A knowledge based framework for groundwater
modeling
Meriyam Mhammdi Alaoui Ilias Kacimi
L. Geosciences Water & Environment L. Geosciences Water & Environment
Mohammed V University of Rabat Mohammed V University of Rabat
Rabat, Morocco Rabat, Morocco
ma.meriyam@gmail.com iliaskacimi2018@gmail.com
Abstract— One of the major problems of hydrogeology
modeling is the basic data preparation namely those related to
the geology, hydrogeology, hydrometeorology, delimitation of
the study area, and the appropriate choice of model
parameters. The experienced user or a newcomer of various
existing powerful models (such as MODFLOW, FEFLOW …)
is often lost during the data preparation phase highly required
for running a model. Hence, the motivation of this work to
develop an intelligent system able to reproduce heuristics
mechanisms of hydrogeologists’ experts to assist any engineer /
researcher in all stages prior to any hydrogeological modeling
of the groundwater system studied. A knowledge-based
framework, dedicated to this purpose, was built adopting
object-oriented approach, and using an Expert System shell.
This paper presents the main steps of the framework
development, its top-level object hierarchy, and corresponding
heuristics rules. Most of the advice given by the intelligent
working system was evaluated and validated in the Moroccan
Rhis-Nekor aquifer case study to prepare the necessary inputs
data for Hydrodynamic model and to guide the user during the
modeling process.
Keywords— Intelligent System, Heuristic knowledge,
Hydrogeology modeling, Data preparation, Groundwater
overexploitation problem, Rhis-Nekor aquifer.
I. INTRODUCTION
In the recent decades, the groundwater sector has been
subject to several major problems. The latest mainly relate to
the depletion of reserves because of the development and the
extension of various human activities, e.g. industrial,
commercial and agricultural activities... In order to meet the
increasing water demands, the excessive exploitation of
groundwater reserves and consequently the decline of
groundwater levels are generated [1,2,3]. This situation has
inevitably serious consequences on the environment, the
ecology and the economy of the concerned regions [4].
Under this stressful environmental conditions
characterized by the depletion of the groundwater resources,
groundwater flow modeling is now indispensable for
sustainable and integrated groundwater resources
management. Groundwater flow models provide answers to
questions that constitute the purpose of hydrogeological
studies [5,6,7,8,9]: calculating the water balance, the
sustainable water resources definition, and the optimal water
management scenario development. Therefore, these models
help determine the exploitable water-resource for a number
of simulations and to avoid the overexploitation-risk and
depletion of groundwater reserves.
However, groundwater flow modeling is a complex
process. It depends on the effect of various factors (e.g.
geological setting, hydrodynamic proprieties, recharge and
discharge conditions, water level measurements …). In the
978-1-7281-1482-8/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE
Driss Ouazar
Hydro Systems Analysis Laboratory
Mohammed V University of Rabat
Rabat, Morocco
ouazard@gmail.com
case of lack of adequate hydrodynamical data (as it is the
case of several aquifers in Morocco), the behavior’s
investigation of overexploited aquifers becomes even more
complex and difficult.
The present study targets one of the major challenges in
numerical groundwater model development: Input data
preparation for aquifer system studied, namely data related to
the geology, hydrometeorology, piezometry, delimitation of
the study area and the appropriate choice of model
parameters. The user (whether he is a beginner or already
has an experience in groundwater modeling) of various
existing powerful models such as MODFLOW [10],
FEFLOW [11], MT3DMS [12], SUTRA [13], etc. is often
confused during the data preparation phase required for
running a model. Hence, one of the main motivations for
this work is to develop an intelligent system able to
reproduce heuristics mechanisms of hydrogeologists experts:
(i) to assist any engineer/researcher in all stages prior to any
hydrogeological modeling of the groundwater system studied
and (ii) to compensate the lack of model input data by
incorporating private engineering knowledge (Knowledge
based rules representing the approach and the methodology
followed by the hydrogeologists experts to prepare Input
Data for Hydrogeological Models). Aspects related to
numerical modeling were also integrated into the expert
system to facilitate the tasks of the modeler.
