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Geology > Groundwater > Flashcards

Groundwater Flashcards

1
Q

What were the freshwater usage percentages in the year 2000 for electrical generation, irrigation, and municipal water?

A

Electrical generation: 48%
Irrigation: 34%
Municipal water usage: 11%

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2
Q

What are the primary personal water usage activities?

A

Flushing toilets: 27%
Washing clothes: 22%

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3
Q

What are some ways to reduce daily water usage?

A

Fixing leaks
Using low-flow appliances

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4
Q

How does groundwater contribute to the hydrologic cycle?

A

It is a major component
It is stored within pores and fractures within substrate

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5
Q

What is the water table?

A

It is a subsurface boundary.
Above the water table: pores are mostly filled with air (unsaturated zone).
Below the water table: pores are filled with water (saturated zone).

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6
Q

What are the two general types of aquifers?

A

Unconfined aquifer: intersects the surface, easily contaminated
Confined aquifer: beneath an aquitard, less susceptible to pollution

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7
Q

What is the difference between an aquifer and an aquitard?

A

Aquifer: sediment or rock that can store and transmit water easily
Aquitard: impermeable or low permeability sediment or rock that hinders water flow

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8
Q

What is the primary source of heat for hot springs in geothermal regions?

A

High geothermal gradients linked to shallow magma.

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9
Q

What causes land subsidence when groundwater is removed?

A

Sediment grains compress; pore spaces collapse, leading to cracks and sinking of the land surface.

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10
Q

What are some sources of groundwater contamination?

A

Septic systems
Industrial activities
Roads and parking lots
Older sanitary landfills and waste dumps
Agriculture

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11
Q

Groundwater:

A

Water located beneath the Earth’s surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations.

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12
Q

Freshwater:

A

Water that contains low concentrations of dissolved salts, typically found in rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

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13
Q

Aquifers

A

Underground layers of rock or sediment that hold water and allow it to flow.

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14
Q

Porosity:

A

The percentage of void space in a rock or sediment that can hold water.

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15
Q

Permeability:

A

The ability of a rock or sediment to allow fluids to pass through it.

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16
Q

Cone of Depression:

A

A cone-shaped lowering of the water table around a well when water is being pumped out faster than it can be replenished.

17
Q

Contamination:

A

The introduction of harmful substances into the environment, making water unsafe for consumption or use.

18
Q

Water Table:

A

The level below the Earth’s surface at which the ground becomes saturated with water.

19
Q

Land Subsidence:

A

The gradual sinking or settling of the Earth’s surface due to the removal of groundwater.

20
Q

Ground Fissures:

A

Large cracks or openings in the ground caused by the removal of groundwater, leading to land instability.

21
Q

Ogallala Aquifer:

A

One of the world’s largest aquifers, located beneath the Great Plains of the United States.

22
Q

Sustainable Management:

A

The responsible use and conservation of water resources to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

23
Q

Water Law:

A

Legal regulations and principles governing the use, distribution, and protection of water resources.

24
Q

What percentage of water on Earth is salty?

A

90%

25
Q

By how much can daily water usage be reduced by fixing leaks and using low-flow appliances?

A

Up 35%

26
Q

Where do streams provide great access to freshwater?

A

In humid climates

27
Q

What happens to rainwater when it hits the ground?

A

It goes through a filtration process known as infiltration, which can take a long time.

28
Q

What are aquifers?

A

Reservoirs that hold water

29
Q

What are pores in the context of aquifers?

A

Open spaces within aquifer materials

30
Q

What does porosity determine?

A

How much water an aquifer can hold

31
Q

What does permeability refer to in the context of aquifers?

A

How easily water can flow through the holes in an aquifer

32
Q

What is an unconfined aquifer interacting with?

A

The surface

33
Q

What is the water table?

A

A line indicating where you’d draw the streams

34
Q

What is a small guide used to access the aquifer?

A

A drill

35
Q

What does “artesian” mean in the context of water?

A

The water was on the surface and didn’t need to be pumped out

36
Q

What does the hydraulic gradient represent?

A

The slope of the water table

Geology (19 decks)

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