Rivers and Groundwater Flashcards
(53 cards)
Water table
the dividing line b/w zone of aeration and zone of saturation
Water table is hightest in…lowest in…
Highest in Spring; lowest in late summer
Higher the lake=
Higher the groundwater
Permeability
how easily water flows through a substance; rate usually in mL/Sec
Aquifer
a saturated layer (below the water table); Needs high permeability
Well
Hole or pipe that leads into an aquifer
Pumping wells
Creates cone of depression; lowers water table
Cone of depression
From pumping wells; Lowers water table; V-shaped
Artesian well
Flows to the surface naturally w/out pumps; Due to aquifer being under pressure from impermeable layer; “Sandwiched” b/w two impermeable layers
Groundwater pollution
Sources: septic tanks; landfills; fertilizers/pesticides; underground storage tanks
Geysers
Groundwater heated by magma which boils and then erupts; Ex: Iceland
Erosion by groundwater
Caves, sinkholes, subsidence, and kart topography
Caves
Dissolution of limestone; lowersing of watertable
Sinkholes
bedrock erodes which causes overburden to fall and then soil falls aswell
Subsidence
Slow sinking of ground due to groundwater withdrawl
Karst Topography
Acide water dissolves limestone; Creates series of sinkholes; Common in KY, WV, TN, and IN
Flowing v. Non flowing artesian wells
Flowing are usually down hill and flow b/c reach recharge zone
Purpose of retention basin
To prevent flooding because the ground can’t support all the rain either due to hard desert ground or cemented; Water runs off into retention basin
The steeper the slope…
The more powerful the water
6 in of water to..
sweep off your feet
1 ft of water to…
push a car
2 ft of water to
move a cement mixer
Purpose of levee
to channel snow melt from the mtns to more populated areas and also to protect valuable land
Sublimination
transiontion from ice to vapor
