Experiment of pumping at constant-head: an alternative possibility to the sustainable yield of a well

The effects of constant-head pumping on a well over a period of 1 year have been monitored and the results used in the research of a potential alternative for the attainment of sustainable yield. Sustainable yield is frequently related to the response of drawdown during a pumping test at constant-rate, which sometimes involves a difficult choice of conceptual model to be used to analyse the pumping results. The experiment, carried out on a well that taps a fractured aquifer in Italy, recorded the aquifer’s response to pumping, compared with the response of springs. From the trends in discharge variation with time, the period and magnitude of the recharge and the stored water volume at the beginning of the depletion period can be evaluated, and the discharge rate during the same depletion period can be predicted. A sustainable yield can be derived based on the water volume extracted during the depletion period rather than on the prediction of drawdown over a long time. The experiment also highlights the stability of water quality extracted from the well, and where this criterion is important, in some cases, the constant-head pumping can represent an alternative method of groundwater exploitation.     

Steady flow rate to a partially penetrating well with seepage face in an unconfined aquifer

The flow rate to fully screened, partially penetrating wells in an unconfined aquifer is numerically simulated using MODFLOW 2000, taking into account the flow from the seepage face and decrease in saturated thickness of the aquifer towards the well. A simple three-step method is developed to find the top of the seepage face and hence the seepage-face length. The method is verified by comparing it with the results of previous predictive methods. The results show that the component of flow through the seepage face can supply a major portion of the total pumping rate. Variations in flow rate as a function of the penetration degree, elevation of the water level in the well and the distance to the far constant head boundary are investigated and expressed in terms of dimensionless curves and equations. These curves and equations can be used to design the degree of penetration for which the allowable steady pumping rate is attained for a given elevation of water level in the well. The designed degree of penetration or flow rate will assure the sustainability of the aquifer storage, and can be used as a management criterion for issuing drilling well permits by groundwater protection authorities.     

无越流补给含水层对煤层气排采影响的数值模拟

沁水盆地南部煤层气井具有“高产水、低产气”的特征,然而也有部分井存在“高产水、高产气”的现象。一般来说,煤层气井高产水,多与沟通含水层相关。针对这种情况,基于沁水盆地柿庄南区块煤储层地质条件,结合煤层气直井排采的实际情况,利用数值模拟方法,采用气水两相多组分的三维煤储层模拟软件(SIMEDWin)模拟煤层气井排采中,沟通无越流补给含水层对储层压力变化及煤层气水产出规律的影响。结果表明：与无含水层影响的煤层气井对比,沟通无越流补给含水层的煤层气井远井地带压降幅度显著,高产气时间久,累积产气量多,排水量大,但见气时间较晚;含水层渗透率越大,气井日产气峰值越高;气井日排水量越大,产气速度也会越快,但产气速度在排水量达到一定值时不再增大。综合考虑,沟通无越流补给高渗透率含水层,增大日排水量到一定值更有利于柿庄南区块煤层气的增产。     

A practical approach for the interpretation of flowing well tests

Flowing well test is one of the tools employed to identify transmissivity and storage coefficient of a confined aquifer where the potentiometric surface is located above the ground surface, so that the groundwater flows naturally from the well without pumping. During a flowing well test, constant hydraulic head is preserved at the well while the discharge from the well decreases with time and the temporal variation of discharge provides significant information about aquifer characteristics. In this study, a simple and straightforward approach is presented as an alternative to a number of graphical or error minimization-based techniques available in the literature for analyzing data from flowing well tests. The proposed method employs a polynomial regression equation to establish a link between observed discharge and the theoretical dimensionless discharge that is introduced in the analytical solution, so as to retrieve the aquifer parameters. The method is tested with a vast number of synthetically generated data sets as well as a real data set reported in the literature. Besides its simplicity, the present method is seen to produce highly accurate and reliable estimations.     

