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<br />A <br /> <br /> <br />Introduction <br /> <br />Because of its importance qround water ~ treated ~ three <br />sections: quantity. quality, and its relationships to <br />construction. <br /> <br />Whi Ie water occurs In varying amounts In all earth materials, <br />ground water is the subsurface water that saturates certain <br />underground formations. It occurs In definable formations <br />called aquifers. Some aquifers (unconfined), are closely <br />associated with the surface of the ground through <br />Inti Itratlon or at streams, springs, or ponds while other <br />aquifers (confined>, are virtually Isolated from the surface <br /> <br /> <br />Tha pathways of groundwater movement through fractures in <br />crystal I Ina rocks in Clear Creek County are viI/idly shown by <br />the formation of ice from seeping ground water at joints in <br />the rock. <br /> <br />20 <br /> <br /> <br />Ground Water <br /> <br />by overlying Impermeable badrock. A single aquifer may <br />underl ie many square miles of land and when tapped by wells <br />can be a principal source of water for domestic, industrial <br />or agricultural use. <br /> <br />Some ground water supplies are renewed rapidly by natural <br />processes. These unconfined aquifers are "recharged" with <br />water seeping Into them from precipitation, streams, lakes, <br />dralnageways, swamps and other sources on the surface of the <br />ground. Confined deep aquifers generally have no way to <br />qu I ck I y rep I ace water pumped from them. I n most cases, <br />ground water flows through the rocks and 50115 of aquifers at <br />rates ranging from a few inches to hundreds of feet per year. <br />The underground water can move slowly through the aquifers <br />for many mi les. Some aquifers are mapped in detail and their <br />character I st I cs have been determ I ned as the resu I t of <br />extensive use and testing. In general, however, many <br />aquifers are poorly understood, making management and <br />conservation of this valuable resource difficult. <br /> <br />The ground water aqui fers closest to the surface are of <br />primary concern to land development and construction projects <br />because they most frequently affect the aval labi I ity of <br />supply, water quality and affect other geologic phenomena <br />such as landsl ides, subsidence and collapsing sol Is. They <br />also are most vulnerable to man-caused pollution. <br />Indirectly. ground water affects the value of property and <br />the improvements on it. <br /> <br />Quantity <br /> <br />Characteristics <br /> <br />Oifferent kinds of rocks and soils store and yield water in <br />varying amounts. Shales and other rock formations composed <br />of fine part I c I es y I e I d very II tt I e water because water <br />cannot move easi Iy through them. Sand and gravel formations, <br />