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water table
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A cross-sectional diagram of land shows the water table as the upper boundary of groundwater, with a stream and pond representing surface water where the water table meets the land surface. Unsaturated soil lies above the water table.
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water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)
Water and its Varying Forms
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Also called:
groundwater table
Related Topics:
groundwater
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water table

hydrology
Also known as: groundwater table
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Britannica Editors
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....
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History

water table, upper level of an underground surface in which the soil or rocks are permanently saturated with water. The water table separates the groundwater zone that lies below it from the capillary fringe, or zone of aeration, that lies above it. The water table fluctuates both with the seasons and from year to year because it is affected by climatic variations and by the amount of precipitation used by vegetation. It also is affected by withdrawing excessive amounts of water from wells or by recharging them artificially. See also aquifer.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.