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Hydrogeology of Wales

Wales receives wet westerly winds and is consequently well-endowed with water resources. In addition to its surface waters, Wales also has a wide range of aquifers that reflect its diverse geology, and although groundwater cannot compete with the surface water resources in terms of volume, it does offer a valuable alternative or supplementary source, particularly in rural areas. Groundwater has stable physical and chemical properties, which are beneficial to a number of industries including brewing, distilling, fish farming and dairy processing and it provides a source of alkalinity when blended with the often-acidic surface waters derived from upland gathering grounds. Groundwater is not only an important resource but it also maintains low river flows during drier periods with continued discharge of groundwater base flow into surface waters. Groundwater is also a potential hazard — mine dewatering has taxed Welsh mining engineers ever since the Industrial Revolution. (Read the full article...)