Development of a database linked to a GIS for coupling with groundwater modelling tools

Groundwater analysis strongly depends on the availability of large volumes of high-quality data. Putting all data in a coherent and logical structure supported by a computing environment helps ensure validity and availability and provides a powerful tool for hydrogeological studies. A hydrogeological Geographical Information System (GIS) database that offers facilities for hydrogeological modeling has been designed in Belgium for the Walloon Region. Interest is growing in the potential for integrating GIS technology and groundwater simulation models. A “loose-coupling” tool was created between the spatial database scheme and the groundwater numerical model interface GMS© (Groundwater Modeling System). Following time and spatial queries, the hydrogeological data stored in the database can be easily used within different groundwater numerical models.