Admission Now | Subjects | Classes | Eligibility | Fee-Structure | Site-Map | Available Seats | Exams | Time-Table | Rules | NOTICE BOARD | Attendance | Contact Us Admission Now | Subjects | Classes | Eligibility | Fee-Structure | Site-Map | Available Seats | Exams | Time-Table | Rules | NOTICE BOARD | Attendance | Contact Us
Hydrogeology is the branch of geology that deals with the distribution, movement, and properties of groundwater in the Earth's subsurface. It combines principles of geology, hydrology, physics, chemistry, and engineering to study how water interacts with soil and rock formations.
Groundwater exists in the subsurface in pore spaces, fractures, and voids within soil, sediment, and rock. It is stored in aquifers, which can be classified as:
Other related terms:
Groundwater moves through porous media due to hydraulic gradients, following Darcy’s Law:
Q=k⋅A⋅ΔhΔLQ = k \cdot A \cdot \frac{\Delta h}{\Delta L}Q=k⋅A⋅ΔLΔh
where:
Key properties that determine groundwater storage and movement include:
| Property | Definition |
|---|---|
| Porosity (ϕ\phiϕ) | The percentage of a material’s volume that consists of voids or pores. |
| Permeability | The ability of a rock or sediment to transmit water through its pores or fractures. |
| Hydraulic Conductivity (k) | A measure of how easily water moves through a material. |
| Specific Yield (Sy) | The amount of water an aquifer releases by gravity drainage. |
| Transmissivity (T) | The rate at which water flows through an aquifer (T = k × thickness of aquifer). |
Different rock types impact groundwater movement:
| Rock Type | Porosity | Permeability | Groundwater Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandstone | High | Moderate to High | Good aquifer |
| Limestone | Moderate | High (if karstic) | Good aquifer (if fractured/dissolved) |
| Granite | Low | Low (unless fractured) | Poor aquifer |
| Basalt | Low to High | Low to High (depends on fractures and vesicles) | Variable aquifer |
Sources of Contamination:
Remediation Methods:
.png)