In recent years, applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
approaches demonstrated their contribution in solving such
complicated problems. Different AI models (e.g. expert
systems, artificial neural networks , adaptive neuro-fuzzy
inference system and genetic programming) have been
successfully applied in surface and groundwater resources
systems modeling [14,15,16,17,18]. AI techniques are able to
compensate for incomplete or contradictory datasets when
studying groundwater problems. Reference [19] introduced a
wavelet-neuro-fuzzy model for predicting short term
groundwater table depth fluctuations. Genetic programming
has also been applied in predicting short term groundwater
depth fluctuations [20]. Reference [21] investigated the
expert knowledge based modeling in the integrated water
resources planning and management in the Zayandehrud
River Basin. Reference [22] applied conjunction of radial
basis function interpolator and artificial intelligence models
for time-space modeling of contaminant transport in porous
media. Reference [23] introduced groundwater vulnerability
indices conditioned by Supervised Intelligence Committee
Machine. Reference [24] investigated the fuzzy optimization
model and fuzzy inference system in the conjunctive use of
surface and groundwater resources. Reference [25] used
multi-model ensemble of machine learning algorithms for
mapping groundwater contamination risk of multiple
aquifers. Reference [26] evaluated the intelligent
performance of aquifer storage and the recovery systems in
freshwater aquifers.
A rule based framework, called ALAES (ALae Aquifer
Expert System), dedicated to this purpose, was built adopting
object oriented approach and by using shell expert system
Kappa-PC 2.4 [27]. This paper presents : (i) the main steps of
ALAES development; (ii) its top level object hierarchy,
classes, functions, rules of formal and cognitive knowledge
that it integrates; (iii) the Graphical User Interface of ALAES
working system; (iv) the main modules proposed to provide
an answer to a groundwater resource problem; (v) the case
study for ALAES evaluation/validation and conclusions in
the last sections of the paper.
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
A. Groundwater Modeling Process
Groundwater Modeling (GM) has evolved over the past
40 years into a powerful and efficient tool widely used in
order to describe aquifers' multifunctional phenomenon. The
proposed GM methodology aims at investigating the
behavior of aquifer systems under the absence of sufficient
data by incorporating a maximum of private engineering
knowledge into the GM process.
The main steps of this GM process are: (i) Define the
problem (e.g. overexploitation, water supply, contamination,
seawater intrusion); (ii) Collect, analyze data (e.g. water
levels, well logs, pump tests, river flows, chemical
samples...) and evaluate the modeling feasibility depending
on available data; (iii) Develop conceptual model defining:
hydrostratigraphic units, system boundaries and water
balance; (iv) Select governing equation and code to solve it;
(v) Design the model (set up grids cells and longer
simulation times, define boundary and initial conditions,
assign initial guess for aquifer parameters to each grid cell);
(vi) Calibrate the model (change aquifer parameters by trial
and error until simulated heads match measured heads); (vii)
Simulate the expected acquifer’ behaviors : Answer
questions to solve problem.
B. Expert System
Expert System (ES) is a computer-aided problem solving
system which is generally based on several artificial
intelligence methods. ES contains the knowledge of a special
problem domain. It helps in analyzing and solving large as
well as complex problems considering the problem solving
process of a human expert. ES can also be defined as a
program that attempts to mimic human expertise by applying
inference methods to a knowledge specific field [28]. The
key component of these systems relies on the independence
between the knowledge base and the inference engine which
allows for an upgrade of the system without altering the
mechanism.
ES are particularly recommended in situations where the
problem is complex and difficult to formalize, and poorly
structured and does not fit into traditional programming
methods. Therefore, this technology is applicable to the
fields of hydrogeological modeling and groundwater
resource management, especially to the data preparation
process which is laborious, difficult to formalize and
requiring a lot of expertise.
