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Some considerations regarding
the radius or influence
or a pumping well Walter DRAGONI (1)

Considrations sur le rayon d'influence d'un puits de pompage

Hydrogologie, n 3, 1998, pp. 21-25, 3 fig., 2 tabl.

Key-words: Methodology, Aquifer drawdown, Water wells, Radius of influence

Mots-cls : Mthodologie, Rabattement nappe, Puits eau, Rayon d'influence

Abstract Si on pose dans (1) Dans de lwmbreux cas, il est plus

The case of a well pumping at a
constant rate without recharge is
examined. lt is shown that the drawdown
s(cj) at the radius of injluence computed
according to the Cooper - Jacob formula
is always given by the formula s(cj)
0.03912 Q/T, where Q and T are the
pumpedflow and rhe rransmissivity ofrhe
aquifer. A radius of influence is defined
according to the drawdown that can be
detected with the usual devices used in
the field. Some methods and some simple
expressions to compute such a radius are
given.
Rsum tendu
Tt
2.24584-
2
=l
r S
on obtient le rayon d'influence :
= 2.24584Tt
(2)
S
L'quation (1) n'est valable que
lorsque u < 0.02, mais quand l'quation
(la) est vrifie, on dmontre que l'on a
roujours u = 0.561459 et par consquenr
l'usage de l'quation (2) peut mener
des erreurs non ngligeables.
Considrons l'quarion de Theis
comnwde de dfinir le rayon d'influence
camme la disrance du puirs laquelle le
rabattemenr est gal une valeur d - o d
est une trs petite dpression choisie au
cas par cas (normalement, d pourrait erre
de quelques centimrres). Appelons R(d)
ce nouveau rayon d'influence. R(d) (rayon
d'influence selon le rabattement) peut
erre calcul de diffrentes faons ..
l'article en prsenre trois.
La premirefaon de calculer R(d) est
par le biais de l'quation de Theis (voir
quations (6) et (7) dans le texte) .. il est
alors ncessaire d'avoir disposition un
tableau avec les valeurs de la fonction
W(u) en fonction de u. Pour celte

Pour ce qui suir, on considrera complte: quation, on dispose galement du code

comme valables les symboles reports
dans le tableau l, tandis que l'on utilisera
pour les tableaux, quations et figures la
meme numration que do.ns le tate.
Dans cet article, 011 examine la
signification du rayon d'influence R(cj)
dans le cas d'un puits pomp dbit
constant, le cours des rabanements dans
le temps et do.ns l'espace tant dcrit par
l'quarion de Theis. On suppose
gnralemenr que le rayon d'influence
(c'esr--dire la distance du puits laquelle
le rabattemenr provoqu par le pompage
est nul ou ngligeable) peut erre calcul au
moyen de l'quation de Cooper-Jacob :
s = ---.2...- in 2.24584Tt
2
4nT r S
de calcul Radius .
s=~w
41tI'
(5)
(u) La deuxime mthode pour calculer
R(d) utilise ce que ['on appelle la loi des
temps (voir quation (IO) dans le texte),
Quand u = 0.561459, on a Wru ) = pour laquelle il est ncessaire d'avoir un
0.491535 ; si on englobe toutes les pizomtre.
constantes prsentes dans (5) en une
constante unique, la distance R(cj) le La troisime mthode, qui donne une
rabattement est fourni par l'quation approximation d'environ 0,2 %, est
suivanre: d'utiliser les formules reportes dans le
tableau 2, qui donnent R(dJ en fonction de
Q
5(.) = 0.03912-
T
(5a) R(cj) et du rapport QIT. Les formules du
CJ tableau (2) ont t obtenues par le
meilleur ajusrement entre In(Q/T) et le
Un puits en pompage peut avoir un rapport R(dIR(cj) (fig. 2). La figure 3
rappor! Q/T suprieur 25 - 30 mrres .. montre combien le rayon d'influence peut
(I)
la dpression s(Cj) peut alors ne pas etre varier selon la dfinition utilise et la
ngligeable et dpasser le mtre (fig. 1). valeur du rapport QIT.

(1) Dipartimento Scienze Terra, Universit di Perugia - Piazza Universit 1 - 06100 - Perugia, ltalia.

