peer reviewed ; Models are the only tools capable of predicting the evolution of groundwater systems at a regional scale in taking into account a large amount of information. This study presents the association of a water balance model (WetSpass) with a groundwater flow and solute transport model (SUFT3D, « Saturated and Unsaturated Flow and Transport in 3D ») in order to simulate the present and future groundwater quality in terms of nitrate in the Upper Dyle basin (439 km², Belgium). The HFEMC (« Hybrid Finite Element Mixing Cell ») method implemented in the SUFT3D code is used to model groundwater flow and nitrate transport. A spatially-distributed recharge modelled with WetSpass is considered for prescribing the recharge to the groundwater flow model. The feasibility of linking WetSpass model with the finite-elements SUFT3D code is demonstrated. Time evolution and distribution of nitrate concentration are then simulated using the calibrated model. Nitrate inputs are spatially-distributed according to land use. The spatial simulations and temporal trends are compared with previously published data on this aquifer and show good results.