There are so-called expert system shells which contain
the skeleton of expert systems, the inference engine and the
development tools needed to create the user’s interface and
manage the knowledge base. The tool used to develop
ALAES is the rule-based ES Shell Kappa-PC version 2.4
[27]. The Kappa-PC applications development system allows
writing applications in a high-level graphical environment
and generates standard ANSI C code and GUI runtimes.
Kappa PC software was chosen because of its suitability in
designer mode, which gives the knowledge engineer the
possibility to code the knowledge base in a graphical. Kappa-
PC ES shell supports both rule-based reasoning (forward-
and backward-chaining) as well as the micromanaging of the
reasoning using classical programming techniques
(particularly list processing). The engineer is able to decide
what method and what reasoning mode to use for coding the
knowledge by addressing more complex problems [29,30].
C. Knowledge Acquisition
Knowledge acquisition for ALAES development was a
complex process that was addressed rigorously. Indeed, the
transcript of the experts approach required going through
phases of extraction-, modeling- and knowledge-
formalization. Each of these steps involved specific work
methods. Knowledge Acquisition is certainly the most
complex task, but also the most interesting in the
development of the knowledge base of the ES. If the
Knowledge Base (KB) is narrow, the results can be very
poor; therefore an effort has been made to enlarge the KB
through expertise extracted from literature and professionals.
ALAES Knowledge Base was built through two major
sources. The first, relates to the formal knowledge, available
in books, manuals and scientific papers that address
groundwater flow modeling and overexploitation problem
management. The second, based on heuristics, was through
interviews with the experts in multiple fields interacting in
hydrogeological modeling process (hydrogeologists,
geologists, environmental hydrogeologists, hydraulic
engineers, geophysicists, climatologists and geomaticians ...).
Fig. 1. Knowledge transfer approach used in ALAES’s development and
the main intervening-experts in the knowledge acquisition phase.
The knowledge acquisition model adopted for ALAES
development is the guided model associated with the
Knowledge Oriented Design (KOD) methodology [31]. The
life cycle of the KOD covered the knowledge base. The
cognitive analysis stage was then used to implement the first
level design, based on structured objects, of ALAES
knowledge-based platform. The computerization stage
consisted in developing the ES itself based on the cognitive
analysis results. Figure 1 summarizes the knowledge transfer
approach adopted for ALAES development as well as the
main intervening-experts during Knowledge Acquisition
phase.
III. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE AND IMPLEMENTATION
In the Kappa-PC ES-shell, the components of the
problem are represented by objects that are organized in a
hierarchy. Running under windows environment, Kappa-PC
provides the developer with the flexibility and power
required in supporting complex applications. Kappa-PC
provides, also, a resources editor for developing interactive
graphical user interfaces to applications. The development
process is managed by development window which contains
all essential tools for expert system implementation, such as:
Object Browser, Edit Ktools and KAL Interpreter.
A. ALAES’s Object Oriented Data Base (ALAES-OODB)
The conceptualization of an ES for the groundwater-
overexploitation problem management (using groundwater
flow modeling) relies on an efficient database structure. In
this configuration of ALAES knowledge-based platform, the
database role is essential. Data (of each case study of aquifer
system) can be stored, accessed, and modified easily.
ALAES's DB design, based on structured objects, is shown
in Figure 2. It includes: "Aquifer system" superclass, User-
Interface and Developer-interface, and four packages of
classes: "Geometry", "Hydrodynamic Parameters",
"Piezometry" and "Water Balance". ALAES's classes
encapsulates hundreds attributes and methods that
manipulate, for each aquifer-system case-study, all the
necessary information -input data- for groundwater flow
modeling.
Exploitation of the parameters and results of preexisting
models; Call to program of parameters evaluation;
Recommendation of the future pumping tests location;
Comparison and validation of the results obtained through
the different methods.
