11-Flow To Wells

Steady Flow to Wells
Groundwater Hydraulics

Daene C. McKinney

Summary
Steady flow
to a well in a confined aquifer
to a well in an unconfined aquifer
Unsteady flow
Theis method
Jacob method
to a well in a leaky aquifer

Steady Flow to Wells in
Confined Aquifers
Steady Flow to a Well in a Confined Aquifer
2r
w
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined
aquifer
Q

h
0
Pre-pumping
head
Confining Layer
b
r
1
r
2
h
2
h
1
h
w
Observation
wells
Drawdown curve
Q
Pumping
well
Q Aq
(2 rb)K
dh
dr

r
dh
dr
Q
2 T

h
2
h
1
+
Q
2 T
ln(
r
2
r
1
)
Theim Equation
In terms of head (we can write it in terms of drawdown also)
h h
1
at r r
1
h h
2
at r r
2
Example - Theim Equation
Q = 400 m
3
/hr
b = 40 m.
Two observation wells,
1. r
1
= 25 m; h
1
= 85.3 m
2. r
2
= 75 m; h
2
= 89.6 m
Find: Transmissivity (T)

T
Q
2 h
2
h
1
( )
ln
r
2
r
1

400m
3
/hr
2 89.6m 85.3m ( )
ln
75m
25m

16.3 m
2
/hr

h
2
h
1
+
Q
2 T
ln(
r
2
r
1
)
2r
w
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confine
d
aquifer
Q

h
0
Confining Layer
b
r
1
r
2
h
2
h
1
h
w
Q
Pumping
well
Steady Radial Flow in a Confined Aquifer
Head

Drawdown
h h
0
+
Q
2 T
ln
r
R
s
Q
2 T
ln
R
r

Theim Equation
In terms of drawdown (we can write it in terms of head also)
s h
0
h
h
0
h
0
+
Q
2 T
ln
r
R

1-m diameter well
Q = 113 m
3
/hr
b = 30 m
h
0
= 40 m
Two observation wells,
1. r
1
= 15 m; h
1
= 38.2 m
2. r
2
= 50 m; h
2
= 39.5 m
Find: Head and drawdown in the
well
2r
w
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confine
d
aquifer
Q

h
0
Confining Layer
b
r
1
r
2
h
2
h
1
h
w
Q
Pumping
well
Drawdown
Adapted from Todd and Mays, Groundwater Hydrology

T
Q
2 s
1
s
2
( )
ln
r
2
r
1

113m
3
/hr
2 1.8m 0.5m ( )
ln
50m
15m

16.66 m
2
/hr

s r
( )
Q
2 T
ln
R
r

2r
w
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confine
d
aquifer
Q

h
0
Confining Layer
b
r
1
r
2
h
2
h
1
h
w
Q
Drawdown
@ well
Adapted from Todd and Mays, Groundwater Hydrology

h
w
h
2
+
Q
2 T
ln(
r
w
r
2
) 39.5 m+
113m
3
/ hr
2 *16.66 m
2
/ hr
ln(
0.5m
50m
) 34.5 m

s
w
h
0
h
w
40m 34.5m 5.5m

h
2
h
1
+
Q
2 T
ln(
r
2
r
1
)
Drawdown at the well
Steady Flow to Wells in
Unconfined Aquifers
Steady Flow to a Well in an Unconfined Aquifer

Q Aq (2 rh)K
dh
dr
rK
dh
2
dr
2r
w
Ground surface
Bedrock
Unconfined
aquifer
Q

h
0
Pre-pumping
Water level
r
1
r
2
h
2
h
1
h
w
Observation
wells
Water Table
Q
Pumping
well

r
d h
2
( )
dr
Q
K

h
0
2
h
2
Q
K
ln
R
r

h
2
(r) h
0
2
+
Q
K
ln
r
R

Unconfined aquifer
h h
0
at r R
2r
w
Ground surface
Bedrock
Unconfined
aquifer
Q

h
0
Prepumping
Water level
r
1
r
2
h
2
h
1
h
w
Observation
wells
Water Table
Q
Pumping
well
2 observation wells:
h
1
m @ r
1
m
h
2
m @ r
2
m

K
Q
h
2
2
h
1
2
( )
ln
r
2
r
1

h
2
(r) h
0
2
+
Q
K
ln
r
R

h
2
2
h
1
2
+
Q
K
ln
r
2
r
1

Given:
Q = 300 m
3
/hr
Unconfined aquifer
2 observation wells,
r
1
= 50 m, h = 40 m
r
2
= 100 m, h = 43 m

