3/20/2011 Groundwater Basics

Good Morning | Log In Home Sea r c h : Go

Pr ogr a m Gr a n t s & T raining & Pr oject Li br a r y & Con t a ct

In for m a t i on Oppor t u n i t ies Edu ca t ion Si t es Resea r ch Us

La n d Use Pla n n in g In for m a t ion >G r ou n dw a ter Ba sics

Groundwater Basics
This sequence of illustrations and explanations is reproduced from "What Is Groundwater?" a
bulletin prepared by Dr. Ly le S. Ray mond, Jr., and published by New Y ork State Water Resources
Institute, Cornell Univ ersity . This tutorial will help ex plain the nature of groundwater, including
its source, mov ement, and behav ior.

Where Groundwater Com es From T he Saturated Zone

Groundwater begins with rain and snow melt that seeps or Rain and snow melt that seeps into the ground continues
infiltrates into the ground. The amount of water that seeps into downward under the force of grav ity until it reaches a depth
the ground v aries widely from place to place according to the where water fills all of the openings (pores) in the soil or rock.
ty pe of land surface that is present. In porous surface material This is called the saturated zone. The saturated zone ty pically
that water readily seeps through, such as sand or gravel, 40 to includes numerous water-filled crev ices in the upper lay er of
50 percent of the rain and snow melt may seep into the ground. bedrock. Deeper bedrock lay ers may hav e few or no crevices
Seepage into less porous surface material may range from 5 to where water can penetrate.
20 percent. The remainder of the rain and snow melt runs off the
land surface into streams or returns to the atmosphere by
ev aporation. Seepage into the ground is also strongly influenced
by the season of the y ear. Ev aporation is greater during the
warm months, including ev aporation through plant leav es,
known as transpiration. During the cold months, the ground may
be frozen, hindering water seepage, and ev aporation is less.

partnershipsforchange.cc/planningeduc0… 1/5
3/20/2011 Groundwater Basics

T he Water T able T he Unsaturated Zone

The top of the saturated zone is called the water table. The water A zone is usually present between the water table and the land
table rises and falls according to the season of the y ear and the surface where the openings, or pores, in the soil are only
amount of rain and snow melt that occurs. It is ty pically higher partially filled with water. This is the unsaturated zone. Water
in early spring and lower in late summer. Heav y rainfall or seeps downward through it to the water table below. Plant roots
drought conditions may cause changes in the ty pical pattern, can capture the moisture passing through this zone, but it
however. cannot prov ide water for wells.

Porosity
Perm eability
The capacity of soil or rock to hold water is called porosity .
Permeability is a measure of how fast water will flow through Saturated sand contains about 20% water; grav el, 25%; and
connected openings in soil or rock. Low permeability refers to clay , 48%. Saturated bedrock with few crevices commonly
soil or rock that restricts the mov ement of water through it . The contains less than 1 % water. Clay is not a good water source
specific y ield is the actual amount of water that will drain out of despite its high water content, or porosity , because the
saturated soil and rock by gravity flow. It does not drain out extremely small size of the openings between microscopic
completely because some water forms a film that clings to soil particles creates friction that effectively halts water mov ement.
and rock. Permeability is critical for water supply purposes; if Saturated clay is v irtually impermeable.
contained in soil or rock will not drain out, it is not av ailable to
water wells.

Aquifers Recharge

A water -bearing soil or rock formation that is capable of Water seeping into an aquifer is known as recharge. This takes
y ielding usable amounts of water is called an aquifer. Mixed place intermittently during and immediately following periods
clay , sand, grav el, and fine particles that were deposited by of rain and snow-melt. Recharge occurs where permeable soil
continental glaciers (glacial till) y ield low amounts of water. or rock allows water to readily seep into the ground. These
Materials sorted into distinct lay ers will y ield high amounts of areas are known as recharge areas. Permeable soil or rock
water from coarse-grained sand and gravel, but low amounts formations where recharge occurs may occupy only a v ery
from fine-grained sand, silt or clay . Bedrock aquifers will y ield small area or ex tend over many square miles. V alley aquifers
substantial amounts of water if there are large openings or may also receive recharge from hillside runoff or streams that
cracks, but small amounts if there are few openings. flow down from hillsides in addition to the rain and snow that
falls directly onto the land surface ov erly ing the aquifer.

