Hydrology

742 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Global water shortage

Water is one of the most, if not the most valuable natural resource. Life on earth (Humans, plants and animals) would be extinct without it. Hydrology is a science dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation of water on and below the earth 's surface and in the atmosphere. Hydrologists are needed to understand the complex water system of the earth and help solve water problems.
The supply of water available for our use is limited by nature. According to Watereducation.org (2016) it is estimated between 70 and 75 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, more than 96 percent of which is too salty for most human uses. Therefore, even though there is plenty of water on earth, it is not always easy to locate for the most important characteristic is hard to encounter: quality.
Groundwater is the portion of the Earth 's water cycle that flows underground. Precipitation is the source of all groundwater, new and old. Precipitation that does not form part of surface runoff or remain on the land surface percolates into the ground. Once there, it can follow three distinct paths:
1. Remain in the unsaturated zone subject to capillary action
2. Return to the atmosphere via evaporation and evapotranspiration
3. Flow downward until it reaches …show more content…

They note the depths at which water is encountered and collect samples of soils, rock and water for laboratory analyses. In regards to the pumping rate, hydrologists figure out the most efficient way to do so by monitoring the extent that water levels drop in the pumped well and in its nearest neighbors. Doing it too fast could have adverse effects: it could cause the well to dry up or it could affect nearby holes. Along the coast, over pumping can cause saltwater

Show More
Related

  • Hydrologic cycle of the Panamanian rainforest and Mojave desert

    592 Words  | 2 Pages

    Water has three stages—liquid, gas and solid. Water on Earth can be liquid as rain, streams, or oceans. It can be a solid like hail, ice or snow. It can be a gas like vapor, steam or clouds. As described by the Department of Atmospheric Sciences (2010), the hydrologic cycle is the process of water changing from liquid to gas to solid. The energy of the sun drives the changes to water. When water is heated up, it evaporates, turning into a gas to form steam or vapor. The water vapor rises with warm air that when meets cooler air, condenses to form clouds. These clouds and water vapor can be transported around the world. Precipitation is when water falls to Earth, in warmer temperatures as liquid and in temperatures, as a solid. On Earth, precipitation can evaporate again or infiltrate the Earth to become groundwater. As ground water it can collect in oceans, rivers or on snowy mountaintops and glaciers. It can also be released back into the atmosphere via transpiration, when water evaporates off soil, trees. When water evaporates, the cycle starts again.

    Read More

  • Pesticides In Ground Water and Drinking Water

    369 Words  | 1 Pages

    Water is the life blood of every living creature on earth. Approximately 70 percent of the earth's surface is covered with water. Through the wonders of nature, water can take on many different forms. It is easy to understand the significance water plays in our lives, but it may be difficult to understand the water that exists below the earth's surface. This water is called groundwater.

    Read More

  • The Water Supply of Florida

    1582 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are numerous stages that take place simultaneously in the hydrologic cycle and this includes evaporation. This is when the water alters from a liquid state into a gas. The damp air from the water rises into the atmosphere and when it cools, the vapor condenses and shapes into clouds. But those billows are not the only form the vapors make; it can also materialize as dew, fog and mist, which blanket the Earth, characteristically on a rainy or humid day. Evaporation takes place when water changes from a liquid state into a gaseous state, and ascents out of the pores of the earth and into the atmosphere as a vapor (“How”). While evaporation is taking place, condensation is also occurring. When the temperature in the air plunges, the clouds become heavy and as a result they relieve themselves of the extra weight, which is called precipitation. This produces rain, hail, snow and sleet, conditioned upon the temperate. As the precipitation falls, it enters the surface of the ground and percolates into the soil, which is called infiltration. The more porous the land is, the more the infiltration can take place. However, the ground cannot hold all of that water and floods. The excess rainfall, which is also called runoff that has not been absorbed makes its way into bodies of water, such as small ponds, rivers, lakes and parts of the ocean (“Summary”).

    Read More

  • Water Privatization: Private vs. Public

    963 Words  | 2 Pages

    Water has become a very controversial issue in the United States and around the world. As populations increase and resources decrease, the way we use our resources and keep populations safe become more and more important. Throughout the world there are nearly 1.1 billion people who do not have access the clean drinking water. 5 Most of these 1.1 billion people are located in poor areas and do not have the financial means to build the infrastructures needed to provide water to the citizens of their country. 5 Drinking water is an essential part of our everyday life. People must have water to survive, but it must be clean and safe to consume.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Water Quality

    719 Words  | 2 Pages

    Living in a world that is roughly 70% water, and all living creatures found on this planet depend on this resource whether directly or indirectly, making water quality an important topic and vital to sustain our world of cycles. “Determination of status of water quality of a river or any other water sources is highly indeterminate. It is necessary to have a competent model to predict the status of water quality and to advice for type of water treatment for meeting different demands.” (Bai V, 2009) With most of our water on this planet made of salt water and our constant damage towards the remaining water that can be consumed by humans is diminishing with improper distribution on a global scale. If our greed comes before companionship, and our quality of life is more important than pollution, then our future generations to come will be born into a world of chaos, and a scarce of a basic human necessity.

