The ability of an aquifer to transmit water is measured by which property?

The ability of an aquifer to transmit water is best characterized by the coefficient of permeability. This property indicates how easily water can flow through the aquifer material, which is essential for understanding groundwater flow and aquifer performance. The coefficient of permeability depends on the properties of the soil or rock, such as its grain size, shape, and arrangement, as well as the viscosity of the water.

Specific yield, while important for understanding how much water can be extracted from an aquifer, focuses on the volume of water that can drain under the influence of gravity and does not directly measure the rate of water movement through an aquifer. Hydraulic head is crucial for determining the potential energy available for groundwater flow but does not quantify how easily water can move through the aquifer material. Porosity refers to the void spaces within the material and indicates the storage capacity of an aquifer rather than its ability to transmit water.