Analytic elements for multiaquifer flow

Mark Bakker and Otto D. L. Strack

^a Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
^b Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA

Received 14 January 2002;  revised 30 September 2002;  accepted 11 October 2002. ; Available online 17 December 2002.

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to present an analytic element formulation for groundwater flow in multiaquifer systems. Analytic element equations are presented for wells, line-sinks, and circular infiltration areas. Each analytic element is a solution to the governing system of differential equations, and thus simulates the leakage between aquifers exactly; the head, discharge, and leakage may be computed analytically at any point in the aquifer. Superposition of these analytic elements allows for the simulation of regional multiaquifer flow. A hypothetical example is presented of a system with three aquifers, a river network, and three pumping wells. It is demonstrated that the leakage between aquifers may vary significantly over short distances and that each aquifer has its own water divide.

Author Keywords: Groundwater; Multiaquifer flow; Leakage; Analytic element method