• Aquifer
• Hydrogeology
• Remediation

Groundwater

Groundwater is any water found below the land surface. It is found in aquifers, in the pore spaces of rocks, in unconsolidated sediments, as permafrost, and as soil moisture. Groundwater flows to the surface naturally at springss and seeps and often forms oases or swamps. It may also be tapped artificially by the digging of wells.

Groundwater is a long-term 'reservoir' of the natural water cycle, as opposed to short-term water reservoirs like the atmosphere and surface water. It is naturally replenished from above, as surface water from precipitation sinks into the ground.

Groundwater is often contained in aquifers, which are subterranean areas (or layers) of porous material that channel the groundwater's flow. Aquifers can be confined or unconfined. A confined aquifer follows a downward grade from a recharge zone and can become pressurized as it flows. This can create artesian wells that flow freely without the need of a pump. The top of an unconfined aquifer is called the water table, where water pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure. The region between the land surface and the water table is called the vadose zone (Latin for shallow); in this region, water is under pressure less than atmospheric pressure (suction).

Problems with groundwater

The film of ground water around particles of an aquifer of unconsolidated sediment actually holds the particles apart, and the removal of this water will compact the sediment. Thus the aquifer is permanently reduced in capacity, and the surface of the ground may also subside. The city of New Orleans, Louisiana is actually below sea level today, and its subsidence is partly caused by removal of ground water under it.

Generally (but not always) ground water flows in the same direction as the slope of the surface. The recharge zone of an aquifer near the seacoast is likely to be inland, often at considerable distance. In these coastal areas, a lowered water table may induce seawater to reverse the flow toward the sea. Sea water moving inland is called a saltwater intrusion. Alternatively, salt from mineral beds may leach into the groundwater of its own accord.

Sometimes the water movement from the recharge zone to the place where it is withdrawn may take centuries. When the usage of water is greater than the recharge, it is referred to as mining water. Under those circumstances it is not a renewable resource.

In India and Bangla Desh, a drop in the water table has been associated with arsenic contamination. It is thought that irrigation for rice production since late 1970s resulted in the withdrawal of large quantities of groundwater, which caused the local water table to drop, allowing oxygen to enter the ground and touching off a reaction that leaches out arsenic from pyrite in the soil. The actual mechanism, however, is yet to be identified with certainty.

Not all groundwater problems are caused by over-extraction. Pollutants dumped on the ground may leach into the soil, and work their way down into aquifers. Movement of water within the aquifer is then likely to spread the pollutant over a wide area, making the groundwater unusable. See environmental engineering and remediation.

Water table conditions are frequently of importance to agricultural irrigation, waste disposal (including nuclear waste), and other ecological issues.

Related topics

• Aquifer
• Water table
• Hydrologic cycle
• Hydrogeology