In the calibration of aquifer models, the desire for an automated adjustment process is sometimes in conflict with the need for subjective intervention during the calibration process. Working from the established concept of modeling for unconfined aquifers with rectangular nodes, this paper describes a method of obtaining subjective information in addition to that customarily used in model calibration. Such information is assembled and quantified at the same time as the usual data are gathered for initial estimation of parameters. This information is then introduced into an automatic adjustment process in such a way that the calibration process can proceed without interruption until the desired level of relative accuracy is reached, or until it is shown that the desired level cannot be reached within the constraints assigned. A decoupling technique that permits (under restricted conditions) simultaneous adjustment of all parameters is also described. A digital computer model of the Tucson basin aquifer is used to illustrate the concepts and demonstrate the adjustment method.
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