Water Underground

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Water Underground
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How Water Moves Underground

• Water underground trickles down between particles
  of soil and through cracks and spaces in layers
  of rock

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Effects of Different Materials

• Permeable materials have large and connected
  pores materials such as sand and gravel allow
  water to pass through or permeate.
• Impermeable materials have few or no pores or
  cracks therefore the water cannot pass through
  easily
• Examples clay and granite

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Water Zones

• The area of permeable rock or soil that is
  totally filled or saturated, with water is called
  the saturated zone
• The top of the saturated zone is called the
  water table
• The area above the water table is called the
  unsaturated zone

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Bringing up Groundwater

• In some areas, the water table meets the surface
• Aquifers
• Any underground layer of rock or sediment that
  holds water is known as an aquifer
• Size small underground patch to the size of
  several states

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Aquifers continued

• Functions drinking water, water for crops, and
  water for livestock
• Rate of Movement depends on the slope of the
  aquifer and permeability of rocks

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Wells

• People can obtain groundwater from an aquifer
  by drilling a well below the water table
• If the level of the aquifer drops, a well can run
  dry
• The water table can rise after heavy rain or snow
  melts

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Using Pumps

• Mechanical pumps bring up groundwater
• If water is pumped out too fast, a well will run
  dry
• New water that enters the aquifer from the
  surface is called recharge

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Relying on Pressure

• In an artesian well, water rises because of
  pressure in an aquifer
• If groundwater becomes trapped between two layers
  of impermeable rock or sediment, the pressure
  sends water spurting up through the punctured
  hole
• No pump is necessary

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Springs and Geysers

• Sometimes, groundwater comes to the surface
  through natural processes
• When groundwater bubbles or flows out of cracks
  in the rock it is called a spring
• A fountain of boiling water is known as a geyser

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Springs and Geysers

• The word geyser means gusher
• A geyser forms when very hot water that has been
  circulating deep underground begins to rise
  through narrow passages in the rock
• Provide one example of a geyser Old Faithful

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Interesting Sites

• http//unmuseum.mus.pa.us/flash/geyflash.htm
• http//www.nps.gov/archive/yell/oldfaithfulcam.htm
  
• http//www.floridasprings.org
• www.unitedstreaming.com (Gushing Geysers Natural
  Phenomena)

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• Which wells end in a saturated zone?
• Which well(s) will not provide water?
• How does water enter Aquifer A?

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