Groundwater Flow

Running Head: GROUNDWATER FLOW 1
Groundwater Flow
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GROUNDWATER FLOW 2
1. What areas in Canada and United States are experiencing groundwater overdraft?
What are some management techniques that could slow or stop this overdraft?
In dry and semi-dry, there enough water to sustain domestic needs, commercial, and
agricultural purposes. Due to the high demand for water, people explore to acquire water from
the groundwater aquifers. During the dry season a lot of water gets removed from the
underground reservoirs through pumping (Gies, 2014). The rate of water removed exceeds the
rate of streams flowing into the underground storages. As a result, a phenomenon called the
underground water overdraft arises. According to Gies (2014) California and Minnesota is the
largest producer of fruits, vegetables and nuts in America. Therefore, in Minnesota and
California there is huge demand of water for irrigation farming (Gies, 2014). As a result,
California depends on underground waters. On the Canada side, although the country has big
rivers and freshwater lake, a significant percentage of water comes from the underground
aquifer. For example, the regions such as Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Yukon
(Gupta, 2015).
Folkman (2018) argues that the levels of groundwater can get protected from depletion
by planting native plant species. In this case, native plants are suitable for a particular landscape
thus requires less water and fertilizer. As a result, native plant protects the ground from exposure
to sunlight and soil erosion (Folkman, 2018). The second technique relates to advocating for
efficient use of water. In this case, the public get urged on the importance of conserving water
for example, avoid water wastage and spillage. The third technique relates to control the rates of
water usage. In this regard, there should adequate laws to regulate the rate of water underground
water discharge and promote more water recharge. For example, harnessing storm water to
supplement or support agricultural activities during the dry seasons.

GROUNDWATER FLOW 3
2. (10) Flowing artesian wells were common in the early days of settlement on the Northern
Great Plains. Now water almost always has to be pumped. Why?
In great plain there were adequate flowing artesian because the bedrock was relatively
water impermeable. As a result, the layer of stratum material spread over the shielding rock thus
forming another clay cover. () argues that water collected on to if this layers that laid with a
relative gradient thus supplying plains with steady flow of water. In the modern days, the
artesian flows have decreased because of human activities that interfered with hardpan making it
impermeable by water and gravel responsible for forming a top layer of clay makes is depleted
due to soil erosion. Therefore, underground remains entrap under hard pan thus reduced the
number of free-flowing artesian hence water requires pumping to reach the ground.
3. (10) Are there any situations in which rocks may have high porosity but are not good
aquifers? Explain.
Porosity refers to the ability of the geological material to hold underground water
(Turner, 2018). Materials with fine grains are characterized with high porosity hence the best for
holding underground water. However, the fine course materials are characterized with low
permeability or the arrangement of spaces for underground water to pass through. As a result,
underground water contained in materials with high porosity and low permeability is not good
water aquifers as much of water remain confined under impermeable wall.
4. (5) Tables are flat! But groundwater tables are not. Explain.
Unlike the common table having a flat surface, groundwater table does not have a flat
surface. Instead, underground water table tends to follow the characteristics of the topography. In