DETERMINING AQUIFER CHARACTERISTICS BY TIDAL METHOD

If ground‐water levels of a confined aquifer fluctuate with sea tides, individual values of hydraulic conductivity and specific storage can then be determined. Apparent tidal efficiency and time lag are first calculated from the water level data recorded at an observational device situated inland from the sea, taking into account the response characteristics of the observational device according to criteria established by Hvorslev [1951]. The true tidal efficiency of the aquifer at the seacoast is then determined from the apparent tidal efficiency and used to obtain the specific storage. This and the tidal time lag are utilized to calculate the hydraulic conductivity. The method was tested in Prince Edward Island, Canada, and yielded results compatible with pump test data. This is a simple and inexpensive way to test a confined aquifer in the coastal environment. Copyright 1969 by the American Geophysical Union.