Which type of confining bed does not allow any significant amount of water to pass through?

The type of confining bed that does not allow any significant amount of water to pass through is known as an aquiclude. An aquiclude acts as a barrier to groundwater movement due to its very low permeability. This characteristic means that any water that might be present within an aquiclude is largely isolated from the surrounding groundwater systems, preventing significant flow.

In contrast, an aquitard, while it restricts flow, still allows some minimal movement of water, making it not as impermeable as an aquiclude. An aquifer is a geological formation that can store and transmit significant quantities of water through its pores, thus does not serve the function of a confining layer. A permeable layer simply indicates a geological unit that can allow water to flow through easily, which is quite the opposite of what an aquiclude accomplishes. Therefore, an aquiclude is the most accurate descriptor for a layer that effectively prevents any noteworthy amount of water from passing through.