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An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, silt, or clay) from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Gravel is rock that is of a specific Particle size range In Geology, gravel is any loose rock that is larger than two millimeters (2mm Sand is a naturally occurring Granular material composed of finely divided rock and Mineral particles Silt is Soil or rock derived Granular material of a Grain size between sand and clay Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained Minerals which show plasticity through a variable range of Water content, and Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology. Hydrogeology ( hydro- meaning water and -geology meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of Geology that deals with the distribution and Related terms include: an aquitard, which is an impermeable layer along an aquifer, and an aquiclude (or aquifuge), which is a solid, impermeable area beneath an aquifer. The surface of saturated material in an aquifer is known as the water table. The water table is the level at which the ground water pressure is equal to Atmospheric pressure.

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Shallow aquifers

Aquifers can occur at various depths. Those closer to the surface are not only more likely to be exploited for water supply and irrigation, but are also more likely to be topped up by the local rainfall. Many desert areas have limestone hills or mountains within them or close to them which can be exploited as groundwater resources. Parts of the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges of Syria, Israel and Lebanon, the Jebel Akhdar (Oman) in Oman, parts of the Sierra Nevada and neighbouring ranges in the United State's South West, have shallow aquifers which are exploited for their water. The Atlas Mountains ( Kabyle: Idurar n leṭles جبال الأطلس) is a Mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about 2400 North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية The Anti-Lebanon mountains, is the Western name for the Eastern Lebanon Mountain Range ( Arabic: جبال لبنان الشرقية)which are a northeast-trending Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Also known as the camals hideoutThe Jebel Akhdar, Jabal Akhdar or Al Jabal Al Akhdar ( Arabic: الجبل الأخضر meaning The Green Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Over exploitation can lead to the exceeding of the practical sustained yield, i. e. more water is taken out than can be replenished. Along the coastlines of certain countries, such as Libya and Israel, population growth has led to over-population which has caused the lowering of water table and the subsequent contamination of the groundwater with saltwater from the sea (saline intrusions). Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Overpopulation refers to a condition where an Organism 's numbers exceed the Carrying capacity of its Habitat. Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations

Classification

(aquitard) (Alabama)
(aquitard)
(aquitard)
Typical aquifer cross-section

This diagram indicates typical flow directions in a cross-sectional view of a simple confined/unconfined aquifer system. In Geometry, a cross section is the intersection of a body in 2-dimensional space with a line or of a body in 3-dimensional space with a plane etc The system shows two aquifers with one aquitard (a confining or impermeable layer), between them, surrounded by the bedrock aquiclude, which is in contact with a gaining stream (typical in humid regions). A stream is a body of Water with a current, confined within a bed and stream-banks Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean Relative humidity. The water table and unsaturated zone are also illustrated. The water table is the level at which the ground water pressure is equal to Atmospheric pressure. The vadose zone, also termed the unsaturated zone, is the portion of Earth between the land surface and the phreatic zone or zone of saturation ("vadose"

An aquitard is a zone within the earth that restricts the flow of groundwater from one aquifer to another. Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations An aquitard can sometimes, if completely impermeable, be called an aquiclude or aquifuge. Aquitards are composed of layers of either clay or non-porous rock with low hydraulic conductivity. Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained Minerals which show plasticity through a variable range of Water content, and In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Hydraulic conductivity, symbolically represented as K is a property of vascular plants soil or rock that describes the ease with which water can move through pore spaces

Saturated versus unsaturated

Groundwater can be found at nearly every point in the earth's shallow subsurface, to some degree; although aquifers do not necessarily contain fresh water. Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations Freshwater is a word that refers to bodies of water such as Ponds lakes rivers and streams containing low concentrations of dissolved Salts and other Total dissolved The earth's crust can be divided into two regions: the saturated zone or phreatic zone (e. Water content or moisture content is the quantity of Water contained in a material such as Soil (called soil moisture) rock, The term phreatic is used in Earth sciences to refer to matters relating to ground water below the static Water table (the word originates from the Greek g. , aquifers, aquitards, etc. ), where all available spaces are filled with water, and the unsaturated zone (also called the aeration), where there are still pockets of air with some water that can be replaced by water. Aeration is the Process by which Air is circulated through mixed with or dissolved in a Liquid or substance

