Author
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Bouwer, Herman |
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Submitted to: Ground Water
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The slug test was developed by the authors about 20 years ago as a simple test to measure the permeability of groundwater bearing formations (aquifers) by quickly removing a volume of "slug" of water from a well and measuring the subsequent rate of rise of the water in the well for calculation of the permeability (hydraulic conductivity) of the aquifer material around the well screen. Because the method is so simple, it is widely used for the design of wells and artificial recharge systems, to predict movement of contaminants in the underground environment, and other applications. The verification of the technique by two independent studies using computer modeling lends additional validity to the method and procedure. Because of the variability of underground materials, simple techniques with reasonable accuracy are preferable over complicated techniques with high accuracy. The method is used by government agencies, consultants, and universities dealing with groundwater resources management. Technical Abstract: Two major studies by outside institutions have confirmed the validity of the Bouwer and Rice slug test which measures hydraulic conductivity of soil material around a well by quickly removing water from the well and measuring the subsequent rate of rise of the water level. The hydraulic conductivity of the soil around the well is then calculated from well-flow theory using geometry factors that were developed by electrical resistance network analog. Because the method is so widely used, two studies were financed by U. S. agencies to check the procedure by computer modeling. This discussion focuses on use of the method, issues of precision and accuracy, spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity, and scale effects when trying to calculate aquifer hydraulic conductivity from essentially "point" measurements. |
