Glossary
ACE Assistant Chief of Engineers
AF Air Force
AFI Air Force instruction
AFP Air Force pamphlet
AFSC Air Force Specialty Code
- air-foam-gel technique
Adding foamer to a fluid in the same proportions as clear water to get a richer, more stable foam.
air-lift method
A pump-testing method that uses an air-lift pump.
air-line method
A procedure to measure the water level using air line; the air line is copper tubing or galvanized pipe that is long enough to extend below the lowest water level being measured.
air rotary drilling
A well-drilling method that uses compressed air as the circulating fluid.
alligatoring
A network of fine cracks and small carbide flecks on a bit that appear after hours of drilling in nonabrasive soft rock.
alluvium
Soils that are deposited by running water.
alt altitude
- ant-mound-like openings.
See qanat
AO area of operations
APOD aerial port of debarkation
APOE aerial port of embarkation
- aquagel
Commercial chemical agent added to mud drilling fluid to prevent it from freezing. See also barite; fibratex; gel-flake; impermex; micatex; smentex
aquiclude
Subsurface rock or soil unit, such as clay, shale, and unfractured igneous and metamorphic rock, that does not transmit water readily and cannot be used as a water-supply source.
aquifer
Saturated rock or soil unit, such as gravel, sand, sandstone, limestone, and fractured igneous and metamorphic rock, that has sufficient hydraulic conductivity to supply water for a well or spring.
aquitard
A unit that retards or slows the passage of water.
AR Army regulation
Ark Arkansas
ARTEP Army Training and Evaluation Program
- attapulgite
Commercially processed clay used for drilling in brackish or salty water.
ATTN attention
- augered well
A well that is bored using hand-or power-driven earth augers.
AWWA American Water Works Association
- backwashing
Well-development method. See also jetting method; gravity-outflow method; pressure-pumping method; pump-surge method; surge-block method
bail-down method
Installing screen using a special end fitting.
bail-down placement
A method of simultaneously placing the gravel pack and installing the screen.
Barafos
A white, granular sodium tetraphosphate thinner and dispersant added to drilling fluid to prevent mud from sticking to sand grains.
barite
Commercial chemical agent added to mud drilling fluid to prevent it from freezing. See also aquagel; fibratex; gel-flake; impermex; micatex; smentex
barreling
A wear pattern that causes the diameter of the bit body to exceed the gauge diameter of the buttons.
basalt
An igneous rock that is a very productive water bearer.
bentonite
Commercially processed clay used for drilling; bentonite forms naturally from decomposition of volcanic ash, consists of aggregates of flat platelets, and contains sodium montmorillonite, which is important in building viscosity.
body metal
A type of bit failure.
body wash
Eroded body metal in bits.
BOM bill of materials
- boundary indicators
Characteristics that are indicative of local or regional groundwater flow systems.
brass-jacket-type drive point
Consists of a perforated pipe wrapped with wire mesh and covered with a perforated brass sheet.
brass-tube-type drive point
Consists of a brass tube slipped over perforated steel pipe for a rugged construction.
cable jack
A four-pronged receptacle located in the upper right corner of the panel on the electrical logging system.
cable-tool method
A very slow drilling method that can be used to penetrate rocky soil or moderately hard sedimentary rock; the drill used in this method does not require large amounts of drilling fluid.
CAL calibrate
- CAL ADJUST (calibration adjustment)
Located in the lower right-hand corner of the panel on the electrical logging system and used to zero the galvanometer when calibrating the instrument.
carbide shear
The most prevalent type of carbide breakage in bits
casing ring and slip
A device used to suspend the casing at the ground surface and for pulling pipe from the hole using jacks under each side of the casing ring.
catchment
Formation where impervious rock underlies a zone of fractured rock or alluvium that serves as a reservoir for infiltrated water; a catchment can be a special type of aquifer.
cathodic protection.
