1. Ground Water Infiltration

2. Let’s learn about groundwater!
The Groundwater Story Animation

3. Infiltration – water seeping into the ground

4. Water Infiltrating into ground
Infiltration

5. Zones of Sub-Surface Groundwater
Zone of Saturation – layer of soil completely saturated with water (no air spaces)
Zone of Aeration – layer of soil under Earth’s surface
Pores contain both water and air

6. Water Table – Lies on top of zone of saturation
Water Table – Lies on top of zone of saturation. It is the interface between the zone of saturation and zone of aeration.
Reflects the shape of the land above
All open spaces below are filled with water

7. Saturation

8. Level of water table will rise and fall due to changes in amount of rainfall.
The more rain there is the higher the water table. The less rain, the lower.

9. Pores filled with mostly AIR
Pores filled with WATER

10. Groundwater Animation

12. Level of Water Table Rises and Falls

13. The Water Table
Groundwater flows from areas where the water-table is high, to areas where it’s low.

14. Groundwater Review with Tim & Moby!

15. What might affect the water being able to get into the ground?

16. Steep Slope vs. Gentle Slope
Run-off = Water that is unable to infiltrate into the ground so it “runs off” the surface usually ending in the ocean or a lake.
More Runoff
Less Runoff

17. There will be less infiltration and more run off if
There is a greater gradient – steeper slope.
The ground is already filled with water
The ground is frozen.
The water falls too quickly for the ground to absorb it.
We’ve paved over the ground with our sidewalks and streets.

18. What determines how much water the ground can hold? Porosity!

19. Porosity – the percentage of pore space
Water is found in the pores between particles of rock.
The more pores there are, the more water can be held

20. High Porosity
Low Porosity

21. 1. Shape of Particle B A
Low Porosity
High Porosity

22. Which bunch has higher porosity, the strawberries, or grapes?

23. 2. Packing
Higher Porosity

24. 3. Sorting
Well Sorted A
High Porosity
Unsorted B
Low Porosity

25. Is the total amount of pore space in ‘A’ bigger or smaller than ‘B’?
They are equal! Size does not affect porosity! A B
Bigger pores, but fewer of them
Smaller pores, but more of them

26. What determines how fast the water can travel through the ground
What determines how fast the water can travel through the ground? Permeability!

27. Permeability
The ability of material to allow water to pass through it. The rate at which water passes through the material is the permeability rate.
Not as fast – pores are not as well connected
Very slow – pores are not well connected.
Fast – pores are well connected

28. The higher the porosity, the higher the permeability

29. The more connected the pores are the faster the permeability.
Even though large particles and small particles have the same amount of pore space, large particles are better connected. This allows the water to travel through faster.
permeability
size

30. Permeability In Action

31. Porosity & Permeability
P & P

32. Capillary Action
The upward movement of water against gravity to “feed” vegetation through root hairs

33. Occurs because water is sticky
(positive Hydrogen's and negative Oxygen attract)
The smaller the pores, the higher the water rises

34. Capillary Action
Water will rise the highest in the thinnest tube

35. Long Island’s Water

36. Where do we get our drinking water from???

37. Have you noticed water towers like these before?

38. Aquifers
Underground layer of sediment or rock capable of yielding fresh water

39. There are 3 aquifers underneath Long Island:
Upper Glacial – our water table (lakes, streams, puddles)
Magothy – Biggest Aquifer. This is where we get our drinking water from (water is hundreds of years old!)
Lloyd - This is our deepest aquifer and it contains the oldest and cleanest water (water is thousands of years old!)

43. Animations
Permeability Animation
Water Table Animation
Water Cycle

44. Groundwater Sources

45. Water Pollution

46. What is Pollution?
Pollution occurs when concentration of substances in the environment become large enough to have an adverse (negative) effect on humans, plant, and animal life.

48. How do we pollute?

49. How can water deep underground become polluted?

50. Groundwater contamination from Septic Systems
When Septic Tanks break or leak, the sewage infiltrates into the flow of groundwater. If the leak is close to the house, the drinking water from the well may be contaminated.

51. Improper Disposal of chemicals, oil pesticides and other wastes

52. Contamination from Deicing Salts

53. Garbage Trucks dumping trash at a Landfill

54. Modern Landfill

55. Contamination from Landfills
                         
                         

56. Contamination from cemeteries and animal burials
Avoid high water table for burial site and use watertight caskets in cemeteries