Response of a Confined Aquifer to Pumping: Nonleaky and Leaky Cases

r

B

0.5

	W(u)
	Wu, r B

This Demonstration represents the response (in terms of the well function

W(·)

) of a confined aquifer subject to pumpage from a fully penetrating well. If there is no leakage from an adjacent hydrogeologic unit to the main aquifer, the response is the red curve, widely known as the Theis-type solution. When an adjacent aquifer is hydraulically connected to the main unit, the latter becomes a leaky confined aquifer, leading under this condition to the cyan curve, known as a Hantush–Jacob-type solution. The well function

W(·)

has a single argument for the Theis (or nonleaky) case named

u

, whereas for the Hantush (or leaky) case, there are two arguments,

u

and

r

B

. Notice how the Hantush–Jacob solution deviates from the Theis curve as the ratio

r

B

increases.