hw 17

If a landowner wished to drill a water well at placemark C, how deep would the well have to be in order to reach the water table?

20 meters

What happens after a geyser erupts?

Cool groundwater seeps back into the underground chambers, and the cycle starts again.

Why does groundwater discharge to Earth's surface?

Earth's surface is irregular, and permeability decreases with depth within Earth.

Once overlying water heats to a sufficient temperature, it __________ and releases pressure on the water below.

flashes to steam

As a hydrogeologist looking for a source of water for a housing development, which of the following attributes would you look for in a layer of sediment or sedimentary rock?

high permeability. extent over a large geographic area high porosity.

Which of the following represent the largest volume of freshwater found on Earth?

ice sheets and glaciers

A __________ is separated from the groundwater system by the unsaturated zone.

losing stream (disconnected)

The water table __________.

surface is a subdued version of the surface topography. mapped using wells.

The quantity of groundwater that can be stored within sedimentary material is most directly controlled by which of the following parameters?

the porosity of the material

What is the cone of depression?

the shape that the water table takes on near a pumping well

What is the water table?

the top of the saturated zone beneath Earth's surface

How would the water table be affected if Earth were made up of uniform, permeable material?

the water table would not exist.

When will a cone of depression stop enlarging?

when the amount of water flowing toward the well equals the amount of water being pumped out of the well

When might a well, Well A, go dry?

when the cone of depression of a second well intersects the deepest part of Well A

In the __________, groundwater fills the pore space.

zone of saturation

Look at the figure below and determine which of these is true in terms of relative pressure and water table depth at locations A and B.

Location A has a higher pressure

About how long have wastewater treatment plants been in existence?

120 yrs

Determine the elevation of the water surface in as many of the sinkholes on the Karst Study Area Map overlay as you can. Estimate the average elevation of the surface water in the sinkholes.

25 meters

Drag the appropriate labels to their respective targets. Each label may be reused.

A: Uncontaminated well C: Contaminated well D: Uncontaminated well

Rock, such as shale or clay, or other unlithified sediment can produce layers that are well sorted, but do not allow water to move through them. Which of the following terms is most accurate for this type of layer?

An aquitard

How may anthropogenic activities, such as domestic, industrial, and agricultural practices, have influenced groundwater levels?

Anthropogenic activities consumed more water than they discharged, possibly causing the observed drop in water levels.

Like all water, groundwater is subject to gravity, even if it is underground. Examine the elevation of the northern, southern, eastern, and western sections of the map. In which general direction will the groundwater flow in this study area?

Generally, water will flow toward the southeastern edge of the map

__________ are intermittent springs that eject columns of water and steam at various time intervals.

Geysers

Read the following descriptions of rocks and layers, and identify the likelihood of each being a good aquifer by grouping them into high and low likelihoods.

Low: Granite (igneous rock) with very few to no cracks Gneiss (metamorphic rock that used to be granite and underwent intense pressure) High: Unconsolidated gravel and sand Conglomerate (sedimentary rock composed of various sizes of sediment such as pebbles and sand grains) Sandstone (sedimentary rock composed of sand grains)

Placemark A shows surface mining activities. How much would the water level at placemark B need to drop in order for the surface water at placemark B to be at risk of contamination from the polluting activities at placemark A? Assume that the water level at placemark A remains constant.

Placemark B is already at risk

An agricultural company purchased a large tract of land adjacent to your property and built a group of large commercial greenhouses on it. This company uses a lot of water to keep the plants green and healthy. During a particularly dry summer, the amount of water available to your well starts to decrease. Since you are utilizing the same aquifer, what has this company done to the water supply?

The company has compromised the aquifer and is essentially mining the water from it.

What prevents water at the bottom of the underground caverns from boiling at the normal surface temperature?

The pressure from the weight of overlying water causes the boiling point to increase.

How does the water table change around a pumping water well?

The water table elevation decreases

How does the use of water by humans affect the water table?

Use of water by humans increases discharge, resulting in lowered water tables.

Which of the following is a true statement about groundwater?

Water in a groundwater system is stored in subsurface pore spaces and fractures.

How do the water levels in the sinkholes appear to have changed between 11/29/2005 and 12/29/2008? What evidence supports this?

Water levels appear to have dropped. This is evidenced by the freshly exposed shorelines around many of the sinkholes

Which of the following would produce a LOWER water table?

a decrease in the amount of recharge to groundwater an increase in the amount of discharge to surface water

You accidentally flush your cell phone. Where will it most likely be found at a wastewater treatment facility?

bar screen

Which of the following products of a wastewater treatment facility is often put on farm fields as a fertilize?

biosolids

What does the Kanapaha Wastewater Treatment Facility use to disinfect the treated water?

chlorine

Which of the following diseases has been all but eliminated from the US because of wastewater treatment plants?

cholera

Where does settling of solids occur at a wastewater treatment facility?

clarifier

A(n) __________ acts as a conduit that brings heated water to the surface.

fault