1. Water Cycle and Groundwater

2. Water Cycle
Hydrosphere: the sphere of water that surrounds the earth, including the water in the atmosphere, groundwater, running water, lakes, oceans and glaciers.

3. Water Cycle
-movement of water from one part of the hydrosphere to another.

4. Water Cycle
Evaporation: heat from the sun causes water to change into a gas called water vapor; energy is absorbed BY THE WATER

5. Water Cycle
Transpiration: process where water moves up through a plant, eventually exiting through tiny holes in the leaves
(Evapotranspiration: combination of evaporation and transpiration)

6. Water Cycle
Condensation: water vapor changing into liquid in the atmosphere to form clouds; energy is released BY THE WATER

7. Water Cycle
Precipitation: condensed water falling to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

8. Water Cycle
Runoff: water that neither soaks into the ground nor evaporates, but instead flows across Earth’s surface and eventually into streams, lakes, or oceans.

9. Where does water go?
Ground water - water that soaks into the ground and collects in the pore spaces between particles of rock and soil

10. Ground Water
Porosity: the percentage of a material’s volume that is pore space, how much water that rock or soil can hold
Permeable: describes rock or soil that has connecting pores that allow water to pass through easily

12. Ground Water

13. Ground Water
Capillary: rate at which water is pulled upward from the water table into pore spaces by capillary action (the larger the pore space the poorer the capillary action)
Impermeable: rock or soil that has very small pores, preventing water from passing through (aquitard)

14. Ground Water

15. Ground Water
Aquifer: layer of permeable rock that has connecting pores and transmits water freely

16. Ground Water
Zone of Aeration: area where the pores are filled with air, usually near the ground surface
Water Table: top of the zone of saturation
Zone of Saturation: area where all the pores in a rock are completely filled with water, usually below the ground surface

17. Ground Water

18. Artesian Well: well in which water under natural pressure rises to the surface without being pumped

20. Ground Water
Spring: point at which that water table meets Earth’s surface, causing water to flow from the ground

21. Hot spring
spring of warm groundwater, caused when the water is heated by rocks that contact magma under Earth’s surface

22. Hot springs

23. Geyser
- hot spring of groundwater that erupts periodically, shooting water and steam into the air

24. Cave
large underground opening formed when groundwater gradually dissolves rock

25. Contaminant
A substance that is either present in an environment where it does not belong or is present at levels that might cause harmful effects to humans or the environment

26. Ground Water Contamination
Infiltrating water may bring contaminants down to the water table, including (but not limited to):
Pharmaceuticals
Pesticides/herbicides
Fertilizers
Feed lots
Mercury and gold mining
Landfill pollutants
Heavy metals
Bacteria, viruses and parasites from sewage
Industrial chemicals (PCBs, TCE)
Acid mine drainage
Radioactive waste
Oil and gasoline

27. Ground Water Contamination
Contaminated ground water can be extremely difficult and expensive to clean up

28. Point Source Pollutions – Originating from a single , identifiable source, such as a discharge pipe from a factory or a sewage plant.

29. Non-Point Source Pollution- water pollution that cannot be traced to a specific spot; for example: pollution that results from water runoff from urban areas, construction sites, and agricultural operations.