B. ALAES’s Rule-Based Knowledge Base (ALAES-RBKB)
Throughout ALAES’s knowledge acquisition phase, the
heuristics presented by the experts were in the form of rules
and actions (IF ... THEN ...). The transcription and coding of
knowledge provided by the experts was subsequently done
using the KAL language. KAL is the programming language
used in KAPPA-PC, and it can be also compiled into C using
the KAL compiler. In the KAL language, the rule syntax is
as: IF (premises) THEN (conclusion), thus providing a
helpful format for referring to objects and slots. As an
example, two rules of ALAES-RBKB are presented in the
following section.
Rule 1: For the selection of the hydrogeological model
corresponding to the characteristics of the aquifer system
studied:
If {(Aquifer_System_ID:Aquifer_Medium #= Porous) And
(Aquifer_System_ID:Reservoir_Lithology #= Homogeneous
Or Heterogeneous) And (Aquifer_ System_ID:
Aquifer_Phase #= Monophasic Or Multiphasic) And
Aquifer_System_ID:Model_Dimension #= Quasi_
Three_Dimension And Aquifer_System_ID:Model_Type #=
Finite_Difference_Model And Aquifer_System_ID:
Modeling_Type #= Hydrodynamic_Modeling ) } Then
{SetValue( VIII_CHOOSE_MODEL = MODFLOW ) }.
Rule 2: To validate the hydraulic parameters calculated
by the pumping tests interpretation:
If { Pumping_Tests:PT_Hydro_Conduct_Result ~=Reservoir
_Lithology:Hydro_Conductivity_Interval} Then {SetValue
(Pumping_Tests:I_CALCUL_PARA_PUMPING_TESTS)=
True And Hydro_Conductivity_Transmissivity: Hydro_
Conductivity_DB = Pumping_Tests:PT_Hydro_ Conduct_
Result }.
The Rule-Based Knowledge Base of ALAES is
composed of 192 rules. The rules can be classified into two
categories: (i) Rules deduced from formal and agreed
knowledge, that represent 139 rules of ALAES-RBKB;
(ii) Rules built from heuristics and conflictual knowledge
that constitute 53 rules of ALAES-RBKB.

TABLE I. RULES TYPES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION IN THE VARIOUS

MODULES OF THE RULE-BASED KNOWLEDGE BASE OF ALAES

Fig. 2. Schema showing the general architecture of ALAES's DB built

based on structured objects. Rules developed from Rules developed from
public and agreed heuristics and private
knowledge knowledge
The Parameters package, as an example, consists of a
superclass "Hydrodynamic Parameters" and three subclasses: Geometry
20 3
"Porosity", "Hydraulic Conductivity/Transmissivity", and Package
"Storage Coefficient". The "Hydrodynamic Parameters" Parameters
Package
59 36
superclass is characterized by the "derive" relation with the Piezometry
classes: "Pumping tests", "Logs", "Reservoir Lithology", and Package
4 7
"Existing models" which constitute an important data source Water Balance
10 1
for the hydrodynamic-parameters determination. Package
"Hydrodynamic Parameters" superclass also proposes the Modeling Guide
Modules
46 6
methods of: Parameters calculation from the pumping tests;
Parameters determination from Logs; Parameters estimated 139
Total 53
on the based on the reservoir lithological proprieties;
 The rules types of ALAES-RBKB and their distribution Mediterranean Sea by its two major rivers, Nekor and Rhis.
in the various modules are summarized in Table 1. Most of The plain of Rhis-Nekor stores on all its area the most
the rules of the knowledge base belong to the Parameters important unconfined-aquifer in the Moroccan
Package (95 rules), which again reflects that the major Mediterranean coast. The Rhis-Nekor aquifer is porous and
difficulty of the hydrogeological modeling process lies on is mainly composed of Pliocene-Quaternary alluvium
the data preparation phase, especially on the hydrodynamic deposits, essentially sands, silty sand and gravels [32].
parameters determinition.