See sacrificial anode
CB construction battalion
cc cubic centimeter(s)
- centrifugal pump
A variable displacement pump in which water flows by the centrifugal force transmitted to the pump in designed channels of a rotating impeller.
cfm cubic foot (feet) per minute
cfs cubic foot (feet) per second
- circular-orifice meter
A device used to measure discharge rates.
circular-orifice method
A procedure to measure discharge rates using a circular-orifice meter.
closed-well method
A compressed-air method that involves using compressed air to close the top of the well with a cap and by arranging the equipment so air pressure can build up inside the casing to force water out through the screen openings.
cm cubic meter(s)
- compressed-air methods
Rapid, effective well-development methods. See also closed-well method; open-well method
CON DET
A wetting agent added to drilling fluid to increase the dispersion action of polyphosphates.
confined aquifer
An aquifer that is completely filled with water and is overlaid by a confining bed.
confining bed
Aquiclude that exists between aquifers, water moves only within the aquifer.
consolidated deposit
Rock that consists of mineral particles of different sizes and shapes.
continuous permafrost
A zone where permafrost will be thick with no unfrozen ground. See also discontinuous permafrost; permafrost
continuous-slot drive point
A screen with horizontal openings and one-piece welded construction and contains no internal perforated pipe to restrict the intake area.
CONUS continental United States
- core barrel
A double-tube sampler used to collect undisturbed soil samples in material that either contains gravel or too hard for a thin-wall sample.
CPM critical-path method
- crop irrigation
Surface indicator that shows the use of surface water or groundwater for agriculture.
CSS combat service support
- CUR (current)
A red plug receptacle used to connect the surface-current ground wire to the instrument.
current switch
The ON-OFF switch located directly below the function switch; the current switch is a momentary spring-return toggle switch.
d depth
DA Department of the Army
- Darcy's Law
Principle that describes the flow of groundwater.
DC direct current
- Denison sampler.
See core barrel
DD Department of Defense
DHD down-hole drilling
- discharge
Water that moves from one area into another.
discontinuous permafrost
A zone where permafrost will be thin and may be absent on the south slopes of hills, in valley bottoms containing permeable alluvial material, and under surfaces that have been cleared of vegetation. See also continuous permafrost; permafrost
dispersion treatment
Adding dispersing agents to drilling fluid, backwashing, jetting water, or water standing in the well to counteract the tendency of mud to stick to sand grains.
dissolution potential
The possibility of developing high secondary permeability in a soluble rock because the rock dissolves through contact with groundwater.
DMA Defense Mapping Agency
DOD Department of Defense
- dolomite
A carbonate rock that dissolves when carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and groundwater mix to form carbonic acid.
double-casing placement
A method of placing gravel using a temporary outer casing.
drainage basin
An area drained by a stream or river. See also hydrographic basin (local drainage basin); major river basin; regional river basin
drawdown
Measure of how much the water level near the well is lowered when the well is pumped.
draw works
Main drill-head hoists that are mechanically or hydraulically driven wire-line winches.
drilling blind
A condition that exists when a driller continues to drill when fluid circulation is lost.
drive clamp
Used in driving casing or pipe and is attached to the square of the drill stem.
drive head
Device that is placed on the pipe to protect the threads from the driving blows of the drive clamps; a drive head is put on by unscrewing the bit, slipping the drive head over the drilling stem, and making up the joint again.
drive monkey
A weight that slides over the pipe and is used in the falling-weight method of driving a well.
driven method
Installing casing as with the borehole, the cable-tool, or driven-point well method.
drive point
Perforated pipe with a steel point at the lower end to break through pebbles or thin, hard layers.
drive shoe
Device attached to the lower end of the pipe to prevent the pipe from crumpling while being driven; a drive shoe is threaded to fit the pipe or casing.
dump-bailer method
Placing grout in a casing using a dump-bailer machine.
EAC echelons above corps
- electric-line method
A procedure to measure the water level using an M-Scope. See also M-Scope
electrode selector switch
A five-position switch located directly above the ohmmeter on the electrical logging system.
elev elevation
- elevator (casing)
A device used to handle pipe; the elevator is clamped around the pipe directly under the coupling. See also pin hook; sand line
ENGR engineer
- evaporation
Direct radiation from the sun that causes liquid at the surface of a body of water to change from a liquid to a vapor.
evaporite
Sedimentary rock that is generally capable of storing and transmitting groundwater but tends to dissolve in the water.
