Borehole Recovery, Pump Starts and Flow: A Daily Review Sheet

Use the working record

Download the editable worksheet. Record the actual evidence and responsible reviewer against each relevant row. The empty results are inputs for your project, not completed tests. Add the equipment identity, operating period and reference method before assigning an outcome. Retain unsuccessful checks and the evidence from any repeat after correction.

Fix the reference before comparing levels

Identify the borehole and the physical reference used for the water-level measurement. Record whether the displayed quantity is depth below a reference or elevation against an accepted datum. The direction of change differs between those conventions, so keep the unit and meaning visible in both the chart and export.

Document the instrument position and the field method used to check it. A changed mounting height or cable position can create a step in the series without a groundwater change. Record maintenance and replacement dates and preserve the previous configuration for the period in which it applied.

Align the three essential records

Use a verified pump-running indication, an accepted flow or volume measurement and the water-level record. Capture acquisition times and the time-zone convention. A command to start is distinct from evidence that the pump ran, and running is distinct from evidence that water was delivered.

Keep the available source for each claim. Where only an electrical activity signal exists, describe its verified meaning. Where the flow meter is temporarily unavailable, retain that gap rather than estimating delivery from pump hours without a separately accepted method and operating basis.

Record the starting condition of each run

Before interpreting drawdown, note the available pre-start level and the duration since the previous stop. Include nearby pumping or other relevant conditions supplied by the site. A level measured after a short pause may differ from one after a long rest, even if the next run is otherwise similar.

Record the selected operating arrangement: pump setting, valve condition and destination. If delivery is redirected to another tank or irrigation branch, the system demand may change. Keep those operating events with the daily review so the water specialist can identify which runs are meaningfully comparable.

Mark recovery from an observed stop

Use the verified stop time as the reference for elapsed recovery observations. Preserve the actual observation times; do not label irregularly spaced readings as though they occurred at a fixed interval. Record whether the pump stayed off and whether any other relevant activity occurred during the observation.

The review sheet should retain the measured sequence without imposing a universal recovery target. Interpretation depends on the borehole, pumping history and appropriate hydrogeological method. If the purpose is a formal test, obtain the specialist's procedure and required observations before starting.

Review starts as events, not just a daily total

Retain the timing of each start and stop. Two days with the same start count can have very different sequences: long planned runs on one day and repeated short interruptions on another. The operational question determines which pattern needs investigation.

Correlate unexpected transitions with power, controls, tank demand and maintenance records where available. An increased start count alone does not identify the cause. Assign a field check to the appropriate electrical, mechanical or water-system owner based on the available evidence.

Reconcile delivery over the same period

For totalisers, retain opening and closing values and handle resets or replacement explicitly. Check pulse scaling and unit conversion against the accepted configuration. Align the volume period with the operating log; a midnight reporting boundary can split a single pump run across two daily accounts.

Compare delivery with hours only as a diagnostic relationship under stated conditions. A changed ratio can reflect pump performance, system head, valve changes or a measurement issue. Investigate those possibilities before using the ratio to estimate missing water or claim a specific mechanical fault.

Give missing and suspect observations a route

Flag stale levels, repeated unchanged readings, impossible sequences and unavailable flow. A flat trace can represent stable conditions or a stuck measurement; the record needs a field check or independent evidence to distinguish them. Keep the original data and any later correction.

Assign a review owner and response based on the site's operating requirements. If the monitoring record is unavailable, the operator follows the approved site procedure. A historical record recovered after communication returns should be labelled with its original time and should not appear as a fresh pumping event.

Close the daily review with an accountable finding

Select the runs that need further attention and record the reason. Include the supporting intervals, any field observations and the responsible person. Use a clear status such as reviewed, further measurement required or maintenance action raised, with the evidence needed to close the item.

Handover should demonstrate a complete day from source export through the review sheet. The receiving operator should be able to identify the water-level reference, actual pump transitions, measured delivery and recovery sequence. Keep operating limits and specialist interpretation in their approved site documents, linked to the relevant review.

Connect the decision to the project

Use Borehole telemetry, Remote water monitoring to place this task within the wider installation. Bring a recent operating record and identify the decision that the proposed measurement should support. A focused discussion should establish the first boundary, the responsible site participants and the evidence needed before expanding the scope.

Agree who maintains the point register and who can change interpretation rules. Preserve the previous version when a device, product, reporting period or responsibility changes. During handover, demonstrate an export that another authorised person can reconcile without relying on the dashboard operator to explain missing fields.

Discuss the scope with addanode using the actual site information, available interfaces and proposed acceptance record.

Sources and method

The USGS technical procedures for groundwater measurement provide reference and field-check background. Site-specific well interpretation, capacity relationships and operating decisions require the responsible water specialist.

Frequently asked questions