Conducting well tests

Conducting well tests

We have examined the terms used and the instruments employed by the water well industry in conducting well tests.

The practical application of these tools comes from experience and a fundamental understanding of the behavior of ground water flows.

It should be kept in mind that a pump test is a test of the finished well as a structure and not necessarily a test of the yielding ability of the formation in which the well is constructed.

Various contractors, engineers, geologists, etc., have certain procedures for testing wells which are based upon their specific needs in evaluating the well.

The contractor may desire to know at what pumping level a given quantity of water is obtained after a specified number of hours of pumping.

In this case, the measurement of capacity and pumping level would be made after the prescribed passage of time.

The geologist may desire to measure the transmissibility of the aquifer supplying the ground water and would require several measurements of pumping levels at specified times during which the capacity of the pump is held constant.

I cannot emphasize enough that regardless of the type of test employed, the accuracy of the test is most important.