ORIGINAL PAPER A framework toward developing a groundwater conceptual model A. Izady & K. Davary & A. Alizadeh & A. N. Ziaei & A. Alipoor & A. Joodavi & M. L. Brusseau Received: 12 February 2013 / Accepted: 3 May 2013 # Saudi Society for Geosciences 2013 Abstract Developing an accurate conceptual model is the most important step in the process of a groundwater numerical modeling. Disorganized and limited available data and infor- mation, especially in the developing countries, make the prep- aration of the conceptual model difficult and sometimes cumbersome. In this research, an integrative and comprehen- sive method is proposed to develop groundwater conceptual model for an unconfined aquifer. The proposed method con- sists of six steps. A preliminary step (step 0) is aimed at collecting all the available data and information. The output of the first step as “controlling observations” is conceptual model version 00. This step should be rigorously checked due to its critical role in the controlling of final conceptual model. Step 2 determines the aquifer geometry. The output of this step is conceptual model version 01. Step 3 is responsible to determine hydrodynamic properties and its output develops conceptual model version 02. Step 4 evaluates the surface and subsurface interactions and lateral in/out groundwater flows. The output of this step is conceptual model version 03. Step 5 is to integrate the results from other steps and to deliver the final conceptual model version. The accuracy level of the conceptual model and the annual groundwater balance is also determined at this step. The presented groundwater con- ceptual model procedure was implemented for the Neishaboor plain, Iran. Results showed its usefulness and practicality in developing the conceptual model for the study area. Keywords Conceptual model . Groundwater . Development . Iran Introduction Groundwater resources are considered to be significant and economical water resources. The comprehensive recognition and proper utilization of this valuable resource, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, has an important influence on the sustainable development of social and economic activities (Izady et al. 2012). In the last decade, discords have occurred among groundwater users for the rights of the groundwater resource, particularly in highly exploited areas. The lack of knowledge about the groundwater flow and the availability of the resource precluded the formulation of suitable groundwa- ter management plans (Nastev et al. 2005). Therefore, it is necessary to simulate groundwater behavior for a better un- derstanding of the aquifer conditions. A simulation of ground- water behavior that takes into consideration the various parameters and properties of aquifer is only possible through modeling (Bredehoeft and Hall 1995; Gerla and Matheney 1996; Varni and Usunoff 1999; Nastev et al. 2005; Bedekar et al. 2012). In order to develop an appropriate numerical groundwater flow model and a more quantitative representa- tion of the subsurface hydrology, the formation of a concep- tual model is critical (Vandenberg 1982; Neuman 1988; Anderson and Woessner 1992; EPA, DOE, NRC 1994; Reilly 2001; Neuman and Wierenga 2003a, b; Palma and Bentley 2007; English et al. 2007; Barazzuoli et al. 2008; Seifert et al. 2008; Jusseret et al. 2009; Gillespie et al. 2012). The purpose of the conceptual model is to simplify the field problem and organize the associated field data so that the system can be analyzed more readily by means of a numerical A. Izady : K. Davary : A. Alizadeh : A. N. Ziaei Water Engineering Department, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran A. Alipoor Neishaboor Water Authority, Neishaboor, Iran A. Joodavi Earth Sciences Department, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran A. Izady (*) : M. L. Brusseau Soil, Water and Environmental Science Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA e-mail: az.izady@gmail.com Arab J Geosci DOI 10.1007/s12517-013-0971-9