Capture Zone of a Multi-Well System in Bounded Rectangular-Shaped Aquifers: Modeling and Application

Abstract

The capture zone equations of a multi-well system in bounded confined and unconfined aquifers are derived. The aquifer is rectangular-shaped in plan view and bounded along all four sides. The boundaries could be in-flow (constant head) or no-flow (barrier) or a combination of both, and hence, six boundary configurations are formed. Using the method of images, the flow field in bounded aquifers is first transformed to its equivalent in extensive aquifers, and then, the complex velocity potential theory is applied for the generation of stream function delineating the capture envelope. We show that the derived solution is general, and it may be easily reformulated for some existing solutions of well capture zone. Our solution is flexible in terms of well number, well location, well type, extraction/injection rate, uniform regional flow rate and direction, and number of boundaries. The derived equations are presented in the form of capture type curves that may be used for the remediation of contaminated groundwater project design, containment of contaminant plumes, the evaluation of surface–subsurface water interaction, and the verification of numerical models. Drawdown equations for the above six boundary configurations are also derived.