Monitoring Changes in Near-Well Hydraulic Conditions as a Means to Assess Aquifer Clogging
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 22, Issue 2
Abstract
To better understand and monitor the hydraulic effects caused by clogging near groundwater production wells, a study was conducted in the unconfined sand aquifer used by the City of North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. Detailed investigations were carried out near one production well between the spring of 2007 and the fall of 2008. Results from four pumping tests conducted over this time period indicated no significant temporal changes in hydraulic conductivity within approximately 2 m of the pumping well. In contrast, long-term monitoring of hydraulic head differentials did reveal increases with time, and suggested that clogging began to accelerate within a radius of 1 m of the well after about one year of continuous pumping. Continuous monitoring of hydraulic head in pumping wells and nearby piezometers, combined with breakpoint analyses of head differentials and specific capacity tests, will be more effective than standard pumping tests for detecting temporal and spatial trends in aquifer and well screen clogging.
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Acknowledgments
Acknowledgements are made for the field support provided by Harry Rohde, Bob Stewart, and Doug Andrew of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Regina, and to the staff of the City of North Battleford for their logistical support and provision of long-term discharge data. Funding was provided by the Canada-Saskatchewan Water Supply Expansion Program Tier 3 Project #5906, the City of North Battleford, the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, and the University of New Brunswick. The helpful comments received from the Journal of Hydrologic Engineering reviewers were appreciated.
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Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 22 • Issue 2 • February 2017
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 23, 2015
Accepted: Jul 11, 2016
Published online: Sep 22, 2016
Published in print: Feb 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Feb 22, 2017
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