University of California Water Resources Center

This is the final Technical Completion Report of Projects No. W-830 funded by the Water and Wildlands Resources Center of the University of California. This report consists of two parts. Part 1 entitled, "Hydraulic Characterization of Aquifers, Reservoir Rocks and Soils: A History of Ideas" is an integrated review of the development of hydraulic characterization methods in the fields of Civil Engineering, Soil Physics, Groundwater Hydrology and Petroleum Engineering. The narrative portion of this part is followed by a set of over 500 references pertaining to hydraulic characterization which represent our current knowledge of hydraulic characterization methodologies in the earth sciences and engineering. The second part entitled, "A Numerical-Model/Spreadsheet Integration for Hydraulic Characterization of Aquifers, Reservoir Rocks and Soils" presents a new interpretive tool that is under development for hydraulic characterization of groundwater systems, petroleum reservoirs and soils. Both the literature survey presented in Part 1 and the development of the interpretive tool presented in Part 2 are continuing research efforts. The narrative portion of Part 1, after informal peer review is expected to be submitted for publication in an archival journal. A systematic review of the more-than 500 references is a challenging, time-consuming task. Efforts will continue on a detailed review of the compiled literature for eventual publication. The development of the interpretive tool is part of a Masters research project of a graduate student. A prototype computer software, AQTRUST is expected to be ready by the time the M.S. research is completed by the summer of 1997. A preliminary demonstration of the software will take place during the Fall Annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, in December, 1996. When future publications materialize from these continuing investigations, the support of the Water and Wildlands Resources Center will be appropriately acknowledged.