Subsurface flow, in
hydrology, is the flow of water beneath earth's surface as part of the
water cycle.
In the water cycle, when
precipitation falls on the earth's land, some of the water flows on the surface forming
stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
s and
rivers. The remaining water, through
infiltration
Infiltration may refer to:
Science, medicine, and engineering
*Infiltration (hydrology), downward movement of water into soil
*Infiltration (HVAC), a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning term for air leakage into buildings
*Infiltration (me ...
, penetrates the soil traveling underground, hydrating the
vadose zone soil,
recharging aquifers, with the excess flowing in subsurface runoff. In
hydrogeology it is measured by the
Groundwater flow equation.
Runoff
Water flows from areas where the
water table is higher to areas where it is lower. This flow can be either
surface runoff
Surface runoff (also known as overland flow) is the flow of water occurring on the ground surface when excess rainwater, stormwater, meltwater, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil. This can occur when th ...
in rivers and streams, or subsurface runoff infiltrating rocks and soil. The amount of runoff reaching surface and groundwater can vary significantly, depending on rainfall, soil moisture,
permeability, groundwater storage, evaporation, upstream use, and whether or not the ground is frozen. The movement of subsurface water is determined largely by the water gradient, type of substrate, and any barriers to flow.
Surface return
Subsurface water may return to the surface in
groundwater flow, such as from a
spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season), a season of the year
* Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy
* Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water
* Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...
,
seep, or a
water well, or subsurface return to
stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
s,
rivers, and
oceans. Water returns to the land surface at a lower elevation than where infiltration occurred, under the force of gravity or gravity induced pressures. Groundwater tends to move slowly, and is replenished slowly, so it can remain in aquifers for thousands of years. Mainly, water flows through the ground which leads to the ocean where the cycle begins again.
Subsurface flow
Flow within the soil body may take place under unsaturated conditions, but faster subsurface flow is associated with localized soil saturation.
See also
*
Artesian aquifer
*
Ecohydrology
*
Groundwater
*
Groundwater energy balance The groundwater energy balance is the energy balance of a groundwater body in terms of incoming hydraulic energy associated with groundwater inflow into the body, energy associated with the outflow, energy conversion into heat due to friction of fl ...
*
Groundwater flow
*
Groundwater recharge
*
Vadose zone
*
Water cycle
References
enchartedlearning.comtutor.com
*Huggett, J. (2005) Fundamentals of Geomorphology, Routeledge, Oxon.
Aquifers
Hydrology
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