E-Z Mud A synthetic, inorganic polymer.
F Fahrenheit
- fall-in
Material that accumulates in the bottom of the borehole after circulation stops.
falling weight
Driving method that uses a steel driving bar attached to a rope; the bar falls freely inside the pipe and strikes the base of the drive point.
feed drive
Mechanism on a rotary rig that applies a downward thrust to the drill string.
fibratex
Commercial chemical agent added to mud drilling fluid to prevent it from freezing. See also aquagel; barite; gel-flake; impermex; micatex; smentex
filter cake
Solids from the drilling mud deposited on the borehole wall as the water phase is lost into the formation.
fish
Portion of the drill string left in the borehole. See Also fishing; string failure
fishing
An attempt to retrieve the portion of the drill string left in the borehole. See also fish; string failure
flow-meter method
A procedure used to measure flow rate using a turbine-type flow meter.
FM field manual
FMF Fleet Marine Force
- foamer
Substance used in rotary drilling to enhance the air's ability to carry cuttings and reduce the velocity required to clean the borehole.
foot piece
A device at the end of an air pipe that breaks the air into small streams so that the bubbles formed will be as small as possible.
formation stabilizer
Material placed on the outside of the screen to help prevent deterioration of the annular space; using formation stabilizer is an alternative method to using gravel-pack material.
fpm foot (feet) per minute
ft foot (feet)
ft/min foot (feet) per minute
- function switch
A three-position selector switch located directly beneath the galvanometer on the electrical logging system.
gal gallon(s)
- galvanometer
A zero-centered micrometer on the electrical logging system.
gel-flake
Commercial chemical agent added to mud drilling fluid to prevent it from freezing. See also aquagel; barite; fibratex; impermex; micatex; smentex
gel strength
Thickness of drilling mud at rest.
geologic structure
Feature, such as a fold, fracture, joint, or fault, that disrupts the continuity of rock units.
geyser effect
A result of denser mud in the annular space flowing down the hole and forcing the clean drilling mud up the drill rods.
going crooked
deviated borehole
GPH gallon(s) per hour
GPM gallon(s) per minute
- gravel pack
Aritificial sand filter.
gravity-outflow method
A backwashing method that involves pouring water into the well rapidly to produce outflow through the screen openings.
groundwater indicators
Features that suggest the presence of groundwater.
hand auger
A device that consists of a shaft or pipe with a wooden handle at the top and a bit with curved blades at the bottom; hand auger can penetrate clay, silt, and those sands in which an open borehole will stand without caving.
helical-rotor pump
A positive-displacement, rotary-screw- or progressing-cavity-type pump designed for relatively low-capacity, high-lift wells that are 4 inches or larger in diameter.
HQ headquarters
- hydraulic conductivity
A measurement of the relative flow of water through a subsurface material; the results of the measurement are related to the size and spacing of particles or grains in soils or to the number and size of fractures in rocks.
hydrographic basin (local drainage basin)
Subdivision of a regional river basin. See also drainage basin; major river basin; regional river basin
hydraulic gradient
Determines the direction of groundwater flow.
hydrologic cycle
The constant movement of water above, on, and below the earth's surface.
ID inside diameter
- igneous rock
Rock that forms when hot molten material (magma) cools or solidifies either inside the earth's crust or on the earth's surface (lava). See also lava; magma
impermeable barriers
Features (solid rock masses) through which groundwater cannot flow.
impermex
Commercial chemical agent added to mud drilling fluid to prevent it from freezing. See also aquagel; barite; fibratex; gel-flake; micatex; smentex
in inch(es)
- infiltration
Precipitation on land surfaces that seeps into the ground.
inside-tremie method
Placing grout in the bottom of the hole through a tremie pipe that is set inside the casing.
ISO International Standards Organization
ITWD International Standards Organization/air-transportable water drill.
