard scheme with the wet/dry options of MODFLOW 6.
under relaxation theta—real value defining the reduction factor for the learning rate (under-
relaxation term) of the delta-bar-delta algorithm. The value of under relaxation theta is
between zero and one. If the change in the variable (head) is of opposite sign to that of the pre-
vious iteration, the under-relaxation term is reduced by a factor of under relaxation theta.
The value usually ranges from 0.3 to 0.9; a value of 0.7 works well for most problems.
under relaxation theta only needs to be specified if under relaxation is DBD.
under relaxation kappa—real value defining the increment for the learning rate (under-relaxation
term) of the delta-bar-delta algorithm. The value of under relaxation kappa is between
zero and one. If the change in the variable (head) is of the same sign to that of the previous iter-
ation, the under-relaxation term is increased by an increment of under relaxation kappa.
 Iterative Model Solution 133

The value usually ranges from 0.03 to 0.3; a value of 0.1 works well for most problems.
under relaxation kappa only needs to be specified if under relaxation is DBD.
under relaxation gamma—real value defining the history or memory term factor of the delta-bar-
delta algorithm. under relaxation gamma is between zero and 1 but cannot be equal to one.
When under relaxation gamma is zero, only the most recent history (previous iteration value)
is maintained. As under relaxation gamma is increased, past history of iteration changes has
greater influence on the memory term. The memory term is maintained as an exponential average of
past changes. Retaining some past history can overcome granular behavior in the calculated func-
tion surface and therefore helps to overcome cyclic patterns of non-convergence. The value usually
ranges from 0.1 to 0.3; a value of 0.2 works well for most problems. under relaxation gamma
only needs to be specified if under relaxation is not NONE.
under relaxation momentum—real value defining the fraction of past history changes that
is added as a momentum term to the step change for a nonlinear iteration. The value of
under relaxation momentum is between zero and one. A large momentum term should only be
used when small learning rates are expected. Small amounts of the momentum term help conver-
gence. The value usually ranges from 0.0001 to 0.1; a value of 0.001 works well for most problems.
under relaxation momentum only needs to be specified if under relaxation is DBD.
backtracking number—integer value defining the maximum number of backtracking iterations
allowed for residual reduction computations. If backtracking number = 0 then the backtrack-
ing iterations are omitted. The value usually ranges from 2 to 20; a value of 10 works well for most
problems.
backtracking tolerance—real value defining the tolerance for residual change that is allowed for
residual reduction computations. backtracking tolerance should not be less than one to avoid
getting stuck in local minima. A large value serves to check for extreme residual increases, while
a low value serves to control step size more severely. The value usually ranges from 1.0 to 106 ; a
value of 104 works well for most problems but lower values like 1.1 may be required for harder
problems. backtracking tolerance only needs to be specified if backtracking number is
greater than zero.
backtracking reduction factor—real value defining the reduction in step size used for resid-
ual reduction computations. The value of backtracking reduction factor is between zero
and one. The value usually ranges from 0.1 to 0.3; a value of 0.2 works well for most problems.
backtracking reduction factor only needs to be specified if backtracking number is
greater than zero.
backtracking residual limit—real value defining the limit to which the residual is reduced with
backtracking. If the residual is smaller than backtracking residual limit, then further back-
tracking is not performed. A value of 100 is suitable for large problems and residual reduction to
smaller values may only slow down computations. backtracking residual limit only needs to
be specified if backtracking number is greater than zero.

Block: LINEAR

inner maximum—integer value defining the maximum number of inner (linear) iterations. The number
typically depends on the characteristics of the matrix solution scheme being used. For nonlinear
problems, inner maximum usually ranges from 60 to 600; a value of 100 will be sufficient for most
linear problems.
inner hclose—real value defining the head change criterion for convergence of the inner (linear) iter-
ations, in units of length. When the maximum absolute value of the head change at all nodes during
134 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

an iteration is less than or equal to inner hclose, the matrix solver assumes convergence. Com-
monly, inner hclose is set an order of magnitude less than the outer hclose value specified for
the NONLINEAR block.
inner rclose—real value that defines the flow residual tolerance for convergence of the IMS linear
solver and specific flow residual criteria used. This value represents the maximum allowable resid-
ual at any single node. Value is in units of length cubed per time, and must be consistent with MOD-
FLOW 6 length and time units. Usually a value of 1.0 × 10−1 is sufficient for the flow-residual
criteria when meters and seconds are the defined MODFLOW 6 length and time.
rclose option—an optional keyword that defines the specific flow residual criterion used.
L2NORM RCLOSE–an optional keyword that is used to specify that inner rclose repre-
sents a L-2 Norm closure criteria instead of a infinity-Norm (absolute convergence cri-
teria). When L2NORM RCLOSE
is specified, a reasonable initial inner rclose value is
−1
1.0 × 10 × active nodes when meters and seconds are the defined MODFLOW 6 length and
time. RELATIVE RCLOSE–an optional keyword that is used to specify that inner rclose represents
a relative L-2 Norm reduction closure criteria instead of a infinity-Norm (absolute convergence cri-
teria). When RELATIVE RCLOSE is specified, a reasonable initial inner rclose value is 1.0 × 10−4
and convergence is achieved for a given inner (linear) iteration when ∆h ≤ inner hclose and the
current L-2 Norm is ≤ the product of the RELATIVE RCLOSE and the initial L-2 Norm for the cur-
rent inner (linear) iteration. If rclose option is not specified, an absolute residual (infinity-norm)
criterion is used.
linear acceleration—a keyword that defines the linear acceleration method used by the default
IMS linear solvers. CG - preconditioned conjugate gradient method. BICGSTAB - preconditioned bi-
conjugate gradient stabilized method.
relaxation factor—optional real value that defines the relaxation factor used by the incomplete
LU factorization preconditioners (MILU(0) and MILUT). relaxation factor is unitless and
should be greater than or equal to 0.0 and less than or equal to 1.0. relaxation factor values of
about 1.0 are commonly used, and experience suggests that convergence can be optimized in some
cases with relax values of 0.97. A relaxation factor value of 0.0 will result in either ILU(0)
or ILUT preconditioning (depending on the value specified for preconditioner levels and/or
preconditioner drop tolerance). By default, relaxation factor is zero.
preconditioner levels—optional integer value defining the level of fill for ILU decomposition used
in the ILUT and MILUT preconditioners. Higher levels of fill provide more robustness but also
require more memory. For optimal performance, it is suggested that a large level of fill be applied
(7 or 8) with use of a drop tolerance. Specification of a preconditioner levels value greater
than zero results in use of the ILUT preconditioner. By default, preconditioner levels is zero
and the zero-fill incomplete LU factorization preconditioners (ILU(0) and MILU(0)) are used.
preconditioner drop tolerance—optional real value that defines the drop tolerance
used to drop preconditioner terms based on the magnitude of matrix entries in the ILUT
and MILUT preconditioners. A value of 10−4 works well for most problems. By default,
preconditioner drop tolerance is zero and the zero-fill incomplete LU factorization precondi-
tioners (ILU(0) and MILU(0)) are used.
number orthogonalizations—optional integer value defining the interval used to explicitly recalcu-
late the residual of the flow equation using the solver coefficient matrix, the latest head estimates,
and the right hand side. For problems that benefit from explicit recalculation of the residual, a num-
ber between 4 and 10 is appropriate. By default, number orthogonalizations is zero.
 Iterative Model Solution 135

scaling method—an optional keyword that defines the matrix scaling approach used. By default,
matrix scaling is not applied. NONE - no matrix scaling applied. DIAGONAL - symmetric matrix scal-
ing using the POLCG preconditioner scaling method in Hill (1992). L2NORM - symmetric matrix
scaling using the L2 norm.
reordering method—an optional keyword that defines the matrix reordering approach used. By
default, matrix reordering is not applied. NONE - original ordering. RCM - reverse Cuthill McKee
ordering. MD - minimum degree ordering.

IMS Default and Specified Complexity Values

The values that are assigned to the nonlinear and linear variables for the the simple, moderate,
and complex complexity options are summarized in table 19. The values defined for the simple complexity
option are assigned if the COMPLEXITY keyword is not specified in the OPTIONS block.

Table 19. IMS variable values for the available complexity options..

Nonlinear Variable default/simple moderate complex

OUTER HCLOSE 0.001 0.01 0.1
OUTER MAXIMUM 25 50 100
UNDER RELAXATION NONE DBD DBD
UNDER RELAXATION THETA 0.0 0.9 0.8
UNDER RELAXATION KAPPA 0.0 0.0001 0.0001
UNDER RELAXATION GAMMA 0.0 0.0 0.0
UNDER RELAXATION MOMENTUM 0.0 0.0 0.0
BACKTRACKING NUMBER 0 0 20
BACKTRACKING TOLERANCE 0.0 0.0 1.05
BACKTRACKING REDUCTION FACTOR 0.0 0.0 0.1
BACKTRACKING RESIDUAL LIMIT 0.0 0.0 0.002
Linear Variable default/simple moderate complex
INNER MAXIMUM 50 100 500
INNER HCLOSE 0.001 0.01 0.1
INNER RCLOSE 0.1 0.1 0.1
RCLOSE OPTION infinity-norm infinity-norm infinity-norm
LINEAR ACCELERATION CG BICGSTAB BICGSTAB
RELAXATION FACTOR 0.0 0.97 0.0
PRECONDITIONER LEVELS 0 0 5
PRECONDITIONER DROP TOLERANCE 0.0 0.0 0.0001
NUMBER ORTHOGONALIZATIONS 0 0 2
SCALING METHOD NONE NONE NONE
REORDERING METHOD NONE NONE NONE

