Reservoirs in the Water Cycle
Reservoirs of water
Oceans, ice caps/glaciers, groundwater (aquifers), lakes/rivers
Flux
a flow of a quantity into or out of a reservoir
Aerated Zone
above the water the table
Reservoir
amount of some quantity
Zone of Saturation
area in a aquifer below the water table, all pores and fractures are saturated with water
Discharge Zone of Groundwater
area where water emerges at surface
Ocean
evapotranspiration > precipitation
Permeability
going through
Hydraulic Head
groundwater moves from high to low
Wells
hole dug down to the water table, water pumped from well replaced by groundwater flow,
Porosity/Permeability of Clay
is impermeable, not very much pore space
Sinkholes
karsts landscapes, then groundwater being removed increases risks
Karsts
landscape created when water dissolves limestone and dolomite (caves, underground rivers)
Unconfined Aquifer
permeable material between aquifer and surface, recharged locally, readily contaminated
Porosity/Permeability of Sand
permeable, has pore space
Land
precipitation > evapotranspiration
Aquifer
saturated body of rock below the water table
Confined Aquifer
seperated from surface by relatively impermeable layer (aquitard), recharge is not local
Becoming Groundwater
some fraction of rain infiltrates the soil percolates into the ground ground reaches the water table, and becomes groundwater
Porosity
the fraction of total volume occupied by pore space or voids
Water Table
the level below which the ground is saturated with water
Subsidence
volume decreases when water is removed
Artesian Springs
water is confined aquifer has hydraulic head due to relative elevation of water table in the recharge zone, water is usually pure because of distance traveled
Recharge Zone of Groundwater
where water infiltrates and moves downward