When the soil is completely saturated, additional water moves slowly down through the unsaturated zone to the saturated zone, replenishing or recharging the groundwater. Water then moves through the saturated zone to groundwater discharge areas. Evaporation occurs when water from such surfaces as oceans, rivers, and ice is converted to vapor. Evaporation, together with transpiration from plants, rises above the Earth s surface, condenses, and forms clouds. Water from both runoff and from groundwater discharge moves toward streams and rivers and may eventually reach the ocean.
Oceans are the largest surface water bodies that contribute to evaporation.
Groundwater can become contaminated in many ways. If surface water that recharges an aquifer is polluted, the groundwater will also become contaminated. Contaminated groundwater can then affect the quality of surface water at discharge areas. Groundwater can also become contaminated when liquid hazardous substances soak down through the soil into groundwater. Contaminants that can dissolve in groundwater will move along with the water, potentially to wells used for drinking water.