Groundwater is water that fills openings and gaps in the ground and rock, called aquifers. It moves through the soil until it reaches the water table. Groundwater recharge areas and discharge points are where water enters and leaves aquifers. Springs are a visible discharge point, but water can also seep into rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and the ocean. Artificial wells create discharge points, and groundwater is especially important in arid areas. Groundwater flow is an important part of the water cycle and can flow far in permeable rocks or be stored in aquifers for years.
Groundwater discharge is the movement of water from an area of saturated ground. Rainwater seeps into the ground and moves down through the soil until it reaches a saturated area, called the aquifer. Here, openings and gaps in the ground and rock are filled with water, called groundwater. The top of this saturated zone is called the water table.
Water moves into the aquifers in places called groundwater recharge areas and leaves the aquifers as groundwater discharge in places called discharge points. While groundwater discharge usually refers to water leaving aquifers into the soil, the term is also sometimes used to refer to water moving through an aquifer. In both cases, the unit of groundwater flow rate that is typically used is cubic meters per second (m3/s).
A spring is an easily visible groundwater discharge point, but there are many other places that serve as discharge points. Discharge occurs when water seeps from groundwater into rivers, streams and lakes. Water can also seep through the ground into wetlands and swamps. In areas where the water table is close to the ground surface, groundwater can mostly be discharged through the actions of growing plants as they draw water from the groundwater and release it into the air in the form of moisture. Near the ocean, groundwater discharge can occur directly into the sea, and in this case, it is referred to as underwater groundwater discharge.
Artificial wells can create artificial discharge points for groundwater. When water is pumped from a well, the water table level in the ground immediately surrounding the well drops. This creates an area called a cone of depression. The groundwater then tends to flow towards the well, providing additional water that can be pumped. Thus, groundwater resources are especially important in arid areas that have low rainfall and a heavy dependence on wells as a source of water.
Groundwater flow is an important part of the water cycle. While there may exist underground springs, the vast majority of groundwater occupies void spaces and pores in the ground and flows through the soil somewhat like water might flow through a sponge. In permeable rocks, under the right circumstances, groundwater can flow quite far in short intervals of time. In other areas, groundwater may be stored in long-term aquifers for years before exiting again as groundwater discharge.
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