How would you recognize it when the water table is at ground surface in a topografically flat area?

Not sure if this helps. Fellow Prospector and Myself were roaming Eldorado Canyon, totally dry, were walking the washes, and where some green brush was, dug down 2 inches, got water, when I caught up, I ask him, "didn't you see that water back there?", I knew he didn't. We were looking for Gold.