Groundwater is found underneath the water table. While the water table is the level of water found above the earth's surface, groundwater exists underneath this point. Groundwater can affect the water table by raising or lowering the level depending on how much water is underground.
If groundwater is depleted through emptying aquifers, then water levels on the surface may also drop. Groundwater recharges lakes, springs, and rivers on the earth's surface. Without this water source, lakes and wetlands can go dry.
