**Aquifers: The Structure**

**Chapter 2**

Provisional chapter

**Aquifer, Classification and Characterization**

Aquifers in geological terms are referred to as bodies of saturated rocks or geological formations through which volumes of water find their way (permeability) into wells and springs. Classification of these is a function of water table location within the subsurface, its structure and hydraulic conductivities into two namely; Confined Aquifers and Unconfined Aquifers and then characterized these aquifers. The characterization of aquifers could be done using certain geophysical techniques like Electrical Resistivity, Electromagnetic Induction, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Seismic Techniques. Aquifer Characterization is dependent on the petro-physical properties (porosity, permeability, seismic velocities etc.) of the subsurface. Results of this Aquifer Characterization could be observed and analyzed using varying geophysical software (WinRESIST,

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.72692

Keywords: aquifers, unconfined aquifer, confined aquifer, aquifer characterization, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, ground penetrating radar, seismic

To explore the term "Aquifer", it is paramount to understand a bit about the natural occurring resource groundwater depended on by vast majority of people and how it relates to Aquifers. Groundwater is defined as fresh water (from rain, melting of ice and snow) that soaks into the soil and is stored between pore-spaces, fractures and joints found in within rocks and other geological formations. Groundwater occurs in various geological formations, the ability of geological formations to store water is a function of its textural arrangement. The source of groundwater most times could be linked to surface run-off and infiltration of rainwater into the subsurface and streams from which it leads to the establishment of the water table and serve as a primary supplier of streams, springs lakes, bays and oceans. The textural arrangement (uniformly or tightly arranged texture, loosely arranged texture) found within

> © The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and eproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

Aquifer, Classification and Characterization

Salako Adebayo O and Adepelumi Abraham A

Salako Adebayo O and Adepelumi Abraham A

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

RADpro etc.) to better image the subsurface.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.72692

Abstract

techniques

1. Introduction
