Glossary extracted starting with manual seeds, with BOW for the domain geo and language EN
| savanna | the biome found in tropical areas either side of the equatorial zone between 10˚ and 20˚. |
| mean annual temperature | The average of the daily maximum and minimum temperatures. |
| leach | To dissolve and remove the soluble constituents of a rock or soil. |
| hydrologic cycle | natural pathway water follows as it changes between liquid, solid, and gaseous states; biogeochemical cycle that moves and recycles water in various forms through the ecosphere |
| wet deposition | The introduction of acidic material to the ground or to surface waters by sulfuric and nitric acids dissolved in rainfall or snow |
| bedrock | (Geology) The solid rock beneath the soil (Zone of Aeration or Zone of Saturation) and superficial rock |
| biological diversity | The number and kinds of organisms per unit area of volume; the composition of species in a given area at a given time. |
| ice sheet | A very large Ice Cap, also called continental glacier, as that of the antarctic continent. |
| loam | a soil having roughly equal proportions of clay, sand and silt. |
| frequency curve | A graphical representation of the frequency of occurrence of specific events |
| tricellular model | the basis of the modern understanding of the general circulation of the atmosphere as it relates to the troposphere |
| complete treatment | A method of treating water that consists of the addition of coagulant chemicals, flash mixing, coagulation-flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration |
| continuous delivery | A method of delivering water to the farm headgate from an irrigation conveyance system on a continuous basis, as opposed to a demand delivery where flows are delivered on a rotational time schedule and/or upon demand. |
| average annual runoff | The average of water-year (October 1-September 30) runoff or the supply of water produced by a given stream or water development project for a total period of record; measured in cubic feet per second or acre-feet. |
| aurora | luminous phenomena, in the form of arcs, bands, draperies, or curtains in the high atmosphere over high latitudes; auroras are related to magnetic storms and the influx of charged particles from the sun, the phenomena are called aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere and aurora australis in the southern hemisphere. |
| saline sodic land | Soil that contains soluble salts in amounts that impair plant growth but not an excess of exchangeable sodium. |
| perennial | lit |
| abstract space | Geographic model or representation of the real world |
| deindustrialization | fall in the percentage contribution of secondary industry to an economy in terms such as value of input to GDP and importance as an employment sector. |
| pollen analysis | the study of preserved pollen particles used to reconstruct past climatic conditions based on the types of plants prevalent at the time. |
| rainsplash | soil erosion caused by the force of impact of raindrops. |
| aquatic algae | Microscopic plants that grow in sunlit water containing phosphates, nitrates, and other nutrients |
| displacement | (Geology) The distance by which portions of the same geological layer are offset from each other by a fault. |
| ceres | California Environmental Resources Evaluation System |
| hold | A feature common to thermometers allowing you to freeze the display at a given measurement without additional inputs for easier reading |
| stream segment | refers to the surface waters of an approved planning area exhibiting common biological, chemical, hydrological, natural, and physical characteristics and processes |
| shallow-marine environment | The sedimentary environment of the continental shelves, where the water is usually less than 200 m deep. |
| dynamic equilibrium | lack of change in a system as inputs and outputs remain in balance |
| carbon dioxide | A heavy, colorless gas that is the fourth most abundant constituent of dry air, comprising 0.033% of the total. |
| policy | (Water Planning) A statement of governmental intent against which individual actions and decisions are evaluated |
| hydraulic conductivity | the rate at which water can move through a permeable medium. |
| time-series analysis | (Statistics) Techniques that attempt to predict the future by using historical data rather than by building cause-and-effect models |
| marble | A non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced from the metamorphism of limestone |
| pressurized water reactor | A nuclear reactor in which water, heated by nuclear energy, is kept at high pressure to prevent the water from boiling |
| andesite | A fine-grained volcanic rock of intermediate composition, consisting largely of plagioclase and one or more mafic minerals. |
| organic nitrogen | Nitrogen that is bound to carbon-containing compounds |
| proterozoic | The geologic eon lying between the Archean and Phanerozoic eons, beginning about 2.5 billion years ago and ending about 0.57 billion years ago. |
| fahrenheit | A scale of temperature originally defined by having 0° as the lowest obtainable temperature with a mixture of water, ice and salt and 96° as the temperature of the human body |
| drainage divide | The boundary between two adjacent drainage basins |
| national priorities list | A list of the hazardous waste disposal sites most in need of cleanup |
| carbon adsorption | (Water Quality) A treatment system that removes contaminants from ground water or surface water by forcing it through tanks containing activated carbon treated to attract the contaminants. |
| truckee-carson irrigation project [nevada] | Original name of the Newlands (Irrigation) Project [Nevada] |
| shingle | the mixture of gravels, pebbles and shell fragments that accumulate on some beaches. |
| drainage area | of a stream at a specified location is that area, measured in a horizontal plane, enclosed by a topographic divide from which direct surface runoff from precipitation normally drains by gravity into the stream above the specified location. |
| hi-tech industry | those industries that have developed since the late 20th century in areas such as electronics, IT, pharmaceuticals etc |
| tidal bore | A violent rush of tidal water. |
| apm | Aquatic Plant Management |
| aquiclude | A subsurface rock, soil or sediment unit that does not yield useful quanties of water. |
| transect | a line drawn between points and then used to investigate changes in surface features along that line. |
| ice | a solid form of water. |
| kansan | (Geology) Of or relating to one of the glacial stages of the Pleistocene epoch which occurred in North America, which consisted of the Nebraskan (first stage), Kansan (second stage), Illinoian (third stage), and Wisconsin (fourth stage). |
| artesian well | a water well drilled into a confined aquifer where enough hydraulic pressure exists for water rise in the well to a height above the top of the aquifer in the subsurface |
| dyke | An artificial embankment constructed to prevent flooding. |
| atmometer | An instrument used to measure the rate of evaporation. |
| anaerobic digestion | The degradation of organic matter by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen, particularly as related to the treatment of sewage sludge |
| cultivar | Plant form originating from under cultivation. |
| certified water right | A state-issued document that serves as legal evidence that an approved application has been physically developed and the water put to beneficial use |
| groundwater flow | the flow of water through the groundwater store. |
| tide | the periodic rise and fall of sea level due to the gravitational pull of the sun and moon |
| consumer | two types: |
| intrusive landform | one produced by the cooling of magma into solid igneous rock within the crust. |
| ice nucleus | Any particle that serves as a nucleus in the formation of ice crystals in the atmosphere. |
| porous | A condition which allows liquids to pass through. |
| wimple | A ripple, as on the surface of water. |
| pluton | An igneous intrusion. |
| lithosphere | The solid, outer portion of the earth's crust coupled to the rigid upper mantle |
| annular space | The space between two cylindrical objects, one of which surrounds the other, such as the space between the wall of the drilled hole and the casing, or between a permanent casing and the borehole. |
| warning stage | The Stage (or Gage Height) at which a general state of readiness must be maintained by concerned river interests in the event of further rises above Flood Stage (similar to a Watch) |
| freezing point | is the temperature at which a liquid becomes a solid |
| snow pellets | Frozen precipitation in the form of white, round or conical opaque grains of ice |
| lamina | A layer of sediment less than 1 cm thick. |
| tropical cyclone | a severe low pressure weather system which develops over tropical maritime areas |
| lc50 | The concentration of a toxic substance which is fatal to 50 percent of the organisms tested under specific test conditions and time periods. |
| levee | soil or other materials deposited to contain the flow of water |
| publicly-owned treatment works | a wastewater treatment plant that is owned by a state, unit of local government or Indian tribe, usually designed to treat domestic wastewaters |
| lithosphere | The rigid outer shell of the earth which includes the crust and a portion of the upper mantle. |
| limb | The flank, or side, of a fold. |
| pressure | Force per unit area |
| ebb tide | A tidal current that generally moves seaward and occurs during the part of the tide cycle when sea level is falling |
| global observing system | global network of observational stations which is the coordinated system of methods, techniques and facilities for making observations on a world-wide scale in the framework of the World Weather Watch, a World Meteorological Organization program. |
| jet | A variety of coal that is frequently cut and polished for jewelry or ornaments. |
| karstic river | A river which originates from a karstic spring or flows in a Karstic Region. |
| dehumidify | To remove atmospheric moisture from. |
| water hole | A small natural depression in which water collects, especially a pool where animals come to drink. |
| asteroid | A small, rocky planetary body orbiting the sun |
| saxitoxin | The primary toxin produced by dinoflagellate protozoans during blooms known as Red Tides in marine waters |
| science park | an industrial estate near a university or other research establishment where it is hoped cooperation between business and research can lead to the commercialization of technological advances. |
| certificated water right | The right granted by a state water agency to use either surface or ground water |
| ice shelf | mass of ice that extends over water |
| ground water | its occurrence and movements, its replenishment and depletion, the properties of rocks that control ground water movement and storage and the methods of investigation and utilization of ground water. |
| filtrate | Liquid that has been passed through a filter. |
| drying off | The process of reducing moisture to induce dormancy or a rest period in plants. |
| terminus | Refers to the location of water's final destination, as in the terminus of a river system being a Terminal Lake. |
| infrared radiation | electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths between approximately 0.75 and 1000 millimeters; see also atmospheric radiation, terrestrial radiation, longwave radiation. |
| raw sewage | Untreated domestic or commercial wastewater. |
| barometer | an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure; two types of barometers are commonly used in meteorology: the mercury barometer and the aneroid barometer. |
| first-year ice | floating ice of no more than one year's growth developing from young ice; thickness from 0.3 to 2 meters (1 to 6.6 feet); characteristically level where undisturbed by pressure, but where ridges occur, they are rough and sharply angular. |
| meltwater | liquid water that has come from melting snow or ice. |
| ice barrier | The outer margin of the antarctic ice sheet. |
| mantle | A major subdivision of Earth's internal structure |
| hurricane | (1) A severe tropical cyclone originating in the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea, traveling north, northwest, or northeast from its point of origin, and usually involving heavy rains |
| geothermics | The science pertaining to the earth's interior heat |
| duralumin | An alloy of aluminum that contains copper, manganese, magnesium, iron, and silicon and is resistant to corrosion by acids and sea water |
| isohel | A line drawn through geographic points having equal duration of sunshine or another form of solar radiation during a specified time period. |
| newly industrialised country | countries that have undergone rapid industrialisation since the 1960s |
| terminus | The leading edge of a glacier; also known as the glacier snout. |
| dynamic equilibrium | A condition of which the amount of recharge to an aquifer equals the amount of natural discharge. |
| turbidity current | A current in which a limited volume of turbid or muddy water moves relative to surrounding water because of its greater density. |
| methane | A colorless, nonpoisonous, flammable gas, CH4, created by Anaerobic decomposition of organic compounds. |
| drainage field ditch | A shallow graded ditch for collecting excess water within a field, usually constructed with flat side slopes for ease of crossing. |
| filtration | (1) The process in which suspended matter is removed from a liquid through a medium which is permeable to the liquid but not to the suspended material |
| carbonaceous | Containing carbon. |
| sample size | (Statistics) The number of individual observations |
| coalescence | The merging of two water drops into a single larger drop. |
| share-cropping | a system of land rent where the farmer pays with a percentage of his yield rather than cash. |
| denitrification | the conversion of nitrates to nitrogen in soils by bacteria which thus leaves the soil low in nitrate and therefore less fertile. |
| flow meter | A device which allows for measurement of stream flow by measuring velocity in a given cross-sectional area. |
| toxic waste | poisonous by-products of industrial processes which use metals |
| outwash | Stratified sands and gravels washed out from glaciers by meltwater streams and deposited in the proglacial environment, or beyond the active glacial margin. |
| thermoelectric power | Electrical power generated using fossil-fuel (coal, oil, or natural gas), geothermal, or nuclear energy. |
| subsurface | Of, relating to, or situated in an area beneath a surface, especially the surface of the earth or of a body of water. |
| high flow pulses | the component of an instream flow regime that represents short-duration, in-channel, high flow events following storm events |
| infiltrometer | An instrument which determines the rate and amount of water percolating into the soil by measuring the difference between the amount of water applied and that which runs off |
| unstable air | air in which static instability prevails; this condition is determined by the vertical gradients of air temperature and humidity. |
| scattering | The process by which small particles suspended in the air diffuse a portion of the incident radiation in all directions |
| injection well | Refers to a well constructed for the purpose of injection treated wastewater directly into the ground |
| contour ditch | An irrigation ditch laid out approximately on the contour, or elevation of the land. |
| glacial lake | Proglacial lakes form the angle of the land and the angle of the glacier are opposite or in the superglacial/englacial environment |
| sinkhole | A depression in the earth's surface caused by dissolving of underlying limestone, salt, or gypsum |
| anabatic wind | A wind that is created by air flowing uphill |
| geologic time scale | see http://www.geosociety.org/science/timescale/timescl.htm |
| lagoon | (1) A shallow pond where sunlight, bacterial action, and oxygen work to purify wastewater |
| waterworn | Worn, smoothed, or polished by the action of water. |
| hydrocarbons | Chemical compounds that consist entirely of carbon and hydrogen, such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal. |
| evaporite | A rock composed of minerals derived from evaporation of mineralized water |
| flow velocity | The volume of water flowing through a unit cross-sectional area of an aquifer |
| end moraine | deposit of sediment marking where a glacier started to retreat |
| floodway fringe | The area of the floodplain on either side of the Regulatory Floodway where encroachment may be permitted. |
| snow melt | the spring and summer mass thawing of snow and ice which provides a sudden and massive increase in discharge to downslope rivers. |
| alluvium | A general term for any sedimentary accumulations deposited by comparatively recent action of rivers |
| atoll | a ring-shaped coral reef. |
| endangered species | Any plant or animal species threatened with extinction by man-made or natural changes throughout all or a significant area of its range; identified by the Secretary of the Interior as "endangered", in accordance with the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA), below |
| ice-minus | Of or relating to a strain of genetically altered bacteria that are applied to crop plants to inhibit the formation of frost. |
| waterproof | A non-technical term used to describe instruments that are protected from the ingress of liquids |
| duplicates | (Water Quality) Two separate samples with separate containers taken at the same time at the same location. |
| greywater | Wastewater from clothes washing machines, showers, bathtubs, hand washing, lavatories and sinks that are not used for disposal of chemicals or chemical-biological ingredients |
| aspect | direction in which a slope faces. |
| terrace | A nearly level surface bordering a steeper slope, such as a stream terrace or wave-cut terrace. |
| tidal marsh | low, flat marshlands traversed by channels and tidal hollows, subject to tidal inundation; normally, the only vegetation present is salt-tolerant bushes and grasses. |
| average year water supply | The average annual supply of a water development system over a long period |
| biotechnical engineering | Countermeasure techniques that combine the use of vegetation with structural (hard) elements. |
| primary sludge | The Sludge produced by primary treatment in a wastewater treatment plant. |
| turbellarian | The tiny eddies created in water by the cilia any of a class (Turbellaria) of mostly aquatic and free-living flatworms (as a planarian). |
| seepage | percolation of water through the soil from unlined canals, ditches, laterals, watercourses, or water storage facilities. |
| corona | (Astronomy) A faintly colored luminous ring appearing to surround a celestial body visible through a haze or thin cloud of water vapor, especially such a ring around the moon or sun, caused by the diffraction of light from suspended matter in the intervening medium |
| climate | aggregate weather conditions of an area over a long period of time which allow for the designation of seasonal patterns and expected future weather. |
| paleomagnetism | The study of ancient magnetic fields, as preserved in the magnetic properties of rocks |
| channel | a natural or artificial watercourse that continuously or intermittently contains water, with definite bed and banks that confine all but overbanking streamflows. |
| mud crack | A crack in a deposit of mud or silt resulting from the contraction that accomp"anies drying. |
| drift | material deposited by glacial and fluvioglacial processes. |
| infiltration index | The average rate of infiltration, in inches per hour, derived from a time intensity graph of rainfall, so that the volume of rainfall in excess of this rate equals the total direct runoff |
| pressure release | the removal of overlying rock which releases pressure on underlying strata causing them to expand and crack. |
| vertical visibility | The distance an observer can see vertically into an undefined ceiling, or the height corresponding to the top of a ceiling light projector beam, or the height at which a ceiling balloon disappears during the presence of an indefinite ceiling. |
| treatment plant | A structure built to treat wastewater before discharging it into the environment. |
| business park | purpose-built or redeveloped areas for companies requiring office space rather than industrial space |
| tilting gate | (Hydraulics) A hinged gate counterbalanced by weights, that automatically opens and closes with a change in head. |
| indicator organisms | microorganisms, such as coliforms, whose presence is indicative of pollution or of more harmful microorganism. |
| interstadial | a relatively short and temporary period of warming during a glacial |
| natural reservoir pressure | The pressure within an oil or gas reservoir that forces oil or gas up the well bore when the reservoir is penetrated by drilling. |
| independent variable | (Statistics) A measurable quantity that, as it takes different values, can be used to predict the value of a Dependent Variable |
| kimberlite | A variety of peridotite that is found in volcanic pipes which are thought to be intrusions from the upper mantle |
| circumneutral | Term applied to water with a pH of 5.5 (acidic) to 7.4 (alkaline). |
| spray chamber | A device that removes certain organic compounds from an airstream by condensation |
| flush | (1) To flow suddenly and abundantly, as from containment; flood |
| hub-and-spoke system | A system established by the major airlines routing flights through their hub(s) |
| irrigated area | The area upon which water is artificially applied |
| extrapolate/extrapolation | (Statistics) The continuation, by means of simple estimation or sophisticated analysis, of a trend of time series data beyond its last observed value |
| base level | The level below which a stream cannot effectively erode |
| floodwater retarding structure | A structure providing for temporary storage of floodwater and for its controlled releases. |
| tcd | =Thermal Conductivity Detector, less sensitive than FID, but allows to collect sample |
| fossil fuel | coal, oil and gas |
| ground water velocity | The rate of water movement through openings in rock or sediment |
| glacioeustacy | (1) The condition in which massive ice sheets store considerable quantities of water |
| alternative stable states | Potential existence of markedly different biological communities under the same external environmental conditions. |
| control system | An arrangement of electronic, electrical, and mechanical components that commands or directs the regulation of a canal system. |
| macrophytic algae | Algal plants large enough either as individuals or communities to be readily visible without the aid of optical magnification. |
| biochemical rocks | A sedimentary rock that forms from the chemical activities of organisms |
| coriolis effect | The effect produced by a Coriolis force, namely, the tendency of all particles of matter in motion on the earth's surface to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| depletion | The amount of water that flows into a valley, or onto a particular land area, minus the water that flows out of the valley or off from the particular land area. |
| deflocculate | To cause the particles of the disperse phase of a colloidal system to become suspended in the dispersion medium. |
| biological oxidation | decomposition of complex organic materials by microorganisms |
| alfisols | Soil order (type) of the United States Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Classification System |
| visual resource management | The VRM system is an analytical process that identifies, sets, and meets objectives for maintaining the visual quality of public lands |
| process verification | Verifying that process raw materials, water usage, waste treatment processes, production rate and other facts relative to quantity and quality of pollutants contained in discharges are substantially described in the permit application and the issued permit. |
| evergreen stand | A plant community where Evergreen trees or shrubs represent more than 50 percent of the total areal coverage of trees and shrubs |
| knickpoint | the point where an old profile meets a new profile in a rejuvenating river. |
| probable maximum flood | The largest flood for which there is any reasonable expectancy in a particular climatic era. |
| banking | See Water Banking. |
| river channels | Natural or artificial open conduits which continuously or periodically contain moving water, or which forms a connection between two bodies of water. |
| weathering | The response of materials that were once in equilibrium within the earth's crust to new conditions at or near contact with water, air, or living matter |
| equal discharge increment | A method used in measuring suspended sediment in a stream wherein samples are obtained at the centroids of equal discharge increments |
| multiringed basin | A large crater (more than 300 km in diameter) containing a series of concentric ridges and depressions |
| aquiculture | the raising or fattening of fish in enclosed ponds |
| connate water | water that is trapped in the interstices, or breaks, between adjacent strata of sedimentary rock |
| ice fall | The reaction of glacial snow and ice to subglacial changes in gradient |
| north atlantic drift | the name for the warm ocean current in the North-East Atlantic that originates in the Caribbean as the Gulf Stream. |
| homo | is the highest occupied molecular orbital in a molecule |
| annual flood series | A list of annual floods for a given period of time. |
| sponson | A light air-filled structure or a winglike part protruding from the hull of a seaplane to steady it on water. |
| peak load | The maximum load in a stated period of time |
| diffusion | spread through space over time |
| brownfield site | a site, either derelict or holding very old buildings, which could be redeveloped for new uses. |
| auto-range | A feature on some thermometers that automatically changes the resolution of the display over a specified range. |
| climate | The historical record and description of average daily and in seasonal weather events that help describe a region |
| european central bank | controlling institution of monetary policy for the single European currency -the Euro. |
| low-grade metamorphism | Metamorphism that is accomplished under low or moderate temperature and low or moderate pressure. |
| greenland | cordilleran, laurentide, and _____________ |
| outcrop | Subsurface formations which become exposed at the surface. |
| bwr | Boiling Water Reactor. |
| continental divide | A drainage divide separating the rivers which flow toward opposite sides of a continent. |
| capillary action | A function of hydrogen bonding in the water molecule results in the movement of water into small openings due to the attraction between the liquid and the walls of the opening |
| jurassic | Geologic period that occurred roughly 144 to 208 million years ago |
| hydraulic conductivity | The ability of a porous material to transmit a fluid |
| resource monitoring | The act of continually or periodically observing resources to determine changes and trends in their status and condition. |
| furrow | A long, narrow, shallow trench made in the ground by a plow for planting and irrigation. |
| sheetflow area | Designated Flood Zones AO and AH on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) with a one percent or greater annual chance of flooding to an average depth of one to three feet where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable and where velocity flow may be evident |
| gelifluction | a form of mass movement in which thawed upper soil layers move over permafrost. |
| contract farming | where large agribusinesses, usually food processing companies or supermarket chains, contract farmers to provide them with particular types of produce. |
| indirect discharge | The introduction of pollutants from a non-domestic source into a publicly owned waste-treatment system |
| frazil | A French-Canadian term for the fine spicular ice, derived from the French words for cinders which this variety of ice most resembles |
| acidic | The condition of water or soil that contains a sufficient amount of acid substances to lower the pH below 7.0. |
| flood basalt | An extensive flow of basalt erupted chiefly along fissures |
| point pollution source | See Point Source (PS). |
| xenobiota | Biota displaced from its normal habitat; a chemical foreign to a biological system. |
| ground water recharge area | A location where surface water or precipitation can infiltrate into the ground and replenish the water supply of an aquifer. |
| tarn | A small steep-banked mountain lake or pool, generally formed by a glaciation process. |
| pams | See Polyacrylamides (PAMs). |