Example Input File

136 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

BEGIN OPTIONS
PRINT_OPTION 1
COMPLEXITY MODERATE
END OPTIONS

BEGIN NONLINEAR
OUTER_HCLOSE 1.E-4
OUTER_MAXIMUM 2000
UNDER_RELAXATION DBD
UNDER_RELAXATION_THETA 0.70
UNDER_RELAXATION_KAPPA 0.100000E-03
UNDER_RELAXATION_GAMMA 0.
UNDER_RELAXATION_MOMENTUM 0.
BACKTRACKING_NUMBER 20
BACKTRACKING_TOLERANCE 2.
BACKTRACKING_REDUCTION_FACTOR 0.6
BACKTRACKING_RESIDUAL_LIMIT 5.000000E-04
END NONLINEAR

BEGIN LINEAR
INNER_MAXIMUM 100
INNER_HCLOSE 1.0E-4
INNER_RCLOSE 0.001
LINEAR_ACCELERATION BIGSTAB
RELAXATION_FACTOR 0.97
SCALING_METHOD NONE
REORDERING_METHOD NONE
END LINEAR
 Observation (OBS) Utility 137

Observation (OBS) Utility

For consistency with earlier versions of MODFLOW (specifically, MODFLOW-2000 and MODFLOW-
2005), MODFLOW 6 supports an “Observation” utility. Unlike the earlier versions of MODFLOW, the Obser-
vation utility of MODFLOW 6 does not require input of “observed” values, which typically were field- or
lab-measured values. The Observation utility described here provides options for extracting numeric values
of interest generated in the course of a model run. The Observation utility does not calculate residual values
(differences between observed and model-calculated values). Output generated by the Observation utility is
designed to facilitate further processing. For convenience and for consistency with earlier terminology, indi-
vidual entries of the Observation utility are referred to as “observations.”
Input for the Observation utility is read from one or more input files, where each file is associated with
a specific model or package. For extracting values simulated by a GWF model, input is read from a file that
is specified as type “OBS6” in the Name File. For extracting model values associated with a package, input
is read from a file designated by the keyword “OBS6” in the Options block of the package of interest. The
structures of observation input files for models and packages do not differ. Where a file name (or path name)
containing spaces is to be read, enclose the name in single quotation marks.
Each OBS6 file can contain an OPTIONS block and one or more CONTINUOUS blocks. Each OBS6 file
must contain at least one block. If present, the OPTIONS block must appear first. The CONTINUOUS blocks
can be listed in any order. Comments, indicated by the presence of the “#” character in column 1, can appear
anywhere in the file and are ignored.
Observations are output at the end of each time step and represent the value used by MODFLOW 6 during
the time step. When input to the OBS utility references a stress-package boundary (for packages other than the
advanced stress packages) that is not defined for a stress period of interest, a special NODATA value, indicat-
ing that a simulated value is not available, is written to output. The NODATA value is 3.0 × 1030 .
Output files to be generated by the Observation utility can be either text or binary. When a text file is used
for output, the user can specify the number of digits of precision are to be used in writing values. For compat-
ibility with common spreadsheet programs, text files are written in Comma-Separated Values (CSV) format.
For this reason, text output files are commonly named with “csv” as the extension. By convention, binary out-
put files are named with “bsv” (for “binary simulated values”) as the extension.

Structure of Blocks

FOR EACH SIMULATION

BEGIN OPTIONS
[PRECISION <precision>]
[DIGITS <digits>]
[PRINT_INPUT]
END OPTIONS

BEGIN CONTINUOUS FILEOUT <obs_output_file_name> [BINARY]

<obsname> <obstype> <id> [<id2>]
<obsname> <obstype> <id> [<id2>]
...
END CONTINUOUS

Explanation of Variables
Block: OPTIONS
138 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

precision—Keyword and precision specifier for output of binary data, which can be either SINGLE
or DOUBLE. The default is DOUBLE. When simulated values are written to a file specified as file
type DATA(BINARY) in the Name File, the precision specifier controls whether the data (including
simulated values and, for continuous observations, time values) are written as single- or double-
precision.
digits—Keyword and an integer digits specifier used for conversion of simulated values to text on out-
put. The default is 5 digits. When simulated values are written to a file specified as file type DATA
in the Name File, the digits specifier controls the number of significant digits with which simulated
values are written to the output file. The digits specifier has no effect on the number of significant
digits with which the simulation time is written for continuous observations.
PRINT INPUT—keyword to indicate that the list of observation information will be written to the listing
file immediately after it is read.

Block: CONTINUOUS

FILEOUT—keyword to specify that an output filename is expected next.

obs output file name—Name of a file to which simulated values corresponding to observations in
the block are to be written. The file name can be an absolute or relative path name. A unique out-
put file must be specified for each SINGLE or CONTINUOUS block. If the “BINARY” option is
used, output is written in binary form. By convention, text output files have the extension “csv” (for
“Comma-Separated Values”) and binary output files have the extension “bsv” (for “Binary Simu-
lated Values”).
BINARY—an optional keyword used to indicate that the output file should be written in binary (unfor-
matted) form.
obsname—string of 1 to 40 nonblank characters used to identify the observation. The identifier need
not be unique; however, identification and post-processing of observations in the output files are
facilitated if each observation is given a unique name.
obstype—a string of characters used to identify the observation type.
id—Text identifying cell where observation is located. For packages other than NPF, if boundary names
are defined in the corresponding package input file, ID can be a boundary name. Otherwise ID is
a cellid. If the model discretization is type DIS, cellid is three integers (layer, row, column). If the
discretization is DISV, cellid is two integers (layer, cell number). If the discretization is DISU, cellid
is one integer (node number).
id2—Text identifying cell adjacent to cell identified by ID. The form of ID2 is as described for ID. ID2
is used for intercell-flow observations of a GWF model, for three observation types of the LAK
Package, for two observation types of the MAW Package, and one observation type of the UZF
Package.

Available Observation Types

Observations are available for GWF models, GWF-GWF exchanges, and all stress packages. Available
observation types have been listed for each package that supports observations (tables 6 to 18). All available
observation types are repeated in Table 20 for convenience.
The sign convention adopted for flow observations are identical to the conventions used in budgets con-
tained in listing files and used in the cell-by-cell budget output. For flow-ja-face observation types, nega-
tive and positive values represent a loss from and gain to the cellid specified for ID, respectively. For stan-
 Observation (OBS) Utility 139

dard stress packages (Package = CHD, DRN, EVT, GHB, RCH, RIV, and WEL), negative and positive val-
ues represent a loss from and gain to the GWF model, respectively. For advanced packages (Package = LAK,
MAW, SFR, and UZF), negative and positive values for exchanges with the GWF model (Observation type =
lak, maw, sfr, uzf-gwrch, uzf-gwd, uzf-gwd-to-mvr, and uzf-gwet) represent a loss from and gain to the GWF
model, respectively. For other advanced stress package flow terms, negative and positive values represent a
loss from and gain from the advanced package, respectively.

Table 20. Available observation types.

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

types
GWF head cellid – Head at a specified cell.
GWF drawdown cellid – Drawdown at a specified cell calculated
as difference between starting head and
simulated head for the time step.
GWF flow-ja-face cellid cellid Flow between two adjacent cells.

Exchange Observation ID ID2 Description

type
GWF-GWF flow-ja-face cellid cellid Flow rate for specified exchange.

Stress Observation ID ID2 Description

Package type
CHD chd cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname constant-head boundary or a group of cells
with constant-head boundaries.
DRN drn cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname drain boundary or group of drain boundaries.
DRN to-mvr cellid or – Drain boundary discharge that is available
boundname for the MVR package for a drain boundary
or a group of drain boundaries.
EVT evt cellid or – Flow from the groundwater system through
boundname an evapotranspiration boundary or group of
evapotranspiration boundaries.
GHB ghb cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname general-head boundary or group of general-
head boundaries.
GHB to-mvr cellid or – General-head boundary discharge that is
boundname available for the MVR package from a
general-head boundary or group of general-
head boundaries.
RCH rch cellid or – Flow to the groundwater system through a
boundname recharge boundary or a group of recharge
boundaries.
140 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Table 20. Available observation types.—Continued

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

types
RIV riv cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname river boundary.
RIV to-mvr cellid or – River boundary discharge that is available for
boundname the MVR package.
WEL wel cellid or – Flow between the groundwater system and a
boundname well boundary or a group of well boundaries.
WEL to-mvr cellid or – Well boundary discharge that is available for
boundname the MVR package for a well boundary or a
group of well boundaries.
LAK stage lakeno or – Surface-water stage in a lake. If boundname
boundname is specified, boundname must be unique for
each lake.
LAK ext-inflow lakeno or – Specified inflow into a lake or group of
boundname lakes.
LAK outlet-inflow lakeno or – Simulated inflow from upstream lake outlets
boundname into a lake or group of lakes.
LAK inflow lakeno or – Sum of specified inflow and simulated inflow
boundname from upstream lake outlets into a lake or
group of lakes.
LAK from-mvr lakeno or – Inflow into a lake or group of lakes from the
boundname MVR package.
LAK rainfall lakeno or – Rainfall rate applied to a lake or group of
boundname lakes.
LAK runoff lakeno or – Runoff rate applied to a lake or group of
boundname lakes.
LAK lak lakeno or iconn Simulated flow rate for a lake or group
boundname or – of lakes and its aquifer connection(s). If
boundname is not specified for ID, then the
simulated lake-aquifer flow rate at a specific
lake connection is observed. In this case,
ID2 must be specified and is the connection
number iconn.
LAK withdrawal lakeno or – Specified withdrawal rate from a lake or
boundname group of lakes.
LAK evaporation lakeno or – Simulated evaporation rate from a lake or
boundname group of lakes.
 Observation (OBS) Utility 141

