The water column is a conceptual column of water from the surface to the bottom of a body of water, used to study the distribution of physical, chemical, and biological properties at different depths. The water column is significant in oceanography and limnology for understanding oceanic and freshwater processes, the behavior of nutrients and pollutants, and the distribution of marine and freshwater organisms.
Reference: Stewart, R. H. (2008). “Introduction to Physical Oceanography.” Texas A&M University.