Groundwater

•• Groundwater
Groundwater --->
---> water
water stored
stored in
in open
open spaces
spaces
within underground
within underground rocks
rocks and
and sediments.
sediments.

•• More
More than
than 65%
65% of
of the
the groundwater
groundwater used
used in
in the
the
U.S. is
U.S. is attributable
attributable to
to agricultural
agricultural needs.
needs.

•• Demand has depleted the supply of groundwater

in many
in many places.
places.
>> New sources
New sources must
must be
be found;
found;
>> Existing resources
Existing resources must
must be
be protected.
protected.
>> A non-renewable
A non-renewable resource
resource in
in most
most places
places

•• Capable
Capable of
of shaping
shaping the landscape (( Karst )
the landscape
>> erosion
erosion and
and deposition
deposition of
of silt,
silt, clay,
clay, and
and dissolved
dissolved materials
materials
caves,sinkholes,
forms caves,
>> forms sinkholes,and and speleothems
speleothems
 Porosity & Permeability
• Porosity
>> that portion of the material's volume which is
pore spaces.
i.e. the amount of empty space in rock
>> i.e.
or sediments
• Permeability
>> thethe ability
ability of
of aa material
material to
to transmit
transmit fluids.
fluids.
the degree
i.e. the
>> i.e. degree ofof interconnectedness
interconnectedness of
of
the empty
the empty space
space
Porosity affected by
particle size, particle shape, sorting of
particles, amount of material cementing the
grains together, fractures in materials, and
internal arrangement of particles
Typical Porosity values
 Permeability
• Materials must have both Porosity &
Permeability to allow water to move
through it!
• Styrofoam has high porosity
>> this
this makes
makes it
it aa good
good insulator
insulator
-- keeps
keeps things
things hot
hot or
or cold
cold
Styrofoam has
• Styrofoam has low
low permeability
permeability
>> allows
allows you
you to
to keep
keep liquids
liquids in
in it.
it.
>> clay
clay has
has high
high porosity,
porosity, but
but low
low
permeability-> little
permeability-> little water
water movement
movement
through clay
through clay
Materials with high porosity AND high
permeability
Unlithified (sediment)
Sand
Gravel
Lithified (rock)
Sandstone
fractured limestone
fractured granites
 Aquifers and Aquicludes

• Aquifer
> a porous & permeable layer capable of
transmitting groundwater.
-- well
well rounded,
rounded, well
well sorted,
sorted, sand
sand && gravel.
gravel.

• Aquiclude (or Aquitard )

> an impermeable layer preventing
movement of groundwater.
-- Shales,
Shales, unfractured
unfractured Ign
Ign && Mm
Mm Rxs.
rock, crystalline
limestone.
Water Table
the boundary
between
saturated (filled)
vs unsaturated
(unfilled) pore
spaces
In unconfined
aquifer systems
only
 Confined systems
Groundwater is confined between impermeable
layers (Aquicludes or Aquitards ) and builds up
hydrostatic pressure.
Water rises to that pressure surface once a well is
drilled.

Many rural
Many rural communities
communities utilize
utilize this
this principle
principle with
with
water towers
water towers as
as the
the municipal
municipal water
water supply.
supply.
 Modifications & Effects on
Groundwater
•• Currently ~20-30% of the water used in the U.S. is
groundwater. Much higher in some places

•• Modifications
Modifications will....
will....
>> 1)
1) lower
lower the
the water
water table;
table;
>> 2)
2) decrease
decrease hydrostatic
hydrostatic pressure;
pressure;
>> 3)
3) allow
allow saltwater
saltwater encroachment;
encroachment;
>> 4)
4) cause
cause subsidence;
subsidence;
>> 5)
5) allow
allow contamination
contamination of of the
the groundwater.
groundwater.
Salt Water
Intrusion
Ground water related
subsidence
ground levels have decreased
in elevation due to water
withdrawal from aquifers
Contamination issues-1: Septic tanks
Contamination issues-2: landfills
Wetlands and groundwater
Many wetland areas are tied to water by location
e.g., riverine, downslope, lake/sea margins, etc.

Most wetlands are fed in part by groundwater and

surface water
e.g., fens, marshes, swamps

Thus groundwater serves to stabilize water levels over

longer term, feeding water to the system over
extended dry periods, and providing mineralogical
nutrients to the biological and geological systems.

Bogs are a unique case, as they are not typically

influenced by groundwater outside the perimeter of the
wetland area, yet still have groundwater within them.
Types of Wetlands
Marshes – areas of land that are frequently to
constantly inundated and are characterized by soft
stemmed emergent vegetation

Swamps -areas of land that are frequently to

constantly inundated and are characterized by woody
emergent vegetation

Bogs – a wetland fed almost exclusively by precipitation

characterized by excessive peat deposits, acidic
conditions, are somewhat nutrient poor, and have a
sphagnum moss surface carpet.

Fens – Peat forming wetlands fed by many sources of

water/nutrients. Nutrient rich, less acidic, and
generally more diverse than Bogs
Swamp
Marsh
Bog
Bog- note the boardwalk
Fen
Hot groundwater-geysers and hot springs
Karst landscapes
Created by groundwater and streams
dissolving limestone
pseudokarst involves dissolving non-
carbonate rock
Enlarges fractures and pore spaces as
rock dissolves
Increases flow of water through the
system
Triggers more dissolution of limestone.