Steady state groundwater seepage in sloping unconfined aquifers

This paper reviews analytical solutions for steady state seepage of groundwater in an ideal sloping unconfined aquifer, recharged by an effective infiltration, when the unsaturated seepage is neglected. Available solutions are examined and compared. Their robustness is assessed with a finite element code, which solves the complete equations for saturated and unsaturated flow, thus making none of the simplifying assumptions of the theoretical solutions. An example is provided for a sloping aquifer on the north shore of the Saint-Lawrence River.