WHAT IS AN AQUIFER AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

1. WHAT IS AN AQUIFER AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

2. Aqua = Water Fero - ferre - tuli – latum= to carry. English words to ferry something, infer, transfer, translate,postulate

3. An underground layer of water bearing rock or sediment in which water is easily moved and can easily be extracted.

4. Changes in Estimated Groundwater Resources 2003-2012. J S Famiglietti, and M Rodell Science 2013;340:1300-1301 Published by AAAS

10. Clays Confining layer AQUIFER Confining layer Clays or ancient volcanic rock

11. FLORIDAN AQUIFER

14. HOW DEEP DOWN IS THEFLORIDAN AQUIFER?

15. 100’ 100’ DEPTH T0 TOP OF AQUIFER 100’ 100’

16. 200’ 100’ 200’ 100’ DEPTH T0 TOP OF AQUIFER 100’ 200’ 100’ 200’ 200’

17. 200’ 100’ 200’ 100’ DEPTH T0 TOP OF AQUIFER 100’ 200’ 100’ 200’ 300’ 300’ 200’ 300’

18. 200’ 100’ 200’ 100’ DEPTH T0 TOP OF AQUIFER 100’ 200’ 100’ 200’ 300’ 300’ 200’ 400’ 400’ 300’ 400’

19. 200’ 100’ 200’ 100’ DEPTH T0 TOP OF AQUIFER 100’ 200’ 100’ 200’ 300’ 300’ 200’ 400’ 400’ 300’ 500’ 500’ 400’ 500’

20. NORTH 200’ 100’ 200’ 100’ DEPTH T0 TOP OF AQUIFER 100’ 200’ 100’ 200’ 300’ 300’ 200’ 400’ 400’ 300’ 500’ 500’ 400’ 500’ SOUTH

21. NORTH 200’ 100’ 200’ 100’ DEPTH T0 TOP OF AQUIFER 100’ 200’ 100’ 200’ 300’ 300’ 200’ 400’ 400’ 300’ 500’ 500’ 400’ 500’ SOUTH

22. NORTH SOUTH FLORIDAN AQUIFER

23. NORTH 200’ 100’ 200’ 100’ DEPTH T0 TOP OF AQUIFER 100’ 200’ 100’ 200’ 300’ 300’ 200’ 400’ 400’ 300’ 500’ 500’ 400’ 500’ SOUTH

24. HOW HAVE THE GROUNWATER RESOURCES OF THE BISCAYNE AQUIFER OF SOUTH FLORIDA CHANGED?

25. Biscayne Aquifer before drainage of Everglades. Eastern Coastal Ridge Biscayne Aquifer

26. Biscayne Aquifer before drainage of Everglades. Atlantic Ocean

27. Biscayne Aquifer before drainage of Everglades. Salt Water

28. Biscayne Aquifer before drainage of Everglades. Everglades

29. Biscayne Aquifer before drainage of Everglades. FRESH WATER

30. Biscayne Aquifer before drainage of Everglades. Shallow wells to aquifer

31. Drain the Everglades. a) Dig canals and dykes. – More water exits by surface canals and less to groundwater.

32. Drain the Everglades. a) Dig canals and dykes. – Groundwater pumped to canals to maintain dry reclaimed land. Water table drops. Agriculture

33. SOUTHEAST FLORIDA OKECHOBEE West Palm RECLAIMED Belle Glade Lake Worth EAST COAST RIDGE Boynton Bch. UNRECLAIMED

34. Urban growth and demand for fresh water More wells. Annual Precipitation ≈ Annual Evaporation Agriculture

35. Urban growth and demand for fresh water More wells. Further reduce water table. Agriculture

36. Urban growth and demand for fresh water More wells. Further reduce water table. Agriculture

37. Urban growth and demand for fresh water Saltwater intrusion from the Atlantic Agriculture

39. SALTWATER INTRUSION