| shanty town | an area of informal housing built by its residents on the edge of a city |
| reconnaissance | A preliminary inspection or survey of an area, such as a forest, range, watershed, or wildlife area, to gain general information useful for future management. |
| tidewater glacier | A glacier with a terminus that ends in a body of water influenced by tides, such as the ocean or a large lake |
| meteoric water | Water from the atmosphere, such as rain, snow, hail, or sleet. |
| zone of transport | The area surrounding a pumping well, bounded by an Isochrone and/or isoconcentration contour, through which a contaminant may travel and reach the well. |
| stripping | Methods for the removal of unwanted dissolved gases from water |
| barchan | A sand dune that is crescent-shaped in map view |
| underground storage tank | (Water Quality) (1) Any one or combination of underground tanks and any connecting underground pipes used to contain an accumulation of regulated substances |
| inner-city | the older parts of large urban areas found near to the CBD and containing both residential and industrial landscapes, sometimes integrated |
| palatable water | Water, at a desirable temperature, that is free from objectionable tastes, odors, colors, and turbidity. |
| clayballs | Both small and fairly large chunks of clay rounded by wave action |
| nitrogenous bod | (Water Quality) The amount of molecular oxygen required for the microbial oxidation of ammonia and nitrite contaminants in a specified volume of wastewater |
| dry hydrants | A siphon buried beneath the water line that enables fire crews to draw, or "draft" water from ponds or other bodies of water located nearby |
| placer deposit | A mass of stream sediment that contains an economically significant concentration of mineral particles |
| stratopause | the boundary layer between the stratosphere and the mesosphere at about 50 to 55 kilometers (31 to 34 miles). |
| cubic centimeter | The space occupied by one milliliter of water at 20° C and 1 atm; also a cube one centimeter on each side. |
| acid rain | the acidic rainfall which results when rain combines with sulfur oxides emissions from combustion of fossil fuels. |
| in-channel use | See Instream Use. |
| import controls | measures imposed by governments to restrict the import of particular goods or goods from a particular country |
| kettle pond | pond formed when an iceberg is left in the ground and melts |
| turbidite | A vertical sequence of sediments deposited by a turbidity current |
| cross-sectional analysis | (Statistics) Observations or characteristics of a variable analyzed without respect to variations due to time |
| bajada | The surface of a system of coalesced alluvial fans. |
| bench land | A general term describing porous and coarse-textured (sandy-gravelly) well-drained soils, overlying a deep water table (if occurring), that exhibits relatively low water holding capacity and rapid infiltration of irrigation water. |
| density stratification | The arrangement of water masses into separate, distinct horizontal layers as a result of differences in density |
| horizon | two uses: |
| isochrone | Plotted line graphically connecting all points having the same time of travel for contaminants to move through the saturated zone and reach a well. |
| gulf stream | a warm ocean current that originates in the Caribbean and flows north-east across the Atlantic where it becomes the North Atlantic Drift and is responsible for the mildness of the climate in the UK and Ireland. |
| temperature regulation | The processes through which an organism's temperature is adjusted to certain metabolic requirements or conditions in its environment |
| water privilege | The right to use water especially as a source of mechanical power. |
| cleavage | the line of weakness in a rock along which it will break when put under stress. |
| warm front | the front edge of a body of warm air where it meets and rises above a body of colder air. |
| saprophyte | an organism which lives off other dead or dying organisms. |
| upflow | an upward flow. |
| bathythermograph | A device used to obtain a record of temperature against depth (pressure) in the ocean |
| succulent | a plant that has adapted to drought conditions by being able to store water in its stem or leaves. |
| millpond | A pond created by damming a stream to produce a head of water for operating a mill. |
| dilution ratio | (Water Quality) The ratio of the volume of water in a stream to the volume of incoming waste |
| early seral condition | Synonymous with poor ecological conditions. |
| talus | An accumulation of angular rock debris at the base of a cliff or steep slope that was produced by physical weathering. |
| dilute | To make thinner or less concentrated by adding a liquid such as water. |
| hamada | flat, exposed bedrock in an arid area. |
| air pollution | The soiling of the atmosphere by contaminants to the point that may cause injury to health, property, plant, or animal life, or prevent the use and enjoyment of the outdoors. |
| bioassay | A method for quantitatively determining the concentration of a substance by its effects on the growth of a suitable animal, plant, or microorganism under controlled conditions. |
| cone of depression | A conical depression of the water table surrounding a well after heavy pumping. |
| aquatic plant management | Steps taken to evaluate, establish a management plan, and do something to change the amount and types of aquatic plants in a lake. |
| silica | most common mineral component of rock. |
| diorite | A phaneritic intrusive igneous rock consisting mostly of intermediate plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene, with some amphibole and biotite. |
| sea breeze | a wind blowing from the sea to the land. |
| terminal velocity | For a particle falling in a nonturbulent fluid (liquid or gas), the maximum possible velocity reached when the drag, or frictional resistance, on the particle equals the gravitational force on the particle |
| ice cap | mass of ice that covers less that 50,000 square km |
| sinkhole | A depression formed by the collapse of a cavern roof. |
| deice | To make or keep free of ice; melt ice from. |
| mesotrophic | reservoirs and lakes that contain moderate quantities of nutrients and are moderately productive in terms of aquatic animal and plant life. |
| hydrobiology | The biological study of bodies of water, especially studies by Limnology Hydrobiologist. |
| soil thin-layer chromatography | A method used to estimate the potential for leaching a chemical from soil by measuring the mobility of the chemical in soil under controlled conditions. |
| ice sheet | a large area of ice, usually over 50000km2 |
| allogenic succession | A succession caused by a change in environmental conditions that is unrelated to the activities of the developing plant community. |
| summation layer amount | The amount of sky cover for each layer is given in eighths of sky cover attributable to clouds or obscurations |
| high-yield variety | grain crop which has been selectively bred to produce seeds which produce far more than otherwise. |
| chert | A sedimentary rock composed of granular cryptocrystalline silica. |
| swamp | Low, wet land on which grass and trees grow. |
| shale | A fine-grained clastic sedimentary rock formed by consolidation of clay and mud. |
| pyroclastic rock | A rock formed when small particles of magma are blown from the vent of a volcano by escaping gas. |
| clear well | A reservoir containing potable water which has been previously treated before entering the distribution lines. |
| volatile | 1 Capable of being readily vaporized |
| specific humidity | the mass of water vapor per unit mass of air, including the water vapor (usually expressed as grams of water vapor per kilogram of air). |
| rockfall | The most rapid type of mass movement, in which rocks ranging from large masses to small fragments are loosened from the face of a cliff. |
| debris slide | A type of landslide in which comparatively dry rock fragments and soil move downslope at speeds ranging from slow to fast |
| fermentation layer | the lower layer of the litter where decomposition is in progress. |
| life expectancy | average number of years that individuals are expected to live depending on where and when they are born and spend their lives |
| limited water-soluble substances | (Water Quality) Water pollution chemicals that are soluble in water at less than one milligram of substance per liter of water. |
| erosion | the degradation and removal of rock material by an agent (water, wind or ice) |
| mean annual flood | The average of all the annual flood stages or discharges of record |
| dri [nevada] | See Desert Research Institute (DRI) [Nevada]. |
| drinking water | A term used synonymously with Potable Water, and refers to water that meets federal drinking water standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act [SDWA] (Public Law 93-523) as well as state and local water quality standards and is considered safe for human consumption |
| geological survey | A systematic examination of an area to determine the character, relations, distribution and origin or mode of formation, of its rock masses and other natural resources. |
| non-transient non-community water system | A public water system that regularly serves at least 25 of the same non-resident persons per day for more than six months per year. |
| irregularly flooded | A water regime in wetland classification in which tidal water alternately floods and exposes the land surface less often than daily. |
| catastrophism | the belief that landscape is the result of sudden, catastrophic events, rather than slow, day-to-day processes |
| patterned ground | in periglacial areas, the appearance of lines and polygonal layouts of stones on the surface produced by the sorting of different sizes of material during the expansion and contraction of the soil with diurnal temperature variation. |
| hanging | Perched on a steep mountain side, or in some cases issuing from a steep hanging valley. |
| superheating | the process at which a liquid is heated above its boiling point without vaporization |
| longshore current | A current in the surf zone moving parallel to the shore |
| tidal wave | A term that is incorrectly used in reference to a tsunami |
| distribution system | (Irrigation) (1) System of ditches and their appurtenances which convey irrigation water from the main canal to the farm units; diverse water from the main canal-side turnout to individual water users or to other smaller distribution systems |
| conurbation | large, effectively continuous urban area produced as urban sprawl leads formerly separate settlements to coalesce. |
| melting | The changing of a solid into a liquid as in changing ice to water. |
| critical low-flow | Low flow conditions below which some standards (Criteria) do not apply |
| stratified drift | Sediments laid down by glacial meltwater show unconfined sorting. |
| snag | fallen trees and dead branches in the river channel. |
| barren zone | An area of fresh, vegetation-free bedrock around the margin of a retreating glacier that documents the recent loss of ice. |
| incidental waste water reclamation | Treated waste water returned to fresh-water streams or other water bodies |
| vapor plumes | Flue gases visible because they contain water droplets. |
| ground water overdraft | The condition of a ground water basin in which the amount of water withdrawn by pumping exceeds the amount of water that recharges the basin over a period of years during which water supply conditions approximate average |
| depuration | A process during which an organism, such as an oyster or clam, eliminates dangerous chemicals or microorganisms when placed in uncontaminated water. |
| ice shelf | A large flat-topped sheet of ice that is attached to land along one side and floats in an ocean or lake |
| solvent | Substances (usually liquid) capable of dissolving or dispersing one or more other substances. |
| ground water storage capacity | The space or voids contained in a given volume of soil and rock deposits |
| bi-polar test | the provision of two opposite views between which strength of feeling can be measured e.g |
| interdependence | the connections between different components of systems or between separate systems which mean that changes in one will necessarily cause changes in another. |
| capillary phenomena | A phenomenon of water movement caused by Capillarity. |
| mudflow | a fairly rapid mass movement usually occurring after heavy rainfall. |
| esker | A long winding ridge of sorted sands and gravel |
| sheeting | A set of joints formed essentially parallel to the surface |
| diversion dam | A barrier built to divert part or all of the water from a stream into a different course |
| bastion | A large or massive rock outcrop which projects forward from a valley wall or icefield. |
| vocs | See Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs). |
| acid lava | lavas containing high percentage of silica |
| tephra | see pyroclastic cloud. |
| bathe | (1) To take a bath or go into the water for swimming or other recreation |
| specific storage | The volume of water removed or added within the unit volume of an aquifer per unit change in head. |
| evaporation opportunity | The ratio of the rate of evaporation from a land or water surface in contact with the atmosphere, to the Evaporativity under existing atmospheric conditions |
| interflow | (1) That movement of water of a given density in a reservoir or lake between layers of water of different density, usually caused by the inflow of water either at a different temperature, or with different silt or salt contents |
| low | (1) Situated below the surrounding surfaces as in water standing in low spots |
| pressure head | The relative pressure (excess over atmospheric pressure) divided by the unit weight of water; expressed in units of height. |
| impermeability | Characteristic of geologic materials that limit their ability to transmit significant quantities of water under the pressure differences normally found in the subsurface environment. |
| glacier terminus | the lowest end of a glacier; also called glacier snout or toe. |
| recharge well | Used in conjunction with artificial or induced ground water recharge techniques, the recharge well works directly opposite of pumping wells to induce surface water into the ground water system |
| c horizon | The zone of soil consisting of partly decomposed bedrock underlying the B horizon |
| amprometric titration | a way of measuring concentrations of certain substances in water using the electric current that flows during a chemical reaction. |
| weeping | Dropping rain as in weeping clouds. |
| cirrostratus | A cirriform cloud that develops from cirrus spreading out into a thin layer, creating a flat sheetlike appearance |
| surge | The increase in sea water height from the level that would normally occur were there no storm |
| velocimeter | A device for measuring the speed of sound in water. |
| tacking | The binding of Mulch fibers by mixing them with an adhesive chemical compound during land Restoration projects. |
| gross reservoir capacity | The total amount of storage capacity available in a reservoir for all purposes, from the streambed to the normal maximum operating level |
| streambed | The channel through which a natural stream of water runs or used to run, as a dry streambed. |
| ablation moraine | An irregular-shaped layer or pile of glacier sediment formed by the melting of a block of stagnant ice |
| absorber | A material capable of taking in a substance, such as oil, as a sponge takes up water. |
| gathering system | A network of small pipelines that connect producing wells to the main transmission system. |
| seismic discontinuity | A surface separating rocks that transmit seismic waves at different velocities. |
| aeration zone | The zone between the land surface and the water table which characteristically contains liquid water under less than atmospheric pressure and water vapor and air or other gases at atmospheric pressure |
| encroachment | Any physical object placed in the floodplain that hinders the passage of water or otherwise affects flood flows, such as fill, excavation, storage of equipment and materials, or buildings. |
| subaqueous | Existing, formed, or taking place in or under water. |
| model | A simulation, by descriptive, statistical, or other means, of a process or project that is difficult or impossible to observe directly. |
| sole-source aquifer | an aquifer that supplies 50 percent or more of the drinking water of an area. |
| process water | Any water that comes in contact with a new material or product |
| osmoregulation | The adjustment in the osmotic concentration of solutes in body fluids to environmental conditions, for example, when salmon migrate from salt to freshwater. |
| nitrogen | A colorless, tasteless, odorless gas that is the most abundant constituent of dry air |
| acid mine drainage | Acidic water that flows into streams from abandoned mines or piles of mining waste or tailings |
| chattermarks | striations or marks left on the surface of exposed bedrock caused by the advance and retreat of glacier ice. |
| remediation | (Environmental) Cleanup or other methods used to remove or contain a toxic spill or hazardous materials from a Superfund site. |
| interstadial | (Geology) Long intervals of Desiccation occurring between Pluvial episodes. |
| nimby | acronym from 'not in my back yard' applied to people who may agree to the idea of a development that is, on balance, of high social value, but who don't want the development in their own area because of the possible negative consequences that go with it |
| reimbursable costs | Those costs associated with a water project that are expected to be recovered, usually from direct beneficiaries, and repaid to the funding entity |
| ammonification | The transformation of organic nitrogen to ammonia, generally by means of bacterial activity. |
| nonrenewable resources | Natural resources that do not naturally replenish themselves within the limits of human time |
| wind deposition | the return of wind-borne particles to the surface. |
| ceam | Center for Exposure Assessment Modeling. |
| subsequent stream | a tributary created by headward erosion. |
| total carbon | (Water Quality) A measure of the amount of carbon-containing compounds in water |
| barotropy | The state of a fluid in which surfaces of constant density or temperature are coincident with surfaces of constant pressure |
| clay | Sedimentary material composed of fragments with a diameter of less than 1/256 mm |
| aquatic ecosystem | The basic unit of aquatic organisms and nonliving environment they live in. |
| third world | see economically less developed countries. |
| soil conditioner | An organic material like humus or compost that helps soil absorb water, build a bacterial community, and take up mineral nutrients. |
| richter scale | a measure of the total amount of energy released during an earthquake |
| normal | A central value (such as an arithmetic average or median) of annual quantities for a 30-year period ending with the first year of a decade, e.g., 1931-1960, 1961-1990. |
| turbidimeter | a device that measures the cloudiness of suspended solids in a liquid; a measure of the quantity of suspended solids. |
| open drains | Open channels or large ditches spaced throughout an irrigation project to collect surface and subsurface drainage from adjacent farm land. |
| national monument | An area owned by the federal government and administered by the National Park Service, U.S |
| hydrosphere | region that includes all the earth's liquid water, frozen water, floating ice, frozen upper layer of soil, and the small amounts of water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere. |
| biofouling | The gradual accumulation of waterborne organisms (as bacteria and protozoa) on the surfaces of engineering structures in water that contributes to corrosion of the structures and to a decrease in the efficiency of moving parts. |
| mackerel sky | The name given to cirrocumulus clouds with small vertical extent and composed of ice crystals |
| irrigation water | Water diverted or pumped for irrigation of crops or pasture |
| imhoff cone | A clear, cone-shaped container used to measure the volume of settleable solids in a specific volume of water. |
| liquid | a state of matter, neither gas nor solid, that flows and takes the shape of its container. |
| freshwater marsh | A Circumneutral Ecosystem of more or less continuously water-logged soil dominated by emersed herbaceous plants, but without a surface accumulation of peat. |
| wetted perimeter | The length of the wetted contact between a stream of flowing water and its containing conduit or channel, measured in a plane at right angles to the direction of flow. |
| river | an overland flow of water which forms a vital link in the hydrological cycle. |
| outlet glaciers | Valley glaciers which permit ice to move from accumulation areas through mountainous terrain to the sea. |
| development | use of resources, natural and human, to achieve higher standards of living |
| standards | Norms that impose limits on the amount of pollutants or emissions produced by an activity |
| return flow | Irrigation water applied to an area which is not consumed in evaporation or transpiration and returns to a surface stream or ground water aquifer. |
| hypolimnetic discharge | The process of removing nutrient-rich, oxygen-deficient water from the bottom of a lake or reservoir to improve water quality conditions. |
| fanglomerate | Heterogeneous materials that were originally deposited in an Alluvial Fan but since deposition have been cemented into solid rock. |
| amphibole | An important rockforming mineral group of ferromagnesian silicates |
| bank revetment | Erosion‑resistant materials placed directly on a streambank to protect the bank from erosion. |
| calcium chloride | A white deliquescent compound, CaCl2, used chiefly as a drying agent, refrigerant, and preservative and for controlling dust and ice on roads. |
| ·ice-cored moraine | A moraine ridge consisting of a drape of sediment overlying a mass of stagnant ice. |
| thiokol | A trademark used for any of various polysulfide polymers in the form of liquids, water dispersions, and rubbers used in seals and sealants. |
| land spreading | The disposal of solid effluents derived from wastewater treatment facilities on the surface of the ground for dilution or dispersal. |
| asymmetric fold | A fold (anticline or syncline) in which one limb dips more steeply than the other. |
| neap tide | A daily tidal range of minimal amplitude that occurs when the moon and sun are positioned at 90 degrees to one another |
| depletion curve | in hydraulics, a graphical representation of water depletion from storage stream channels, surface soil, and groundwater |
| topset beds | layers of sediment at the landward side of a delta. |
| subsidence | A sinking of a large area of the earth's crust |
| producer | two types: in human geography, a company making physical goods from raw materials. physical geography, see autotroph. |
| snow management | The management of snow in such a way as to increase moisture for crop production |
| snow quality | The ratio of the weight of the ice within a snowpack to the total weight of the snowpack, usually expressed as a percentage. |
| dominant discharge | (A) Discharge of water which is of sufficient magnitude and frequency to have a dominating effect in determining the characteristics and size of the stream course, channel, and bed; (B) discharge which determines the principal dimensions and characteristics of a natural channel |
| plateau | An extensive upland region. |
| groin | A small jetty extending from a shore to protect a beach against erosion or to trap shifting sands. |
| oxidation-reduction potential | The electric potential required to transfer electrons from one compound or element (the Oxidant) to another compound (the Reductant); used as a qualitative measure of the state of oxidation in water treatment systems. |
| capillary forces | forces that cause ground water to rise above the surface of the saturated zone into the spaces between soil particles in the unsaturated zone. |
| interference | A change in the water level of one well caused by the pumping at another well |
| pluvial lake | A lake formed during a pluvial (rainy) period. |
| curb stop | A water service shutoff valve located in a water service pipe near the curb and between the water main and the building. |
| prisere | the stages that make up a primary succession. |
| d-value | The deviation of actual altitude along a constant pressure surface from the standard atmosphere altitude of that surface. |
| volcanic ash | Dust-size particles ejected from a volcano. |
| volcanic rock aquifer | An aquifer composed of rock that originated from a volcano, such as basalt |
| wildlife refuge | An area designated for the protection of wild animals, within which hunting and fishing are either prohibited or strictly controlled. |
| venturi scrubbers | Air pollution control devices that use water to remove particulate matter from emissions. |
| schistosity | The type of foliation that characterizes schist, resulting from the parallel arrangement of coarse-grained platy minerals, such as mica, chlorite, and talc. |
| normalized demand | The process of adjusting actual water use in a given year to account for unusual events such as dry weather conditions, government interventions for agriculture, rationing programs, or other anomalies. |
| surface wind | wind blowing near the earth's surface; it is measured, by convention, at a height of 10 meters (33 feet) above ground in an area where the distance between the anemometer and any obstruction is at least 10 times the height of the obstruction. |
| sierra valley decree [california-nevada] | Adjudication (1958) allowing the Sierra Valley Water Company to divert a portion of the Little Truckee River in California into Webber Creek for irrigation purposes in the Sierra Valley in the Feather River Basin |
| wall cloud | An abrupt lowering of a cloud from its parent cloud base, a cumulonimbus or supercell, with no visible precipitation underneath |
| mulching | The use of plant residues or other suitable materials on the soil surface, primarily to reduce evaporation of water and erosion of soil. |
| halo | A circular band of colored light around a light source, as around the sun or moon, caused by the refraction and reflection of light by ice particles suspended in the intervening atmosphere |
| snow level | The elevation in mountainous terrain where the precipitation changes from rain to snow, depending on the temperature structure of the associated air mass. |
| unconformity | A buried erosion surface separating two rock masses. |
| fluoride | A binary compound of Fluorine with another element; gaseous, solid, or dissolved compounds containing fluorine that result from industrial processes |
| test hole | (Hydraulics) A well hole drilled for experimental or exploratory purposes. |
| hypersaline | lit |
| fog | Condensed water vapor in cloud-like masses lying close to the ground. |
| unconsolidated deposits | Sediment not cemented together; may consist of sand, silt, clay, and organic material. |
| dissolved load | those minerals that have been taken into solution and are carried along by a river. |
| commuter village | a village near to an urban area where former residents of the urban area have moved to while retaining their original jobs |
| biochemical oxygen demand | (1) A measure of the amount of oxygen removed from aquatic environments by aerobic micro-organisms for their metabolic requirements |
| cold air funnel | Funnel clouds, usually short-lived, that develop from relatively small showers or thunderstorms when the air aloft is very in cold |
| nomad | a person without a permanent home who moves from place to place throughout the year seeking subsistence |
| navigational water use | Water utilized as a means of commercial (and sometimes recreational) transportation |
| zeta potential | (Water Quality) In a Colloidal system, the difference in potential between the immovable layer attached to the surface of the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium |
| diffluence | the breakaway from a large glacier of a smaller, secondary flow of ice which then crosses a drainage divide |
| puddle | a small pool of water, usually a few inches in depth and from several inches to several feet in its greatest dimension. |
| anthracite | The highest rank of coal |
| windward | The direction from which the wind is blowing |
| landfall | The point at which a tropical cyclone's eye first crosses a land mass. |
| ground water system | All the components of subsurface materials that relate to water, including Aquifers (confined and unconfined), Zones of Saturation, and Water Tables. |
| unhcr | the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |
