Week 1

Flowing Wells

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Module Summary
• Describes flowing wells and how to predict
the likelihood of encountering a flowing
well.
• How to handle flowing wells during the
construction process, taking the local
geological conditions into consideration.

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Learning Objectives
• Define a flowing well and describe its
attributes
• Describe how to predict the likelihood of
encountering a flowing well by using well
logs and identifying local geological
conditions
• Explain why it is necessary to regulate
flowing wells

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Flowing Wells
• Flowing wells occur when water pressure
in the aquifer causes the water level to rise
above the top of the well.
• Improper well construction can result in
uncontrolled flow of water from the well
and sometimes around the outside of the
casing and even in the area surrounding
the well.

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Flowing Wells cont.
• A flowing well (also known as flowing artesian well)
is a well that has penetrated into a confined aquifer
(also known as an artesian aquifer)
• An artesian aquifer is overlain by rock or soil layers
that confine the flow of water within the aquifer,
resulting in an aquifer that is "pressurized"
• A non-flowing artesian well occurs when the
pressure is not great enough to force the water out of
the well

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Flowing
Flowing Wells videos:
Wells cont…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g
q1iugioMY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
l4FOL_UPB0
Ontario Ministry of Environment and
Climate Change:
Best Management Practices Chapter
12:
https://www.ontario.ca/document/water
-supply-wells-requirements-and-best-
practices/flowing-wells
Technical Bulletin:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/flowing-
wells

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Artesian Aquifer

• An artesian aquifer is overlain by rock or

soil layers that confine the flow of water
within the aquifer, resulting in an aquifer
that is "pressurized":

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Confined or Artesian Aquifer
Confined or
Artesian
Aquifer

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Non-Flowing Artesian Well
• A non-flowing artesian well occurs when
the pressure is not great enough to force
the water out of the well.

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Non-Flowing Artesian Well

Non-
Flowing
Artesian
Well

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Predicting a Flowing Well

• There are two ways you may predict the likelihood

of a flowing well:

1. Examine Well Records of wells in the adjacent area

1. Analyze the surrounding physical setting. Possible

indicators include a valley location or areas where
nearby surface water is at a higher elevation

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Well Record Information
• Obtaining Well Records for adjacent wells
(within approx. 500 m.) can help you understand
the types of aquifers that surrounding wells are
built into.
• Use topographic maps to determine site
elevations.
• The MOE Well record Data Base
• https://www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/map-
well-records

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Exercise 14-1:
Predicting a Flowing Well
• Consider a planned well site that has a
surface elevation of 218 m (718 feet)
above sea level
• The Well Record of an adjacent well
shows its surface elevation is 225 m (738
feet), and its static water level is 5 m (16
feet)
• Could your planned construction site have
a flowing well?
Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
Why Regulate Flowing Wells?
• Regulation 903 states that you must
“construct the well to accommodate and
be compatible with an appropriate device
that:
– controls the discharge of water from within the
well casing,
– is capable of stopping the discharge of water
from within the well casing, and
– is capable of withstanding the freezing of
water in the well casing”.
Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Constructing a Flowing Well

You are responsible for all work and costs

associated with the prevention of any
uncontrolled flow from a well and/or the
decommissioning of a flowing well in
accordance with Regulation 903.

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Flow Control
Regulation 903 states that flowing wells
must have an appropriate device installed
that controls the discharge of water from
within the well casing and is capable of
stopping the discharge from within the well
casing. This device must be capable of
withstanding the freezing of water in the well

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Why is stopping or controlling
artesian flow important?
• An uncontrolled artesian well flowing at
10 US gallons per minute (55 m3/day)
wastes 14,400 US gallons every day and
5.25 million US gallons (2.0 x 104 m3) per
year

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Lessons Learned
Flowing wells have a static water level
above the surface of the adjacent ground
There are two ways you may predict the
likelihood of a flowing well:
1. Examining Well Records
2. Analyzing the surrounding physical
setting

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Lessons Learned
The stoppage of flow is essential because
flowing wells:
• Diminish the pressure within the aquifer
• Waste water
• Encourage erosion of the land surface

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Lessons Learned
• Saturate the land surface causing a
previously drained or dry area to swamp –
causing many potential problems (can
even create a quicksand situation)
• Encourage and facilitate the flow of
contaminants back down the well into the
aquifer below (under certain
circumstances)

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells
 Lessons Learned
In constructing a flowing well, you must take into
consideration:
• Water flow, pressure
• Local geological conditions
• Type of aquifer (confined or unconfined)
• Type of construction
• Type of grout
• Casing
• Flow control measures
• Completing a flowing well

Module 14 -Flowing
Wells