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.
