Awesome Aquifers B

[FueL]

Well, I haven't ever heard of an aquifer existing above the water table. And it's not just the presence of water that constitutes an aquifer - there has to be enough water for a well or spring.

[mnstrviola]

so everything under the water table is an aquifer if there's enough to use for a well.

[Skink]

Good call, dude, you're right. I checked with USGS. And, yes, you have to be able to get water, hence why one of the working definitions says aquifers store AND yield water. The only reason the unsaturated zone is not qualified is because the aquifer is defined as being saturated, good to know.

EDIT: I like the sig

[FueL]

so everything under the water table is an aquifer if there's enough to use for a well.

Correct. So a confining bed wouldn't be an aquifer even if it was saturated, because it's impossible to squeeze much water out of it.

Good call, dude, you're right.

*is actually a dudette*

I was just taking a quiz on USGS and that was the last true/false question. I couldn't resist.

[TYG]

Okay, thanks FueL and Skink.

Also, with station 4 and demonstrating concepts, must you demonstrate every concept with your aquifer model, or are you allowed to explain it just verbally, rather than visually and verbally?

[mnstrviola]

Okay, thanks FueL and Skink.

Also, with station 4 and demonstrating concepts, must you demonstrate every concept with your aquifer model, or are you allowed to explain it just verbally, rather than visually and verbally?

You are not required to, but it would probably be better for your score.

[TYG]

So the proctors could take points off because you explained it rather than demonstrated, despite the clarity and accuracy of the explanation?

[Skink]

Good call, dude, you're right.

*is actually a dudette*

Whoops, sorry. It's really easy to assume...

So the proctors could take points off because you explained it rather than demonstrated, despite the clarity and accuracy of the explanation?

Uh, yeah. Have you ever seen a judge sheet (there's samples on groundwater.org as well as any invitationals you've been to)? Think of this event as show and tell. You tell about a concept verbally and show it in your model with separate points in each category. You get zilch demo points for textbook-worthy explanations because showing and telling are separate things. However, the best teams interweave the two (and ultimately save time by doing so). Defining something as you show it is more sophisticated than giving the definition for depletion and then showing it in your model. If that works for you, go for it, just don't forget to show it clearly. If the judge can't see your water table, too bad. And don't make the mistake of showing something without defining it. That's bad form, too.

[TYG]

Okay, thank you

Also (sorry 'bout all the separate questions) would you be allowed to have things such as droppers , beakers, etc. outside the model to hold water? I asked a similar question before,

Also, are you allowed to take items out of the container when explaining and place them on the table Uhh, this I'm not sure about...I wanna say it's at the discretion of the supervisor. I caution my team to doing that because you may get that one mean supervisor who won't give you the points for it because you demonstrated something OUTSIDE of your aquifer. That make sense? If you can, it won't hurt to keep it all contained. or something? And can the items protrude out of the box, or must it stay within the 3 liters There was a clarification about this. Yes, you may. And if you're using pump heads, then you definitely have a protrusion. I think most teams do.?

so does this also depend on the supervisor?
If so, I suppose we should ask the proctor before station 3?

[skillfullparrot7]

Is perched water considered an aquifer?