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Water
Term | Definition |
---|---|
groundwater | water that is beneath the Earth's surface |
surface water | all bodies of fresh water, salt water, ice, and snow that are found above the ground |
watershed | the area of land that is drained by a river system |
aquifer | body of rock or sediment that stores groundwater and allows the flow of groundwater |
runoff | water that flows across the Earth's surface when there is an excess of precipitation |
zone of saturation | an area of soil or rock below the level of the water table where all the voids are filled with water |
water table | upper surface of the underground water or the upper boundary of the zone of saturation |
porosity | the amount of air space in a given amount of sediment |
permeable | the measure of how easily water can flow through an aquifer |
pollutants | Harmful substances in the air, water, or soil |
agricultural runoff | rain and snow carry pesticides and fertilizer into groundwater |
subsidence | Sinking of the ground due to water being pumped out |