JCS Joint Chiefs of Staff
- jet-drive drilling
A method of constructing small wells in cold climates; the wells are usually 2 inches in diameter and are drilled to a depth of 200 feet.
jet pump
A combination of a surface centrifugal pump, a down-hole nozzle, and a venturi arrangement used in small diameter wells requiring a lift of 100 feet or less.
jetted well
A well that is dug using a high velocity stream of water.
jetting method
A backwashing method that involves using a jetting tool to remove caked drilling mud from the borehole wall; this method requires a large water supply.
JOG Joint Operations Graphics
- karst topography
Results from the dissolution of carbonate rocks by groundwater and is characterized by caves, sinkholes, closed depressions, and disappearing streams.
kg kilogram(s)
kg/m kilogram(s) per meter
kv kilovolt(s)
kw kilowatt(s)
- lag time
The time it takes sample material to reach the surface during a depth-determination test.
lava
Magma that cools or solidifies on the earth's surface. See also igneous rock; magma
lb pound(s)
lb/ft pound(s) per foot
- limestone
A carbonate rock that dissolves when carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and groundwater mix to form carbonic acid.
lithification
The process by which sediments are converted to rock; lithification includes compaction, consolidation, cementation, and desiccation.
LOG (logging)
Position on the function switch on the electrical logging system.
logging cable
A cable on the electrical logging system used to lower the probe into the well.
loss zone
Area where grout is lost into the formation.
lost circulation
Volume loss of the drilling fluid returning to the surface.
LPM liter(s) per minute
LVS Service Logistical Vehicle Systems
m meter(s)
ma milliampere(s)
- magma
Hot molten material. See also igneous rock; lava
major river basin
Largest member in the river basin grouping; the Mississippi River Basin is a major river basin. See also drainage basin; hydrographic basin; regional river basin
Marsh funnel
Device used to test mud viscosity; the funnel is 12 inches long and 6 inches in diameter, and it has a No 12 mesh strainer, a 1,500-ml cone, a 2-inch-long calibrated hard-rubber orifice (inside diameter of 3/16 inch), and a 1,000-ml capacity cup.
Marsh-funnel test
Procedure routinely conducted to determine the thickness or apparent viscosity of drilling fluid.
MEAPO Middle East/Africa Project Office
- measured-container method
- A procedure used to determine flow rate from a well or pump by measuring the time required to fill a container with a known volume.
MEDEVAC medical evacuation
- metamorphic rock
Igneous, sedimentary, or preexisting metamorphic rock that undergoes further transformation by changes in pressure, temperature, or chemistry.
micatex
Commercial chemical agent added to mud drilling fluid to prevent it from freezing. See also aquagel; barite; fibratex; gel-flake; impermex; smentex
min minute(s)
ml milliliter(s)
mm millimeter(s)
MO Missouri
- monitoring well
Small water well used for measuring water level, estimating well yield, and taking samples for quality analysis; monitoring wells are drilled next to permanent wells at specified intervals.
mph mile(s) per hour
MS Mississippi
- M-Scope
Two-conductor, battery-powered indicator used to measure water levels.
mud pump
A positive-displacement, double-acting piston pump with capacities ranging from one to several hundred GPM at pressures up to several hundred psi.
mud rotary drilling
A well-drilling method that uses mud to circulate the drilling fluid during the drilling process.
N no
N/A not applicable
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NAVFAC Naval Facilities Engineering Command
NBC nuclear, biological, chemical
NCF naval construction force
NCOIC noncommissioned officer in charge
NMCB naval mobile construction battalion
No number
NSN national stock number
OD outside diameter
- ohmmeter
An instrument on the electrical logging system that is located directly above the CAL ADJUST; the ohmmeter indicates the earth resistivity in ohm-feet.
open-hole method of installing casing
Installing casing into a borehole one casing section at a time.
open-hole method of installing screen
Installing telescoping screen when the depth and thickness of the aquifer have been predetermined.
open-hole placement
A method of installing gravel-pack material in a well.
open-pipe method
A procedure to measure discharge rates using a fully open pipe and measuring the distance the water stream travels parallel to the pipe at a 12-inch vertical drop.
open-well method
A compressed-air method that involves establishing the surging cycle by pumping from the well with an air lift and by dropping the air pipe suddenly to cut off the pumping action.
outside-tremie method
Placing grout outside the casing using a tremie pipe; this method is not recommended for depths greater than 100 feet.
