Determining hydraulic conductivity by electrical resistivity measures.

Abstract

Hydraulic conductivity is a driving parameter in water porous flow in an aquifer. This is included in Darcy's porous flow equation which is an empirical law derived from experiments in flow of water trough filter sands by Henry Darcy in 1856. This law is analogous to other laws which govern some other natural flows such as heat flow, electrical current flow, massic flow, etc. These flows have in common that they depend on a quantity called conductivity and a gradient. The analogy among them allows supposing that there is some interference and coupling among them, therefore allowing the establishment of some relationships between electrical and hydraulic properties from experimental observations. Some experimental data are presented that show the empirical relationships between the formation factor and the hydraulic conductivity for 16 different locations where the textural material of the aquifer was determined. The hydraulic and electrical parameter relationships constitute a practical help for drilling new wells south of the Guasave Valley in the State of Sinaloa.