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Longer pumping tests, deeper well seals sometimes needed, says hydrogeologist
June 24, 2016 By Ground Water Canada
Kamloops, B.C. – In an informative session of the British Columbia Ground Water Association’s convention in March, hydrogeologist Doug Geller made the case for longer duration of pumping tests and confined aquifer well deep seals.
Drillers need to keep in mind both the client’s need to keep job costs down and the hydrogeologist’s need to have enough data to support conclusions, said Geller, a partner in of Western Water Associates in Vernon, B.C. A typical four-hour pumping test is often “nowhere near long enough,” he added. Twenty-four hours is sometimes not long enough and even a week can sometimes reveal surprises.
Drilling and casing advancement do not ensure a tight seal between formation and well casing, Geller said, detailing several other reasons for creating deeper well seals in confined aquifer wells. Deeper seals, already standard practice in many areas with complex hydrogeology, help prevent loss of confining pressure in low aquifers, he said.
You will find his presentation slides, along with several other presentations, on the BCGWA website under Past BCGWA Conventions.
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