Using borehole flow data to characterize the hydraulics of flow paths in operating wellfields

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Abstract

Understanding the flow paths in the vicinity of water well intakes is critical in the design of effective wellhead protection strategies for heterogeneous carbonate aquifers. High-resolution flow logs can be combined with geophysical logs and borehole-wall-image logs (acoustic televiewer) to identify the porous beds, solution openings, and fractures serving as conduits connecting the well bore to the aquifer. Qualitative methods of flow log analysis estimate the relative transmissivity of each water-producing zone, but do not indicate how those zones are connected to the far-field aquifer. Borehole flow modeling techniques can be used to provide quantitative estimates of both transmissivity and far-field hydraulic head in each producing zone. These data can be used to infer how the individual zones are connected with each other, and to the surrounding large-scale aquifer. Such information is useful in land-use planning and the design of well intakes to prevent entrainment of contaminants into water-supply systems. Specific examples of flow log applications in the identification of flow paths in operating wellfields are given for sites in Austin and Faribault, Minnesota. Copyright ASCE 2004.
Publication type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Title Using borehole flow data to characterize the hydraulics of flow paths in operating wellfields
ISBN 0784405174; 9780784405178
DOI 10.1061/40517(2000)384
Volume 104
Year Published 2004
Language English
Larger Work Title Joint Conference on Water Resource Engineering and Water Resources Planning and Management 2000: Building Partnerships
Conference Title Joint Conference on Water Resource Engineering and Water Resources Planning and Management 2000
Conference Location Minneapolis, MN
Conference Date 30 July 2000 through 2 August 2000
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