侧向有限越流承压含水层中非完整井非稳定流模型及解析解

工程建设中当距离抽水井r=rb处水位基本没有变化或不受抽水影响时,或当此处存在止水帷幕时,含水层系统视为侧向有限延伸,rb为有限半径。为此,构建更加符合工程实际的侧向有限延伸的典型弱透水层-承压水层系统中非完整井非稳定流计算模型,同时考虑井径和井储效应的影响,应用Laplace变换和分离变量法得到了水位降深在拉氏空间下的解析解,并应用拉氏数值逆变换Stehfest法得到真实空间下的水位降深。新建立的解析解可以进一步退化为诸多已有解,并进一步将其与已知解和有限元数值解进行对比,验证了所得解的正确性和可靠性。基于新建解重点分析了侧向边界和井的完整性对承压水层水位降深的影响。结果表明:含水层系统的侧向有限边界仅对抽水后期的水位降深影响明显,含水层系统侧向无限延伸情况下的水位降深要大于情形1(在r=rb处为定水头边界)且明显小于情形2(在r=rb处为不透水边界)下的水位降深,rb越小,两者之间的误差越大;抽水井的完整性对整个抽水期间不同情形下的水位降深均有明显的影响,承压含水层顶板处的水位降深随着抽水井滤管的长度和埋深的增加而减小。     

Calculation of groundwater head distribution with a close barrier during excavation dewatering in confined aquifer

When pumping is conducted in confined aquifer inside excavation pit(waterproof curtain),the direction of the groundwater seepage outside the excavation changes from horizontal to vertical owing to the existence of the curtain barrier.There is no analytical calculation method for the groundwater head distribution induced by dewatering inside excavation.This paper first analyses the mechanism of the blocking effects from a close barrier in confined aquifer.Then,a simple equation based on analytical solution is proposed to calculate groundwater heads inside and outside of the excavation pit with waterproof curtain(hereafter refer to close barrier)in a confined aquifer.The distribution of groundwater head is derived according to two conditions:(i)pumping with a constant water head,and(ii)pumping with a constant flow rate.The proposed calculation equation is verified by both numerical simulation and experimental results.The comparisons demonstrate that the proposed model can be applied in engineering practice of excavation.     

水库防洪优化调度的恒定出流模型及应用

现行水库洪水优化调度数学模型存在泄流闸门开度不断调整及时段间流量突变的问题。针对这些问题,将水库防洪优化调度数学模型分为时段内出库流量线性变化的瞬时出流模型和时段内出流不变的恒定出流模型。对于1个水库和1个防洪控制点所组成的基本防洪系统,应用矩形入流条件的河道洪水演进方法,以时段内恒定的出库流量为决策变量,构建水库防洪优化补偿调度数学模型。实例计算结果表明:恒定出流模型比瞬时出流模型占用的防洪库容减小0.05%~0.18%、最大下泄流量有增有减,即恒定出流模型既不劣于瞬时出流模型,也能很好地解决瞬时出流模型存在的问题。同时,实例揭示的水库二次补偿调节比等蓄量调度方式减小防洪库容10.6%,为确定水库的防洪库容提供了新的方法。     

The effects of geological heterogeneities and piezometric fluctuations on groundwater flow and chemistry in a hard-rock aquifer, southern India

Crystalline aquifers of semi-arid southern India represent a vital water resource for farming communities. A field study is described that characterizes the hydrodynamic functioning of intensively exploited crystalline aquifers at local scale based on detailed well monitoring during one hydrological year. The main results show large water-table fluctuations caused by monsoon recharge and pumping, high spatial variability in well discharges, and a decrease of well yields as the water table decreases. Groundwater chemistry is also spatially variable with the existence of aquifer compartments within which mixing occurs. The observed variability and compartmentalization is explained by geological heterogeneities which play a major role in controlling groundwater flow and connectivity in the aquifer. The position of the water table within the fracture network will determine the degree of connectivity between aquifer compartments and well discharge. The presented aquifer conceptual model suggests several consequences: (1) over-exploitation leads to a drop in well discharge, (2) intensive pumping may contribute to the hydraulic containment of contaminants, (3) groundwater quality is highly variable even at local scale, (4) geological discontinuities may be used to assist in the location of drinking-supply wells, (5) modeling should integrate threshold effects due to water-table fluctuations.     

地下水混合井流解析模型

建立了地下水定流量抽水的稳定混合井流模型和不稳定混合井流模型,后者包括未抽水条件的混合水位（初始混合水位）模型和定流量混合抽水模型。得出若干基本规律。并与前人的相关问题做了对比,证明了Sokol D.,Hantush M.S.,Бочевер Ф.М. 和 Веригин Н.Н.及 Neuman关于混合观测孔水位建议方程所需要的条件以及MODFLOW软件关于混合抽水井各层流量的分配与各层的导水系数成正比建议所需要的条件。     

Benefits and hurdles of using brackish groundwater as a drinking water source in the Netherlands

