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Definition
| Water below the Earth’s surface. Exists between and within solid grains of geologic materials. |
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Definition
| Water above and in contact with the ground surface |
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Definition
| The science encompassing the behavior of water as it occurs in the atmosphere, on the surface of the ground, and underground. |
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Definition
| Study of the interrelationships of geologic materials and processes with water in the subsurface. The study of groundwater with particular emphasis given to its mode of migration, relation to the geologic environment, and chemistry. |
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Definition
| All water that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface. |
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Definition
| A collective term for all processes by which liquid or solid water at or near the Earth’s surface becomes atmospheric vapor. Includes: evaporation, transpiration, and sublimation. |
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Definition
| The part of the precipitation that appears in surface streams, same as streamflow. |
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Definition
| An area that contributes all the water that flows through a given cross section of stream based on the topography. |
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| Surface Reservoir Advantages |
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Definition
-Water may be made available by gravity flow
-Has multiple usages, like for recreation…dude
-Most of the time, the mineralization of surface water is low
-Maximum flood control value
-Large flows
-Relatively easy to investigate and manage |
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Term
| Surface Reservoir Disadvantages |
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Definition
-Not that many new sites in the US
-High evaporative loss, even in humid climates
-Need large areas of land
-May fail catastrophically?
- Varying water temperature
-Easily polluted |
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Term
| Subsurface Reservoir Advantages |
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Definition
-Many large-capacity sites available
-Practically no evaporative loss
-Only requires very small areas of land
-Practically no danger of structural failure
-Water temp. uniform
-Usually high biological purity?, although pollution can occur |
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Term
| Subsurface Reservoir Disadvantages |
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Definition
-Water must be pumped
-Only uses are storage and conveyance?
-Water may be highly mineralized
-Minor flood control value?
-Limited flow at any one point
-Expensive and difficult to investigate and manage
-Maintenance of recharge areas or wells must be continuous and is expensive |
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Term
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Definition
| geologic unit that stores and transmits water |
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Term
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Definition
| Ratio of the volume of void space to the total volume of rock or sediment |
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Term
| Effective Porosity (neff, unitless) |
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Definition
| includes only the connected pore space through which fluid can flow. |
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Definition
| A measure of the transmission property of the media and the interconnection of the pores. |
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Definition
| A well screened in a confined aquifer that flows at the land surface. |
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Definition
| An aquifer in which recharge upgradient forces water to flow down and get trapped under a confining bed. Water is under pressure due to the weight of the upgradient water and the confinement of the water btwn impermeable layers. |
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Definition
| Water is in contact with atmospheric pressure. Drill a well and hit the water table |
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Term
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Definition
| What this term means is that fluids flow from high to low fluid potential. |
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Definition
| imaginary surface connecting points equal to heights that water would rise (heads) from given points in the aquifer. |
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Definition
| The change in head over a distance. |
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Term
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Definition
| are the streams, its a component of flow upward, saturated flow is toward the water table. |
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Term
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Definition
| entry into the saturated zone of water made available at the water table surface |
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Term
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Definition
| removal of water from the saturated zone across the water table surface- together with associated flow toward the ground surface within the unsaturated zone. |
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Term
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Definition
| entry into the soil of water made available at the ground surface-together with associated flow away from the ground surface within the unsaturated zone. |
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Term
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Definition
A location where flow is zero. The magnitude of vectors of hydraulic gradient are equal but opposite in direction. This happens where flow diverges.
Complex flow systems may show one of more stagnation point.
If the head at the stagnation point is higher than the head in a lake, flow is toward the lake. |
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Term
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Definition
-area of natural discharge
-occur where water table is near or meets land surface
-amt. of discharge is related to height of water table.
-Springs are affected by seasonal changes in recharge and by single storm events |
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Term
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Definition
| Land surface dips to intersect the water table. |
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Term
| Contact and Fault Springs |
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Definition
| water flows to the surface where a low permeability bed impedes flow |
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Term
| Sinkhole, joint, and fracture springs |
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Definition
| Similar to depression spring but flow is limited to fracture zones, joints, or dissolution channels. |
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Term
| Geologic processes that control regional flow |
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Definition
1) Topographically-driven flow (gravity driven)
2) Free Convection
3) Tectonically- driven flow
4) Overpressured buried continental margin
5) seismic pumping |
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