    Read More

  • Summary of a River Study

    2043 Words  | 5 Pages

    km). Its grid reference is . It was also the furthest to walk to, it

    Read More

  • Importance Of Clean Water Essay

    1240 Words  | 3 Pages

    Clean and safe drinking water resources are becoming scarce as the population grows. The world is facing many problems, but the most important thing needed to survive, is water. Water is getting low in many countries, therefore residents are suffering the misfortune of not having the reliable source of clean water. Today many countries are having water shortages meaning rivers, lakes, streams and groundwater are not enough to rely on for supplying water demands. For example, California is facing a drastic water shortage, the natural water resources are not enough to fulfill their water demands.

    Read More

  • Hydrometer Analysis Essay

    2013 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hydrometer test is needed as more than 10 % of soil sample passes the 63 µ m sieve (BS 1377-2:1990). It covers the quantitative determination of the particle size distribution in a soil from coarse sand size to clay size. Particles settle under gravity during testing (Head, 1984). The results of hydrometer analysis can be referred to Appendix C1. The calibrations which used in the hydrometer analysis and water viscosity are shown in Appendix C2 and Appendix C3.

    Read More

  • Hydrogeochemistry Essay

    1579 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hydrogeochemistry is a sub discipline of hydrogeology, which referred to as Chemical hydrogeology in some references (Domenico and Schwartz, 1990), and Groundwater geochemistry in some others (Merkel and Planer-Friedrich, 2005). One may also points to "Contaminant hydrogeology" used by Fetter, (1998) as another term that carries the same syllabus as Hydrogeochemistry. In all fields of science and engineering, sub-disciplines are develop to accomplish some missions, fulfill some requirements, and supplement the base subject. The same is true with Hydrogeochemistry. This sub-discipline is developing to deal with quality, contamination, chemistry, chemical processes, and reactions that take place in

    Read More

  • The Global Water Crisis

    2639 Words  | 6 Pages

    Freshwater in the world makes up only a small portion of the water on the planet. While the percentage of water in the world is nearly 70%, only 2.5% is consumable. Even further, only 1% is easily accessible to basic human needs. According to National Geographic, “by 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity, with two-thirds of the world's population living in water-stressed regions as a result of use, growth, and climate change.” With this current trend, water will become more immersed in environmental, economic, political, and social changes.

    Read More

  • The Water Crisis and Solutions

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    There is a global shortage of drinking water. A person might wonder how this can be if seventy percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Most of the Earth’s water is unsuitable for human consumption. Ocean water is salt water, which makes up 97.5% of all water on the planet. Freshwater is only 3.5% of all the water on Earth.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Protecting Our Natural Resource- Water

    2372 Words  | 5 Pages

    Water is the most priceless resource on our planet. Billions of gallons flow through our rivers and lakes. Millions of gallons are consumed by humans each day. Our world’s surface is seventy percent water. With so much water around us, how can 1.1 billion people still lack access to clean water (Cooper, Water Shortages)? People are already using fifty four percent of all the freshwater available on this planet (Cooper, Water Shortages). We cannot afford to neglect something so essential to our very survival. We must defend our most important natural resource—water.

    Read More

  • Causes, Effects and Solution of Water Polution

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    Water is on of the most precious natural resources that exist on our planet. “It is delivered from the atmosphere in the form of rain, snow, hail, fog, and condensation and returns to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration” (Hannigan 1969). Although many of us love activities that have to do with water, we disregard it and pollute out rivers, lakes and oceans. Slowly but surely we are going to harm out planet till no return. Protecting and conserving nature will secure a better future. 71% of earth is covered with oceans. Sounds like a lot right? Imagine ...

    Read More

  • Water Is an Irreplaceable Natural Resource

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Water is an irreplaceable natural resource on this earth which comprises marine, estuarine, fresh water (river and lakes), ground water across coastal and inland areas. Even though there is huge water resource in this world, about 97% of water is salt water (marine) only 3% is fresh water. And in this small fraction of fresh water a major part is in the form of ice in polar region. So just 0.003% is in the form of ground water and surface water which we can use.

    Read More

  • Water Scarcity and Possible Solutions

    1100 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Water is the lifeblood of this planet. Every time a good is bought or sold there is a virtual exchange of water. Every time we interact with water, we change it, redirect it, or otherwise alter its state. We have never learned how to efficiently manage water.”(Cluckie, 2009) Ian Cluckie, Professor of Hydrology and Water Management, emphasizes the fact that humans can’t survive without water. Although water is a renewable resource that can replenish under hydrological cycles, our intervention has interrupted its natural cycle causing its supply to decrease.(Cluckie, 2009)

    Read More

More about Hydrology

Open Document