Accurate quantification of water movement, both in magnitude and direction, is a necessary component of evaluating any hydrologic system. Groundwater flow patterns are usually determined using a network of piezometers or wells, which can be limited due to logistical or regulatory constraints. In the unsaturated zone, tensiometers can be used to determine unsaturated flow, but require knowledge of site-specific soil moisture dynamics. In either case, piezometers and tensiometers measure potentials from which flow is inferred rather than directly measuring water movement.
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