Table 20. Available observation types.—Continued

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

types
LAK ext-outflow outletno or – External outflow from a lake outlet, a lake, or
boundname a group of lakes to an external boundary. If
boundname is not specified for ID, then the
external outflow from a specific lake outlet
is observed. In this case, ID is the outlet
number outletno.
LAK to-mvr outletno or – Outflow from a lake outlet, a lake, or a group
boundname of lakes that is available for the MVR pack-
age. If boundname is not specified for ID,
then the outflow available for the MVR pack-
age from a specific lake outlet is observed. In
this case, ID is the outlet number outletno.
LAK storage lakeno or – Simulated storage flow rate for a lake or
boundname group of lakes.
LAK constant lakeno or – Simulated constant-flow rate for a lake or
boundname group of lakes.
LAK outlet outletno or – Simulate outlet flow rate from a lake outlet,
boundname a lake, or a group of lakes. If boundname
is not specified for ID, then the flow from a
specific lake outlet is observed. In this case,
ID is the outlet number outletno.
LAK volume lakeno or – Simulated lake volume or group of lakes.
boundname
LAK surface-area lakeno or – Simulated surface area for a lake or group of
boundname lakes.
LAK wetted-area lakeno or iconn Simulated wetted-area for a lake or group
boundname or – of lakes and its aquifer connection(s). If
boundname is not specified for ID, then the
wetted area of a specific lake connection is
observed. In this case, ID2 must be specified
and is the connection number iconn.
LAK conductance lakeno or iconn Calculated conductance for a lake or group
boundname or – of lakes and its aquifer connection(s). If
boundname is not specified for ID, then
the calculated conductance of a specific
lake connection is observed. In this case,
ID2 must be specified and is the connection
number iconn.
MAW head wellno or – Head in a multi-aquifer well. If boundname
boundname is specified, boundname must be unique for
each multi-aquifer well.
142 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Table 20. Available observation types.—Continued

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

types
MAW from-mvr wellno or – Simulated inflow to a well from the MVR
boundname package for a multi-aquifer well or a group
of multi-aquifer wells.
MAW maw wellno or icon or Simulated flow rate for a multi-aquifer well
boundname – or a group of multi-aquifer wells and its
aquifer connection(s). If boundname is not
specified for ID, then the simulated multi-
aquifer well-aquifer flow rate at a specific
multi-aquifer well connection is observed.
In this case, ID2 must be specified and is the
connection number icon.
MAW rate wellno or – Simulated pumping rate for a multi-aquifer
boundname well or a group of multi-aquifer wells.
MAW rate-to-mvr wellno or – Simulated well discharge that is available for
boundname the MVR package for a multi-aquifer well or
a group of multi-aquifer wells.
MAW fw-rate wellno or – Simulated flowing well flow rate for a multi-
boundname aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer
wells.
MAW fw-to-mvr wellno or – Simulated flowing well discharge rate that is
boundname available for the MVR package for a multi-
aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer
wells.
MAW storage wellno or – Simulated storage flow rate for a multi-
boundname aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer
wells.
MAW constant wellno or – Simulated constant-flow rate for a multi-
boundname aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer
wells.
MAW conductance wellno or icon or Simulated well conductance for a multi-
boundname – aquifer well or a group of multi-aquifer wells
and its aquifer connection(s). If boundname
is not specified for ID, then the simulated
multi-aquifer well conductance at a specific
multi-aquifer well connection is observed.
In this case, ID2 must be specified and is the
connection number icon.
MAW fw-conductance wellno or – Simulated flowing well conductance for
boundname a multi-aquifer well or a group of multi-
aquifer wells.
 Observation (OBS) Utility 143

Table 20. Available observation types.—Continued

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

types
SFR stage rno or – Surface-water stage in a stream-reach bound-
boundname ary. If boundname is specified, boundname
must be unique for each reach.
SFR ext-inflow rno or – Inflow into a stream-reach from an external
boundname boundary for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR inflow rno or – Inflow into a stream-reach from upstream
boundname reaches for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR from-mvr rno or – Inflow into a stream-reach from the MVR
boundname package for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR rainfall rno or – Rainfall rate applied to a stream-reach or a
boundname group of stream-reaches.
SFR runoff rno or – Runoff rate applied to a stream-reach or a
boundname group of stream-reaches.
SFR sfr rno or – Simulated flow rate for a stream-reach and
boundname its aquifer connection for a stream-reach or a
group of stream-reaches.
SFR evaporation rno or – Simulated evaporation rate from a stream-
boundname reach or a group of stream-reaches.
SFR outflow rno or – Outflow from a stream-reach to downstream
boundname reaches for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR ext-outflow rno or – Outflow from a stream-reach to an external
boundname boundary for a stream-reach or a group of
stream-reaches.
SFR to-mvr rno or – Outflow from a stream-reach that is available
boundname for the MVR package for a stream-reach or a
group of stream-reaches.
SFR upstream-flow rno or – Upstream flow for a stream-reach or a group
boundname of stream-reaches from upstream reaches and
the MVR package.
SFR downstream-flow rno or – Downstream flow for a stream-reach or a
boundname group of stream-reaches prior to diversions
and the MVR package.
UZF uzf-gwrch iuzno or – Simulated recharge to the aquifer calculated
boundname by the UZF package for a UZF cell or a
group of UZF cells.
144 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Table 20. Available observation types.—Continued

Model Observation ID ID2 Description

types
UZF uzf-gwd iuzno or – Simulated groundwater discharge to the land
boundname surface calculated by the UZF package for a
UZF cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF uzf-gwd-to-mvr iuzno or – Simulated groundwater discharge to the land
boundname surface calculated by the UZF package that
is available to the MVR package for a UZF
cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF uzf-gwet iuzno or – Simulated groundwater evapotranspiration
boundname calculated by the UZF package for a UZF
cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF infiltration iuzno or – Specified infiltration rate applied to a UZF
boundname package for a UZF cell or a group of UZF
cells with landflag values not equal to zero.
UZF from-mvr iuzno or – Inflow into a UZF cell from the MVR pack-
boundname age for a UZF cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF rej-inf iuzno or – Simulated rejected infiltration calculated by
boundname the UZF package for a UZF cell or a group
of UZF cells.
UZF rej-inf-to-mvr iuzno or – Simulated rejected infiltration calculated
boundname by the UZF package that is available to the
MVR package for a UZF cell or a group of
UZF cells.
UZF uzet iuzno or – Simulated unsaturated evapotranspiration
boundname calculated by the UZF package for a UZF
cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF storage iuzno or – Simulated storage flow rate for a UZF pack-
boundname age cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF net-infiltration iuzno or – Simulated net infiltration rate for a UZF
boundname package cell or a group of UZF cells.
UZF water-content iuzno or depth Unsaturated-zone water content at a user-
boundname specified depth (ID2) relative to the top
of GWF cellid for a UZF cell. The user-
specified depth must be greater than or equal
to zero and less than the thickness of GWF
cellid (TOP - BOT). If boundname is spec-
ified, boundname must be unique for each
UZF cell.
 Time-Variable Input 145

Time-Variable Input
In earlier versions of MODFLOW, most stress-boundary packages read input on a stress period-by-stress
period basis, and those values were held constant during the stress period. In MODFLOW 6, many stress val-
ues can be specified with a higher degree of time resolution (from time step to time step or from subtime step
to subtime step) by using one of two time-variable approaches. Boundaries for which data are read as lists of
cells can reference “time series” to implement the time variation. Boundaries for which data are read as 2-D
arrays can reference “time-array series” to do so.
When MODFLOW 6 needs data from a time series or time-array series for a time interval representing
a time step or subtime step, the series is queried to provide a time-averaged value or array of values for the
requested time interval. For each series, the user specifies an interpolation method that determines how the
value is assumed to behave between listed times. The interpolation method thus determines how the time aver-
aging is performed. When a time-array series is used, interpolation is performed on an element-by-element
basis to generate a 2-D array of interpolated values as needed.
The supported interpolation methods are STEPWISE, LINEAR, and LINEAREND. When the STEPWISE
interpolation method is used, the value is assumed to remain constant at the value specified in one time-series
record until the time listed in the subsequent record, when the value changes abruptly to the new value. In
the LINEAR interpolation method, the value is assumed to change linearly between times listed in sequen-
tial records. LINEAREND is like LINEAR, except that instead of using the average value over a time step,
the value at the end of a time step is used. Following sections document the structure of time-series and time-
array-series files and their use.

Time Series
Any package that reads data as a list of cells and associated time-dependent input values can obtain those
values from time series. For example, flow rates for a well or stage for a river boundary can be extracted from
time series. During a simulation, values used for time-varying stresses (or auxiliary values) are based on the
values provided in the time series and are updated each time step (or each subtime step, as appropriate). Input
to define and use time series is described in this section.
A time series consists of a chronologically ordered list of time-series records, where each record includes
a discrete time and a corresponding value. The value can be used to provide any time-varying numeric input,
including stresses and auxiliary variables. A time series can be referenced in input for one or multiple vari-
ables in a given package.

