Aquifer Properties Determined from Two Analytical Solutions

Abstract

AbstractIn the analysis of pumping test data, the quality of the determined aquifer parameters can be greatly improved by using a proper model of the aquifer system. Moench (1995) provided an analytical solution for flow to a well partially penetrating an unconfined aquifer. His solution, in contrast to the Neuman solution (1974), accounts for the noninstantaneous decline of the water table (delayed yield). Consequently, the calculated drawdown in these two solutions is different under certain circumstances, and this difference may therefore affect the computation of aquifer properties from pumping test data. This paper uses an inverse computational method to calculate four aquifer parameters as well as a delayed yield parameter, α1 from pumping test data using both the Neuman (1974) and Moench (1995) solutions. Time‐drawdown data sets from a pumping test in an unconfined alluvial aquifer near Grand Island, Nebraska, were analyzed. In single‐well analyses, horizontal hydraulic conductivity values derived from the Moench solution are lower, but vertical hydraulic conductivity values are higher than those calculated from the Neuman solution. However, the hydraulic conductivity values in composite‐well analyses from both solutions become very close. Furthermore, the Neuman solution produces similar hydraulic conductivity values in the single‐well and composite‐well analyses, but the Moench solution does not. While variable α1, seems to play a role in affecting the computation of aquifer parameters in the single‐well analysis, a much smaller effect was observed in the composite‐well analysis. In general, specific yield determined using the Moench solution could be slightly higher than the values from the Neuman solution; however, they are still lower than the realistic values for sand and gravel aquifers.