This video, produced by the UK Groundwater Forum, helps explain the important role that groundwater plays in the environment. The video shows the contribution groundwater makes to the flow in Britain’s rivers and in doing so provides some basic information on groundwater, subsurface dynamics and the hydrological cycle as a whole.

View the storyboard.

The video is 16 minutes long, and uses graphics and 3-D animation to aid explanations. It will be of value to all those interested in groundwater and hydrology. It also provides a useful tool for teaching the issues relating to the water cycle, sustainable development and the environment for schoolchildren at Key Stages 3 and above.

Download the video

Specific issues addressed by the video are:

• the role rivers play in society
  
• some simple statistics on rainfall and river flow
  
• the hydrological cycle
  
• how groundwater flows within aquifers
  
• definition of key groundwater terms
  
• location of major aquifers at outcrop and role of groundwater in public water supplies
  
• flow of groundwater to rivers and range of residence times within the aquifer
  
• effect of natural fluctuations in the water-table on river flow
  
• effect of pumping groundwater on river flow
  
• problems associated with low-flowing rivers
  
• other impacts on rivers from man’s activities

The DVD

"How Rivers Work: the Role of Groundwater" is now also available as a DVD.

Please e-mail the Groundwater Forum Secretariat if you would like to order a copy of the video or DVD. Please note that the video is in PAL format.

A charge of £5 per copy plus VAT will be made for UK orders, and £12 per copy plus VAT for overseas orders.

The following credit cards are accepted: Visa, Mastercard, Switch/Maestro. Charge cards cannot be accepted.