Week 7 Textbook Reading: Water Flashcards
What is an aquifer?
A permeable layer of rock and sediment that contains groundwater.
What is an unconfined aquifer?
An aquifer made of porous rock covered by soil out of which water can easily flow.
What is a confined aquifer?
An aquifer surrounded by a layer of impermeable rock or clay that impedes water flow.
What is groundwater recharge?
A process by which water percolates through the soil and works its way into an aquifer.
What is a water table?
The uppermost level at which the water in a given area fully saturates rock or soil.
What is a spring?
A natural source of water formed when water from an aquifer percolates up to the ground surface.
What is an artesian well?
A well created by drilling a hole into a confined aquifer.
What is a cone of depression?
An area lacking groundwater due to rapid withdrawal by a well.
What is a saltwater intrusion?
An infiltration of salt water in an area where groundwater pressure has been reduced from extensive drilling of wells.
What is a floodplain?
The land adjacent to a river.
What is an impermeable surface?
Pavement of buildings that do not allow water penetration.
What is a levee?
An enlarged bank built up on each side of a river.
What is a dam?
A barrier that runs across a river of stream to control the flow of water.
What is a dike?
A structure built to prevent ocean waters from flooding adjacent land.
What is a reservoir?
The water body created by damming a river or stream.
What is a fish ladder?
A stair-like structure that allows migrating fish to get around a dam.
What is an aqueduct?
A canal, ditch, or pipe used to carry water from one location to another.
What is distillation?
A process of desalination in which water is boiled and the resulting steam is captured and condensed to yield pure water.
What is desalination?
The process of removing salt from salt water.
What is reverse osmosis?
A process of desalination in which water is forced through a thin semipermeable membrane at high pressure.
What is a water footprint?
The total daily per capita use of fresh water.
What is hydroponic agriculture?
The cultivation of plants in greenhouse conditions by immersing roots in a nutrient-rich solution.
What are tiered water-pricing systems?
A water allocation system that charges rates that increase with the amount of water consumed.
What is xeriscaping?
A style of landscaping that removes water-intensive vegetation from lawns and replaces it with more water-efficient native landscaping.