| overfish | (1) To fish (a body of water) to such a degree as to upset the ecological balance or cause depletion of living creatures |
| demersal | (1) Dwelling at or near the bottom of a body of water, such as demersal fish |
| cusps | small hollows on beach fronts, a few metres across, which look like mini bays within the beach itself. |
| supercritical water | a type of thermal treatment using moderate temperatures and high pressures to enhance the ability of water to break down large organic molecules into smaller, less toxic ones |
| affluent | A tributary or feeder stream |
| scarp | A cliff produced by faulting or erosion. |
| california doctrine | A system of allocating water, first announced in California, which combines Riparian Rights and Appropriative Rights |
| moisture | Refers to the water vapor content in the atmosphere, or the total water, liquid, solid or vapor, in a given volume of air. |
| redd | A type of fish spawning area associated with flowing water and clean gravel |
| cirque glacier | A small glacier that forms within a cirque basin, generally high on the side of a mountain. |
| convection current | A closed system in which material is transported as a result of thermal convection |
| coupon test | A method of determining the rate of corrosion or scale formation by placing metal strips (or coupons) of a known weight in the pipe. |
| glaze | Homogeneous, transparent ice layers which are built up, either from supercooled rain or drizzle, or from rain or drizzle, when the surfaces on which it forms are at temperatures of 32°F (0°C) or lower |
| drainage basin | the area from which a river channel receives water. |
| endogenetic | all factors and processes internal to the Earth. |
| ice-out | The thawing of ice on the surface of a body of water, such as a lake. |
| regolith | rock material that has been weathered from the original bedrock |
| vertical exaggeration | In making sketches of landscapes and cross-sections, the vertical dimension is frequently exaggerated to show detail |
| filter strip | A strip or area of vegetation used for removing sediment, organic matter, and other pollutants from runoff and waste water. |
| national estuary program | a program established under the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1987 to conserve and manage estuaries, restore and maintain their chemical, physical, and biological integrity, and control point and nonpoint pollution sources. |
| lateral moraine | An accumulation of till along the sides of a valley glacier that is produced by ice action. |
| distributary channel | A river branch that flows away from a main stream and does not rejoin it |
| mesozoic | The era of geologic time from the end of the Paleozoic era (225 million years ago) to the beginning of the Cenozoic era (65 million years ago). |
| allocthonous detritus | Particulate matter originating outside, and carried into the lake. |
| erosion | The movement of soil or rock from one area to another by the action of the sea, running water, moving ice, precipitation, or wind. |
| talik | unfrozen ground in an area of permafrost. |
| equator | The equator is an imaginary circle around the earth, halfway between the north and south poles. |
| pediment | (Geology) A broad, gently sloping rock surface at the base of a steeper slope, often covered with alluvium, formed primarily by erosion. |
| centralized headquarters | Control of a canal project from a central location generally by a master station, communications network, and one or more remote terminal units (RTUs). |
| emergent mosses | Mosses occurring in wetlands, but generally not covered by water. |
| channel inflow | Water which at any instant is flowing into the channel system from surface flow, subsurface flow, base flow, and rainfall directly on the channel. |
| osmotic potential | The work per unit quantity of pure water that has to be done to overcome the effect of ions in the soil solutions |
| recharge boundary | An aquifer system boundary that adds water to the aquifer |
| buoy | (Nautical) A float, often having a bell or light, moored in water as a warning of danger or as a marker for a channel |
| sustainable management | method of exploiting a resource that can be carried on indefinitely |
| depression storage | Water contained in natural depressions in the land surface, such as puddles. |
| epidemiology | The study of the incidence, transmission, distribution, and control of infectious disease (including waterborne disease) in large populations. |
| dam | a structure of earth, rock, or concrete designed to form a basin and hold water back to make a pond, lake, or reservoir. |
| montane | A forest Ecosystem or Biome in mountainous areas of the tropics |
| worked over well | A previously drilled hole that is reentered and treated to improve or initiate a flow of oil and or natural gas, without drilling additional footage. |
| observation well | A well used to monitor changes in water levels of an aquifer and to obtain samples for water quality analyses |
| mineral resource | Known mineral deposits of an area which have present or future utility. |
| os3 | A narrow ridge of gravelly or sandy glacial outwash material deposited by a stream in an ice tunnel within a glacier |
| rtd | Resistance Thermometer Detection probes use variance in resistance (typically in platinum) to calculate temperaturesâknown for high accuracy over a wide range of temperatures and low driftâtypical in high-precision applications like calibration. |
| stratovolcano | A volcanic cone made up of alternating layers of lava flows and pyroclastics |
| measurement uncertainty | The estimated amount by which the measured quantity may depart from the true value. |
| adhesion | the molecular attraction asserted between the surfaces of bodies in contact |
| flood plain | The flat, occasionally flooded area bordering a stream. |
| fetch | Distance over which wave-forming winds blow. |
| geosyncline | A subsiding part of the lithosphere in which thousands of meters of sediment accumulate |
| hydrogeological cycle | The natural process recycling water from the atmosphere down to (and through) the earth and back to the atmosphere again |
| halite | An evaporite mineral composed of sodium chloride (NaCl). |
| mean free path | The average distance that a molecule in a fluid (air or water) moves before colliding with another molecule. |
| streambed erosion | The movement of material, causing a lowering or widening of a stream at a given point or along a given reach. |
| load | The total amount of sediment being carried by a stream or a glacier |
| confining bed | A body of "impermeable" material stratigraphically adjacent to one or more aquifers |
| aquifer | a permeable rock which stores and transfers water |
| other water use | Water used for such purposes as heating, cooling, irrigation (public-supplied only), lake augmentation, and other nonspecific uses |
| publicly-owned treatment works | Facilities for the treatment of domestic sewage that are owned and operated by a public body, usually a municipal government, a state, or Indian tribe. |
| confluent growth | (Water Quality) A continuous bacterial growth covering all or part of the filtration area of a membrane filter in which the bacteria colonies are not discrete |
| flow augmentation | the addition of water to meet flow needs. |
| assignment of water | The transfer of a water right application or permit from one person to another |
| cold advection | The horizontal movement of colder air into a location |
| vesicle | A small hole formed in a volcanic rock by a gas bubble that became trapped as the lava solidified. |
| loess | Unconsolidated, deposited silt and dust. |
| biomaster | An anti-microbial additive to the plastic housing of some ThermoWorks products containing silver ions shown to actively inhibit bacterial growth up to 99.9% over the life of the instrument |
| pressure melting point | under a glacier, the pressure brought to bear by the mass of ice above can lower the freezing/meting point of water. |
| forage fish | Small fish which breed prolifically and serve as food for predatory fish. |
| epicentre | the point on the surface directly above the focus of an earthquake. |
| bed load | Sediment that is transported in a stream by rolling, sliding, or skipping along the bed or very close to it; considered to be within the bed layer (contact load). |
| photosphere | The intensely bright portion of the sun visible to the unaided eye; the "surface" of the sun |
| volcanic dome | A steep-sided extrusion of very viscous lava that is squeezed from a volcanic vent without major eruption |
| pegmatite | A very coarse grained igneous rock, normally of granitic composition |
| transnational corporation | one which operates in more than one country |
| petroleum derivatives | Chemicals formed when gasoline breaks down in contact with ground water. |
| anvil clouds | rapidly rising column of air in a convectional thunderstorm will soon reach the tropopause and be forced to spread in its upper portion to form an anvil shape. |
| reef | A strip or ridge of rocks, sand, or coral that rises to, or near the surface of a body of water. |
| wholesale | the buying of goods in bulk from manufacturers or suppliers, either to be sold on in bulk or to reduce unit costs for retail. |
| gram | In metric units the weight of one cubic centimeter of water at 20° Celsius and 1 atm. |
| tsunami | a large wave, or series of waves, caused when an earthquake causes massive undersea crust movements and/or collapses which displace the water above. |
| natural levee | Low ridge that slopes gently away from the channel banks that is formed along streambanks during floods by deposition. |
| anticyclone | area of increased atmospheric pressure relative to surrounding pressure field in the atmosphere; outlined by closed isobars on a synoptic surface chart, and by closed contours on a constant-pressure chart; used interchangeably with high.. |
| metamorphic rock | Any rock formed from preexisting rocks within the earth's crust by changes in temperature and pressure and by chemical action of fluids. |
| base flow | Water that seeps into a stream through a permeable rock or sediment unit that outcrops in the bottom or banks of the stream. |
| profiler | A type of Doppler radar that typically measures both wind speed and direction from the surface to 55,000 feet in the atmosphere. |
| creep | The imperceptibly slow downslope movement of material. |
| wave height | The vertical distance between a wave crest and the preceding trough. |
| dispersion | The spreading and mixing of chemical constituents in both surface and ground waters caused by diffusion and mixing due to microscopic variations in densities and velocities. |
| chalk | a porous, sedimentary rock formed mostly from the skeletal remains of marine organisms |
| bactericidal | Able to kill bacteria. |
| per-capita water use | The water produced by or introduced into the system of a water supplier divided by the total residential population; normally expressed in gallons per-capita per day (gpcd). |
| greenland high | the anticyclone that appears to overlie Greenland; analogous to the antarctic anticyclone. |
| concretion | A spherical or ellipsoidal nodule formed byaccumulation of mineral matter after deposition of sediment. |
| self-purification | The ability of a body of water to rid itself of pollutants |
| snow | precipitation in the form of branched hexagonal crystals, often mixed with simple ice crystals, which fall more or less continuously from a solid cloud sheet |
| dirty ice | ice that contains sediments stirred up and tangled in the ice as it grows. |
| montane freshwater lakes | Circumneutral lakes found in cool, upland habitats below the timer line. |
| aerobic treatment | process by which microbes decompose complex organic compounds in the presence of oxygen and use the liberated energy for reproduction and growth |
| downwarp | A downward bend or subsidence of a part of the earth's crust. |
| rotation | The spinning of a body, such as the earth, about its axis. |
| fringing reef | A coral reef attached directly to the mainland. |
| plunging fold | A fold with its axis inclined from the horizontal. |
| yield | The quantity of water, coal, gold or other resource that can be produced from a deposit. |
| anaerobic | Characterizing organisms able to live and grow only where there is no air or free oxygen, and conditions that exist only in the absence of air or free oxygen. |
| resolution | The smallest detectable increment of measurement on an instrument |
| black ice | A thin, nearly invisible coating of ice, as on the surface of a road or sidewalk, that is usually caused by freezing mist and is extremely hazardous. |
| infiltration | The movement of water into soil or porous rock |
| canopy | The overhanging cover formed by leaves, needles, and branches of vegetation. |
| normal fault | (Geology) A Fault in which the hanging wall appears to have moved downward relative to the footwall. |
| glacial uplift | the isostatic recovery of land after ice has been removed. |
| angular unconformity | An erosional surface that separates rock units of differing dips |
| concrete | A mixture of water, cement, sand, and pebbles |
| signing bonus | Money paid to a mineral rights owner in exchange for granting a lease |
| lateral moraine | An accumulation of till deposited along the side margins of a valley glacier |
| compliance schedule | (Water Quality) A negotiated agreement between a pollution source and a government agency that specifies dates and procedures by which a source will reduce emissions and, thereby, comply with a regulation. |
| solute | Any material which is dissolved in another, such as salt dissolved in water. |
| point of diversion | The point from which water is diverted from a source. |
| lag deposit | A residual accumulation of coarse fragments that remain on the surface after finer material has been removed by wind. |
| surge | (1) To move in a billowing or swelling manner in or as if in waves |
| lake | A considerable body of inland water or an expanded part of a river. |
| water application efficiency | The ratio of the volume of water stored in the root zone of a soil during irrigation to the volume of water applied. |
| "lasagna" process | (Environmental) A cleanup technique involving the use of an electrical current to treat subsurface hazardous waste |
| fetch | distance wind has travelled over open water to create waves. |
| self-supplied water | Water for industrial use, supplied from sources other than municipal distribution systems. |
| jet | A forceful stream of fluid (as water or gas) discharged from a narrow opening or a nozzle. |
| kame | A conical hill or short irregular ridge of gravel or sand deposited in contact with glacial ice. |
| drainage lateral | A side ditch or conduit which contributes water to a drainage main. |
| venturi | A short tube with a constricted throat used to determine fluid pressures and velocities by measurement of differential pressures generated at the throat as a fluid traverses the tube. |
| juvenile water | Water brought to the surface or added to underground supplies from magma. |
| detrital | (Geology) Clastic; rock and minerals occurring in sedimentary rocks that were derived from pre-existing igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rocks. |
| slack water | (1) The period at high or low tide when there is no visible flow of water |
| hydrosphere | the earth water habitats: oceans & seas, lakes & rivers, ice and underground water. |
| mound system | A septic tank effluent disposal system in which a mound of soil is built up and effluent distributed in the mound abut 3.3 feet (1 meter) above the normal soil surface. |
| collector well | A well located near a surface water supply used to lower the water table and thereby induce infiltration of surface water through the bed of the water body to the well. |
| colonizer plants | the first plants to establish themselves in a virgin environment as the pioneer community. |
| cutwater | (1) (Nautical) The forward part of a ship's prow |
| seamount | an undersea volcano in a shield area. |
| pennsylvanian | a period of geologic time lasing from 320m to 286m years ago. |
| bifurcate | Dividing structure which splits the flow of water. |
| coolant | An agent, such as water, that produces cooling as by drawing off heat by circulating through an engine or by bathing a mechanical part. |
| dependent variable | one which is directly affected by another e.g |
| hydrology | The science of Earth's water, its movement, abundance, chemistry and distribution on, above and below Earth's surface. |
| psychrometer | An instrument used to measure water vapor content of the atmosphere |
| hard water | water containing a high level of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals |
| berg | A mass of floating or stationary ice; and Iceberg. |
| compost | A mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter, used for fertilizing and conditioning land. |
| transparent | A condition where a material is clear enough not to block the passage of radiant energy, especially light. |
| standard | A pre-mixed solution with a known amount of material to be tested; can be used for calibration of equipment, but also to check monitoring accuracy of tests and procedures. |
| alien species | Species that is not naturally found in a region. |
| aleution low | the low pressure center located near the Aleutian Islands on mean charts of sea level pressure during the winter; it represents one of the main centers of action in the atmospheric circulation of the northern hemisphere. |
| hydrologic study approach | The study of a project's water distribution based upon a hydrological balance, where inflow (diversion into project) is balanced with outflow (precautionary drawdowns, crop consumptive use, deep seepage, surface return flows, and undefined "losses"). |
| wave-cut notch | the undercut portion of a cliff where the base has been eroded by wave action. |
| hail | Precipitation which forms into balls or lumps of ice over 0.2 inch (5.08 mm) in diameter |
| asperse | To sprinkle, especially with holy water. |
| magma ocean | A global-scale ocean of magma, according to some calculations several hundred kilometers deep, thought to have existed during the final stages of accretion as the Earth was forming. |
| electrolyte | (1) (Chemistry) Any compound that dissociates into ions when dissolved in water |
| block faulting | A type of normal faulting in which segments of the crust are broken and displaced to different elevations and orientations. |
| isotherm | a line of equal or constant temperature. |
| destructive wave | a steep, high frequency wave which causes a net loss of material from the beach as the backwash is stronger than the swash. |
| basalt | A dark colored, aphanitic (fine-grained) igneous rock composed of plagioclase (over 50%) and pyroxene |
| water requirement | The total quantity of water, regardless of its source, required for a specified use under a predetermined or prescribed situation. |
| zooplankton | tiny aquatic animals eaten by fish. |
| bed load | Material in movement along a stream bottom, or, if wind is the moving agent, along the surface |
| ice patrol ship | a research ship which performs ice surveys in polar regions. |
| megalopolis | vast expanse of essentially continuous built-up area created by merging urban centres |
| heat balance | The equilibrium which exists on the average between the radiation received by the earth and atmosphere from the sun and that emitted by the earth and atmosphere |
| indra | (Hinduism) A principal Vedic deity associated with rain and thunder. |
| liquefied natural gas | Natural gas that has been converted to the liquid state by reducing its temperature |
| disinfectant | A chemical or physical process that kills pathogenic organisms in water |
| floodplain | land next to a river that becomes covered by water when the river overflows its banks . |
| snow fence | A fence of slat and wire or other material used in winter to intercept drifting snow, thus protecting roads, railways, and other areas from snowdrifts |
| cavitation | (1) A process of erosion in a stream channel caused by sudden collapse of vapor bubbles against the channel wall |
| sluice gate | A gate which can be raised or lowered by sliding in vertical guides. |
| oceanic crust | The outer layer of the Earth surface that lies beneath the oceans |
| ebb | (1) Ebb Tide |
| till | unsorted sediment deposited by a glacier on land |
| rheotaxis | Movement of an organism in response to a current of water or air. |
| downgradient well | One or more monitoring wells placed to sample groundwater that has passed beneath a facility with the potential to release chemical contaminants into the ground |
| heat flux | the amount of heat transferred across a surface of unit area in a unit time. |
| coi | Cone of Influence. |
| free-flowing | Flowing without artificial restrictions. |
| opec | see Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries. |
| aerobic | (1) Presence of molecular oxygen. |
| land reclamation | the improving or recovering or even creation of land for human use |
| arctic | (from Greek arktikos which means northern) northern polar region of the earth which includes almost the whole area of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent areas of Eurasian and North American continents. |
| riparian habitat | Areas adjacent to rivers and streams with a high density, diversity, and productivity of plant and animal species relative to nearby uplands. |
| fault-line scarp | A steep slope produced along an old fault line by differential weathering and erosion, rather than by fault movement. |
| market economy | one run on laissez-faire principles. |
| cod | Chemical Oxygen Demand. A measure of the oxygen equivalent of the organic matter content of a sample that is susceptible to oxidation by a strong chemical oxidation. Differs from the BOD test in that COD uses oxygen derived from chemicals, while BOD uses oxygen derived from air dissolved in water. |
| confluence | Junction of two or more streams. |
| hurricane watch | A formal advisory issued by forecasters at the National Hurricane Center when they have determined that hurricane conditions are a potential threat to a coastal area or group of islands within a 24 to 36 hour period |
| wellhead protection area | a protected surface and subsurface zone surrounding a well or well field supplying a public water system to keep contaminants from reaching the well water. |
| dispersant | A chemical agent used to break up concentrations of organic material such as spilled oil on a water surface. |
| elevation | The vertical distance between mean sea level and a point or object on, above or below Earth's surface. |
| clastic | Refers to rock or sediments made up primarily of broken fragments of pre-existing rocks orminerals. |
| carnivorous | Flesh eating organisms. |
| scheduled delivery | Operation of a water delivery system to meet predetermined needs, generally based on user water orders |
| asthenosphere | The zone inside the earth beneath the Lithosphere constituting the source of Igneous rock (Magma). |
| suction lift | (Irrigation) The difference in elevation between the water source and the pump. |
| haline marshes | A saturated, poorly drained area, intermittently or permanently water covered, having aquatic and grasslike vegetation, influenced predominately by ocean salts. |
| recrystallization | A solid state reaction in which the atoms of existing crystals within a rock are reorganized in response to heat and/or pressure |
| cottage-water ratio | The ratio between the number of shoreland cottages or lake homes (whose owners or occupants have access to the water) and the area (expressed in acres) of the lake surface. |
| engineer | Someone who designs and builds mechanical or electrical devices |
| artesian | the upward movement of groundwater by hydrostatic pressure. |
| non-renewable resource | those resources considered to be finite as our rate of use far outstrips the rate at which they are formed e.g |
| snowmelt | (1) The runoff from melting snow |
| spreading grounds | The same as a Spreading Basin. |
| firn | Old snow on the top of glaciers that has become granular and compact through temperature changes, forming the transition stage to glacial ice |
| proto-sun | An intermediate stage in the development of a star in which a large cloud of dust and gases gradually condenses through gravitational actions. |
| carbon adsorption | a treatment system that removes contaminants from ground water or surface water by forcing it through tanks containing activated carbon treated to attract the contaminants. |
| plant nutrients | The primary mineral ingredients of fertilizer: phosphate (PO4-3), nitrate (NO3-), and ammonium (NH4+), together with an extensive array of chemical elements (Trace Elements) used in lesser amounts to support the growth of plants. |
| stone | Rock fragments larger than 25.4 cm (10 inches) but less than 60.4 cm (24 inches). |
| deep carbonate aquifer [nevada] | An aquifer within the Great Basin which is comprised of a thick sequence of carbonate rock, generally lying below basin fill deposits. |
| mean higher high tide | The average height of the higher of two unequal daily high tides over 19 years. |
| breakwater | A barrier that protects a harbor or shore from the full impact of waves. |
| eutrophic lake | Shallow, murky bodies of water that have excessive concentrations of plant nutrients causing excessive algal production. |
| furrow irrigation | irrigation method in which water travels through the field by means of small channels between each group of rows. |
| buoy weather station | a buoy, either fixed or floating, which carries instruments for sensing various meteorological elements and for transmitting the data by radio. |
| snow survey | The process or operation of determining the depth, water content, and density of snow at various selected points on a drainage basin |
| cloud modification | Any process by which the natural course of development of a cloud is altered by artificial means |
| interpolate/interpolation | (Data Analysis) The fitting of data values between observed values |
| saddle | A depression or sag on the ice sheet between domes. |
| stratification | when the water in a dam or weir pool forms layers that do not readily mix with each other. |
| ocean basin | the area of sea floor that is properly made up of oceanic crust i.e |
| surface irrigation | A water application whereby water is applied to the soil either by controlled flooding or through some kind of furrow. |
| rural settlement | small settlements such as hamlets and villages, up to market towns which are tied to the countryside by function |
| breach | (1) A gap or rift, especially in or as if in a solid structure such as a dike or dam |
| seismic reflection profile | A profile of the configuration of the ocean floor and shallow sediments on the floor obtained by reflection of artificially produced seismic waves. |
| laurasia | The northern portion of the late Paleozoic supercontinent called Pangea. |
| condensation | The process by which water vapor undergoes a change in state from a gas to a liquid |
| deranged drainage | A distinctively disordered drainage pattern formed in a recently glaciated area |
| dead time | The time required for the response to a change of input to a system to reach the location of a sensor (i.e., the time for a control initiated surge wave to travel from an upstream control check gate to a downstream sensor in a canal.) |
| contract | Any repayment or water service contract between the United States and a district providing for the payment of construction charges to the federal government, including normal operation, maintenance, and replacement costs pursuant to federal reclamation law |
| presumptive test | (Water Quality) The first of three steps in the analysis of water or wastewater for the presence of bacteria of fecal origin |
| residual discharge | Direct surface discharge at the end of a period of excess rain. |
| conservative plate margin | in plate tectonics, a plate boundary where the relative movement of the two crustal plates is lateral, or past each other. |
| marxism | a political theory and/or practice where the emancipation of the working classes through class struggle is seen both as the driving force of history and the goal of modern society |
| watt-hour | An electrical energy unit of measure equal to one watt of power supplied to, or taken from, an electrical circuit steadily for one hour. |
| esker | A long, snakelike ridge of sediment deposited by a stream that ran under or within a glacier. |
| metallic bond | A chemical bond in which shared electrons move freely among the atoms. |
| settlement morphology | the pattern and/or shape of a settlement. |
| basal thermal regime | Due to their different basal thermal characteristics, cold-glaciers and warm-glaciers have different basal effects and behaviors. |
| couloir | A deep mountain gorge or gully. |
