Storage and Movement of Groundwater

1. Storage and Movement of Groundwater Unit 9

2. What determines how water flows through soil? • Porosity: percent of pore space available or the amount of pore space compared with the volume of material • Porosity is affected by shape of particles, packing of particles and mixing of particles

4. Shape of particles • Flat particles will have a lower porosity than round particles • Ex: clay particles have a very low porosity because they are flat and angular and fit together leaving very little pore space

5. Packing • Well packed particles or soil will have a lower porosity than loosely packed soil

7. Sorted particles • Equal samples of sorted particles will have the same porosity

8. Mixing • Mixed particles will have a lower porosity than sorted particles

9. Permeability • This is the ability of a soil to transmit water or the rate of flow of water through the soil • Water will flow faster if: • The pores are connected • The pores are large (large size partilcles)

10. Runoff • Water will runoff if it cannot infiltrate-if the rate of permeability is lower than the rate of precipitation (rainfall exceeds the rate of permeability) • Water will runoff going down a steep slope

11. Capillary Water • This is the water moving up ward from the ground • Water will move up faster the smaller the pore space

14. Water for Stream Flow • During times when rainfall is low, water for streams comes from the groundwater ---the water table

16. Watershed • This is the geographic area around stream • It is important to know your watershed because usually our drinking water comes from this area • We need to protect and preserve our watersheds