HYDROGEOLOGICAL

INVESTIGATIONS
 The hydrogeological investigations that enable predictions to be
made either of the influence of ground-water upon engineering
works, or its potential as a source for water supply, should be
designed to assess the following:
 the location and thickness of aquifer horizons and zones, their
confinement and their hydrogeological boundaries;
 the levels of water in the ground, their variation over an area and
their fluctuation with time;
 the storage and transmissive characters of the ground; and
 the quality of the ground-water. To obtain this information
investigations must be conducted at the surface and below ground
level
SURFACE INVESTIGATION

 To make a hydrogeological map of the area so as to show the

distribution of aquifers, of geological boundaries, especially those
created by stratigraphy and faulting, and of hydrological
boundaries such as rivers, lakes and spring lines.
 To draw one or more vertical sections across the area to illustrate
geological structure, the thickness and confinement of aquifers, and
the dip of hydrogeological boundaries
 To reconstruct the geological history of the area, particularly for the
last 2 my, when sea level has fluctuated in relation to the land and
ground-water levels were different from those at present.
 To complete the surface investigations all these data are collated
and from them predictions made of the probable location and
movement of ground-water
SUB-SURFACE INVESTIGATIONS

 the level of water in the ground (Fig. 13.14);

 the depth, thickness and lateral extent of aquifers and aquicludes;
 the permeability of these zones and the storage of aquifers;
 the chemistry of the aquifers and their contained water, and their
temperature, if required.
 The observation and interpretation of water-levels is one of the most
important tasks in these investigations. Much may be learnt from the
levels of water encountered whilst drilling a bore-hole; illustrates
common situations.
 (1) The level of water in a bore-hole that penetrates an aquifer in
which there is no vertical component of ground-water flow, will not
change as the bore-hole progresses.
 (2) When there is a downward component to insitu flow water levels
in a bore-hole will lower as the hole progresses: the opposite will
happen when there is an upward component to flow
 (3) A confined aquifer may support a water level that rises up the
hole as it approaches the aquifer: ths water is either artesian or sub-
artesian
 A piezometer may be installed into a bore-hole to provide an
accurate measure of pressure head at its location in the ground
and enable variations in total head ( = water level) to be measured
over a period.

 The illustration illustrates how such instruments may be used to

monitor hydraulic conditions around a tunnel.