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Groundwater System: Definition & Geological Role

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Instructor: Elizabeth Friedl
Groundwater, or the water present beneath the Earth's surface, makes up most of the planet's liquid freshwater
stored in underground reservoirs called aquifers. Learn the definition of the groundwater system and explore its
geological role in the water cycle.
Updated: 09/27/2021
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Groundwater
Believe it or not, groundwater, or water below the surface, makes up most of Earth's liquid freshwater. All of the
streams, lakes, rivers, and ponds (so all of the Great Lakes, the Mississippi, the Amazon, the Nile, and all of the
other fresh surface water) only make up about 1% of Earth's liquid freshwater.

Water gets underground because when it precipitates, like with rain or snow, the ground soaks up the falling
water like a sponge. Some soils are better at absorbing groundwater than others. Sand, for example, is really
good at soaking up water, and you've seen this if you've ever been to the beach. Clay, however, is not very good at
taking in water, and rocks are even worse.

Where groundwater completely fills any open spaces underground is called the saturated zone; it's literally
saturated with water. There is space above this in the soil, where moisture exists, but it doesn't completely fill all
of the open spaces. The water here is called soil moisture, and this region where the soil is not saturated is
called the unsaturated zone. You can tell where these two meet if you dig a hole. Once the hole hits the saturated
zone you will see the bottom fill with water, and this boundary where the saturated and unsaturated zones meet
is called the water table.
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The Role of Groundwater

Groundwater is an important component of the water cycle, which is the natural cycling of water through phases
and locations on Earth. The water that soaks into the ground sometimes comes back out above ground in other
locations, feeding the world's rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans.

Much of the world's groundwater is stored in aquifers, which are underground water reservoirs, usually made of
rock like limestone. The limestone acts like a giant rock sponge, soaking up the water and holding it for
thousands of years. One of the world's largest aquifers is the Ogallala Aquifer in the Great Plains of the U.S. This
aquifer is one large connected system, stretching from South Dakota to Texas and from Colorado to Arkansas!
Because aquifers hold so much water, they take a very long time to fill, sometimes thousands or even millions of
years.

Groundwater also acts like a cementing agent, helping sedimentary rocks form. As it moves, it carries sediments
along with it, and then over millions of years, the water glues those sediments together into rocks.

Geysers are the result of groundwater; if the water underground is above a near-surface magma source, this
magma underneath heats the water. As the water heats, the pressure builds up, sometimes escaping at the
surface. When this happens, the result is the same as heating a kettle of water on the stove. Steam escapes
through a small opening in the surface and we get a geyser, like Old Faithful.

Natural ecosystems depend on groundwater because, as mentioned before, it's a source of freshwater for
surface water systems, like wetlands and rivers. Both plants and animals depend on groundwater because plants
take it up through their roots in the soil, and animals (like us!) use it as a source of drinking water.

We pump groundwater not only for drinking, but also for things like agricultural irrigation. The problem is that, as
mentioned before, it takes a long time to fill or refill an aquifer. So, if we pump too much groundwater out, the
land can be affected in various ways.

Sinkholes are funnel-shaped cavities in the ground. They are literally holes that occur from the ground sinking.
Groundwater holds the land underground in place, and when it's removed, that ground just sinks downward to fill
the empty space. Sinkholes can be small, or they can be very large like Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. Once a
sinkhole, Lake Eola has since been turned into a park in the middle of the city, and this open-air ground hole is an
incredible 23 acres in size!

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Earth Science 101: Earth Science

24 chapters |
168 lessons
| 16
flashcard sets

Ch 1. Earth Science Basics

Ch 2. Geologic Time
Ch 3. Characteristics of Matter
Ch 4. Earth's Spheres and Internal...
Ch 5. Plate Tectonics
Ch 6. Minerals and Rocks
Ch 7. Igneous Rocks
Ch 8. Volcanic Landforms
Ch 9. Weathering and Erosion
Ch 10. Sedimentary Rocks: A Deeper Look
Ch 11. Metamorphic Rocks: A Deeper Look
Ch 12. Rock Deformation and Mountain...
Ch 13. Water Balance on Earth
Ch 14. Running Water
Ch 15. Ground Water

Groundwater System: Definition & Geological Role

6:44
5:19

Next Lesson

Factors that Influence Groundwater Movement

Springs: Definition, Formation & Types
7:31
Wells: Definition & Types
5:20
Environmental Problems Associated With Groundwater
5:40
Caverns & Sinkholes: Definition, Formation & Effects
5:41
Go to Ground Water

Ch 16. Glaciers
Ch 17. Oceans
Ch 18. Coastal Hazards
Ch 19. Earth's Atmosphere
Ch 20. Weather, Air Masses & Storms
Ch 21. Earthquakes
Ch 22. Earth History
Ch 23. Energy Resources
Ch 24. Studying for Earth Science 101

Groundwater System: Definition & Geological Role

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