SEARCH FOR

GROUNDWATER
(Gw investigation)

What do we want
water flowing

Water.water

General
Wells must be capable of producing
adequate water during peak seasonal use
and under drought conditions.
It must be properly designed and
compatible with the pump and distribution
system to ensure long life, efficiency, and
economic operation.

Types of groundwater wells

Exploratory well
Observation or monitoring well

Production well

GW Observation or Monitoring
Well
These wells were constructed within the groundwater
wellfield, generally to monitor the production wells
within the area, with emphasis on the quantity of
groundwater resources;
Mainly used to monitor water level, pH, Iron content,
etc, especially during dry spell months (May to
September)

Production GW Well

Only constructed, installed and developed after

the findings of exploration wells ~ sometimes the
exploration well is developed into production well;

The main source of domestic water supply,

especially in rural areas

EXAMPLE OF WELLFIELD STRUCTURE (KENALI WELLFIELD)

Raw water pumped

to the water
treatment plant

Groundwater flow
(aquifer)

How to get it?

Preliminary investigation

Site condition

Y
Sufficient
data?

N
Well survey

Sufficient
data?

N
Geophysic

Drilling investigation

Sufficient
data?

Y
Plan wellfield

Well design

Pump selection

Flow chart
of the
overall activities

A. Preliminary investigation
Data Requirements for a Groundwater Investigation
Data requirements
Topographic maps

Main data sources

JUPEM

Geology and Hydrogeology maps

JMG

Soils, subsoils, and land use maps

JMG, DOA

Geology, hydrogeology, site investigation

and other relevant reports

JMG, DOE, Local

authorities.

Aerial photographs, satellite imagery

MACRES

Well and borehole records

JMG, DOA

Water level and water quality monitoring

data

JMG, DOA, DID

Existing groundwater abstractions

JMG, DOA, DID

River flow records

Climate data

DID
Meteorological dept.

Exploration information
Previous investigation and reports:
Maps: geological, geophysical, structural maps
Remote sensing data: aerial photo, satellite imageries
Groundwater systems: geomorphology, catchments, rock types,
lineaments, storage capacity, springs, etc
Exisitng wells: design, water level/quantity/quality, well performance,
operation, management
Pumping Test data
Borehole logs: lithology and downhole geophysics
Land cover and landuse
Groundwater supply scheme development and management issues
Groundwater protection zones
Environmental issues
Legal and financial issues

Geological map
Alluvium
Limestone/Carbonate
Rock
Sedimentary
and Volcanic
Rocks
Crystalline
Igneous
Rocks

Hydrogeological map

Aerial photo map

Satellite Image

Layered aquifer
Hardrock aquifer

Sand aquifer

Fractured aquifer

B. Site conditions
Develop a better understanding of the hydrogeology of
an area.
Talks to local people about their existing groundwater
supplies.
Assess the practicalities involved in carrying out
geophysical surveys: for example, are there power lines
present that would inhibit electromagnetic techniques, or
are there significant noise levels that might affect shallow
seismic surveys?
Look for potential sources of pollution and estimate the
groundwater vulnerability.
Identify and examine potential sites for exploratory
boreholes

Site condition
Land use

GW discharged
direction

Surface
water
Climate
data

Location of
wells
Man power

Gradient of water table

or piezometric surface

C. Well survey
Groundwater levels (at rest
and during pumping).
Well construction.
Present status and the use of
well.
Pumping rates, hours pumped,
groundwater use.
Groundwater quality.

Well Information
Well Name:

PK 23

PK 12

PK 37

PK 11

PK 26

PK 35

PK 36

PK 39

PK 6

PK 28

Type of Well:

MW

MW

DW

MW

MW

DW

DW

MW

MW

MW

Total Depth
From Surface
Casing (m):

10.85

4.76

7.8

5.25

9.06

11.4

11.62

8.5

15.7

10.2

Surface
Casing to
Ground (m):

0.37

0.61

0.08

0.91

0.61

0.08

0.08

0.91

1.07

0.91

Diameter
(m):

0.1016

0.1016

0.203

0.1143

0.1016

0.203

0.203

0.1016

0.1143

0.1016

Coordinate:
361115.9 361015.2

360979.6

361036.7 360969.7 360983.6 361020.2 360904.1 360788.9 360825.5

2991384

2991372

2991325

Easting:
Northing:

2991490

2991449

2991399

2991387

2991336

2991561

2991289

D. Geophysical surveys

identify the nature of the physical problem to

be investigated.

select the geophysical method or methods

appropriate for that problem.

plan the investigation program.

1. Electric Resistivity Method

Electrical resistivity is the resistance
of a volume of material to the flow of
electrical current.
current is introduced into the
ground through a pair of current
electrodes
resulting potential difference is
measured between another pair of
potential electrodes
Apparent resistivity is then
calculated as:

V
a 2 a
I
V is the measured Potential difference (in
Volts)
and I is the current introduced (in Amperes).

Groundwater exploration
Surface geophysical methods

Wenner arrangement

a 2 a

V
I

Schlumber configuration

L / 2 2 b / 2 2

V
I

- Electrical resistivity

E. Drilling investigations
-

Exploration drilling is used to confirm the provisional

interpretation of the hydrogeology derived from the
preliminary investigation, site condition, well survey and
geophysics.

The detailed investigation phase is intended to supplement

the exploration phase by infilling the data gaps and by
providing more quantitative information on the aquifer
properties and resources, groundwater quality and hence on
potential well yields.

Groundwater exploration
Subsurface geophysical methods

1. Test drilling

Test drilling

- drilling small diameter holes that furnish information on

substrata in a vertical line from the subsurface.
- useful in
(i) verifying other means of investigation
(ii) confirm groundwater conditions prior to well drilling
(iii) serving as observation wells for measuring
groundwater levels and for conducting pumping tests.
-If found fruitful, many a times the test holes are redrilled or
enlarged to form pumping or production wells.

1.1 . Geologic Logging

constructed from the drill-cutting samples collected at

frequent intervals during the drilling of a well. (samples
are utilized for laboratory determinations of their
hydrologic properties)
Furnishes a description of the geologic character and the
thickness of each stratum encountered as a function of
depth, thereby enabling aquifers to be delineated.
Preparation of proper geologic map may be difficult
because of interference of drilling fluid with fine particles,
and lack of proper knowledge to interpret the findings.

Disturbed/washed sample

Sample from different depth

Rotary Wash Boring

Core Samples

Drilled Cuttings

Exploration of Groundwater
Surface exploration
- non-invasive" ways to map the
subsurface.
-less costly than subsurface
investigations
1. Geologic methods
2. Remote Sensing
3. Surface Geophysical Methods
(a) Electric Resistivity
Method
(b) Seismic Refraction
Method
(c) Seismic Reflection
Method
(d) Gravimetric Method
(e) Magnetic Method
(f) Electromagnetic Method
(g) Ground Penetrating Radar
and others

Subsurface exploration
1. Test drilling
geologic log
drilling time log
Water level measurement
2. Geophysical logging/borehole
geophysics
Resistivity logging
Spontaneous potential logging
Radiation logging
Temperature logging
Caliper Logging
Fluid Conductivity logging
Fluid velocity logging
3. Tracer tests
and others

Thank you
Cont.... well design