Eviro. Unit 7 Lesson 3: Surface Water and Groundwater

​​​​What are the differences between a confined and unconfined aquifer?

Confined aquifers have an impenetrable surface. Water has to enter the aquifer from a point farther away. Water in unconfined aquifers can infiltrate at several different places.

How could over-pumping your own well dry out your neighbor's well?

Even if you have different properties, if both of the wells have the same aquifer, you share the same water source. If one person over-pumps, everyone whose well is in that aquifer will suffer.

​​​​What is fossil water and how does it form?

Fossil water is water trapped in ancient aquifers formed 12,000 years or more ago. These aquifers form when geologic processes cause the area to be cut off from any chance of replenishing precipitation.

​​​​What are the differences and similarities between groundwater and aquifers?

Groundwater is all the water that infiltrates the ground. All water in aquifers is groundwater, but not all groundwater is an aquifer. Aquifers are special formations and materials that hold groundwater.

​​​​​​​​​What is salt intrusion?

Salt intrusion happens when the freshwater lens in an island aquifer is broken and the salt water beneath intrudes into the freshwater supply.

​​​​What is the water table?

The water table is the place where you first reach the saturated zone in an aquifer. The water table is just the surface of all the water that is below.

​​​​What are some advantages and disadvantages of an unconfined aquifer?

Unconfined aquifers have faster recharge rates since water can enter the aquifer from many points. They are more prone to pollution, though, because toxins and chemicals can also infiltrate at several points.

porosity

a measure of how many holes are in a substance

saturated zone

an area where rocks and gravels could not possibly hold one more drop of water in between the spaces

How much recharge does a fossil aquifer receive?

little to no recharge

​​​​Is fossil water a renewable or nonrenewable resource?

nonrenewable

Is groundwater a renewable or nonrenewable resource?

renewable

permeability

the measure of how well water can move through the pores in a substance

aquifer

underground rocks and formations that are able to hold groundwater

The spaces between the rocks in the _____ have both water and air.

unsaturated zone

recharge

water added to aquifers through precipitation

groundwater

water that has infiltrated below the ground