Saturated means the pressure head of the water is greater than atmospheric pressure (it has a gauge pressure > 0). The definition of the water table is surface where the pressure head is equal to atmospheric pressure (where gauge pressure =0). The water table is the level at which the ground water pressure is equal to Atmospheric pressure. Hydraulic head is a specific measurement of water pressure or Total energy per Unit weight above a Geodetic datum. Unsaturated conditions occur above the water table where the pressure head is negative (absolute pressure can never be negative, but gauge pressure can) and the water which incompletely fills the pores of the aquifer material is under suction. Suction is the flow of a fluid into a partial Vacuum, or region of low pressure The water content in the unsaturated zone is held in place by surface adhesive forces and it rises above the water table (the zero gauge pressure isobar) by capillary action to saturate a small zone above the phreatic surface (the capillary fringe) at less than atmospheric pressure. Hydrogeology ( hydro- meaning water and -geology meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of Geology that deals with the distribution and Adhesion is the tendency of certain dissimilar molecules to cling together due to Attractive forces. Hydrogeology ( hydro- meaning water and -geology meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of Geology that deals with the distribution and Capillary action, capillarity, capillary motion, or wicking is the ability of a substance to draw another substance into it The capillary fringe is the subsurface layer in which Groundwater seeps up from a Water table by Capillary action to fill pores This is termed tension saturation and is not the same as saturation on a water content basis. Water content in a capillary fringe decreases with increasing distance from the phreatic surface. The capillary head depends on soil pore size. In sandy soils with larger pores the head will be less than in clay soils with very small pores. Sand is a naturally occurring Granular material composed of finely divided rock and Mineral particles Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained Minerals which show plasticity through a variable range of Water content, and The normal capillary rise in a clayey soil is less than 1. 80 m (six feet) but can range between 0. 3 and 10 m (1 and 30 ft). [1]

The capillary rise of water in a small diameter tube is this same physical process. Geometry, a diameter of a Circle is any straight Line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose Endpoints are on the The water table is the level to which water will rise in a large diameter pipe (e. g. a well) which goes down into the aquifer and is open to the atmosphere.

See also: Water content and Soil moisture

Aquifers versus aquitards

Aquifers are typically saturated regions of the subsurface which produce an economically feasible quantity of water to a well or spring (e. Water content or moisture content is the quantity of Water contained in a material such as Soil (called soil moisture) rock, Water content or moisture content is the quantity of Water contained in a material such as Soil (called soil moisture) rock, A spring is a point where Groundwater flows out of the ground and is thus where the Aquifer surface meets the ground surface g. , sand and gravel or fractured bedrock often make good aquifer materials). Sand is a naturally occurring Granular material composed of finely divided rock and Mineral particles Gravel is rock that is of a specific Particle size range In Geology, gravel is any loose rock that is larger than two millimeters (2mm Bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet usually the Earth. An aquitard is a zone within the earth that restricts the flow of groundwater from one aquifer to another. Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations An aquitard can sometimes, if completely impermeable, be called an aquiclude or aquifuge. Aquitards comprise layers of either clay or non-porous rock with low hydraulic conductivity. Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained Minerals which show plasticity through a variable range of Water content, and In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Hydraulic conductivity, symbolically represented as K is a property of vascular plants soil or rock that describes the ease with which water can move through pore spaces

In mountainous areas (or near rivers in mountainous areas), the main aquifers are typically unconsolidated alluvium. Alluvium (from the Latin, alluvius, from alluere, "to wash against" is Soil or Sediments deposited by a river or other running They are typically composed of mostly horizontal layers of materials deposited by water processes (rivers and streams), which in cross-section (looking at a two-dimensional slice of the aquifer) appear to be layers of alternating coarse and fine materials. Coarse materials, because of the high energy needed to move them, tend to be found nearer the source (mountain fronts or rivers), while the fine-grained material will make it farther from the source (to the flatter parts of the basin or overbank areas - sometimes called the pressure area). Since there are less fine-grained deposits near the source, this is a place where aquifers are often unconfined (sometimes called the forebay area), or in hydraulic communication with the land surface.

See also: Hydraulic conductivity and Storativity

Confined versus unconfined

There are two end members in the spectrum of types of aquifers; confined and unconfined (with semi-confined being in between). Hydraulic conductivity, symbolically represented as K is a property of vascular plants soil or rock that describes the ease with which water can move through pore spaces Specific storage (Ss storativity (S specific yield (Sy and specific capacity are material physical properties that characterize Unconfined aquifers are sometimes also called water table or phreatic aquifers, because their upper boundary is the water table or phreatic surface. The water table is the level at which the ground water pressure is equal to Atmospheric pressure. (See Biscayne Aquifer. The Biscayne Aquifer, named after Biscayne Bay, is a Surficial aquifer. ) Typically (but not always) the shallowest aquifer at a given location is unconfined, meaning it does not have a confining layer (an aquitard or aquiclude) between it and the surface. Unconfined aquifers usually receive recharge water directly from the surface, from precipitation or from a body of surface water (e. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric g. , a river, stream, or lake) which is in hydraulic connection with it. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there A stream is a body of Water with a current, confined within a bed and stream-banks A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the Confined aquifers have the water table above their upper boundary (an aquitard or aquiclude), and are typically found below unconfined aquifers. The term "perched" refers to ground water accumulating above a low-permeability unit or strata, such as a clay layer. This term is generally used to refer to a small local area of ground water that occurs at an elevation higher than a regionally-extensive aquifer. The difference between perched and unconfined aquifers is their size (perched is smaller).

