GEOG 431
Geography of Water Resources

Overview

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Images are worth a thousand words...

Upwelling groundwater in Florida Springs. With background sounds of bubbling water. (No Audio)
Given that the three primary sources of freshwater are precipitation, surface flows (from Lesson 2), and groundwater; in Lesson 3, we focus on comprehending how groundwater – as a major component of the global freshwater pool – is formed and used to support human activities.

Learning Outcomes

After reading through Lesson 3, reading Chapter 5 from the text, plus reading the Winter et al. 1998 report, you should be able to:

  • distinguish between the roles of surface flows and groundwater in the hydrologic cycle;
  • define and explain the following terms: recharge, discharge, aquifer, water table, hydraulic head (and related terms and concepts);
  • explain Darcy's Law (text, p.161-162). (Note: you will not need to compute flows.)

Lesson Roadmap

This lesson is one week in length. Please refer to the Course Calendar in Canvas for specific time frames and due dates. To finish this lesson, you must complete the activities listed below.

Lesson 3: Activities
Requirements Assignment Details Access/Directions
To Watch

Watch/Read through the Lecture 3.1 – Groundwater PowerPoint file.

Registered students can access the Microsoft PowerPoint files under Lesson 3 in Canvas.
To Read
  • Chapter 5 – Groundwater (p.152-173, skim Ground water Chemistry section 173-187)
  • Winter, TC, JW Harvey, OL Franke, and WM Alley. 1998. Ground water and surface water – a single resource. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1139. 87pp.
  • The readings come directly from the course textbook (Holden 2020).
  • Registered students can access a copy of the Winter, Harvey, Franke, and Alley reading under Lesson 3 in Canvas.
To Do

Assignment 3.1 will be to create a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation containing a diagram of a generalized hydrologic cycle for your location or region.

Submit your PowerPoint in the Assignment 3.1 Hydrologic Cycle PowerPoint drop box under Lesson 3 in Canvas.
To Do

Take Quiz 1 which will cover material from lessons 1, 2, and 3.

Registered students can access Quiz 1 under Lesson 3 in Canvas.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please post them to our Questions? discussion forum under Orientation and Resources in Canvas. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help out a classmate.