P pamphlet
- particle slip
Downward movement of an object through fluid.
pendulum effect
Action of creating a straight borehole from a weighted drill string and bit.
perched aquifer
An aquifer that lies above an unconfined aquifer and is separated from the surrounding groundwater table by a confining layer.
percussion drilling
A method of drilling that involves crushing by impact from the teeth of the drill bit; percussion drilling for water wells uses down-hole, pneumatic-percussion hammer drills.
permafrost
Permanently frozen rock and soil that is widespread in the Arctic north of 50°N latitude; permafrost is either continuous or discontinuous. See also continuous permafrost; discontinuous permafrost
permeability
The capacity of a porous rock or soil to transmit a fluid.
pH
Negative logarithm of the effective hydrogen-ion concentration or hydrogen-ion activity in gram equivalents per liter used in expressing acidity and alkalinity on a scale of 0 to 14 with 7 representing neutrality.
pin hook
Device used with an elevator to lift very heavy strings of pipe; the hook is attached to the rope socket on the drilling line. See also elevator (casing); sand line
pipe clamp
A device used to hold the pipe at any position in the hole during drilling operations.
pipe tong
Device used to tighten 6- and 8-inch drive pipe.
pitcher pump
A surface-mounted, reciprocating or single-acting piston pump.
pitting
A condition on bits that is caused by the presence of foreign material such as rock cutting or the use of rock drill oil with a high sulphur content.
playas
Dry lake beds comprised mainly of clay and located in intermountain valleys.
POL petroleum, oils, and lubricants
- polymer
A water-based, organic, inorganic, natural, synthetic, or synthetically formulated additive; polymers are formulated for various drilling fluid purposes and can be used alone or to enhance clay muds.
Poly-Sal
Synthetic, inorganic polymer. See also polymer
popping
A condition whereby a carbide insert will pop clean from its socket if the drill string is not properly fed up in the hole.
population distribution
Surface indicator that could indicate water availability because of population density.
porosity
Voids in soil and rocks.
POT (potentiometer)
A black plug receptacle used to connect the surface-potential ground wire to the instrument.
power auger
A device that is rotated, raised, and lowered by a power-driven mechanism; a power auger has a depth limit of about 10 feet and can be used only in area where the water table is close to the surface.
ppm parts per million
- precipitation
Moisture released from clouds to the earth in the form of rain, sleet, hail, or snow.
pressure-pumping method
A backwashing method that involves capping the casing and pumping water into the well under pressure.
probe selector switch
A switch on the electrical logging system that is located directly below the SP shutoff switch on units modified for mud logging.
psi pound(s) per square inch
psig pound(s) per square inch gauge
PTO power take-off
- pull-back method
A way of installing telescoping screen.
pulldown.
See feed drive
pump-surge method
A backwashing method that involves alternately pumping water to the surface and letting water run back into the well through the pump-column pipe.
push-tube
A method of collecting undisturbed soil samples; this method uses thin-wall, fixed-piston samplers in very soft to stiff clays, silts, and sands that do not contain appreciable amounts of gravel.
PVC polyvinyl chloride
- qanat
A man-made, gently inclined underground channel that allows groundwater to flow from alluvial gravels at the base of hills to dry lowland; qanats appear as a series of ant-mound-like openings that run in a straight line and act as air shafts for a channel.
qt quart(s)
- Quick-Gel
Wyoming-type bentonite drilling fluid used for mixing mud.
recharge
Water that infiltrates the soil.
recharge area
Area where the groundwater reservoir is replenished.
