1. Hydrogeology Distribution of Earth’s Water Fresh Water Reservoirs Inputs and outputs for fresh water reservoirs Ogallala Aquifer Water quality and land decisions

2. I. Distribution of Earth’s Water A.Information about Earth’s Water 1. The hydrogeology system is a “closed system”. The amount of water on the earth or in the atmosphere never changes. 2. The water is recycled. 3. It is theorized that the Earth’s water comes form comets hitting the planet billions of years ago.

3. B. Where is the water on the Earth? 1. Saline Ocean Water - 97% 2. Freshwater - 3% a. Ice caps and glaciers - 68.7% b. Groundwater- 30.1% c. Ground ice and permafrost - 0.86% d. Lakes - 0.26% e. Atmosphere - 0.04% f. Swamps - 0.03% g. Rivers - 0.006%

4. II. Reservoirs of Fresh Water A. Glaciers 1. Begins as snowflakes accumulate 2.Glacier ice can be over 100,000 years old 3. Land beneath the glacier is under extreme pressure 4. Glacial ice is very dense because compaction removes the air pockets 5. Inputs – snowfall 6. Outputs – rivers, lake, groundwater, oceans.

5. B. Groundwater 1. Groundwater occurs close to Earth’s surface (in the first few miles below the surface) 2. Groundwater seeps through the soil until it reaches the spaces in the rock layer. 3. Input – rain fall and snow melt 4. Output – lakes, rivers, streams, ocean

6. C. Ground ice or permafrost 1. Permafrost is soil, rock, sediment, or other earth material with a temperature that has remained below 0°C for two or more consecutive years 2. Permafrost underlies most of the surfaces in the terrestrial Arctic. 3. Input – rain fall and snow melt 4. Output – lakes, rivers, streams, ocean

7. D. Lakes, ponds 1. Ponds are smaller than lakes and are stagnant (still) 2. Input for lakes and ponds – rainwater and snow melt; rivers & streams, groundwater 3. Output for ponds – ground water 4. Output for lakes – personal/animal/plant use, rivers, groundwater

8. E. River, streams 1. begins in high elevations (mountains) 2. Input – melting snow/ice and rain (run-off) from land surfaces 3. Output – other rivers, lakes, personal/animal/human use, groundwater, the ocean.

9. III. Ogallala Aquifer

10. A.What is an Aquifer? 1. An aquifer is a groundwater storage reservoir in the water cycle. 2. This underground layer is composed of permeable rock or gravel, sand, silt or clay. 3. While groundwater is a renewable source, groundwater reserves replenish relatively slowly. 4. Ground water reserves are replenished through rain and snow melt. 5. To maintain balance with our water system: water in (from precipitation), minus the water out (from pumping and flow into streams, is should be equal.

11. B. How was the Ogallala Aquifer was created? 1. Material (eroded rocks and soil) was deposited from the Rocky Mountains over back 2 million years ago, when the southern Rocky Mountains were still tectonically active. 2. Rivers and streams running toward the Mississippi depositing sediment. This sediment built up to eventually covered the entire area of what is the present-day aquifer. 3. Type of rock: ___________________

12. C. What is the concern about the Ogallala Aquifer? 1. It is being depleted at a rate of 12 cubic km (420,000 million ft 3 or 9.7 million acre feet) per year, amounting to a total depletion to date of a volume equal to the annual flow of 18 Colorado Rivers. 2. It will dry up in as little as 25 years

13. D. Reasons for the Ogallala Aquifer Depletion 1. Livestock farming 2. Growing corn, wheat and soybeans. 3. Lack of sufficient rainfall to “re-charge” aquifer 4. More technological advances to improve pumping and farming. 5. Increase of population in the area – more water needed for personal use. 6. River water levels are dropping with more water draining into the river from the aquifer.