Groundwater & Climate

71% of Earth is covered by water

97% of water is salt water

2.8% is fresh water

2.2% is in glaciers

0.6% is actually available for use

I. Water Cycle

A. Constant circulation of water from ground to atmosphere and back

B. Sun provides the energy neededC. Evapotranspiration

1. Process that gets water into atmosphere2. Evaporation – changing from liquid to

gas (ocean is largest source of water)3. Transpiration – process plants use to

put water into atmosphere

I. Water Cycle

D. Where rain goes:1. Evaporation

2. Infiltration – water moving into grounda. Depends on

1) Amount of water in soil

a) If soil is full = no water going in = runoff

2) Slope of land

a) Gentle slope = infiltration, Steep = runoff

I. Water Cycle

3. Runoffa. Water flowing over the surface

b. Rainfall rate is > infiltration rate

c. Soil is saturated – pores filled with water

d. Slope of surface is too great to allow time for infiltration

e. Ground cover slows run-off and increases infiltration

f. No infiltration occurs in frozen soil = runoff

Evaporation

CondensationPrecipitationCondensation

TranspirationRun-off

Infiltration

Ocean/Water Table

II. TermsA. Porosity

1. Amount of empty space in soil

B. Permeability1. How fast water moves into the soil

C. Capillary Water1. Water that is retained by sticking to soil

particles2. Thin coating of water around soil in zone

of aeration

II. Terms

D. Capillary Action1. Upward movement of water against

gravity through narrow passages2. Greatest in narrower passages3. Greatest in smaller soil particles

E. Sorted Soil1. All particles have the same size

F. Unsorted Soil1. Mixture of different sized particles

III. Effects of Particle SizesA. Porosity

1. If particles are sorted, porosity is NOT effected by particle size

Particle Size

Por

osity

2. If unsorted, porosity is less because small particles fill the space between large particles

III. Effects of Particle Sizes

B. Capillarity (retained water)1. If particles are sorted, capillarity

DECREASES as size INCREASES

Particle Size

Cap

illar

ity

III. Effects of Particle Sizes

C. Permeability Rate1. If particles are sorted, permeability rate

INCREASES as size INCREASES

Particle Size

Per

m R

ate

Particle Size

Per

m T

ime

IV. Climate

A. Average weather conditions of a region over LONG period of time

B. Based on temperature and precipitation1. Polar – cold all year

2. Tropical – warm all year

3. Temperate – warm summers, cool winters

V. Factors Determining Climate

A. Climate Ratio1. Ratio of precipitation (P) to potential

evapotranspiration (Ep)

2. Formula: P / Epa. Arid (desert) = less than 0.4

b. Semi-arid = 0.4 – 0.8

c. Sub-humid = 0.8 – 1.2

d. Humid = greater than 1.2

3. Syracuse = 1.4 = humid

V. Factors Determining Climate

Type of climate = aridLocation = N. Hemisphere; warmest in July;

mid-latitude (has seasons)

Jan July Dec

DEFICITSURPLUS

Temp (Ep)

P (precip)

V. Factors Determining Climate

Type of Climate = HumidLocation = N. Hemisphere; close to polar area

(coastal)

Jan July Dec

SURPLUSDEFICIT Temp (Ep)

P (precip)

V. Factors Determining Climate

B. Latitude1. Temperature

a. As latitude increases, temp decreases

Latitude

Tem

pera

ture

V. Factors Determining Climate

2. Precipitationa. Equator, 60 ºN, 60 ºS

1) Belts of LOW pressure

2) Rising air, wetter climates

b. 30 ºN, 90 ºN, 30 ºS, 90 ºS

1) Belts of HIGH pressure

2) Sinking air, drier climates

V. Factors Determining Climate

C. Nearness to large body of water1. Marine climate

a. Near water

b. Cooler summers and warmer winters

c. Small yearly temp range

d. More humid

2. Continentala. Inland areas

b. Hotter summers and colder winters

c. Large yearly temp range

d. Drier

V. Factors Determining Climate

D. Wind Belts1. Control flow of moisture

2. Storm tracks (SW to NE)

E. Ocean Currents1. Warm current = warm temp, more moist

2. Cold current = cooler temp, less precip

V. Factors Determining Climate

V. Factors Determining Climate

F. Elevation1. High elevation =

cooler and more precipitation

G. Orographic effect1. Windward side –

cooler and more moist

2. Leeward side – warmer and drier