Dynamic Planet B/C

[HannahD413]

From what I understand, it is sort of like squares and rectangles, where one is always the other but not vice versa. Artesian Aquifers are confined aquifers that contain water than can flow through a well without the need for pumping (an artesian well).

An artesian aquifer is a special type of confined aquifer, so maybe there are some confined aquifers that do not have enough water to cause the pressure that allows it to flow upward.

I know you said you figured it out, but this could be for anyone else who has the same question, also to make sure I am understanding it correctly.

[HannahD413]

Am I the only one who can't see the "image"? Can you put just the link to the picture because the description is kinda hard to understand without it. Thanks for trying either way

Let's see if this will work.

https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/valocchi/cee457/gw_geol.html The 1st image shows an artesian aquifer

Ok this is kind of late but in the picture it shows a "non-flowing artesian well" but I thought that the whole point of artesian wells was that they did flow and didn't need a pump. But if this is not true then what's the difference between a "non-flowing artesian well" and a regular well that has to be pumped?

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/artesian.gif
I think this shows it a bit more clearly, it is just that is is under the water table, however this picture shows it as a non-artesian aquifer. If this is something else, can someone clarify the potentiometric surface.

**EDIT: In this case, the water table and potentiometic surface are the same, although potentiometric surface would be more appropriate, because it is only in unconfined aquifers that they are truly synonyms.**

[personasaurus rex]

From what I understand, it is sort of like squares and rectangles, where one is always the other but not vice versa. Artesian Aquifers are confined aquifers that contain water than can flow through a well without the need for pumping (an artesian well).

An artesian aquifer is a special type of confined aquifer, so maybe there are some confined aquifers that do not have enough water to cause the pressure that allows it to flow upward.

I know you said you figured it out, but this could be for anyone else who has the same question, also to make sure I am understanding it correctly.

hmm actually, from what I understand, artesian aquifer and confined aquifer are synonymous. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here. Not all wells drilled into an artesian aquifer can flow freely, such as non-flowing artesian wells. The free-flowing part is all about the location of the top of the well in relations to the potentiometric surface.

[HannahD413]

You could be right, really, but I have seen it written as:
"A special kind of confined aquifer is an artesian system, shown below. Artesian systems are desirable because they result in free flowing artesian springs and artesian wells."
It is from a somewhat reliable source, Tulane University.
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/geol111/groundwater.htm

Could you post the source that says that they are synonymous?

I am with you on the free-flowing vs non-free-flowing wells, and there is a chance that this could be misleading, and I would hope to know so, in order to not use it in studying.

[personasaurus rex]

You could be right, really, but I have seen it written as:
"A special kind of confined aquifer is an artesian system, shown below. Artesian systems are desirable because they result in free flowing artesian springs and artesian wells."
It is from a somewhat reliable source, Tulane University.
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/geol111/groundwater.htm

Could you post the source that says that they are synonymous?

I am with you on the free-flowing vs non-free-flowing wells, and there is a chance that this could be misleading, and I would hope to know so, in order to not use it in studying.

I'm pretty sure it was this:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthgwaquifer.html
They used "confined" and "artesian" interchangeably and in one of the paragraphs they said something like aquifers trapped between two layers of impermeable rock is said to be under artesian pressure, and is know as artesian aquifer, or something like that.

[HannahD413]

Okay, I see where you are coming from, but if I may ask, is there a possibility that this website is more geared to the general public rather than people looking for more depth, possibly a depth that is reached by this event, and they are just simplifying it by implying the differences are irrelevant.

I am sure people do this, as I have seen many websites do it, I just wonder if that could be the case here.

Also, my source is not as good as I would hope, as it only says they are different, rather than showing why, so that is one of its pitfalls.

[personasaurus rex]

possibly... Now I'm all confused again D= haha

[personasaurus rex]

okay juuuust kidding I did some more research today and yes you're right, they're different. And I don't remember what you said the reason was but here it is:
Confined aquifers are just any aquifer that is trapped in between two layers of aquitards. However, an artesian aquifer has enough pressure that the water rises higher than usual in a well, forming a potentiometric surface, while in a normal confined aquifer the water level in a well tapped into it only rises to the top of the aquifer.
Thanks HannahD413!

[HannahD413]

That is what I thought, it had to do with pressure.

Thank you for clarifying and confirming.

[crazy77]

http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/images/artesian.gif
I think this shows it a bit more clearly, it is just that is is under the water table, however this picture shows it as a non-artesian aquifer. If this is something else, can someone clarify the potentiometric surface.

**EDIT: In this case, the water table and potentiometic surface are the same, although potentiometric surface would be more appropriate, because it is only in unconfined aquifers that they are truly synonyms.**[/quote]

I thought potentiometric surfaces only applied to confined aquifers. Once again I'm confused

Also what should we know about "stream gauging and monitoring"?