ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Surficial aquifer

Hey kiddo, have you ever seen a puddle of water on the ground? Well, think of that water as being a part of something called an aquifer. An aquifer is like a big sponge that holds water underground.

Now, there are different types of aquifers and the one we're talking about is called a surficial aquifer. This means it's located near the surface of the ground, like where we can see and touch it.

Have you ever dug in the sand at the beach and seen water start to seep in? That's because the sand is a part of the surficial aquifer. It's made up of different layers of sand, gravel or rock, and the spaces in between them hold the water.

This type of aquifer is really important because it provides water to things like plants and animals that live near the surface of the ground. People also use the water from surficial aquifers for things like drinking, bathing, and agriculture.

So, that's a surficial aquifer. It's like a sponge that holds water near the ground's surface and it's really important for living things that need water.