1. Groundwater
Mirpulat Nigora
JEK-411 F

2. Ground Water lies beneath the ground surface, filling pores in sediments and sedimentary rocks and fractures in other rock types
Represents 0.6% of the hydrosphere (35x the water in all lakes and rivers combined)
Resupplied by slow infiltration of precipitation
Generally cleaner than surface water
Accessed by wells

3. Groundwater is used for drinking water by more than 50 percent of the people in the United States, including almost everyone who lives in rural areas. The largest use for groundwater is to irrigate crops.

6. Aquifers typically consist of gravel, sand, sandstone, or fractured rock such as limestone. These types of materials are permeable because they have large connected spaces that allow water to flow through. The spaces in a gravel aquifer are called pores. The spaces in a fractured rock aquifer are called fractures. If a material contains pores that are not connected, ground water cannot move from one space to another. These materials are said to be impermeable.

7. Aquifers
The huge Ogallala aquifer lies beneath the plains of the west, from S. Dakota to Texas. It provides drinking water and water for crops and livestock.

8. Wells
People can obtain groundwater from an aquifer by drilling a well below the water table.

10. Ground Water Contamination
Infiltrating water may bring contaminants down to the water table, including (but not limited to):
Pharmaceuticals
Pesticides/herbicides
Fertilizers
Feed lots
Mercury and gold mining
Landfill pollutants
Heavy metals
Bacteria, viruses and parasites from sewage
Industrial chemicals (PCBs, TCE)
Acid mine drainage
Radioactive waste
Oil and gasoline