Water table identification and geology

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• Aquifer
• Zone of saturation

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

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GeoMiner

Last updated

2026-03-30T15:19:42.096023+00:00

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Published; not independently peer-reviewed

• USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
• Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Water table mean in geology?

The upper surface of the zone of saturation in an unconfined aquifer—the level below which all pores, fractures, and voids in the rock or soil are completely filled with groundwater. The water table generally mirrors the surface topography in a subdued form and fluctuates seasonally with changes in recharge precipitation and discharge pumping, spring flow, evapotranspiration .

What is an example of Water table?

During the Dust Bowl drought of the 1930s, water table levels in the Ogallala Aquifer dropped significantly in parts of the Great Plains as pumping for irrigation exceeded natural recharge rates.

Which earth-science field uses the term Water table?

Water table is used in hydrogeology.

Which terms are related to Water table?

Related terms in this reference are Aquifer, Groundwater, Zone of saturation, Permeability.