The zone above the water table, containing air and water but not fully saturated, is called?

• A. Unsaturated zone
• B. Water table
• C. Saturated zone
• D. Aquifer

Answer: (A)

Groundwater zones are defined by how full the pores are with water. Above the water table, the pores in the soil or rock are not completely filled, so air and water both occupy space. This region is the unsaturated zone, also called the vadose zone, and it lies between the land surface and the water table. The water table is the upper boundary where the pores become fully saturated with water, marking the start of the saturated zone below. An aquifer refers to a body of permeable material that stores and transmits groundwater, which is not the name for this specific zone. So, the zone described—air and water in the pores but not fully saturated—is the unsaturated zone.