Figure 4 depicts the location, the geology as well as the
boundaries of the Rhis-Nekor basin. The study area Lambert-
IV. ES INTERFACE AND VALIDATION coordinates are X=636000-649000, Y=500000-515000. It is
ES developed presents two types of GUI: an interface located within the East part of the Rif geologic zone. It is
called ALAES USER SESSION dedicated to any user bounded : to the northwest by the carbonate formations of
(engineer or researcher) wishing to undertake a groundwater the Bokoya Unit; to the northeast by the outcrop vulcanite
flow modeling; and a developer interface ALAES materials of Ras Tarf; to the east, south and southwest by the
DEVELOPPER SESSION for experimented users in impermeable shale, sandstone and flych of Ketama Unit. To
"groundwater conceptual model development field" as well the north, the plain is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea.
as in "artificial intelligence technologies". The main menu of The plain is characterized by an important seismic activity
ALAES USER SESSION offers the following because of the presence of several active faults.
Commands/objectives (Fig. 3):
 A guide for the appropriate hydrogeological model
selection corresponding to the characteristics of the
aquifer system studied;
 A guide for the feasibility study of Hydrogeological
modeling based on available data of the aquifer system
studied;
 A Knowledge based adviser for the data preparation for
the groundwater flow model of the aquifer system
studied;
 A Knowledge based adviser during the main stages of
the groundwater flow modeling of the of the aquifer
system studied;
 A guide for the groundwater flow simulation and
evaluating the optimal future ground-water
management scenario of the aquifer system studied.

Fig. 3. Screenshot showing ALAES’s user session and its main
commands/objectives.
A. Rhis-Nekor Case study
The hydrological basin of Rhis-Nekor is located in the
northeast part of the Mediterranean coast in Morocco. It
constitutes the prime agricultural plain of the Province of Al
Hoceima. The catchment covers about 100 km² with a mean
soil slope of 1%. This basin drains towards the
Fig. 4. A: Location and Geological setting of the study area (ABR:
Alboran ridge; AIF, NF and YF: faults; [33]). B: Boundaries of Rhis-
Nekor aquifer and location of boreholes.
The study area is characterized by a significant
degradation of its groundwater resources and a net deficit in
the aquifer water balance. In fact, during the past three
decades, the excessive pumping of groundwater for irrigation
and the net deficit in the aquifer water balance due to
construction of Mohammed Ben Abdelkrim El Khattabi
MBAK dam (in 1981) have caused the decline of
groundwater levels.
Given the problems mentioned here above (namely
overexploitation problem/groundwater excessive drawdown)
and in order to improve the scientific basis for the Rhis-
Nekor groundwater management, a data collection program
was undertaken in the last decades. Indeed, geological,
hydro-meteorological, hydrological, hydrogeological and
geochemical analysis were conducted; and groundwater
flow and transport models were developed. In this project,
extensive hydraulic and geologic data was collected from
new multiple-well monitoring sites. Based on the input data
of existing models of the Rhis-Nekor area and data collected
from new wells/boreholes, the Rhis-Nekor's hydrogeological
synthesis and groundwater flow modeling were undertaken
using the rule-based expert system ALAES.
B. ALAES’s working system steps
The first step in ALAES’s working system consisted of
the selection of an appropriate hydrogeological model which
can help in providing an answer to a groundwater resource
problem. The module interface HYDROGEOLOGICAL
MODEL CHOICE is used for the selection of the appropriate
hydrogeological code (e.g. MODFLOW, FEFLOW,
MT3DMS, SUTRA...) to address a specific aquifer problem
(e.g. overexploitation, seawater intrusion, contamination ...).
In the Rhis-Nekor case study, the main characteristics are as
follows: Monolayer unconfined aquifer subject to an
overexploitation problem; Porous aquifer medium; Reservoir
lithology considered homogeneous; Three-dimensional
model based on finite differences method. ALAES response
to this request is to use MODFLOW or an equivalent model.
