Awesome Aquifers

Awesome Aquifers is a Division B event for 2012, sponsored by the Groundwater Foundation.

History
In 2005, Awesome Aquifer consisted of a setup time, a demonstration time, and a written test. Students could build their aquifer ahead of time and set it up during the setup time or build one on site during the setup time. The students then would demonstrate their project in front of judges. Scoring was based upon a predetermined rubric; a written test was used as a tiebreaker. In 2006, Awesome Aquifer was revised significantly. You are now required to build your model on site in 10 minutes. The presentation of your model counts toward the final 50% of your total score, the two tests make up the other 50%. Awesome Aquifers returned in 2007 but was taken out in the 2008 season. It returned once again in 2011. 2011 was like 2006, a 10 minute build time and a 10 minute presentation that counts toward 50% of your total score, the two tests make up the other 50%. The 2012 rules have not changed alot, as competitors can bring 3.1L containers, and still have 10 minute set-up time.

Stations
The event this is made up of four 10-minute stations. Most event supervisors will have you rotate from one station to the next (i.e. 1-2-3-4 or 3-4-1-2 or 2-3-4-1, etc). The four stations are:


 * 1) Vocabulary test (questions involve terminology relating to hydrogeology)
 * 2) Resource test (utilize the provided charts, graphs, and maps to answer questions)
 * 3) Building station (here you will be provided with a list of about 4-10 objectives {see list below} to design your model around - this list is what the judges will be scoring your model on. Use your time at this station to build your model aquifer and write some brief notes to help your through your presentation at station 4)
 * 4) Present your aquifer to the judges (judges will base their scores on your ability to verbally define/explain each objective on the list as well as how well you manipulate your model to visually show the objective. In addition, judges might ask a surprise question or two which will make you think on your feet)

The Basics
Awesome Aquifer is an earth science event based off ground water; because of this, it is a larger event. It takes a lot of time to learn the material and then to put it into a presentation. If you have read the beginning of the wiki you will know that there are two major parts: a test and a presentation. We are going to start with what they will most likely test you on.

Hydrologic Cycle
The Hydrologic Cycle (Water Cycle) is important for many things (besides just rain). The Water Cycle "begins" with evaporation to the atmosphere where it will condense into clouds and then precipitate down onto the earth. It is at this point where it begins to affect us.

At the point when it hit the ground, the precipitation can do two major things. It can A. runoff the soil towards a nearby stream. or B. peculate into the ground and eventually make its way into a aquifer. Are you wondering what these bold terms mean? Runoff is water flowing over the ground towards a lake, stream or river; Peculation is water moving through cracks in rocks towards groundwater; Aquifers are underground formations that can store and release water.

Aquifers
As stated in the previous section, aquifers are underground geological structures that can store and release water. There are two main types of aquifers with pretty simple names. Confined Aquifers are aquifers that are confined between two impermeable layers (layers that do not allow water to pass through) and Unconfined Aquifers which allow water to seep/flow freely through them.



Example Objectives
This is a list of some possible objectives you might be asked to demonstrate and some suggestions on how to manipulate the model to show each one:
 * Recharge from precipitation - easiest of all things to represent, all you need is a water bottle, atomizer, spray bottle, etc. to show this.
 * Recharge from surface water bodies - we used small plastic containers (Tupperware) and drilled tiny holes at the bottom so that when we filled it with water it would be drained in about 40 seconds, just place it in top layer of rock and your ready.
 * Groundwater discharge - to surface water and wetlands - all you need for this is your original water body from 2, put small holes in sides and (after its been placed in the top layer) it will fill with water as you pour the water bottle (or other from 1) over the rocks near this, do the same thing to wetland with the wetland being represented by a sponge
 * Connection between surface water and groundwater - I always found this easier to show w/ 2 bodies of water but you can do it in a variety of ways. What I did is took the the water body from 2 and filled it with water, but on the other side had a deeper body of water with small holes in its side. As the water discharged from the first body of water it went through the aquifer to the second body of water
 * Saturated zone - some people use sponge but you don't need to, just fill the aquifer w/ enough water so that this layer (which should be one above the impermeable layer (clay) if you use it) is filled with water. I use rocks or clear beads for this layer.
 * Unsaturated zone - you can use clear beads, rock, etc. for this layer. It's right above the saturated zone and not covered in water. Make sure that water doesn't make this layer start to float.
 * Water Table - between two zones above, just use cloth or a net-like material (net-like material is good to put between all layers so they don't mix)
 * Porosity - use a large rocks and small rocks. Show the difference in the space for water and air in each. (I'm not good with this step so you can be more creative that I)
 * Permeability - use rocks and a sponge. Show that water moves faster through rocks than a sponge, cloth, or different material (you can even use a different kind of rock).
 * Wells - use materials like aquarium airline hose, drinking straws, or other narrow tubes. Add a soap pump, oral syringe or pipette to move water.
 * Well sitting - show how a well in one place works compared to a well in another place
 * Well closure - no explanation needed
 * Relationship between pumping and movement - use one of wells to show how water moves w/ the well pumping and w/o well pumping
 * Impact to SW from well - place well by SW and when doing 3 do it once w/ well pumping and once w/o. Note the difference between how much groundwater is discharged into surface water.
 * One way to contaminate groundwater - use food coloring or powered drink mix, though I wouldn't suggest red kool-aid because it is really hard to remediate.
 * Movement of contaminate in groundwater - This is where white or clear beads can come in handy so you can see contaminates movement
 * Remediation - there are tons of filters you can use, be creative and pick one that works for you. You can also use alum as another remediation technique, but you will have to run the contaminated water through a filter after you put alum into it because alum won't take the colored water away, it is just a remediation technique they use in water treatment plants.
 * Sustainable yield - quite easy, either have one partner put water in as precipitation while one takes water out through wells, or have one partner put water in as it discharges to surface water when entering aquifer

Scoring
Vocabulary test = 25%, Resource test = 25%, Presentation of model = 50%.

