GROUND WATER 461643

Maximum Score: 127 points

First Exam October 21, 2010
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Fall Semester

Time: 2 hours
Closed Book

ANSWERTHEFOLLOWINGQUESTIONS
Q1.[10points]Definethefollowing(maximum15wordsforeach,useEnglishonly,DONOTplot):
1. Aquifer
Ageologicformationthatisabletostoreandtransmitwaterfreely
2. Leakyconfinedaquifer
Aconfinedaquiferwheretheoverlyingconfininglayerallowswatertoleakdownward
3. Leakyunconfinedaquifer
Anunconfinedaquiferwhosebedrockformationallowswatertoleaktoanunderlying
confinedaquifer
4. Soilfieldcapacity
Watercontentabovewhichwaterdrainsfreelybygravity
5. Soilwiltingpoint
Watercontentbelowwhichtherootscannotwithdrawwater
6. Wellheadprotectionzone
Theareaonlandunderneaththeaquifercontributeswatertoaspecificwell
7. Hydraulicconductivity
Theeasinessbywhichwaterflowsintheaquiferandisfunctionofwaterandmedia
characteristics
8. Ananistropicaquifer
Anaquiferwherethehydraulicpropertieschangesatthesamelocationindifferent
directions
9. Flowingartesianwell
Awelltappingaconfinedaquiferwherethepiezometricsurfaceintersectgroundsurface
10. Effectiveporosity
Theporositythataccountsforallthedeadendsanddisconnectedporesandalwayslessthan
orequaltotalporosity
Q2.[12points]Thefollowingdataisforahypotheticalsoilprofilethatreceivesrainfallandissubject
torecharge.Findoutthedailywatercontentandthepotentialrecharge.Soilinfiltrationisgivenas
apercentagefromrainfall.
Soilthickness
35
cm
Initialwatercontent
0.13

Fieldcapacity
0.16

Wiltingpoint
0.04

Surfacearea
15
km2
Infiltrationfactor
60%

Day Rainfall(mm)
1
52
2
12
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GROUND WATER 461643

Maximum Score: 127 points
First Exam October 21, 2010
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Fall Semester

Time: 2 hours
Closed Book

mm
mm
mm
mm
Water Water
Water
content content Precipitation Netin content
0.130
45.5
52
31.2
76.7
0.160
56
12
7.2
63.2

Day
1
2

mm

Water
Water Water
content Recharge Recharge content content
0.219
0.181

20.7
7.2

310,500
108,000

0.160
0.160

Total
418,500

Q3. [16 points] Consider an upper confined aquifer A overlying a lower aquifer B, separated by a
lowpermeabilityconfininglayerasshowninthefigurebelow.

Otherthantheinformationinthediagram,youaregiventhefollowing:thehydraulicconductivityof
both the upper and lower aquifer is 106 m/sec. The vertical conductivity of the lowpermeability
confininglayeris109m/sec.Theheadsintheloweraquiferaverageabout10mhigherthanthosein
theupperaquifer.Thehydraulicgradientinthenearvicinityoftheinflowareasofbothaquifersis
101m/m.Calculatethefollowing:
dh
a) QinA = QinB = KA
= 10 6 10 100 101 = 1 10 4 m3 / sec
dL
b) WehaveleakageQleakfromaquiferBtoaquiferAthroughthelowpermeabilityconfining
10
layer.Assuch, Qleak = 10 9 100 1000
= 5 10 5 m 3 / sec .
20
Fromtheprincipleofcontinuity,
in
4
Q out
+ 5 10 5 = 1.5 10 4 m 3 / sec and
A = Q A + Q leak = 1 10
in
4
Q out
5 10 5 = 5 10 5 m 3 / sec
B = Q B Q leak = 1 10

1.5 10 4
= 1.5 10 1 and
6
10 10 100
5 10 5
= 6
= 0.5 10 1
10 10 100

out
out
c) Q out
A = KAI A I A =
out
out
Q out
B = KAI B I B

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mm

56.00
56.00

GROUND WATER 461643

Maximum Score: 127 points
First Exam October 21, 2010
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Fall Semester

Time: 2 hours
Closed Book

Q4.[16points]Determineboththedirectionofwatermovementandthegradientoftheflowfrom
thefollowingthreepointsasmeasuredinthefield.Thewaterlevelsaregiveninfeetabovemean
sealevel.

