What controls rate of groundwater flow?

What controls rate of groundwater flow?

Topography and geology are the dominant factors controlling groundwater flow. Storativity describes the property of an aquifer to store water. Hydraulic conductivity is measured by performing a pumping test, i.e. by pumping one well and observing the changes in hydraulic head in neighboring wells.

What factors affect the rate of groundwater flow quizlet?

What factors control the rate of groundwater flow? Groundwater flow rates are controlled by the permeability of the aquifer through which the water is flowing and by the local hydraulic gradient (the drop in hydraulic head per unit distance; equal to the slope of the water table for unconfined aquifers).

What determines the direction of groundwater flow?

The groundwater flow direction within an aquifer is determined by measuring static groundwater elevations at various points within the aquifer. The groundwater flows under the force of gravity from points of higher static groundwater elevation to lower static groundwater elevation.

What causes groundwater flow?

Groundwater flows underground Some of the precipitation that falls onto the land infiltrates into the ground to become groundwater. If the water meets the water table (below which the soil is saturated), it can move both vertically and horizontally.

Which of the following determines how quickly groundwater flows?

What controls the velocity of of groundwater flow? Permeability, the pressure of water within the saturated zone, and the elevation of water win the saturated zone.

What force controls the flow of groundwater quizlet?

Gravity. Groundwater flows from where the water table is high to where it is low.

What is a typical rate of groundwater flow quizlet?

A typical rate of groundwater flow for many aquifers is approximately 4 cm/day. Groundwater migrates from areas of low pressure to areas of high pressure. Wells are drilled into the subsurface to remove water from the unsaturated zone.

How does groundwater move quizlet?

How does ground water flow? Ground water flows downwards under the influence of gravity from higher areas of recharge to lower areas, where it may be either stored in aquifers, or discharged into streams. In ground water systems deeper = slower movement = longer residence time.

How is ground water flow measured?

0:0019:45Hydrogeology 101: Introduction to Groundwater Flow – YouTubeYouTube

What is groundwater flow dependent on?

The rate of groundwater flow depends on the permeability (the size of the spaces in the soil or rocks and how well the spaces are connected) and the hydraulic head (water pressure).

What is groundwater flow in water cycle?

The groundwater slowly moves through the spaces and cracks between the soil particles on its journey to lower elevations. This movement of water underground is called groundwater flow.

What is groundwater flow in the water cycle?

The groundwater slowly moves through the spaces and cracks between the soil particles on its journey to lower elevations. This movement of water underground is called groundwater flow.

What are the factors affecting groundwater?

Natural factors, such as topographic position and the mineral composition of underlying geology, act to produce basic physical and geochemical conditions in groundwater that are reflected in physical properties, such as pH, temperature, specific conductance, and alkalinity, and in chemical concentrations of dissolved …

How does most groundwater move in the subsurface quizlet?

Pulled by gravity, groundwater seeps from the surface slowly downward through aquifers in the earth's subsurface and eventually discharges into lakes, rivers, and the coastal ocean.

How does the movement of groundwater relate to hydraulic gradient and hydraulic conductivity?

groundwater moves more quickly down steeper slopes than down shallow slopes. for this reason, the water table is known as the hydraulic gradient. groundwater flows more rapidly through sediments having greater permeability than through materials having lower permeability. this factor is known as hydraulic conductivity.

What is groundwater flow in geography?

In hydrogeology, groundwater flow is defined as the "part of streamflow that has infiltrated the ground, entered the phreatic zone, and has been (or is at a particular time) discharged into a stream channel or springs; and seepage water." It is governed by the groundwater flow equation.

How does groundwater form quizlet?

Most groundwater originates as meteoric water from precipitation in the form of rain or snow. Once the water hits the land, water from the surface seeps into the ground. The water is able to move underground through the rock and soil due to connected pore spaces.

What is meant by groundwater flow?

In hydrogeology, groundwater flow is defined as the "part of streamflow that has infiltrated the ground, entered the phreatic zone, and has been (or is at a particular time) discharged into a stream channel or springs; and seepage water." It is governed by the groundwater flow equation.

What is the average rate of groundwater flow?

A velocity of 1 foot per day or greater is a high rate of movement for ground water, and ground-water velocities can be as low as 1 foot per year or 1 foot per decade. In contrast, velocities of streamflow generally are measured in feet per second. A velocity of 1 foot per second equals about 16 miles per day.

What is groundwater flow?

In hydrogeology, groundwater flow is defined as the "part of streamflow that has infiltrated the ground, entered the phreatic zone, and has been (or is at a particular time) discharged into a stream channel or springs; and seepage water." It is governed by the groundwater flow equation.

What are the factors that affect groundwater?

In addition, complex interactions of multiple factors such as geology, mineral composition of an aquifer, weathering, water-rock interactions, topography, tidal effects, climate and anthropogenic activities are important determinants of groundwater quality (6,7,8).

What is groundwater inflow?

Common inflows of water to a groundwater system include: Infiltration through the vadose zone that is not intercepted by evaporation, transpiration, or bound in the unsaturated zone, and thus becomes recharge.

What is groundwater flow geography?

Groundwater flow – the deeper movement of water through underlying permeable rock strata below the water table. Limestone is highly permeable with lots of joints and can lead to faster groundwater flow. Infiltration – the downward movement of water into the soil surface.

What is underground water flow called?

Groundwater Basics Water evaporates from the oceans, condenses into clouds and then falls on the land surface as rain, only to flow into rivers and back into the sea. However, there is one aspect of the water cycle that is often forgotten – groundwater.

Which 3 factors affect the flow of groundwater through an aquifer?

So, you can see that all three factors are important to the movement of groundwater. Porosity is where groundwater can flow, and permeability and gravity (the hydraulic gradient) determine how fast it can get there.

Which force can influence ground water?

The two most important forces controlling water movement in rock are gravity and molecular attraction. Gravity causes water to infiltrate until it reaches impermeable zones where it is diverted laterally. Gravity generates the flow of springs, rivers, and wells.

What is the average rate of groundwater flow quizlet?

A typical rate of groundwater flow for many aquifers is approximately 4 cm/day.

Is groundwater flow more sensitive to hydraulic conductivity or to hydraulic gradient?

The rate of groundwater flow is dependent on the hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic gradient. The greater the hydraulic conductivity or the greater the hydraulic gradient the more rapid groundwater flows.

How does Darcy’s law relate to groundwater flow?

A common application is groundwater flow through an aquifer. Darcy's Law gives the relationship among the flow rate of the groundwater, the cross-sectional area of the aquifer perpendicular to the flow, the hydraulic gradient, and the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer.

What is groundwater flow Short answer?

Groundwater Flow and the Water Cycle Water moves underground downward and sideways, in great quantities, due to gravity and pressure. Eventually it emerges back to the land surface, into rivers, and into the oceans to keep the water cycle going.