The technique ensures both collecting of water ( either fluvial water, rainwater or phreatic water ) and subsequent drainage.
2.
The defenders also attempted to dig their own wells in the catacombs, as deep as 14 m, in order to reach the phreatic water layer.
3.
Theories in the creation of karst topography and karst fensters involve vadose water above the water table and deep circulating phreatic water ( water in the zone of saturation ) eroding away subsurface rock.