Time-Series Files
Each time-series file is associated with exactly one package, and the name of a time-series file associated
with a package is listed in the OPTIONS block for the package, preceded by the keywords “TS6 FILEIN.”
Any number of time-series files can be associated with a given package; a TS6 entry is required for each time-
series file. A time-series file can contain one or more time series. Time-series files are not listed in either the
simulation Name File or the model Name File. A given time-series file cannot be associated with more than
one package. By convention, the extension “.ts” is used in names of time-series files.
Each time-series file contains an ATTRIBUTES block followed by a TIMESERIES block containing a
series of lines, where each line contains a time followed by values for one or more time series at the speci-
fied time. The ATTRIBUTES block is required to define the name for each time series and the interpolation
method to be used when an operation requires interpolation between times listed in the time series.
The time-series name(s) and interpolation method(s) are specified in the ATTRIBUTES block. Scale
factor(s) for multiplying values optionally can be provided in the ATTRIBUTES block. NAME, METHOD,
146 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

METHODS, SFAC, and SFACS are keywords. For appearance when a time-series file includes multiple time
series, NAMES can be used as a synonym for the NAME keyword.
The syntax of the ATTRIBUTES block for a time-series file containing a single time series is as follows:
BEGIN ATTRIBUTES
NAME time-series-name
METHOD interpolation-method
[ SFAC sfac ]
END ATTRIBUTES

When a time-series file contains multiple time series, the time-series names are listed in a NAME (or
NAMES) entry, similar to the example above. If the time series are to have different interpolation methods,
the METHODS keyword is used in place of the METHOD keyword, and an interpolation method correspond-
ing to each name is listed. If the time series are to have different scale factors, the SFACS keyword is used in
place of the SFAC keyword.
The syntax of the ATTRIBUTES block for a time-series file containing multiple time series is as follows:
BEGIN ATTRIBUTES
NAMES time-series-name-1 [ time-series-name-2 ... time-series-name-n ]
METHODS interpolation-method-1 [ interpolation-method-2 ... ]
[ SFACS sfac-1 [ sfac-2 ... sfac-n ] ]
END ATTRIBUTES

In a case where a time-series file contains multiple time series and a single interpolation method applies to
all time series in the file, the METHOD keyword can be used, and a single interpolation method is read. Sim-
ilary, if a single scale factor applies to all time series in the file, the SFAC keyword can be used, and a single
scale factor is read.
The ATTRIBUTES block is followed by a TIMESERIES block of the form:
BEGIN TIMESERIES
time-series record
time-series record
...
time-series record
END TIMESERIES

where each time-series record is of the form:

tsr-time tsr-value-1 [ tsr-value-2 tsr-value-3 ... ]

In situations where an individual time series in a file containing multiple time series does not include val-
ues for all specified times, a “no-data” value (3.0E30) can be used as a placeholder. When the “no-data” value
is read for a time series, that time series will not include a time-series record for the corresponding time.

Explanation of Variables
time-series-name—Name by which a package references a particular time series. The name must be
unique among all time series used in a package.

interpolation-method—Interpolation method, which is either STEPWISE, LINEAR, or LINEAREND.

sfac—Scale factor, which will multiply all tsr-value values in the time series. SFAC and SFACS are
optional attributes; if omitted, sfac = 1.0.

tsr-time—A numeric time relative to the start of the simulation, in the time unit used in the simulation.
Times must be strictly increasing.

tsr-value—A numeric data value corresponding to tsr-time. The value 3.0E30 is treated as a “no-data”
value and can be used wherever a time series in a file containing multiple time series does not have a
value corresponding to the time specified by tsr-time.
 Time-Variable Input 147

Using Time Series in a Package

When one or more time series are to define numeric input for a package, the name(s) of time-series files
need to be defined in an OPTIONS block at the top of the package input file. The keyword TS6 followed by
the keyword FILEIN are used to identify the name of each time-series file. Each time-series file can contain
one or more time series, and each OPTIONS block can contain zero or more TS6 entries. The syntax for a TS6
entry in an OPTIONS block is:
BEGIN OPTIONS
TS6 FILEIN time-series-file-name
END OPTIONS

Explanation of Variables Read from a Package Input File:

TS6—Keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-series file.

FILEIN—Keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.

time-series-file-name—Name of a time-series file in which time series used in the package are defined.

Each time series has a name. To specify that time-dependent values for one or more stress periods is to
be extracted from a time series, the time-series name is listed in the position where a numeric value normally
would be provided.

Example use of time series to define package input

The following example illustrates the use of three time series in input for the Well Package in a model with
a structured grid. For an unstructured grid, the layer, row, and column indices for each observation would be
replaced by a node number.

Contents of file “well pump rates.ts”:

BEGIN ATTRIBUTES
NAMES well-A-series well-B-series well-C-series
METHODS stepwise linear stepwise
END ATTRIBUTES

BEGIN TIMESERIES
# time well-A-series well-B-series well-C-series
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1.0 -500.0 0.0 -400.0
2.0 -500.0 -1000.0 -500.0
5.0 -500.0 -1200.0 -200.0
8.0 -500.0 -1100.0 0.0
END TIMESERIES

Contents of the Well Package input file:

BEGIN OPTIONS
TS6 FILEIN well_pump_rates.ts
END OPTIONS

BEGIN DIMENSIONS
MAXBOUND 4
END DIMENSIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 2
#layer row col Q (or time series)
9 192 44 well-A-series
10 43 17 well-B-series
11 12 17 well-C-series
END PERIOD
148 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

BEGIN PERIOD 4
#layer row col Q (or time series)
9 192 44 well-A-series
10 43 17 well-B-series
11 12 17 well-C-series
2 27 36 -900.0
END PERIOD

BEGIN PERIOD 8
2 27 36 -900.0
END PERIOD

In the example above, the Well package would have zero wells active in stress period 1. Three wells whose
discharge rates are controlled by time series well-A-series, well-B-series, and well-C-series would be active
in stress periods 2 and 3. Stress periods 4 through 7 would include the three time-series-controlled wells plus
a well with a constant discharge of 900 (L3 /T). In stress period 8, only the constant-discharge well would be
active.

Time-Array Series
Any package that reads data for a structured model in the form of 2-D arrays can obtain those array data
from a time-array series. For example, recharge rates or maximum evapotranspiration rates can be extracted
from time-array series. During a simulation, values used for time-varying stresses (or auxiliary values) are
based on the values provided in the time-array series and are updated each time step (or each subtime step, as
appropriate). Input to define and use time-array series is described in this section.
A time-array series consists of a chronologically ordered list of arrays, where each array is associated with
a discrete time. The array data can be used to provide any time-varying, array-based numeric input.

Time-Array-Series Files
Each time-array-series file is associated with exactly one package, and the name of a time-array-series
file associated with a package is listed in the OPTIONS block for the package, preceded by the keywords
“TAS6 FILEIN.” Any number of time-array-series files can be associated with a given package; a TAS6 entry
is required for each time-array-series file. Time-array-series files are not listed in either the simulation Name
File or the model Name File. A given time-array-series file cannot be associated with more than one package.
One time-array-series file defines a single time-array series. A time-array-series file contains an
ATTRIBUTES block followed by a series of TIME blocks, where each TIME block contains data to define an
array corresponding to a discrete time. The READARRAY array reading utility is used to read the array. The
ATTRIBUTES block is required to define the name for the time-array series and the interpolation method to be
used when an operation requires interpolation between times listed in the time-array series. By convention, the
extension “.tas” is used in names of time-array-series files.
The syntax of the ATTRIBUTES block for a time-array-series file is as follows:
BEGIN ATTRIBUTES
NAME time-array-series-name
METHOD interpolation-method
[ SFAC sfac ]
END ATTRIBUTES

The ATTRIBUTES block is followed by any number of TIME blocks of the form:
BEGIN TIME tas-time
tas-array
END TIME
 Time-Variable Input 149

Explanation of Variables
time-array-series-name—Name by which a package references a particular time-array series. The name
must be unique among all time-array series used in a package.

interpolation-method—Interpolation method, which is either STEPWISE or LINEAR.

sfac—Scale factor, which will multiply all array values in time series. SFAC is an optional attribute; if omit-
ted, SFAC = 1.0.

tas-time—A numeric time relative to the start of the simulation, in the time unit used in the simulation.
Times must be strictly increasing.

tas-array—A 2-D array of numeric, floating-point values, or a constant value, readable by the READAR-
RAY array-reading utility.

Using Time-Array Series in a Package

When one or more time-array series are to define numeric input for a package, the name(s) of time-array-
series file(s) need to be defined in an OPTIONS block at the top of the package input file. The keywords
“TAS6 FILEIN” are used to identify the name of each time-array-series file. Each time-array-series file con-
tains exactly one time-array series, and each OPTIONS block can contain zero or more TAS6 entries. The syn-
tax for a TAS6 entry in an OPTIONS block is:
BEGIN OPTIONS
TAS6 FILEIN time-array-series-file-name
END OPTIONS

A time-array series is linked to an array in one or more stress-period blocks used to define package input.
To indicate that an array is to be controlled by a time-array series, the array property word is followed by the
keyword TIMEARRAYSERIES and the time-array series name. When the TIMEARRAYSERIES keyword is
found (and the array to be populated supports time-array series), the array reader is not invoked. Consequently,
the array-control record and any associated input are omitted. The syntax to define the link is:
BEGIN PERIOD kper
property-name TIMEARRAYSERIES time-array-series-name
END PERIOD

Explanation of Variables Read from a Package Input File:

TAS6—Keyword to specify that record corresponds to a time-array-series file.

FILEIN—Keyword to specify that an input filename is expected next.

time-array-series-file-name—Name of a time-array-series file in which a time-array series used in the

package is defined.

property-name—Name of property represented by array to be controlled by a time-array series.

time-array-series-name—Name of time-array series. The time-array series must be defined in one of the
files listed in the OPTIONS block with the TAS6 FILEIN keywords.
150 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Example use of time-array series to define package input

The following example illustrates the use of a time-array series to control the Recharge property of the
Recharge package in a model with a structured grid. In this example time-array series values are obtained from
the time-array series “RchArraySeries 1” defined in file “rch time array series.tas.” The RchMult array is an
auxiliary-variable array that is identified by the AUXMULTNAME keyword to be a multiplier for the recharge
array. Accordingly, the recharge array is defined each time step as the element-by-element product of values
interpolated from the “RchArraySeries 1” time-array series and values from the auxiliary-variable RchMult
array.

