SUBSURFACE FLOW
SUBSURFACE FLOW
Subsurface Flow
-the movement of water below the earth’s surface within the subsurface layers or geological
formations
-is a significant component of the water cycle, contributing to the overall movement and storage
of water in the subsurface environment.
Subsurface flow occurs when water infiltrates the soil or permeable rock layers. Once water
enters the subsurface, it moves laterally and vertically, driven by gravity and pressure
gradients, following the path of least resistance.
SATURATED FORMATION
Four Categories
1) Aquifer – is a saturated formation of earth material which not only stores water but yields it
in sufficient quantity. An aquifer transmits water relatively easily due to its high
permeability.
2) Aquitard – is a formation through which only seepage is possible and thus the yield is
insignificant compared to an aquifer. It is partly permeable.
3) Aquiclude – is a geological formation which is essentially impermeable to the flow of
water. It may be considered as closed to water movement even though it may contain large
amounts of water due to its high porosity.
4) Aquifuge – is a geological formation which is neither porous nor permeable. There are no
interconnected openings and hence it cannot transmit water.
GROUNDWATER
The availability of groundwater depends upon:
Rate of withdrawal
Rate of replenishment (recharge)
TYPES OF AQUIFER
An unconfined aquifer is one in which a free water surface i.e. a water table exists.
A confined aquifer, also known as artesian aquifer, is an aquifer which is confined between
two impervious beds such as aquicludes or aquifuges.
A confined aquifer is called a leaky aquifer if either or both of its confining beds are aquitards.
FACTS ABOUT WATER TABLE
A water table is the free water surface in an
unconfined aquifer.
The static level well penetrating an unconfined
aquifer indicates the level of the water table at
that point.
The water table is constantly in motion
adjusting its surface to achieve a balance
between the recharge and outflow from the
subsurface storage.
The water table follows the topographic
features of the surface.
PERCHED WATER TABLE
Sometimes, a lens or localized patch
of impervious stratum can occur
inside an unconfined aquifer in such
a way that it retains a water table
above the general water table. Such
water table around the impervious
material is known as perched water
table.
DARCY’S LAW
In the year 1856, Henry Darcy, a French hydraulic engineer, on the basis of his experimental
findings proposed a law relating the velocity of flow in a porous medium
Where:
Q = discharge
K = hydraulic conductivity
A = area
DARCY’S LAW
Where:
Q = discharge
A = area
DARCY’S LAW
𝒔
DARCY’S LAW
Sample Problem Solution:
A sample of silty sand is tested in a
laboratory experiment. The column A
has an inside diameter of 10cm and
the length between manometers is
25cm. With a steady flow of
1.7cm3/min., the head difference
between the manometers is 15cm.
Calculate the hydraulic
conductivity.
DARCY’S LAW
Sample Problem
Given the figure below and the following data: length between wells=900ft, hydraulic conductivity=18
ft/day, porosity=0.24, top of casing of MW1=1052.6ft, top of casing of MW2=1045.3ft, depth to water of
MW1=12.5ft, depth to water of MW2=14.2ft. Calculate the groundwater travel time from MW1 to MW2.
DARCY’S LAW
Sample Problem TOC (ft.) DTW (ft.) WT Elev.
Given the figure below and the MW1 1052.6 12.5 1040.1
following data:
MW2 1045.3 14.2 1031.1
length between wells=900ft
hydraulic conductivity=18 ft/day Head Difference (ft.): 9
porosity=0.24
𝑑ℎ −𝐾𝑖
top of casing of MW1=1052.6ft 𝑖= 𝑣 = 𝑑
𝑑𝐿 𝑛 𝑣 =
top of casing of MW2=1045.3ft 𝑓𝑡 𝑡
−9𝑓𝑡 18 × −0.01 𝑓𝑡. 900𝑓𝑡.
depth to water of MW1=12.5ft 𝑖= 𝑑𝑎𝑦 0.75 =
900𝑓𝑡 𝑣 =− 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑡
depth to water of MW2=14.2ft. 0.24
𝑖 =-0.01 𝑣 = 0.75 𝑓𝑡/𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝒕 = 𝟏𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔
Calculate the groundwater travel time
from MW1 to MW2.
