Exercise 1

The following notes were taken in three piezometers installed side by

side at a single site:

Let A, B and C refer to the points of measurement of piezometer a, b,

and c.
Calculate:
a)
b)
c)
d)

The
The
The
The

pressure head at A, B and C (m)

elevation head at A, B and C (m)
hydraulic head at A, B and C (m)
hydraulic gradients between A and B and between B and C

Characterisation of groundwater systems

Purpose: To appreciate the link between understanding groundwater systems and
strategies for management
Duration: 30 Minutes
Activity: In 4 groups, participants discuss how the knowledge of specific characteristics of
aquifers can improve the management of groundwater (Local aquifers and international
boundaries aquifers.
Report Back: Each group presents a table with their identified aquifer characteristics and
how each one improves groundwater management.

Exercise 2
Show that the hydraulic head h is an energy term per unit of weight, by
carrying out a dimensional analysis.

Exercise 3
In a valley wide 457 m, a village needs more water supply. There is
gravel stratum with a 9 m thickness laying on an impermeable stratum.
The measured hydraulic gradient between two wells is 12.2 m over a
distance of 305 m. The hydraulic conductivity K is equal to 365 m/day.
Calculate the aquifer discharge over the section.
Which is the other parameter needed to evaluate the time required by
a generic contaminant to move within the aquifer, with the same
velocity of the liquid ?

(R.: 60050 m3/d)

A = 457 9 = 4113m 2
v=K

dh
12.2
= 365
= 14.6m / d
L
305

Q = v A = K

dh
A = 14 .6 4113 = 60049 .8m 3 / d
L

The effective porosity.

23-25 % for gravel

K=

365
= 0.004m / s
86400

Ve=K/ne

Ve = v/ne

Exercise 4
L = 1000 m;
ne=0.3
K=100 m/day
Calculate the effective velocity

V=K(hA-hB)/L =100 20/1000

= 2 m/day

Ve = V/ne = 2/0,3= 6.6 m/d

B
Time for a fluid particle to
move for advection from A to B
is given by:
t = s/Ve
t = 1000/6,6 = 150 days

Aquifer

Exercise 5
A sandstone stratum has a mean thickness of 200 m for an extension
of 10 km. The distance between the recharge zone and the delivery
zone is 20 km. The difference in piezometric head is 60 m. The
hydraulic conductivity is 5 m/d. Calculate the discharge.
(R: 30000 m3/d)
Which is the quantity of water available in the aquifer if the effective
porosity is equal to 0.15 ?
(R: 6 x 109 m3)
How much time does a particle take to move form the recharge zone
do to the delivery one ?
(R: 200000 d)
Recharge zone

A = 200 10 103 = 2 106 m 2

v = 5

60
10 3 = 15 10 3 m / d
20

Q = A v = 2 106 15 10 3 = 30 103 = 30000m 3 / d

V = 200 10 103 20 103 = 4 1010 m3

Ve = V ne = 0.15 4 1010 = 6 109 m 3

Exercise 6
An unconfined aquifer with surface A (1000 Km2) is continuously
pumped, extracting a water volume Va (5 108 m3/y). This pumping
originates a permanent drawdown equal to ds (3 m/y).
Calculate the effective porosity of the aquifer.

Given:
A = 1000 km2
Va = 5108 m3 /y; ds = 3 m/y
(ne= 0,16)

Vol / t = A ds = 1000 106 3 = 3 109 m 3 / y

ne = V A / Vol = 5 108 / 3 109 = 30 103 = 1,6 10 1 = 0.16

Exercise 7
Determine the discharge through the permeable stratum in figure.

Given:
H=3m
H1 = 1 m
h = 1.5 m
L = 40 m
K = 510-4 m/s

impermeable layer

permeable layer
impermeable layer

v = 5 10 4

1.5
= 0.18 10 4 m / s
40

Q = A v = 1 1 0.18 10 4 = 0.18 10 4 m 3 / s

Exercise 8
A river and a canal flow in the same direction but at different height
Being:
L = 200 m distance from the two surface open channel
h = 5 m the difference in head between the two channels
b = 2 m medium thickness of the permeable layer
K= 1.15 10-5 m/d hydraulic conductivity of the permeable layer
Calculate the discharge from the river to the channel per unit of
length.

river

b
channel
permeable layer

v = 1.15 10 5

5
= 0.028 10 5 m / d
200

Q = A v = 2 1 0.028 10 5 = 0.056 10 5 m 3 / d

Exercise 9
Calculate the unitary subsurface flux between the river and the
drainage channel. The mean height in the river is 144.6 m a.s.l.
and of the channel 142.2 m. The hydraulic conductivity of the
sandy aquifer is K = 3.510-4 m/s.
Calculate the height of the water table in a point in the middle of
the distance.
river
channel

confined
layer

v = 3.5 10 4

2.4
= 0.0116 10 4 m / s
720

Q = A v = 3.55 1 0.056 10 5 = 0.04110 4 m 3 / s

Exercise 10
Calculate the hydraulic conductivity (K) with a constant head
permeameter.

420 g

D= 6 cm of the sandy sample

H= 16 cm
Head difference equal to 50 cm for a 8 seconds duration, the weight of the
collected water is 420 g.
Calculate the K value in m/s
(R: 0.00576 m/s)

420 g = 0.42l = 0.42 10 3 m 3

Q t = Volume

16 10 2 0.42 10 3
K=
= 0.0576m / s
50 10 2 8 9 10 4