What is Groundwater?
By: Leia Pierre-Paul
What processes make water groundwater?
Groundwater comes from precipitation and is water stored below Earth's surface. Its considered groundwater when the water fully saturates cracks or crevices in the ground.
Porosity vs. Permeability
Porosity is the amount of space in between soil particles while permeability is a materials ability to allow fluids to pass. This affects the presence of groundwater by saturating the soil and not allowing any water to enter the pores of the ground. This would create surface water, a runoff, that stays above ground.
Vocabulary
Zone of Aeration- Place in the ground where air is often held, sometimes water.
Zone of Saturation- The place underneath the water table where all pores are completely filled with water.
Water Table-The level below which the ground is completely saturated with water.
Aquiclude- An impermeable rock or sediment that plays the role of a barrier to flowing groundwater.
Aquifer- A body of permeable rock that can hold or transfer groundwater.
Aquifer Types
There are two forms of aquifers. They are unconfined and confined. Unconfined aquifers mean that water is able to flow freely through the rock layers or sediment. On the other hand, confined water is restricted and is blocked from passing through rock layers.
Effects of Depleting Our Groundwater Supply
Earthquakes, droughts, vegetation, and salt water intrusion are all effects of overusing groundwater. Also, ground subsidence can occur when too much water is being pumped out.
Main Ways Groundwater is Polluted (by United States)
Motor oil, septic tanks, and landfills are all ways the U.S. contributes to groundwater pollution.