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Technique for Measuring Hydraulic Conductivity

Hydraulic conductivity is the rate at which water moves through a porous object. The French engineer, Henry Darcy, quantified factors for groundwater movement, which has come to be known as Darcy's Law. From Darcy's Law, the equation for hydraulic conductivity can be measured using the volume of water per unit of time, the cross-sectional area of the porous medium under a unit hydraulic gradient. This is expressed in meters cubed per meters squared per day (m3/m2/day). There are different techniques that measure factors to calculate hydraulic conductivity in the field, from computer models or laboratory data.

Seepage Meters and Minipiezometers
- Seepage meters measure the flux between the surface water feature and the aquifer. The seepage meter measures the change in water volume contained in a bag attached to the chamber on the meter over a period of time. Mini piezometers measure the head gradient measurements between the sediment bed and the surface water body. Combining the two measurements from the seepage meter and mini piezometers will allow you to calculate the hydraulic conductivity using Darcy's Law.
Infiltration Test
- Infiltration tests are a technique that uses infiltrometers or permeameters to measure hydraulic conductivity. The meter measures the rate that water infiltrates down either the sediment or soil. There are different types of permeameters that can be used to test the water infiltration, such as well disc and ring permeameters. This technique can also be employed in the laboratory using core samples collected from the field site.
Pump Test
- A pump test tests groundwater using a piezometer. The rate at which the groundwater is pumped is observed and recorded. The groundwater level in the piezometer is also observed and recorded. The pump test illustrates how the aquifer responds to groundwater. The data recorded can then be used to estimate hydraulic conductivity using different formulas. The type of formula that is used depends on the type of aquifer, its geometry and boundaries.
Grain Size Analysis
- The grain size in a water body can be analyzed to estimate the hydraulic conductivity. The The grain size is analyzed by looking at the distribution of grains within sediment using grain sieves. Sieves filter out water and catch grains. There is a formula then used to determine the hydraulic conductivity using the grain size diameter, dimension coefficient and a temperature correction factor.

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