The second step in ALAES’s working system was to
evaluate the modeling feasibility of the aquifer system
studied, using the hydrogeological model proposed in the
first request, and depending on the availability of the
necessary data required for running the hydrogeological
model. The module GROUNDWATER MODELING
FEASIBILTY STUDY provides one of three answers: an
ideal situation - Groundwater Modeling Process Feasible; a
complex situation - Groundwater Modeling Process Hardly
Feasible; and an impossible situation - Groundwater
Modeling Process Unfeasible. In the Rhis-Nekor case study,
the groundwater flow modeling process is hardly feasible.
The lack of MODFLOW model input data, and in particular
parameters needed for model calibration, was compensated
by incorporating heuristics and private knowledge of
ALAES's rule base.
The third step in ALAES’s working system was to
prepare the input data set for Hydrodynamic Model. Figure 6
shows, at the top, the interface of module called DATA
PREPARATION FOR HYDRODYNAMIC MODEL. To
run this module, ALAES Rule Base incorporates 140 agreed-
and heuristic-rules. The latest provide a way to mimic the
methodology and the way of proceeding of hydrogeologists
experts for input data preparation for MODFLOW model. As
previously described, the input data set, for a groundwater
flow model, is hierarchized in four class packages (Fig. 2):
Geometry Package, Parameters Package, Piezometry
Package and Water-Balance Package.
It should be emphasized that the second module of
ALAES's working system helps the user to prepare the input
data for the hydrodynamic model (especially MODFLOW).
Adding another model codes to the system is a complex and
laborious task. To build the Knowledge Base of ALAES's
second module, as an example, 37 experts in multiple fields
interacting in hydrogeological modeling process (e.g.
hydrogeologists, geologists, environmental hydrogeologists,
hydraulic engineers, geophysicists, climatologists and
geometricians ...) were consulted. Subsequently, the
knowledge, as collected from interviews with the here above
experts and from specialized literature, must be analyzed,
coded and implemented in the expert system (Fig. 1). In
terms of time, more of two years of work have been spent on
the knowledge acquisition phase and on the first level
implementation of ALAES's second module.
That is how Knowledge Acquisition is certainly the most
complex task but also the most interesting in the
development of the knowledge base of the ES. If the
Knowledge Base (KB) is limited, the results uncertainties
would be very important. The approach does not consist in
simplifying the process of developing a model by
automatically choose parameters, but rather, the process
consists in enlarging as much as possible the KB through
expertise extracted from literature and professionals. The
objective of the approach is to estimate the parameters with
all possible methods, ways and experts manners in order to
minimize the model results uncertainties. ALAES's
Parameters Package interface is presented in Fig. 5 as an
illustration. The purpose of ALAES's Parameters Package is
to estimate Hydrodynamic Parameters (porosity, hydraulic
conductivity, transmissivity, and storage coefficient) using
different methods, such as pumping test, slug tests, well logs,
and reservoir lithology table.
Fig. 5. Screenshot showing the module interface DATA PREPARATION
FOR HYDRODYNAMIC MODEL (at the top) and the interface of
PARAMETERS PACKAGE (at the bottom).
In the Rhis-Nekor case study, it is the porosity parameter
that least available. To determine this parameter, Well-Log
methods, such as Resistivity-, Neutron-, Density-, and Sonic-
Log, were used. Porosity results obtained at the well 587,
located on the right side of the Nekor River, for example,
ranges between 33 and 35%. Porosity results, calculated
using Resistivity-, Density-, and Sonic-Log methods, were
validated by ALAES's Rule Based ES. The results are in
conformity with the lithological nature of the aquifer at the
well which corresponds to medium sands, a porosity ranging
between 29 and 49%.
Once the four input data packages for the Hydrodynamic
Model were prepared, the next step in ALAES’s working
system concerned Groundwater Numerical Modeling Process
in strict sense. This process was guided by proposing to
ALAES’s User a rule based adviser in the main stages of the
groundwater flow modeling of the aquifer system studied.
