Garey A. Fox, Ph.D., P.E., Derek M. Heeren, Michael A. Kizer, Ph.D. Oklahoma State University Evaluation of Alluvial Well Depletion Analytical Solutions from a Stream-Aquifer Analysis Test OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Funding for this work provided by a FY 2010 Oklahoma Water Resources Research Institute (OWRRI) through the USGS 104(b) Program.

Streams and Alluvial Aquifers –Hydraulically Connected/Single Resource –Alluvial Well Depletion –Protection of base flow currently not addressed in water law systems of many states (OK) Introduction OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Source: Winter et al., 1998, USGS Circular 1139

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Introduction Rapid development of analytical solutions for alluvial well depletion… Suggested as alternative means of deriving streambed conductivity, K sb

Objectives OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Evaluation of analytical solutions using field data from multiple geologic conditions is needed –Assessment of applicability and predictive capability Stream-Aquifer Analysis Test: –Pumping well adjacent to a stream/river – North Canadian River in Oklahoma –Drawdown response measured in multiple observation wells –Stream depletion estimated not measured

Field Site OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping North Canadian River: –Sand bed, partially penetrating stream –Connects Canton Lake in the north and Lake Overholser in the south North of El Reno, OK in Canadian County

Field Site OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping

Site Characteristics OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Surface geology is Quaternary alluvial sands and gravels (aeolian and fluvial in origin) Characterized as m in thickness with widths of 1.6 km from the river Drillers’ logs report mostly fine sand with interdispersed clay Previous aquifer tests by Ryder (1996): Specific yield = 0.29 Hydraulic Conductivity = 48 m/d

Streambed Sediment Sampling OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Five streambed sediment samples… Thalweg and near-bank sand bars Sieve analysis for grain-size distribution

Streambed Conductivity, K sb OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Falling-head permeameter tests:

Streambed Conductance, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Streambed Conductivity, K sb : Average = 16.5 m/d Standard Dev. = 3.1 m/d Width of River, W = m Streambed Thickness, M = minimal restriction

Installation of Well Field OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Observation wells installed using GeoProbe –Installed to 8 m depth with 5 m of screened section at base Drawdown and temperature measured every 5 minutes using water level loggers (HoboWare) –Installed logger in river to monitor stream stage and temperature

Long-Term Monitoring OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping

Stream/Aquifer Analysis Test OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Attempted to use several analytical solutions… –Hunt (1999) solution solved in Maple: –Hunt (2003) solution for semiconfined aquifers

Stream/Aquifer Analysis Test OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping

Stream-Aquifer Analysis Test OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping

Stream-Aquifer Analysis Test OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping

Stream-Aquifer Analysis Test OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping

Conclusions OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping Stream-aquifer analysis test able to derive reach- scale conductance North Canadian River - fully penetrating stream with little to no hydraulic resistance –Estimated stream depletion of 60 to 70% of Q after only 5 days of pumping Advantages of earlier solutions: –Considerably simplifies the mathematical complexity –Reduced the number of parameters to parameterize the stream-aquifer interaction

Questions? Research Website: OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping

Stream-Aquifer Analysis Test OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department Stream Depletion by Ground Water Pumping