The production of fresh drinking water from brackish groundwater by reverse osmosis (BWRO) is becoming more attractive, even in temperate climates. For successful application of BWRO, the following approach is advocated: (1) select brackish source groundwater with a large volume and a composition that will yield a concentrate (waste water) with low mineral saturation; (2) maintain the feed water salinity at a constant level by pumping several wells with different salinities; (3) keep the permeate-to-concentrate ratio low, to avoid supersaturation in the concentrate; (4) keep the system anoxic (to avoid oxidation reactions) and pressurized (to prevent formation of gas bubbles); and (5) select a confined aquifer for deep well injection where groundwater quality is inferior to the membrane concentrate. This approach is being tested at two BWRO pilot plants in the Netherlands. Research issues are the pumping of a stable brackish source water, the reverse osmosis system performance, membrane fouling, quality changes in the target aquifer as a result of concentrate disposal, and clogging of the injection well. First evaluations of the membrane concentrate indicate that it is crucial to understand the kinetics of mineral precipitation on the membranes, in the injection wells, and in the target aquifer.     

Analysis of radial movement of a confined aquifer due to well pumping and injection

Three aspects of radial motion of an aquifer solid matrix, driven by hydraulic forces due to well recharge and discharge, have been investigated mathematically. Firstly, the analytic solutions in the velocity and displacement fields were found using the definition of bulk mass flow, conservation of water and solid mass, the Darcy-Gersevanov law, and the drawdown of hydraulic head for unsteady flow. Secondly, the radial velocity and displacement of aquifer solid matrix were investigated with respect to time and location in response to three pumping-injection schemes (i.e., linear, nonlinear, and sinusoidal well flow rates). Aquifer movement was found to be more responsive to linear and nonlinear pumping rates than to constant pumpage. Aquifer movement in response to periodic well discharge and recharge was governed by an integral sinusoidal function. Finally, the potential risk of earth fissuring at a given location caused by tensile stress, in turn induced by well discharge-recharge activity, has been discussed using the analytic solution. The deformation compression and extension zones derived from analysis of the results indicated the possible occurrence of tensile stress that may cause earth fissures. Sample computations, using assumed parameters, provided a first-hand evaluation of the location of potential fissuring in relation to the well.     

Development of a simple method for determining the influence radius of a pumping well in steady-state condition

Influence radius of a pumping well is a crucial parameter for hydrogeologists and engineers. Knowing the radius of influence for a designed drawdown enables one to calculate the pumping rate required to layout a project foundation that may need lowering of groundwater level to a certain depth due to dewatering operation. In addition, this is important for hydrogeologists to determine ground water contamination flow paths and contributing recharge area for domestic water supply and aquifer management purposes. Empirical formulas that usually neglect vital parameters to determine the influence radius accurately have been traditionally utilized due to lack of adequate methods. In this study, a physically based method, which incorporates aquifer hydraulic gradient for determining the influence radius of a pumping well in steady-state flow condition, was developed. It utilizes Darcy and Dupuit laws to calculate the influence radius, where Darcy's law and Dupuit equation, in steady-state condition, represent the inflow and the outflow of the pumping well, respectively. In an untraditional manner, this method can be also used to determine aquifer hydraulic conductivity as an alternative to other pumping test methods with high degree of accuracy. The developed method is easy to use; where a simple mathematical calculator may be used to calculate the influence radius and the pumping rate or hydraulic conductivity. By comparing the results from this method with the MODFLOW numerical model outputs with different simulated scenarios, it is realized that this method is much superior and more advantageous than other commonly used empirical methods.     

