GEOS 1004 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Chemical Equilibrium, Porosity, Karst
Document Summary
Groundwater is specifically defined as water occurring in a subsurface zone where open space is. Groundwater does not include water that sticks to soil, roots, etc. as a film. Groundwater occupies pores and open fractures in rock, much like oil or natural gas in appropriate settings (all three materials often occur together in traps). Groundwater is simply precipitation (rain, snow, ice) that fell onto earth"s surface and soaked in before running off into rivers, etc. Land development can slow the rate at which precipitation recharges groundwater; hard surfaces like parking lots force rain into channels too quickly. Leakage from water lines and sewers is documented to recharge groundwater, particularly around cities where water use is high. Barton springs in austin, texas is a good example; water chemistry indicates that the spring water is. Recycled seepage from water supply and sewer lines.
