A measure of the volume of open spaces within a strata of fractured rock or unco

Question

A measure of the volume of open spaces within a strata of fractured rock or unconsolidated sediment is called ________. The degree to which these open spaces are interconnected will determine whether or not groundwater can flow within the strata. The measure of the ability for water to flow within a strata of rock or unconsolidated sediment is called ________.

Snow melt or rainfall will infiltrate into soils. Soil water that does not evaporate or transpire will flow under the force of gravity into underlying strata of permeable rock or sediment. The strata beneath the soils that contain both air and water that tightly adheres to the rock or sediment is called the __________zone or zone of aeration. Water will infiltrate through this zone and accumulate in the pore spaces or fractures and completely fill in the spaces at depth. When the pore spaces are completely filled with water, the strata are said to contain ground water and are within the _________zone. The boundary between these two zones is called the ________ which will rise during wet seasons when the groundwater recharge exceeds groundwater discharge but will drop during the dry seasons when discharge is greater than recharge.

Strata that can deliver a sustainable yield of water to wells are called groundwater aquifers. Aquifers that are recharged directly by the infiltration of rain or snow melt through the overlying ground surface and zone of aeration have water tables and are called confined/unconfined (highlight one) aquifers. Some aquifers are overlain by or sandwiched between extensive impermeable strata called ______. In these cases, the aquifer cannot be directly recharged by infiltration through the overlying materials. Instead, recharge is delivered slowly from regions where the impermeable layer is not present or where the aquifer is exposed nearer the ground surface. These aquifers contain groundwater that is under artesian pressure and are called confined/unconfined (highlight one). When wells are drilled into these aquifers, the confining pressure exerted by the accumulation of water in the aquifer and the weight of the overlying strata will force water up into the wells. When the groundwater is under a significant amount of pressure the groundwater will flow directly to the surface without the use of pumps. These wells are said to be flowing________ wells.

Explanation / Answer

A measure of the volume of open spaces within a strata of fractured rockor unconsolidated sediment is called porosity.

The measure of the ability for water to flow within a strata of rock or unconsolidated sediment is called permeability.

The strata beneath the soils that contain both air and water that tightly adheres to the rock or sediment is called the vadose zone or zone of aeration.  

When the pore spaces are completely filled with water, the strata are said to contain groundwater and are within the saturated zone. The boundary between these two zones is called the water table which will rise during wet seasons when the groundwater recharge exceeds groundwater recharge. Aquifers that are recharged directly by the infiltration of rain or snow melt through the overlying ground surface and the zone of aeration have water tables and are called unconfined aquifers. Some aquifers are overlain by or sandwiched between extensive impermeable strata called confined aquifers.

These aquifers contain groundwater that is under artesian pressure and are called confined.

These wells are said to be flowing artesian wells.

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