This document discusses soil moisture and groundwater recharge. It defines key terms like the vadose zone, porosity, water content, and capillary fringe. It describes how soil moisture is measured and influenced by precipitation and evapotranspiration. The unsaturated zone allows infiltration of water according to Darcy's law. Water table recharge occurs when infiltrating water reaches the capillary fringe and displaces air, causing the water table to rise. The rate of recharge depends on factors like the thickness of the unsaturated zone and vertical hydraulic conductivity.