An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing groundwater that will flow upwards out of a well without the need for pumping.

Why is a well artesian?

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In recharging aquifers, this happens because the water table at its recharge zone is at a higher elevation than the head of the well.

Pascal's law predicts the theoretical hydrostatic pressure P:

$P\; =\; \backslash rho\; \backslash cdot\; g\; \backslash cdot\; (z\_\backslash mathrm\{recharge\}-z\_\backslash mathrm\{wellhead\})$

where $\backslash rho$ (rho) is the density of the fluid, g the acceleration due to gravity, and z is the elevation. In practical terms the pressure is expressed as metres water column (z_r − z_w).

"Fossil water" aquifers can also be artesian if they are under sufficient pressure from the surrounding rocks. This is similar to how many newly tapped oil wells are pressurized.

Origin

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Artesian wells were named after the former province of Artois in France, where many artesian wells were drilled by Carthusian monks since 1126 (see also ). The technique was also known much earlier in Syria and Egypt (see ), although whether the monks of Artois learned of it from outside sources, or discovered it independently, is unknown.

See also

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• Fluid mechanics
• Hydrogeology
• Qanat
• Great Artesian Basin

Notes

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• Frances and Joseph Gies, Cathedral, Forge, and Waterwheel subtitled "Technology and Invention in the Middle Ages". Harper Perennial, 1995 ISBN 0060165901, page 112.
• For references on ancient uses, see:
  • Michel Wuttmann, "The Qanats of 'Ayn-Manâwîr, Kharga Oasis, Egypt", in Jasr 2001, p. 1 (pdf).
  • Discoveries in the Western Desert of Egypt

Aquifers | Water supply | Hydrology

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