What is an artesian well? What are the geological factors that make artesian wells possible? What will be an ideal response?


An artesian well is a water well where natural pressure forces water to the surface without the need for
a pump. Inclined aquifers sandwiched between aquicludes confine water at depth in much the same
way that a garden hose does. The difference, of course, is shape, wherein the hose is cylindrical and
the confined aquifer is a layer. But the same hydraulic principles apply. Raising one end of a section of
hose filled with water will cause water to gush out of the lower end. The weight of the water in the
higher end pressurizes the lower end. In the same way, an inclined confined aquifer will be pressurized
at its lower end. A well drilled into this pressurized layer will gush toward the surface on its own.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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