Measurement and interpretation of groundwater data

Water Level Measurements in Wells

The objectives of the ground water level monitoring are to:
Detect impact of groundwater recharge and abstractions.
Monitor groundwater level changes
Assess depth to water table
Detect long term trends
Compute groundwater resource availability
Assess the stage of development
Design management strategies at regional level

Steel Tape

Measurement of accuracy upto 1 mm.

Method
Lower part of the tape coated with chalk
An even depth mark held by hand
Tape lowered into well till upto half meter immersed in water
The mark is brought against the measuring point and raised instantly
The tape is pulled out and the wetted length is read
Difference between reading of the tape at the measuring point and the wetted end
gives the depth of water.
Limitations
Does not give accurate readings of drawdown in pumped wells due to rapid water level
decline.
When too large weight used to keep the tape taught, error in measurement may creep
in if used in piezometer of small diameter.

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Measurement accuracy: upto 1 cm, can be increased if used with a tape.

Principle
Terminals of a single or double conductor insulated wire are arranged in such a way that
the completion of the circuit on contact with the water surface is signaled by buzzer, or
lighting of a bulb.
Method
In a single wire arrangement, one of the terminals is fixed to the metallic casing
extending to the water level, and the other terminal is attached to an electrode.
In double conductor arrangement, two insulated wires with contact electrodes is
connected to a sounder, and when coming on contact with water, completes the circuit.

Electric Sounder

DENZIL DANIEL [PR14CE2001]

WATER INSTITUTE, KARUNYA UNIVERSITY

Measurement and interpretation of groundwater data

Limitations
Inaccuracies maybe introduced due to kinks and bends in the wire.
When leakage of water in the casing pipe, circuit maybe closed before reaching water
level.

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DENZIL DANIEL [PR14CE2001]

WATER INSTITUTE, KARUNYA UNIVERSITY

Measurement and interpretation of groundwater data

Air Line

Measurement accuracy: 5cm to a meter depending on the accuracy of the pressure gauge.
Method
Install an airtight compressor pipe-line, fitted with a pressure gauge, into the well
extending from the top of the well to upto 3 meters below the lowest anticipated water
level.
To take measurement, first run the compressor and blow out all the water in the air line.
The gauge records the maximum reading corresponding to the pressure exerted by the
water column outside the airline.
Dwl=L l
where Dwl= Depth to water level
L = Depth to bottom of airline
l = pressure exerted by water column, equal in height to the
submerged length of airline.

Limitations
This method is suitable only for measurements of water levels in pumping wells in which
the fluctuations of water level is large (because accuracy is low).

E.g.: Determine the depth to water level if the airline is 30m long and the maximum pressure gauge
reading is 1.5kg/cm2. { Hint: Pressure, P= gH }
Water-Level Recorders

Gives continuous reading of water levels.

Especially useful in initial stages of drawdown or recovery periods of pump tests when the water
level changes are rapid.
Float type water level continuously recorded on a rolling drum arrangement
Automatic Digital Water level recorders
o Transducer type
The reading is done using a pressure sensor housed in a closed capsule which
registers the liquids hydrostatic pressure above the sensor. A cable joins the
sensor to a data logger which stores water levels in its memory card.

DENZIL DANIEL [PR14CE2001]

WATER INSTITUTE, KARUNYA UNIVERSITY

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Method
The artesian well is plugged with a metal or wooden or rubber cap provided with a tube
and a nozzle for attachment of the gauge.
The relief valve is kept open at the time of fixing of the gauge
Once the gauge is fixed, the valve is kept closed, and reading of the pressure gauge are
taken.
Pressure readings can be converted to pressure head in meters of water column.

Pressure Gauges and manometers for Artesian wells monitoring

Measurement and interpretation of groundwater data

Interpretation of Groundwater data on water levels

Preliminary requirements
Additional spatial data is needed in the form of maps on surface drainage, land use, geomorphology,
slope, soil, geology and structures, man-made features.
Proper interpretation of groundwater level data also needs a parallel understanding of the regions
geology, soil, topography, climate, hydrology, land use and vegetation. If irrigated land is studied, then
cropping patterns, water distribution and supply, and irrigation efficiencies is also to be understood.
It is also important to have an understanding of

the completeness of the groundwater data

the quantity and potential significance of missing data
the representativeness of the measured groundwater levels of the actual situation
the possibilities and limitations in the use of groundwater level data

Contour maps show a spatial distribution of groundwater level measurements, or of a value

derived from the measurements.
Contouring may be accomplished manually or by software assisted automatic procedure based
on pre-selected algorithm.
Examples of some contouring algorithms are
Trend surface analysis (polynomial approximation)
Kriging
Spline functions
Contouring uses include
Water table/ piezometric elevation contouring required for estimating lateral flow
directions and flow rates
Water depth contouring Isobaths (depth-to-water-table maps) produced for routine
analysis aimed at evaluation, planning and management of groundwater resources.
Water level fluctuation contouring contours of water level fluctuation in a given period
(e.g. monsoon and dry season) combined with contours of specific yield permit an
estimation of storage fluctuations, necessary for performing a lumped water balance.
Computation of velocity field contouring algorithms permit estimation of gradients
ground water level at specified locations, from which raster data of hydraulic gradients
may be generated. Raster data of hydraulic gradient and hydraulic conductivity may be
used for estimating the velocity distribution in accordance with Darcy law
Groundwater level data validation Contouring algorithms permit identification of
outliers. For example, high concentration of contours around a well may indicate
potentially erroneous value.
Contour map will not be realistic when effects of physical features between monitoring stations
are not accounted, e.g topography.

