Groundwater modeling end-to-end — from global data to defensible decisions. IGW-NET runs MAGNET's own IGW solver and the USGS MODFLOW family natively. Real aquifers tied to real data, or the classical conceptual problems where the mechanism itself is the subject — Tóth flow, capture zones, plume migration. Both are first-class.
Native engines: IGW and the USGS MODFLOW family. IGW-NET runs MAGNET's own IGW solver — often more efficient and robust than equivalent MODFLOW runs, mathematically identical under same assumptions, parameters, and discretization. The MODFLOW family is also a native execution engine. IGW-NET models export as MODFLOW files; raw MODFLOW files open in IGW-NET's visualization mode. The translation is one-way by design: IGW-NET works in continuous xyz,t space with conceptual objects (points, lines, polygons); MODFLOW is grid-bound. That asymmetry is what lets IGW-NET stay conceptually expressive at any scale.
Each pillar serves a distinct user need. Start wherever matches your question.
Pinder · Science foundation, 111 pages
29 chapters · Platform reference
28 walkthroughs · Progressive skills
9 deep-dives · Understand the why
2 full workflows · Real-world examples
180 UI pages · Per-button reference
A 111-page science-first introduction to groundwater flow and transport modeling with IGW-NET. Ten chapters cover model philosophy through transient transport, with 98+ annotated screenshots. Written by Dr. George F. Pinder (University of Vermont; founding editor, Advances in Water Resources) — the natural entry point for students and anyone new to groundwater modeling.
Dr. George F. Pinder, with Drs. Curtis, Li, and Liao
10 chapters · 98+ annotated screenshots · 111 pages
Covers the fundamentals: Darcy's law, governing equations, conceptual model development, boundary conditions, model execution, calibration, and contaminant transport. Uses IGW-NET as the vehicle for teaching groundwater science — complementary to the Users' Reference Manual, which focuses on the platform itself.
Comprehensive 22-chapter reference covering the full modeling workflow — applicability, domain setup, aquifer attributes, vertical layering, boundary conditions, calibration, stochastic methods, and 33 common pitfalls with interface-based diagnostic recipes. Where Pinder's Beginner's Manual teaches the science, the Users' Reference Manual teaches the platform.
Progressive skill-building — from your first 2D model through Monte Carlo uncertainty, 3D visualization, T-PROGS geology, and DataNET integration.
The IGW-NET modeling playbook: high-value groundwater concepts that explain system dynamics, data, calibration, sensitivity, scale, transport, surface water, and model interpretation.
Real-world modeling projects walked through end-to-end — concept model, data sourcing, simulation, calibration, interpretation. See how experienced modelers approach full projects.
Realtime Help is more than a reference library — it's the knowledge layer of the platform. Modeling concepts, governing science, numerical methods, per-element operational help, visualization guidance, and the foundational engine references — organized hierarchically so you can stop at any depth and still have what you need. Especially deep on aquifer flow, transport, conceptual modeling architecture, and the IGW and MODFLOW family of solver engines.
IGW-NET is built on the USGS MODFLOW family — the international standard for groundwater modeling. These are the authoritative reference manuals and software pages for each engine, hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Trained on all six documentation pillars. Answer workflow questions, interpret errors, point you to the right dialog or chapter.