Groundwater

Ground Water
Ground water: the water that lies beneath the ground surface, filling the pore space between grains in bodies of sediment and sedimentary rock, and filling cracks and crevices in all types of rock source of ground water is rain and snow that falls to the ground a portion of which percolates down into the ground to become ground water

Essential components of groundwater

The rate of infiltration is a function of soil type, rock type, antecedent water, and time. The vadose zone includes all the material between the Earths surface and the zone of saturation. The upper boundary of the zone of saturation is called the water table. The capillary fringe is a layer of variable thickness that directly overlies the water table. Water is drawn up into this layer by capillary action.
S. Hughes, 2003

Porosity and Permeability

porosity: the percentage of rock or sediment that consists of voids or openings

permeability: the capacity of a rock to transmit a fluid such as water or petroleum through pores and fractures
porous: a rock that holds much water permeable: a rock that allows water to flow easily through it impermeable: a rock that does not allow water to flow through it easily

Water never leaves the Earth. It is constantly being cycled through the atmosphere, ocean, and land. This process, known as the water cycle, is driven by energy from the sun. The water cycle is crucial to the existence of life on our planet.

The Water Cycle

During part of the water cycle, the sun heats up liquid water and changes it to a gas by the process of evaporation. Water that evaporates from Earths oceans, lakes, rivers, and moist soil rises up into the atmosphere.

The process of evaporation from plants is called transpiration. (In other words, its like plants sweating.)

As water (in the form of gas) rises higher in the atmosphere, it starts to cool and become a liquid again. This process is called condensation. When a large amount of water vapor condenses, it results in the formation of clouds.

When the water in the clouds gets too heavy, the water falls back to the earth. This is called precipitation.

When rain falls on the land, some of the water is absorbed into the ground forming pockets of water called groundwater. Most groundwater eventually returns to the ocean. Other precipitation runs directly into streams or rivers. Water that collects in rivers, streams, and oceans is called runoff.

Hydrologic Cycle