water table

American  

Or watertable

noun

1. the planar, underground surface beneath which earth materials, as soil or rock, are saturated with water.

2. Architecture. a projecting stringcourse or similar structural member placed so as to divert rainwater from a building.

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water table British  

noun

1. the surface of the water-saturated part of the ground, usually following approximately the contours of the overlying land surface

2. an offset or string course that has a moulding designed to throw rainwater clear of the wall below

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water table Scientific  

1. The upper surface of an area filled with groundwater, separating the zone of aeration (the subsurface region of soil and rocks in which the pores are filled with air and usually some water) from the zone of saturation (the subsurface region in which the pores are filled only with water). Water tables rise and fall with seasonal moisture, water absorption by vegetation, and the withdrawal of groundwater from wells, among other factors. The water table is not flat but has peaks and valleys that generally conform to the overlying land surface.

2. Compare potentiometric surface

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water table Cultural  

1. The depth (measured from the surface of the Earth) at which underground water is first encountered.

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Etymology

Origin of water table

A late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

The Fed has said the cost overruns are due to part to unforeseen conditions like more asbestos than anticipated and a higher-than-expected water table.

From MarketWatch

The Fed has said the cost overruns are due to part to unforeseen conditions like more asbestos than anticipated and a higher-than-expected water table.

From MarketWatch

West Virginia is now on the frontline of a national shift that most people won’t notice until it shows up in their own bills, water tables or the substation down the road.

From Salon

Tribal leaders, however, say the city’s wells are pumping far too much and continue to draw down the water table beneath areas that once had thriving wetlands and meadows.

From Los Angeles Times

Imagine streets and sidewalks with healthy tree canopies, permeable paving, and green infrastructure that captures rainwater for recharge or reuse, so it enters the water table instead of being directed to our channelized rivers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aquifer
• water level