Identification of aquifer parameters from residual drawdowns: an optimization approach

Abstract

An optimization method based on nonlinear least squares is proposed for the identification of aquifer transmissivity and two storage coefficients, one for the pumping phase and the other for the recovery phase, using only residual drawdowns at an observation well. The method is applicable irrespective of whether pumping and recovery storage coefficients are the same or are different and the argument of well function during recovery is less than or greater than 0.01. The method can check for the changed value of storage coefficient during the recovery phase and can quantify this change. Use of the method is illustrated through examples, which show that the parameters are estimated reliably.