Find: K

K
Q
h
2
2
h
1
2
( )
ln
r
2
r
1

300m
3
/ hr / 3600 s / hr
(43m)
2
(40m)
2
[ ]
ln
100m
50m

7.3x10
5
m/sec
Example Two Observation Wells in an Unconfined
Aquifer
2r
w
Ground surface
Bedrock
Unconfined
aquifer
Q

h
0
Prepumping
Water level
r
1
r
2
h
2
h
1
h
w
Observation
wells
Water Table
Q
Pumping
well
Unsteady Flow to Wells in
Confined Aquifers
Unsteady Flow to a Well in a Confined Aquifer
Two-Dimensional continuity equation
homogeneous, isotropic aquifer of infinite extent
Radial coordinates
Radial symmetry (no variation with u)
Boltzman transformation of variables

1
r
r
(r
h
r
) +
1
r
2
h

2
S
T
h
t

1
r
r
(r
s
r
)
S
T
s
t

u r
2
S 4Tt

s u ( )
Q
4 T
W u ( )

W u ( )
e

d
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined
aquifer
Q

h
0
Confining Layer
b
r

h(r)
Q
Pumping
well
Continuity

Drawdown

Theis equation

Well function

s u
( )
Q
4 T
W u
( )

W u
( )
d

u
r
2
S
4Tt

s(r,t) h
0
h r,t
( )
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined
aquifer
Q

h
0
Confining Layer
b
r

h(r)
Q
Pumping
well

2
h
r
2
+
1
r
h
r
S
T
h
t
Well Function
U vs W(u)
1/u vs W(u)
( ) q
q
q
d
e
u W
u
}
=

Tt
S r
u
4
2
=
Example - Theis Equation
Q = 1500 m
3
/day
T = 600 m
2
/day
S = 4 x 10
-4

Find: Drawdown 1 km
from well after 1 year

u
r
2
S
4Tt
(1000m)
2
(4x10
4
)
4(600m
2
/ d)(365d)
4.6x10
4
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined
aquifer
Q

Confining Layer
b
r
1
h
1
Q
Pumping
well
Well Function

u 4.6x10
4

W(u) 7.12
Example - Theis Equation
Q = 1500 m
3
/day
T = 600 m
2
/day
S = 4 x 10
-4

Find: Drawdown 1 km
from well after 1
year

s
Q
4 T
W(u)
1500m
3
/ d
4 (600m
2
/ d)
*7.12 1.42m

u 4.6x10
4
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined
aquifer
Q

Confining Layer
b
r
1
h
1
Q
Pumping
well

W(u) 7.12
Pump Test in Confined Aquifers
Theis Method
Pump Test Analysis Theis Method

s
Q
4 T

* W u ( )
Q/4tT and 4T/S are constant
Relationship between
s and r
2
/t is similar to the relationship between
W(u) and u
So if we make 2 plots: W(u) vs u, and s vs r
2
/t
We can estimate the constants T, and S
Tt
S r
u
4
2
=

r
2
t

4T
S

* u
constants

s
Q
4 T
W(u)
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confin
ed
aquifer
Q

Confining Layer
b
r
1
h
1
Q
Pumpin
g well
Example - Theis Method
Pumping test in a sandy aquifer
Original water level = 20 m above
mean sea level (amsl)
Q = 1000 m
3
/hr
Observation well = 1000 m from
pumping well
Find: S and T
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined
aquifer
h
0
= 20 m

Confining Layer
b
r
1
= 1000 m

h
1
Q
Pumping
well
Bear, J., Hydraulics of Groundwater, Problem 11-4, pp 539-540, McGraw-Hill, 1979.
Theis Method
Time
Water level,
h(1000)
Drawdown,
s(1000)
min m m
0 20.00 0.00
3 19.92 0.08
4 19.85 0.15
5 19.78 0.22
6 19.70 0.30
7 19.64 0.36
8 19.57 0.43
10 19.45 0.55

60 18.00 2.00
70 17.87 2.13

100 17.50 2.50

1000 15.25 4.75

4000 13.80 6.20
Theis Method
Time r2/t s u W(u)
(min) (m2/min) (m)
0 0.00 1.0E-04 8.63
3 333333 0.08 2.0E-04 7.94
4 250000 0.15 3.0E-04 7.53
5 200000 0.22 4.0E-04 7.25
6 166667 0.30 5.0E-04 7.02
7 142857 0.36 6.0E-04 6.84
8 125000 0.43 7.0E-04 6.69
10 100000 0.55 8.0E-04 6.55