| priority | The concept that the person first using water has a better right to it than those commencing their use later |
| hyporheic zone | the zone under a river or stream comprising substrate whose interstices are filled with water. |
| exfoliation | A weathering process by which concentric shells, slabs, sheets, or flakes are successively broken loose and stripped away from a rock mass. |
| river flow model | A simulation, generally mathematical, of a river's or drainage basin's Hydrologic Cycle, through a series of mathematical equations quantifying system inflows and outflows |
| craton | The stable portions of the continents that have escaped orogenic activity for the last 2 billion years |
| showalter stability index | A measure of the local static stability of the atmosphere |
| primary succession | The development of plant and animal communities in a land area that does not contain topsoil, for example in an area covered by lava that has solidified |
| limited degradation | An environmental policy permitting some degradation of natural systems but terminating at a level well beneath an established health standard. |
| equilibrium time | The point in time when flow conditions become substantially equal to those corresponding to Equilibrium Surface Discharge or Equilibrium Drawdown. |
| milligrams per liter | A unit of the concentration of a constituent in water or wastewater |
| humus | The dark portion of a soil that consists of organic material that is well enough decayed that the original source material can not be identified. |
| sea arch | An arch cut by wave erosion through a headland. |
| hydrostatic pressure | The pressure in a fluid in equilibrium which is due solely to the weight of fluid above. |
| ultraviolet radiation | Light waves shorter than the visible blue-violet waves of the spectrum, i.e., below 3900 Angstroms (à ) |
| curie point | The temperature above which a mineral loses its magnetism. |
| soil vapor survey | A non-invasive method for the detection of volatile or semivolatile organic contaminants in shallow subsurface soil |
| glacier ice | A mono-mineralic type of rock, composed of crystals of the mineral ice, formed through metamorphism of snowflakes |
| void ratio | Ratio of volume of intergranular voids to volume of solid material in a sediment or sedimentary rock. |
| toilet | A room, shelter, or similar device used for defecation or urination equipped with a bowl-shaped fixture for this purpose fitted with a device for flushing with water. |
| urbanization | the increasing percentage of a population living in urban areas due to rural-urban migration and higher levels of natural increase in the urban areas. |
| diffraction | The result of light waves interfering with other after passing through a narrow aperture, causing them to bend or spread. |
| synthetic seawater | An artificial product of the approximate ionic composition of seawater. |
| hydraulic transient | (1) Interim stage when a flow changes from one steady-state condition to another steady-state condition because of a sudden acceleration or deceleration of flow |
| nimbus clouds | A rain-producing cloud; storm clouds that are usually dark in color |
| raw sludge | The material settled out during the primary clarification of sewage. |
| ahtd | Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department |
| icicle | Ice that forms in the shape of a narrow cone hanging point down |
| saturated zone | The zone in the earth's crust, extending from the water table downward, in which all open pore spaces in the soil or rock are filled with water at greater than atmospheric pressure |
| glacial budget | the net result of accumulation and ablation. |
| hair hygrometer | An instrument for measuring humidity which makes use of the fact that the length of hair varies with relative humidity. |
| abiota | Those non-living factors which are present in and affect the characteristics of a given ecosystem. |
| erratic | A large boulder that a glacier deposits on a surface made of different rock. |
| anabranched stream | Stream whose flow is divided at normal and lower stages by large islands or, more rarely, by large bars; individual islands or bars are wider than about three times water width; channels are more widely and distinctly separated than in a braided stream. |
| intertropical convergence zone | An area where the Northern and Southern Hemispheric trade winds converge, usually located between 10 degrees North and South of the equator |
| alkaline | the condition of water or soil that contains a sufficient amount of alkali substance to raise the pH above 7.0. |
| microsystem irrigation | Method of precisely applying irrigation water to the immediate root zone of the target plant at very low rates. |
| secondary drinking water standards | Non-enforceable standards related to the aesthetic quality of drinking water such as those relating to taste and odor; generally set by the U.S |
| mean | (Statistics) The sum of a set of observations divided by the number of observations |
| permeability coefficient | The rate of flow of water through a unit cross-sectional area under a Unit Hydraulic Gradient at the prevailing temperature (Field Permeability Coefficient), or adjusted to 15°C (59°F) |
| colon bacillus | (Microbiology) A rod-shaped bacterium, especially Escherichia coli (E |
| transverse dunes | Sand dunes that are oriented at right angles to the direction of the prevailing wind |
| seeps | Groundwater/surface water connections caused by river or stream erosion into a near-surface aquifer. |
| landfill | (Water Quality) A disposal site which disposes of solid wastes on land |
| apron | Protective material placed on a streambed to resist scour. |
| effective precipitation | That portion of precipitation which remains on the foliage or in the soil that is available for Evapotranspiration, and reduces the withdrawal of soil water by a like amount |
| fluvial geomorphology | Science dealing with morphology (form) and dynamics of streams and rivers. |
| carbamates | A class of new-age pesticides that attack the nervous system of organisms. |
| positive association | (Statistics) The direct relationship between two Variables, the values of which fluctuate together, in the same direction. |
| impervious | the quality or state of being impermeable; resisting penetration by water or plant roots |
| mist | A collection of microscopic water droplets suspended in the atmosphere |
| gallon [imperial] | A unit of capacity in Great Britain containing four quarts, is used for both liquid and dry commodities, and is defined as the volume occupied by ten imperial pounds weight of distilled water, as weighed in air against brass weights with both water and air at 62° Fahrenheit, and the barometer at 30 inches (atmospheric pressure) |
| assimilation | (1) Absorption and creation of food resources. |
| anadromous | Pertaining to fish that spend a part of their life cycle in the sea and return to freshwater streams to spawn, for example, salmon, steelhead, and shad |
| lobed | Part of an ice sheet or ice cap, disqualified as an outlet glacier (Fig |
| tension | One of the three forces (see compression and shear); in ice, tension creates crevasses. |
| stubble mulching | The management of plant residues by harvesting, tilling, planting, and cultivating in such a way so as to keep protective amounts of vegetation on the soil surface. |
| abyssal plain | Another name for ocean floor. |
| aerobic decomposition | The biodegradation of materials by aerobic microorganisms resulting in the production of carbon dioxide, water, and other mineral products |
| fast ice | ice that is anchored to the shore or ocean bottom, typically over shallow ocean shelves at continental margins; fast ice is defined by the fact that it does not move with the winds or currents. |
| titrator | An instrument, usually a calibrated cylinder (tube-form), used in Titration to measure the amount of Titrant being added to the sample. |
| topside | (Nautical) The surface of a ship's hull above the water line. |
| sphere of influence | the area surrounding a settlement which is influenced by it in economic, political and social terms. |
| adsorbate | Any material adsorbed onto the surface of another. |
| dalr | see dry adiabatic lapse rate. |
| productivity | the efficiency with which a company turns inputs into outputs. |
| southern oscillation | A periodic reversal of the pressure pattern across the tropical Pacific Ocean during El NiÑo events |
| total suspended solids | (Water Quality) Solids, found in waste water or in a stream, which can be removed by filtration |
| supercooled water | Water cooled below its freezing point without causing solidification. |
| solution | A homogeneous mixture of a solute in a solvent |
| projection | (Mathematical) Calculations made into the future based on current events and trends |
| drinking water supply | Water provided for use in households |
| bayesian inference | (Statistics) Bayes' theorem recognizes that a decision maker usually has some expectation (an a priori model) of what will occur even before acquiring information, and provides a procedure for using new evidence to produce a revised a posteriori estimate of probability |
| pothole | A hole formed in a stream bed by sand and gravel swirled around in one spot by eddies. |
| thermal mass | Materials that absorb heat or coolness and store it for a long period of time |
| ambient water quality standards | The allowable amount of materials, as a concentration of pollutants, in water |
| zooplankton | floating microscopic animals. |
| ethnic segregation | the clustering of people by ethnic group into spacially distinct parts of urban areas. |
| influent | Water, wastewater, or other liquid flowing into a reservoir, basin, or treatment plant. |
| annual turnover | (1) Spring/fall turnover, mixing of the water in a lake, due to wind, annual cycle of air temperature, and heating from the sun. |
| migration | the movement of oil, gas, contaminants, water, or other liquids through porous and permeable rock. |
| drift | any material carried and deposited by a glacier |
| social elite | the wealthiest section of society. |
| haccp | An acronym for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point |
| medial moraines | Concentrations of till in septa dividing ice streams deposits as medial moraines after complete ablation |
| world meteorological organization | created by the World Meteorological Convention and recognized as a special agency of the United Nations in 1951; the WMO consists of more than 185 member countries; and facilitates international cooperation in all aspects of meteorology. |
| fecal material | (Water Quality) Solid waste produced by humans and other animals and discharged from the gastrointestinal tract |
| cne | Curve Number Equation. |
| chop | A short, irregular motion of waves |
| critical low flow | low flow conditions below which some standards do not apply |
| solid | The state of matter in which a substance has a definite shape and volume and some fundamental strength. |
| enhanced oil recovery | Techniques for the removal of the remaining thick, heavy oil from reservoirs after primary recovery and secondary recovery techniques have been used |
| meander belt | Distance between lines drawn tangent to the extreme limits of successive fully developed meanders. |
| adjudication | a court proceeding to determine all rights to the use of water on a particular stream system or ground water basin. |
| tide cycle | The duration of a given tidal sequence, as for example, a lunar month or a tidal day. |
| cement | Minerals precipitated from ground water in the pore spaces of a sedimentary rock and binding the rock's particles together. |
| detritus | decaying organic matter (mostly leaves and other matter from vegetation). |
| viscosity | lit |
| semipermeable | (1) Partially permeable |
| ice apron | Irregular, usually thin ice mass which adheres to mountain slopes or ridges. |
| cistern | An artificial reservoir or tank used for holding or storing water or other liquids |
| cooling pond | Usually a man-made water body used by power plants or large industrial plants that enables the facility to recirculate once-through cooling water |
| hydropower | Power (e.g., electrical energy) produced by falling water; the utilization of the energy available in falling water for the generation of electricity. |
| identification | (Statistics) A term used to describe the ability to determine an econometric model's structural parameters, i.e., the coefficients of the exogenous (or independent) variables |
| pressure gradient | The amount of pressure change that occurs over a fixed distance at a fixed altitude. |
| annual | (1) Measured by the year |
| scouring sluice | An opening in a dam controlled by a gate through which the accumulated silt, sand, and gravel may be ejected. |
| coupling constant | characterizes the line spacing within a multiplet in a 1H-NMR spectrum, which permits conclusions about the distance and the angle of interaction of the coupling partners |
| background noise | The total noise floor from all sources of interference in a measurement system, independent of the presence of a data signal. |
| hydrate | A solid compound containing water molecules combined in a definite ratio as an integral part of the crystal. |
| colonialism | the establishment of direct rule by one country over another, separate country, fundamentally to improve and protect the economic situation of the dominant power. |
| hydroelectric power | The production of electrical energy through the use of flowing or falling water. |
| plate tectonics | refers to the folding and faulting of rock and flow of molten lava involving lithospheric plates in the earth's crust and upper mantle. |
| intensive crops | Crops generally grown under irrigation in the Western United States requiring large inputs of labor and capital |
| joint | A fracture in a rock along which no appreciable displacement has occurred. |
| dilution ratio | the critical low flow of the receiving water at the point of recycled water discharge divided by the flow of the discharge. Is used in the biomonitoring test to simulate in-stream conditions that organisms will be exposed to during critical low-flow times. |
| consumable water supply | That amount of river water available for consumption at a given point on the river after existing prior water rights have been met. |
| magnetic declination | The horizontal angular difference between True North and Magnetic North. |
| natural erosion | Wearing away of the earth's surface by water, ice, or other natural agents under natural environmental conditions of climates and vegetation |
| gel | (Water Quality) A jellylike material formed by the coagulation of a colloidal suspension or sol. |
| suction pump | A pump for drawing up a liquid by means of suction produced by a piston drawn through a cylinder. |
| exposure indicator | A characteristic of the environment measured to provide evidence of the occurrence or magnitude of a response indicator's exposure to a chemical or biological stress. |
| antecedent precipitation index | An index of moisture stored in a basin before a storm, calculated as a weighted summation of past daily precipitation amounts |
| blowdown | The water drawn from boiler systems and cold water basins of cooling towers to prevent the buildup of solids. |
| piping | Removal of soil material through subsurface flow of seepage water that develops channels or "pipes" within the soil bank. |
| tide | The periodic rising and falling of the earth's oceans and atmosphere |
| wavelength | An interval of repetition in a wave-like disturbance |
| submergent plant | A vascular or nonvascular Hydrophyte, either rooted or nonrooted, which lies entirely beneath the water surface, except for flowering parts in some species; e.g., wild celery (Vallisneria americana) or the stoneworts (Chara spp.). |
| plant succession | the sequence of plant species that inhabit an area from the pioneers that first arrive, through to the climax community. |
| arête | A sharp-edged ridge of rock formed between adjacent cirque glaciers. |
| rockslide | Several landslides generated by the Great Alaskan Earthquake, Good Friday 1964, fell onto the surface of the so-named glacierin the Chugach Mountains, Alaska. |
| anti-degradation clause | part of federal and water quality requirements prohibiting deterioration where pollution levels are above the legal limit. |
| wilting point | the point at which water losses due to transpiration are greater than gains through the roots |
| detention dam | A dam constructed for the purpose of temporary storage of streamflow or surface runoff and for releasing the stored water at controlled rates. |
| closed-basin lake | A lake which has no outlet, from which water escapes only by evaporation. |
| saline seeps | Wet areas in non-irrigated soils where soluble salts accumulate from the evaporation of the seeping water and crop or grass production is reduced or eliminated. |
| market gardening | highly intensive (in capital terms) farming of flowers, fruit and very perishable vegetables on a commercial basis |
| salt marsh | Low areas adjacent to the sea that are covered with salt-tolerant vegetation (Halophytes) and regularly flooded by the high tide |
| xenolith | A preexisting rock that has been incorporated into magma without melting |
| negative correlation | where the rise of one variable corresponds to the fall of another |
| jet stream | an upper atmosphere wind which blows in a narrow band from west to east |
| gage rod | A measuring device that shows the water level in the reservoir. |
| vapor plumes | flue gases that are visible because they contain water droplets. |
| water-related organizations | See Appendix W-1 for a listing of organizations directly involved in water-related issues. |
| uncertainty | An expression of the possible measurement error for a given instrument over a specified range |
| crustal rebound | The earth's crust slowly expands, after the removal of intense confining pressure from the mass of continental ice sheets |
| constantan | A copper-nickel alloy used as the negative lead in Type E, Type J, and Type T thermocouples. |
| till | glacial deposits. |
| sediment storage | The accumulation, in a reservoir, of sediment that would normally be carried downstream without the project. |
| flood peak | The maximum instantaneous discharge of a flood at a given location |
| sorption | Processes that remove solutes from the fluid phase and concentrate them on the solid phase of a medium; used to encompass absorption and adsorption. |
| acre-feet | A unit commonly used for measuring the volume of water |
| port | (1) A place on a waterway with facilities for loading and unloading ships; a city or town on a waterway with such facilities |
| urban sprawl | the unchecked spread in the land area occupied by an urban area when development is low-rise and it is felt that space efficiency is not an issue. |
| injection well classes | Classifications of the U.S |
| de-watering | Loss of water, generally speaking of groundwater resources, through natural means or from man-made extraction devices |
| settling velocity | (Water Quality) The rate of downward movement of particles through water |
| contour plowing | A soil tilling technique that follows the shape of the land to minimize erosion. |
| immiscibility | the inability of two or more substances or liquids to readily dissolve into one another, such as soil and water. |
| polarity reversal | A change in the polarity of Earth's magnetic field in which the north magnetic pole becomes the south magnetic pole and vice versa |
| replacement rate | the fertility rate required to maintain a population at its current size |
| mesosphere | the region of the atmosphere between about 50 kilometers (31 miles) and 80-85 kilometers (50-53 miles), extending from the top of the stratosphere to the upper temperature minimum; it is characterized by a broad temperature maximum (near 0 degrees Celsius) at its base, from which the temperature decreases to a minimum (about -90 degrees Celsius) at the mesopause level. |
| short-circuiting | (Water Quality) A condition that exists when some of the water in water treatment tanks or basins flows faster than the rest; may result in shorter contact, reaction, or settling times than calculated or presumed. |
| ground water barrier | Rock, clay, or other natural or artificial materials with a relatively low permeability that occurs (or is placed) below ground surface, where it impedes the movement of ground water and thus causes a pronounced difference in the heads on opposite sides of the barrier. |
| boathouse | A building for storing boats. |
| intensive agriculture | the application of high levels of capital and/or labour inputs to units of land area |
| chemistry | The science of substances |
| cavern | a large underground opening in rock (usually limestone) which occurred when some of the rock was dissolved by water |
| drift | A collective term used to describe all types of glacier sedimentary deposits, regardless of the size or amount of sorting |
| basal sapping | the undercutting and retreat of a slope caused when erosion and/or weathering are concentrated at its base. |
| tray tower | (Air Quality) An air pollution control device in which contaminated air is passed through a tower containing substances (packing) possessing large surface area |
| ripple | (1) To form or display little undulations or waves on the surface, as disturbed water does |
| spatter | (1) To scatter in drops or small blobs |
| subduction | Subsidence of the leading edge of a lithospheric plate into the mantle. |
| fissure | A deep, long and narrow opening such as a crevasse in a glacier. |
| range resolution | The ability of radar to distinguish between targets on the same azimuth but at different ranges. |
| brine mud | Waste material, often associated with well-drilling or mining, composed of mineral salts or other inorganic compounds. |
| anoxic | (1) Denotes the absence of oxygen, as in a body of water |
| water transfer | Artificial conveyance of water from one area to another across a political or hydrological boundary |
| wilderness | areas of land that have never experienced any meaningful human activity. |
| hydrosphere | Considered as the water portion of the earth's surface |
| vacuum filtration | is a filtration technique that permits to separate a solid from a liquid |
| abandoned water right | a water right which was not put to beneficial use for a number of years, generally five to seven years. |
| penitents | small towers of ice and snow formed in high altitudes in the tropics |
| sprinkle | A light rainfall. |
| gravitational head | Component of total Hydraulic Head related to the position of a given mass of water relative to an arbitrary datum. |
| aphanitic texture | A rock texture in which individual crystals are too small to be identified without the aid of a microscope |
| conchoidal fracture | A type of fracture that produces a smooth, curved surface |
| saltation | the transport of load by bouncing along the bed of a river channel. |
| background level | the concentration of a substance in an environmental media (water or soil) that occurs naturally or is not the result of human activities. |
| marble | A metamorphic rock composed largely of calcite |
| forestry | see forest management. |
| subduction zone | According to the theory of Plate Tectonics, a region at the boundary of two of the plates that form the crust of the earth where one of the plates is forced downward into the mantle |
| mixed layer | It is the upper portion of the boundary layer in which air is thoroughly mixed by convection |
| dredging | removal of mud from the bottom of water bodies |
| species diversity | The number of different Species occurring in some location or under some condition. |
| coagulation | The clumping of particles which results in the settling of impurities |
| colluvial material | (Geology) Material consisting of Alluvium in part and also containing angular fragments of the original rocks |
| clear sky | sky with a total cloud cover of less than one okta (or one-tenth in the united states). |
| littoral | The region along the shore of a non-flowing body of water; corresponds to Riparian for a flowing body of water |
| warm spring | A spring that brings warm water to the surface |
| flocculation | large scale treatment process involving gentle stirring whereby small particles in flocs are collected into larger particles so their weight causes them to settle to the bottom of the treatment tank. |
| floating-leaved plants | see aquatic plants. |
| average velocity | Velocity at a given cross section determined by dividing discharge by cross sectional area. |
| terminal moraine | A ridge of material deposited by a glacier at the line of maximum advance of the glacier. |
| water imports | The artificial transfer (pipes, canals, aqueducts, etc.) of water into one region or subregion from another region |
| homogenous aquifer | an aquifer that has similar forms or characteristics throughout, such as a uniform gravel aquifer |
| graben | An elongated, downthrown block bounded by two steeply dipping normal faults |
| hydrometeor | Any type of condensation or frost formed from atmospheric water vapor, as rain, snow, fog, dew, etc |
| radiation | the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves. |
| 40k/40ar method | A method used for the dating of potassium-bearing rocks by using the ratio ofradioactive 40K to its daughter, 40Ar. |
| ddt | A colorless odorless water-insoluble crystalline insecticide C14H9Cl5 that tends to accumulate in ecosystems and has toxic effects on many vertebrates |
| ice-cored moraine | A moraine ridge consisting of a drape of sediment overlying a mass of stagnant ice. |
| potential | (1) (Hydrology and Hydraulics) Any of several scalar variables, each involving energy as a function of position or condition; of relevance here is the fluid potential of ground water |
| cordilleran | greenland, laurentide, and _______________ |
| emulsion | is a suspension of finely divided particles in a continuous medium in which the particles are approximately 5 to 5,000 Å in size, do not settle out of the substance rapidly, and are not readily filtered i.e |
| gradient | Degree of incline; slope of a stream bed |
| sustainable development | development strategies that do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs. |
| abyssal depth | In a limnological sense, that depth at which the water remains uniform in temperature, or is "stagnant". |
| daughter element | The element produced through the radioactive decay of a parent element. |
| lateritic soil | Land that consist of minerals that are rich in iron and aluminum compounds, other minerals having been removed by Leaching |
| absorption | the absorbing of insolation to solids, liquids and gases on the surface and in the atmosphere. |
| calcareous | Formed of calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate by biological deposition or inorganic precipitation in sufficient quantities to effervesce carbon dioxide visibly when treated with cold 0.1 normal hydrochloric acid |
| topological map | a map which uses points and straight lines to show relative positions and linkages e.g |
| bound water | Water molecules that are held tightly to soil or other solids |
| micrograms per liter | One one-thousandth of a Milligram per Liter (mg/l) |
| flume | (1) A narrow gorge, usually with a stream flowing through it |
| epoch | A division of geologic time; a subdivision of a period |
| watt | A unit of power or the rate of energy use or conversion when one joule of energy (0.0238 calories) is used or converted per second. |
| source water protection | The prevention of pollution of the lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams, and groundwater that serve as sources of drinking water |
| toxic salt reduction | Decreasing harmful concentrations of toxic salts in soils, usually by leaching and with or without the addition of soil amendments. |
| peclet number | Relationship between the advective and diffusive components of solute transport; expressed as the ratio of the product of the average interstitial velocity and the characteristic length, divided by the Coefficient of Molecular Diffusion |
| climatic year | A period used in meteorological measurements |
| air quality standards | The maximum level which will be permitted for a given pollutant |
| astrobleme | An ancient circular scar on Earth's surface produced by the impact of a meteorite or comet |
| arctic high | a weak high which appears over the arctic basin during late spring, summer and early autumn; one of the centers of action in the atmosphere. |
| recreation resource | Land and water areas and their natural attributes, with or without man-made facilities, that provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. |
| dilution factor | The extent to which the concentration of some solution or suspension has been lowered through the addition of a Diluent. |
