Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
seepage
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
earthfill dam seepage
Related Questions
Read Next
Tilled farmland. (farming, dirt, soil conservation)
Could We Lose All the Soil on Earth?
Solar system illustration. (planets; sun)
Why Are Planets Round?
Solar System with the sun and planets amid stars. Illustration Venus Mercury Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Neptune Uranus space orbit
Understanding Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
Astronomical Observatory of the Mojon del Trigo. Long exposure using the star trail technique. Sierra Nevada National Park, in the province of Granada, Andalusia.
Is Earth Going to Change the Direction in Which It Rotates?
Solar system illustration. (Sun; planets)
A Model of the Cosmos
Discover
Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”
Aphrodite. Greek mythology. Sculpture. Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty.
12 Greek Gods and Goddesses
An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.
11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
Woman tied to a ducking stool, a method of punishment by means of humiliation, beating, or death. (cucking stool)
8 Unusual Punishments Inflicted on Women Throughout History
Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1744-1855), founder of the house of Rothschild; lithograph by Friedrich Lieder, c. 1830.
Where Do Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories About the Rothschild Family Come From?
Santa Claus flying in his sleigh, christmas, reindeer
Was Santa Claus a Real Person?
Secret Service Agent Listens To Earpiece
Secret Service Code Names of 11 U.S. Presidents

seepage

geology
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/science/seepage
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Related Topics:
soil
porosity
See all related content

seepage, in soil engineering, movement of water in soils, often a critical problem in building foundations. Seepage depends on several factors, including permeability of the soil and the pressure gradient, essentially the combination of forces acting on water through gravity and other factors. Permeability can vary over a wide range, depending on soil structure and composition, making possible the safe design of such structures as earth dams and reservoirs with negligible leakage loss, and other structures such as roadbeds and filtration beds in which rapid drainage is desirable.