Help
i-aquifer — isiZulu
Elinye igama le-aquifer “yisithwali-manzi”. Lokhu wunqenqema lwamadwala aqukethe amanzi. Lawa ngamadwala anezikhala phakathi kwezinhlayiyana zawo futhi kuyenzeka kube namanzi phakathi kwalezo zikhala. Amadwala anjalo abizwa ngamadwala avumela uketshezi ukuba lungene futhi ludlule kalula kuwona (permeable). Amadwala avumela uketshezi ukuthi ludlule kalula aqukethe izikhala (ezibizwa ngama-interstices, interstitial spaces noma izimbotshana) eziphakathi kwezinhlayiyana eziqinile zedwala futhi kuyenzeka amanzi angene kulezi zikhala, okwenza leli dwala libe yisithwali-manzi noma i-aquifer. Uma kugujwa ipitsi elingena lijule edwaleni ngaphansi komhlaba amanzi asezikhaleni eziphakathi kwamadwala (interstitial water) (okusho, amanzi asezimbotsheni phakathi kwezinhlayiya zamadwala) angadonswa noma amuncwe eze ngaphezulu emhlabeni. Amanye ama-aquifers kuyenzeka abe namanzi amaningi kakhulu futhi i-Ogallala Aquifer ese-Kansas nase-Nebraska, kwelase-USA, iyona edume kakhulu emhlabeni jikelele njengoba ihlinzeka ngamanzi okunisela izitshalo kwesinye sezifunda zolimo esikhiqiza ukudla okuningi impela emhlabeni. Ngaphansi kwezihlabathi ze-Sahara Desert kukhona i-aquifer enkulukazi. Kodwa-ke lokhu akusho ukuthi lonke ugwadule lwe-Sahara lunganiselwa ngenhloso yokulima izintshalo, ngoba phela lokho kungaholela ekukhuleni komthamo kasawoti emhlabathini (bheka i-“salinisation”). Amanye amadwala awakhekile ngendlela eyenza akwazi ukuvumela amanzi ukuthi angene futhi adlule ngaphakathi kuwona (abizwa ngamadwala angakuvumeli ukudlula kwamanzi (impermeable) noma ama-aquicludes (okungamadwala akwaziyo ukumunca nokugcina amanzi kodwa-ke angakwazi ukudlulisa lawo manzi ngokwezinga elanele futhi elikulungele ukuhlinzeka iziphethu noma imithombo ngamanzi), okusho ukuthi, izinhlayiya ezakhe idwala ziminyene kakhulu kangangokuthi akubi khona nesincane isikhala phakathi kwezinhlayiya, okwenza ukuthi idwala lingakwazi ukumunca nokumumatha amanzi; amadwala anjengalawa awawona ama-aquifers, okusho ukuthi, awanawo nakancane amanzi noma-ke aqukethe amanzi amancane kakhulu angeke adonseke eze ngaphezu komhlaba futhi angeke neze abe ngumthombo wamanzi avela ngaphansi komhlaba. (Bheka i-“drainage basin”.)
