Geology Reports⌕ Search
Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 70221389

The relationship between specific capacity and aquifer transmissibility in the Houston Area, Texas

R.K. Gabrysch
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Water well drillers gather information essential to recovery tests as part of normal procedure. Added effort could yield additional valuable information. More care in measurement of water levels both before and after a period of pumping can be used with ground‐water formulae to determine approximate well efficiency. A relationship exists between the ability of an aquifer to perform ( transmissibility ) and the specific capacity of a well. By means of pumping tests, both transmissibility and specific capacity may be measured. The theoretical specific capacity can be obtained based on the measured transmissibility . Well efficiency may be estimated from a comparison between measured specific capacity and theoretical specific capacity . Tests of wells owned by the City of Houston , Texas , were selected for analysis. Test results were compared with curves showing theoretical relationships. From the comparison, wells in the Houston area are not completely developed. It may not be economical to develop a well to 100 percent efficiency, but theoretical relationships should be used in well development.

Explore related subjects

GroundwaterArticle
90° N90° S · 180° W ← longitude → 180° E
Source-reported bounding extent: 29.53522956294847° to 30.06909396443887° latitude; -95.8447265625° to -94.81201171875° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

R.K. Gabrysch. 2006-07-06. The relationship between specific capacity and aquifer transmissibility in the Houston Area, Texas. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.1968.tb01651.x

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS2026

Computing flow-field distortion coefficients from well-construction and formation properties

Direct measurements of groundwater velocity made with borehole flowmeters in screened wells must be compensated for the effects of flow-field distortion (also known as borehole acceleration). A theoretical equation developed by Drost et al. (1968) and simple inputs describing hydraulic properties of well construction and geologic formation were programmed into an Excel workbook to facilitate computation by groundwater-flowmeter users. Tables describing the physical and hydraulic properties for well constructions and gravel pack media are provided with an example to facilitate use of the workbook. Groundwater flowlines converge or diverge as they pass from a geologic formation, through a gravel pack and well screen. The extent of flowline convergence or divergence and the value of the flow-field distortion coefficient is related to the relative changes in hydraulic conductivity of the well screen, gravel pack, and geologic formation. Convergence or divergence is accompanied by acceleration or deceleration of groundwater. Direct measurements of groundwater velocity at the center of the monitoring well can be adjusted to provide a more accurate estimate of velocity in the formation by applying a correction for flow-field distortion. Variables required to compute the flow-field distortion coefficient include the hydraulic conductivity of the gravel pack, well screen, and the geologic formation surrounding the well screen; the borehole radius, and the inside radius and outside radius of the well screen.

Groundwater↗
USGS2026

Deep groundwater total dissolved solids mapping in the Dakota Group, Williston Basin, USA

Growing concern about the quantity of available freshwater around the world has led to interest in surveying groundwater total dissolved solids (TDS) below water well depths. Deep TDS has not been systematically mapped, and there is much to learn about the distribution and controls on deeper groundwater. In sedimentary basins across the United States, groundwater resources often overlie hydrocarbon resources, providing an opportunity to use borehole geophysical data collected for hydrocarbons to characterize groundwater and pore space resources. This study adapts a recently developed subsurface geostatistical and geophysical modeling approach to continuously map groundwater TDS, porosity, and temperature in the Dakota Group of the Williston Basin—an undercharacterized regional aquifer system overlying deeper hydrocarbon reservoirs. Groundwater TDS in the Dakota Group ranges from approximately 4800 to 26,900 mg/L. TDS patterns are stratified with higher TDS in the lower and upper Dakota Group, and relatively lower TDS in the middle Dakota Group. The lower TDS in the middle zone may represent a preferential regional flow path for lower-TDS meteoric recharge from the west. The alternating pattern of TDS may also be evidence of higher-TDS inflows into the Dakota Group from underlying and potentially from overlying aquifers. Porosity is lower near the center of the Williston Basin and tends to be higher to the east, which may be related to grain size distributions. The new regional TDS and porosity modeling serves as a quantitative reference for water users and provides supporting evidence for hypotheses on Dakota Group recharge.

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota↗