Contents of Recharge package input file:

BEGIN OPTIONS
READASARRAYS
AUX RchMult
TAS6 FILEIN rch_time_array_series.tas
AUXMULTNAME RchMult
PRINT_INPUT
END OPTIONS

BEGIN PERIOD 1
IRCH
CONSTANT 1
RECHARGE TIMEARRAYSERIES RchArraySeries_1
RchMult
INTERNAL FACTOR 1.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.0 0.2 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.2 0.0
0.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
END PERIOD

Contents of file “rch time array series.tas”:

BEGIN ATTRIBUTES
NAME RchArraySeries_1
METHOD LINEAR
END ATTRIBUTES

BEGIN TIME 0.0

CONSTANT 0.0033
END TIME

BEGIN TIME 91.0

CONSTANT 0.0035
END TIME

BEGIN TIME 183.0

CONSTANT 0.0037
END TIME

BEGIN TIME 274.0

CONSTANT 0.0039
END TIME

BEGIN TIME 365.0

CONSTANT 0.0035
END TIME
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 151

Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files

Users can optionally write MODFLOW 6 output to binary files. There are several different types of binary
output files. The first type is new to MODFLOW and is called a binary grid file. The binary grid file contains
all of the information necessary for a post-processing program to quickly reconstruct the the model grid and
understand how cells are connected within the grid. The option to specify an IDOMAIN array for DIS and
DISV grids may result in cells being connected across model layers. For this reason, cell connectivity informa-
tion is written to the binary grid file. The second type of binary file is one that contains simulated results, such
as head. Simulated flows are written to a third type of binary file, called a budget file. The budget file contains
simulated flows between connected cells and flows from stress packages. Lastly, observations can also be writ-
ten to binary output files.
All floating point variables are written to the binary output files as DOUBLE PRECISION Fortran vari-
ables. Integer variables are written to the output files as Fortran integer variables. Some variables are character
strings and are indicated as so in the following descriptions.
The file formats for the binary files are described in the following sections. The frequency of output and
the types of output files that are created is described in the Output Control Option and in the individual pack-
age input files.
152 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Binary Grid File

MODFLOW 6 writes a binary grid file that can be used for post processing model results. The file name
is assigned automatically by the program by adding “.grb” to the end of the discretization input file name. The
structure of the binary grid file depends on the type of discretization package that is used. The following sub-
sections summarize the binary grid file for the different grid types. The red text in is not written to the binary
grid file.
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 153

DIS Grids

Header 1: ‘GRID DIS’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)

Header 2: ‘VERSION 1’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)
Header 3: ‘NTXT 16’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)
Header 4: ‘LENTXT 100’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)

Read NTXT strings of size LENTXT. Set the number of data records (NDAT) equal to number of lines that do not
begin with #.
Definition 0: ‘#Comment ...’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT), comments not presently written
Definition 1: ‘NCELLS INTEGER NDIM 0 # ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 2: ‘NLAY INTEGER NDIM 0 # nlay’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 3: ‘NROW INTEGER NDIM 0 # nrow’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 4: ‘NCOL INTEGER NDIM 0 # ncol’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 5: ‘NJA INTEGER NDIM 0 # nja’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 6: ‘XORIGIN DOUBLE NDIM 0 # xorigin’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 7: ‘YORIGIN DOUBLE NDIM 0 # yorigin’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 8: ‘ANGROT DOUBLE NDIM 0 # angrot’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 9: ‘DELR DOUBLE NDIM 1 ncol’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 10: ‘DELC DOUBLE NDIM 1 nrow’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 11: ‘TOP DOUBLE NDIM 1 nrow*ncol’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 12: ‘BOTM DOUBLE NDIM 1 ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 13: ‘IA INTEGER NDIM 1 ncells+1’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 14: ‘JA INTEGER NDIM 1 nja’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 15: ‘IDOMAIN INTEGER NDIM 1 ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 16: ‘ICELLTYPE INTEGER NDIM 1 ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)

Read NDAT data variables using the definitions defined above.

Record 1: NCELLS INTEGER
Record 2: NLAY INTEGER
Record 3: NROW INTEGER
Record 4: NCOL INTEGER
Record 5: NJA INTEGER
Record 6: XORIGIN DOUBLE
Record 7: YORIGIN DOUBLE
Record 8: ANGROT DOUBLE
Record 9: DELR DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NCOL)
Record 10: DELC DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE (NROW)
Record 11: (TOP(J),J=1,NROW*NCOL) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NROW*NCOL)
Record 12: (BOTM(J),J=1,NCELLS) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS)
Record 13: (IA(J),J=1,NCELLS+1) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS+1)
Record 14: (JA(J),J=1,NJA) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NJA)
Record 15: (IDOMAIN(J),J=1,NCELLS) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS)
Record 16: (ICELLTYPE(J),J=1,NCELLS) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS)
154 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

DISV Grids
The binary grid file for DISV grids contains information on the vertices and which vertices comprise a
cell. The x, y coordinates for each vertex are stored in the VERTICES array. The list of vertices that comprise
all of the cells is stored in the JAVERT array. The list of vertices for any cell can be found using the IAVERT
array. The following pseudocode shows how to loop through every cell in the DISV grid and obtain the cell
vertices. The list of vertices is “closed” for each cell in that the first listed vertex is equal to the last listed ver-
tex.

DO K = 1, NLAY
DO N = 1, NCPL
PRINT *, ’THIS IS CELL (LAYER, ICELL2D): ’, K, N
NVCELL = IAVERT(N+1) - IAVERT(N)
PRINT*, ’NUMBER OF VERTICES FOR CELL IS’, NVCELL
DO IPOS = IAVERT(N), IAVERT(N + 1) - 1
IVERT = JAVERT(IPOS)
X = VERTICES(1,IVERT)
Y = VERTICES(2,IVERT)
PRINT *,’ VERTEX PAIR: ’, X, Y
ENDDO
ENDDO
ENDDO

The IA and JA arrays are also contained in the DISV binary grid file. These arrays describe the cell con-
nectivity. Connections in the JA array correspond directly with the FLOW-JA-FACE record that is written to
the budget file.
The content of the DISV binary grid file is as follows.

Header 1: ‘GRID DISV’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)

Header 2: ‘VERSION 1’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)
Header 3: ‘NTXT 20’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)
Header 4: ‘LENTXT 100’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)

Read NTXT strings of size LENTXT. Set the number of data records (NDAT) equal to number of lines that do not
begin with #.
Definition 0: ‘#Comment ...’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT), comments not presently written
Definition 1: ‘NCELLS INTEGER NDIM 0 # ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 2: ‘NLAY INTEGER NDIM 0 # nlay’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 3: ‘NCPL INTEGER NDIM 0 # ncpl’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 4: ‘NVERT INTEGER NDIM 0 # nvert’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 5: ‘NJAVERT INTEGER NDIM 0 # njavert’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 6: ‘NJA INTEGER NDIM 0 # nja’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 7: ‘XORIGIN DOUBLE NDIM 0 # xorigin’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 8: ‘YORIGIN DOUBLE NDIM 0 # yorigin’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 9: ‘ANGROT DOUBLE NDIM 0 # angrot’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 10: ‘TOP DOUBLE NDIM 1 ncpl’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 11: ‘BOTM DOUBLE NDIM 1 ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 12: ‘VERTICES DOUBLE NDIM 2 2 nvert’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 13: ‘CELLX DOUBLE NDIM 1 ncpl’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 14: ‘CELLY DOUBLE NDIM 1 ncpl’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 15: ‘IAVERT INTEGER NDIM 1 ncpl+1’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 16: ‘JAVERT INTEGER NDIM 1 njavert’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 155

Definition 17: ‘IA INTEGER NDIM 1 ncells+1’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)

Definition 18: ‘JA INTEGER NDIM 1 nja’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 19: ‘IDOMAIN INTEGER NDIM 1 ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 20: ‘ICELLTYPE INTEGER NDIM 1 ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)

Read NDAT data variables using the definitions defined above.

Record 1: NCELLS INTEGER
Record 2: NLAY INTEGER
Record 3: NCPL INTEGER
Record 4: NVERT INTEGER
Record 5: NJAVERT INTEGER
Record 6: NJA INTEGER
Record 7: XORIGIN DOUBLE
Record 8: YORIGIN DOUBLE
Record 9: ANGROT DOUBLE
Record 10: (TOP(J),J=1,NCPL) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NCPL)
Record 11: ((BOTM(J),J=1,NCELLS) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS)
Record 12: ((VERTICES(J,K),J=1,2),K=1,NVERT) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(2,NVERT)
Record 13: (CELLX(J),J=1,NCPL) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NCPL)
Record 14: (CELLY(J),J=1,NCPL) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NCPL)
Record 15: (IAVERT(J),J=1,NCPL+1) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NCPL+1)
Record 16: (JAVERT(J),J=1,NJAVERT) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NJAVERT)
Record 17: (IA(J),J=1,NCELLS+1) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS+1)
Record 18: (JA(J),J=1,NJA) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NJA)
Record 19: (IDOMAIN(J),J=1,NCELLS) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS)
Record 20: (ICELLTYPE(J),J=1,NCELLS) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS)
156 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

DISU Grids

The binary grid file for DISU grids may contain information on the vertices and which vertices comprise a
cell, but this depends on whether or not the user provided the information in the DISU Package. This informa-
tion is not required unless the XT3D option is used. If provided, the x, y coordinates for each vertex are stored
in the VERTICES array. The list of vertices that comprise all of the cells is stored in the JAVERT array. The
list of vertices for any cell can be found using the IAVERT array. Pseudocode for looping through cells in the
grid is listed above in the section on the binary grid file for the DISV Package. As for the DISV binary grid
file, the list of vertices is “closed” for each cell in that the first listed vertex is equal to the last listed vertex.

