Groundwater

Water beneath the surface:

Distribution and Movement of Water Underground
o Water in soil seeps down until it reaches the zone of saturation
o Zone of saturation(ZOS)- area where water fills all of the open
spaces in sediment and rock.
o Groundwater- water within ZOS
o Water table- upper level of ZOS of groundwater
o Movement of Groundwater
moves by twisating and turning through small opening
moves slower when pore space is smaller
Perosity
% of pore space
Determines amount of groundwater stored
Permiability
Ability to transmit water through connected
pore spaces
Aquifier
permeable rock layers or sediments that transmit
groundwater freely
Springs
o Forms when water table intercects the ground surface
o Hot Springs
Water is 6-9oC warmer by cooling igneous rock
o Geysers
Intermittent hot springs
Water turns to steam and erupts
Wells
o A hole bored into the ZOS
o Artisan Well

 any formation in which groundwater rises on its own under

pressure
o Pumping causes drawdown(lowering) of the water table and form a
cone of depression in the water table
Environmental Problems Associated with Groundwater
o Overuse and contamination threatens groundwater supplies
Treating it as a nonrenewable resource
Land subsidence caused by withdraw
Contamination (saltwater intrusion)
Cavernso A naturally formed underground chamber
o Formed ny erosion below or at the water table
o Travertine
A form of limestone that is deposited by hot springs or as a
cave deposit
o Characteristics of Caverns
Formed in ZOS
Composed of dripstone
Formed from calcite deposited as dripping water evaporates
Features include:
Stalactites (hanging from the ceiling)
Stalagmites (growing upward from the floor).
Karst Topography
o Formed by dissolving rock at/near earths surface
o Common features:
Sinkholes- surface depressions
Sinkholes form when bedrock dissolves and caverns
collapse
o Area lacks good surface drainage