Groundwater lab preparation

This lab will include taking measurements of groundwater and aquifer properties around the Duck Pond. The following is the worksheet for recording data, which includes a map of the wells in the area and an example of the logs for the two wells completed at different depths in the "mw1" borehole.

Click this link to download the PDF file

The context for predicting the behavior of an aquifer starts with understanding the character of the porous substrate. This information is available in the well logs that can be downloaded for Montana wells from the Ground Water Information Center at the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (10:37 min).

The following provides a more visual illustration of the information available in a typical well log. (6:12 min)

We will be using an electric well tape to measure the depth to the water from the top of the well risers. The following is a demonstration of how to use an electric well tape (5:03 min).

We will also be conducting slug tests in a couple of the wells. Slug tests require measuring the timing of the recovery of the water level in the well after suddenly increasing the head of the water in the casing. We will be changing the head in the casing by quickly dumping in enough water to fill the casing, then monitoring the drop in the water level back to the static water level with a pressure transducer deployed in the well. A simple Hvorslev tests allows for an estimate of the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the materials around the well screening based on determining the time it takes to get 63% of the way from the maximum water level back to the static water level. The following spreadsheet is used to process the Hvorslev slug test data, and you might want to download it to follow along with the following video.

Click to download the Excel spreadsheet

Here is some sample data to use with the spreadsheet.

Click to download the Excel spreadsheet

Here is an example of how to use the spreadsheet to estimate saturated hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer using slug test data (10:48 min).

The lab activity also includes using a Theis equation spreadsheet to explore how pumping a well may trigger the Montana stream depletion zone law limiting the water withdrawal from exempt wells that may reduce flow in a nearby stream. You may want to download the following Theis calculation spreadsheet if you want to follow along with the video.

Click to download the Excel spreadsheet

The following is a review of the nature of aquifer drawdown from production wells and how to use the Theis spreadsheet (9:59 min).

Here is a brief description of Montana water rights from the Water Rights Handbook, including a description of the stream depletion zone law.

Click this link to download the MS Word file

Well log for the mw1 shallow completion.

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Well log for the mw1 deep completion.

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Well log for the EPI center test well

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Well log for the OB-02 well

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Well log for the Duck Pond well. Note that this is a production well (with a pump) rather than just a monitoring well, so it has an associated water right registered with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC).

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Click this link to download the MS Powerpoint file

The embedded Google viewer below sometimes provides poor renderings of Microsoft files. Use the link above to download the original file with proper formatting.