How do you test groundwater?
General characteristics. Most commonly an aquifer test is conducted by pumping water from one well at a steady rate and for at least one day, while carefully measuring the water levels in the monitoring wells. When water is pumped from the pumping well the pressure in the aquifer that feeds that well declines.
What should be tested in well water?
You should have your well tested once a year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH levels. If you suspect other contaminants, you should test for those as well.
How do you calculate well efficiency?
Well efficiency is calculated as the ratio of actual specific capacity to theoretical specific capacity. Actual specific capacity can be calculated from step- drawdown and constant-rate tests.
What does a well pumping test give you?
A pumping test is a practical, reliable method of estimating well performance, well yield, the zone of influence of the well and aquifer characteristics (i.e., the aquifer’s ability to store and transmit water, aquifer extent, presence of boundary conditions and possible hydraulic connection to surface water).
Can you test your own well water?
Often county health departments will help you test for bacteria or nitrates. If not, you can have your water tested by a state certified laboratory. You can find one in your area by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 or visiting www.epa.gov/safewater/labs.
How do you measure well capacity?
Run the water into a 5 gallon bucket, noting how many gallons you collect. If bucket fills up, dump out water and keep measuring and filling. Measure the number of gallons drawn down from the pressure tank until the well pump turns on. When you hear the pump turn on, immediately close the hose bib.
What is a well drawdown test?
A well test is conducted to evaluate the amount of water that can be pumped from a particular water well. When water is pumped from a well the water level in the well falls. This fall is called drawdown. The amount of water that can be pumped is limited by the drawdown produced.
How do I test my well water level?
You can measure the depth of water by lowering a wetted steel tape to into the well until the lower part of the tape is under water. A chalk coating on the last few feet of tape indicate the exact water level.
How do you predict a drawdown on a well?
Calculate the drawdown by subtracting the static level from the pumping level. saving well testing data. Also listed are some ways that you can use well drawdown measurements. Operating records should contain information about the static and pumping levels of a well, plus other important data.
How are aquifer tests used in the field?
Aquifer testing methods used to estimate hydraulic properties of aquifers and aquitards. Three aquifer testing methods are in common use by groundwater hydrologists to estimate hydraulic properties of aquifer systems. In all of the methods, a control well imposes a hydraulic stress on an aquifer system.
How are pumping tests used to determine well performance?
This is the most commonly used pumping test method for obtaining estimates of aquifer properties. Step-drawdown testsproceed through a sequence of constant-rate steps at the control well to determine well performance characteristics such as well loss and well efficiency.
How are slug tests used to test aquifer?
Slug Tests. Slug tests, another common aquifer testing technique, are conducted to obtain estimates of aquifer/aquitard properties at a smaller scale than pumping tests. A slug test is initiated by causing the water level in the control well to suddenly rise or fall and subsequently recording the recovery of the water level to its pre-test level.
Why was Theis work important to the study of groundwater?
Publication of the work by Theis (1935) marked a major stride forward in groundwater science because of the mathematical rigor applied to the evaluation of transient (nonequilibrium) pumping test data.