Aquifer
Aquifer
Aquifer (/ˈækwɪfər/) is a term used in hydrogeology to describe a subsurface layer or body of rock that can store and transmit groundwater to wells and springs.
Etymology
The term 'Aquifer' originates from the Latin words 'aqua' meaning 'water', and 'ferre' meaning 'to bear or carry'. Thus, an aquifer essentially carries water.
Definition
An aquifer is a geologic formation, a group of formations, or a part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs.
Types of Aquifers
Aquifers can be categorized into two main types:
- Unconfined aquifer - Also known as a water table or phreatic aquifer, these are near the ground surface and have no overlying impermeable rock layer to separate them from the atmosphere.
- Confined aquifer - Also known as artesian or pressure aquifers, these are overlain by less permeable materials and are not directly connected with the surface.
Related Terms
- Aquifer test - A test to study the aquifer properties including its hydraulic conductivity and storage coefficient.
- Aquifer depletion - A decrease in the amount of water that an aquifer can store, often due to over-extraction of water.
- Aquifer recharge - The process by which water is added to an aquifer, typically through rainfall or irrigation.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Aquifer
- Wikipedia's article - Aquifer
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski