Title: Questioning the applicability of the areal leakage factor as a constant hydro-geological parameter

Authors: Faridoun Allawi

Addresses: Department of Water Resources, College of Engineering, Baghdad University, Jadriyah, Baghdad, Iraq

Abstract: The differential equation of the flow through a leaky aquifer considers the leakage factor a constant hydro-geological parameter. The purpose of this research paper is to examine the suitability of this constant for the simulation of the distribution of the piezometric heads through leaky aquifers. To perform this task, a proposed explicit finite difference scheme for the determination of the hydrostatic distribution of the simulated piezometric heads was designed and verified against the maximum historical field measurements of the piezometric heads recorded during June 1977 of a four months irrigation season of the leaky aquifer of Dujailah, Iraq. Best fits between the simulated and measured piezometric heads were obtained at leakage factors B ranging between B >= 150 m and B < =200 m. Model results validated the applicability of the leakage factor as a hydro-geological constant and the good hydraulic communication between the upper and lower parts of the Dujailah aquifer.

Keywords: leaky aquifers; leakage factors; groundwater modelling; hydrogeology; piezometers; differential equations; aquifer leakage; simulation; finite difference method; hydrostatic distribution; Iraq; piezometric heads.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHST.2014.066439

International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology, 2014 Vol.4 No.2, pp.110 - 125

Received: 10 Mar 2014
Accepted: 04 Jul 2014
Published online: 31 Dec 2014 *

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