Water table

The water table is the point in the soil marking the water-saturated soil and the soil not saturated with water. The water table for any given area will change over time due to seasonal differences, amount of precipitation in an given year, and other sources of trapped local water.

It is critical to know the local water tables when building new construction to allow for sufficient drainage for foundations. Studying the changes in local water tables can also indicate the amount of available water for a given season's use in domestic and agriculture.