Updated:

Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions Report

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Introduction

In nature, water is embedded in complex cycling processes that allow it to serve as a critical source of water supply for a variety of needs, from ecosystem communities to agricultural and industrial human activities. There are two critical processes in the cycle that affect the efficiency of water migration, namely withdrawal and recharge. Withdrawal is the removal of water from its source, which can be realized either naturally or artificially, while recharge is the process of adding water to aquifer layers (Meza-Gastelum et al., 2022). An in-depth study of the relationship between these processes allows us to understand the behavior of water in nature and, if necessary, to control it. Notably, this knowledge can be used to combat pollution since, in the case of industrial water pollution, it is necessary to ensure that water is completely isolated and purified, preventing pollutants from entering sewage and groundwater (Kurwadkar et al., 2020). Thus, understanding the principle of the water cycle is a key component of achieving an efficient and sustainable water supply.

The present laboratory work is built on the principle of modeling natural conditions to identify patterns of water behavior. Three consecutive exercises differing in initial conditions were performed. The hypothesis of the first exercise is that the clay serves as an insulating layer that does not allow water to pass through the barrier, so the water level in the aquifer will remain the same. The second exercise assumed that the gravel and sand serve as natural filters that do not allow contaminants to pass through them, and therefore the withdrawn water will not be stained. Finally, the third exercise was based on the hypothesis that water from a well not surrounded by an insulating layer would be contaminated by fertilizers from groundwater, whereas water from a location on a hill surrounded by clay would not contain fertilizers because of its barrier function. This laboratory work aims to test these three hypotheses by performing simulations.

Results

Observations

Three exercises were performed to evaluate water cycle patterns and the relationship between the aquifer and reservoir under simulated conditions. The first exercise demonstrated that after the primary water intake, there was significantly less water in the aquifer than there was at the beginning, as indicated by the marks on the tube in Figure 1. However, two minutes later, the water level in the aquifer returned to its primary state, that is, it was higher. Fig. 2 shows the results for the second exercise performed: even though 10 ml of contaminant was added to the tank, the water in the well remained clean both immediately and several minutes later. It is essential that due to the low height of the clay insulating layer, some water was released into the aquifer but was not detected in the samples taken. Finally, for exercise 3, it was obtained that the water from the lower layer, which was not surrounded by any insulating layer, contained some fertilizer (pollutant), while in the upper layers with clay as a barrier, no contamination was detected.

Graphs and Photographs

Model of reservoir and aquifer &  Results from Activity 1
Figure 1. Model of reservoir and aquifer (left) and Results from Activity 1 (right)
Result from Activity 2
Figure 2. Result from Activity 2
Result of water from downhill well & of water from uphill well
Figure 3. Result of water from downhill well (left) and of water from uphill well (right).

Analysis

The results obtained allow accepting each of the previously stated laboratory hypotheses. In the first exercise, the hypothesis stated that the water level in the aquifer would remain the same after the removal of excess water from the well: the results confirm this statement (Fig. 1). Despite the fact that immediately after withdrawal, the water level expectedly decreased, after some time the water cycle was able to reach a balance and the amount of water in the well returned to its original value. In the second exercise, the hypothesis was that the mixture of gravel and sand served as a good filtration system, so the withdrawn water would not be contaminated: observations confirmed this, and the water in the tube was clean even after several attempts (Fig. 2). Finally, in the third exercise, the hypothesis of the insulating properties of the clay was confirmed, because the water in the upper layers of the model was clean and therefore the contaminant did not get there, unlike in the lower layers, as shown in Figure 3. Thus, all three hypotheses were accepted in strict accordance with the results obtained.

Discussion

The purpose of this laboratory work was to evaluate the behavior of water under simulated conditions to test the stated hypotheses: the results were not only able to serve as confirmation but also corresponded to the real behavior of water. In particular, in aquifers, clay does serve as an excellent insulating material, preventing water from penetrating between layers (Ciuła, 2021). Thus, the flow of water is naturally regulated in such a way that it does not penetrate through the clay layers. At the same time, the porous structure of the mixture of sand and water, as well as the absorptive capacity of sand in nature, do determine their function as a natural barrier (Tariq et al., 2021). In other words, such a mixture filters the water and allows pollutants as heavier molecules not to penetrate them. Taking this into account, the lack of water coloration in the upper layers can be explained by the insulating clay layer, which did not allow the dye (fertilizer) to reach the groundwater. To summarize, the work demonstrated patterns of water behavior in the cycle through withdrawal and recharge that support existing evidence about the natural properties of water.

References

Ciuła, J. (2021). . Architecture, Civil Engineering, Environment, 14(2), 81-90. Web.

Kurwadkar, S., Kanel, S. R., & Nakarmi, A. (2020). . Water Environment Research, 92(10), 1659-1668. Web.

Meza-Gastelum, M. A., Campos-Gaytán, J. R., Ramírez-Hernández, J., Herrera-Oliva, C. S., Villegas-León, J. J., & Figueroa-Núñez, A. (2022). . Water, 14(17), 1-20. Web.

Tariq, K. A., Husnain, S. A., Mudassar, M., & Awais, M. (2021). . Technical Journal, 26(01), 9-14. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2024, May 24). Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions. https://ivypanda.com/essays/groundwater-and-surface-water-interactions/

Work Cited

"Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions." IvyPanda, 24 May 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/groundwater-and-surface-water-interactions/.

References

IvyPanda. (2024) 'Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions'. 24 May.

References

IvyPanda. 2024. "Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions." May 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/groundwater-and-surface-water-interactions/.

1. IvyPanda. "Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions." May 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/groundwater-and-surface-water-interactions/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions." May 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/groundwater-and-surface-water-interactions/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1