Surface and Ground Water Chapter 11

Question 1

What are the percentage breakdowns of where water is on earth

Answer 1

Oceans and Salt Lakes 97.41%
Ice and Snow 1.984 %
Ground water 0.592%
Lakes and Rivers 0.0071%
Soils, wetlands and biota %0.0059%

Question 2

Define the Hydrologic cycle

Answer 2

Precipitation
Groundwater flow —-some of the precipitation makes it way into the earth
Surface Runoff —–some precipitation is carried to lakes and oceans through rivers
Evaporation ——-
Evapotranspiration —— very significant as plants absorb and release oxygen, water and carbon dioxide. These go through tiny pores called Stomata
-evaporation of water
- Transpiration from plant leaves
-Stomata
-

Question 3

Define Stomata***

Answer 3

Stomata regulate gas exchange between the plant and environment and control of water loss by changing the size of the stomatal pore.
Parts of a plant

Question 4

How is ground water defined

Answer 4

It is a common misconception that groundwater exists in underground rivers, rather most water fills the pore spaces of rocks in the subsurface.

Question 5

Define the zones of groundwater

Answer 5

Unsaturated zones (Vadose zone): water and air fill pore spaces.
Water table: is the upper limit of the saturated zone
Saturated zone: pores in the rock/sediment are filled with water.

Question 6

Define Aquifers

Answer 6

An underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials. From which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well.
The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called Hydrogeology

Question 7

Define Porosity

Answer 7

Volume of space for water in a rock

Question 8

Define Permeability

Answer 8

Ability of fluid to move through a rock, size and connectivity of pore space

Question 9

Define Aquitard

Answer 9

is a zone within the earth that restricts the flow of groundwater from one aquifer to another. Aquitards are layers of either clay or non-porous rock with low hydraulic conductivity

Question 10

Primary reservoir in Calgary

Answer 10

Paskapoo formation
Paloeogean in age
full of water from the newly formed Rocky mountains

Question 11

Define springs

Answer 11

Where water table intercepts the surface

Question 12

What are the two types of Aquifers

Answer 12

unconfined aquifer: upper boundary is the water table , not an aquitard. they can recharge from precipitation, rivers lakes and streams.
Confined aquifer: upper boundary is an aquifer. Also called an artisan aquifer

Question 13

Water can generally be pumped from a well faster than the aquifer can recharge. What can occur

Answer 13

Aquifers can go dry, but more importantly, the ground can start sinking or subside

Question 14

Define Salt water encroachment and the problem with it

Answer 14

Seawater is more dense than fresh water so salt water usually lies under fresh in coastal aquifers. Pumping of fresh water can cause seawater to move into fresh water zones.
Because seawater has loads of sulfate, can lead to very smelly water supply as well as salt contamination.

Question 15

Define Karst Terrain

Answer 15

Features created by dissolution of limestone and related rocks by groundwater, because of C02 in the precipitation making the water acidic. This is a form of Chemical weathering
This also creates sinkholes

Question 16

Channel Migration deepest part, check text.

Answer 16

Thalweg, the higher velocities due to deeper water, effect erosion and could in essence move the river and cause point bars to shift..