How Does the Ogallala Aquifer Work?

Kansas depends on the Ogallala Aquifer for a water source to water crops and provide water for other human needs.  “What exactly is an aquifer and how does it work? “ is a question that the students have been researching. 

6^th graders are studying types of groundwater in science.  They have learned that an underground layer of permeable rock or sediment that contains water is called an aquifer.   Usually the groundwater is located over impermeable rock that keeps the water from draining away.

Substances that make up the earth can be classified into permeable, water can flow through them, or impermeable, water cannot flow through them.    Gravel, sand, and soil are all permeable.  However, the speed in which water travels through them can differ according to the particle size of the substance.  6^th graders conducted an experiment and wrote lab reports of the results.  

They tested how many seconds it took for 30cc of water to drain through 30cc of the different materials.  Three trials were run on each substance and the mean was found.  Comparisons were recorded into an excel worksheet and converted into a bar graph.  Students found that the clay soils were significantly slower at draining the water than sand or gravel because the particle size of the soil is much smaller.