Groundwater

Riverside Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

You may wish to print a copy of the lecture outline (minus the illustrations) and you have two options:

• Microsoft Word if you use that Word Processor or
• A Netscape Document that you can print (use the Left Arrow key to return to this page).
• Or, you may view the Groundwater power point presentation shown in class.

  Course Objectives

  After reading Chapter Eleven, you should be able to:
  1. Portray the general distribution of underground water.
  2. Define the water table.
  3. Explain the difference between porosity and permeability and how these relate to the movement of groundwater.
  4. Describe springs, geysers, wells, and artesian wells.
  5. List some problems associated with groundwater withdrawal and explain groundwater contamination.

  Introduction

  As emphasized previously, water is a remarkable compound. This chapter focuses on water beneath the surface which is part of the groundwater system. Caves and caverns often offer spectacular evidence of some of the influences of ground water. Avoid having to get wet in the dark and explore Mammoth Cave at the link in the Chapter Heading.

  Class Notes

  Internet Resources

  1. Geysers

     "A geyser is a hot spring that periodically erupts throwing water into the air. Seems simple and common enough, but in fact, geysers are extremely rare. In all of the world, there are only a total of seven hundred geysers. Conditions must be just right for geysers to be present. Three components must be present for geysers to exist: an abundant supply of water, an intense source of heat, and special plumbing."

  2. Carlsbad Caverns

     "Your encounter with Carlsbad Caverns National Park begins in the Chihuahuan Desert of the Guadalupe Mountains. But beyond the somewhat familiar surroundings of rugged mountains and broad plains is another world. Away from the sunlight, away from the flowering cactus, away from the songs of the desert birds and the howl of the coyote, lies the celebrated underground world of Carlsbad Cavern. "

  3. A Glossary of Water Related Terms

  A Virtual Field Trip to the Stone Forest

  An Excursion To The Yunnan Province, Republic of China --"In June of 1999 my wife Susan and I had an opportunity to visit the Yunnan Province (green area) in the Republic of China. The flight from Houston, Texas to Hong Kong took about 20 hours including a layover of about 2 hours in Narita, Japan. The hotel at the new Hong Kong airport was a welcomed sight and it proved to be the last place to get large quantities of ice for the next 8 days. "

  Learning about geology from a computer screen is only half as fun as enjoying it in the field!

  Self-Quiz

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  Copyright by John C. Butler, July 29, 1995