RED HORSE
rapid engineer deployable, heavy operational repair squadron.
regional river basin
Subdivision of a major river basin; the Missouri River Basin is a regional river basin of the Mississippi River Basin. See also drainage basin, hydrographic basin; major river basin
reservoir indicators
Characteristics in soils, rocks, and landforms that define the ability of an area to store and transmit groundwater but which do not directly indicate the presence of groundwater.
Revert
A natural, organic polymer fluid derived from the guar plant. See also polymer
RH-1
An air-transportable RED HORSE echelon composed of 16 people and ready for deployment 12 hours after notification.
RH-2
An air-transportable RED HORSE echelon composed of 93 people and ready for deployment 48 hours after notification.
RH-3
A RED HORSE echelon composed of 295 people and ready for deployment six days after notification.
ringing off
Fatigue failure in the drill-rod joints caused by excessive torque or thrust or by borehole deviation.
riparian vegetation
Dense strands of vegetation along stream channels.
rivers.
See streams and rivers
rock development
A well-development method used in rock formations that involves combining jetting with air-lift pumping to wash out fine cuttings, silt, and clay.
rotary pump
A pump that uses a system of rotating gears to create a suction at the inlet and force a water stream out of the discharge.
rotary table
Rotating platform on a rotary rig that transmits torque to the drill rod through the kelly.
ROWPU
reverse osmosis water purification units
RPM revolution(s) per minute
- rung off
See string failure
runoff
Precipitation on land surfaces that flows along the surface.
S3 Operation and Training Officer (US Army)
- sacrificial anode
- A simple method of protecting metal casing from corrosion by connecting a galvanically active metal bar to the casing.
- salt encrustation
- Surface indicator that often occurs in playas and is indicative of saline groundwater.
- saltwater encroachment
- Movement of salt water into zones previously occupied by fresh water.
- saltwater intrusion
- Invasion of salt water into freshwater during pumping.
- sanded in
- A condition that exists when the string becomes stuck when cuttings collect on the bit and collar shoulder.
- sand line
- Device used with the elevator for lifting one or two half lengths of pipe. See also elevator (casing); pin hook
- sandstone
- Consolidated or cemented sand.
- saturated thickness
- Distance between the top of the groundwater and the bottom of the aquifer.
SC supply catalog
SCFM sea level cubic foot (feet) per minute
- semipermeable barriers
Features (faults or fractured rock masses) that restrict flow but do not act as a complete barrier.
sedimentary rock
Rocks that are composed of sediments that are converted to rock through compaction, cementation, or crystallization.
self-jetting method
Digging a jetted well by sinking a continuous-slot-, brass-jacket-, or jet-head-tapering-type well point.
self-potential potentiometer
The instrument in the electrical logging system that balances out the SP that exists between any pair of potential electrodes.
self-priming pump
A pump with a priming chamber that makes repriming unnecessary when the pump is stopped for any reason other than an intentional draining.
semipermeable barriers
Features (faults or fractured rock masses) that restrict water flow but do not act as complete barriers.
shale
Fine-grained sedimentary rock that does not store much groundwater and does not transmit large quantities of groundwater.
single-string method of installing casing
Installing casing and screen (already joined) in a single assembly.
single-string method of installing screen.
See single-string method of installing casing
sinker rod
An insulated device that can be attached with a leather thong to the probe on the electrical logging system if more weight is needed to carry the probe to the bottom of a well.
smentex
Commercial chemical agent added to mud drilling fluid to prevent it from freezing. See also aquagel; barite; fibratex; gel-flake; impermex; micatex
snow-melt pattern
Surface indicator that can provide evidence of recharge areas and directions of groundwater flow.
soil moisture
Surface indicator that can provide some indication of recharge and discharge areas; soil moisture content is related to local rainfall and to gain size.
SOP standing operating procedures
SP spontaneous potential
- specific retention
Water that cannot be pumped out of a well.
specific yield
Water that can be pumped from a well.
spring
Effluence of groundwater occurring where the water table intercepts the ground surface; a spring is a good surface indicator of the presence of shallow groundwater occurrences.
SP polarity-reversing switch
A switch on the electrical logging system that is located directly below the SP potentiometer; the switch shows the polarity of the particular cable electrode being used.
