Geography Notes on Land-form Created by the action of Groundwater

Some water from the rainfall received on the earth’s surface seeps through the ground. Water accumulates under the ground surface in this manner is called ground water. Here are some landforms created by groundwater:

Sink Holes:

• Water on the ground surface seeps through limestone and some portion of limestone gets dissolved in that water.
• If this process continues over many years, these holes get enlarged and these holes are known as sink holes.
• Sink holes formed due to the erosion caused by the water.

Caves:

• Working slowly over many years, groundwater travels along small cracks.
• The water dissolves and carries away the solid rock and gradually enlarging the cracks,eventually, a cave may form.

Stalactites and Stalagmites:

• Groundwater carries dissolved minerals in solution.
• These minerals are then deposited in the form of the stalactites and stalagmites .
• These formations are formed inside the cave.
• As the seeping water evaporates, calcium carbonate deposited on the ceiling or roof of the cave, this deposition continues to grow slowly and a structure from ceiling to roof from which is called Stalactites.
• The water dropping on the floor of the cave also evaporates leaving behind calcium carbonate which accumulates over a period of time.
• This deposition from ground to roof is known as stalagmite.
• When stalagmites and stalactites meets, it is known as column.
• Stalactites and stalagmites are observed in the Parner Taluk  of Ahmadnagar District ,in Bastar District in Chhatisgarh and also in the Karst region of the former Yugslavia now Serbia and Montenergo.