1. Down to Earth

2. The Restless Planet

3. Earth's Interior

4. The Sea Floor

5. The Birth of a Theory

6. Plate Dynamics

7. Mountain Building

8. Earth's Structures

9. Earthquakes

10. Geologic Time

11. Evolution Through Time

12. Minerals: The Materials of Earth

13. Volcanism

14. Intrusive Igneous Rocks

15. Weathering and Soils

16. Mass Wasting

17. Sedimentary Rocks: The Key to Past Environments

18. Metamorphic Rocks

19. Running Water I: Rivers, Erosion and Deposition

20. Running Water II: Landscape Evolution

21. Groundwater

22. Wind, Dust and Deserts

23. Glaciers

24. Waves, Beaches and Coasts

25. Living With Earth, Part I

26. Living With Earth, Part II

Episode 21. Groundwater

Why is groundwater such an important natural resource?

What is the source of most groundwater?

Describe porosity and permeability.

What is an aquifer?

What is an aquiclude?

What happens when groundwater reacts with limestone?

What is the water table?

What is effluence, and how does it help maintain year-round flow in many rivers?

Describe an open aquifer.

Describe a closed aquifer, and the formation of an artesian well.

What can happen when too much groundwater is removed from an aquifer?

What factors can lead to groundwater contamination?

How quickly does groundwater recharge in a natural setting?

How is groundwater recharged?

What problems need to be addressed in terms of groundwater management?

What is the role of the hydrogeologist?

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