Groundwater Basics

(Calculation)

Lecture-02

Md. Aliur Rahman

Lecturer
PME Dept, MIST
 Hydraulic head
 Hydraulic head or piezometric head is a specific
measurement of liquid pressure above a vertical datum.
 The direction of groundwater flow is determined by
looking at how water levels change from place to place.
 Measurements are made with a piezometer, is a standpipe
installed to some depth in the saturated system. This water
elevation is a measure of energy for flow at the opening at
the bottom of the piezometer.
 This energy available for flow is given the name hydraulic
head. It consists of three components, related to elevation,
pressure and velocity. This relationship is expressed by the
Bernoulli equation.
 Hydraulic head
Example: With reference to figure, assume that the elevation of
the ground surface is 1000 m above sea level, the depth to
water is 25 m, the total length of the piezometer is 50 m, and
the water has density of 1000 kg/m3.
What are (a) the total hydraulic head at the measurement point,
(b) the pressure head (c) the pressure?
 Hydraulic head
Example: With reference to figure, assume that the elevation of
the ground surface is 1000 m above sea level, the depth to
water is 25 m, the total length of the piezometer is 50 m, and
the water has density of 1000 kg/m3.
What are (a) the total hydraulic head at the measurement point,
(b) the pressure head (c) the pressure?
Solution:
(a) Total hydraulic head at the bottom of the piezometer:
h = 1000-25 = 975 m
(b) Pressure head: ρ P g = h-z = 975-950 = 25 m
w

(c) Pressure: P = ρw g(h-z) =1000×9.81×25 = 245000 kg/m/s2

. = 0.245 Mpa
 transmissivity
The term transmissivity describes the case with which water can move
through an aquifer. The concept of transmissivity is similar to hydraulic
conductivity.
The main difference is that transmissivity is a measurement that applies
across the vertical thickness of an aquifer. If the thickness of the aquifer
is b, the transmissivity T, (gpd/ft) is,
T = kb.

Note:1 ft 2 /day = 0.0929 m2 /day = 7.48 gpd/ft

 Transmissivity vs hydraulic conducivity

Hydraulic conductivity is the rate of flow under a unit hydraulic

gradient through a unit cross-sectional area of aquifer (opening A).
Transmissivity is the rate of flow under a unit hydraulic gradient
through a unit width of aquifer of thickness.
 transmissivity
Example: The hydraulic conductivity of a confined aquifer with a
thickness of 10 ft is 374 gpd/ft. Calculate the transmissivity of the
aquifer gpd/ft, ft 2 /day and m2 /day.
 transmissivity
Example: The hydraulic conductivity of a confined aquifer with a
thickness of 10 ft is 374 gpd/ft. Calculate the transmissivity of the
aquifer gpd/ft, ft 2 /day and m2 /day.

Solution:
T = kb = 374×10 = 3740 gpd/ft
Conversion to ft 2 /day and m2 /day,
T = 46.45 m2 /day = 500 ft 2 /day
 Concept of flow in unsaturated zones
Example: A soil sample was taken from an unsaturated zone. The wet
and dry weights of the sample are 105 g and 100 g, respectively. The
bulk density of the sample is 1.65 g/cm3 , and the density of water is 1
g/cm3 . What is the volumetric water content?
 Concept of flow in unsaturated zones
Example: A soil sample was taken from an unsaturated zone. The wet
and dry weights of the sample are 105 g and 100 g, respectively. The
bulk density of the sample is 1.65 g/cm3 , and the density of water is 1
g/cm3 . What is the volumetric water content?

Solution:
The water content expressed as a weight percentage is,
𝑊 (𝑤𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙) 105 𝑔
θ𝑤 = -1 = -1 = 5%
𝑊 (𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙) 100 𝑔
ρ𝑏 1.65 g/cm3
The volumetric water content is, θ = θ𝑤 = 0.05 × = 0.083
ρ𝑤 1.0 g/cm3
 Upconing of the interface caused by pumping
well
Pumping wells where water levels are most affected, the
interface can rise, a phenomenon referred to as
upconing.
The extent of upconing can be calculated with the
𝑸𝝆𝒇
following equation, z = 𝟐𝝅𝒅𝒌(𝝆𝒔 −𝝆𝒇 )
Where,
z = vertical changes of freshwater-saltwater interface,
Q = pumping rate,
d = distance from the base of the well to the original
interface.
𝟐 (𝝆𝒔 −𝝆𝒇 )
The maximum pumping rate, 𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙 ≤ 𝟎. 𝟔𝝅𝐝 𝒌
𝝆𝒇
 Upconing of the interface caused by pumping
well
Example: The distance from the base of a pumping well to the freshwater-
saltwater interface is 100 m, the pumping rate is 3000 m3 /day, and the hydraulic
conductivity is 10 m/day. What will be in the position of the freshwater-saltwater
interface? What is the maximum permitted pumping rate?

Solution:
The rise in the freshwater-saltwater interface is,
𝑸𝝆𝒇 𝟑𝟎𝟎𝟎 ×𝟏.𝟎
z= = 𝟐×𝟑.𝟏𝟒𝟏𝟔×𝟏𝟎𝟎×𝟏𝟎×(𝟏.𝟎𝟐𝟓−𝟏.𝟎) g/cm3
= 13.26 m (Ans)
𝟐𝝅𝒅𝒌(𝝆𝒔 −𝝆𝒇 )
𝟐 (𝝆𝒔 −𝝆𝒇 )
The maximum pumping rate, 𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙 ≤ 𝟎. 𝟔𝝅𝐝 𝒌
𝝆𝒇
𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙 ≤ 0.6×3.1416×𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟐 ×10×0.025
𝑸𝒎𝒂𝒙 = 4.7× 𝟏𝟎𝟑 m3 /day (Answer)
 Transmissivity & storativity

Example: A confined aquifer is pumped 220gpm. At time = 220 min,

drawdown were recorded in nine observation wells (Table). Calculate
the transmissivity and storativity of the aquifer.
Table: Values of drawdown versus distance measured at 220 minutes
 Transmissivity & storativity
Solution: 1) Step-1:
Drawdown data for nine observation wells at different radial distances
from a pumping well are fit with a straight line to provide ∆s and ro.
 Transmissivity & storativity
Solution: 1) Step-2: