Under Groundwater

Underground water refers to water that sinks into the

ground, that is, the water that enter the rock.
Ways water enters into a rock
Water can enter a rock in two (2) ways namely:
i. Through spaces called pore space which normally
separate the individual grains of rock.
ii. Through the join or fault in a rock.
Classification of Rocks base on ability to allow water to
pass through
i. Porous Rock: is a rock which has pore space into
which water can enter or infiltrate, e.g sandstone.
When the pore space of rock are filled with water is
said to be saturated
ii. Pervious Rock: is a rock which has joints or faults
into which water can enter or infiltrate, e.g granite.
iii. Permeable Rock: is a rock which enables water to
pass through it, e.g sandstone.
iv. Impermeable Rock: is a rock which does not allow
water to pass through it, e.g clay.
 Water Table
Water table refers water entering the surface rock
moving downward until it reaches a layer of
impermeable rock through which it can not pass.
When there is an easy outlet for the ground water,
it forms a spring but when there is none, the water
accumulates above the impermeable layer and
saturates the rock. The permeable rock in which
the water is stored is called acquifer, while the
surface of the saturated area is called the water
table.
 Factors that determine the depth of a Water Table
The depth of a water table depends on the
following factors:
1. Relief of the area: The higher or bigger the
relief, e.g a high mountain, the higher the
water table.
2. Types of rock: Presence of porous and
permeable rocks leads to low water table
while the presence of porous and
impermeable rocks tends to favour high
water table.
3. Seasons: Rainy season favours high water
table while dry season reduces the level of
water table.
4. Presence of Springs: The presence of springs
tends to reduce the level of water table an
vice versa.
 Zones of Water Level
There are three (3) water zones below the surface
of the earth. These are:
a. The zone of permanent saturation: This is
where the pore spaces in a rock are always filled
with water. The upper surface of this layer is
called the water table.
b. The zone of intermittent saturation: This is
where the pore spaces in a rock contain water
only after heavy rain.
c. The zone of non-saturation: This is where the
pore spaces never contain water. In other words,
they just allow water to pass through them.
 Major features of Underground water
1) Springs: A spring is a natural outflow of water from
underground to the surface of the earth.
1) Wells: A well is formed when a hole is sunk into the
ground far below the water table. Water then seeps out
of the rocks into the hole to form a well. When a well is
sunk far below the water table, it always contains
water but those that are sunk just below the water
table often go dry in periods of drought due to the fall
in the water table.

2) Artesian Basin: Artesian basin consists of a layer of

permeable rock lying between two layers of
impermeable rocks such that the whole forms a
shallow syncline with one or both ends of the
permeable rock layer exposed to the surface.