The Hydrogeology of an Induced Streambed Infiltration Area

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe University of Connecticut well field is located in a sand and gravel ice‐contact stratified drift aquifer which fills the Fenton River valley to a depth of about 60 feet. The water that supplies these wells consists of captured ground‐water underflow which would normally discharge into the Fenton River, and water induced directly into the aquifer from river flow by pumping. Measurements of streamflow made at three weirs installed in the Fenton River adjacent to two of these pumped wells show the influence of wells on streamflow. Approximately 34 percent of the water pumped from the wells was stolen from the river via induced streambed infiltration, although this figure varies in accordance with pumping. Water‐level measurements in 30 observation wells installed in the aquifer around the pumped wells show that the cones of depression spread underneath the river, following coarse‐grained partially buried eskers. The fact that the water table is detached from the river and is below the streambed near the pumped wells is explained by the low vertical permeability of the streambed in contrast to the horizontal permeability of the rest of the aquifer. The streambed is unable to recharge the aquifer with as much water as the aquifer can carry away. Time‐drawdown pumping test plots show no effect of the river.