Well design as a factor contributing to loss of water from the Floridan Aquifer, eastern Clay County, Florida

Foster, James B. (1962) Well design as a factor contributing to loss of water from the Floridan Aquifer, eastern Clay County, Florida. Tallahassee, FL, Florida Geological Survey, (Information Circular - Florida Geological Survey, 35)

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Abstract

A number of wells penetrating the Floridan aquifer in eastern Clay County were found to be losing water to permeable zones above this aquifer. A differential in artesian pressure was observed in closely spaced wells of similar depth. Further investigation. revealed that the pressure differential in the wells was due to the design of the wells, of which there were four principal types. A comparison of the four types of wells in relation to the subsurface geology showed that three types of wells were open to the permeable zones above the Floridan aquifer. In such wells water of relatively high head from the Floridan aquifer moves up through the well bore and out into zones of relatively low head. The estimated water loss from poorly designed wells ranged from 32 to 180 gpm (gallons per minute). The artesian head loss in leaky wells ranged from 3 to 15 feet. A total loss of water of 39 mgd (million gallons per day) was estimated from all the leaky wells in the area. A significant decline of the piezometric surface of the Floridan aquifer was observed in eastern Clay County. Some of this decline can be attributed to the loss of water from the Floridan aquifer through these poorly designed wells. (Document has 16 pages.)

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