Modern hydrogeological research uses numerical modelling, which is most often based on the finite difference method (FDM) or finite element method (FEM). The present paper discusses an example of application of the less frequently used FEM for simulating groundwater circulation in the vicinity of the intake at Świniarsko near Nowy Sącz. The research area is bordered by rivers and watersheds, and within it, two well-connected aquifers occur (Quaternary gravelly-sandy sediments and Paleogene cracked flysch rocks). The area was discretized using a