Rocks are the most valuable clues of all.

consolidated formations such as sandstone,

limestone, or granite as well as for loose, unconsolidated sediments such as gravel or
sand. An "'aquifer" is any body of rock that contains a usable supply of water. A good
aquifer must be both porous enough to hold water and permeable enough to allow the
continuous recharge of water to a well.
Gravel, sand, sandstone, and limestone are among the best aquifers, but they form only
a fraction of the rocks in the Earth's crust. Most rocks are fine grained or otherwise
'"tight" and store or carry little water.
As a first step in locating ground water, the hydrologist prepares a geologic map
showing where the different kinds of rock come to the land surface. Some of the rocks
may be so cracked and broken that they provide good openings to carry water
underground. The rocks may be so folded and displaced, however, that it is difficult to
trace their location underground.
Next, the hydrologist gathers information on the wells in the area—their locations, the
depth to water, the amount of water pumped, and the kinds of rock they penetrate.
Because the water-seeker cannot always afford to drill a test hole to obtain information,
records of wells already drilled are of great value.

Reference : https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/how-do-
hydrologists-locate-groundwater?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-
science_center_objects
March 2, 2020
5:25 PM

Geologic Controls on Groundwater Flow

Permeability on a regional scale is a function of primary geologic
processes such as glaciation , volcanic eruptions,
and sedimentation . Understanding the geologic framework of an area
and the relation between permeability and geologic processes are
fundamental to understanding a groundwater flow system.
The proportion, size, and degree of interconnection of void spaces
within a geologic material influence the water-bearing capability or
permeability of that material. The proportion of void space and the
degree of interconnection of geologic material commonly are due to
the character of the rock type, resulting from the processes that
formed the material as well as subsequent processes such as faulting
and weathering .
Since the subsurface cannot be directly observed, hydrogeologists
employ various tools and techniques to make "observations" or
inferences at specific sites, and to extrapolate that information to
create a continuous three-dimensional picture of the underground
material.

Read more: http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Hy-La/Hydrogeologic-
Mapping.html#ixzz6FWRB7Oue