The results obtained by applying the advices provided by
GROUNDWATER FLOW MODELING ADVISER-module
to Rhis-Nekor case study are synthesized as follows: the
constructed model covers the entire study area, about
100Km², and uses the MODFLOW program. The non-
uniform finite difference grid consists of 2450 total cells,
1271 active cells witch 1177 cells 250m by 250m and 94
cells 250m by 500m. Fig. 6 summarizes model-grid,
structure and boundary conditions for the Rhis-Nekor
groundwater flow model.
Guided by ALAES, the Rhis-Nekor groundwater flow
model was developed to simulate steady-state groundwater
conditions representative of those in 1968 and transient
conditions for the period 1968-2016. Model results indicate
decreases in groundwater storage in all part of the study area
over the simulated 49 year period. Model sensivity to
parameters values and to boundary conditions was also
evaluated.
Genetic Algorithm based Optimization Model whose
purpose is to explore the optimal pumping schemes of Rhis-
Nekor aquifer was not developed given the fact that the
corresponding process is time consuming and costly. The
approach used is to first predict the aquifer's behavior in 3
extreme situations (favorable, unfavorable, and
intermediate). Secondly, an attempt to determinate the
situation that meets current and future water demands while
minimizing the risks for several adverse environmental
impacts such as overexploitation and groundwater-reserves
depletion was made.
Thus, the model was used to assess impacts of three
alternative future (2016-2036) groundwater development
scenarios: One that assumes increasing pumping from the
majority of the boreholes (IRE number from 251/05 to
583/05) and unfavorable climatic conditions. A second that
continued pumping at average current rates and favorable
climatic conditions. And a third, that assumes decreasing
pumping from the coastal wells in the Rhis-Nekor Basin,
favorable climatic conditions, and construction of injection
barriers. The model simulates an important declining water
levels (2 to 18 m) in the first scenario, slightly declining
water levels (0 to 4m) for the second scenario and stable
water levels in the third scenario. The model results as
obtained constitute a real support to help decision-makers
evaluate the optimal management strategy of Rhis-Nekor
groundwater resources.

V. CONCLUSIONS
In this research, a prototype rule based expert system for
groundwater flow modeling, called ALAES, has been
designed and developed. ALAES was built adopting object-
oriented approach and using Kappa-PC 2.4.
Fig. 6. Rhis Nekor groundwater flow simulation model results: A- Model-
grid, boundary conditions, measured- and simulated water levels of
1968; B- Simulated water levels of 2016 and calibrated hydraulic
conductivities; C- cross section X-Y showing hydraulic conductivities
and base aquifer elevations.
It includes both formal and heuristics knowledge, 114 class,
1136 instances, 179 functions, 192 rules and two types of
GUI. ALAES provides the users with a decision support tool
for groundwater problem management, by implementing
three main modules. The first module was used for the
selection of an appropriate hydrogeological model to address
a precise aquifer problem and for evaluating the modeling
feasibility depending on available data. The second one
presents 140 rules to try to mimic the approach and the
methodology followed by the hydrogeologists’ experts to
prepare Input Data for Hydrodynamic Model. The third
module provides advices in the main stages of the
groundwater flow modeling of the aquifer system studied.
There are multiple AI applications in the hydrogeology
field (as described in Section I). When comparing these
applications, it appears that the majority of them contribute
during the modeling phase. However, the singularity of
ALAES lies in the fact is that it acts in addition in the first
and difficult phase by guiding any engineer/researcher in all
stages prior to any hydrogeological modeling of the
groundwater system being studied. Main advices generated
by ALAES working system were evaluated and validated in
the Rhis-Nekor groundwater case study. ALAES rule based
advisory system contributes to compensate for the lack of
Hydrodynamic Parameters needed for Rhis-Nekor model
calibration by incorporating heuristics and private
engineering knowledge. Also, using the module "Modeling
Adviser", Rhis-Nekor groundwater simulation model was
again developed, which allowed to synthesize the
understanding of the Rhis-Nekor three-dimensional
hydrogeological system and to serve as a tool to evaluate
alternative groundwater management strategies.
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