HYDROGOLOGIE, N 3, 1998 21
 RADIUS OF INFLUENCE OF A PUMPING WELL
d = drawdown used lo define the radius of influence (m)
In = naturallogarithm
Q = pumped flow (m3/day)
r = any dislance from the well (m)
R(cj) = radius of influence according lo the Cooper - Jacob equalion (m)
R(d) = radius of infiuence according lo the drawdown criteria (m)
s =drawdown in generai (m)
s(cj) = drawdown at the distance R(cj) from the well (m)
S = storage coefficient (dimensionless)
l = lime (days)
T = transmissivity (m2/day)
2
u = ~ (dummy variable in the Theis equation, dimensionless)
4Tt
W(u) = well function of the Theis equation (dimensionless)
Table \.- Symbols used in the lexl.
Tabl. 1.- Symboles utiliss dans le texte.
Introduction
Due lO the use of groundwaler
modeIs, the concept of radius of int1uence
of a well is of Iimited use today.
However, as il is stili of some interest
from a practical point of view to have a
readiIy available idea about the size of
the zone which is perturbed by a pumping
well, the following considerations couId
stili have some use.
This note lakes into consideration a
well pumping in a confined aquifer
without recharge, in unsteady state, in
sueh conditions that tbe Theis equation is
valido However, it seems that similar
considerations could be applied to
uneonfined aquifers or to more eomplex
situations. Table l gives the meaning of
the symbols used in tbe text.
The radius of influence
according to the Cooper-
Jacob equation
The Theis equation implies tbat the
radius of int1uence of a well pumped at a
constanI radius extends to the infinite.
Sinee tbis situation has little significance
in tbe real world, where a very small
drawdown (e.g. a few millimetres or a
few centimetres) can be neglected, it is
usually aeeepted that a realistic
estimation of tbe radius of influence can
be obtained from tbe Cooper - Jacob
equation (Cooper and Jacob, 1946)
22
Putting the Ieft member of equation
(4a) in equation (3), one finds that when
equation (3) is true, then u=0.561459. As
the Cooper - Jacob equation is an
approximation acceptable only if u is
small (let us say < 0.02), it appears tbat,
in generaI, equation (2) is not an
acceptable approximation.
Let us eonsider tbe Theis equation
Q
s=--w
4n'f (u)
(5)
Il can be checked from any table
giving tbe value oftbe Theis funclion lhat
if u = 0.561459, then W(u) = 0.491535. In
this condition equation (5) becomes
Q 2.24584Tt Q
S=--in---- (1) S(cj) = O.03912~ (5a)
2
4nT r S
According to equation (1), at any
lime t, tbe radius of influence R(cj) is This last formula gives the true
given by drawdown at tbe R(cj) distanee eomputed
according to equation (2); as expected, it
shows that the actual drawdown at R(cj) is
2.24584Tt
(2) proportional to tbe ratio Qff. It is also
S noteworthy to consider tbal, according to
formula (5a), as long as the drawdown is
Equation (2) implies that R(cj) is described by the Theis equation, s(cj) does
independent of the flow pumped out from noI depend on S, l and R(cj)'
tbe weI!. In the case of pumping tests
carried out close to a boundary, formula To get an idea about the greatest
(2) is sometimes used lO estimate the order of magnitude of s(cj)' let us
distanee between the imaginary well and consider that in most cases, for a well of
the point where the drawdown is some importance, the value of Q/T is
measured (de Marsily, 1986). roughly between 1 m and 30 m, in rare
cases being larger than 60 m or smaller
Formula (2) relies on the fact tbat
than l m. This range is taken from my
when and where s =O in equation (1) tbe
own personal experience and from a
foliowing must be true
survey of published data about pumping
wells (cf., for example, WaJton, 1970;
Civita, 1975; Castany, 1982; Raghunath,
Tt
2.24584-2- = l (3) 1982; Custodio and Llamas, 1983;
r S Celico, 1986; Kruseman and de Ridder,
1990; Vukovic and Soro, 1992; Gichaba
In the Theis equation tbe dummy
variable u is given by et al., 1996). Figure l is a plot of
formula (1): it is clear that, in tbe noI
2
r S extreme and not-so-uneommon case of a
u=- (4) ratio Qff larger than 20 or 25 ID, s(cj) can
4Tl
be around l m or more: this means that
which can also be written as equation (2) can easily give
unsatisfaclory results, especially if one
TI is dealing with problems regarding
(4a) interference, superposition and
4u = r 2S boundaries.
HYDROGOLOGIE, N 3, 1998
 RADIUS OF INFLUENCE OF A PUMPING WELL

drawdown d at tbe distance R(d) from tbe

wel!.
------1
At some time (t,) in tbe piezometer
5 I
we shall have tbc drawdown (d) tbat
i defines tbe radius of influence R(d)' At t],
the drawdown is described by Theis
equation
-~~~ - - _ --- _.- --_.~-+-~~_ _ _---
(8)
-~-c:;7""'------. -_....
I
'T-j
20 40 60 80 100 120 where W(u\) is tbe well function for

