Glossary
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Glossary
abandoned well
-
a well that is no longer used or maintained for future use.
aquiclude
-
a water bearing layer or formation that cannot yield sufficient water for wells.
aquifer
-
a water bearing formation that yields water to wells in usable amounts.
artesian aquifer
-
a water bearing formation in which water is under sufficient pressure
that the water level rises above the top of the aquifer.
artesian well
-
a water well drilled into an artesian aquifer where enough pressure exists
for the water to flow to the surface without pumping. It is synonymous with a flowing
artesian well.
bedrock
-
solid rock that usually underlies layers of loose soil material; bedrock may also be
exposed to the land surface.
bored wells
-
a large diameter well that is constructed when low yielding groundwater
sources are found usually within 30 m (100 ft.) of the ground surface. The larger diameter
well casing is usually .3-.9 m (1-3 ft.) in diameter and can provide the additional water
storage required during times of high water demand.
borehole
-
a hole drilled, bored or dug into the ground in which a well casing is placed.
casing
-
a metal, plastic or fiberglass pipe installed in a well borehole to maintain the well
opening and contain the well pumping equipment.
cistern
-
a tank or reservoir used for storing water. Cisterns are sometimes used with
low producing water wells to provide the necessary water required during times of high
water demand.
coliform bacteria
-
bacteria that are used in testing water to indicate the possible presence
of more harmful disease-causing pathogenic bacteria.
confined aquifer
-
an aquifer that lies between two relatively impermeable rock layers.
contamination
-
the deterioration in natural water quality caused by the introduction of
foreign matter into water.