Groundwater: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:45, 18 June 2006

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===Groundwater pollution===

[[Image:Limestone building with pollution.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Iron oxide staining caused by reticulation from an unconfined aquifer in karst topography. Perth, Western Australia.]]

Not all groundwater problems are caused by over-extraction. [[Pollutant]]s released to the ground can work their way down into groundwater. Movement of water and dispersion within the aquifer spreads the pollutant over a wider area, which can then intersect with groundwater wells or find their way back into surface water, making the water supplies unsafe. The interaction of groundwater contamination with surface waters is analyzed by use of [[hydrology transport model]]s.

The [[stratigraphy]] of the area plays an important role in the transport of these pollutants. an area can have layers of sandy soil, fractured bedrock, clay, or hardpan. Areas of [[karst]] topography on [[limestone]] bedrock are sometimes vulnerable to surface pollution from groundwater. See [[environmental engineering]] and [[remediation]]. Water table conditions are of great importance for drinking water supplies, [[agriculture|agricultural]] irrigation, [[waste disposal]] (including [[nuclear waste]]), and other [[ecology|ecological]] issues.