Abstract: The Salawusu formation aquifer distributes widely in Mu Us desert which has extremely fragile ecological environment. Avoiding ecological risk in groundwater exploitation becomes a key technological problem. On the platform of ArcGIS, we employ Visual Modflow software and groundwater model (GWM) to build a numerical model of optimal groundwater management for the energy and chemical industry base of north Shaanxi province. The objective of the model is to ensure the maximum exploitation with minimum damage to eco-environment as constraint. Results show that in consideration of the ecological constraints, the exploitation amount is 70.44×10⁴ m³/d, the evaporation decreases by 28.10×10⁴ m³/d compared with the present situation, and the decrease of river discharge is only 4.09% of the present discharge amount. The optimal scheme will protect the ecological integrity, and ensure that the base flow of the river doesn’t decrease moreover, the increase of groundwater exploitation comes from the decreased evaporation. In conclusion, the optimized exploitation scheme is reasonable and feasible, and provides technical support for the water resources utilization in North Shannxi energy and chemical base.

Key words: numerical simulation of water flow, optimal groundwater exploitation, Salawusu formation, energy and chemical base in North Shaanxi