Underground Water: Meaning, Types, Source and Importance

Water that is present below the earth’s surface is referred to as underground water. Underground water makes up 20% of all the earth’s fresh water. Most underground water is produced by rainfall, but other processes, such as snowmelt or leaks in lakes or rivers, also produce some. Gravel, sand and other underground materials have pores and fractures that the water seeps into and fills in. Aquifers, which are masses of rock and/or sediment that store underground water, are eventually filled by this underground water after passing through the unsaturated soil regions.

Whether or not something can absorb water depends on how porous it is. Sand, for instance, has a high porosity. Porosity is frequently brought up in relation to underground water when discussing the subterranean materials that underground water is soaked up by and stored in.

The ability of an object to permit water to flow through openings or pores is known as permeability. When it comes to underground water, permeability is crucial because it affects how easily water can pass through subterranean materials and how simple it will be to extract the underground water.

 

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Underground water: Source and types of aquifers

Where can you find underground water?

Unsaturated zones and saturated zones are two different types of zones that are significant when thinking about underground water. An unsaturated zone is a region immediately below the surface of the ground that contains some water and air. The saturated zone is located immediately below the unsaturated zone. The region that is entirely submerged in underground water is known as the saturated zone.

Where is the source of underground water? What causes underground water to form? 

Precipitation is the main source of underground water. It permeates the ground and starts to saturate the ground’s soil. Any and all spaces left in the soil and other underground materials are filled by underground water. The region is referred to as a saturated zone once it has reached maximum saturation.

There are several different kinds of underground water sources. These kinds are:

• Aquifers: Underground water is stored there and can be retrieved for use in agriculture, industry, and other purposes.
• Hand-dug wells: People can access underground water by digging wells with their hands. These are frequently required in areas with limited access to running water so that the local population has access to water.
• Artesian wells: These are wells where water flows naturally to the ground’s surface. The force exerted by the underground rocks is what causes the water to flow.

 

Types of Aquifer

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Confined Aquifer

Aquifers that are isolated from their surroundings are referred to as confined aquifers. Both above and below them, there are substantial layers of rocks and other sediments. They go by the name “artesian aquifers,” and the layers around them put a lot of pressure on them. Because they are enclosed, confined aquifers aid in underground water retention by shielding it from the environment.

Unconfined Aquifer

Aquifers that are accessible at the ground’s surface are referred to as unconfined aquifers. An unconfined aquifer is directly topped off by underground water absorption and has no sediment layer above it. Underground water retention is aided by unconfined aquifers because they can be easily recharged.

 

Underground water: Importance

It is impossible to overstate the significance of groundwater to the continuation of human society. In both urban and rural India, the main source of drinking water is groundwater. Additionally, it is a significant source of water for the industrial and agricultural sectors. Since it is a crucial and essential component of the hydrological cycle, the availability of water is reliant on the amount of rainfall and the recharge levels.

 

FAQs

How long can underground water remain underground?

Nearly 95% of the nation's freshwater resources come from groundwater. It may rise to the surface and contribute to the filling of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, or it may remain underground for hundreds of millions of years.

Can groundwater become dry?

When the water table, or top surface of the groundwater, drops too far for a well's depth to reach it, groundwater depletion can also result in wells running dry, leaving them figuratively high and dry.

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