If the distinction between confined and unconfined is not clear geologically (i. e. , if it is not known if a clear confining layer exists, or if the geology is more complex, e. g. , a fractured bedrock aquifer), the value of storativity returned from an aquifer test can be used to determine it (although aquifer tests in unconfined aquifers should be interpreted differently than confined ones). An aquifer test (or a pumping test) is conducted to evaluate an Aquifer by "stimulating" the aquifer through constant Pumping and observing the Confined aquifers have very low storativity values (much less than 0. Specific storage (Ss storativity (S specific yield (Sy and specific capacity are material physical properties that characterize 01, and as little as 10-5), which means that the aquifer is storing water using the mechanisms of aquifer matrix expansion and the compressibility of water, which typically are both quite small quantities. Unconfined aquifers have storativities (typically then called specific yield) greater than 0. Specific storage (Ss storativity (S specific yield (Sy and specific capacity are material physical properties that characterize 01 (1% of bulk volume); they release water from storage by the mechanism of actually draining the pores of the aquifer, releasing relatively large amounts of water (up to the drainable porosity of the aquifer material, or the minimum volumetric water content). Hydrogeology ( hydro- meaning water and -geology meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of Geology that deals with the distribution and Water content or moisture content is the quantity of Water contained in a material such as Soil (called soil moisture) rock,

See also: Porosity and Storativity

Misconceptions

A common misconception is that groundwater exists in underground rivers (e. Porosity is a measure of the void spaces in a material and is measured as a fraction between 0–1 or as a Percentage between 0–100% Specific storage (Ss storativity (S specific yield (Sy and specific capacity are material physical properties that characterize For examples see Common misconceptions. A misconception happens when a person believes in a Concept which is objectively Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations g. caves where water flows freely underground). A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter This is only sometimes true in eroded limestone areas known as karst topography which make up only a small percentage of Earth's area. Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone More usual is that the pore spaces of rocks in the subsurface are simply saturated with water — like a kitchen sponge — which can be pumped out and used for agricultural, industrial or municipal uses. Porosity is a measure of the void spaces in a material and is measured as a fraction between 0–1 or as a Percentage between 0–100% For information on Wikipedia project-related discussions see WikipediaVillage pump.

The beach provides a model to help visualize an actual aquifer. If a hole is dug into the sand, very wet or saturated sand will be located at a shallow depth. Sand is a naturally occurring Granular material composed of finely divided rock and Mineral particles This hole is a crude well, the wet sand represents an aquifer, and the level to which the water rises in this hole represents the water table. The water table is the level at which the ground water pressure is equal to Atmospheric pressure.

If a rock unit of low porosity is highly fractured, it can also make a good aquifer (via fissure flow). Porosity is important, but alone, it does not determine a rock's ability of being an aquifer. Areas of the Deccan Traps (a basaltic lava) in west central India are good examples. The Deccan Traps are a Large igneous province located on the Deccan Plateau of west-central India (between 17-24N 73-74E and one of the largest Volcanic Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Similarly, the micro-porous (Upper Cretaceous) Chalk of south east England, although having a reasonably high porosity, has a low grain-to-grain permeability, with much of its good water-yielding characteristics being due to micro-fracturing and fissuring. The Cretaceous (kriːˈteɪʃəs, usually abbreviated 'K' for its German translation "Kreide" is a geologic period and system, reaching from the end of Chalk (ʧɔːk is a soft white porous Sedimentary rock, a form of Limestone composed of the Mineral Calcite. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Human dependence on groundwater

Most land areas on Earth have some form of aquifer underlying them, sometimes at significant depths. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001

