As a result, ground water is held near the surface.

Hot water near the surface of Earth can be used directly for heat.

But what if there was a water table near the surface?

It is found only on or near the surface of water.

However that really does not have much effect on what happens up here near the surface.

"I had pretty much given up on life near the surface," he said.

It's a good deal too near the surface to suit us.

Sometimes they are persistent and form very near the surface.

All the reports we had seemed to say he was near the surface, even visible years ago.

Near the surface, the pressure would be low enough that maybe we could just push our way through it.