Step 1: Concept Overview:
The question seeks the hydrogeological term for a rock formation capable of storing and transmitting substantial groundwater.
Step 2: Term Definitions:
Clarification of the provided terms:
Lake: A large surface freshwater body, not groundwater within rock.
Artesian well: A well where water rises due to pressure, accessing an aquifer, but not the rock itself.
Springs: Natural groundwater discharge points; features resulting from an aquifer, not the aquifer itself.
Aquifer: A porous and permeable rock, sand, or gravel body storing and transmitting groundwater, directly matching the question's description. Wells and springs draw from aquifers.
Step 3: Conclusion:
A rock formation transmitting groundwater is an aquifer.