3000 333 5.85 8.0E-01 0.31
4000 250 6.20 9.0E-01 0.26
s vs r
2
/t

W(u) vs u

r
2
/t
s
u
W(u)
r
2
/t s W(u)
u
0.01
0.1
1
10
10 100 1000 10000 100000 1000000
s

r
2
/t
0.01
0.1
1
10
0.0001 0.0010 0.0100 0.1000 1.0000 10.0000
W
(
u
)

u
Match Point
W(u) = 1, u = 0.10
s = 1, r
2
/t = 20000
Theis Method
Theis Method

T
Q
4
W
mp
s
mp

1000 m
3
/ hr
4
1
1 m

79.58 m
2
/ hr (1910 m
2
/ d)

S 4T
u
mp
r
2
t
mp

4(79.58 m
2
/ hr)
0.1
20000 m
2
/ min*60 min/ hr

2.65x10
5
Match Point
W(u) = 1, u = 0.10
s = 1, r
2
/t = 20000
Pump Test in Confined Aquifers
Jacob Method
Jacob Approximation
Drawdown, s

Well Function, W(u)

Series approximation
of W(u)

Approximation of s

s u
( )
Q
4 T
W u
( )

W u
( )
d 0.5772 ln(u) + u
u
2
2!
+

u
r
2
S
4Tt

W u
( )
0.5772 ln(u) for small u < 0.01

s(r,t)
Q
4 T
0.5772 ln
r
2
S
4Tt

Pump Test Analysis Jacob Method
Jacob Approximation

s
2.3Q
4 T
log(
2.25Tt
r
2
S
)

0
2.3Q
4 T
log(
2.25Tt
0
r
2
S
)
t
0

1
2.25Tt
0
r
2
S

S
2.25Tt
0
r
2
Jacob Approximation

t
0

S
2.25Tt
0
r
2
t
1
t
2
s
1
s
2
As

log
t
2
t
1

log
10*t
1
t
1

1
1 LOG CYCLE
1 LOG CYCLE
Jacob Approximation

S
2.25Tt
0
r
2
2.25(76.26 m
2
/hr)(8 min*1 hr / 60 min)
(1000 m)
2
2.29x10
5
t
0
t
1
t
2
s
1
s
2
As

t
0
= 8 min

s
2
= 5 m
s
1
= 2.6 m
As = 2.4 m

Unsteady Flow to Wells in Leaky
Aquifers
Radial Flow in a Leaky Aquifer

K
b
ground surface
bedrock
aquitard
confined
aquifer
initial head
Well
s(r)
r
Q
R
h
0

Cone of
Depression
leakage
h(r)
unconfined
aquifer
|
.
|
\
|
=
B
r
u W
T
Q
s ,
4t
b K
T
r
B
r
' '
=
/
dz
z
e
B
r
u W
u
z B
r
z
}
=
|
.
|
\
|

2
2
4
,
When there is leakage from other layers, the
drawdown from a pumping test will be less
than the fully confined case.
Unsteady Flow to Wells in Leaky Aquifers
Leaky Well Function dz
z
e
B
r
u W
u
z B
r
z
}
=
|
.
|
\
|

2
2
4
,
r/B = 0.01
r/B = 3
cleveland1.cive.uh.edu/software/spreadsheets/ssgwhydro/MODEL6.XLS
Leaky Aquifer Example
Given:
Well pumping in a confined aquifer
Confining layer b = 14 ft. thick
Observation well r = 96 ft. form well
Well Q = 25 gal/min
Find:
T, S, and K
From: Fetter, Example, pg. 179
t (min) s (ft)
5 0.76
28 3.3
41 3.59
60 4.08
75 4.39
244 5.47
493 5.96
669 6.11
958 6.27
1129 6.4
1185 6.42

K
b
ground surface
bedrock
aquitard
confined
aquifer
initial head
Well
s(r)
r
Q
R
h
0

Cone of
Depression
leakage
h(r)
unconfined
aquifer
= 0.15
= 0.20
= 0.30
= 0.40
r/B
Match Point
W(u, r/B) = 1, 1/u = 10
s = 1.6 ft, t = 26 min, r/B = 0.15
Leaky Aquifer Example
Match Point
W
mp
= 1, (1/u)
mp
= 10
s
mp
= 1.6 ft, t
mp
= 26 min, r/B
mp
= 0.15
Q = 25 gal/min * 1/7.48 ft
3
/gal*1440 min/d = 4800 ft
3
/d
t = 26 min*1/1440 d/min = 0.01806 d

