Saturated Flow - Technical Reference

The Saturated Zone (SZ) component of MIKE SHE WM calculates the satu­rated subsurface flow in the catchment. MIKE SHE allows for a fully three-dimensional flow in a heterogeneous aquifer with shifting conditions between unconfined and confined conditions.

The spatial and temporal variations of the dependent variable (the hydraulic head) is described mathematically by the 3-dimensional Darcy equation and solved numerically by an iterative implicit finite difference technique.

MIKE SHE gives the opportunity to chose between two groundwater solvers - the SOR groundwater solver based on a successive over-relaxation solution technique and the PCG groundwater solver based on a preconditioned conju­gate gradient solution technique. The formulation of potential flow and sink/source terms differs between the two modules to some extent.

The Saturated Zone Component interacts with the other components of MIKE SHE WM mainly by using the boundary flows from other components implic­itly or explicitly as sources and sinks.