WER300S: Supplementary notes to Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Ground water

Textbook: Study p83 – p88 & p94 – p96

Concise Hydrology: Study sections 5.1- 5.4 (p64-p71)

THEORY
From the textbook study:
All definitions including: groundwater, aquifers, phreatic surface, confined & unconfined aquifers,
piezometric surface, artesian well, artesian spring, perched water table, draw down, cone of
depression

 Explain how surface water becomes ground water.

 Explain & sketch the modes of occurrence of groundwater.
 Explain how ground water is extracted from the ground
 Sketch the bottom of a typical water supply borehole
 Explain effects of over-pumping
 Perform basic ground flow calculations

Study the entire PowerPoint presentation

The following additional questions may be helpful.
1. What is an aquifer?
2. Aquifers can consist of consolidated materials or unconsolidated materials. Give two
examples of each
3. What is meant by a phreatic surface?
4. What is a confined aquifer
5. With the aid of a diagram, explain the difference between a confined and an unconfined
aquifer. Make sure you use all the appropriate terms
6. How is a spring formed?
7. What is the piezometric (potentiometric) surface of a confined aquifer?
8. What is an artesian well?
9. How does an artesian spring form?
10. What is a perched water table?
11. Mention three factors that influence the flow of ground water
12. Mention the two principal methods of drilling wells/boreholes
13. What is the difference between percussion drilling and rotary drilling?
14. How is the wall of a well prevented from collapsing during drilling?
15. In which part of a borehole is a screen constructed and what is its purpose?
16. Give three requirements that a screen should meet.
17. What are the classifications of well pumps?
18. What is the most common pump in use?
19. What is drawdown?
20. What is yield of an aquifer?
21. How do you determine the yield of an aquifer?
22. Pumping tests can be performed in two ways. Explain these.
23. With the aid of a sketch, explain the meaning of cone of depression.

CALCULATIONS
Question 1
A piezometer is installed to a depth of 55m below ground surface. The depth to water level is 35
mbgl (i.e. meters below ground level). The topographical elevation of the piezometer is 960
mamsl (i.e. meters above mean sea level). Calculate the following:
a. Elevation head (Ans: 905m)
b. Pressure head (Ans: 20m)
c. Total head (Ans: 925m)
Sketch the cross-section of the piezometer and the water level and show the elevation, pressure
and total heads.

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Question 2
Three piezometers (A, B, and C) are located 1000m apart (in a line) in unconfined aquifer.
Calculate for all the blank spaces in the table below. Show clearly all the steps in the calculations
and avoid putting down final answers only.
Answers:
Piezometer A B C A B C
Ground surface (mamsl) 450 435 430
Depth of piezometer (mbgl) 70 80 100
Depth to water level (mbgl) 27 50 35
Pressure head (m) 53 65 20
Elevation head (m) 335 370 360
Total head (m) 400 423 380
Hydraulic gradient (m/m) 0.023 0.02
Note: mamsl = meters above mean sea level; mbgl = meters below ground level

Question 3
The table below shows field measurements taken from three piezometers A, B, and C located in a
catchment.
Piezometers A B C
x-coordinates (m) 10 110 70
y-coordinates (m) 10 30 70
z-coordinates (Surface elevation m, amsl*) 550 533 495
Depth of Piezometer (m) 100 80 100
Depth to water (m, bgl*) 30 33 35
*Note: (m, amsl) = meters above mean sea level; (m, bgl) = meters below ground level;
Compute:
a) The hydraulic head at A, B, and C in meters (Ans: 520, 500, 460m)
b) The pressure head at A, B, and C in meters (Ans: 70, 47, 65m)
c) The elevation head at A, B, and C in meters (Ans: 450, 453, 395m)
d) The hydraulic gradients between A and B and between B and C. (Ans: 0.20, 0.71)

Question 4
A confined aquifer has a source of recharge (see the figure below). The hydraulic conductivity (K)
η
for the aquifer is 50 m/day, and the effective porosity ( eff ) is 0.2. The piezometric head in two
wells 1000m apart is 55m and 50m respectively, from a common datum. The average thickness of
the aquifer is 30m, and the average width of aquifer is 5000m. Compute the following:
a) The cross-sectional of the aquifer (A) (Ans: 150000m2)

b) The hydraulic gradient

(dh dl)between the two wells (Ans: 0.005)
c) the rate of flow (Q) through the aquifer (Ans: 37500 m3/d)
d) the Darcy’s velocity (V D ) (Ans: 0.25 m/d)

e) the seepage velocity (V S) (Ans: 1.25 m/d)

f) the average time of travel from the head of the aquifer to a point 4000m downstream
(Ans: 3200 days)

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