Header 1: ‘GRID DISU’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)

Header 2: ‘VERSION 1’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)
Header 3: ‘NTXT 10’ or ‘NTXT 15’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)
Header 4: ‘LENTXT 100’ CHARACTER(LEN=50)

Read NTXT strings of size LENTXT. Set the number of data records (NDAT) equal to number of lines that do not
begin with #.
Definition 0: ‘#Comment ...’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT), comments not presently written
Definition 1: ‘NODES INTEGER NDIM 0 # nodes’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 2: ‘NJA INTEGER NDIM 0 # nja’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 3: ‘XORIGIN DOUBLE NDIM 0 # xorigin’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 4: ‘YORIGIN DOUBLE NDIM 0 # yorigin’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 5: ‘ANGROT DOUBLE NDIM 0 # angrot’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 6: ‘TOP DOUBLE NDIM 1 nodes’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 7: ‘BOT DOUBLE NDIM 1 nodes’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 8: ‘IA INTEGER NDIM 1 ncells+1’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 9: ‘JA INTEGER NDIM 1 nja’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 10: ‘ICELLTYPE INTEGER NDIM 1 ncells’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)

If vertices are provided in the DISU Package, then 5 additional definitions are included:
Definition 11: ‘VERTICES DOUBLE NDIM 2 2 nvert’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 12: ‘CELLX DOUBLE NDIM 1 nodes’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 13: ‘CELLY DOUBLE NDIM 1 nodes’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 14: ‘IAVERT INTEGER NDIM 1 nodes+1’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)
Definition 15: ‘JAVERT INTEGER NDIM 1 njavert’ CHARACTER(LEN=LENTXT)

Read NDAT data variables using the definitions defined above.

Record 1: NODES INTEGER
Record 2: NJA INTEGER
Record 3: XORIGIN DOUBLE
Record 4: YORIGIN DOUBLE
Record 5: ANGROT DOUBLE
Record 6: (TOP(J),J=1,NODES) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NODES)
Record 7: ((BOT(J),J=1,NODES) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NODES)
Record 8: (IA(J),J=1,NODES+1) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NODES+1)
Record 9: (JA(J),J=1,NJA) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NJA)
Record 10: (ICELLTYPE(J),J=1,NCELLS) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NCELLS)
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 157

If vertices are provided in the DISU Package, then 5 additional records are included:
Record 11: ((VERT(J,K),J=1,2),K=1,NVERT) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(2,NVERT)
Record 12: (CELLX(J),J=1,NODES) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NODES)
Record 13: (CELLY(J),J=1,NODES) DOUBLE PRECISION ARRAY SIZE(NODES)
Record 14: (IAVERT(J),J=1,NODES+1) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NODES+1)
Record 15: (JAVERT(J),J=1,NJAVERT) INTEGER ARRAY SIZE(NJAVERT)
158 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Dependent Variable File

In the present MODFLOW 6 version, the TEXT value is specified as “HEAD”. Cells that have been
assigned an IDOMAIN value of zero or less are assigned a head value of 1.0 x 1030 . Cells that have converted
to dry are assigned a dry value of −1.0 x 1030 . The large negative value allows the results from a previous
simulation to be used as starting heads for a subsequent simulation. Cells assigned a large negative value as an
initial condition will start the simulation as dry. Note that the dry value is not used if the Newton-Raphson For-
mulation is active. In this case, a dry cell will have a calculated head value that is below or at the bottom of the
cell.

DIS Grids
For each stress period, time step, and layer for which data are saved to the binary output file, the following
two records are written:

Record 1: KSTP,KPER,PERTIM,TOTIM,TEXT,NCOL,NROW,ILAY
Record 2: ((DATA(J,I,ILAY),J=1,NCOL),I=1,NROW)

where

KSTP is the time step number;

KPER is the stress period number;
PERTIM is the time value for the current stress period;
TOTIM is the total simulation time;
TEXT is a character string (character*16);
NCOL is the number of columns;
NROW is the number of rows;
ILAY is the layer number; and
DATA is the head data of size (NCOL,NROW,NLAY).

DISV Grids
For each stress period, time step, and layer for which data are saved to the binary output file, the following
two records are written:

Record 1: KSTP,KPER,PERTIM,TOTIM,TEXT,NCPL,1,ILAY
Record 2: (DATA(J,ILAY),J=1,NCPL)

where

KSTP is the time step number;

KPER is the stress period number;
PERTIM is the time value for the current stress period;
TOTIM is the total simulation time;
TEXT is a character string (character*16);
NCPL is the number of cells per layer;
ILAY is the layer number; and
DATA is the head data of size (NCPL,NLAY).
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 159

DISU Grids
For each stress period, time step, and layer for which data are saved to the binary output file, the following
two records are written:

Record 1: KSTP,KPER,PERTIM,TOTIM,TEXT,NODES,1,1
Record 2: (DATA(N),N=1,NODES)

where

KSTP is the time step number;

KPER is the stress period number;
PERTIM is the time value for the current stress period;
TOTIM is the total simulation time;
TEXT is a character string (character*16);
NODES is the number cells in the model grid;
DATA is unstructured head data of size (NODES).
160 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

LAK, MAW, and SFR Packages

For each stress period, time step, and layer for which data are saved to the binary output file, the following
two records are written:

Record 1: KSTP,KPER,PERTIM,TOTIM,TEXT,MAXBOUND,1,1
Record 2: (DATA(N),N=1,MAXBOUND)

where

KSTP is the time step number;

KPER is the stress period number;
PERTIM is the time value for the current stress period;
TOTIM is the total simulation time;
TEXT is a character string (character*16);
MAXBOUND is the number advanced boundary items in the package;
DATA is unstructured dependent variable data of size (MAXBOUND).
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 161

Groundwater Flow Model Budget File

The budget file for the GWF Model contains intercell flows, flows due to changes in storage, flows from
the stress packages and advanced stress packages, and exchange flows with another model. The intent of bud-
get file is to contain all flow to and from any cell in the model. Users must activate saving of flow terms in the
Output Control Package and in the individual packages.
The format for the budget file is different from the formats for previous MODFLOW versions. Specif-
ically, intercell flows are written in a different manner using a compressed sparse row storage scheme. The
record structure for the stress packages is also different and uses a method code 6, to distinguish it from the
five method codes available in previous MODFLOW versions. The new code 6 indicates that additional text
identifiers are present, that auxiliary variables may be present, and that two identifying integer numbers are
contained in the list (one for the node number of the GWF Model cell, and the other for an identifier to where
the flow is from).

Format of Budget File

The generalized form of the budget file is described so that utilities may be created to read the budget file.
Additional information about the content and the form of the content for different grid types is described in
subsequent sections.

Record 1: KSTP,KPER,TEXT,NDIM1,NDIM2,-NDIM3
Record 2: IMETH,DELT,PERTIM,TOTIM

IMETH=1: Read 1D array of size NDIM1*NDIM2*NDIM3.

Record 3: (DATA(J),J=1,NDIM1*NDIM2*NDIM3)

IMETH=6: Read text identifiers, auxiliary text labels, and list of information.
Record 3: TXT1ID1
Record 4: TXT2ID1
Record 5: TXT1ID2
Record 6: TXT2ID2
Record 7: NDAT
Record 8: (AUXTXT(N),N=1,NDAT-1)
Record 9: NLIST
Record 10: ((ID1(N),ID2(N),(DATA2D(I,N),I=1,NDAT)),N=1,NLIST)

where

KSTP is the integer time step number;

KPER is the integer stress period number;
TEXT is a character string (character*16) indicating the flow type;
PERTIM is the double precision time value for the current stress period;
TOTIM is the double precision total simulation time;
NDIM1 is the integer size of first dimension;
NDIM2 is the integer size of second dimension;
NDIM3 is the integer size of third dimension;
IMETH is an integer code that specifies the form of the remaining data;
DELT is the double precision length of the timestep;
PERTIM is the double precision time value for the current stress period;
162 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

TOTIM is the double precision total simulation time;

DATA is a double precision array of budget values;
TXT1ID1 is a character string (character*16) containing the first text identifier for information in ID1;
TXT2ID1 is a character string (character*16) containing the second text identifier for information in ID1;
TXT1ID2 is a character string (character*16) containing the model name for information in ID2;
TXT2ID2 is a character string (character*16) containing the package or model name for information in ID2;
NDAT is the number of columns in DATA2D, which is the number of auxiliary values plus 1;
AUXTXT is an array of size NDAT - 1 containing character*16 text names for each auxiliary variable;
NLIST is the size of the list;
ID1 is the first identifying number;
ID2 is the second identifying number, and
DATA2D is a double precision 2D array of size (NDAT,NLIST). The first column in DATA2D is the budget
term; any remaining columns are auxiliary variable values.

Variations for Discretization Types

The format for the GWF Model budget file is the same no matter what discretization package is used;
however, the variables may have different meanings depending on the grid type and the TEXT identifier. If
the TEXT identifier in Record 1 is FLOW-JA-FACE and IMETH is 1, then the DATA array contains intercell
flows and is of size NJA. If the TEXT identifier in Record 1 is something other than FLOW-JA-FACE (STO-
SS or STO-SY, for example), then the dimension variables in Record 1 (NDIM1, NDIM2, and NDIM3) pro-
vide information about the size of the grid (table 21).

Table 21. Budget file variations that depend on discretization package type.

