Groundwater Photo Gallery
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Learn about groundwater using pictures.
• Water Science School HOME • Groundwater topics •
Water is everywhere, from huge oceans to invisible water molecules making up water vapor in the air. Although you can't see it, the ground below your feet is full of water, too. You can learn more about groundwater by viewing our photo gallery of groundwater pictures, listed below.
- A "cone of depression" at a pumping well
- A flowing artesian well
- A gaining stream has water seeping into it from the ground
- A hole at the bench illustrates the "water table", saturated ground
- A small stream in Georgia disappearing into a cave (infiltration)
- A well where the water table has dropped, leaving it dry
- Artesian wells can bring water to the land surface naturally
- Center pivot irrigation system in Arizona
- Center-pivot irrigation systems are used worldwide for producing crops
- Conceptual groundwater-flow diagram
- Cover-subsidence type of sinkholes
- Drought can affect groundwater levels, as shown in this spring
- Fido helps water infiltrate into the ground.
- For a home or city, wells generally work the same way
- Groundwater can be contaminated
- Groundwater can emerge from cuts in rock layers
- Groundwater can flow out of the ground back to land
- Groundwater can flow to the land surface as springs
- Groundwater decline: Irrigation of plants often uses groundwater
- Groundwater is the area underground where openings are full of water
- Groundwater is the saturated zone of soil/rock below the land surface
- Groundwater might seem like magic to a youngster
- Hot springs (Alaska) caused by geothermal activity underground
- In 1942, groundwater levels were high enough to allow vegetation
- In 1989, groundwater levels were too low to allow vegetation to grow
- Long term pumping can lower the water level of aquifers
- Map of U.S. showing groundwater levels trends, 1900 to 2008
- Pesticides in groundwater can eventually contaminate well water
- Rapid infiltration basins to recharge groundwater, Florida
- Rivers gain water from groundwater, in this case, a nearby geyser
- Water flowing underground can find openings back to the land surface
- Well pumping can draw down the local water table
More groundwater resources and photo galleries:
Groundwater Information by Topic
Groundwater Questions & Answers
Teacher's Resources for Water Education
The USGS Water Science School offers many resources to help teach students all about water.
Water Basics Photo Gallery
Surface Water Photo Gallery
Water Quality Photo Gallery
Water Use Photo Gallery
Water Properties Photo Gallery
Below are FAQ associated with groundwater.
What is groundwater?
Groundwater is water that exists underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface. The upper surface of the saturated zone is called the water table. Contrary to popular belief, groundwater does not form underground rivers. It fills the pores and fractures in underground materials such as sand, gravel, and other rock, much the same way that water fills a sponge. If groundwater flows...
How important is groundwater?
Groundwater, which is in aquifers below the surface of the Earth, is one of the Nation's most important natural resources. Groundwater is the source of about 37 percent of the water that county and city water departments supply to households and businesses (public supply). It provides drinking water for more than 90 percent of the rural population who do not get their water delivered to them from...
If the ground filters water, is groundwater always clean?
Water drawn from a well was once precipitation that fell onto Earth's surface. It seeped into the ground and, over time, occupied the porous space in some subsurface material. Big particles that are in surface streams, such as leaf chunks, will not be seen in groundwater. So, yes, big particles are filtered out by the ground, along with some minerals and chemicals that are too small to see. But...
Learn about groundwater using pictures.
• Water Science School HOME • Groundwater topics •
Water is everywhere, from huge oceans to invisible water molecules making up water vapor in the air. Although you can't see it, the ground below your feet is full of water, too. You can learn more about groundwater by viewing our photo gallery of groundwater pictures, listed below.
- A "cone of depression" at a pumping well
- A flowing artesian well
- A gaining stream has water seeping into it from the ground
- A hole at the bench illustrates the "water table", saturated ground
- A small stream in Georgia disappearing into a cave (infiltration)
- A well where the water table has dropped, leaving it dry
- Artesian wells can bring water to the land surface naturally
- Center pivot irrigation system in Arizona
- Center-pivot irrigation systems are used worldwide for producing crops
- Conceptual groundwater-flow diagram
- Cover-subsidence type of sinkholes
- Drought can affect groundwater levels, as shown in this spring
- Fido helps water infiltrate into the ground.
- For a home or city, wells generally work the same way
- Groundwater can be contaminated
- Groundwater can emerge from cuts in rock layers
- Groundwater can flow out of the ground back to land
- Groundwater can flow to the land surface as springs
- Groundwater decline: Irrigation of plants often uses groundwater
- Groundwater is the area underground where openings are full of water
- Groundwater is the saturated zone of soil/rock below the land surface
- Groundwater might seem like magic to a youngster
- Hot springs (Alaska) caused by geothermal activity underground
- In 1942, groundwater levels were high enough to allow vegetation
- In 1989, groundwater levels were too low to allow vegetation to grow
- Long term pumping can lower the water level of aquifers
- Map of U.S. showing groundwater levels trends, 1900 to 2008
- Pesticides in groundwater can eventually contaminate well water
- Rapid infiltration basins to recharge groundwater, Florida
- Rivers gain water from groundwater, in this case, a nearby geyser
- Water flowing underground can find openings back to the land surface
- Well pumping can draw down the local water table
More groundwater resources and photo galleries:
Groundwater Information by Topic
Groundwater Questions & Answers
Teacher's Resources for Water Education
The USGS Water Science School offers many resources to help teach students all about water.
Water Basics Photo Gallery
Surface Water Photo Gallery
Water Quality Photo Gallery
Water Use Photo Gallery
Water Properties Photo Gallery
Below are FAQ associated with groundwater.
What is groundwater?
Groundwater is water that exists underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface. The upper surface of the saturated zone is called the water table. Contrary to popular belief, groundwater does not form underground rivers. It fills the pores and fractures in underground materials such as sand, gravel, and other rock, much the same way that water fills a sponge. If groundwater flows...
How important is groundwater?
Groundwater, which is in aquifers below the surface of the Earth, is one of the Nation's most important natural resources. Groundwater is the source of about 37 percent of the water that county and city water departments supply to households and businesses (public supply). It provides drinking water for more than 90 percent of the rural population who do not get their water delivered to them from...
If the ground filters water, is groundwater always clean?
Water drawn from a well was once precipitation that fell onto Earth's surface. It seeped into the ground and, over time, occupied the porous space in some subsurface material. Big particles that are in surface streams, such as leaf chunks, will not be seen in groundwater. So, yes, big particles are filtered out by the ground, along with some minerals and chemicals that are too small to see. But...