For those who have experience with desert climates...

[Baitball Blogger]

...what trees or plant life are a dead giveaway that there is an underground water source?

[ohiosmith]

1. Look for plants which grow only where there is water:

cottonwoods, sycamores, willows, hackberry, salt cedar, cattails and arrow weed. You may have to dig to find this water.

[Major Nikon]

2. None really

The water table in desert areas is typically far too low for surface plants. When I lived in El Paso, a friend of mine lived in the lower valley and had an orchard, but even there he had to dig irrigation ditches to keep his trees alive. In other parts of the city the water table was hundreds of feet below the surface.

Your local county extension office is generally the best place to start with water table questions.

[egduj]

3. If you see a plant that looks like this you know you're close...

[Baitball Blogger]

4. LOL!