Surface Water and Groundwater
Groundwater
Surface Water
- Water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.
1.Water that collects on the surface of the ground.
- The top layer of a body of water.
Distribution of surface water
Infiltration
Streams can flow into rivers.
Small rivers can flow into larger rivers.
Lakes can flow into streams.
Large rivers can flow into the ocean.
Uses of surface water
Public Supply
Rural Domestic and Livestock
Irrigation
Thermoelectric Power
Other Industry
Hydroelectric
Watershed
An area of land to which all the precipitation that falls in that location drains, such as into a river or stream.
- Permeation of a liquid into something by filtration.
Aquifer
An aquifer is a large underground reservoir of water.
Water table
The level below which the ground is saturated with water.
Effects of Groundwater
The movement of water underground can cause various surface and subsurface features to form. One dramatic effect is when groundwater creates vast systems of underground caves.