Erratum:Classic & contemporary papers of groundwater science (1) The father of well hydraulics: Theis (1935)[Journal of Groundwater Hydrology Vol.55(2013)No.3 p.291-294]

Yoshihide SHINSHI

doi:10.5917/jagh.55.383

Erratum:Classic & contemporary papers of groundwater science (1) The father of well hydraulics: Theis (1935)[Journal of Groundwater Hydrology Vol.55(2013)No.3 p.291-294]

Journal of Groundwater Hydrology ◽

10.5917/jagh.55.383 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 55 (4) ◽

pp. 383-383

Author(s):

Yoshihide SHINSHI

Keyword(s):

Groundwater Hydrology ◽

Well Hydraulics

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Flowing wells: history and role as a root of groundwater hydrology

10.5194/hess-2020-270 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Xiao-Wei Jiang ◽

John Cherry ◽

Li Wan

Keyword(s):

19Th Century ◽

Groundwater Hydrology ◽

New Paradigm ◽

Early 19Th Century ◽

Unconfined Aquifers ◽

Well Hydraulics ◽

Confined Aquifers ◽

The 1960S ◽

Flowing Well

Abstract. The spewing of groundwater in flowing wells is a phenomenon of interest to the public, but little attention has been paid to the role of flowing wells on the science of groundwater. This study reviews that answering to problems related to flowing wells since the early 19th century led to the birth of many fundamental concepts and principles of groundwater hydrology. The concepts stemmed from flowing wells in confined aquifers include permeability and compressibility, while the principles include Darcy's law, role of aquitards on flowing well conditions and the piston flow pattern, steady-state well hydraulics in confined aquifers, and transient well hydraulics towards constant-head wells in confined or leaky aquifers, all of which are applicable even if flowing well conditions have disappeared. Due to the widespread occurrence of aquitards, there is a long-lasting misconception that flowing wells must be geologically-controlled. The occurrence of flowing wells in topographic lows of unconfined aquifers was anticipated in 1940 and later verified in the 1960s, accompanying with the birth of the theory of topographically-driven groundwater flow, which has been considered as a paradigm shift in groundwater hydrology. Based on studies following this new paradigm, several preconditions of flowing wells given in the 19th century have been found to be not necessary at all. This historical perspective of the causes of flowing well conditions and the role of flowing wells on the science of groundwater could lead to a deeper understanding of the evolution of groundwater hydrology.

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