Theverybasicpremiseinsolvingthisquestionistogetfromthethreepointsthexandy
componentsofthegradient.Thegradientinthexdirectionisreadilyavailableasinthefollowing:
h 1,060.9 1,055
ix =
=
= 0.00694
x
850
Togetthegradientintheydirection,twopointsofknownheadsshouldbealignedupvertically.As
such,extrapolationisneededtoobtainthehead.Alignthethreepointstoanxandycoordinate
systemasdepictedinthefigure.Applythelawofdistancebetweentwopointsasinthefollowing:
d = ( x ) 2 + ( y ) 2 1,425 = (0 x 1 ) 2 + (0 y1 ) 2 and 590 = (850 x 1 ) 2 + (0 y1 ) 2 .

Thus,wehavetwoequationswithtwounknowns.Solvingthesetwoequationsforx1andy1yields:x1
=1,414.72ftandy1=170.85ft.Thustheextrapolatedpointislocatedat(1414.72,0).Nowthehead
1060.9 h
h 1,060.9 1,055
atthispointequals i x =
=
= 0.00694 =
h = 1,051.08 ft. Thus,the
x
850
1,414.72
gradientintheydirectionisasinthefollowing:
h 1,051.08 1,047.6
iy =
=
= 0.0203
y
170.85

i = i 2x + i 2y = 0.00694 2 + 0.02032 = 0.02145

= tan 1 (

Iy

0.0203
) = tan 1
= 71.09 measuredfromthepositivexaxis.
Ix
0.00694

Q5. [10 points] Show that in a multiple layered aquifer (as shown in the figure); the equivalent
horizontalandverticalhydraulicconductivitycanbegivenbythefollowingtwoformulas:

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GROUND WATER 461643

Maximum Score: 127 points
First Exam October 21, 2010
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Fall Semester

Time: 2 hours
Closed Book

First, consider flow perpendicular to the layering. The specific discharge q must be the same entering
the system as it is leaving; in fact, it must be constant throughout the system. Let h1 be the head loss
across the first layer, h2 across the second layer, and so on. The total head loss is then h = h1+ h2
+ ... + hn, and from Darcys law:
K h
K h
K h
K h
q = 1 1 = 2 2 = ...... = n n = z
[1]
dn
d
d1
d2
where Kz is an equivalent vertical hydraulic conductivity for the system of layers. Solving the outside
relationship of Equation [1] for Kz and using the inside relationships for h1, h2, , we obtain:
d
Kz = n
di
[2]

i =1 K i
Now consider flow parallel to the layering. Let h be the head loss over a horizontal distance L. The
discharge Q through a unit thickness of the system is the sum of the discharges through the layers.
The specific discharge q = Q/d is therefore given by:
n
K d h
h
= Kx
q= i i
[3]
d L
L
i =1
where Kx is an equivalent horizontal hydraulic conductivity. Simplification yields:
n
Kd
Kx = i i
[4]
d
i =1
Q6.[28points]Thepiezometricheadinanaquiferisdescribedbyh=5x2 4y2 +5wherexandy
indicate the coordinates of the location in the aquifer. The hydraulic conductivity in the aquifer is
Kx=10m/dayandKy=12.5m/day.Underthisscenario,answerthefollowingquestions:
1. Calculatethemagnitudeanddirectionofthefluxatpoint(3,4)[12points]

Wehavetofindthemagnitudeanddirectionoffluxatpoint(3,4).Thefluxesinthexandy
directionsrespectivelyare:
h
h
and q y = K y
.
q x = K x
y
x
Partialdifferentiatingtheheadequation,weget:

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GROUND WATER 461643

Maximum Score: 127 points
First Exam October 21, 2010
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Fall Semester

