| Term | Definition |
|---|
| aquiclude | a formation of rock or sediment that acts as a barrier to groundwater flow. Aquicludes are made up of low prosity and low permeability rock/sediment such as clay |
| aquifer | an underground geologic formation that stores and transmits water of sufficient quantity to be a usable supply for residential or industrial use |
| bedrock | the solid rock beneath the soil or other consolidated material |
| capillary action | the means by which liquid moves through the porous spaces in a solid, such as soil and plant roots, due to the forces of adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension |
| contaminant | a substance of natural or human origin found in air, water, or land that causes harm. |
| drawdown | a lowering of the groundwater table by over-pumping |
| fertilizer | a substance that promotes the growth of plants on land or in the water. Usually contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) |
| freshwater | water that contains less than 1000 mg/L of dissolved solids |
| groundwater | water that seeps downward into the spaces between soil or rock particles |
| herbicide | used to control or remove unwanted plants, weeds |
| impermeable layer | a layer of solid material, such as rock or clay, that does not allow water to pass through |
| infiltration | movement of water from the land surface into the soil or groundwater |
| percolation | the movement of water through the tiny spaces between rock and soil particles |
| permeability | the ability of a material to allow the passage of water. Permeable materials, such as gravel and sand, allow water to move quickly through them, whereas clay, does not allow water to move freely. |
| pesticide | substance used to control or remove unwanted pests, usually insects |
| pollutant | any substance introduced to the environment that adversely affects the usefulness of a resource |
| porosity | a measure of the percent open space in a subsurface rock or soil |
| porous | containing pore spaces that allow water to move through |
| recharge | water added to an aquifer; for example rainfall that seeps into the ground |
| deficit | water that is being removed from an aquifer faster that it can be recharged |
| reservoir | a pond lake or basin, either natural or artificial, for the storage or control of water |
| saturated zone | area where the water fills all the pore spaces between soil and rock particles, typically called groundwater |
| unsaturated zone | the zone immediately below the land surface where the pores contain both water and air. also known as the zone of aeration |
| water table | the top of the water surface in the saturated part of an aquifer (saturation zone) |
| well | a bored, drilled, or driven shaft, or a dug hole put down by any method for the purposes of withdrawing water from an underground aquifer |
| withdrawal | process of removing water from a ground or surface water source for use |
| residence time | The average time a given molecule of water or other substance will stay in a given water source |
| deficit | water that is being removed from an aquifer faster than it is being recharged |
| artesian well | a well in which water from a confined aquifer rises to the surface through natural pressure. |
| spring | forms when the water table meets Earth's surface |
| unconfined aquifer | aquifer in which there is no impermeable layer restricting the upper surface of the zone of saturation |
| confined aquifer | A groundwater storage area trapped between two impermeable layers of rock. |
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