| efficiency | (Irrigation) A measure of a distribution system's ability to transport and apply water to a desired effect with a minimum of effort, expense, or waste |
| marram grass | a species of grass that is tolerant of dry, sand dune environments |
| solid | A state of matter, neither liquid nor gas |
| stable platform | The part of a continent that is covered with flatlying or gently tilted sedimentary strata and underlain by a basement complex of igneous and metamorphic rocks |
| normal fault | A steeply inclined fault in which the hanging wall has moved downward in relation to the footwall |
| rainfall intensity frequency | The average time interval between the occurrence of the rainfall or precipitation of a given or greater intensity. |
| deregulation | the removal of rules, regulations and laws previously imposed on an industry |
| cryology | The science of the physical aspects of snow, ice, hail, sleet, and other forms of water produced by temperatures below 0C (32F). |
| yellow ground | Oxidized kimberlite |
| tropical | of the tropics, commonly relating to areas between them. |
| water penetration | The depth to which irrigation water or rain penetrates the soil before the rate of downward movement becomes negligible. |
| nuée ardente | the superheated gases found in a pyroclastic cloud. |
| prevailing visibility | It is considered representative of visibility conditions at the observation station |
| hanging glacier | A glacier that originates high on the wall of a glacier valley and descends only part of the way to the surface of the main glacier |
| erratic | A large boulder carried by glacial ice to an area far removed from its point of origin. |
| hydrolysis | The splitting (lysis) of a compound by a reaction with water |
| permian | a period of geologic time lasting from 286m to 245m years ago. |
| plateau | A level, elevated land area, usually between 2,000 and 6,000 feet (610-1,830 meters) in elevation. |
| information collection rule | A rule promulgated by the U.S |
| divergence | Wind movement that results in a horizontal net outflow of air from a particular region |
| ion | An atom or group of atoms that have gained or lost one or more electron and as a result has an electrical charge. |
| nic | see newly industrialised country. |
| precipitable water | The total water vapor contained in an atmospheric column of unit cross-sectional area; expressed in terms of water of the same cross-sectional area. |
| physiography | Description of nature or natural phenomenon in general; physical geography. |
| ce-qual-icm | Three-dimensional, time variable, integrated-compartment eutrophication model. |
| glacial groove/glacial furrow | A linear depression, inches to miles in length, produced by the removal of rock or sediment by the erosive action of a glacier. |
| rock glacier | Lava-stream-like debris mass containing ice in several possible forms and moving slowly downslope. |
| alluvial cone | an alluvial fan with highly steep slopes usually found where mountain streams exit narrow valleys. |
| laminar flow | A type of flow in which the fluid moves in parallel lines |
| in-situ stripping | A treatment system that removes or "strips" volatile organic compounds from contaminated ground or surface water by forcing an airstream through the water and causes the compounds to evaporate. |
| food and agricultural organisation | an agency of the United Nations charged with eradicating hunger and malnutrition globally. |
| illinoian | North American glaciation related to European Riss glaciation. |
| glacier | A thick mass of ice that forms on land from an accumulation and recrystallization of snow significant enough to persist through the summer and grow year by year |
| scour | (1) To clear, dig, or remove by or as if by a powerful current of water |
| percolating waters | waters passing through the ground beneath the Earth's surface without a definite channel. |
| sub basin | (1) A portion of a subregion or basin drained by a single stream or group of minor streams |
| greenfield site | one on which no building has taken place. |
| ground water discharge | (1) The flow of water from the Zone of Saturation |
| fossil | Naturally preserved reo mains or evidence of past life, such as bones, shells, casts, impressions, and trails. |
| intrusion | A igneous rock body that formed from magma that forced its way into, through or between subsurface rock units. |
| frost heaving | The lifting of unconsolidated material by the freezing of subsurface water. |
| agroindustrial | Of or relating to production (as of power for industry and water for irrigation) for both industrial and agricultural purposes. |
| detritus | (1) The heavier mineral debris moved by natural water courses, usually in the form of Bed Load |
| isodrosotherm | The line drawn on a weather map connecting points of equal dew point. |
| casual water | A temporary accumulation of water not forming a regular hazard of a golf course. |
| thermokarst lake | a lake occupying a closed depression formed by settlement of the ground following thawing of ice-rich permafrost or the melting of massive ice. |
| wildland | A non-urban, natural area which contains uncultivated land, timber, range, watershed, brush or grassland. |
| coefficient of mechanical diffusion | The rate at which solutes are mechanically mixed during Advective Transport, caused by the velocity variations at the microscopic level. |
| classification | (Soils)The systematic arrangement of soils into groups or categories on the basis of their characteristics |
| cypriere | In Louisiana, a cypress swamp |
| bar screen | (Water Quality) In wastewater treatment, a device used to remove large solid materials. |
| primacy | Term used to denote that individual states have been delegated the authority to implement the requirements, as prescribed by the U.S |
| bicarbonate | (Water Quality) A compound containing the HCO3- group, for example, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), which ionizes in solution (water) to produce HCO3- |
| matrix | (1) Solid framework of a porous material or system |
| free-floating plants | see aquatic plants. |
| hydraulic gradient | the direction of groundwater flow due to changes in the depth of the water table. |
| net primary productivity | the amount of organic material available for consumption in a given area |
| catalina eddy | A weak low pressure circulation that may form off the Southern California coast. |
| estuarine zone | The area near the coastline that consists of estuaries and coastal saltwater wetlands. |
| floods | flows that are high enough at their peak to overrun river banks. |
| lotic | (1) Of, relating to, or living in moving water |
| point of compliance | (Water Quality) For a hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility, the location, specified by the operations permit of the facility, for downgradient wells |
| firn | Granular ice formed by recrystallization of snow |
| erosion potential | A ranking of a soil's potential to erode. |
| slip | (1) (Nautical) A docking place for a ship or boat between two piers; a Slipway |
| transpiration | direct transfer of water from the leaves of living plants to the atmosphere |
| vapor pressure | The partial pressure of water vapor in the atmosphere. |
| igneous rock | A rock formed by the crystallization of magma or lava |
| transport | Conveyance of solutes and particles in flow systems. |
| water delivery system | Reservoirs, canals, ditches, pumps, and other facilities to move water. |
| inclusion | A rock fragment incorporated into a younger igneous rock. |
| zenith | The point which is elevated 90 degrees from all points on a given observer's astronomical horizon |
| reaction series | A series of interactions between a melt and mineral crystals in contact with the melt |
| eustatic adjustment | changes in sea level due to changes in the volume of water held in the ocean store. |
| bct | Best [conventional] Control Technology. |
| precambrian | An informal term to include all geologic time from the beginning of the Earth to the beginning of the Cambrian period 570 million years ago. |
| entrepreneur | a risk taker in the business world |
| cultural eutrophication | Accelerated eutrophication (generally enrichment by nutrients) that occurs as a result of human activities in the watershed that increase nutrient loads in runoff water that drains into lakes. |
| ground water table | The upper surface of the Zone of Saturation for underground water |
| subsidy | a government grant used to save or stimulate a particular operation or whole industry sector. |
| debris avalanche | The sudden downslope movement of rock and soil on a steep slope. |
| nadir | The point on any given observer's celestial sphere diametrically opposite of one's zenith. |
| antecedent streams | Antecedent streams are those in place before the rising of mountain chains |
| differentiation | See magmatic differentiation, planetary differentiation, sedimentary differentiation. |
| computer applications | Computer programs written to perform certain tasks, such as word processing, mapping, etc. |
| subsidence | A sinking or settling of a part of the earth's crust with respect to the surrounding parts. |
| mist | a light fog |
| gamma radiation | High energy photons which are emitted by many radioactive substances. |
| tectonic creep | Slow, apparently continuous movement along a fault (as opposed to the sudden rupture that occurs during an earthquake). |
| bloom | (1) In aquatic ecosystems, the rapid growth or proliferation of algae, usually visible to the naked eye, commonly referred to as Algal Bloom or Algae Bloom; often related to pollution, especially when pollutants accelerate growth |
| alluvial aquifer | an area of water-bearing sand and gravel typically found near lakes, streams and rivers |
| fish screen | A porous barrier placed across the inlet our outlet of a pond to prevent the passage of fish. |
| european free trade association | established in 1959 to rival the EEC |
| field permeability | Permeability corresponding to the temperature which occurs under field conditions. |
| river flooding | Inundation of a normally dry area along a river (usually the mainstem) due to increased water level or discharge |
| hemisphere | half of a sphere; half of the earth |
| graben | (Geology) (1) A depressed tract bounded on at least two sides by faults and generally of considerable length as compared to its width |
| hot spot | The expression at the earth's surface of a mantle plume, or column of hot, buoyant rock rising in the mantle beneath a lithospheric plate. |
| condensation | The process by which a vapour becomes a liquid or solid; the opposite of evaporation |
| race | (1) A strong or swift current of water |
| recharge rate | The quantity of water per unit of time that replenishes or refills an aquifer. |
| pitch | In climbing, a unit of measure approximately equal to the length of your rope, or the distance between fixed anchor positions |
| bank | the sloping land bordering a stream channel that forms the usual boundaries of a channel |
| semi-confined aquifer | an aquifer partially confined by soil layers of low permeability in which recharge and discharge can still occur. |
| soil profile | the variation in soil characteristics through its depth. |
| irrigated cropland | All lands being supplied water by artificial means, excluding waterfowl refuges, that are being used for the production of orchard, field, grain crops and pasture. |
| halocline | The boundary between surface fresh water and underlying saltwater in a stratified coastal environment |
| pacific rim | the countries at the margins of the Pacific ocean. |
| slaty cleavage | The type of foliation that characterizes slate, resulting from the parallel arrangement of microscopic platy minerals, such as mica and chlorite |
| step aeration | (Water Quality) A modification of the activated sludge process wherein the waste enters the aeration tank at a number of different points, while recycled sludge enters at the head of the tank. |
| data buoys | Buoys placed throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States that relay information on air and water temperature, wind speed, air pressure, and wave conditions via radio signals. |
| water audit | A procedure that combines flow measurements and listening surveys (leak detection) in an attempt to give a reasonably accurate accounting of all water entering and leaving a system. |
| kame | A low, but steep-sided hill or mound composed of poorly sorted sands and gravels deposited in strata by meltwater plunging into crevasses near the melting edge of an ablating glacier. |
| destratification | Vertical mixing within a lake or reservoir to totally or partially eliminate separate layers of temperature, plant, or animal life. |
| baseline | A quantitative level or value from which other data and observations of a comparable nature are referenced |
| rossby waves | The movement of ridges and troughs in the upper wind patterns, primarily the jet stream, circling the earth |
| tariff | a duty or tax placed on imports as part of protectionist policy. |
| floodwater detention capacity | That part of the gross reservoir capacity which, at the time under consideration, is reserved for the temporary storage of floodwaters |
| plastic deformation | A permanent change in a substance's shape or volume that does not involve failure by rupture. |
| reclaimed waste water | Waste water that becomes suitable for a specific beneficial use as a result of treatment or brackish water demineralized for use |
| hypsochromic shift | is the shift to lower wavelength in the UV-Vis spectrum (opposite: bathochromic) |
| plankton bloom | A large quantity of plankton giving water a definite color |
| hinterland | (also periphery) the area surrounding a core settlement from which the settlement gains resources. |
| flow boundaries | Anything which inhibits ground water flow, such as a ground water divide or an impermeable geologic unit. |
| mizzle | To rain in fine, mist-like droplets; to drizzle |
| corn snow | Snow that has melted and refrozen into a rough, granular surface. |
| flood routing | The process of determining progressively downstream the timing and stage of a flood at successive points along a river |
| density | a measure of how heavy a specific volume of a solid, liquid, or gas is in comparison to water. |
| time of travel | The time required for a contaminant to move in the Saturated Zone from a specific point to a well. |
| offshore | Situated off the shore but within waters under a country's control, as offshore fisheries. |
| transport | two types: In human geography, the movement of goods or people by vehicle In physical geography, the movement of sediment load by water, wind or ice. |
| beaufort wind scale | A system of estimating and reporting wind speeds |
| alpha particle | Particle of matter that is positively charged |
| one hundred-year flood | Having the same meaning as Base Flood, 1 percent Flood, or Hundred-Year Flood |
| translatory wave | (Hydraulics) A wave, such as a flood wave, whose water particles constantly progress in the direction of the wave movement; a characteristic of unsteady flow |
| distillate | A liquid condensed from vapor in Distillation. |
| slickensides | (Geology) A smooth striated polished surface produced on rock by movement along a fault. |
| deoxygenate | To remove dissolved oxygen from a liquid, such as water. |
| residual flood damages | Those flood damages which are not prevented by a flood plain management program |
| elevated ditch | Earth-filled, constructed to specifications similar to those for earthfill dams, to provide normal grade as a substitute for flumes or siphons |
| valley glacier | A stream of ice flowing down gradient. |
| equal transit rate | A method used in measuring Suspended Sediment in a stream wherein the sample volume taken is proportional to the streamflow at each of several equally spaced verticals |
| water quality | An assessment of the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water, especially how they relate to the suitability of that water for a particular use. |
| spring-line | a line of springs emerging from a valley side at approximately the same height which reflect the underlying rock conditions. |
| thunder snow | A wintertime thunderstorm from which falls snow instead of rain |
| polarity event | A relatively brief interval of time within a polarity epoch; during a polarity event, the polarity of the earth's magnetic field is reversed with respect to the prevailing polarity of the epoch. |
| epoch | A subdivision of geologic time that is longer than an age but shorter than a period |
| continental ice sheet | Inundates areas of continental size. |
| conduction | The transfer of heat through a substance by molecular action or from one substance by being in contact with another. |
| dryland farming | The practice of crop production without irrigation in semiarid regions usually by using moisture-conserving farming techniques |
| recessional moraine | Glacial Till occurring as ridges where the front of a retreating glacier temporarily held a fixed position |
| annular | In the form of a ring. |
| reach | (1) Most generally, any specified length of a stream or conveyance |
| residual detention storage | Detention storage existing at the end of a period of excess rain. |
| stratocumulus | A low-lying cloud formation occurring in extensive horizontal layers with rounded summits |
| vortex | Any circular or rotary flow in the atmosphere that possesses vorticity. |
| game fish | Those species of fish considered to possess sporting qualities on fishing tackle, such as salmon, trout, black bass, striped bass, etc.; usually more sensitive to environmental changes than Rough Fish. |
| overfishing | The removal of a sufficiently large number of certain fish from a body of water such that breeding stocks are reduced to levels that will not support the continued presence of the fish in desirable quantities for sport or commercial harvest. |
| strain | A change in the volume or shape of a rock mass in response to stress. |
| site | the point at which a settlement is located. |
| sub-glacial | lit |
| antifreeze | A substance, often a liquid such as ethylene glycol or alcohol, mixed with another liquid, such as water, to lower its freezing point. |
| flowing artesian well | a special case of an artesian well where a water well drilled into a confined aquifer has enough hydraulic pressure for the water to rise to a height above ground surface and to flow at the surface without pumping. |
| sinkhole | A depression in the land surface that results from the collapse or slow settlement of underground voids produced by solution weathering |
| grab sample | Typically, a single water or air sample drawn over a short time period |
| flood tide | A tidal current that generally moves landward and occurs during the part of the tide cycle when sea level is rising |
| breaker | A collapsing water wave. |
| bund | An embankment used especially in India to control the flow of water. |
| underpopulation | when the population is not sufficient to make full use of all the resources available and so standards of living are not as high as they could be. |
| coagulant aid | (Wastewater Treatment) Fine particles with high surface area and high specific gravity providing for increased particle collisions during the neutralization process in wastewater treatment plants |
| farm headgate delivery | That amount of water in acre feet (AF) delivered through a farm headgate. |
| oceanography | The science relating to the study of the ocean. |
| watertight | So tightly made that water cannot enter or escape. |
| radial drainage | A drainage pattern in which stream channels run away from a central high point such as a volcano or dome. |
| pediment | concave, rock-cut, slope found between a cliff face and a valley floor in arid and semi-arid areas. |
| clear | To restore a device to a its initial state, usually the zero state. |
| oxbow lake | An abandoned meander isolated from the main stream channel by deposition, and filled with water. |
| tertiary | a period of geologic time lasting from 65m to 1.6m years ago. |
| stoss | the exposed side of a slope. |
| biological treatment | A treatment technology that uses bacteria to consume organic wastes. |
| river banks | The portion of the channel cross section that restricts lateral movement of water at normal discharges |
| isohyet | A line drawn on a map connecting points that receive equal amounts of rainfall. |
| grease ice | a very thin, soupy layer of frazil crystals clumped together, which makes the ocean surface resemble an oil slick. |
| national priorities list | EPA's list of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term remedial action under Superfund |
| water resource district | A legal entity established by state statute to facilitate local administration in all phases of water development, utilization, and control. |
| graben | the block of crust at the base of a rift valley which has slipped downwards due to the divergence of the crust on either side. |
| meteorology | the study of the atmosphere. |
| renewable energy | A source of energy that is replaced by natural phenomena, such as firewood or the water held by a dam and used for hydroelectric purposes |
| control structure | Dam, dike, pump or any structure built for the purpose of controlling the water level of a lake or pond. |
| nonconformity | An unconformity in which stratified rocks rest on eroded granitic or metamorphic rocks. |
| advection | Advection involves the transfer of heat energy by means of horizontal mass motions through a medium. |
| outgassing | The release of juvenile gases and water to the surface from a magma source. |
| fall overturn | A physical phenomenon that may take place in a body of water during early autumn |
| wave cyclone | A cyclone which forms and moves along a front |
| technology-based limitations | (EPA) Industry-specific effluent limitations applied to a discharge when it will not cause a violation of water quality standards at low stream flows |
| cyclonic precipitation | Precipitation which results from the lifting of air converging into a low-pressure area, or Cyclone. |
| lock-and-key method | describes the selectivity of enzymes towards certain substrates over others |
| multiple completion well | A well equipped to produce oil and/or gas from more than one reservoir. |
| mechanical weathering | The breakdown of rock into smaller fragments by physical processes such as frost wedging |
| escarpment | A steep slope or long cliff that results from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations; the topographic expression of a fault. |
| transform fault | A special type of strike-slip fault forming the boundary between two moving lithospheric plates, usually along an offset segment of the oceanic ridge |
| reach | In both streams and glaciers, stretches of the flowing material which are different from those above and below. |
| outwash | A deposit of sand and gravel formed by streams of meltwater flowing from a glacier and laid down in stratified deposits. |
| slake | (1) To satisfy (a craving) as to quench a thirst |
| agnps | Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Model. |
| autonomy | the right of self-government |
| carbonic acid | A weak acid (H2CO3) that forms from the reaction of water and carbon dioxide |
| yazoo stream | A tributary stream that flows parallel to the main stream for a considerable distance before joining it |
| delivery system | A system which conveys water from a single source, such as a storage reservoir, to a number of individual points of use |
| condensation | (1) (Physics) The process by which a gas or vapor changes to a liquid or solid; also the liquid or solid so formed |
| moor | open, often hilly, expanse of land characterized by wet, spongy, peaty soils and vegetation such as moss, coarse grass and heather. |
| special assessment district | A legally established area for the express purpose of levying a special fee for public improvements that are of a special rather than a general benefit. |
| soil erodibility | An indicator of a soil's susceptibility to raindrop impact, runoff, and other eroding processes. |
| rock varnish | A thin, shiny veneer of clay minerals and iron and manganese oxides deposited on some rocks in a desert environment. |
| effluent | The sewage or industrial liquid waste that is released into natural water by sewage treatment plants, industry, or septic tanks. |
| course | The route or path taken by flowing water, such as a stream or river. |
| eolian | A term used in reference to the wind |
| irrigation period | The number of hours or days that it takes to apply one irrigation to a given design area during the peak consumptive-use period of the crop being irrigated. |
| average annual flood damages | The weighted average of all flood damages that would be expected to occur yearly under specified economic conditions and development |
| rossby waves | the wave-pattern of flow of the westerly winds which blow in the upper atmosphere |
| angiosperms | (Botanical) The vast majority of seed plants characterized as having ovules and seeds in a closed ovary |
| wave base | The lower limit of wave transportation and erosion, equal to half the wavelength. |
| bulking sludge | (Water Quality) Sludge that does not settle to the bottom of a clarifier, causing a rise in the level of suspended solids and biochemical oxygen demand in water leaving a wastewater treatment facility. |
| compound | A substance composed of separate elements, ingredients, or parts |
| chemoautotroph | An organism that utilizes oxidation of inorganic chemicals for its energy and carbon dioxide for cell growth |
| polarity epoch | An interval of time between reversals of Earth's magnetic field. |
| colorado low | A low pressure disturbance that forms in the lee of the Rocky Mountains, usually in southeastern Colorado. |
| toxaphene | chemical that causes adverse health effects in domestic water supplies and is toxic to fresh water and marine aquatic life. |
| ejector | (1) A device using a jet of water to withdraw a fluid from a space |
| irregularly exposed | A water regime in wetland classification in which the land surface is exposed by tides less often than daily. |
| phenolphthalein alkalinity | The alkalinity in a water sample measured by the amount of standard acid needed to lower the pH to a level of 8.3 as indicated by the change of color of the phenolphthalein from pink to clear. |
| biodegradation | The metabolic breakdown of materials into simpler components by living organisms |
| rhabdomancy | Divination by means of a wand or rod, especially for discovering underground water or ores |
| sea ice | Ice that is formed by the freezing of sea water |
| autotroph | An organism that produces food molecules inorganically by using a light or chemical based sources of external energy |
| zone of engineering control | The area occupied by a hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility which the owner or operator can readily decontaminate if a leak is detected, thus preventing hazardous waste or its constituents from entering groundwater of surface water. |
| fold | (Geology) A bend or flexure in a layer or layers of rock. |
| weir loading rate | An expression of the flow over a weir calculated by dividing the flow by the total effluent weir length |
| reservoir | a pond, lake, tank, or basin (natural or human made) where water is collected and used for storage |
| decant | the process in the laboratory when a liquid is transferred into a different container and the solid is left behind |
| aquatic invertebrates | Aquatic animals without an internal skeletal structure such as insects, mollusks, and crayfish. |
| green movement | non-governmental organizations, political parties and, increasingly, public opinion which propose that care for the environment should inform and mould our behaviour much more than it has historically. |
| desiccate | (1) To dry out thoroughly |
| gathering pipeline | A pipeline that carries natural gas between a production well and a main transmission line. |
| farm efficiency | The consumptive Crop Irrigation Requirement (CIR) divided by the farm water delivery. |
| net balance | The change in the amount of mass of a glacier from one year to the next. |
| milldam | A dam constructed across a stream to raise the water level so that the overflow will have sufficient power to turn a mill wheel. |
| average discharge | In the annual series of the U.S |
| stream load | The total amount of sediment carried by a stream at a given time. |
| finite | lit |
| nuee ardente | A hot cloud of volcanic fragments and superheated gases that flows as a mass, because it is denser than air |
| conventional systems | (Water Quality) Systems that have been traditionally used to collect municipal wastewater in gravity sewers and convey it to a central primary or secondary treatment plant prior to discharge to surface waters. |
