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24 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Groundwater
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water from the ground
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Where does water in the ground originate?
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-rain
-snowmelt |
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Aquifer
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geologic unit from which you can withdraw water (sandstone)
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Aquitard
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unit through which water does not tend to flow (shales, mud)
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zone Of Aeration
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area that cannot be pumped by wells (includes capillary fringe and belt of soil moisture)
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Zone of Saturation
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when all open spaces of sediment and rock are filled with water
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Water Table
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a surface that slopes
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well
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hole bored into zone of aeration
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porosity
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total amount of pore space
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permeability
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ease with which fluids can move through
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2 main reasons that water tables fluctuate
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-natural water cycles
-human |
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Where is most fresh water stored?
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-glaciers
-ground water |
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Is water a limitless resource?
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yes, but not clean fresh water
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What happens when an aquifer intersects the Earth's surface?
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streams
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what makes groundwater flow?
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gravity
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What kinds of materials make a good aquifer?
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limestone!
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What are some issues regarding groundwater?
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1. pollution
2. limited supply 3. overwithdrawal relative to natural recharge rates |
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Contamination by human activities
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-landfills
-leaks and chemical spills - biological contaminents |
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Examples of Chemical Contaminents
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-gas tanks
-petroleum products -MTBE -radioactive waste |
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Capillary Fringe
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-extends upward from water table- groundwater helpd by surface tension
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gaining streams
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elevation of water table is higher than level of surface of stream
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losing streams
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elevation of water table is lower than level of surface of stream
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perched water table
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as water percolates downward, a portion of it is intercepted by aquitard, creating a localized zone of saturation
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Artesian Well
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-when groundwater under pressure rises above level of the aquifer
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