Score Sheet

Bring to the Competition
Competitors are allowed to bring pencils and model building materials to the event. Outside books, notes, references, etc. are not allowed. The event supervisor will provide the tests, score sheets, and objectives lists.

Presentation Skills
Remember these tips for presenting:
 * Talk slowly and clearly, and enunciate. You need to make sure the judge can hear and understand what you are saying. To practice enunciating, you can put gum or an M&M in the side of your mouth before you begin presenting.
 * Make eye contact.
 * Work together with your partner. You and your partner can each take turns speaking, making it easier for both if you if one of you knows the topic better.
 * Write a script. Creating a script will help you and your partner learn the concepts and give your presentation flow. Once you become comfortable speaking, following the script won't be necessary anymore.
 * Relate your concept demonstrations to the local area. For example, during the 2011 Nationals Tournament you could talk about the Wisconsin water system and discuss the differences between your state's and Wisconsin's. Be brief!
 * Don't fill the silence by saying um or uh. You'll look like you don't know your material well. To practice speaking smoothly, have someone count the number of times you go 'uhhh' or pause, or have them stop you after you do it.
 * Practice in front of as many people as possible. Not only will you get different opinions and advice, you'll also overcome your initial nervousness or shyness about presenting.
 * Don't argue with your partner during the event. It's annoying and makes both of you look bad.
 * Use all your time. Cover a topic again if you have extra time.
 * At the end of your presentation, ask the judges if they have any questions. Sometimes your judge will ask you to clarify a point you made, or ask you to speak about something you forgot. They want you to get the highest score you can.
 * Thank the judge when you're finished. It's polite - they're volunteering their time on your behalf.
 * Clean up any mess you made- Don't make the judges wipe off left over water or anything, as it will leave a bad impression.
 * Be prepared for any situation. You don't know what's going to be on the list of concepts. The presentation could feel like a normal conversation or like a speech on a stage. The judges may ask you to elaborate on something you said. Go in ready for anything, and remember that whatever happens, happens. You can only do your best.

FAQ
Q: Omg, I was just assigned to this event and I have no idea what to do!

A: You'll want to master the basics of hydrology with an emphasis on groundwater before you think about the building part of the event. Talk to the people doing Dynamic Planet on your team, as well as Earth Science teachers if your school offers that course. Check out books related to groundwater at the library, and learn about the water cycle. In order for aquifers to make any sense, be sure to grasp the concepts of permeability, infiltration, porosity, the water table, and the properties of different rocks (clay, sand, gravel, and impermeable igneous are the big ones). This info will form the background you need to begin learning about aquifers and how to build them.

Q: What's the difference between percolation and infiltration?

A: Infiltration is when water initially penetrates into the ground. Percolation is the movement of water underground, after infiltration has taken place. Some texts may use infiltration in both cases, but percolation is really the correct term when you're talking about groundwater flow.

Q: So you're saying there are great lakes of water everywhere right beneath our feet?

A: Not exactly. You might find underground lakes in caves, but for the most part the ground beneath us is rock. Groundwater exists because there are tiny, interconnected spaces between and within rocks called pores, that under the right conditions can fill up with water.

Q: How can I show all these different concepts in a single aquifer? Should I divide my container into sections?

A: This is a personal opinion, but that isn't necessary. It's actually completely possible to demonstrate every single concept on the list in one presentation using an undivided aquifer if you go in the correct order.

Q: What is the difference between porosity and permeability?

A: Porosity is the rate of pore space to the actual rock. The pores could be interconnected, or they could not. Permeability is how easily a liquid can flow through the rock. Just because a rock is has a high porosity doesn't mean it is not very permeable.

Q: I keep on getting bits of sand or gravel stuck in my "well" when I withdraw water. How do I prevent this from happening?

A: Wrap a few layers of cheesecloth around the base of the tube you're using and secure it with rubber bands.

Q: What type of rock do you recommend using in my aquifer model?

A: Gravel is much less messier than sand, and less prone to clogging up your well. It's also easy to see the groundwater moving in between the rocks, while sand can remain wet even after your groundwater is sucked away. Clay is a good option for your impermeable layer, but be sure to have it rolled out before competition time.

Q: Where can I buy activated charcoal?

A: A good amount comes with the Awesome Aquifer kit, which you can purchase here. I haven't had personal experience buying from anywhere else, sorry.

Q: Why doesn't a cone of depression form when I withdraw water from my well?

A: Your well probably isn't powerful enough. Try looking for a bigger one.

Q: I have a question that isn't covered here.

A: Ask it in the Awesome Aquifers thread, located here.

Links
GroundWater.org General Information

Aquifer Building

Vocabulary Help

Vocab Flash Cards