Which layer holds water and can range in size from small ponds to large regions?

Which layer holds water and can range in size from small ponds to large regions?

• A. Aquifer
• B. Well
• C. Saturated zone
• D. Water table

Answer: (A)

Groundwater is stored in permeable rock or sediment layers called aquifers. These formations hold water in the spaces between grains and fractures and can extend from small pockets to large regional areas. A well is simply a borehole used to pull water from such a layer, not the layer itself. The saturated zone is the portion of the subsurface filled with water, which exists within the aquifer, and the water table is the upper surface of that saturated zone. So the layer that holds water and can range in size from small to large is the aquifer.

Groundwater is stored in permeable rock or sediment layers called aquifers. These formations hold water in the spaces between grains and fractures and can extend from small pockets to large regional areas. A well is simply a borehole used to pull water from such a layer, not the layer itself. The saturated zone is the portion of the subsurface filled with water, which exists within the aquifer, and the water table is the upper surface of that saturated zone. So the layer that holds water and can range in size from small to large is the aquifer.