All Terms
Water Measurement
The volume of water that covers one acre to a depth of one foot — about 325,851 gallons.
Geology
An underground layer of permeable rock or sediment that holds and transmits groundwater.
Well Types
A well drilled into a confined aquifer where water rises above the top of the aquifer under natural pressure.
Construction
A clay-based sealant pumped into the annular space around well casing to prevent surface water contamination.
Construction
The drilled hole in the ground before casing and screen are installed.
Drilling Methods
A traditional percussion drilling method that lifts and drops a heavy bit on a cable to pulverize rock.
Construction
The pipe installed in the borehole that keeps the well open and isolates it from surrounding formations.
Geology
An aquifer trapped between impermeable layers, holding water under pressure.
Hydrology
The drop in water level inside a well caused by pumping.
Well Types
A shallow well made by hammering a small-diameter pipe with a screen point into soft, water-bearing soil.
Well Types
A well constructed by a powered rotary or cable-tool rig that can reach hundreds or thousands of feet.
Water Measurement
The standard rate at which a well or pump delivers water.
Construction
Sized gravel placed in the annulus around the well screen to filter sediment and improve yield.
Hydrology
Water stored beneath the land surface in soil pore spaces and rock fractures.
Water Quality
Water with elevated dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals.
Rehabilitation
Injecting high-pressure water into a low-yield well to open natural fractures and improve flow.
Water Quality
Naturally occurring bacteria that oxidize dissolved iron and form reddish slime in wells and plumbing.
Pumps
A surface-mounted pump that uses a venturi to draw water from a shallow well.
Pumps
A bladder tank that stores pressurized water so the pump does not run every time a tap is opened.
Hydrology
The process by which precipitation and surface water replenish an aquifer.
Drilling Methods
Drilling with a rotating bit and circulating fluid or air to cut and remove rock.
Well Types
A well typically less than 50 feet deep that draws from near-surface unconfined groundwater.
Well Types
A drilled well that reaches a confined or deeper unconfined aquifer, typically more than 100 feet deep.
Hydrology
A well's yield in gallons per minute per foot of drawdown — a measure of well efficiency.
Permits
The Utah State Engineer document that authorizes a licensed driller to begin a specific well.
Hydrology
The natural water level in a well when no pumping is occurring.
Pumps
A sealed motor-and-pump unit that hangs below the water level inside the well casing.
Pumps
A type of electrical service that delivers power on three offset alternating currents — common for larger pumps.
Geology
An aquifer whose upper boundary is the water table, open to atmospheric pressure.
Permits
Legal authorization from the Utah State Engineer to put a specific quantity of water to beneficial use.
Construction
The post-drilling process of cleaning fines from the screen and gravel pack to maximize yield.
Permits
The required state record of formations encountered, construction details, and yield-test results.
Rehabilitation
Restoring a tired or low-yield well using mechanical, chemical, and hydraulic methods.
Construction
The slotted or perforated section of casing across the producing zone that lets water in and keeps sediment out.
Hydrology
The sustainable rate at which a well can produce water without excessive drawdown.