Groundwater Aquifers
An aquifer is a layer of rock or soil underground that stores groundwater. Aquifers are found in permeable rocks like sandstone, where water can move through tiny spaces or pores.
Water from rain or melted snow seeps through the ground into the aquifer. This process is called recharge.
Eventually, the water keeps moving down until it hits an impermeable layer, like clay, where it can't go any further.
The water table marks the space between where the ground is dry and where it's full of water.
People use wells to access this water from aquifers. A well is a hole drilled down until it reaches the water.
Some wells use electricity to pump water, while others use hand-pulled buckets.
Aquifers near the surface are easier to reach, but they are also more likely to get polluted.
If too much water is removed too fast, the aquifer might not recharge quickly. This can cause the land above to sink, damaging homes or roads.
An aquifer is a layer of rock or soil underground that stores groundwater. Aquifers are found in permeable rocks like sandstone, where water can move through tiny spaces or pores.
Water from rain or melted snow seeps through the ground into the aquifer. This process is called recharge.
Eventually, the water keeps moving down until it hits an impermeable layer, like clay, where it can't go any further.
The water table marks the space between where the ground is dry and where it's full of water.
People use wells to access this water from aquifers. A well is a hole drilled down until it reaches the water.
Some wells use electricity to pump water, while others use hand-pulled buckets.
Aquifers near the surface are easier to reach, but they are also more likely to get polluted.
If too much water is removed too fast, the aquifer might not recharge quickly. This can cause the land above to sink, damaging homes or roads.
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