What is the difference between percolation and leaching ?
• How does water flow affect pollution ? Percolation 1 is the actual movement of water, typically saturated flow at water contents above field capacity under the pull of gravity. As the water percolates downward through the soil profile substances in the soil can dissolve into the water and travel downward with the percolating water. This latter process is leaching 1. If the substances that dissolve into the water are contaminants, the percolating water will leach them from the soil and carry them downward to the water table and into the groundwater 1.