Qff (m)
u)
r,
=--
S
2
(8a)
4Tt]
Fig. 1.- Plot of the ratio Qff vs. slei)' For values of Qff larger than 20 m the drawdown at tbe radius of
influence according to tbe Cooper - Jacob equation can be around one metre or more. If we want to know R(d) at tbe time tz,
Fig. 1.- Relation entre Qff el s(cjJ- Pour les valeurs de Qff suprieures 20 m, le raballemeni une which is larger tban t" we can consider
disrance gale au rayon d'influence calcul par l'quation de Cooper Jacob peul elre d'un mtre ou tbat at tbe unknown distance R(d) the
plus. drawdown is stili given by tbe Theis
equation, i.e.
d = 0.01 R(d) = R(cj) (-O.OI40X 2 + 0.3673X + 1.5522) (lOa)

d = 0.02 R(d) = R(cj) (-O.0161X 2 + 0.3957X + 1.2826) (lOb)

(9)

d = 0.03 R(d) = R(cj) (-0.0174X 2 + 0.4138X + 1.1152) (lOc)

where W(uz) is tbe well function for
d = 0.04 R(d) = R(cj) (-0.0182X 2 + 0.4270X + 0.9923) (lOd)

d = 0.05 R(d) = R(cj) (-O.0188X2 + 0.4373X + 0.8945) (10e)

(9b)
Table 2. Approximate formulas for computing ~d) for 1 ":;;Qrr ,.:; 35 m. In tbe table, X=ln(Qrr).
TabL 2.- Formules donnant R(dJ pour l SQIl' 535 m avec X=ln(Q:T). Comparing formulas (8) and (9) shows
that W(u\) =
W(uz); tbis implies that

The radius of influence u j = ~, so that by combining (8a) and (9b)

according to the drawdown
criteria
From a practical point of view, we can
define tbe "radius of influence" as tbe
distance beyond which tbe drawdown is
so small tbat it cannot be detected; let us
define such a small drawdown as d and
the corresponding radius as R(d)' When T,
S, and Q are known, R(d) can be
computed in various ways. For instance,
it is possible to compute W(u) directly
from tbe Theis equation
4nTd
W(u) = - -
Q r [ = distance between tbe well and tbe
When W(u) is known, it is possible to
obtain the corresponding value of u by
means of tables or witb some computer
program, easy to implement even on a
hand-held calculator (cf., for instance,
Dragoni, 1985, 1986). When u is known
we have
(7)
From equation (6) it is obvious that
R(d) depends also on Q. The procedure
bere outlined is performed by tbe code
"Radius", based on tbe Bolzano bisection
metbod (Dragoni, 1985; tbis code can be
freely downloaded at the web site
indicated at tbe end of the present paper).
In the field, with a piezometer,
another metbod for computing R(d) is by
using tbe so calied "law of times".
Let us define tbe following symbols:
(6)
piezometer;
t] = time, from tbe beginning of pumping,
corresponding to a drawdown d in tbe
piezometer.
tz = time when we want to know R(d)' i.e.
time when tbe pumping generates a
the following can easily be obtained
(lO)
Since rl' t] and d can be measured,
and tz depends on the choice of the
operator (as well as d), equation (8)
allows immediate computation of R(d)'
Anotber easy metbod (only a hand-
held calculator is necessary) for
estimating R(d) is to apply the appropriate
formula from among those listed in
Table 2.
The formulas in Table 2 have bcen
obtained by polynomial regression
between In(Qrr) and R(d)lR(cj)' and
witbin tbe ranges indicated they give an
error no greater then 0.2% of tbe "true
value", where tbe "true value" is tbe one
tbat can be obtained computing u from
W(u) by some numerical metbod and

HYDROGOLOGIE, N 3,1998 23
 RADIUS OF INFLUENCE OF A PUMPING WELL

2.80 4S00
A
2.ffJ 4000 A
B
2.40 C 3S00

221 - 3000

2500
2.00 g B

~
o: 2000
].g)

IS00 D
I.ffJ
1000
1.40 !/ ~ C
121 SOO~

1.00
6 lO 12
Time (day,)
o.m
O lO 15 20 25 30 35 40 Fig. 3.- Evolution in time of the radius of inf1uence in different
QIT (ml conditions and according to different definitions. The simulations have
been carried out supposing an ideai aquifer having T = 100 m2/day, S =
Fig. 2.- Relationship between the ratio Q/T and the ratio R(d/R(ej)'
0.001 and d = 0.01 m. A) R(O.OI) for Q = 3500 m3/day, Q/T = 35;
I) "exact" values of R(d/R(ej): 2) value obtained by formulas in Table 2.
B) R(o.OI) for Q = 100 m3/day, Q/T = l; Cl R IO .Ol ) for Q = lO ml/day,
Fig. 2.- Relation entre QfT et R(dIR(e})' Q/T = 0.1; D) R(ej)' independent from the pumping rate. lt is interesting
1) Valeurs "exactes" de RldIR(e}); 2) Valeurs donnes par lesformules lO note that the drawdown s(ej) at ~ej) depends on the ralio Q/T: thus s(ej)
du tableau 2. = 1.37 m for Q/T = 35, s(ej) = 0.391 m for Q/T = lO m, and s(ej) =
0.0039 m for Q/T= 0.1 m (cf. equalion (5a)).

