Epiphreatic zone
Zone between the saturated and unsaturated zones
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Water_table.svg/350px-Water_table.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Vadose_zone.gif/250px-Vadose_zone.gif)
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.[1]
See also
- Capillary fringe – Subsurface layer in which groundwater seeps up from a water table by capillary action.[2]
- Infiltration (hydrology) – Process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil.[3]
- Phreatic – Term used in several scientific disciplines
- Phreatic zone – Zone in an aquifer below the water table.[4]
- Vadose zone – Unsaturated aquifer above the water table. [5]
References
- ^ Prelovšek, Mitja (2009). Present-Day Speleogenetic Processes, Factors and Features in the Epiphreatic Zone: Dissertation (PDF). University of Nova Gorica. p. 5.
- ^ "Aquifer Anatomy | EARTH 111: Water: Science and Society". www.e-education.psu.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "Infiltration | hydrologic cycle | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "saturated zone". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "USGS Unsaturated Zone Flow Project". wwwrcamnl.wr.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
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