Simulation of vertical compaction in models of regional ground-water flow

A new computer program was developed to simulate vertical compaction in models of regional ground-water flow. The program accounts for ground-water storage changes and compaction in discontinuous interbeds or in extensive confining beds. The new program is a package for the U.S. Geological Survey modular finite-difference ground-water flow model. Several features of the program make it useful for application in shallow unconfined flow systems. Geostatic load can be treated as a function of water-table elevation, and compaction is a function of computed changes in effective stress at the center of a model layer. Thickness of compressible sediments in an unconfined model layer can vary in proportion to saturated thickness. The new package was tested by comparison with an existing model of one-dimensional compaction.