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Epiphreatic zone

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Zone between the saturated and unsaturated zones
Cross section showing the water table varying with surface topography as well as a perched water table
Cross-section of a hillslope depicting the vadose zone, capillary fringe, water table, and phreatic or saturated zone (Source: United States Geological Survey)

In a cave system, the epiphreatic zone or floodwater zone is the zone between the vadose (unsaturated) zone above and phreatic (saturated) zone below. It is regularly flooded and has a significant porosity. It has a great potential for cave formation.

See also

  • Capillary fringe – Subsurface layer in which groundwater seeps up from a water table by capillary action.
  • Infiltration (hydrology) – Process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil.
  • Phreatic – Term used in several scientific disciplines
  • Phreatic zone – Zone in an aquifer below the water table.
  • Vadose zone – Unsaturated aquifer above the water table.

References

  1. Prelovšek, Mitja (2009). Present-Day Speleogenetic Processes, Factors and Features in the Epiphreatic Zone: Dissertation (PDF). University of Nova Gorica. p. 5.
  2. "Aquifer Anatomy | EARTH 111: Water: Science and Society". www.e-education.psu.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  3. "Infiltration | hydrologic cycle | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  4. "saturated zone". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  5. "USGS Unsaturated Zone Flow Project". wwwrcamnl.wr.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
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