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- 2074 Bhadra · 2 marks
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Aquifer versus confining bed
Short answer
An aquifer stores and transmits water with high permeability and yields water to wells, e.g., gravel, sand. A confining bed has very low permeability, restricts flow, yields little water, and acts as a barrier, e.g., clay, shalle. Aquifers are reservoirs; confining beds create confined conditions and seal reservoirs.
Differentiate between aquifer and confining bed.
| Point | Aquifer | Confining bed |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Saturated formation that stores and transmits water | Low-permeability layer that restricts water movement |
| Permeability | High | Very low |
| Yield | Gives useful water to wells | Gives little or none |
| Examples | Gravel, sand, fractured rock, cavernous limestone | Clay, shale, unfractured igneous rock |
| Function | Reservoir and conduit | Barrier, makes confined conditions |
| Types | Unconfined, confined, leaky | Aquiclude, aquitard, aquifuge |
| Engineering use | Water supply source; seepage path | Natural seal of reservoir and dam foundation |
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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