SP shutoff switch
A spring-return switch on the electrical logging system that is located in the upper left corner of the panel; this switch automatically shuts off the 1-1/2-volt C-battery when the instrument lid is closed.
spudding
Raising or lowering the drill string
spudding in
Starting the borehole.
squeezing
See swelling soil
Sr specific retention
- stabilizers
Items, such as drill collars, used on the drill string during drilling operations.
STANAG Standardization Agreement
STD standard
STP Soldier Training Publication
- straight pumping
A well-completion method that uses a pitcher-spout hand pump.
streams and rivers
Surface indicators that are usually recharge areas in arid regions and may be recharge or discharge areas in temperate climates; areas adjacent to streams are considered good locations for wells but are not always the best available areas for water wells because of soil content.
string failure
A condition that exists when the drill string parts, leaving a portion in the borehole; the drill string is rung off. See also fish; fishing
submergence
The proportion (percentage) of the length of the air pipe that is submerged below the pumping level.
submersible pump
A centrifugal pump closely couple with an electric motor that can be operated underwater.
submersible-pump method
A pump-testing method that uses a submersible pump to pump test the water well.
surface indicator
Feature that suggests the presence of groundwater.
surface-water divide
Boundary between groundwater flow systems.
surge-block method
A backwashing method that involves developing a well by surging water up and down the casing with a surge block or plunger.
swelling soil (squeezing)
In-hole effects of shale or clay that absorb water from the drilling fluid.
Sy specific yield
TAC Terrain Analysis Center
TAD Transatlantic Division
- tag-along compressor
auxiliary compressor
tape method
Procedure to measure the depth to the static level in a shallow well.
TEC United States Army Corps of Engineers Topographic Engineering Center
TM technical manual
TN Tennessee
TO technical manual
TO theater of operations
TOA table of allowances
- top head
A mechanism on a rotary rig that moves down along the rig mast as the boring is advance and is raised to the top of the mast to add length of drill pipe; the top-head drive uses a power swivel.
TRADOC United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
- transmissivity
The product of hydraulic conductivity and the saturated thickness expressed in gallons per day per foot of aquifer width.
transpiration
Water that returns to the atmosphere from plants.
tremie placement
Placing gravel-pack material using a tremie pipe.
tricone bit
A bit that consists of three cone-shaped rollers with steel teeth milled into the surfaces.
turbine pump
A shaft-driven, multistage, centrifugal pump containing several impellers or bowl assemblies.
uncased-interval method
Installing casing in wells located in rock formations.
unconfined aquifer
An aquifer that is partly filled with water, has fluctuating water levels, and can receive direct recharge from percolating surface water.
unconsolidated deposit
Consists of weathered rock particles of varying materials and sizes.
unscreened well
A well in competent rock that does not require a screen; the aquifer is tapped through numerous, irregularly spaced fractures.
US United States (of America)
USAF United States Air Force
USGS United States Geological Survey
- vegetation type
Surface indicator that can help define the location of recharge and discharge areas and groundwater.
viscosity
Relates to true (Newtonian) fluids such as water; viscosity is a proportional constant between shear stress and rate in laminar flow.
wall stuck
A condition that exists when the alignment of a fine-grained soil or shale hole deviates significantly and the drill pipe wallows into the wall.
washdown method
Installing screen in an aquifer that is composed of fine to coarse sand with little or no gravel.
wash-in method
Installing casing by advancing the borehole for an expedient jetted-well construction.
water-table wells
Wells drilled into an unconfined aquifer.
WDRT Water Detection Response Team
WDS well-drilling system
- well probe
A device on the electrical logging system that consists of one brass current electrode and three lead-oxide potential electrodes.
WES United States Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station.
- wetlands
Marshes, bogs, and swamps that are indicative of very shallow groundwater.
WRDB Water Resources Data Base
XS extra strength
Y yes
- yield
Volume of water discharged from a well per unit of time when water is being pumped or is flowing freely.
yield point
Mud quality broadly included in viscosity.
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