Where is the water table located?

Question

A. At the top of the zone of saturation
B. Under the zone of saturation
C. In the layer of bedrock
D. Below the layer of bedrock

Answer 1

None of these. The water table is where the water pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure. However, a common incorrect definition is A), that all rock below the water table is saturated.

Answer 2

"water table" must be associated with an "aquifer". Where the aquifer is a rock with exposure to the surface then answer A could be considered. But water in the aquifer may be sufficient to form a natural spring flowing at the surface, into a river, or into a lake which is not one of the selected answers. Other aquifers have a non-pervious confining layer above the water, and this water has static pressure such that when penetrated by a well, water will rise up to a level above the top of the aquifer rock. such a condition is called "artesian". in some cases the pressure is sufficient as to force water into the air when tapped by a well like a gusher oil well. This means that the water table is actually above ground level.

The true definition of "water table" is the theoretical static level of water in a test well. Table refers to the fact that over a given area the water level tends to be spread flat (constant elevation) and not follow the contours of either the surface or the dips in the aquifer rock. Each aquifer rock layer under the land has its own effective water table and is measured separately. Pumping water out of an aquifer reduces the static level and lowers the surrounding water table.

Answer 3

well it depends ... The water table or phreatic surface is the surface where the water pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure. The water table is also often erroneously defined as the surface that separates the phreatic from the vadose zone, below which all rocks are saturated with water.