In a confined (artesian) aquifer, the piezometric surface is:
Choose the correct answer
At the water table level
Above the top of the saturated aquifer (artesian head); if piezometric surface is above ground level, the well flows without pumping (flowing artesian well)
Below the aquifer base
Equal to the aquifer thickness
Correct Answer
B. Above the top of the saturated aquifer (artesian head); if piezometric surface is above ground level, the well flows without pumping (flowing artesian well)
Why is this the answer?
Confined aquifer: fully saturated, bounded above and below by impervious layers (aquitards). Piezometric (potentiometric) surface = imaginary surface to which water rises in wells tapping the aquifer = hydrostatic pressure head. If piezometric surface > ground level: flowing artesian well. Storage coefficient = 0.0001 to 0.001 (much less than specific yield of unconfined aquifer).
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