| backswamp | The marshy area of a flood plain at some distance beyond and lower than the natural levees that confine the river. |
| common agricultural policy | the system of organization of farming in the European Union (EU) |
| aquiclude | Rock formations that are impermeable to groundwater water. |
| continental glacier | a glacier that moves out from a central point in all directions and covers most of a continent |
| coldwater fish | A fish that requires relatively cool water for survival |
| foliation | The planar or layered characteristics of metamorphic rocks that are evidence of the pressures and/or temperatures to which the rock was exposed |
| head wall | A steep slope or precipice rising at the head of a valley or glacial Cirque. |
| hiv | see human immunodeficiency virus. |
| decomposer | an organism that converts organic matter into its inorganic chemical components which are then recycled through an ecosystem |
| imbrian system | The system of rocks formed on the Moon during the Imbrian period. |
| spray field | Refers to the release of reclaimed water or treated effluent on the surface of the ground through a variety of sprinkler heads or nozzles (including overhead systems, center pivot systems, periodic moving systems, and portable or traveling gun systems) |
| thermal pollution | an increase in air or water temperature that disturbs the climate or ecology of an area. |
| pore fluid | A fluid, such as ground water or liquid rock material resulting from partial melting, that occupies pore spaces of a rock. |
| balanced operation | Operation of a canal system where the water supply exactly matches the total flow demand. |
| catchment | See drainage basin. |
| fetch length | Horizontal distance (in the direction of the wind) over which wind generates waves and wind setup. |
| amphibious | (Biology) (1) Living or able to live both on land and in water |
| k index | The measure of thunderstorm potential based on the vertical temperature lapse rate, the moisture content of the lower atmosphere and the vertical extent of the moist layer. |
| pressure sewers | A system of pipes in which water, wastewater, or other liquid is pumped to a higher elevation. |
| seismic wave | A wave or vibration produced within the earth by an seismograph An instrument that records seismic waves. |
| swash marks | The wavy lines of fine sand or bits of debris left on the beach at the upward limit of the rush of water following the breaking of a wave. |
| aquatic biology | Field of biological study that deals with aquatic plants and animals. |
| landscape | comprises the visible features of an area of land, including physical elements such as landforms, living elements of flora and fauna, abstract elements such as lighting and weather conditions, and human elements. |
| final approach | The point in an aircraft's flight when the pilot has been directed to a flight path and trajectory in preparation for landing |
| large-scale atmospheric processes | atmospheric processes with a representative scale (large-scale) of 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles); in meteorology, it is a scale in which the curve of the earth is not negligible; the large-scale atmospheric flows are essentially nearly hydrostatic, nearly geostrophic and wave-like in appearance; they exist mainly in response to the latitudinal differences in radiative heating, to the particular value of the coriolis force and to the spatial distribution of the oceans and continents. |
| hyetography | The branch of meteorology having to do with the geographical distribution and annual variation of rainfall |
| invisible import | the buying of a service from an overseas provider. |
| crp | Conservation Reserve Program |
| artesian aquifer | a geologic formation in which water is under sufficient hydrostatic pressure to rise above the top of the aquifer in the subsurface |
| entrain | To trap bubbles in water either mechanically through turbulence or chemically through a reaction. |
| toxicant | Any chemical that has the potential of causing acute or chronic adverse effects in animals, plants, or humans. |
| friable | lit |
| settling chamber | (Water Quality) An enclosed container into which wastewater contaminated with solid materials is placed and allowed to stand |
| erosion control matting | Fibrous matting (e.g., jute, paper, etc.) placed or sprayed on a streambank for the purpose of resisting erosion or providing temporary stabilization until vegetation is established. |
| water gauge | An instrument indicating the level of water, as in a boiler, tank, reservoir, or stream. |
| spreading pole | A pole of the imaginary axis about which a set of tectonic plates moves |
| bulkhead | Vertical, or near vertical, wall that supports a bank or an embankment; also may serve to protect against erosion. |
| rooster tail | A high arching spray of water thrown up behind a fast-moving motorboat. |
| total solids | (Water Quality) A measure of the amount of material that is either dissolved or suspended in a water sample, obtained by allowing a known volume to evaporate and then weighing the remaining residue |
| bac | see Biological Activated Carbon (BAC) Process. |
| hydrostatic pressure | pressure exerted by or existing within a liquid at rest with respect to adjacent bodies. |
| mesic | Refers to environmental conditions that have medium moisture supplies as compared to wet conditions (Hydric) or dry conditions (Xeric). |
| eutrophication | The process of aging of lakes by the addition of nutrients. |
| superfund list | A list of the hazardous waste disposal sites most in need of cleanup |
| kettlehole | a small depression usually found on the outwash plain of a glacial area and sometimes containing a small lake |
| run-of-river dam | A hydroelectric generating power plant that operates based only on available streamflow and some short-term storage (hourly, daily, or weekly) |
| ·ice field | A continuous accumulation of snow and glacier ice that completely fills a mountain basin or covers a low-relief mountain plateau to a substantial depth |
| water cycle | see hydrological cycle. |
| boulder clay | see till. |
| frontogenesis | The birth or creation of a front |
| ·rock glacier | A glacier-like landform that often heads in a cirque and consists of a valley-filling accumulation of angular rock blocks |
| rime | very heavy frost created when fog touches surfaces which are below 0˚C |
| fetch | (1) The distance traveled by waves in open water, from their point of origin to the point where they break |
| celestial sphere | The apparent sphere of infinite radius having the earth as its center |
| social provision | the basic needs that a society should provide or aspire to provide for its members such as housing, healthcare, education and the like. |
| microfiltration | (Water Quality) Similar to Reverse Osmosis, the microfiltration process utilizes filtering membranes with larger-sized pores to remove suspended particles from water |
| coordinated resource plan | A conservation plan including privately-owned land and public land. |
| ice water | Chilled or iced water, especially served as a beverage. |
| nunatak | a mountain peak rising out from and above an ice sheet. |
| clayseal | A barrier constructed of impermeable clay that stops the flow of water or gas. |
| a horizon | Soil horizon normally found below the O horizon and above the B horizon |
| geologic map | A map showing the distribution of rocks at the earth's surface. |
| salina | (1) A salt marsh, spring, pond, or lake |
| tidal energy | The mechanical energy associated with the rising and falling of water level during the movement of the tides |
| lag time | time that passes between the point when precipitation is at its highest over a particular drainage basin during a particular precipitation event, and the point when discharge in the river channel is at its highest in that drainage basin for that precipitation event. |
| epa | See (United States) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). |
| photolysis | The lysis of water to give oxygen and hydrogen under the influence of light |
| asbestos | A mineral fiber that can pollute air or water and cause cancer or Asbestosis when inhaled |
| maelstrom | A whirlpool of extraordinary size or violence. |
| wave-cut platform | A terrace cut across bedrock by wave erosion |
| aphelion | The point on the earth's orbit that is farthest from the sun |
| reforestation | The planting of trees on land from which the forest has been removed. |
| mantle | The zone of the earth's interior between the base of the crust (the Moho discontinuity) and the core. |
| saltation | Particle movement in water or wind where particles skip or bounce along the stream bed or soil surface. |
| frazil | small needle-like ice crystals, typically 3 to 4 millimeters in diameter, suspended in water, that represent the first stages of sea ice growth; they merge under calm conditions to form thin sheets of ice on the surface, frazil crystals consist of nearly pure fresh water. |
| net precipitation | The potential for Leachate generation from a waste disposal site |
| weathering | breakdown of rock in situ by physical and chemical processes due to the presence of water, plants and animals |
| a priori classification | A classification made prior to experimentation. |
| hummock | (1) [sea ice] a smooth hill of ice that forms on the sea ice surface from eroding ridges, particularly during the summer melt; the formation of hummocks is similar to young mountain peaks with steep slopes that erode into smooth, rolling hills |
| station pressure | atmospheric pressure observed at a station. |
| isostasy | A state of equilibrium, resembling flotation, in which segments of the earth's crust stand at levels determined by their thickness and density |
| appropriation doctrine | The system for allocating water to private individuals used in most Western states |
| oceanic plate | a segment of the earth crust made up of sima |
| badt | Best Available Demonstrated Technology. |
| waterspout | (1) A tornado or lesser whirlwind occurring over water and resulting in a funnel-shaped whirling column of air and spray |
| abrasion | Removal of streambank material due to entrained sediment, ice, or debris rubbing against the bank. |
| mattress | (Environmental) A blanket of poles, brush, or other material interwoven or otherwise lashed together and weighted with rock, concrete blocks, or held in place to cover an area subject to scouring by flowing water. |
| science advisory board | An independent body established by the Administrator of the U.S |
| benthos | marine organisms which dwell on the seabed. |
| distance ratio | gradient of a slope measured by dividing vertical change by horizontal change |
| evaporite | A mineral or rock deposited directly from a solution (commonly seawater) during evaporation |
| project evaluation period | Expected useful life of a project beginning at the end of the installation of the project. |
| chalybeate | Tasting like iron, as water from a mineral spring. |
| sewerage | the entire system of sewage collection, treatment, and disposal. |
| mutchkin | (Scottish) A unit of liquid measure equal to 0.9 U.S |
| channeled | Having one or more longitudinal grooves. |
| belt of soil moisture | Subdivision of the Zone of Aeration |
| deprivation cycle | much the same as the cycle of poverty but as applied to EMDW inner city areas |
| acidic rock | An igneous rock that has a relatively high silica content |
| purify | To rid water of impurities or pollution |
| global dimming | the term to describe the blocking and/or scattering of insolation by particulate matter in the atmosphere, both natural (e.g |
| sediment control | The control of movement of sediment on the land, in a stream or into a reservoir by means of manmade structures; such as debris dams, wing dams, or channelization; land management techniques, or natural processes. |
| inversion | in meteorology, a departure from the usual (normal) decrease or increase with altitude of the value of an atmospheric property; also, the layer through which this departure occurs (the inversion layer); this term almost always refers to a temperature inversion. |
| aquifer | An aquifer that is not overlain by an impermeable rock unit |
| carbon dating | a means of dating organic material based on the fact that carbon-14, a radioactive component of all living things, decays at a known rate over time from death. |
| barometer | An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure |
| ordinary least squares | (Statistics) Mathematical procedures for attributing the variability of one quantity to changes in one or more other quantities |
| glacial rebound | A very gradual uplift of Earth's crust that occurs after the weight of a thick continental ice sheet (which produced subsidence) has melted away. |
| longitudinal profile | Profile of a stream or channel drawn along the length of its centerline |
| steam injection well | A method of recovering deposits of oil and other minerals which involves injecting steam directly into the deposit to decrease viscosity and facilitate extraction |
| hypsometer | An instrument using the atmospheric pressure as measured by the change in the boiling point of water to determine land elevations. |
| cartel | a group of producers within a single industry who agree to limit supply to keep prices high |
| b-horizon | The lower soil zone which is enriched by the deposition or precipitation of material from the overlying zone, or A-Horizon |
| groundwater storage | the storage of water in groundwater reservoirs. |
| low-level outlet | An opening at a low level from a reservoir generally used for emptying or for scouring sediment and sometimes for irrigation releases |
| pebble | A small stone, especially one worn smooth by erosion |
| arkose | A sandstone that contains at least 25% feldspar |
| shallow well | A well with a pumping head of 20 feet or less, permitting use of a suction pump. |
| conglomerate | A coarse-grained sedimentary rock composed of rounded fragments of pebbles, cobbles, or boulders. |
| downfall | A fall of rain or snow, especially a heavy or unexpected one. |
| agricultural pollution | Liquid and solid wastes from all types of farming, including runoff from pesticides, fertilizers, and feedlots; erosion and dust from plowing; animal manure and carcasses; and crop residues and debris. |
| enhancement | Emphasis on improving the value of particular aspects of water and related land resources. |
| heat sink | Any material used to absorb heat |
| breakpoint chlorination | addition of chlorine to the point where all organic matter and ammonia compounds have been destroyed and any additional chlorine becomes a free chlorine residual available for disinfection. |
| consequent stream | A stream following a course that is a direct consequence of the original slope of the surface on which it developed. |
| anisotropy | (1) The condition of having different properties in different directions |
| trade winds | easterly winds which blow from the tropics towards the equator |
| batholith | A very large intrusive igneous rock mass that has been exposed by erosion and with an exposed surface area of over 100 square kilometers |
| pyroclastic texture | The rock texture of igneous rocks consisting of fragments of ash, rock, and glass produced by volcanic explosions. |
| collector well | a well located near a surface water supply used to lower the water table and thereby induce infiltration of surface water through the bed of the water body to the well. |
| perched streams | Perched streams are either Losing Streams or Insulated Streams that are separated from the underlying ground water by a zone of aeration |
| debris cloud | Considered a rotating cloud of debris or dust that is on the ground or near the ground |
| arrastra | A crude drag-stone mill for pulverizing ores, especially those containing free gold or silver; frequently powered by falling water. |
| oceanaut | A person trained to live in underwater installations and conduct, assist in, or be a subject of scientific research |
| capillary zone | The soil area above the water table where water can rise up slightly through the cohesive force of Capillary Action. |
| slum | an area of old, rundown housing where living and social conditions are very poor. |
| retrofitting | installing modern pollution control devices at facilities without making major changes to the facility's design. |
| whelm | To cover with water; submerge. |
| valley breeze | An anabatic wind, it is formed during the day by the heating of the valley floor |
| pyrophytes | plants adapted to withstand fire, and to require fire for regeneration. |
| water conserving irrigation system | Irrigation systems including a combination of drip irrigation, soaker hoses, bubblers, and low-trajectory spray heads for water distribution; zoning irrigation for different water-demand plant types; electronic timers with five-day programming and rain override devices, irrigation schedules for early morning watering every five to seven days; and soil moisture sensors. |
| soil structure | The physical properties of different soils |
| spoil | Soil or rock material excavated from a canal, ditch, basin, or similar construction. |
| senescence | Describing plants or specific ecosystems that are nearing the end of their normal life span |
| horn | A peak or pinnacle thinned and eroded by three or more glacial cirques |
| streamlet | A small stream. |
| quartz | (Geology) The most common rock-forming mineral |
| heterogenic aquifer | an aquifer that has a variety of forms or characteristics, such as differering permeabilities |
| gradually varied flow | (Hydraulics) Non-uniform flow in which depth of flow changes gradually through a reach |
| phosphorus | An element that is essential to plant life but contributes to an increased trophic level (Eutrophication) of water bodies |
| paralytic shellfish poisoning | A pathological condition in humans caused by the consumption of certain marine mussels or clams that have fed on planktonic dinoflagellates belonging to the genus Gonyaulax |
| cutback irrigation | Water applied at a faster rate at the beginning of the irrigation period and then reduced or cutback to a lesser rate, usually one-half the initial rate or that amount to balance with the intake rate. |
| overdraft | That quantity of water pumped in excess of the safe yield; the act of overdrawing a water supply or aquifer in amounts greater than replenishment |
| chinook | the N |
| outwash | Sorted and stratified sediment deposited in front of a glacier by meltwater streams. |
| nappe | A large slab of earth's surface that has been moved in a horizontal or near horizontal direction over a plane of separation |
| moderator | (Physics) A substance, such as water or graphite, that is used in a nuclear reactor to regulate the speed of fast neutrons and alter the likelihood of fission. |
| departure controller | The air traffic control personnel responsible for monitoring all departing flights and for guiding departing aircraft to their initial navigational fix. |
| air mass | large body of air with shared temperature and humidity characteristics associated with its area of origin e.g |
| aphotic zone | The zone in which most photosynthetic algae can not survive due to light deficiency. |
| gravel | Rock fragment whose diameter ranges from 2 to 64 mm. |
| stream gradient | A general slope or rate of change in vertical elevation per unit of horizontal distance of the water surface of a flowing stream. |
| ephemeral stream | A stream that flows only in direct response to precipitation, and thus discontinues its flow during dry seasons |
| travertine terrace | A terrace formed from calcium carbonate deposited by water on a cave floor. |
| methoxychlor | pesticide that causes adverse health effects when found in domestic water supplies |
| wave period | The interval of time required for a wave crest to travel a distance equal to one wavelength; the interval of time required for two successive wave crests to pass a fixed point. |
| frost pockets | A low area or depression at the base of a slope where frost collects. |
| operational losses | Losses of water resulting from evaporation and seepage. |
| sunbow | A rainbow-like display of colors resulting from refraction of sunlight through a spray of water |
| aureole | (Astronomy) A faintly colored luminous ring appearing to surround a celestial body visible through a haze or thin cloud of water vapor, especially such a ring around the moon or sun, caused by the diffraction of light from suspended matter in the intervening medium |
| caldera | A large, more or less circular depression or basin associated with a volcanic vent |
| anc | Acid Neutralizing Capacity. |
| chemical weathering | attack and dissolving of parent rock by exposure to rainwater, surface water, oxygen, and other gases in the atmosphere, and compounds secreted by organisms |
| pioneer plants | Herbaceous annual and seedling perennial plants that colonize bare areas as a first stage in secondary succession. |
| nutrients | such as potassium, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, copper and zinc, soil that is lacking in these substances can be fertilized with biosolids which also improve soil properties and plant productivity reducing dependence on inorganic fertilizers. |
| special district | A political subdivision of a state established to provide a single public service (as water supply or sanitation) within a specific geographical area |
| longshore drift | the net movement of sediment along a coast |
| comminution | the reduction in size of particles through attrition. |
| net rain | The portion of rainfall during a storm which reaches a stream as direct surface flow. |
| angiosperms | Group of vascular plants who encase their seeds in a mature ovary or fruit. |
| sump pump | A pump designed and so placed in a Sump to remove the water or other liquids collected there. |
| domestic operations | Domestic operations are activities located in the United States, including the offshore territorial waters, U.S |
| oligopoly | supply of a good or service to a market is dominated and controlled by a handful of companies e.g |
| minimum flow appropriation | An appropriation designed to preserve a specified minimum flow in a stream |
| adiabatic lapse rate | The theoretical rate at which the temperature of the air changes with altitude |
| feedwater | (Water Quality) Water input into a desalting or water treatment plant. |
| water resource management | The decision-making, manipulative, and non-manipulative processes by which water is protected, allocated, or developed. |
| cirrus clouds | A principal cloud type found at high altitudes and composed of ice crystals collected into delicate wisps or patches |
| private sector | the firms in an economy owned by shareholders or individuals. |
| nonpersistent pollutant | A substance that can cause damage to organisms when added in excessive amounts to the environment but is decomposed or degraded by natural biological communities and removed from the environment relatively quickly |
| neritic | Of the shallow regions of a lake or ocean that border the land |
| notch | The opening in a dam or spillway for the passage of water. |
| atmosphere | the envelope of air surrounding the earth and bound to it more or less permanently by virtue of the earth's gravitational attraction; the system whose chemical properties, dynamic motions, and physical processes constitute the subject matter of meteorology. |
| swimmer's itch | Swimmer's itch is an unpleasant, itchy rash caused by the larval stage of flatworms parasites, called schistosomes (Shiss-toe-soams) |
| microfauna | Animals invisible to the naked eye, such as copepods and mites. |
| dune pond | A lake occupying a basin formed as a result of the blocking of the mouth of a stream by sand dunes migrating along the shore. |
| earthquake | A trembling of the earth caused by a sudden release of energy stored in subsurface rock units. |
| afloat | Floating on water. |
| inundation map | A map delineating the area that would be inundated in the event of a dam failure. |
| respiration | (Biology) The oxidative process occurring within living cells by which the chemical energy of organic molecules (i.e., substances containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) is released in a series of metabolic steps involving the consumption of oxygen (O2) and the liberation of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). |
| contaminant | Any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter that has an adverse affect on air, water, or soil. |
| continental plate | a segment of the earth crust made up of sial |
| non-degradation | An environmental policy which disallows any lowering of naturally occurring quality regardless of preestablished health standards. |
| allogenic succession | Predictable changes in plant and animal communities in which changes are caused by events external to the community, for example, fire, drought, floods, etc. |
| node | in a transport network, a point where links join. |
| glacial environment | The sedimentary environment of glaciers and their meltwaters. |
| wave | a movement of energy |
| confounding variable | (Statistics) A variable which is associated with two or more observed variables and which directly affects the relationship between the observed variables |
| cooling water load | The waste heat energy dissipated in the cooling water. |
| trade bloc | a collection of countries who agree to make trade between themselves easier and to maintain barriers to trade with countries outside of the bloc. |
| distribution coefficent | also called partition coefficient |
| slickensides | a smooth striated polished surface produced on rock by movement along a fault. |
| itcz | see Intertropical Convergence Zone. |
| water softening | Any process, but most usually involving ion exchange, for removing from water, in whole or in part, those Cations which produce hardness (primarily calcium and magnesium) |
| isohyetal | Indicating equal rainfall, generally expressed as lines of equal rainfall. |
| limestone | rock that consists mainly of calcium carbonate and is chiefly formed by accumulation of organic remains. |
| glacial trough | see glacial valley. |
| aphanitic | A textural term meaning "fine-grained" that applies to igneous rocks. |
| surface water | water that flows in streams and rivers and in natural lakes, in wetlands, and in reservoirs constructed by humans. |
| alcove | A large niche or recession formed in a steep cliff. |
| time of concentration | The time required for water to flow from the farthest point on the water shed to the gaging station, culvert, or other point of interest. |
| waterlogging | saturation of soil with irrigation water so the water table rises close to the surface. |
| boulder | Rock fragment whose diameter is greater than 250 mm. |
| funnel cloud | A violent, rotating column of air visibly extending from the base of a towering cumulus or cumulonimbus toward the ground, but not in contact with it |
| terrace | an area of flat ground set into or onto a steep slope. |
| revetment | (1) A facing of stone, concrete, or sandbags, or other materials, used to protect a bank of earth from erosion |
| fringe marsh | A saturated, poorly drained area, intermittently or permanently water covered, close to and along the edge of a land mass. |
| coniferous | Pertaining to Conifers, which bear woody cones containing naked seeds. |
| 14c method | A method for determining the age in years of organic matter by calculating the amount ofradioactive carbon still remaining, as compared to the stable isotope, 12C. |
| fluoridate | To add a fluorine compound to a drinking water supply, for example, for the purpose of reducing tooth decay, particularly in children |
| atom | The smallest unit of an element |
| hepatitis | Inflammation of the liver |
| thermal plume | The hot water discharged from a power generating facility or other industrial plant |
| drainage district | A special purpose district created under state law to finance, construct, operate, and maintain a drainage system involving a group of land holdings. |
| chronic | Showing effects only over a long period of time, as in chronic toxicity. |
| flux density | The rate of flow of any quantity, usually a form of energy, through a unit area of specified surface. |
| soakage | (1) The process of soaking; the condition of being soaked |
| solution mining | The removal of a mineral deposit that is soluble in water |
| submarine canyon | A V-shaped trench or valley with steep sides cut into a continental shelf or continental slope. |
| depth-area-duration analysis | Determination of the maximum amounts of precipitation within various durations over areas of various sizes; used to predict flood events. |
| absorption | the uptake of water, other fluids, or dissolved chemicals by a cell or an organism (as tree roots absorb dissolved nutrients in soil). |
| contact metamorphism | Metamorphism of a rock near its contact with a magma. |
