storage coefficient

views updated May 23 2018

storage coefficient(storativity) The volume of water given up per unit horizontal area of an aquifer and per unit drop of the water-table or potentiometric surface. It is a dimensionless ratio and always less than unity. In unconfined aquifers it is equal to the specific yield (see specific yield (2)), but in confined aquifers it depends on elastic compression of the aquifer, and is usually less than 10−3.

storage coefficient

views updated May 08 2018

storage coefficient (storativity) The volume of water given up per unit horizontal area of an aquifer and per unit drop of the water-table or potentiometric surface. It is a dimensionless ratio and always less than unity. In unconfined aquifers it is equal to the specific yield (see SPECIFIC YIELD (2)), but in confined aquifers the storage coefficient depends on elastic compression of the aquifer, and is usually less than 10−3.