Groundwater The zone of saturation is the depth below Earth’s surface at which groundwater completely fills all the pores of a material. The water table is the upper boundary of the zone of saturation. The depth of the water table varies depending on local conditions. The topography of the water table follows the topography of the land above it.

Groundwater

Aquifers

Fractured Rock Aquifers In metamorphic and/or igneous rocks, there are rarely confined aquifers. Instead, water is contained within the rock itself in fractures and pore spaces. Generally, the fractures decrease as depth increases, due to pressure. In WNC, more than 50% of the population receives their water from wells drilled into fractured rock aquifers.

Evaporation within the Water Cycle Evaporation is what drives the surface-to- atmosphere connection of the water cycle

Evaporation Water vapor in the atmosphere –90% comes from surface waters –10% from transpiration from plants. Heat energy is required to change water in its liquid form to its gaseous form. If you add heat to a material, does its temperature always rise?

Evaporation Water in its gaseous form is a heat “carrier.” Once condensation occurs, the heat energy is released back into the atmosphere. This is called latent heat, and serves to warm the atmosphere.

Heating Curve