partnershipsforchange.cc/planningeduc0… 2/5
3/20/2011 Groundwater Basics

Confined or Artesian Aquifer Unconfined Or Water T able Aquifer

Groundwater that becomes trapped under impermeable soil or Aquifers that are not confined under pressure are called
rock may be under pressure. This is called a confined or artesian unconfined or water table aquifers. The water lev el in a well is
aquifer. A well that pierces a confined aquifer is known as an the same as the water table outside the well.
artesian well. Water pressure in the confined aquifer will cause
water in the well to rise abov e the aquifer lev el. The max imum
lev el that the water in the well will rise to is known as the
potentiometric surface, or potential water lev el. If this is higher
than the top of the well, the well will ov erflow.

Groundwater Discharge Points Groundwater Flow Rates

Groundwater enters the ground in recharge areas and leaves the Groundwater mov es v ery slowly from recharge areas to
ground at discharge points. Discharge is continuous, as long as discharge points. Flow rates in aquifers are ty pically measured
sufficient water is present abov e the discharge point. Discharge in feet per day . Flow rates are much faster where large rock
points ty pically occur as seepage into wet-lands, lakes and openings or crevices ex ist (often in limestone) and in loose soil,
streams. Springs are visible discharge points at the land surface. such as coarse grav el. It may take y ears, decades or even
If the water table is close to the land surface during the growing centuries for groundwater to mov e long distances through
season, large amounts of groundwater may be withdrawn by some aquifers. Howev er, ground-water may take only a few
plant transpiration. day s or weeks to mov e for a short distance through loose soil.
Groundwater ty pically mov es in parallel paths (i.e., lay ers) with
little mixing, due to the slow mov ement of groundwater, which
does not create sufficient turbulence to cause mix ing to occur.
This becomes an important factor in the location and
mov ement of contaminants that enter the groundwater.

partnershipsforchange.cc/planningeduc0… 3/5
3/20/2011 Groundwater Basics

Gaining Stream s Wells: Con e of Depression

Streams that receiv e groundwater discharges are gaining Pumping from wells lowers the water table near a well. This
streams. The lev el of water in the stream is the water table level known as the cone of depression. The land surface ov erly ing the
for the adjacent aquifer. This is also true for lakes and wetlands cone of depression is also referred to as the area of influence.
that receiv e groundwater discharges. More than half of the total Groundwater flow is div erted towards the well as it flows into
flow of some streams during dry periods may be from the depression cone.
groundwater discharge.

Wells: In duced Recharge Well Contribution Zone

The cone of depression from a pumping well may ex tend to a A groundwater recharge area that is the source of water for a
nearby stream or lake. This lowers the adjacent water table well is known as the contribution zone or catchment area. This
below the steam or lake level. As a result, the stream or lake may include only a portion of a larger aquifer recharge area.
begins to lose water to the adjacent groundwater aquifer in the The area of influence due to well pumping, that ov erlies the
v icinity of the well. This is known as induced recharge. Streams cone of depression, may ex tend bey ond the contribution zone.
and wetlands hav e been completely dried up by induced Induced recharge from well pumping causes groundwater to
recharge from well pumping. flow towards the well that would not normally contribute water
to a well.

Groundwater Drainage Area

Groundwater in unconfined aquifers, that do not hav e

partnershipsforchange.cc/planningeduc0… 4/5
3/20/2011 Groundwater Basics
Groundwater in unconfined aquifers, that do not hav e
impermeable soil or rock lay ers between the aquifer and the
land surface, usually flows into the same stream drainage basin
where it is located. Confined or artesian aquifers, which exist at

greater depth, may be part of a regional groundwater flow

sy stem that may not correspond with the surface drainage.
Th i s pa ge l ast u pdated on 9/3/2003.

La n d In for m a tion A c cess A ssocia t ion

3 2 4 Mu n son A v e. | T r a v er se Cit y , MI 4 9 6 8 6 | (p) 2 3 1 -9 2 9 -3 6 9 6 | (f) 2 3 1 -9 2 9 -3 7 7 1

partnershipsforchange.cc/planningeduc0… 5/5