Pump Tests: how much water will this well produce?

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When the water production potential of a well is unknown, there are two methods to determine the recovery rate of that well. 

WELL EVALUATION

The more simple method is considered a “snapshot” of the well’s ability to produce water as it is drawn out. This is achieved by pumping the well at a given rate while monitoring how far down the water is drawn in the well, and then how quickly it recovers. This is a non-invasive procedure which usually utilizes the existing pump, while the water level is measured with a sounder type device which reads the water’s surface by sound waves. The results are normally achieved within one to two hours and puts no more strain on the well than running a garden hose for that time. 

Well evaluations are an accurate measure of the production rate of a well at the particular time and conditions in which the evaluations are performed, and are often used in real estate transactions to confirm a desired amount of water production for simple domestic use.

PUMP TESTING

Pump tests are a more complex and thorough way to determine not only the immediate water production capabilities of a well, but they also give an insight into the long-term viability of the well, and in many cases, the aquifer underground. 

Pump tests may be required for agricultural, commercial, industrial, or high density domestic applications. The pump test is conducted under the direction of an engineer or hydrogeologist who determines the pumping rate and duration of the test. Other wells nearby may be monitored to observe the effects of the test over various distances, and the tests typically last from six to seventy-two hours or more. 

We conduct the pump test under the direction of an engineer or hydrogeologist who determines the pumping rate and duration of the test. Other wells nearby may be monitored to observe the effects of the test over various distances, and the tests typically last from six to seventy-two hours or more.