Are all rocks permeable?

-- Kevin Markowitz (Kmarko67@aol.com), May 04, 2001

Answers

All rocks are permeable but not to the same degree. Permeability depends on the grain size of the rock. When the grain size is coarse such as in unconsolidated sand and gravel, porous sandstone, and cavernous limestone rocks have high permability. Rocks with small grain size are packed tightly together, not allowing spaces for water to get through, such as shale,clay, crystalline limestone, and unfractured igneous or metamorphic rocks. (I found this information in the notes for chapter 12).

-- Angelique Chambers (achambe1@oswego.edu), May 04, 2001.

A groundwater system is similar to a river system. However, instead of having channels that connect different parts of the drainage basin, the groundwater system has connecting pores. Soil and raok are permeable if the pore spaces are connected and water can pass through them. Sandstone is an example of a permeable rock.

-- Lynette Karpen (KatFever1027@msn.com), March 11, 2002.