| toxaphene | (Water Quality) A chemical that causes adverse health effects in domestic water supplies and is toxic to fresh water and marine aquatic life. |
| ice field | A continuous accumulation of snow and glacier ice that completely fills a mountain basin or covers a low-relief mountain plateau to a substantial depth |
| crest | the top of a dam, dike, or spillway, which water must reach before passing over the structure; the summit or highest point of a wave; the highest elevation reached by flood waters flowing in a channel. |
| distributary | Any of the numerous stream branches into which a river divides where it reaches its delta. |
| system | any set of components which are gathered into a working whole. |
| orbit | An elliptical or hyperbolic path traveled by a satellite object around a more massive body |
| subsidence | A lowering of the land surface in response to subsurface weathering, collapse or slow settlement of underground mines, or the production of subsurface fluids such as ground water or oil. |
| ionosphere | A complex atmospheric zone of ionized gases that extends between 50 and 400 miles (80 to 640 kilometers) above the earth's surface |
| diatomite | A light colored, fine-grained siliceous sedimentary rock that forms from a sediment rich in diatom remains. |
| recessional moraine | A ridge of glacial sediment that forms when the terminus of a retreating glacier remains at or near a single location for a period of time sufficient for a cross-valley accumulation to form. |
| natural resource | any form of matter or energy obtained from the environment that meets human needs. |
| extensive agriculture | cultivation of a large land area producing a relatively low per unit yield. |
| uniformitarianism | The theory that geologic events are caused by natural processes, many of which are operating at the present time. |
| outwash plain | The area beyond the margins of a glacier where meltwater deposits sand, gravel, and mud washed out from the glacier. |
| magnetic reversal | A change in the polarity of Earth's magnetic field in which the north magnetic pole becomes the south magnetic pole and vice versa |
| langelier index | An expression of the ability of water to dissolve or deposit calcium carbonate scale in pipes |
| detritus | A general term for loose rock fragments produced by mechanical weathering. |
| gravel | A mixture composed primarily of rock fragments 2 mm (0.08 inch) to 7.6 cm (3 inches) in diameter |
| municipal water | Municipal water may come from either ground water or surface water sources |
| boiling point | The temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid is equal to the pressure exerted on the liquid |
| manganese nodule | A rounded concretion, rich in manganese minerals with minor concentrations of cobalt, copper and nickel |
| water gate | A gate that provides access to a body of water; a Floodgate. |
| divide | A ridge that separates two adjacent drainage basins. |
| coefficient of roughness | Factor in fluid flow determination expressing the character of a surface and its fractional resistance to flow |
| glacier terminus | Where the glacier ends, the leading edge of the glacier, also called the glacier nose. |
| saturated adiabatic lapse rate | the rate of fall in air temperature by adiabatic change as saturated air gains altitude |
| convection | The process of heat transfer through gas or liquid due to its own movement. |
| lag time | the time from the center of a unit storm to the peak discharge or center of volume of the corresponding unit hydrograph. |
| biocide | A chemical substance that kills living organisms |
| topographic map | A map that shows the change in elevation over a geographic area through the use of contour lines |
| amebic dysentery | A disorder of the gastrointestinal tract caused by a protozoan parasite belonging to the genus Entamoeba histolytica |
| precipitate | A solid which forms from a liquid suspension as a result of a chemical reaction |
| mudflat | Low-lying muddy land that is covered at high tide and exposed at low tide; A level tract lying at little depth below the surface of water or alternately covered and left bare by the tide. |
| benthic deposits | Bottom accumulations which may contain bottom-dwelling organisms and/or contaminants in a lake, harbor, or stream bed. |
| halosere | plant succession in a saline environment e.g |
| cobble | A rock fragment with a diameter between 64 mm (about the size of a tennis ball) and 2567 mm (about the size of a volleyball) |
| meander length | The distance in the general course of the meanders between corresponding points of successive meanders of the same phase. |
| allelopathy | Production of substances by one organism that inhibit the growth, activity or reproduction of another. |
| capillary zone | soil area above the water table where water can rise up slightly through the cohesive force of capillary action |
| homogeneous | is a system that consists of only one phase i.e |
| arctic tundra | The grassland Biome characterized by permafrost (subsurface soil that remains frozen throughout the year). |
| apogee | The point farthest from the earth on the moon's orbit |
| skimming | (1) The diversion of water from a stream or conduit by a shallow overflow in order to avoid diversion of sand, silt, or other debris carried as bottom load |
| bridge owner | Any Federal, State, Local agency, or other entity responsible for a structure defined as a highway bridge by the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS). |
| plate tectonics | The theory of global dynamics in which the lithosphere is believed to be broken into individual plates that move in response to convection in the upper mantle |
| abiotic | Pertaining to any non- biological factor or influence, such as geological or meteorological characteristics. |
| condensation | the formation of water droplets or ice crystals from water vapour when it is cooled to the dew point. |
| water impoundment | A body of water created or stored by impoundment structures such as dams, dikes, and levees. |
| density current | A flow of water maintained by gravity through a large body of water, such as a reservoir or lake, which retains its identity because of a difference in density. |
| resource management | the control of resources so that they do not become depleted or exhausted. |
| header | (1) A pipe that serves as a central connection for two or more smaller pipes |
| vent | a pipe-like gap in the ground which allows volcanic material to pass through to the surface. |
| sour | Of or relating to excessively acid soil that is damaging to crops. |
| seasonally flooded | Water regime in estuaries with seasonally-closed mouths and seasonally-flooded habitats. |
| ·ground moraine | A blanket of glacier till deposited on all of the surfaces over which a glacier moves, typically by moving ice. |
| absolute temperature | A temperature expressed on the thermodynamic scale, measured from Absolute Zero, or 0 Kelvin (K), also equivalent to -273.15C or -459.67F. |
| septage | Septic Tank sludge that is a combination of raw primary sludge and an anaerobically produced raw sludge. |
| re-regulating reservoir | A reservoir for reducing diurnal (daily) fluctuations resulting from the operation of an upstream reservoir for power production. |
| esker | deposit of sediment formed by a river that was once under a glacier, resembles shape of river |
| salt-water barrier | A physical facility or method of operation designed to prevent the intrusion of salt water into a body of fresh water. |
| demand | Maximum water use under a specified condition. |
| flood stage | The elevation at which overflow of the natural banks of a stream or body of water begins in the reach or area in which the elevation is measured. |
| sewerage | The entire system of sewage collection, treatment, and disposal. |
| karst hydrology | The branch of Hydrology that deals with the hydrology of geological formations having large underground passages or fractures which enable underground movement of large quantities of water. |
| drawdown | the drop in the water table or level of groundwater when water is being pumped from a well; the amount of water used from a tank or reservoir; the drop in the water level of a tank or reservoir. |
| free flow | (Hydraulics) Flow through or over a structure not affected by submergence or backwater. |
| agp | Algae Growth Potential |
| population equivalent | (Water Quality) A way to express the strength of industrial waste in terms of the comparable amount of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the household wastewater produced by one person |
| global telecommunication system | the coordinated global system of telecommunication facilities and arrangements for the rapid collection, exchange and distribution of observational data in the framework of the World Weather Watch, a World Meteorological Organization program. |
| water quality-based toxics control | an integrated strategy used in NPDES permitting to assess and control the discharge of toxic pollutants to surface waters |
| sediment load | The total sediment, including bedload, being moved by flowing water in a stream at a specified cross section. |
| barchan dune | A crescent |
| sea-level change | two types: |
| assimilative capacity | the capacity of a natural body of water to receive and dilute wastewaters or toxic materials without damage to aquatic life or humans who consume the water. |
| urban runoff | storm water from city streets and adjacent domestic or commercial properties that carries pollutants of various kinds into the sewer systems and receiving waters. |
| rejuvenation | A change in condition of erosion that causes a stream to begin more active erosion and a new cycle. |
| periphery | lit |
| alluvial terraces | Flat elevated benches composed of unconsolidated alluvium found either side of a stream channel |
| public involvement | The process of obtaining citizen input into each stage of the development of a planning document |
| prevailing wind | A wind that blows from one direction more frequently than any other during a given period, such as a day, month, season, or year. |
| dusting | A light sprinkling as of snow. |
| low-level clouds | clouds in the lower region of the atmosphere, from ground level to 6500 feet (2000 meters); includes stratus, stratocumulus, the bases of cumulus and cumulonimbus, and sometimes nimbostratus clouds. |
| red snow | Snow on which red-pigmented algae has grown, commonly found in Arctic and alpine regions. |
| biotic factors | the influence of living organisms on the growth and distribution of plants such as shade provided by leaves or seed dispersal by animals. |
| ground water law | The common law doctrine of Riparian Rights and the doctrine of prior appropriation (Appropriative Rights) as applied to ground water |
| colluvium | A general term used to describe loose and incoherent deposits of rock moved downslope by gravitational force in the form of soil Creep, slides, and local wash |
| food web | where food chains overlap and intertwine with each other within and between ecosystems |
| meander scrolls | Low, concentric ridges and swales on a floodplain, marking the successive positions of former meander loops. |
| ultraviolet | Electromagnetic radiation that has a wavelength shorter than visible light and longer than x-rays |
| phenolphthalein alkalinity | the alkalinity in a water sample measured by the amount of standard acid needed to lower the pH to a level of 8.3 as indicated by the change of color of the phenolphthalein from pink to clear. |
| stage-discharge relationship | The relationship between the amount of water flowing in a river or stream and Stage at any particular point, usually represented by means of a Rating Curve or Rating Table. |
| buried drain | A covered drain usually made of clay, concrete, or plastic pipe installed beneath the ground surface at a planned grade and depth for conveyance of excess groundwater. |
| flocculate | To aggregate or clump together individual, tiny particles into small clumps or clusters. |
| ·ice sheet | A thick, subcontinental to continental-scale accumulation of glacier ice and perennial snow that spreads from a center of accumulation, typically in all directions |
| fecal streptococcus | A group of bacteria normally present in large numbers in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals other than humans |
| hypothermia | Subnormal temperature of the body. |
| drought | although there is no universally accepted definition of drought, it is generally the term applied to periods of less than average precipitation over a certain period of time |
| regeneration | see redevelopment. |
| rainfall | (1) A shower or fall of rain |
| data | In its strictest sense, data may be defined only as the raw numbers (or descriptions, in the case of qualitative data), either in Time-Series format (data covering observations over specific periods of time), Cross-Sectional format (data consisting of a number of observations taken at a specific point in time or about a specific event or phenomenon), or a combination of these two |
| rift | A shallow or rocky place in a stream, forming either a ford or a rapid. |
| calving ** | Ice sheets calve by breaking off flat pieces when the walls of crevasses give way or chunks fall off the front of an ice sheet |
| meridional circulation | an atmospheric circulation in a vertical plane oriented along a meridian; it consists of the vertical and the meridional (north or south) components of motion only. |
| air stripping | (Water Quality) A process for the removal of organic contaminants from groundwater |
| nominal diameter | Equivalent spherical diameter of a hypothetical sphere of the same volume as a given sediment particle. |
| basin | 1 (structural geology) A circular or elliptical downwarp |
| safe yield | The rate at which water can be withdrawn from supply, source, or an aquifer over a period of years without causing eventual depletion or contamination of the supply |
| neve | The upper area of accumulation in a glacier where firn is found. |
| extraction | is a process to isolate a compound from a mixture by either temporary chemical modification or distribution within two layers. |
| hygroscopic water | Water which is absorbed from the air. |
| badlands | Barren land characterized by roughly eroded ridges, peaks, and mesas. |
| country rock | A general term for rock surrounding an igneous intrusion. |
| gabion | A wire cage, usually rectangular, filled with cobbles and used as a component for water control structures or for channel and bank protection. |
| water garden | (1) A garden in which aquatic plants predominate |
| digester gas | The gas produced as a result of the microbial decomposition of particulate organic matter under Anaerobic conditions |
| shale | a clastic sedimentary rock that is made up of clay-size (less then 1/256 millimeter in diameter) weathering debris |
| riffle | Shallow rapids in an open stream, where the water surface is broken into waves by obstructions such as shoals or sandbars wholly or partly submerged beneath the water surface |
| mire | (1) An area of wet, soggy, muddy ground; a bog |
| ice-marginal lake | A lake that is located adjacent to the terminus of a glacier |
| weathering | The process by which Earth materials change when exposed to conditions at or near the Earth's surface and different from the ones under which they formed |
| barrage | An artificial obstruction, such as a dam or an irrigation channel, built in a watercourse to increase its depth or to divert its flow either for navigation or irrigation |
| glacial landform | a landform produced by glacial erosion or deposition. |
| affected public | The people who live and/or work near a hazardous waste site or other source of pollutant emissions. |
| seamount | A mountain on the sea floor that has at least 1000 meters of local relief |
| evergreen | (Botanical) Remaining verdant, as coniferous trees and many tropical plants |
| mudslide | A condition where there is a river, flow or inundation of liquid mud down a hillside usually as a result of a dual condition of loss of brush cover, and the subsequent accumulation of water on the ground preceded by a period of unusually heavy or sustained rain |
| alfalfa valve | A screw-type valve placed on the end of a pipe to regulate the flow of water. |
| air lock | A bubble or pocket of air or vapor, as in a pipe, that stops the normal flow of fluid through the conducting part. |
| equipotential line | A line in a field of flow such that the total head is the same for all points on the line; therefore, the direction of flow is perpendicular to the line at all points. |
| control dam | A dam or structure with gates to control the discharge from the upstream reservoir or lake. |
| rough fish | Those species of fish considered to be of either poor fighting quality when taken on tackle or of poor eating quality, such as carp, gar, suckers, etc |
| tombolo | A beach or bar connecting an island to the mainland. |
| striations | scratches in rock, shows direction of glacier |
| mud slide | Fast moving soil, rocks and water that flow down mountain slopes and canyons during a heavy a downpour of rain. |
| radioactivity | The spontaneous disintegration of an atomic nucleus with the emission of energy. |
| correlation coefficient | (Statistics) A measure of the coincidence of change between two variables |
| anaerobe | An organism that does not require oxygen to maintain its life processes. |
| arroyo | approximate rectangular shaped valley cut in floodplain alluvium, with a smaller stream in the base |
| discharge probability relationship | A graph of annual instantaneous peak discharge (or other hydrologic quantity) on the vertical axis, versus probability and/or recurrence interval on the horizontal axis |
| hydrologic cycle | Often called the water cycle, it is the vertical and horizontal transport of water in all its states between the earth, the atmosphere, and the seas. |
| well rig | Any power-driven percussion, rotary, boring, digging, jetting or auguring machine used in the construction of a well. |
| acid precipitation | Atmospheric deposition (rain, snow and dryfall) that is composed of the hydrolyzed by-products from oxidized halogen, nitrogen, and sulfur substances |
| wrinkle ridge | A sinuous, irregular segmented ridge on the surface of a lunar mare, believed to be a result of deformation of the lava. |
| dia. | Diameter |
| saline/poor quality aquifer | An aquifer containing water that is high in total dissolved solids, and is unacceptable for use as drinking water. |
| karst tower | in areas of carboniferous limestone where certain portions of the rock contains fewer weaknesses, especially joints, then weathering of these portions will be slower than the surrounding rock mass, eventually leaving them standing separately as towers above the surrounding plain |
| firm yield | The maximum annual supply of a given water development that is expected to be available on demand, with the understanding that lower yields will occur in accordance with a predetermined schedule or probability |
| electrodialysis reversal | A treatment process in which minerals and other constituents in water are separated by an electrical charge |
| calving glacier | A glacier with a terminus that ends in a body of water (river, lake, ocean) into which it calves icebergs. |
| localized | restricted to a point in space in a landscape |
| physical weathering | A general term applied to a variety of weathering processes that result in the particle size reduction of rock materials with no change in composition |
| return flow credit | The concept of water use allocations based only on actual Consumptive Use; waters returned to the system are credited, in whole or part, against the original allowable allocations. |
| demographics | the statistical characteristics of a population births, deaths, age/sex structure etc. |
| ejecta | Rock fragments, glass, and other material thrown out of an impact crater or a volcano. |
| gas | The state of matter in which a substance has neither independent shape nor independent volume |
| low-water mark | The lowest level attained by a varying water surface level. |
| water-related disaster | A cyclic event involving water during which there is threat to or loss of human life or property (e.g., flood, hurricane, tsunami, etc.). |
| organic load | (Water Quality) The amount of organic material added to a body of water |
| culvert dam | When culverts are constructed under roads that cross over the effluent (outlet) stream of a lake, they may be laid at a higher level than the original stream bed |
| vicariance | (Biology) The separation or division of a group of organisms by a geographic barrier, such as a mountain or a body of water, resulting in differentiation of the original group into new varieties or species. |
| c-horizon | a layer of unconsolidated material, relatively little affected by the influence of organisms and presumed to be similar in chemical, physical, and mineralogical composition to the material from which at least a portion of the overlying Solum has developed. |
| andesite | A fine-grained, extrusive igneous rock composed mainly of plagioclase with other minerals such as hornblende, pyroxene and biotite |
| maximum water surface | The maximum water-surface elevation is the highest water surface elevation for which the dam is designed |
| deicer | (1) A device used on an aircraft to keep the wings and propellers free from ice or to remove ice after it has formed |
| aeration | the mixing or turbulent exposure of water to air and oxygen to dissipate volatile contaminants and other pollutants into the air. |
| ddt | an insecticide (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) |
| diatoma | A small genus of fresh-water diatoms typifying the family Diatomaceae |
| irrigation water requirement | The total quantity of water, exclusive of effective precipitation, that is required for crop production, to include crop consumptive use, leaching requirements, and on-farm conveyance losses. |
| great divide | The watershed of North America comprising the line of highest points of land separating the waters flowing west from those flowing north or east, coinciding with various ranges of the Rocky Mountains, and extending south-southeast from Northwestern Canada to Northwestern South America |
| glacial milk | Term used to describe glacial meltwater which has a light colored or cloudy appearance because of clay-sized sediment held in suspension. |
| retention facility | A stormwater storage facility that normally holds water at a controlled level to serve functions such as recreation, aesthetic, and water supply |
| macrophyte | macroscopic plants in the aquatic environment |
| river reach | Any defined length of a river. |
| medial moraine | A streak of till in the center of a glacier |
| crystal lattice | The definite arrangement of atoms in a solid crystalline substance |
| tabular iceberg | A flat-topped iceberg, usually formed by breaking off an ice shelf. |
| interceptor sewers | Large sewer lines that, in a combined system, control the flow of sewage to the treatment plant |
| carrying costs | The costs incurred by a lessee to retain exploration and property rights after acquisition but before production begins |
| desert pavement | A veneer of pebbles left in place where wind has removed the finer material |
| remediation | methods used to remove or contain a toxic spill or hazardous materials from a Superfund site; a generic term used to describe cleanup activities. |
| ·temperate glacier | A glacier with a or temperature-regime in which liquid water coexists with frozen water (glacier ice) during part or even all of the year. |
| relative humidity | The ratio of the actual amount of water vapor (absolute humidity) present in the air to the saturation point at the same temperature, usually expressed as a percentage. |
| horizon | One of several lines or planes used as reference for observation and measurement relative to a given location on the surface of the earth |
| evapotranspiration | total moisture lost through evaporation and transpiration. |
| dry adiabatic lapse rate | The Adiabatic Lapse Rate for air not saturated with water vapor, or 0.98°C per 100 meters rise (5.4°F per 1,000 feet), expressed as:à°d = -dT/dzwhere:dT is the change in air temperature;dz is the change in altitude; andà°d is the dry adiabatic lapse rate.Compare to Wet Adiabatic Lapse Rate. |
| infuse | To steep in liquid (as water) without boiling so as to extract the soluble constituents or principles. |
| sublimation | the transition of a substance from the solid phase directly to the vapor phase, or vice versa, without passing through an intermediate liquid phase. |
| drainage basin | The total area that contributes water to a single drainage system. |
| pavement | Streambank surface covering, usually impermeable, designed to serve as protection against erosion |
| meromictic lake | A lake in which some water remains partly or wholly unmixed with the main water mass at circulation periods |
| kelvin | The SI Unit of temperature |
| slope wash | Soil and rock material that is being or has been moved down a slope predominantly by the action of gravity assisted by running water that is not concentrated into channels |
| ecosystem | an interdependent biological system involving interaction between living organisms and their immediate physical, chemical and biological environment. |
| quantitative analysis | (Data Analysis) The examination of phenomena using actual observed data with an intention to explain historical behavior and/or predict the future behavior of some phenomenon |
| centripetal force | The force required to keep an object moving in a curved or circular path |
| eminent domain | (Legal) The right of a government to appropriate private property for public use, usually with compensation to the owner. |
| ·terminal moraine | A cross-valley, ridge-like accumulation of glacial sediment that forms at the farthest point reached by the terminus of an advancing glacier |
| weather vane | Originally used as a wind vane, it is an instrument that indicates the wind direction |
| bioaccumulation | uptake and retention of substances by an organism from its surrounding medium (usually water) and from food. |
| dropstones | Rock pieces trapped in icebergs and released (dropped) when the iceberg melts. |
| ecosystem | a system existing in a particular region, at a variety of scales, where organisms exist in communities and interact with the abiotic environment around them. |
| maar | A flat-bottomed, roughly circular volcanic crater of explosive origin that is often filled with water. |
| pressure gradient | in the atmosphere, the rate at which pressure changes across space |
| downstream toe of dam | The junction of the downstream face of a dam with the ground surface |
| twilight | Often called dusk, it is the evening period of waning light from the time of sunset to dark |
| deepening | Used in describing the history of a low pressure system or an area of cyclonic circulation, it means a decrease in the central pressure of the system |
| water service reliability | The degree to which a water service system can successfully manage water shortages. |
| interbasin transfer | The diversion of water from one drainage basin to one or more other drainage basins. |
| melting point | is the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid, usually reported as a range |
| ejecta blanket | Rock material (crushed rock, large blocks, breccia, and dust) ejected from an impact crater or explosion crater and deposited over the surrounding area. |
| plumb | A weight on the end of a line, used to determine water depth. |
| grade | (Hydraulics) The slope of a stream bed. |
| irrigation releases | Refers to those waters released from storage primarily for irrigation |
| medithermal | (Climatology) The present period of climatological conditions, beginning approximately 4,500 years ago and following the warmer Altithermal period |
| pressure altitude | The altitude in standard atmosphere at which a given pressure will be observed |
| conservation standards | Standards for various types of soils and land uses, including criteria, techniques, and methods for the control of erosion and sediment and impacts on plant and animal species and necessary habitat resulting from land disturbing activities. |
| intermittently exposed | A water regime in wetland classification in which surface water is present throughout the year except in years of extreme drought. |
| graded bedding | A type of bedding in which each layer is characterized by a progressive decrease in grain size from the bottom of the bed to the top. |
| polynya | (Russian) An area of open water surrounded by sea ice. |
| public-service corporation | A corporation providing essential services, such as water or electricity, to the public. |
| gaging station number | A U.S |
| firm capacity | For public drinking water supplies, the system delivery capacity with the largest single water well or production unit out of service. |