Fresh water aquifers, especially those with limited recharge by meteoric water, can be over-exploited and, depending on the local hydrogeology, may draw in non-potable water or saltwater (saltwater intrusion) from hydraulically connected aquifers or surface water bodies. Meteoric water is a Hydrologic term of long standing for water in the ground which originates from precipitation. Hydrogeology ( hydro- meaning water and -geology meaning the study of the Earth) is the area of Geology that deals with the distribution and Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Saltwater intrusion is a process that occurs in virtually all Coastal Aquifers where they are in Hydraulic continuity with Seawater. This can be a serious problem especially in coastal areas and other areas where aquifer pumping is excessive. In some areas the ground water can be contaminated by mineral poisons, such as arsenic - see Arsenic contamination of groundwater. Arsenic (ˈɑrsənɪk is a Chemical element that has the symbol As and Atomic number of 33 See also Water pollution Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a natural occurring high concentration of Arsenic in deeper levels of Groundwater

Aquifers are critically important in human habitation and agriculture. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Deep aquifers in arid areas have long been water sources for irrigation (see Ogallala below). Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops Many villages and even large cities draw their water supply from wells in aquifers. A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet, but smaller than a Town or City.

Municipal, irrigation, and industrial water supplies are provided through large wells. Multiple wells for one water supply source are termed "wellfields", which may withdraw water from confined or unconfined aquifers. Using ground water from deep, confined aquifers provides more protection from surface water contamination. Some wells, termed "collector wells," are specifically designed to induce infiltration of surface (usually river) water.

Aquifers that provide sustainable fresh groundwater to urban areas and for agricultural irrigation are typically close to the ground surface (within a couple of hundred meters) and have some recharge by fresh water. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops This recharge is typically from rivers or meteoric water (precipitation) that percolates into the aquifer through overlying unsaturated materials.

Subsidence

In unconsolidated aquifers, groundwater is produced from pore spaces between particles of gravel, sand, and silt. If the aquifer is confined by low-permeability layers, the reduced water pressure in the sand and gravel causes slow drainage of water from the adjoining confining layers. If these confining layers are composed of compressible silt or clay, the loss of water to the aquifer reduces the water pressure in the confining layer, causing it to compress from the weight of overlying geologic materials. In severe cases, this compression can be observed on the ground surface as subsidence. Unfortunately, much of the subsidence from groundwater extraction is permanent (elastic rebound is small). Thus the subsidence is not only permanent, but the compressed aquifer has a permanently-reduced capacity to hold water.

Saltwater intrusion

Main article: Saltwater intrusion

Aquifers near the coast have a lens of freshwater near the surface and denser seawater under freshwater. Saltwater intrusion is a process that occurs in virtually all Coastal Aquifers where they are in Hydraulic continuity with Seawater. Seawater penetrates the aquifer diffusing in from the ocean and is more dense than freshwater. For porous (i. e. sandy) aquifers near the coast, the thickness of freshwater atop saltwater is about 40 feet (12 m) for every 1 ft of freshwater head above sea level. This relationship is called the Ghyben-Herzberg equation. If too much ground water is pumped near the coast, salt-water may intrude into freshwater aquifers causing contamination of potable freshwater supplies. Many coastal aquifers, such as the Biscayne Aquifer near Miami and the New Jersey Coastal Plain aquifer, have problems with saltwater intrusion as a result of overpumping.

Examples

An example of a significant and sustainable carbonate aquifer is the Edwards Aquifer [2] in central Texas. The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most prolific artesian Aquifers in the world Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. This carbonate aquifer has historically been providing high-quality water for nearly 2 million people and, even today, is completely full because of tremendous recharge from a number of area streams, rivers and lakes. A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the The primary risk to this resource is human development over the recharge areas.

One of the largest aquifers in the world is the Guarani Aquifer, with 1. The Guaraní Aquifer, located beneath the surface of the original four Mercosur countries ( Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay 2 million km² of area, shared by Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America

Aquifer depletion is a problem in some areas, and is especially critical in northern Africa; see the Great Manmade River project of Libya for an example. Great Manmade River or Great Man-made River ( GMR, ar النهر الصناعي العظيم is a network of pipes that supplies Water from the Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab However, new methods of groundwater management such as artificial recharge and injection of surface waters during seasonal wet periods has extended the life of many freshwater aquifers, especially in the United States.

North America

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ San Diego County Water Authority - Water Management - Local Resources
The San Diego Formation is a mostly Sand, with rock layer from a former bay of San Diego of late Pliocene age Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West See Great Artesian Basin for the water source in Australia An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing Groundwater The following is a partial list of aquifers around the world A category-based list of Aquifers is also available Groundwater models are computer models of Groundwater flow systems and are used by Hydrogeologists Groundwater models are used to simulate and predict

Dictionary

aquifer

-noun

  1. An underground layer of water-bearing porous stone, earth, or gravel
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