Time: 2 hours
Closed Book

h
h
= 10x and
= 8y .
y
x
Therefore, q x = K x (10x ) and q y = K y ( 8y) .
m
m
and q y = 12.5 ( 8) 4 = 400

day
day
m
Theresultantflux q = q 2x + q 2y = 3002 + 4002 = 500
.
day
q
400
Directionofflux, = tan 1 y = tan 1
= 53.13
qx
300

2. Isthisheaddistributionsteadystateortransient?Why?[2points]

Sincetheheadisgivenasafunctionofthespatiallocationindependentoftime,thentheflux
orflowissteadystate.

3. Isthisaquiferhomogeneousorheterogeneous?Why?[2points]

TheaquiferishomogeneoussinceKxandkyarethesameallovertheaquifer

4. Isthisaquiferisotropicoranistropic?Why?[2points]

ThisaquiferisanistropicsinceatanylocationKxdoesnotequalKy

5. Develop the contour map of the piezometric head considering only the following three
locations:(0,0),(0,5),and(5,0)[10points]

Atpoint(3,4): q x = 10 10 3 = 300

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GROUND WATER 461643

Maximum Score: 127 points
First Exam October 21, 2010
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Fall Semester

6|8

Time: 2 hours
Closed Book

GROUND WATER 461643

Maximum Score: 127 points
First Exam October 21, 2010
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Fall Semester

Time: 2 hours
Closed Book

Q7. [20 points] An unconfined aquifer is bounded by tworivers located at a distance L= 2,000 m
from each other where River 1 is at the left side. Stages of River 1 and River 2 are 12 and 10 m,
respectively.Theaquiferis5,000minwidth,hasaneffectiveporosityof0.32,andisrechargedata
rate (L/T). Groundwater velocity at the vicinity of River 1 and River 2 equals 0.1718 and 0.3093
m/day,respectively.Forthisaquifer,whatisthemaximumhead?Thefollowingtwoequationsare
given.

hmax

(h12 h22 )

= h
d + ( L d )d
L
K
K (h12 h22 )
L

x
Qx =
2L
2

2
1

Frommassbalanceconcept,wehave
d = Q1 = q1h1 = v 1n e h1 whereh1istheriverstageforRiver1

( L d ) = Q2 = q 2 h 2 = v 2 n e h 2 whereh2istheriverstageforRiver2
n (v h + v 2h 2 )
v 1h1 L
Solvingthesetwoequationsyield = e 1 1
and d =

L
v 1h1 + v 2 h 2
Plugintheabovetwoequationstofindthatd=799.9mand=0.000824m/day.
L K ( h12 h 22 )
Weknowthat d =
,thusK=15m/day.Weknowalsothat
2
2L
( h12 h 22 )
w
h max = h
d + ( L d )d andhmax=13.38m.
L
K

Q8. [15 points] Three potentiometric head measurements were taken for a confined aquifer as
summarizedinthefollowingtable.Forthisaquifer,answerthefollowingquestions:
a) Sketchthegroundwaterflowdirection[10points]
b) What is the travel time for a pollutant to pass a distance of 1,000 m in the direction of
groundwaterflowifK=33m/dayandne=0.25?[5points]

ID
x(m) y(m) h(m)
A
300
200
17
B
300
300
17
C
700
100
13

a) Ascanbeinferredfromthepotentiometricheadvaluesasrepresentedbythefigure,the
flowisessentiallyonedimensionalinthexdirection.

2
1

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GROUND WATER 461643

Maximum Score: 127 points
First Exam October 21, 2010
Instructor: Dr. Mohammad N. Almasri
Fall Semester

Time: 2 hours
Closed Book

h = 13 m

h = 17 m

Groundwater flow
direction

b) Weneedfirsttocomputetheflux.Thus,
q 0.33
h
17 13
q=K
= 33
= 0.33 m / day. v =
=
= 1.32 m / day.
x
400
n e 0.25
L 1,000
t 1,000 = =
= 757 days = 2.07 years
v 1.32

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