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Aquifer identification and geology

A body of permeable rock, sediment, or soil that stores and transmits groundwater in sufficient quantities to supply wells or springs. Aquifers are classified as confined bounded above and below by impermeable layers called aquitards or unconfined with a water table as the upper boundary . The capacity of an aquifer is determined by its porosity storage capacity and permeability ability to transmit water . Field: hydrogeology. Example: The Ogallala Aquifer beneath the Great Plains of the United States is one of the world's largest aquifers, supplying approximately 30% of all irrigation groundwater in the country.. Related terms: Aquitard, Water table, Porosity, Permeability.

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Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:41.970235+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Aquifer mean in geology?
A body of permeable rock, sediment, or soil that stores and transmits groundwater in sufficient quantities to supply wells or springs. Aquifers are classified as confined bounded above and below by impermeable layers called aquitards or unconfined with a water table as the upper boundary . The capacity of an aquifer is determined by its porosity storage capacity and permeability ability to transmit water .
What is an example of Aquifer?
The Ogallala Aquifer beneath the Great Plains of the United States is one of the world's largest aquifers, supplying approximately 30% of all irrigation groundwater in the country.
Which earth-science field uses the term Aquifer?
Aquifer is used in hydrogeology.
Which terms are related to Aquifer?
Related terms in this reference are Aquitard, Water table, Porosity, Permeability.

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