Erosion is the process by which Earth materials are physically incorporated by moving water, ice, or wind for transportation. Deposition is the process by which Earth materials carried by wind, water, or ice settle out and are left in a location when energy levels decrease. The size of the material deposited is proportional to the available energy of the medium of transport.
Geological processes, such as erosion, and human activities, such as waste disposal, can pollute water
development of karst topography;
relationships between groundwater zones, including saturated and unsaturated zones, and the water table;
identification of sources of fresh water including rivers, springs, and aquifers, with reference to the hydrologic cycle;
dependence on freshwater resources and the effects of human usage on water quality; and
identification of the major watershed systems in Virginia, including the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.
interpret a simple groundwater diagram showing the zone of aeration, the zone of saturation, the water table, and an aquifer.
interpret a simple hydrologic cycle diagram, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.
locate the major Virginia watershed systems on a map (Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico, and North Carolina sounds).
analyze the formation of karst in terms of rock type, solubility and permeability, uplift, the water table, and chemical and physical weathering.
analyze the presence of groundwater in various types of rock terrains, including areas found in each of the physiographic provinces of Virginia.
analyze the relationship between salt-water intrusion in the ground water in certain areas of eastern Virginia and buried crater structures.
Karst topography is developed in areas underlain by carbonate rocks, including limestone and dolomite. Karst topography includes features like caves and sinkholes and forms when limestone is slowly dissolved away by slightly acidic groundwater. Where limestone is abundant in the Valley and Ridge province of Virginia, karst topography is common.
Permeability is a measure of the ability of a rock or sediment to transmit water or other liquids. Water does not pass through impermeable materials. A substantial amount of water is stored in permeable soil and rock underground.