Theis不稳定潜水井流模型的改进——具入渗补给

地下水的补排主要包括垂向的地面入渗补给、蒸发排泄（蒸发可视为入渗的负值）及侧向的地表水补给、排泄。水文地质学最基本的问题之一——地下水可持续开釆量的评价准则,涉及补给的增量与排泄的减量,因此地下水开采的预测模型必须包含上述两类的补给、排泄因素,否则不能满足要求。然而,经典的Theis不稳定井流模型,即使在傍河抽水,也只有侧边界的补给、排泄作用,而不涉及上边界的地面入渗补给。这样一来,这个解析模型基本上不能够用于预测,而只能在旱季用于井流试验求取含水系统的参数。为此,文章的目标是发展具地面入渗补给的Theis不稳定潜水井流模型。对于潜水流问题,不能再用承压水流的以水头为应变量的方程来建立,应采用第二类线性化方法的势函数来建立潜水流问题。对于既有降雨入渗补给,又有抽水井作用的复杂的水文地质问题所概化数学模型的求解,采取的方法是把它分解成若干个简单的子模型问题求解,然后将其合成为原来复杂数学模型的解。基于质量守恒原理,假定渗流服从Darcy定律并满足Dupuit徦定建立了水流基本微分方程。然后对于两平行河流及一河流平行一隔水边界形成的两类条形区域,具地面均匀稳定入渗补给的井流问题,获得通用水位方程和几类常见的特定条件水位方程及其流量方程。此外,提出并采用“边界对边界的反映法”用以求解一河流平行一隔水边界条形区域的同一问题,减少了许多推导过程。最后,作为上述理论成果的初步应用,也是一个重要的应用,即在河水水质不能满足要求的河流附近,设有一口抽水井,计算该抽水井在不汲取河水的前提下的临界流量方程,获得具重要意义的结构简洁的关系式。该方程也可以用于滨海区的抽水井,在不发生海水入侵前提下的临界抽水流量计算。给出了上述条件不稳定井流过程某时刻的地下水流网图,其流网与文献中常见的傍河井流的流网相比,具显明的特征。     

Determination of porosity and storage capacity of a calcareous aquifer (France) by correlation and spectral analyses of time series

Time-series analyses were used to investigate the relationships between barometric pressure changes, earth tides, and water-level fluctuations in a confined aquifer. The method was applied to data from the fractured aquifer at the Hydrogeological Experimental Site in Poitiers (France) and used to yield estimates of the aquifer’s storage capacity, porosity and barometric efficiency. The aim is to address relevance of these analyses for an aquifer showing both fracture draining and confined karstic flow in thin strata. Cross-correlation and spectral analysis are used to compare water-level head and atmospheric-pressure fluctuations. Porosity and storage capacity are calculated using this method and compared to results from petrophysical measurements and hydraulic pumping tests, respectively. The storage coefficients calculated by the time-series analyses are in agreement with those obtained by interpretation of the interference pumping tests. Conversely, porosity values calculated by time-series analyses are underestimated compared to those obtained by other methods.     

Applications of particle-tracking techniques to bank infiltration: a case study from El Paso,Texas, USA

This paper presents results of a small scale study that utilized particle-tracking techniques to evaluate transport of river water through an alluvial aquifer in a bank infiltration testing site in El Paso, Texas, USA. The particle-tracking survey was used to better define filtration parameters. Several simulations were generated to allow visualization of the effects of well placement and pumping rate on flow paths, travel time, the size of the pumping influence zone, and proportion of river-derived water and groundwater mixing in the pumping well. Simulations indicate that migration of river water into the aquifer is generally slow. Most water does not arrive at the well by the end of an 18-day pumping period at 0.54 m³/min pumping rate for a well located 18 m from the river. Forty-four percent of the water pumped from the well was river water. The models provided important information needed to design appropriate sampling schedules for bank filtration practices and ensured meeting adequate soil-retention times. The pumping rate has more effect on river water travel time than the location of the pumping well from the river. The examples presented in this paper indicate that operating the pumping well at a doubled distance from the river increased the time required for the water to travel to the well, but did not greatly change the capture zone.     

Assessment of porous aquifer hydrogeological parameters using automated groundwater level measurements in Greece

In this paper, the hydrogeological parameters of a confined aquifer, such as transmissivity (T), storativity (S) and radius of influence (R), have been assessed using real groundwater level measurements recorded by a monitoring network, consisting of automated municipal water supply boreholes at Nea Moudania aquifer, Chalkidiki, Greece. Particularly, the paper focused on the correlation between the drawdown and the constant flow rate during pumping time. So the Cooper-Jacob and the recovery test method were applied in order to delineate if turbulent head losses occur, as well as the impact of incorrect measurements of the radial distance (r) in the accuracy of estimating S values. The results show that a) the occurrence of a linear correlation between s and Q indicates a negligible turbulent head loss in the pumping wells and thus a reasonable flow rate usage, b) the validity of storativity values could be compromised if the r value is not accurately measured, and c) recovery test method can be used as an indicator of residual drawdown (s’) caused by previous pumping cycles, when the straight line intersecting the logarithmic t/t’ axis has a value greater than 1.     

