Aquifers
Underground layers that store water.
Which layers hold water?
Under the ground there are many layers of sand, gravel and rock. Some hold water. Some do not.
What do you think a layer needs to hold water?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Aquifers are the underground layers of sediments and rocks that store water in their pore spaces.
Which layers hold water?
Under the ground there are many layers of sand, gravel and rock. Some hold water. Some do not.
What do you think a layer needs to hold water?
- Pore spaces or openings to store it in
- To be very dark in colour
- To be very hot
Tap each layer
Tap each layer. Does it store water?
Layers that store water
The layer of sand and gravel has pore spaces full of water. The rock with openings holds water too. The hard rock with no openings has no place to store water. The ones that store water are aquifers.
Aquifers are the underground layers of sediments and rocks that store water in their pore spaces.
- Layer | Stores water? | Aquifer?
- Sand and gravel | Yes, in pore spaces | Yes
- Hard rock, no openings | No | No
- Rock with openings | Yes, in the openings | Yes
Notes
Aquifers are the underground layers of sediments and rocks that store water in their pore spaces.
Check yourself
What is an aquifer?
Which layer would be an aquifer?
We get water from an aquifer by …
How deep can the water in an aquifer be?
- A pipe that brings water to a tap. An aquifer is a natural layer under the ground, not a pipe.
- A cloud full of rain. An aquifer is under the ground. Clouds are in the sky.
- An underground layer of sediments or rocks that stores water in its pore spaces — correct. Yes!
- A layer of gravel with water in its pore spaces — correct. Yes!
- A hard rock with no openings. It has no pore spaces to store water, so it is not an aquifer.
- A layer of air above the ground. Aquifers are underground layers of sediments and rocks.
- lighting a fire. Fire does not bring water up. We dig wells or drill bore wells to reach it.
- digging wells or drilling bore wells — correct. Yes!
- shaking the ground. Shaking the ground does not bring water up. We dig or drill to reach the aquifer.
- Always exactly 10 metres. It depends on the location. It may be a few metres or hundreds of metres.
- It is always on the surface. Aquifer water is beneath the surface, at different depths.
- A few metres to hundreds of metres, depending on the place — correct. Yes!