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Cleat Orientation and Areal Hydraulic Anisotropy of a Wyoming Coal Aquifer
Author(s) -
Stone Randolph,
Snoeberger David F.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1977.tb03191.x
Subject(s) - hydraulic conductivity , anisotropy , geology , conductivity , coal , aquifer , geotechnical engineering , soil science , mineralogy , groundwater , chemistry , soil water , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The anisotropic, areal hydraulic conductivity of the Felix No. 2 coal (Eocene, Wasatch Formation) has been defined in a four‐well pump test at a site in the Powder River Basin of northeastern Wyoming. The direction of maximum hydraulic conductivity of the subbituminous coal bed bears N59°E and is associated with a horizontal hydraulic conductivity of 0.27 m/day. The direction of minimum hydraulic conductivity bears N31°W and is associated with a horizontal hydraulic conductivity of 0.15 m/day. The direction of maximum hydraulic conductivity approximately corresponds to the trend of the prominent face cleat in the coal, while the direction of minimum hydraulic conductivity corresponds to the trend of the butt cleat. The cleat orientation appears related to the alignment of major structural features of the region. Prediction of the direction of both maximum and minimum horizontal hydraulic conductivity in near‐horizontal coal beds appears possible. However, either the cleat orientation of the bed or the alignment of the controlling fold structure must be known or obtainable.