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Groundwater The Unseen Part of the Water Cycle

Groundwater The Unseen Part of the Water Cycle. Ground Water Reservoir. Salt Groundwater. Who Uses Groundwater? In Northwest Ohio. 1843: Acton v. Blundell “English Rule” The landowner can pump groundwater at any rate even if an adjoining property owner were harmed.

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Groundwater The Unseen Part of the Water Cycle

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  1. GroundwaterThe Unseen Part of the Water Cycle Ground Water Reservoir Salt Groundwater

  2. Who Uses Groundwater?In Northwest Ohio

  3. 1843: Acton v. Blundell“English Rule” The landowner can pump groundwater at any rate even if an adjoining property owner were harmed. 1861: Frazier v. BrownEnglish Rule in Ohio Groundwater is “…occult and concealed…” and legislation of its use is “…practically impossible.” Ohio Groundwater Law

  4. 1903:Huber v. Merkel English Rule in Wisconsin A property owner can pump unlimited amounts of groundwater, even with malicious harm to a neighbor. 1974:Wisconsin v. MichelsPipelineConstructors Inc. English Rule Overturned Landowners no longer have “an absolute right to use with impunity all water that can be pumped from the subsoil underneath.” Wisconsin Groundwater Law

  5. 1984: Cline v. American Aggregates English Rule overturned in Ohio Justice Holmes: “Scientific knowledge in the field of hydrology has advanced in the past decade…” so it “…can establish the cause and effect relationship of the tapping of underground water to the existing water level.” Today: Lingering effects of English Rule It is very difficult to prove cause and effect to be defensible in court. English Rule Overturned in Ohio

  6. Most available freshwater is ground water Atmosphere 0.0001% Streams and Lakes 0.01% (3%) Oceans 97.2% 0.61% (97%)

  7. Porosity and Permeability Zone of Aeration Water Table Saturated Zone • Porosity: Percent of volume that is void space. • Sediment: Determined by how tightly packed and how clean (silt and clay), (usually between 20 and 40%) • Rock: Determined by size and number of fractures (most often very low, <5%) 30% 5% 1%

  8. Porosity and Permeability Zone of Aeration Water Table Saturated Zone • Permeability: Ease with which water will flow through a porous material • Sediment: Proportional to sediment size • GravelExcellent • SandGood • SiltModerate • ClayPoor • Rock: Proportional to fracture size and number. Can be good to excellent (even with low porosity) Excellent Poor

  9. Porosity and Permeability • Permeability is notproportional to porosity. 30% Table 13.1 5% 1%

  10. The Water Table • Water table: the surface separating the vadose zone from the saturated zone. • Measured using water level in well Fig. 13.3

  11. The Water Table • Aquifer: Saturated sediment or porous rock that is sufficiently permeable to supply useable amounts of water Fig. 13.3

  12. Groundwater Systems • Groundwater discharge: • Groundwater leaving the subsurface at • Natural locations including streams springs and wetlands • Artificial means like pumped wells and drains

  13. Groundwater Systems • Infiltration: Precipitation soaking into the soil and moving into the subsurface

  14. Groundwater Systems • Groundwater recharge: Infiltration percolating to the water table

  15. Groundwater Systems • Groundwater Flow: • groundwater moves through the small pore spaces • from areas with a high water table • to areas with a low water table

  16. Groundwater Systems • Velocity is proportional to • Permeability • Slope of the water table • Inversely Proportional to • porosity Fast (e.g., cm per day) Slow (e.g., mm per day)

  17. Natural Water Table Fluctuations • Infiltration • Recharges ground water • Raises water table • Provides water to springs, streams and wells • Reduction of infiltration causes water table to drop

  18. Natural Water Table Fluctuations • Reduction of infiltration causes water table to drop • Wells go dry • Springs go dry • Discharge of rivers drops • Artificial causes • Pavement • Drainage

  19. Effects of Pumping Wells • Pumping wells • Accelerates flow near well • May reverse ground-water flow • Causes water table drawdown • Forms a cone of depression

  20. Effects of Pumping Wells • Pumping wells • Accelerate flow • Reverse flow • Cause water table drawdown • Form cones of depression Gaining Stream Water Table Drawdown Low well Dry Spring Cone of Depression Gaining Stream Low well Low river Pumping well

  21. Effects of Pumping Wells Dry well • Continued water-table drawdown • May dry up springs and wells • May reverse flow of rivers (and may contaminate aquifer) • May dry up rivers and wetlands Losing Stream Dry well Dry well Dry river

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