Part 1: Water, Soil, Mineral and Rock, and Energy

the proportion of void space in the material (holes or cracks), unfilled by solid material, within or between individual mineral grains and is a measure of how much fluid the material can store

measure of how readily fluids pass through the material. It is related to the extent to which pores or cracks are interconnected, and to their size—larger pores have a lower surface-to-volume ratio so there is less frictional drag to slow the fluids down

is a volume of rock or soil above the impermeable material that is water-saturated, in which water fills all the accessible pore space

water in the saturated zone

rock or soil above the saturated zone in which the pore spaces are filled partly with water, partly with air

water in the unsaturated soil

is all of the water occupying pore space below the ground surface this includes ground water, soil moisture, and water in unsaturated rocks.

is the top surface of the saturated zone, where the saturated zone is not confined by overlying impermeable rocks

is the processes of infiltration and migration or percolation by which ground water is replaced

occurs where ground water flows into a stream, escapes at the surface in a spring, or otherwise exits the aquifer

is a rock that holds enough water and transmits it rapidly enough to be useful as a source of water

is a rock that may store a considerable quantity of water, but in which water flow is slowed, or retarded

was used to describe an extreme aquitard, a rock that is essentially impermeable on a human timescale

when the aquifer is directly overlain only by permeable rocks and soil

is bounded above and below by low permeability rocks (aquitards)

If a well is drilled into a confined aquifer, the water can rise above its level in the aquifer because of this extra hydrostatic (fluid) pressure

represents the height to which the water’s pressure would raise the water if the water were unconfined

is a circular lowering of the water table immediately around the well in an unconfined aquifer.

If the aquifer rocks are no longer saturated with water, they may become ___________ from the weight of overlying rocks. This decreases their porosity, permanently reducing their water-holding capacity, and may also decrease their permeability

Fresh water falling on land does not mix so readily with saline ground water at depth because water in the pore spaces in rock or soil is not vigorously churned by currents or wave action

is a common way to provide more land for construction. This practice can interfere with recharge, especially if surface runoff is rapid elsewhere in the area.

are a partial solution to the problem of areas where groundwater use exceeds natural recharge rate, but they are effective only where there is surface runoff to catch, and they rely on precipitation

Rock types such as carbonate rocks or beds of rock salt or gypsum, chemical sediments deposited in shallow seas, are extremely soluble in water. Dissolution of these rocks by subsurface water, and occasional collapse or subsidence of the ground surface into the resultant cavities, creates a distinctive terrain known as ________

Rainwater is not considered as ____________ because it contains dissolved chemicals of various kinds, especially in industrialized areas with substantial air pollution