Groundwater is the water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock.

It is stored in
and moves slowly through geologic formations of soil, sand and rocks called aquifers.
Surprisingly, water underground is about 60 times as plentiful as fresh water in lakes and rivers on the
land surface(not including water stored as ice in glaciers)
Ground water can form distinctive geologic features, such as caves, sinkholes and petrified wood. It also
can appear as hot springs and geysers. Hot ground water can be used to generate power.
Porosity and Permeability
Porosity, the percentage of rock or sediment that consists of voids or openings, is a measurement of rocks
ability to hold water.
The permeability of a rock is a measure of the resistance to the flow of a fluid through a rock

A water table the boundary between water-saturated ground and unsaturated ground. Below the
water table, rocks and soil are full of water.

Saturated zone -The saturated zone is the part of the Earth where all the spaces and fractures of
rocks are filled with ground water.

Movement of ground water

The slope of the water table strongly influences ground water velocity.
How fast water flows also depends on the permeability of the rock or other materials through which it
passes.
An aquifer is a body of saturated rock or sediment through which water can move easily. Aquifers are
both highly permeable and saturated with water.
Aquifers act as reservoirs for groundwater. Water from aquifers sometimes flows out in springs. Wells
drilled into aquifers provide water for drinking, agriculture, and industrial uses.
Unconfined aquifers - An unconfined aquifer is covered by permeable rock and can receive water from
the surface.
Confined aquifers - In contrast, a confined aquifer lies between two layers of less permeable rocks and is
filled with water.
A well is a deep hole, generally cylindrical, that is dug or drilled into the ground to penetrate an aquifer
within the saturated zone. The well water is drawn by a pump, or using containers, such as buckets, that
are raised mechanically or by hand.
A spring is a place where water flows naturally from rock onto the land surface. A spring is any natural
situation where water flows from an aquifer to the earth's surface..
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks.

Ground water in its natural state tends to be relatively free contaminants in most areas. Because it is
widely used as drinking water, pollution of ground water can be a very serious problem.
Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers applied to agricultural crops
Liquid and solid wastes from industries septic tanks, sewage plants, animal feedlots and slaughterhouses
may contain toxics, bacteria, viruses and parasites that can contaminate water.
Recharge - is the addition of new water to the saturated zone
If ground water is withdrawn more rapidly than it is recharged, the water table will drop.
Dropping water table can lead to subsidence.
Subsidence can crack foundations, road and pipelines
Karst Topography, Caves and sinkholes
The term karst topography describes the landforms in a region with a large number of caves, sinkholes,
and losing streams.
Caves or caverns are naturally formed underground chambers. Most caves develop when slightly acidic
ground water dissolves limestone along joints and bedding planes, opening up cavern systems as calcite is
carried away in solution.
Sinkholes
Sinkholes are depressions that form when a portion of the lithosphere below is eroded away.
Sinkholes can range in size from a few feet or meters to over 100 meters (300 feet) deep. They've been
known to "swallow" cars, homes, businesses, and other structures.
Hot springs are springs in which the water is warmer than human body temperature.
A geyser is a type of hot spring that periodically erupts hot water and stream. Eruptions may be caused by
a constriction in the underground plumbing of geyser, which prevents the water from rising and
cooling.
Electricity can be generated by harnessing naturally occurring steam and hot water in areas that are
exceptionally hot underground. In such geothermal area, wells can tap steam (or superheated water that
can be turned into steam)