Fig. 3.- Variation au cours du temps du rayon d'injluence sous dif.frentes conditions et selon dif.fremes dfinitions. !..es simulations ont t rales en
supposam un aquifre idal o T = 100 m 2/j, S = 0,001 et d = 0,01 m. A) R(O.Ol) pour Q = 3500 m 3/j, Q/T = 35; B) R(O.Ol) pour Q = 100 m 3/j, QIT = 1; C)
R(O.Ol) pour Q = lO m 3/j, Q/T = O, l; D) R(e})o indpendant du dbit pomp. 11 faut noter que le rabattement s(e}) R(e}) dpend de Q/T. Ainsi s(e)) = 1,37 m
pour QfT = 35, s(e}) = 0,391 m pour QIT = lO m et s(e}) = 0,0039 m pour Q/T = 0,1 m (cf quation (5a)).

applying equation (7). Here the above-
mentioned code "Radius" was used;
comparison between the values given by
the code and the results that are obtained
using the tabu1ated values of W(u) and u,
has shown that the difference is less than
0.01 % (cf., for example, the tab1e m
Custodio and Llamas, 1983, p. 945).
It is interesting to note that the
formulas in Tab1e 2 app1y for any time
and any value of T and S, as long as R(cj)
has been computed in the proper way, i.e.
by means of equation (2). This is possib1e
because the ratio of equations (7) and (2)
lS
In formula (11), the value of u(d)
depends on the value of W(u) obtained
from equation (6), which does not depend
on t, T and S, but only on d and the ratio
Qrr.
Figure 2 shows a plot of the ratio Qrr
against the ratio R(d)lR(cj)' and the best fit
according to the equations in Table 2;
Figure 3 gives an example of the
evolution in time of R(cj) and R(d)'
Figures 2 and 3 show that:
a - for small values of d, and large va1ues
of the ratio Qrr, R(d) can be a1most
three times larger than R(cj);
b - it may happen that R(cj) > R(d):
according to equation (5a) this occurs
when the drawdown at R(cj) is greater
than d, i.e. when d < O.039IQrr.

References
Castany G. (1982) - Principes et mthodes de l'hydrogologie. Dunod Universit, pp. 238.

Celico P. (1986) - Prospezioni idrogeologiche. VoI. I, Liguori, pp. 735.

Civita M. (1975) - Idrogeologia. In "Geologia tecnica per ingegneri e geologi", Ippolito E, Nicotera P., Lucini, Civita M., de Riso R., ISEDI - Milano, pp. 443.

Cooper H.H., Jacob c.E. (1946) - A generalized graphical method for evaluating formation constants and summarising well-field history. Trans. Am. Geoph.
Union, 27, 526-534.

Custodio E., Llamas M.R. (1983) - Hidrologia subterranea. v.l. I, Ediciones Omega, pp. 1157.

de Marsily G. (1986) - Quantitalive Hydrogeology - Groundwater Hydrology for Engineers. Academic Press, pp. 440.

Publication n. 1879 of CNR-GNDCI, U.O. 4.8. The research was partially supported by MURST 60% funding. Most of the computations in this paper were
carried out by using the code "Radius", which can be freely downloaded at the web site ..http://www.gndci.pg.cnr.itf.

24 HYDROGOLOGIE, N" 3, 1998

 RADIUS OF INFLUENCE OF A PUMPING WELL

Dragoni W. (1985) - Contributo al calcolo dei parametri idrogeologici tramite prove di pompaggio. - Geologia Applicata e Idrogeologia, XX (I), 125-136.
Dragoni W. (1986) - Sul calcolo della trasmissivit e del coefficiente d'immagazzinamento dalla risalita del cono di depressione. Mem. Soc. Geol. /t., 35,
987-990.
Gichaba C.M., Anyumba J., Peloso G.F. (1996) - Groundwater potential in Kidiani area, Kwale district, Kenya. Acque sotterranee, 2, 13-26.
Kruseman G.P., de Ridder N.A. (1980) - Analysis and Evaluation of Pumping Test Data. ILRl, Wageningen, pub. no. 47, pp. 377.
Raghunath H.M. (1982) - Ground Water. Wiley Eastem Limited. pp. 456.
Vukovic M., Soro A. (1992) - Hydraulics of Water Wells, Theory and Application. Water Resources Publications, pp. 353.
Walton w.c. (1970) - Groundwater Resources Evaluation. McGraw-Hill Kogalrusha, pp. 664.

HYDROGOLOGIE, N 3,1998 25

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