7. Steady two-dimensional flow to wells in uniform background flow

In the previous chapter, wells were pumping in aquifers where there was no flow in absence of the wells. In all aquifers, groundwater is always moving in some direction (although sometimes imperceptibly slow) prior to the installation of a well. This is referred to as the background flow. In this chapter, solutions are presented for the case that the background flow is uniform. A number of cases of wells in an otherwise uniform flow are considered, including wells near rivers and streams, and wells near the coast. Problems at the end of the chapter are solved through the use of a complex potential, which is a convenient and efficient way to combine the discharge potential and stream function into one complex function. Special attention is paid to the location of stagnation points (points of zero flow) in the flow field.