Aquifers
Aquifers
Aquifers (/ˈækwɪfər/) are underground layers of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt) from which groundwater can be extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called Hydrogeology.
Etymology
The word 'Aquifer' comes from the Latin words 'aqua' meaning 'water', and 'ferre', meaning 'to bear or carry'. Thus, an aquifer carries water.
Types of Aquifers
There are two main types of aquifers: unconfined and confined. Unconfined aquifers are those into which water seeps from the ground surface directly above the aquifer. Confined aquifers are those in which an impermeable dirt/rock layer exists that prevents water from seeping into the aquifer from the ground surface located directly above. Instead, water seeps into confined aquifers from farther away where the impermeable layer doesn't exist.
Related Terms
- Groundwater: Water that collects or flows beneath the Earth's surface, filling the porous spaces in soil, sediment, and rocks.
- Water table: The upper surface of the zone of saturation, except where the surface is formed by an impermeable body.
- Permeability: The ability of a material (such as rocks or soil) to allow fluids to pass through it.
- Water well: An excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Aquifers
- Wikipedia's article - Aquifers
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