Groundwater is the water stored underground in formations of saturated rock, sand, gravel, and soil. Unlike surface water, groundwater does not flow in a series of lakes and rivers. Instead, precipitation that seeps into the soil continues its downward journey and eventually fills the pores of rock formations similar to the way that water fills a sponge. This cycling of water is known as the hydrologic cycle.
Rock formations that contain enough usable amounts of water to feed springs (or wells) are called aquifers. Two factors determine the amount of water that an aquifer can provide: porosity and permeability.
Groundwater quality generally decreases with increased depth. Waters of lesser salinities and mineral contents are normally located closer to the earth's surface. Deeper waters, into which underground injection normally takes place, are generally of limited quality and have higher concentrations of dissolved mineral solids. These deep waters, therefore, are not usually considered to be potential sources of drinking water. Despite this generalization, some deep aquifers do serve as sources of drinking water.
Groundwater is a very important source of fresh water for the population of the United States. The facts are (according to EPA) the following...
Other estimates state that each American uses 100 gallons of water each and every day. Therefore, one can see that with such a high demand for fresh water, protective measures need to be made today to ensure that a safe and adequate water supply will be available tomorrow.
For more information concerning groundwater, please refer to the Groundwater Education System.
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