ENVIRSC 1C03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Aquifer, Water Table, Groundwater Recharge
31 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
Represents only a small fraction of water resources. Most groundwater is also deep beneath the surface and can only be extracted with great difficulty. Most of the freshwater we depend on is at the surface or just beneath it. Lack of freshwater means lack of access to clean water. Key role in water cycle and renewed access to it. Wetlands are the areas where the land is saturated to a depth of few cm for atleast a few cm per year. This contributes to a lack of oxygen and build up of nutrients, making these areas highly productive. Vegetation that is adapted to inundated land thrives in these areas. Saturation that may just be for a few days, a few months or the entire year. Store water during periods of high river flow, and then slowly release the stored water during periods of low flows. They also act as buffers from storms and high waves of coastal and inland areas.
