Why the water level in the well doesn't rise above ground level ?

Answer 1

Atmospheric pressure pushing down on the water is higher than the water pressure pushing up. If you were to tap into a geyser then the water would rise above ground level. Plus gravity helps hold things down.

Answer 2

I agree with blabla's answer. In short, it depends on how far below ground the water table ("ground-water level") is. Water in the well close to the ground implies that at most points within a few feet of the well, you should be able to dig down to that same depth, more or less, and find water. And just as rain or snow can make this level rise, overuse of the well (taking out more water than the rain or snow puts into the ground) can make this level sink.

To explain a little more about water in the ground, water will continue to seep down through the gaps in between the numerous bits of soil until there's no more spaces to flow through (like if it ran into solid bedrock that didn't really have that many holes or pores in it). A well needs to be dug deep enough so that it reaches through the top level of water, which, depending on the area, can be not that far below ground (which would make building a basement kinda tricky if not impractical, since there's the risk that the basement will flood) or way below ground (which might make getting the water to the surface kinda hard).

Using a glass of water (any liquid, I think, would do) as an example for pressure, at the level of the water, the water pressure should be the same as atmospheric pressure. As you go deeper in the glass, the pressure will increase, because of the gravity.

Answer 3

You mean the well has got walls above ground level but the water doesn't come higher? I'm sure when it rains the well will fill up.
Unless the well is on a spring or something the water won't rise up it'll stay at the ground-water level

Answer 4

Sorry to burst some bubbles here, but some wells have water that rises above the top of the casing (sleeve) of the well. I work in the well pump industry and have many customers that have overflowing wells. It all depends on hydraulic pressure under the ground. If the hydraulic pressure is great enough, it will force the water over the top of the well. In the old days, these wells might have been called springs or even artesian wells. I have even had a few customers with enough hydraulic pressure that they don't need a pump to bring water into the home and feed all outlets.

Answer 5

The level (lets call this elevation) of the water in the well is representative of the natural surface elevation of the groundwater in the area. In most cases the groundwater elevation is less than the surrounding ground surface elevation and thus the water stays in the ground.

In certain situations the natural groundwater surface may be above the ground surface and a flowing well, or artisian condition exists. This most often happens in mountainous areas where the source of the water comes from a higher elevation than the well. In this case the water in the well will flow out over the ground.

A number of rivers and streams, and lakes are also formed this way. When the natural groundwater elevation is higher than the bottom of the water body, then there is a flow of groundwater into the stream.

Answer 6

It's an underground water source. Water doesn't travel upwards as far as I'm concerned...

Answer 7

because you cannot fill water above a glass tumbler's top edge...