Spaced too closely together, the amount of well interference could be excessive.

Aligning wells parallel to a line source of recharge, such as a river, would result in less well interference than would a perpendicular configuration. 5.9 Effect of Hydrogeologic Boundaries If a well is not located in an aquifer on infinite areal extent, as is the case with all real wells in real aquifers, the drawdown cone will extend until either the well is supplied by vertical recharge or a hydrogeologic bundary is reached. A hydrogeologic boundary could be the edge of the aquifer, a region of recharge to a fully confined artesian aquifer, or a source of recharge such as a stream or lake. Boundaryies are considered to be either recharge or barrier boundaries. A recharge boundary is a region in which the aquifer is replenished. A barrier boundary is an edge of he aquifer, where it terminates, either by thinning or abutting a low-permeability formation, or has been eroded away. Figure 5.30 shows a well bounded by a recharge boundary. The recharge boundary can be simulated by a recharging image well located an equivalent distance away from the recharge boundary but on the opposite side. Figure 5.31 indicates the presence of a barrier boundary. The barrier boundary is simulated by a discharging image well located an equivalent distance away from the boundary but on the opposite side . Boundaries have the most dramatic impact on the drawdown of a pumped well for the aquifer with no source of vertical recharge. As the well withdraws water only from storage in the aquifer, drawdown proceeds as a function of the logarithm of time Figure 5.32 shows a theoretical straight-line plot of drawdown as a function of time on semilogarithmic paper . The effect of a recharge boundary is to retard the rate of drawdown. Change in drawdown can become zero if the well comes to be supplied enterely with recharged water. The effect of a barrier to flow in some region of the aquifer is to accelerate the drawdown rate. The water level declines faster than the theoretical staright line.

Figure 5.30 Indealized cross section of a well in an aquifer bounded on one side by a stream. Source : J. G. Ferris et al, U.S.Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1536-E,1962.

Figure 5.31 Indealized cross section of a well in an aquifer bounded on one side by an impermeable boundary. Source : J. G. Ferris et al, U.S.Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1536-E,1962.

Figure 5.32 Impact of recharge and barrier boundaries semilogarithmic drawdown-time curves.

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