Aquifers Study Guide

aeration zone CORRECT ANSWER the zone immediately below the land surface where the pores contain both water and air, but are not totally saturated with water. Plant roots can capture the moisture passing through this zone, but it cannot provide water for wells. Aka the unsaturated zone. aquifer CORRECT ANSWER an underground geological formation able to store and yield water cone of depression CORRECT ANSWER the zone around a well in an unconfined aquifer confining layer CORRECT ANSWER geologic material with little or no permeability or hydraulic conductivity. water does not pass through this layer or the rate of movement is extremely slow. depletion CORRECT ANSWER the loss of water from surface water reservoirs or groundwater aquifers at a rate greater than that of recharge discharge CORRECT ANSWER an outflow of water from a stream, pipe, groundwater aquifer, or watershed; the opposite of recharge drawdown CORRECT ANSWER a lowering of the groundwater level caused by pumping