The water table

Ground Water
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Abstract

The water table is a fundamental concept in hydrogeology, yet it is frequently incorrectly defined. For example, both the NGWA (2003) and AGI (Neuendorf et al. 2005) glossaries define the water table as the atmospheric pressure surface that is coincident with the top of the zone of saturation. This definition is also found occasionally in groundwater textbooks as well as in primers, where it is simply defined as the top of the zone of saturation. This incorrect definition of the water table perpetuates an important conceptual misunderstanding in hydrogeology that the top of the zone of saturation is uniquely related to the water table. This commentary reviews the correct definition of the water table and addresses evidence for unsaturation beneath the water table.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The water table
Series title Ground Water
DOI 10.1111/j.1745-6584.2009.00640.x
Volume 48
Issue 2
Year Published 2010
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Publisher location Hoboken, NJ
Contributing office(s) Earthquake Science Center
Description 3 p.
First page 171
Last page 173
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