VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GROUNDWATER

1. BY
ARUNABHDUTTA
DEPT.OFGEOLOGY
SIBSAGARCOLLEGE
JOYSAGAR

2.  Introduction
 Hydrological cycle
 Influencing factor
 Vertical distribution of groundwater
 Zone of Aeration
 Zone of saturation
 Conclusion
 References

3.  Groundwater hydrology may be defined as
the science of occurrence, distribution and
movement of water below the earth surface.
 Groundwater is the water that exists in the
pore spaces and fractures in the rocks and
sediments beneath the Earth’s surface.
 Groundwater occurs everywhere beneath the
Earth’s surface, but is usually restricted to
depth less than 1000 meters.
 Groundwater commonly understood to mean
occupying all the voids and cracks within a
geological stratum.

4.  The forms of water
occurring the surface and
the ground water related
by the concept of
hydrological cycle.
 The hydrological cycle,
also known as global
water cycle or the H2O
cycle, describes the
storage and movement of
water between the
biosphere, atmosphere ,
lithosphere and the
biosphere.

5. The factors that control the occurrences and
distribution of groundwater in a region.
 Topography
 Morphology
 Soil condition
 Lithology of the area
 Structural aspect

6.  Topography: It is the study of the shape and features
of land surfaces over the globe.
 Morphology: It is the study of the various features and
landforms and their interrelationship.
 Soil condition: It is the study of the capacity of a soil
to hold water in it.
 Lithology of the area: It is the study of what type of
rocks are present in a particular area.
 Structural aspect: It is the study of the various
structural features which directly indicates the
existence of groundwater.

7.  The subsurface
occurrence of
groundwater
maybe divided
into zone of
aeration and
zone of
saturation.

8.  Zone of aeration
consist of interstices
occupied partially by
water and partially by
air.
 In the zone of
aeration, vadose
water occur
 Zone of aeration
subdivided into 3
types
1. Soil water zone
2. Intermediate zone
3. Capillary zone

9.  This is the zone just below the ground
surface, it covers the top soil. It contain
soil water and pellicular water.
 Soil water is a vadose water. It is the
water that is near enough the surface to
be available to the roots of the plants.
 Soil water zone was classified by Briggs
into three subzones depending on the
concentration of moisture content. They
are
1. Hygroscopic water
2. Capillary water
3. Gravitational water

10.  The intermediate zone extends from the
lower edge of the soil-water zone to the
upper limit of capillary zone.
 The thickness may vary from zero, where
the bounding zones merge with a high water
table approaching ground surface to more
than 100m under deep water table
condition.

11.  The capillary zone extends
from the water table upto
the limit of capillary rise of
water or capillary fringe,
which lies immediately above
the zone of saturation.
 The water available in the
zone is termed as capillary
water
 Thickness of this zone is
dependent upon the texture
of soil formation, above the
zone of saturation.

12.  The water table is
the upper surface of
the zone of
saturation or the
subsoil horizon
below the zone of
aeration or vadose
zone
 Water table forms
the boundary
between the zone
of aeration and the
zone of saturation

13.  The zone below the water table is the zone of
saturation. It is also called as phreatic zone. The
zone of saturation is referred to as an aquifer.
 In the zone of saturation, all interstices are
filled with water under hydrostatic pressure;
hence the porosity provides a direct measure of
the water contained per unit volume
 The zone of saturation is the area beneath the
water table where all pore spaces are
completely filled with water. Water that exists
within this zone is known as GROUND WATER

14.  Vertical distribution gives the distribution of
water in various stages.
 To access the movement of water either
horizontally or vertically based on geological
condition.
 Most of the well which gives high yield it
means to gives the surface to surface runoff
easily through vertical distribution of
groundwater.
 It helps the quantity of water availability in
the system

15.  David Keith Todd, Groundwater hydrology.
 C.W Fetter, Applied hydrogeology.
 Wikipedia.org