About Well Drilling.

The Hydrologic Cycle | How A Well Works | FAQ's

The major components of the hydrologic cycle are:

• Evapotranspiration

• Condensation

• Precipitation

• Infiltration

• Percolation

• Runoff

Looking at an aquifer as an example, percolation of water into the ground is an inflow to the aquifer. Discharge of ground water from the aquifer to a stream is an outflow (also an inflow for the stream). Over time, if inflows to the aquifer are greater than its outflows, the amount of water stored in the aquifer will increase. Conversely, if the inflows to the aquifer are less than the outflows, the amount of water stored decreases.

The hydrologic cycle consists of inflows, outflows, and storage. Inflows add water to the different parts of the hydrologic system, while outflows remove water. Storage is the retention of water by parts of the system. Because water movement is cyclical, an inflow for one part of the system is an outflow for another.

Ground water is water stored in the aquifer and accounts for .6% of the earth’s water. Precipitation and stream flow recharge the groundwater in western Montana. Water well drilling draws the groundwater from the aquifer for household, agricultural, or industrial use. The majority of Lake County and Flathead Valley water well drilling is done for household use.