ABSTRACT
The capillary fringe in the unsaturated zone extends from the water table up to the limit of capillary rise of water. The thickness of the capillary fringe varies inversely with the pore size. Water is discharged from the soil to the atmosphere by the process of evapotranspiration, a term combining evaporation from the capillary fringe above the water table and transpiration from plants whose roots penetrate to the capillary fringe or the water table. Neuman and Boulton and Streltsova present equations describing drawdown in a water table aquifer with delayed gravity yield and partially penetrating wells. When water levels decline below the top of a uniformly porous nonleaky artesian aquifer, a partial conversion from artesian to water table conditions occurs. The impact of mounding on groundwater flow patterns and contaminant migration needs to be considered in evaluating the effectiveness of different remedial measures.