T
Q
4 s
mp
W
mp
4800 ft
3
/ d
4 (1.6 ft)
*1 238.7ft
2
/d

S
4Tu
mp
r
2
t

mp
4(238.7 ft
2
/d)(0.1)(0.01806)
(96 ft)
2
1.87 x10
4

K
T b (r / B)
2
r
2
(238.7 ft
2
/d)(14 ft)(0.15)
2
(96 ft)
2
0.0081ft / d
Unsteady Flow to Wells in
Unconfined Aquifers
Unsteady Flow to a Well in an
Unconfined Aquifer
Water is produced by
Dewatering of unconfined aquifer
Compressibility factors as in a confined aquifer
Lateral movement from other formations
2r
w
Ground surface
Bedrock
Unconfined
aquifer
Q

h
0
Prepumping
Water level
r
1
r
2
h
2
h
1
h
w
Observation
wells
Water Table
Q
Pumping
well
Unsteady Flow to Wells in Unconfined Aquifers
Analyzing Drawdown in An
Unconfined Aquifer
Early
Release of water is from
compaction of aquifer and
expansion of water like confined
aquifer.
Water table doesnt drop
significantly
Middle
Release of water is from gravity
drainage
Decrease in slope of time-
drawdown curve relative to Theis
curve
Late
Release of water is due to drainage
of formation over large area
Water table decline slows and flow
is essentially horizontal
Early
Late
Unconfined Aquifer (Neuman Solution)

s
Q
4 T
W(u
a
, )

u
a
r
2
S
4Tt

s
Q
4 T
W(u
y
, )

u
y
r
2
S
y
4Tt

r
b

2
K
z
K
r
Early (a)
Late (y)
Procedure - Unconfined Aquifer
(Neuman Solution)
Get Neuman Well Function Curves

Plot pump test data (drawdown s vs time t)
Match early-time data with a-type curve. Note the value of
Select the match point (a) on the two graphs. Note the values of s, t, 1/u
a
,
and W(u
a
, )
Solve for T and S

Match late-time points with y-type curve with the same as the a-type
curve
Select the match point (y) on the two graphs. Note s, t, 1/u
y
, and W(u
y
, )
Solve for T and S
y

T
Q
4 s
W(u
a
, )

S
4Ttu
a
r
2

T
Q
4 s
W(u
y
, )

S
y
4Ttu
y
r
2
Procedure - Unconfined Aquifer
(Neuman Solution)
From the T value and the initial (pre-pumping) saturated
thickness of the aquifer b, calculate K
r

Calculate K
z

K
r
T
b

K
z
K
r
b
2
r
2
Example Unconfined Aquifer Pump Test
Q = 144.4 ft
3
/min
Initial aquifer thickness = 25 ft
Observation well 73 ft away
Find: T, S, S
y
, K
r
, K
z

Ground surface
Bedrock
Unconfined aquifer
Q

h
0
=25 ft

Prepumping
Water level
r
1
=73 ft

h
1
h
w
Observation
wells
Water Table
Q= 144.4 ft
3
/min
Pumping
well
Pump Test data

Early-Time Data

0.06

t 0.17 min; s 0.57 ft
1/ u
a
1.0; W 1.0
Early-Time Analysis

T
Q
4 s
W(u
a
, )
144.4 ft
3
/ min
4 (0.57 ft)
(1.0)
20.16 ft
2
/ min
(29, 900 ft
2
/ day)

S
4Ttu
a
r
2
4(20.16 ft
2
/ min)(1.0)(0.17 min)
(73 ft)
2
0.00257

0.06

t 0.17 min; s 0.57 ft
1/ u
a
1.0; W(u
a
, ) 1.0
Late-Time Data

0.06

t 13 min; s 0.57 ft
1/ u
y
0.1; W 1.0
Late-Time Analysis

0.06

t 13 min; s 0.57 ft
1/ u
y
0.1; W 1.0

T
Q
4 s
W(u
y
, )
20.16 ft
2
/ min
(29, 900 ft
2
/ day)

S
y
4Ttu
y
r
2
4(20.16 ft
2
/ min)(0.1)(13 min)
(73 ft)
2
0.02

K
r
T
b
20.16 ft
2
/ min
25 ft
0.806 ft / min

K
z
(0.06)(0.806 ft / min)(25 ft)

2
(73 ft)
2
5.67x10
3
ft / min
Summary
Steady flow
Unsteady flow
Theis method
Jacob method
to a well in a leaky aquifer

11-Flow To Wells

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11-Flow To Wells

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Steady Flow to Wells

Steady Flow to a Well in a Confined Aquifer

Example - Theim Equation

(0.06)(0.806 ft / min)(25 ft)

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