Grid or Flow NDIM1 NDIM2 NDIM3

Type
DIS NCOL NROW NLAY
DISV NCPL 1 NLAY
DISU NODES 1 1
FLOW-JA-FACE, NJA 1 1
IMETH=1

Budget File Contents

The type of information that is written to the budget file for a GWF Model depends on the packages used
for the model and whether or not the save flags are set. Table 22 contains a list of the types of information that
may be contained in a GWF Model budget file. In all cases, the flows in table 22 are flows to or a from a GWF
Model cell. As described in the next section, intercell flows are written as FLOW-JA-FACE using IMETH=1.
If the model has an active Storage Package, then STORAGE-SS and STORAGE-SY are written to the budget
file using IMETH=1.
The remaining flow terms in table 22 are all written using IMETH=6. When IMETH=6 is used, the
records contain additional text descriptors and two identifying numbers. For all records in the GWF Model
budget file, TXT1ID1 is the name of the GWF Model and TXT2ID1 is also the name of the GWF Model.
These text identifiers describe what is contained in ID1. For the GWF Model budget file, ID1 is the cell or
node number in the GWF Model grid. The second set of text identifiers refer to the information in ID2. Unless
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 163

noted otherwise in the description in table 22, TXT1ID2 is the name of the GWF Model, TXT2ID2 is the
name of the package, and ID2 is the bound number in the package; for example, this is the first constant head
cell, second constant head cell, and so forth.

Table 22. Types of information that may be contained in the GWF Model budget file.

Flow Type (TEXT) Method Description

Code
(IMETH)
FLOW-JA-FACE 1 intercell flow; array of size(NJA)
STO-SS 1 confined storage; array of size (NCELLS)
STO-SY 1 unconfined storage; array of size (NCELLS)
CHD 6 constant head flow
WEL 6 well flow
WEL-TO-MVR 6 well flow that is routed to Mover Package
DRN 6 drain flow
DRN-TO-MVR 6 drain flow that is routed to Mover Package
RIV 6 river leakage
RIV-TO-MVR 6 river leakage that is routed to Mover Package
GHB 6 general-head boundary flow
GHB-TO-MVR 6 general-head boundary flow that is routed to Mover Pack-
age
RCH 6 recharge flow
EVT 6 evapotranspiration flow
MAW 6 multi-aquifer well flow; ID2 contains the well number
LAK 6 lake leakage; ID2 contains the lake number
SFR 6 stream leakage; ID2 contains the stream reach number
UZF-GWRCH 6 water table recharge from UZF Package
UZF-GWET 6 water table evapotranspiration from UZF Package
UZF-GWD 6 groundwater discharge to land surface from UZF Package
UZF-GWD-TO-MVR 6 groundwater discharge to land surface from UZF Package
that is routed to Mover Package
FLOW-JA-FACE 6 flow to or from a cell in another GWF Model; TXT1ID1
is the name of the GWF Model described by this budget
file, TXT2ID1 is the name of the GWF-GWF Exchange,
TXT1ID2 is the name of the connected GWF Model,
TXT2ID2 is the name of the GWF-GWF Exchange, and
ID2 is the cell or node number of the cell in the connected
model
164 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Intercell Flows
MODFLOW 6 writes a special budget record for flow between connected cells. This record has a TEXT
identifier equal to FLOW-JA-FACE. For this record, the total number of values is equal to NJA, which is the
total number of connections. For each cell, the number of connections is equal to the number of connections to
adjacent cells plus one, to represent the cell itself. Therefore, this budget record corresponds to the JA array. A
value of zero is written to the node positions in the FLOW-JA-FACE record. The JA array that is written in the
binary grid corresponds directly to the FLOW-JA-FACE record.
For regular MODFLOW grids, there are no longer records for FLOW RIGHT FACE, FLOW FRONT
FACE, and FLOW LOWER FACE. Instead, intercell flows are written to the FLOW-JA-FACE record. Writing
FLOW-JA-FACE allows face flows to be specified in straightforward manner, particularly when the IDOMAIN
capability is used to remove cells and specify vertical pass-through cells.
The following pseudocode shows how to loop through and process intercell flows using the IA and JA
arrays (which can be read from the binary grid file) and the FLOWJA array, which is written to the budget
file. For a cell (N) that has been eliminated with IDOMAIN, the value for IA(N) and IA(N+1) will be equal,
indicating that there are no connections or flows for that cell.
DO N = 1, NCELLS
PRINT *, ’THIS IS CELL: ’, N
NCON = IA(N+1) - IA(N) - 1
IF(NCON<0) NCON=0
PRINT*, ’NUMBER OF CONNECTED CELLS IS ’, NCON
DO IPOS = IA(N) + 1, IA(N + 1) - 1
M = JA(IPOS)
Q = FLOWJA(IPOS)
PRINT *,’ N M Q: ’, N,M,Q
ENDDO
ENDDO
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 165

LAK, MAW, SFR, and UZF Packages

For each stress period, time step, and data type that is saved to the LAK, MAW, SFR, and UZF Packages
binary output files as IMETH=6 budget file type. For all advanced packages, NDIM1 is equal to the number of
nodes, NDIM2 is equal to 1, and NDIM3 is equal to -1. The data that are written to the LAK, MAW, SFR, and
UZF Package binary files are summarized in Tables 23 to 26, respectively.

Table 23. Data written to the LAK Package binary output file. Flow terms are listed in the order they are written to the LAK
Package binary output file.

Flow term IMETH NDAT / NLIST Description

FLOW-JA-FACE 6 1 / 2*nlen Connection flow from lake (ID1) to lake
through a lake outlet to another lake
(ID2). nlen is calculated as the sum of
lake outlets that are connected to another
lake (lakeout for a lake outlet is not
equal to 0).
GWF 6 2 / maxbound Calculated flow from lake (ID1) to GWF
cell (ID2). The lake connection-aquifer
flow area (FLOW-AREA) is saved as an
auxiliary data item for this flow term.
EXT-INFLOW 6 1 / nlakes Specified inflow to reach. The lake num-
ber is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
RUNOFF 6 1 / nlakes Specified runoff to reach. The lake num-
ber is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
RAINFALL 6 1 / nlakes Specified rainfall on reach. The lake
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
EVAPORATION 6 1 / nlakes Calculated evaporation from lake. The
lake number is written to (ID1) and
(ID2).
WITHDRAWAL 6 1 / nlakes Specified withdrawal from lake. The lake
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
STORAGE 6 2 / nlakes Calculated flow from storage for lake.
The lake number is written to (ID1) and
(ID2). The lake volume (VOLUME) is
saved as an auxiliary data item for this
flow term.
CONSTANT 6 1 / nlakes Calculated flow to maintain constant
stage for lake. The lake number is written
to (ID1) and (ID2).
EXT-OUTFLOW 6 1 / nlakes Calculated outflow to external boundaries
(is nonzero for lakes with outlets not con-
nected to another lake). The lake number
is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
166 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Flow term IMETH NDAT / NLIST Description

FROM-MVR 6 1 / nlakes Calculated flow to lake from the MVR
Package. Only saved if MVR Package
is used in the LAK Package. The lake
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
TO-MVR 6 1 / noutlets Calculated flow from a lake outlet to
the MVR Package. Only saved if MVR
Package is used in the LAK Package. The
lake outlet number is written to (ID1) and
(ID2).
AUXILIARY 6 naux+1 / nlakes Auxiliary variables, if specified in the
LAK Package, are saved to this flow
term. The first entry of the DATA2D col-
umn has a value of zero. The lake number
is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 167

Table 24. Data written to the MAW Package binary output file. Flow terms are listed in the order they are written to the MAW
Package binary output file.

Flow term IMETH NDAT / NLIST Description

GWF 6 2 / maxbound Calculated flow from multi-aquifer
well (ID1) to GWF cell (ID2). The
multi-aquifer well-aquifer flow area
(FLOW-AREA) is saved as an auxiliary data
item for this flow term.
RATE 6 1 / nmawwells Calculated pumping rate from the multi-
aquifer well. The multi-aquifer well
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
FW-RATE 6 1 / nmawwells calculated flowing well discharge rate
from the multi-aquifer well. Only saved
if FLOWING WELLS is specified in the
OPTIONS block. The multi-aquifer well
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
STORAGE 6 2 / nmawwells Calculated flow from storage for
multi-aquifer well. Only saved if the
NO WELL STORAGE is not specified in the
OPTIONS block. The multi-aquifer well
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2). The
multi-aquifer well volume (VOLUME) is
saved as an auxiliary data item for this
flow term.
CONSTANT 6 1 / nmawwells Calculated flow to maintain constant
head in multi-aquifer well. The multi-
aquifer well number is written to (ID1)
and (ID2).
FROM-MVR 6 1 / nmawwells Calculated flow to lake from the MVR
Package. Only saved if MVR Package
is used in the MAW Package. The lake
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
RATE-TO-MVR 6 1 / nmawwells Calculated pumping rate from the multi-
aquifer well to the MVR Package. Only
saved if MVR Package is used in the
MAW Package. The multi-aquifer well
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
FW-RATE-TO-MVR 6 1 / nmawwells Calculated flowing well flow from a
multi-aquifer well to the MVR Pack-
age. Only saved if MVR Package is
used in the MAW Package and the
FLOWING WELLS is specified in the
OPTIONS block. The multi-aquifer well
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
168 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Flow term IMETH NDAT / NLIST Description

AUXILIARY 6 naux+1 / nmawwells Auxiliary variables, if specified in the
MAW Package, are saved to this flow
term. The first entry of the DATA2D
column has a value of zero. The multi-
aquifer well number is written to (ID1)
and (ID2).
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 169

Table 25. Data written to the SFR Package binary output file. Flow terms are listed in the order they are written to the SFR
Package binary output file.

