Epiaquepts are defined as having ""episaturation"". Episaturation is defined as: The soil is saturated
with water in one or more layers within 200 cm of the mineral soil surface and also has one or more
unsaturated layers, with an upper boundary above a depth of 200 cm, below the saturated layer. The
key to the classification of your soil as an Endoaquept is in the introduction to the Keys to the Soil
Orders on page 37 of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy. In colunm 2 you will find the following statement:
""In the ""Key to Soil Orders"" and the other keys that follow the diagnostic horizons and the properties
mentioned do not include those below any densic, lithic, paralithic, or petroferric contact. Thus any
unsaturated layer within or below a lithic contact is not considered in the classification. That is why we
did not include a lithic subgroup in Epiaquepts. We could make the change you suggest, but it
would be redundant. If you have any other comments or questions I will watch for them in this forum.
