Groundwater

Factors of Infiltration

1. Porosity
2. Permeability

1. Zone of Aeration
   • how do plants get water?
2. Water Table
3. Zone of Saturation

Groundwater is in motion.

1. Formation of Springs
   1. Aquiclude = Aquitard
   2. infiltration of water
   3. Perched water table
   4. Water table at the surface
2. Streams (Self Quiz Link)
   1. Gaining stream = Effluent stream
      • Water table at elevation of the stream
   2. Losing stream = Influent stream
      • Water table below the ground surface

Water Wells

1. Lose of water
   1. Cone of depression
   2. Draw Down
2. Recharge
3. Salt water invasion of the well
   1. excessive pumping of well
   2. freshwater lens rises 40x
   3. caused by density difference of salt water and fresh water.

1. Water pressure surface
   1. Above Ground = Free Flow
   2. Below Ground = water rise to this surface
2. aquiclude sandwich of the aquifer

Groundwater pollution:

1. water is purified by the flow through the rocks.
2. Septic Systems are a major polluter of groundwater.
3. Various chemicals can get into the groundwater:
   1. Pesticides and herbicides
   2. Fertilizers
   3. Gasoline from underground tanks
4. Solid waste disposal
5. Liquid waste disposal
6. Radioactive waste

Natural groundwater pollution

1. Rock leaching - Lead, Arsenic, Mercury
2. Acid mine waste - often from exposure of coal to the air and water.

Hot groundwater:

1. Hot spring
2. Geysers
3. Mud pots
4. Hot water fountains

Groundwater erodes:

1. H2O + CO2 = H2CO3 Carbonic Acid
2. Carbonic Acid dissolves Limestone to form caves.

1. Dripstones
   1. Stalactites
   2. Stalagmites
2. Columns = union of stalactites and stalagmites
3. Flowstone
4. Travertine

Karst Topography

1. Sinkholes (image is of sinkhole in Winter Park, Florida)
2. Solution valley
3. Haystack hills
4. Monoliths

Other Features of Groundwater

1. Concretions
2. Nodules
3. Geodes