- Aquifer
- A geological formation which stores water and through which water can flow and be used.
- artesian
- A confined aquifer from which, if drilled, water will flow upward aboveground as a result of its own pressure.
- confined
- An aquifer between impermeable boundaries in which the formation is completely saturated and the water pressure is above the atmospheric pressure.
- unconfined
- Aquifers which do not have impermeable upper boundaries and in which the water surface is unconfined, and therefore, the water it contains is at atmospheric pressure.
- semi-confined
- Aquifers confined by one or more low-permeability layers through which water can flow, although slowly.
- Aquitard
- A geological formation which stores water (sometimes in large quantities) but through which water has difficulty flowing.
- Decontamination
- The process by which the level of contaminants in water or soil is reduced so that it may be used without risk for the purposes envisaged.
- Desalination
- The elimination of salts from salt or saline water in order to make it adequate for human consumption and other uses.
- Evaporation
- Physical process by means of which water passes from a liquid to a gaseous state.
- Evapotranspiration
- Process by means of which liquid water from nature becomes vapor as a result of evaporation or through the metabolism of plants.
- Groundwater resources
- The amount of groundwater available in a region, aquifer, etc., in a certain period of time.
- Groundwater reserves
- The amount of water stored in a region, aquifer, etc. at a certain moment and which could be mobilized for its use.
- Hydrogeology
- The study of the storage, flow, uses and impacts of groundwater.
- Infiltration
- The volume of water from precipitation, rivers, brooks, etc. that penetrates the land through its pores and holes.
- Isotropic, anisotropic material
- Isotropic material is material whose properties, particularly permeability, are the same in any direction considered. If the properties depend on the direction considered, it is anisotropic.
- Karst
- A Karst aquifer is formed by calcareous materials in which, in many cases, a network of holes develops as a result of fracturing and dissolution through which the groundwater flows, sometimes very quickly.
- Model
- A theoretical model, generally mathematical (digital model), of a complex system which is prepared in order to facilitate its understanding and the study of its behavior.
- Non-saturated zone
- The strip of land between the land and phreatic surfaces.
- Permeability
- A flow which passes through a section of an aquifer, under a gradient unit, at a certain temperature. Its dimensions are those of speed.
- Piezometer
- Boreholes or wells used to measure the level of water.
- Piezometric and groundwater level
- The water level of a well or piezometer.
- dynamic
- The water level of a well which is pumping.
- static
- The water level of a well which is idle.
- Porosity
- The relation between the volume of the holes occupied by air or water and the total volume.
- Effective porosity
- The fraction of the porosity in which the holes are connected. Volume of water which is released from porosity by the pull of gravity.
- Pollution
- Human alteration of the quality of soil, water, etc. which makes them unusable for certain uses for which, in natural conditions, they could be used.
- diffuse
- Pollution, generally of agricultural origin (fertilizers, plant protection products, etc.), which extends in the soil and subsoil, covering significant areas in low concentrations and is relatively homogenous.
- Saturated zone
- The portion of the land, the holes of which are filled with water.
- Storage coefficient
- The amount of water that a cross section of an aquifer releases from storage, per unit, when the hydraulic head declines by a unit. In unconfined aquifers it is equal to the effective porosity and in confined aquifers to the the water obtained as a result of the elastic effects of the aquifer and the decompression of the water. It is dimensionless.
- Surface runoff
- The fraction of precipitation which flows on the surface of the land in streams, brooks, and rivers.
- Transmisivity
- A flow which passes through a vertical strip of an aquifer of an equal width, unit and height of the saturated aquifer under a gradient unit at a certain temperature.
- Water
- Fresh water
- Water with a low content of dissolved salts which is chemically appropriate for human consumption and other uses.
- Hard water
- Water with an abundance of calcium and magnesium carbonates and bicarbonates which does not lather with soap.
- Heavy water
- Water which contains a large quantity of salts, mainly gypsum.
- Salt water, saline water
- Water with a greater quantity of salts than brackish water (up to 40,000 ppm).
- Brackish water
- Water with a greater quantity of salts (up to 5,000 ppm) than fresh water, which, very infrequently, is used directly by certain plants.
- Brine
- Water with a salt content that is greater than that of salt water and which frequently is associated with saline deposits and may be fossils.
- Water balance
- Applying the conservation principle of matter to a region. The difference between the inflow and outflow of water during a certain period should be equal to the change in reserves. Inflow=outflow ± change in the reserves.
- Water cycle
- Precipitation, surface water, groundwater and all of the water flowing on earth is interrelated and form part of a complex system known as the water cycle.
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