aquifer
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.8|Schematic of an aquifer showing confined zones, groundwater travel times, a spring and a [[well]]
AI overview
An aquifer is an underground layer of rock or soil that holds and stores water, which can be accessed through wells or natural springs. Aquifers are important because they supply fresh water to many communities and regions around the world.
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Article
24 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Properties
- Depth
- Groundwater recharge
- Classification
- Saturated versus unsaturated
- Aquifers versus aquitards
- Confined versus unconfined
- Isotropic versus anisotropic
- Porous, karst, or fractured
- Porous
- Karst
- Fractured
- Undersea
- Human use of groundwater
- By country or continent
- Africa
- Australia
- Canada
- South America
- United States
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|upright=1.8|Schematic of an aquifer showing confined zones, groundwater travel times, a spring and a [[well]]
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing material consisting of permeable or fractured rock, or of unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Aquifers vary greatly in their characteristics. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology. Related concepts include aquitard, a bed of low permeability along an aquifer, and aquiclude (or aquifuge), a solid and impermeable region underlying or overlying an aquifer, the pressure of which could lead to the formation of a confined aquifer. Aquifers can be classified as saturated versus unsaturated, aquifers versus aquitards, confined versus unconfined, isotropic versus anisotropic, and porous, karst, fractured, or transboundary.