Application of Numerical Modeling for Groundwater Flow System Analysis in the Akaki Catchment,Central Ethiopia

A three dimensional steady-state finite difference groundwater flow model is used to quantify the groundwater fluxes and analyze the subsurface hydrodynamics in the Akaki catchment by giving particular emphasis to the well field that supplies water to the city of Addis Ababa. The area is characterized by Tertiary volcanics covered with thick residual and alluvial soils. The model is calibrated using head observations from 131 wells. The simulation is made in a two layer unconfined aquifer with spatially variable recharge and hydraulic conductivities under well-defined boundary conditions. The calibrated model is used to forecast groundwater flow pattern, the interaction of groundwater and surface water, and the effect of pumping on the well field under different scenarios. The result indicates that the groundwater flows regionally to the south converging to the major well field. Reservoirs and rivers play an important role in recharging the aquifer. Simulations made under different pumping rate indicate that an increase in pumping rate results in substantial regional groundwater level decline, which will lead to the drying of springs and shallow hand dug wells. Also, it has implications of reversal of flow from contaminated rivers into productive aquifers close to main river courses. The scenario analysis shows that the groundwater potential is not enough to sustain the ever-growing water demand of the city of Addis Ababa. The sensitivity and scenario analysis provided important information on the data gaps and the specific sites to be selected for monitoring, and may be of great help for transient model development. This study has laid the foundation for developing detailed predictive groundwater model, which can be readily used for groundwater management practices.     

Steady critical discharge rates from vertical and horizontal wells in fresh–saline aquifers with sharp interfaces

In this study, the critical (or maximum) discharge rates before saline water enters a well were determined for vertical and horizontal wells in a freshwater aquifer which is separated from a static saline aquifer by a sharp interface. Flow around the well was solved by integration of a point sink solution along the well axis, and both the critical discharge rate and critical interface rise were determined through a comparison of the heads and vertical gradients at the saline–fresh water interface. The rates were determined for vertical and horizontal wells with various lengths and depths for different aquifer salinities. Results were generalized by drawing dimensionless type curves. The results showed that the dimensionless total critical discharge rates are higher for the longer horizontal wells and longer vertical wells with a certain bottom depth, and they almost linearly decrease with well depth at rates of 0.7–0.9. For the dimensionless well length of 0.2, the dimensionless total discharge rate of a horizontal well is about 0.1 more than that of a vertical well with the same length and well-top depth. Also, the critical discharge rates per unit length of well are inversely proportional to well length and remarkably higher for shallower wells. Additionally, the critical pumping rate is proportional to the salinity difference of the aquifers. These results were confirmed by comparison to existing solutions for vertical wells with dimensionless lengths of 0.2, 0.5 and 0.6, and for critical interface rises in the range of 0.75–0.9.     

非承压和非稳定抽水试验资料的有限单元分析

在抽水条件下水位随空间和时间变化的预测,依赖于潜水层的透水率和给水度的准确测定。如何利用抽水试验资料求这两种参数也是一个关键。这种相辅相成的关系是有效地开发利用地下水资源的前提。     

抽水试验中不同位置自动水位计响应数据应用分析

抽水试验中,动水位数据采集记录及处理分析对水文地质参数计算具有重要意义。近年来自动水位计被广泛用于抽水试验,通过传感器压强水头变化值获取水位降深。因井管内水流动会产生水头损失,自动水位计安放位置不同会导致获取的井水位降深不同,不同于传统方法测得的井水面降深,对水文地质参数计算将产生一定影响,因此如何合理放置自动水位计以及在参数计算中如何应用其获取的水位降深都亟待开展试验研究。在黑河流域第四系大厚度含水层地区,选择典型单层试验孔和利用分层封隔技术实现的一孔同径多层抽水孔开展试验研究,在动水位以下抽水试验层段上部、中部、下部以及潜水泵上部和下部分别放置自动水位计进行了系统的数据采集分析。结果表明:抽水试验中因井管内水流沿程水头损失及速度水头差异导致不同位置自动水位计获得压强水头变化值不同,本次试验实测到井筒内不同部位井损值;井损值在潜水泵进水口处最大,随距潜水泵距离的增大而减小,为避开井筒内较大水头损失对参数计算的影响,自动水位计宜优选安放在潜水泵上部接近动水位位置;在单孔抽水试验中利用稳定流公式计算水文地质参数时,自动水位计获取水位降深含井损不可忽略,需通过多落程抽水试验数据分析扣除后使用。同时,抽水试验中自动水位计不同位置获取数据的处理分析方法为更好地理解井中水头损失提供了依据。