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Aquifer Types
• unconfined: water table forms the upper boundary
• perched: unconfined aquifer in the vadose zone
– how does a perched aquifer form?
• confined: sandwiched between confining beds
• artesian: h is above top of aquifer
• flowing artesian aquifer: h is above land surface
– note: can have flowing artesian conditions in discharge
zone of unconfined aquifer
1
(Schwartz and Zhang, Fig. 4.1)
Potentiometric surface
• If the aquifer is unconfined, the contour
map is referred to as the map of the water
table.
• If the water levels in wells tapped in a
confined aquifer, it is the level of hydraulic
head (i.e. the level the water will rise, if
allowed to free flow) in the aquifer, is
referred to as a potentiometric surface.
(Fryar et al., 2001)