Groundwater (or ground water) is the water present beneath Earth's surface in soilpore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock become completely saturated with water is called the water table. Groundwater is recharged from, and eventually flows to, the surface naturally; natural discharge often occurs at springs and seeps, and can form oases or wetlands. Groundwater is also often withdrawn for agricultural, municipal, and industrial use by constructing and operating extraction wells. The study of the distribution and movement of groundwater is hydrogeology, also called groundwater hydrology.
Typically, groundwater is thought of as water flowing through shallow aquifers, but, in the technical sense, it can also contain soil moisture, permafrost (frozen soil), immobile water in very low permeability bedrock, and deep geothermal or oil formation water. Groundwater is hypothesized to provide lubrication that can possibly influence the movement of faults. It is likely that much of Earth's subsurface contains some water, which may be mixed with other fluids in some instances. Groundwater may not be confined only to Earth. The formation of some of the landforms observed on Mars may have been influenced by groundwater. There is also evidence that liquid water may also exist in the subsurface of Jupiter's moon Europa.
Groundwater flooding is often overlooked as a threat, however it is a hazard that traditional flood defences such as stopbanks and seawalls cannot contain because the water comes up from underneath ... .
A combination of water management practices has contributed to notable groundwater gains in Central Arizona despite the region dealing with long-term water stress, according to a new study ... .
• An introduction to concepts and terms about groundwater, highlighting where groundwater is connected to various activities and processes, both human and natural ... "Groundwater Connections ...
One way these bodies of water come to contain greenhouse gases is via groundwater, which picks up carbon and nitrogen as it seeps and flows through rock and sediment near rivers ... from groundwater.
Bipartian legislation meant to staunch groundwater depletion in Oregon’s Harney basin by bolstering voluntary conservation measures is drawing opposition from across the political spectrum.
North Plains Groundwater ConservationDistrict published this content on March 28, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
[...]. This is an abstract of the document ... Disclaimer. North Plains Groundwater ConservationDistrict published this content on March 28, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.