Section 5 Groundwater Flashcards
Groundwater
Water is held underground in pores or crevices in soil or rock.
Infiltration
The movement of surface water into rock or soil through cracks and pore spaces underground.
Permeability
the rate at which water or other liquids pass through the pore spaces of a rock.
Pore spaces
The spaces between the sediments that holds water
Porosity
the percent of a material’s volume that is pore space.
Specific Retention (Capillary water)
water that remains in the soil after water is drained out
Aquifer
Underground soil or rock through which groundwater can easily move.
A permeable layer of rock and sediment that stores and carries groundwater in enough quantities to supply wells.
Aquitard/Aquiclude
a solid, impermeable area underlying or overlying an aquifer.
Water table
The top of the water in the soil or rock.
The surface below which the groundwater is saturated with water.
Saturated Zone
the area below the water table, where the pores are filled with water.
Unsaturated Zone
the area below the surface that is above the water table, where the pores are not filled with water.
Sediment Sorting
The grain sorting refers to the range of sediment sizes.
Well sorted = small size range
Poorly sorted = large size range
Silt
0.004-0.06 mm 2nd smallest sediment
Clay
0.004 mm smallest sediment
Sand
Coarse Sand: 0.5-2 mm 5th largest
Medium Sand: 0.25-0.5 mm 6th largest
Fine Sand: 0.06-0.25 mm 7th largest
