The Theis Solution in Heterogeneous Aquifers

Abstract

AbstractA new solution of the unsteady confined radial flow equation subject to aquifer heterogeneity, as characterized by the statistics of the transmissivity, is presented. Simple applications to the direct and inverse problems useful to field hydro geologists are included. The results use the classical Thies solution as an initial condition and the method of decomposition, which does not require many of the restrictions of the traditional small perturbation methods. Given the mean and variance of the transmissivity, the direct problem aims at the prediction of the mean and the variance of the draw downs. Given the mean and the variance of the draw down, the indirect problem aims at the estimation of the mean and the variance of the transmissivity.