Nature itself will tell you about the depth of groundwater. Plants-indicators of GWL [Many photos]

  • Dec 10, 2020

Good day, dear guests!

For me, this topic was very exciting, since I acquired a plot in the place where 6 years ago the GVL was 0.5-0.7 m. From the surface of the earth, and this is evidenced by the fact that most of the growing trees in our city are young.

Groundwater depth (Source: https://otvet.imgsmail.ru/)
Groundwater depth (Source: https://otvet.imgsmail.ru/)

Literally two bayonets of a shovel - and you walk on the water, as neighbors who have lived for a long time in houses on our street said. At the moment, local governments, i.e. the administration - carried out the organization of drainage along the entire perimeter of the city, and now - all the water goes into the Don River.

If you pay attention to the figure, then the distance to the first aquifer (layer) from the surface of the earth's cover is precisely what is called the groundwater level.

Aquifer structure (Image source: https://lskgarant.ru/)
Aquifer structure (Image source: https://lskgarant.ru/)

At each site - the GWL is different, it all depends on the terrain and continental soil rocks. The volume of groundwater that forms at this level to the first waterproof earth layer is replenished exclusively by atmospheric precipitation and nearby natural water bodies.

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Why is GWL important?

This level is important when building or organizing basements. This factor is one of the main factors by which the base of the building is selected, i.e. foundation.

When choosing a site for construction, besides looking into the well (if there is one), there is another simple way to superficially estimate the depth of groundwater. Nature itself will tell us about it.

Of course, in some cases the error is up to 1 m, but the water level is never stable, in summer-autumn it is much lower than in spring. And even despite this, we can estimate the moisture content of the soil 100% by plants.

Marigold and horsetails always indicate a close water horizon - the water level is up to 20-30 cm. from the surface of the earth.

Left - Kaluzhnitsa, right - horsetail
Left - Kaluzhnitsa, right - horsetail

At a depth of half a meter to a meter, you can always see meadowsweet.

Tavolga (Source: https://koffkindom.ru)
Tavolga (Source: https://koffkindom.ru)

At a depth of 1-1.5 m, the site will be clogged with rank and / or bluegrass

Left - rank, right - bluegrass
Left - rank, right - bluegrass

But when the groundwater is located more than 1.5 m, wheatgrass, plantain, wormwood grow.

In order: Wheatgrass, plantain, wormwood
In order: Wheatgrass, plantain, wormwood

There are also other moisture-loving plants that grow only in the presence of groundwater. Let's move on to them!

The water level is at 1 m and closer:

Rogoz

Rogoz. Source: https://yandex.ru
Rogoz. Source: https://yandex.ru

Reeds and reeds

Cane. Source: https://yandex.ru
Cane. Source: https://yandex.ru

Veinik

Veinik. Source: https://prodiau.ru
Veinik. Source: https://prodiau.ru

Creeping buttercup

Buttercup. Source: https://oldboy.icnet.ru
Buttercup. Source: https://oldboy.icnet.ru

Forget-me-not

Forget-me-not. Source: https://asienda.ru
Forget-me-not. Source: https://asienda.ru

Plants in which the groundwater level is within 1-2 m:

Nettle

Nettle. Photo source: https://shop.evalar.ru
Nettle. Photo source: https://shop.evalar.ru

Sedge

Sedge. Source: https://ru.wikipedia.org
Sedge. Source: https://ru.wikipedia.org

Hemlock

Hemlock. Source: https://tursar.ru
Hemlock. Source: https://tursar.ru

Digitalis

Digitalis. Source: https://ru.wikipedia.org
Digitalis. Source: https://ru.wikipedia.org

It is also worth paying attention to the fact that, despite the dry weather, the closer the GWL is to the surface, the more luxuriant the plants and have a rich green color. Insects always fly around them, and mice and moles are generally absent.

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