system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why doesn't a lake or pond simply sink into the earth like a glass of water on your front lawn?
gpt
Because the dirt/clay/sand underneath it is already fully saturated with water. Lakes and ponds are just the visible part of the water table.

Imagine taking your hose and watering your Lawn for 6 hours straight. Your lawn is going to become a marsh. The soil underneath it can only absorb so much water.