AICE EM Vocabulary List 6

wetlands

areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or during periods of the year

groundwater seepage

when excessive amounts of groundwater push to the surface as a spring or an area of saturated soil

soil moisture

the amount of water found in the soil

discharge zone

zone where water originating from an aquifer flows out into water courses such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands

natural recharge

water that moves from the land surface or unsaturated zone into an aquifer.

permeable

a material that allows liquid to pass through it

water table

an underground boundary between the soil surface and the area where ground water saturates the in the rocks

confined aquifer

an aquifer below the land surface that is found between layers of impermeable material

aquitard

a zone within earth that restricts the flow of groundwater from one aquifer to another; comprised of either clay or layers of non-porous rock

artesian well

underground water that is under pressure. when punctured by a well or borehole, water will rise to the surface

unconfined aquifer

an aquifer in which the water table is at atmospheric pressure. There is no impermeable layer between the water table and the ground surface.

perched aquifer

an aquifer that occurs above a regional water-table. Usually is relatively small body of water that lies above large aquifer due to an impermeable rock layer blocking the downward flow of water

ice sheets

the mass of glacial land ice that covers the polar regions

ice caps

found in mountainous areas such as the Himalayas and the Andes

water security

the ability to access sufficient quantities of clean water to maintain adequate standards of food and manufacturing of goods, adequate sanitation, and sustainable health care

sanitation

the provision of clean drinking water and sewage disposal

natural disaster

an event such as a flood, earthquake, or hurricane that causes great damage or loss of life

contamination

the action of making or being made impure by pollution

salt water intrusion

the movement of salt water into fresh water aquifers

ecological demand

the amount of water an ecosystem requires to continue functioning