A Preliminary Study on a Pumping Well Capturing Groundwater in an Unconfined Aquifer with Mountain-Front Recharge from Segmental Inflow

Abstract

Unconfined aquifers beneath piedmont pluvial fans are widely distributed in front of mountains and proper for water supply with pumping wells. However, the catchment zone and capture zones of a pumping well in such an unconfined aquifer is not well known. We develop a preliminary simplified model where groundwater flows between a segmental inflow boundary and a discharge boundary of constant head. The catchment zone is delineated from numerical simulation via MODFLOW and MODPATH. Results are expressed with dimensionless variables and lumped parameters to show general behaviors. Sensitive analyses indicate that there are 4 types of the catchment zone according to different connections to the boundaries. The shape of the catchment zone is quantitatively analyzed with typical shape factors. Capture zones with respect to special travel times are identified from travel time distribution in the catchment zone. The modeling results can be applied in the design of water supply wells and delineation of protection zones at a site with similar hydrogeological conditions.