1. Groundwater Main topics: Location of groundwater
Storage of groundwater
Movement of Groundwater
Groundwater erosion and deposition
Groundwater systems and protection

2. 3% is contained by landmasses
The hydrosphere
Water located on and inside the Earth’s crust make up the hydrosphere.
97% of the water in the hydrosphere is contained in the oceans. (salt water)
3% is contained by landmasses
Most of the fresh water is located in polar ice caps or glaciers. (2.15%)
Groundwater represents the next largest block of all the freshwater. (0.31%)
Lakes, streams, rivers and wetland represent the rest of the freshwater on Earth (0.0091%)

3. Hydrosphere

4. Source of Groundwater Ultimate source of all water is the water cycle.
Precipitation that falls on land can either runoff or infiltrate (most will infiltrate).
The process of water seeping into the ground and becoming ground water is called infiltration.
Infiltration will also be known as groundwater recharge.

5. Groundwater Storage
Groundwater is located in the spaces between soil particles and rock.
These open spaces betweens materials is called pore space.
The percentage of pore space in a material is called porosity.

6. Groundwater Storage
Well sorted material will have similar porosity, despite grain size.
Large grained material will have larger pore size, but contain fewer pores…while smaller grained material will have smaller pores but many more pores! (lab results?)
Poorly sorted material usually has low porosity.

7. Location of Groundwater
Soil moisture zone – the area of soil directly at the surface that is moist due to vegetation.
Zone of aeration – the area between the soil moisture zone and water table, pores are mostly filled with air. (vadose zone, unsaturated zone.)
Zone of saturation – the location below the water table where all pores are filled with water.
Water table – the boundary between the zone of aeration and zone of saturation.

8. Location of Groundwater

9. Movement of groundwater
Groundwater will move similar to water on the surface…downhill and from areas of high pressure to areas of lower pressure.
Groundwater movement is controlled by permeability.
Permeability is the ability of a material to allow water to pass through it. (transmit water)
Permeability can also be referred to as how well the pores are connected.

10. Permeability

11. Permeability
Coarse grained material usually has high permeability such as sand and gravel.
Fine grained material usually has low permeability such as clay.
What type of material would make a good aquifer?
Gravel
What type of material would make a good protective liner for a capped landfill?
Clay

12. Flow of Groundwater Q = K (dh/dl)
Darcy’s Law helps us determine how well water will flow in the ground.
Q = K (dh/dl)
Q = discharge velocity (m/s)
K = hydraulic conductivity (how well material transmits water) (m/s)
dh/dl = hydraulic gradient (slope of water table)
(dh is change in rise and dl is change in run)

13. Using Darcy’s Law: Q = K (dh/dl)
Flow of Groundwater
Using Darcy’s Law: Q = K (dh/dl)
Example: fine sand (K=6m/day) vs. gravel (K=140m/day)
65 m
40 m
150 m

14. Groundwater Erosion
Dissolution – carbonic acid in groundwater dissolves limestone (calcium carbonate).
CO2 + H2O H2CO3
carbon dioxide + water carbonic acid
H2CO H HCO3-
carbonic acid hydrogen ions + bicarbonate ions
CaCO3 + H Ca2+ + HCO3-
calcium carbonate + hydrogen ions calcium ions + bicarbonate ions

15. Groundwater Erosion
Karst topography – areas of limestone that have sinkholes, caves, and sinking streams due to dissolution of limestone.
Sinkholes – an area of land that falls inward into the Earth due to supporting limestone bedrock being eroded away.

16. Groundwater Deposition
Stalactites – deposits on the TOP of cave.
Stalagmites – deposits on the bottom of cave.
Hardwater – deposits left behind in tap water. (calcium)

17. Groundwater Systems
Emergence of Springs – when the land surface intersects the water table.
- water will leak or seep out on to the surface.

18. Groundwater Systems
Well – vertical hole dug into the ground, into the zone of saturation.
Drawdown – sinking of the water table due to water being pumped out of a well.
Recharge – new water entering into a groundwater system.

19. Groundwater Systems
Artesian wells – water that is forced to the surface because of a confined aquifer, hydrostatic pressure provides force for the water.
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20. Artesian well

21. Artesian well

22. Threats to Groundwater Supply
Overuse – too much water being pumped from a well…discharge is greater than recharge.
Subsidence – sinking of the land surface because of too much water being pumped from the ground.
Groundwater pollution (chemicals, salt, radon) – water can carry dissolved pollutants.