Lecture 24: Aquifer Boundaries

This lecture provides an overview of aquifer boundaries, emphasizing that while aquifers are often modelled as infinite, all actual aquifers have boundaries. These boundaries can be categorized into recharge boundaries, where an aquifer is hydraulically connected to a surface water body, and impermeable boundaries, where an aquifer meets impermeable material. The lecture introduces the image-well theory, which uses imaginary wells to model finite aquifers as infinite, to handle drawdown calculations near boundaries. It discusses the limitations of this method, noting that real boundaries may not be perfectly impermeable or fully connected to recharge sources, leading to potential discrepancies in boundary positioning. Understanding these boundaries is crucial for accurate analysis of aquifer behaviour and yield.