Porosity: The amount of open space within a rock or sediment. Porous materials, like sandstone or gravel, have high porosity and can hold more water.
Permeability: The ability of a material to transmit fluids. Materials with high permeability allow water to flow through them easily, while those with low permeability hinder the flow of water.
Water Table: The upper surface of the zone of saturation, where the water fills all the spaces in the rock and sediment.
Implement scientific principles to design processes for monitoring and minimizing human impact on the environment (e.g., water usage, including withdrawal of water from streams and aquifers or construction of dams and levees; land usage, including urban development, agriculture, or removal of wetlands; pollution of air, water, and land).