1. “Ground Water Movement”
Topic VII
“Ground Water Movement”

2. I. Ground Water: stores of freshwater below the surface of Earth’s landmasses.
A. Infiltration: the rate at which surface water moves into the ground.

3. II. Permeability: soil’s capacity to allow water to flow through it.
What’s the relationship between infiltration rate and soil permeability?

6. A. Factors Affecting Permeability:
Slope: steeper slopes create more runoff and decrease permeability.

7. 2. Soil Saturation: if the soil is saturated (filled) with water the ground is less permeable.

8. 3. Impermeable Surfaces: hard surfaces (pavement) that do not allow water to pass.

9. 4. Vegetation: plants slow water movement and increase permeability.

10. 5. Ground Temp.: frozen ground is less permeable.

11. III. Porosity: the percentage of open space between soil particles.
Factors Affecting Porosity:
1. Shape: rounder particle have larger pore spaces between them.

12. 2. Packing: soil that is compressed (packed) tightly has a low porosity.
3. Sorting: soil particles of various sizes (unsorted) have a lower porosity.
* Particle size has no affect on porosity, only permeability.

14. IV. Distribution of Groundwater:
A. Zone of Saturation: water completely fills all the pore spaces of the soil.
B. Zone of Aeration: located above the saturated zone.
C. Water Table: boundary between the saturation and aeration zones.

15. 1. Capillarity: the upward movement of water from the water table
1. Capillarity: the upward movement of water from the water table. (Found just above the water table.)
*Smaller particles have greater capillarity.