Flow term IMETH NDAT / NLIST Description

2 / maxbound
P
FLOW-JA-FACE 6 n=1 nconnn Connection flow from reach (ID1) to
unmanaged and managed (tributaries)
connections (ID2). The cross-sectional
flow area (FLOW-AREA) is saved as an
auxiliary data item for this flow term.
GWF 6 2 / maxbound Calculated flow from reach (ID1) to GWF
cell (ID2). The reach-aquifer flow area
(FLOW-AREA) is saved as an auxiliary data
item for this flow term.
EXT-INFLOW 6 1 / maxbound Specified inflow to reach. The reach
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
RUNOFF 6 1 / maxbound Specified runoff to reach. The reach
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
RAIN 6 1 / maxbound Specified rainfall on reach. The reach
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
EVAPORATION 6 1 / maxbound Calculated evaporation from reach. The
reach number is written to (ID1) and
(ID2).
EXT-OUTFLOW 6 1 / maxbound Calculated outflow to external boundaries
(is nonzero for reaches with no down-
stream connections). The reach number is
written to (ID1) and (ID2).
FROM-MVR 6 1 / maxbound Calculated flow to reach from the MVR
Package. Only saved if MVR Package
is used in the SFR Package. The reach
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
TO-MVR 6 1 / maxbound Calculated flow from reach to the MVR
Package. Only saved if MVR Package
is used in the SFR Package. The reach
number is written to (ID1) and (ID2).
AUXILIARY 6 naux+1 / maxbound Auxiliary variables, if specified in the
SFR Package, are saved to this flow term.
The first entry of the DATA2D column
has a value of zero. The reach number is
written to (ID1) and (ID2).
170 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Table 26. Data written to the UZF Package binary output file. Flow terms are listed in the order they are written to the UZF
Package binary output file.

Flow term IMETH NDAT / NLIST Description

FLOW-JA-FACE 6 1 / 2*nlen Connection flow from UZF cell (ID1)
to a connected UZF cell (ID2). nlen is
calculated as the number of uzf cells with
vertcon values greater than 0.
GWF 6 2 / maxbound Calculated flow from UZF cell (ID1) to
GWF cell (ID2). The UZF cell-aquifer
flow area (FLOW-AREA) is saved as an
auxiliary data item for this flow term.
INFILTRATION 6 1 / maxbound Specified infiltration to UZF cell. The
UZF cell number is written to (ID1) and
(ID2).
REJ-INF 6 1 / maxbound Calculated rejected infiltration from the
UZF cell. The UZF cell number is written
to (ID1) and (ID2).
UZET 6 1 / maxbound Calculated evaporation from the UZF
cell. The UZF cell number is written to
(ID1) and (ID2).
STORAGE 6 2 / maxbound Calculated flow from storage for the UZF
cell. The UZF cell number is written to
(ID1) and (ID2).
FROM-MVR 6 1 / maxbound Calculated flow to the UZF cell from
the MVR Package. Only saved if MVR
Package is used in the UZF Package. The
UZF cell number is written to (ID1) and
(ID2).
REJ-INF-TO-MVR 6 1 / maxbound Calculated rejected infiltration flow from
the UZF cell to the MVR Package. Only
saved if MVR Package is used in the UZF
Package. The UZF cell number is written
to (ID1) and (ID2).
AUXILIARY 6 naux+1 / maxbound Auxiliary variables, if specified in the
UZF Package, are saved to this flow term.
The first entry of the DATA2D column has
a value of zero. The UZF cell number is
written to (ID1) and (ID2).
 Description of Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model Binary Output Files 171

Observation Output File

When the BINARY option is used to open an observation output file (see section “Observation (OBS) Util-
ity”), the output file has the following form. Record 1 has a length of 100 bytes.

Record 1: TYPE, PRECISION, LENOBSNAME (Record 1 includes 85 blanks following LENOBSNAME.)

Record 2: NOBS
Record 3: OBSNAME(1), OBSNAME(2), ..., OBSNAME(NOBS)

Repeat for each time step.

Record 4: TIME, SIMVALUE(1), SIMVALUE(2), ..., SIMVALUE(NOBS)

where

TYPE (bytes 1–4 of Record 1) is “cont “ — “cont” indicates the file contains continuous observations ;
PRECISION (bytes 6–11 of Record 1) is either “single” or “double” — “single” indicates that floating-point
values are written in single precision (4 bytes), and “double” indicates double precision (8 bytes);
LENOBSNAME (bytes 12–15 of Record 1) is an integer indicating the number of characters used to store each
observation name in following records (in the initial release of MODFLOW 6, LENOBSNAME equals
40);
NOBS (4-byte integer) is the number of observations recorded in the file;
OBSNAME (LENOBSNAME bytes) is an observation name;
TIME (floating-point) is the simulation time; and
SIMVALUE (floating-point) is the simulated value.
 References Cited R–1

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 Appendix A. List of Blocks A–1

Appendix A. List of Blocks

Table A–1. List of block names organized by component and input file type. OPEN/CLOSE indicates whether or not the block
information can be contained in separate file.

Component FTYPE Blockname OPEN/CLOSE

SIM NAM OPTIONS yes
SIM NAM TIMING yes
SIM NAM MODELS yes
SIM NAM EXCHANGES yes
SIM NAM SOLUTIONGROUP yes
SIM TDIS OPTIONS yes
SIM TDIS DIMENSIONS yes
SIM TDIS PERIODDATA yes
EXG GWFGWF OPTIONS yes
EXG GWFGWF DIMENSIONS yes
EXG GWFGWF EXCHANGEDATA yes
SLN IMS OPTIONS yes
SLN IMS NONLINEAR yes
SLN IMS LINEAR yes
GWF NAM OPTIONS yes
GWF NAM PACKAGES yes
GWF DIS OPTIONS yes
GWF DIS DIMENSIONS yes
GWF DIS GRIDDATA no
GWF DISV OPTIONS yes
GWF DISV DIMENSIONS yes
GWF DISV GRIDDATA no
GWF DISV VERTICES yes
GWF DISV CELL2D yes
GWF DISU OPTIONS yes
GWF DISU DIMENSIONS yes
GWF DISU GRIDDATA no
GWF DISU CONNECTIONDATA yes
GWF DISU VERTICES yes
GWF DISU CELL2D yes
GWF IC GRIDDATA no
GWF NPF OPTIONS yes
GWF NPF GRIDDATA no
GWF STO OPTIONS yes
GWF STO GRIDDATA no
GWF STO PERIOD yes
GWF HFB OPTIONS yes
GWF HFB DIMENSIONS yes
GWF HFB PERIOD yes
A–2 MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

Table A–1. List of block names organized by component and input file type. OPEN/CLOSE indicates whether or not the block
information can be contained in separate file.—Continued

Component FTYPE Blockname OPEN/CLOSE

GWF CHD OPTIONS yes
GWF CHD DIMENSIONS yes
GWF CHD PERIOD yes
GWF WEL OPTIONS yes
GWF WEL DIMENSIONS yes
GWF WEL PERIOD yes
GWF DRN OPTIONS yes
GWF DRN DIMENSIONS yes
GWF DRN PERIOD yes
GWF RIV OPTIONS yes
GWF RIV DIMENSIONS yes
GWF RIV PERIOD yes
GWF GHB OPTIONS yes
GWF GHB DIMENSIONS yes
GWF GHB PERIOD yes
GWF RCH OPTIONS yes
GWF RCH DIMENSIONS yes
GWF RCH PERIOD yes
GWF RCHA OPTIONS yes
GWF RCHA PERIOD yes
GWF EVT OPTIONS yes
GWF EVT DIMENSIONS yes
GWF EVT PERIOD yes
GWF EVTA OPTIONS yes
GWF EVTA PERIOD yes
GWF MAW OPTIONS yes
GWF MAW DIMENSIONS yes
GWF MAW PACKAGEDATA yes
GWF MAW CONNECTIONDATA yes
GWF MAW PERIOD yes
GWF SFR OPTIONS yes
GWF SFR DIMENSIONS yes
GWF SFR PACKAGEDATA yes
GWF SFR CONNECTIONDATA yes
GWF SFR DIVERSIONS yes
GWF SFR PERIOD yes
GWF LAK OPTIONS yes
GWF LAK DIMENSIONS yes
GWF LAK PACKAGEDATA yes
GWF LAK CONNECTIONDATA yes
GWF LAK TABLES yes
GWF LAK OUTLETS yes
 Appendix A. List of Blocks A–3

Table A–1. List of block names organized by component and input file type. OPEN/CLOSE indicates whether or not the block
information can be contained in separate file.—Continued

Component FTYPE Blockname OPEN/CLOSE

GWF LAK PERIOD yes
GWF LAKTAB DIMENSIONS yes
GWF LAKTAB TABLE yes
GWF UZF OPTIONS yes
GWF UZF DIMENSIONS yes
GWF UZF PACKAGEDATA yes
GWF UZF PERIOD yes
GWF MVR OPTIONS yes
GWF MVR DIMENSIONS yes
GWF MVR PACKAGES yes
GWF MVR PERIOD yes
GWF GNC OPTIONS yes
GWF GNC DIMENSIONS yes
GWF GNC GNCDATA yes
GWF OC OPTIONS yes
GWF OC PERIOD yes
UTL OBS OPTIONS yes
UTL OBS CONTINUOUS yes
Publishing support provided by the U.S. Geological Survey
MODFLOW 6 Development Team

For information concerning this publication, please contact:

Office of Groundwater
U.S. Geological Survey
Mail Stop 411
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192
(703) 648–5001
https://water.usgs.gov/ogw/
MODFLOW 6 Development Team— MODFLOW 6 – Description of Input and Output

https://doi.org/10.5066/F76Q1VQV