DENZIL DANIEL [PR14CE2001]

WATER INSTITUTE, KARUNYA UNIVERSITY

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Contour Maps

Measurement and interpretation of groundwater data

The above figure shows a contour map modified to account for a river.

Raster Maps

Raster maps are created from contour maps and contain values for a grid with uniformly
distributed points. To facilitate visualization, the derived values are classified by value (Think,
data classification in digital image processing), with each class assigned a separate symbol or
colour.
Raster maps are used for spatial calculations. For example,
We can find difference in groundwater level between pre-monsoon (one raster map)
and post-monsoon (another raster map).
Subsequent multiplication of derived raster map with specific yield of the aquifer
(another raster map) will give total groundwater volume increase during monsoon
period.
Raster maps can also be used in tertiary validation to ascertain whether any detected outliers
are natural extremes or erroneous data values.

Computing basic statistics

Basic statistics like the following are widely required in groundwater studies
Annual mean water level
Standard deviation
Annual highest water level the maximum value of a series X of water level data
Annual lowest water table position the minimum value of series X
Monthly mean water level (also known as macro means)

Time series analysis may be used to test the variability, homogeneity or trend of a water level
series.

DENZIL DANIEL [PR14CE2001]

WATER INSTITUTE, KARUNYA UNIVERSITY

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Time series Analysis

Measurement and interpretation of groundwater data

First order stationarity Volumetric balance exists spatially.

Second order stationarity spatial and temporal distribution follows the same annual pattern
over the years.
Dynamic equilibrium A time series displaying both first and second order stationarity.
Temporal trends If first order stationarity is violated (i.e., annual recharge to the aquifer does
not equal annual withdrawal from the aquifer), then groundwater hydrograph may display rising
or falling trend.
Regression analysis For infilling missing variables, for validating a test time series.
Outlliers Identification of outliers.

Ground water hydrographs show the water levels below ground surface plotted against their
corresponding time. A hydrograph should be plotted for each observation well or piezometer.

The graphical representation of water table decline is called natural recession curve. It can be
shown that logarithm of water table height (not water level below ground, but height above any
convenient datum) decreases linearly with time. Hence plot of water table height against time
on semi-log paper gives a straight line.
Recession curves are useful in predicting future groundwater levels.

There exists a time lag (Tg) between a rainfall event and consequent recharge. A certain depth of
rainfall (Rc) has to occur before a rainfall event starts producing recharge. These recharge

DENZIL DANIEL [PR14CE2001]

WATER INSTITUTE, KARUNYA UNIVERSITY

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Groundwater Hydrographs

Measurement and interpretation of groundwater data

parameter Rc and Tg can be estimated by comparing hyetograph of rainfall events of a rainy

season and hydrograph of groundwater level.

Correlation between rainfall events and consequential groundwater recharge can be established
using groundwater hydrographs. There can be two ways to approach the problem.
One can compare rainfall events hyetograph with groundwater level hydrograph. A
conspicuous change in groundwater hydrograph curve direction indicates recharge.
Cumulative rainfall preceding that moment is the minimum depth to cause recharge.
One can also plot annual rise in water table against annual rainfall. Annual rise in water
table can be plotted against annual rainfall.

Extending the straight line until it intersects the abscissa gives the amount of rainfall
below which there is no recharge of the groundwater. Any quantity less than this
amount is lost by surface runoff and evapotranspiration.
Ground water modelling

Groundwater models simulate the hydrogeological conditions of an area in order to understand

the hydrogeological processes taking place and to make estimations of future resources.
When the study area is treated as a single entity, and flow across the boundary is estimated by
Darcys law, it is called a lumped model.
When the study area is divided into finite number of cells, and flow between adjacent cells is
estimated by Darcys lay, it is a distributed model.
Ground water balance is an example of a model. It can benefit from the use of high frequency
digital water level recorder data.
Groundwater Assessment Development and Management, K R Karanth,
Groundwater data requirements and analysis, C P Kumar, NIH Rourkee.
Groundwater handbook Groundwater level, Indian Hydrology Project II,
http://hydrology-project.gov.in/Guides%20and%20Manuals_Ground%20Water.html

DENZIL DANIEL [PR14CE2001]

WATER INSTITUTE, KARUNYA UNIVERSITY

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