Next we will discuss the Florida Aquifer System. There are many factors that contribute to the storage and movement of ground water, porosity and permeability are the two most important elements to this equation (Lutgens, 2012.) Porosity is the volume of open space between rock or sediment and permeability is the ability for a fluid to pass through (Lutgens, 2012.) Rock and sediments that allow groundwater to travel freely are called aquifers. These aquifers are natural resources that exist underneath the earths surface to store water. In the case of Florida’s aquifer system the system is considered to be one of the most productive in the world (USGS, n.d.) In its entirety, the aquifer system “underlies an area of about 100,000 square miles
"If pumped out over the United States," Lexis writes, "the High Plains aquifer would cover all 50 states with one and one-half feet of water."
(Babbitt, 2007), (Dedekorkut 2003) Both the federal and state agencies, along the American people are dedicated to clean-up the water flows in the Everglades. With this, the Everglades Restoration, as Babbitt points-out, is an example of a national commitment to large scale restoration of degraded ecosystems (Babbitt 2007). However , currently, both the public and the political culture rely heavily on natural resource science for answers the many phenomena that exist in water resource policy.
Groundwater is water that seeps through the ground and gets stored in aquifers. The supply of groundwater is always changing because it is constantly used and replenished. The groundwater supply replenishes and grows due to rain and snow melt and can decrease due to things like droughts and heavy usage. Depending on the type of surface of the ground as much as 20 percent of the rain and snow melt can seep into the ground or as little as 5 percent (Raymond, 1988). Areas where as much as
Especially in the area around the Great Basin, since that covers most of the state. This area is surrounded by the mountain ranges and gets all the run off . This water helps with the water shortage throughout the year but at the time it is too much for the area to handle as there is no drainage to the ocean from this area. Groundwater is used throughout the state. Sometimes, the water is pumped out faster than it can be replenished. When this happens, the land surface can be affected. There are many cracks in the ground near Las Vegas, and in some places the land has sunken in over six feet within the last sixty years. An increase in the population of the state is to blame for the increased demand on the groundwater and therefore, the increased damage being done to the landscape as a whole. More people, more water, more land being developed, means less of the natural preservers being available. Also, with these floods the state sees landslides. The rocks of the area show the different ways the terrain was built
The Florida Everglades provides water to roughly 7 million people in Florida. There is on going issues with the Everglades water supply; for instance, it’s history,and the delayed problems are just two. There has been many acts to save it, and now we just can’t give up.
To begin, Withlacoochee River Park is both ecologically and hydrologically important, for not only does it supply most of central Florida with its drinking water, but also encompasses parts of the Hillsborough, Withlacoochee, Ocklawaha, and Peace rivers. The aquifer itself is unique, as it is at a higher elevation than
Many people who live in Florida know about the Everglades and the problems that it is facing. People and authorities have been fighting for clean, plentiful water in the Everglades; humans and thousands of animal species depend on it. Water supply is agreeably the main problem for the Everglades, and it can affect it in many ways, such as killing off animal species, providing a lack of clean drinking water, and ruining the size and beauty of the park.
Webb (2003) conducted numerical analysis of source-water dynamics of stream-bounded alluvial aquifers, along the Ohio River in northern panhandle of West Virginia, with consideration of lateral infiltration of groundwater from bedrock aquifer. However, the author did not verify her model to the field data. On the other hand, Kozar and McCoy (2004) presented groundwater-surface water interaction and simulation of groundwater flow in the alluvial aquifers from the northern panhandle of West Virginia without considering recharge form adjacent bedrock and leakage from overlying tributary streams. Although, Bader et al., (1997) and Unthank (1999) independently identified that the alluvium along the Ohio River, West Virginia and Kentucky respectively is recharged by the following means: (1) precipitation on the flood plain, (2) inflow from fractures in the bedrock beneath and adjacent to the alluvium, (3) inflow from tributary streams through gravel deltas and bedding-plane partings, and (4) induced inflow from the river. Water flowing in tributary streams can percolate through the deltas to the gravel under the clay-silt layer (Grain, 1966). Unthank (2013) updated model and reran it which generated significant difference between measured water levels and model-computed water levels in the aquifer. The author concluded that more accurate and site-specific estimates of field parameters, refined model geometry, and additional numerical method improve
When this occurs, water from the wetland buildup can seep into the ground and be stored as ground for aquifers.
Have you ever wondered where your water comes from? If you live in Florida it comes from a place known as the Everglades. However the water supply is affecting the park located in Florida. To explain it further the park is being affected by small changes having a big impact, the water being affected and the price for saving the Everglades is high. Not to mention a approved is needed to save the subtropical wilderness.
The Everglades Restoration Plan is the policy to increase the flow of clean water to the Everglades, in an effort to protect the environment, provide for recreational activities, and supply South Florida with a clean supply of potable water. At a cost of more than $10.5 billion and with a 35+ year time-line, this is the largest hydrologic restoration project ever undertaken in the United States. The Federal Government approved Florida’s landmark water quality project that, once constructed, all parties agree will provide the clean water the Everglades need (Scott, 2013). The Everglades restoration has been hampered by decades of futile bickering over how to decide the most rational approach to restoring the flow of water to the Everglades.
Groundwater is the largest and most available usable source of drinking water in the state. There is a vast and mysterious system of caves and natural springs in North Central Florida. The cave system within the aquifer is one of the most amazing parts. The caves are remarkable in many ways. They are among the deepest and longest in the world, let alone the U.S. Another amazing aspect of the system is the purity of the water. The springs collectively produce billions of gallons of crystal clear water per day. The whole system stems from the Florida Aquifer that rests under the entire state. When most people think of Florida, they think of the weather and the beaches, but its the springs and the whole water
As Texas continues to increase in urbanization, the amount of water needed for municipal and industrial uses will increase significantly. More than half the water in Texas comes from underground. Aquifers in some areas of the state are being consumed faster than they can be filled again. Having a sustainable and efficient groundwater management policy is important to ensure that the future water demands will be satisfied.
This study will take an in-depth look at a specific Florida spring, Silver Glen Springs (SGS), with four related sections: (1) spring science (2) history of SGS (3) water discharge and quality
440). The main way for most aquifers to be recharged is through surface runoff. The rainfall sinks into the ground and percolates or accumulates to a common place (usually an aquifer). Yet this process takes lots of time. Scientists believe it may take centuries to refill some of the deeper aquifers. Water travels especially slow underground. It could take water up to 500 years to travel 15 meters. Aquifers are depended on for roughly 40% of California’s water supply. This number can escalate to 60% during droughts such as the one that just occurred.