| theodolite | An optical instrument used to track the motion of a pilot balloon, or pibal, by measuring the elevation and azimuth angles. |
| scarify | In land Restoration activities, to stir the surface of the ground with an implement in preparation for replanting. |
| pathogenic bacteria | cysts or viruses, potable water, fit to drink, potable water that has or is to be treated additionally, to enhance aesthetic quality and/or reduce mineral content plus other known or unknown, undesirable substances: by one or more point-of-use water processing devices or systems or purified bottled water. |
| wet pack | A therapeutic pack moistened in hot or cold water. |
| lag | (Statistics) The difference in time units of a series value and a previous series value |
| water molecule | The smallest unit of water (chemical symbol H2O); consists of two atoms of Hydrogen (chemical symbol H) and one atom of Oxygen (chemical symbol O). |
| treatment tank | A water-tight tank designed to retain sewage long enough for satisfactory bacterial decomposition of the solids to take place |
| soil water | Water present in the soil pores |
| service area | The geographical land area served by a distribution system of a water agency. |
| clear-water scour | Scour at a pier or abutment (or contraction scour) when there is no movement of the bed material upstream of the bridge crossing at the flow causing bridge scour. |
| climatological atlas | atlas composed mainly of climatological charts; it represents especially the monthly and annual distributions of the principal climatic elements of a specific region for a relatively long period. |
| cirrostratus | a principal high-level cloud type (cloud genus), appearing as a transparent, whitish cloud veil of fibrous (hair-like) or smooth appearance, totally or partially covering the sky, and often producing halo phenomena, either partial or complete. |
| ice-wedge casts | A vertical structure that results from cracks in frozen ground (by means of ice wedging) which are later filled by sediment |
| striations | Scratches or grooves on a rock or sediment surface caused by abrasive action of objects being transported above it by ice, water or wind. |
| compensation point | The point under water at which plant photosynthesis just equals plant respiration |
| hydrometer | An instrument used to determine specific gravity, especially a sealed, graduated tube, weighted at one end, that sinks in a fluid to a depth used as a measure of the fluid's specific density. |
| snowflake | A six-pointed cluster of ice crystals which fall from a cloud is called a snowflake. |
| quartzite | Metamorphic rock rich in quartz created by the recrystallization of sandstone. |
| ion | (1) An atom or molecule that carries a net charge (either positive or negative) because of an imbalance between the number of protons and the number of electrons present |
| breaker | (1) A small water cask |
| hydrological cycle | the circulation of water around the world between stores by various transfers |
| root zone | The subsurface zone from the land surface to the depth interwoven by plant roots. |
| wave-built terrace | A terrace built up from wave-washed sediments |
| prospecting | The activities associated with the search for an area of probable mineralization |
| biogas | Methane gas produced during the Anaerobic decomposition of the remains of plants or animal wastes by bacteria. |
| articulated concrete mattress | Rigid concrete slabs which can move without separating as scour occurs; usually hinged together with corrosion-resistant cable fasteners; primarily placed for lower bank protection. |
| volumetric water content | That portion of the volume of a soil sample that is occupied by water, expressed as percent by volume. |
| rainwater | Water that has fallen as rain and contains little dissolved mineral matter. |
| pour point | The lowest temperature at which a liquid will pour under given conditions. |
| toe wall | The downstream wall of a structure. |
| daily mean | The average temperature for a day computed by averaging either the hourly readings or, more commonly, the maximum and minimum temperatures. |
| air | This is considered the mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere |
| kelvin temperature scale | A temperature scale with the freezing point of +273°K (Kelvin) and the boiling point of +373° K |
| garrigue | the shrub vegetation of the Mediterranean region where soils are thin and dry and have been converted to growth of herb plants e.g |
| albedo | a non-dimensional, unitless quantity that measures how well a surface reflects solar energy; ranges from 0 - 1; a value of 0 means the surface is a perfect absorber, where all incoming energy is absorbed, a value of 1 means the surface is a perfect reflector, where all incoming energy is reflected and none is absorbed. |
| geopressured reservoir | A geothermal reservoir consisting of porous sands containing water or brine at high temperature or pressure. |
| forebay | the water behind a dam. |
| doldrums | (1) A region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calm, light winds, or squalls |
| phanerozoic | the current eon of geologic time that began 2500m years ago. |
| mudflow | A flowing mixture of mud and water. |
| eutrophic zone | An area, particularly with respect to lakes, where there exists sufficient light for photosynthesis to take place. |
| red data book | A collection of the available information relative to Endangered and Threatened Species |
| pan | (1) A basin or depression in the earth, often containing mud or water |
| crater lake | A lake formed in a crater |
| streambank erosion | The wearing away of streambanks by flowing water. |
| consumptive use | the quantity of water not available for reuse |
| aerial | Occurring above water or land. |
| clarification | A process or combination of processes where the primary purpose is to reduce the concentration of suspended matter in a liquid. |
| european currency unit | the forerunner of the Euro, this was a stable means of exchange between the former national currencies as they prepared to give way to the single currency. |
| off-channel use | See Offstream Use. |
| carboniferous limestone | a sedimentary rock laid down in the geological period 280-345 million years BP (the Carboniferous period) |
| pocket beach | Small, narrow beach, usually crescentic, at head of a bay or small inlet. |
| backset | An eddy or countercurrent in water. |
| cooling tower | large tower used to transfer the heat in cooling water from a power or industrial plant to the atmosphere either by direct evaporation or by convection and conduction. |
| calving | Terminus of a glacier sufficiently extending into sea or lake water to produce icebergs; includes- for this inventory- dry land ice calving which would be recognizable from the "lowest glacier elevation." |
| talus | Rock fragments that accumulate in a pile at the base of a ridge or cliff. |
| cirque | A bowl-shaped depression with very steep sides that forms at the head of a mountain glacier |
| white-out | A weather condition in which the horizon cannot be identified and there are no shadows |
| critical area | An area that has certain ground water problems, such as declining water levels due, for example, to the use of underground water that approaches or exceeds the current recharge rate |
| erosion hazard | A predictive rating of the erosion potential for a specific soil or location. |
| wilderness values | Values established in the Wilderness Act, such as solitude and naturalness. |
| frequency distribution | An arrangement of quantities pertaining to a single event, in order of magnitude and frequency of occurrence. |
| geographic information system | the creation of a database of geographic information from a variety of sources which allow the cross-referencing and compilation of different data sets so that relationships may be observed or postulated. |
| frictional unemployment | period of unemployment when a worker is between jobs. |
| attached ground water | The portion or amount of alkali substances in the ground sufficient to raise the pH value above 7.0 or to be harmful to the growth of crops, a condition called alkaline. |
| baseline | The condition that would prevail if no action were taken. |
| glacial grooves | grooves or gouges cut into the bedrock by gravel and rocks carried by glacial ice and meltwater; also called glacial striations. |
| national park | An area of unusual scenic or historic interest owned by the federal government and administered by the National Park Service, U.S |
| compaction | A compression process that reorients and reshapes the grains of a sediment in response to the weight of overlying deposits. |
| hydraulic gradient pivot point | A location along the water surface in a canal reach where the water level remains essentially constant during changes in flow. |
| lithotripter | A device that pulverizes kidney stones by passing shock waves through a water-filled tub in which the patient sits |
| volcanic ash fall | An accumulation of volcanic ash produced by an eruption |
| brown earth | type of soil associated with northern Europe in deciduous woodland areas |
| rayed crater | A meteorite crater that has a system of rays extending like splash marks from the crater rim. |
| aquifuse | A formation that has no interconnected openings and hence cannot absorb or transmit water. |
| nesdis | National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service |
| monsoon | a seasonal prevailing wind |
| grassed waterway or outlet | A natural or constructed waterway, usually broad and shallow and covered with erosion-resistant grasses, suitable to resist potential damages resulting from runoff. |
| coefficient term | (Statistics) The weight applied to one of the Independent (or Exogenous) Variables in the best prediction of the Dependent (or Endogenous) Variable |
| permanent hardness | Water hardness that cannot be reduced or removed by heating the water, a reflection of the presence of dissolved calcium, magnesium, iron and other divalent metal ions |
| sill | a sheet-like intrusion of magma between bedding planes. |
| coastal landforms | those landforms unique to erosional and depositional processes at coasts, or due to sea level changes. |
| decomposer | Any of various organisms (as many bacteria and fungi) that feed on and break down organic substances (such as dead plants and animals). |
| insulated streams | Streams or a reach of a stream that neither contribute water to the zone of saturation nor receive water from it |
| mud balls | (Water Quality) Accretions of siliceous incrustations on the exterior of sand grains in a rapid sand filter; typically removed by backwashing |
| montane alkali lakes | Lakes with a water pH greater than 7 found in cool, upland habitats below the timber line. |
| atomic mass number | Combined number of an atom's protons and neutrons. |
| recharge | Replenishment of the ground-water reservoir by the addition of water. |
| irrigation lateral | A branch of a main canal conveying water to a farm ditch; sometimes used in reference to farm ditches. |
| eutrophication | an increase in the chemical nutrients to be found in any particular ecosystem |
| geothermal energy | Energy useful to human beings that can be extracted from steam and hot water found within the earth's crust. |
| mutagenic | Causing mutation, or the abrupt change in the genotype of an organism. |
| elastic rebound theory | A theory that explains the earthquake process |
| isostasy | The condition of equilibrium, comparable to floating, of units of the lithosphere above the asthenosphere . |
| calcine | Heated to temperature of dissociation; for example, heat gypsum to the temperature where the water of crystallization is driven off. |
| varve | (Geology) (1) A layer or series of layers of sediment deposited in a body of still water in one year |
| oxygenate | To treat, combine, or infuse with oxygen. |
| conduction | The trasnfer of electrical energy or heat through or by means of a conductor. |
| megadunes | unlike snow dunes that are piles of drifted snow, antarctic megadunes are long, undulating waves in the surface of the ice sheet that are 2 to 4 meters (6.5 to 13 feet) high and 2 to 5 kilometers (1 to 3 miles) apart; they are slightly rounded at their crests and are so subtle that a person on the ground cannot see the pattern. |
| perihelion | The point of the earth's orbit that is nearest to the sun |
| intrusive bedrock | (Geology) Denoting igneous rocks in a molten state which have evaded other, older rock formations and cooled below the surface of the earth |
| capillary fringe | A zone above the water table in which water is lifted by surface tension into openings of capillary size. |
| ecotype | A locally adopted population of a species which has a distinctive limit of tolerance to environmental factors. |
| raceway | A rectangular fish rearing unit that has a continuous flow of freshwater to maintain suitable oxygen, temperature, and cleanliness for intensive production. |
| continental divide [united states] | A ridge of the Rocky Mountains forming the North American watershed that separates rivers flowing in an easterly direction from those flowing in a westerly direction. |
| pressure altimeter | An aneroid barometer calibrated to indicate altitude in feet instead of units of pressure |
| drinking water standards | Drinking water standards established by state agencies, the U.S |
| radial flow | The flow of water in an aquifer toward a vertically oriented well. |
| gley | Dark gray to black, massive and dense sediment which accumulated slowly in low, wet, poorly drained areas. |
| doc | See Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC). |
| semiaquatic | Adapted for living or growing in or near water; not entirely aquatic. |
| bifurcation ratio | in a drainage basin, the relationship between the streams of one order of magnitude and those of the next highest order, obtained by dividing the number of lower order streams with the number of the higher order |
| ice apron | A wedge-shaped structure for protecting a bridge pier from floating ice. |
| glaciolacustrine | (Geology) Pertaining to, or characterized by, glacial and lacustrine processes or conditions applied especially to deposits made in lakes. |
| dip slope | the gentle slope formed by the upper plane of the dipping, harder bed of rock in a cuesta. |
| minimum moisture content | The amount of water in soil during the driest time of the year. |
| light-and-dark bottle technique | A method used to determine the extent of Photosynthesis in an aquatic Ecosystem |
| cercla | See Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. |
| halo | The ring of light that seems to encircle the sun or moon when veiled by cirrus clouds |
| abyssal plains | Flat areas of the ocean floor, having a slope of less than 1:1000 |
| ceqa | See California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). |
| wind | Moving air. |
| hydrometeor | any product of condensation or sublimation of atmospheric vapor, whether formed in free atmosphere or at the earth's surface; also any water particles blown by the wind from the earth's surface. |
| wilderness society | An American environmental organization concerned with the protection of wildlife habitat and wildlife refuges as well as the preservation of public lands. |
| porphyry copper | Deposits of copper disseminated throughout a porphyritic granitic rock. |
| intermittent | Alternately containing and empty of water as an intermittent lake. |
| bipolar | The ability of a panel meter to display both positive and negative readings. |
| municipal sewage | Sewage (mostly liquid) originating from a community which may be composed of domestic sewage, industrial wastes, or both. |
| glacier | A mass of ice formed from compacted recrystallized snow that is thick enough to flow plastically. |
| ekman dredge | A dredge that has opposable jaws operated by a messenger traveling down a cable to release a spring catch and that is used in ecology for sampling the bottom of a body of water. |
| terrae | Plural of terra. |
| dumping | large-scale selling of a good in another country at below-cost price to earn foreign currency, get rid of excess production or attack that country domestic producers. |
| glaciology | The study of the physical and chemical propeties of snow and ice. |
| pump | A device which moves, compresses, or alters the pressure of a fluid, such as water or air, being conveyed through a natural or artificial channel. |
| stream | a general term for a body of flowing water. |
| hydrocarbon | Any organic chemical compound (gaseous, liquid or solid) that is composed of carbon and hydrogen |
| lava | Magma that reaches the earth's surface. |
| bedrock | Solid rock present beneath any soil, sediment or other surface cover |
| summer kill | The complete or partial kill of a fish population in ponds, lakes, or reservoirs during the warm months caused by a combination of factors to include excessively warm water, a depletion of dissolved oxygen, and the release of toxic substances from a decaying algal bloom |
| fluvial | lit |
| enrichment | The addition of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus and carbon compounds, into a lake or waterway to the point that the Trophic Level is greatly increased because of the stimulation of the growth of algae and other aquatic plants. |
| vulcanism | the study of volcanic activity. |
| aquifer | Rock formations that store groundwater water. |
| capillary attraction | The force that results from greater adhesion of a liquid to a solid surface than internal cohesion of the liquid itself and that causes the liquid to be raised against a vertical surface, as water is in a clean glass tube |
| tephra | (Geology) Volcanic material; ash-fall. |
| hydrologic cycle | The natural cycling of Earth's water between the atmosphere, surface and subsurface through the processes of evaporation, transpiration, percolation, infiltration, runoff and precipitation. |
| soil-moisture sensor | A device attached to an automatic irrigation or sprinkler system that monitors the level of drops or water administered to the soil based on the level of Soil Moisture. |
| convection | (1) (Physics) Heat transfer in a gas or liquid by the circulation of currents from one region to another; also fluid motion caused by an external force such as gravity |
| nansen bottle | An ocean-water sampling bottle with spring-loaded valves at both ends that are closed at an appropriate depth by a messenger device sent down the wire connecting the bottle to the surface. |
| destructive plate margin | in plate tectonics, a plate boundary where the relative movement of the crustal plates is towards each other and where one is subducted beneath the other thus being destroyed as it returns to the mantle |
| categorical variable | (Statistics) A qualitative variable created by classifying observations into categories |
| discharge | In the simplest form, discharge means outflow of water |
| sic code | See Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code. |
| interstate compact | States administer water rights within their own political boundaries; however, the process becomes more complicated when involving an interstate body of water (Interstate Water) |
| gigawatt hour | One billion Watt-hours (Wh). |
| crevasse | a deep crack in the surface, usually in a glacier. |
| loading capacity | The greatest amount of chemical materials or thermal energy that can be added to a stream without exceeding water quality standards established for that stream. |
| spiles | (Irrigation) Small pipes, generally straight, from 1-4 inches (2.5-10 centimeters) in diameter, used to distribute water from a ditch into furrows, borders, or corrugations. |
| antecedent moisture condition | Soil moisture at the onset of a rainfall event |
| compression | One of the three forces (see tension and shear), compression applied to an object causes deformation parallel and perpendicular to the constricting force. |
| uptime | (Irrigation) The total time that a system is available for service. |
| schistosity | The parallel arrangement of platy or prismatic minerals in a rock that is caused by metamorphism in which directed pressure plays a significant role. |
| stopcock | A valve that regulates the flow of fluid through a pipe; a faucet. |
| pentachorophenol | toxic substance usually used as a wood preservative. |
| hydrophyte | (1) A perennial vascular aquatic plant having its overwintering buds under water |
| hanging valley | A tributary to a U-shaped glacial valley which, instead of entering the valley at the same level as the main stream, enters at a higher elevation, frequently as a waterfall |
| nivation hollow | a circular depression in the ground, usually seen in periglacial areas, that has been created by nivation. |
| computer programs | Code used by the computer to accomplish a task. |
| rift valley | 1 A valley of regional extent formed by block faulting in which tensional stresses tend to pull the crust apart |
| rock flour | Finely pulverized rock material of silt or smaller size produced by abrasion at the base of a glacier. |
| tidal flat | A broad flat area, very close to sea level that is flooded and drained with each rise and fall of the tide. |
| interstitial | Pertaining to material in the pore spaces of a rock |
| pluton | intrusive igneous rock of any mass. |
| illuvial | Describing soil material, usually minerals and colloidal particles, that is removed from the upper soil horizon to a lower soil horizon |
| bergschrund | A single large crevasse or series of sub-parallel crevasses that develop at the head of a glacier |
| exogenetic | all factors and processes external to the Earth i.e |
| longitudinal dune | A long, narrow sand dune that has its long dimension oriented parallel to the direction of the wind. |
| coliform | A group of organisms (Colon bacilli) usually found in the colons of all warm blooded animals and humans; non-pathogenic microorganisms used in testing water to indicate the presence of pathogenic bacteria |
| crevasse | A deep, nearly vertical crack that develops in the upper portion of glacier ice. |
| angler-day | The time spent fishing by one person for any part of a day. |
| effluent standard | The maximum amounts of specific pollutants allowable in wastewater discharged by an industrial facility or wastewater treatment plant |
| blear | To dim with water or tears. |
| subsequent stream | A tributary stream that is eroded along an underlying belt of nonresistant rock after the main drainage pattern has been established. |
| aeroponics | A technique for growing plants without soil or hydroponic media |
| peat bog | See Bog and Peatland. |
| exude | (1) To ooze forth |
| reconnaissance report | An initial planning document to determine whether further investigation is warranted. |
| low water | (1) The lowest level of water in a body of water, such as a river, lake, or reservoir |
| headward erosion | Erosion which occurs in the upstream end of the valley of a stream, causing it to lengthen its course in that direction. |
| answers | Areal Nonpoint Source Watershed Environmental Response Simulation. |
| translocation | the movement of soil components within the soil. |
| cirque lake | lake (though more like a pond) found in a cirque |
| pocosin | An upland swamp of shallow water of the coastal plain of the Southeast United States; a "Dismal", as used in the southern United States. |
| coagulation | in water treatment, the use of chemicals to make suspended solids gather or group together into small flocs. |
| cranberry bog | A bog dominated by this mat-forming evergreen shrub; common in eastern North America |
| submeander | A small meander contained within the banks of a main channel, associated with relatively low discharges. |
| routing parameters | coefficients that, along with mathematical routing equations, can be used to estimate the attenuation and lag (time delay) associated with the movement of flow through a length of stream channel. |
| laminar flow | A flow in which fluid moves smoothly in streamlines in parallel layers or sheets |
| invasive plant | A plant that moves in and takes over an Ecosystem to the detriment of other species; often the result of Environmental Manipulation. |
| halophytes | A group of salt-tolerant plants ranging from cacti to sea grass that can absorb salt and heavy metals such as cadmium and arsenic from the wastewater of power plants, particularly coal-fired generating plants which is typically laden with heavy-metal byproducts of coal combustion. |
| acidic | the condition of water or soil that contains a sufficient amount of acid substances to lower the pH below 7.0. |
| longitudinal wave | A seismic body wave in which particles oscillate along lines in the direction in which the wave travels |
| terminal moraine | A ridge formed by the accumulation of glacial deposits at the point marking the furthest advance of an ablating glacier. |
| heavy metals | Metals having a specific gravity of 5.0 or greater; generally toxic in relatively low concentrations to plant and animal life and tend to accumulate in the food chain |
| deliquesce | (1) To melt away; to disappear as if by melting |
| gabion | Basket or compartmented rectangular container made of wire mesh |
| basic volcano | where low viscosity, extremely hot lava flows from a vent it will spread rapidly to form a shallow sloped, low altitude cone. |
| command economy | an economic system in which all decisions are made centrally by the national government, usually through the establishment of sequential five-year plans |
| rock glacier | looks like a mountain glacier and has active flow; usually includes a poorly sorted mess of rocks and fine material; may include: (1) interstitial ice a meter or so below the surface (ice-cemented), (2) a buried core of ice (ice-cored), and/or (3) rock debris from avalanching snow and rock. |
| dip | The angle between the horizontal plane and a structural surface (such as a bedding plane, a joint, a fault, foliation, or other planar features). |
| folded mountain belt | A long, linear zone of the earth's crust where rocks have been intensely deformed by horizontal stresses and generally intruded by igneous rocks |
| silt | Sedimentary material composed of fragments ranging in diameter from 1/265 to 1/16 mm |
| foreign operations | Activities located outside of the United States, its offshore territorial waters, commonwealth territories, and protectorates. |
| hydroelectric power water use | The use of water in the generation of electricity at plants where the turbine generators are driven by falling water |
| ampoules | A sealed, liquid-filled tube which is broken to release or be filled with another fluid. |
| algae | simple plants, mostly microscopic without roots and leaves. |
| threshold odor number | A value indicative of the maximum dilution which can be made of a sample with its odor remaining detectable |
| criteria | Water quality conditions which are to be met in order to support and protect desired uses. |
| detrital | A word used in reference to sediments or sedimentary rocks that are composed of particles that were transported and deposited by wind, water or ice. |
| riser | A vertical pipe as for water. |
| heritage | lit |
| pelagic sediment | Deep-sea sediment composed of fine-grained detritus that slowly settles from surface waters |
| humboldt current | Also known as the Peru Current, this ocean current flows northward along the western side of South America, offshore Chile and Peru |
| bellot winds | Refers to the winds in the Canadian Arctic that blow through the narrow Bellot Strait between Somerset Island and the Boothia Peninsula, connecting the Gulf of Boothia and Franklin Strait. |
| glacial deposit | Sedimentary material carried by the glacier and left behind when the ice melts. |
| bright band | A narrow, intense radar echo due to water-covered ice particles at the melting level where reflectivity is at its greatest. |
| limb | One side of a fold |
| free trade | trade taking place between countries free of any barrier such as taxation, tariffs or quotas. |
| whitening | A phenomenon which occurs in moderately productive lakes when photosynthetic uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) causes the precipitation of small particles of calcite (mostly calcium carbonate, CaCO3) |
| backflow | the backing up of water through a conduit or channel in the direction opposite to normal flow |
| continuous recorder | A device which measures stream flow levels on a continual basis. |
| gac | In water treatment, granular activated carbon has been used mainly for taste and odor control, with some special applications that remove Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOCs) or Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) from contaminated water |
| groundwater reservoir | an aquifer or aquifer system in which ground water is stored |
| leading edge | A convergent or active plate margin |
| dissolved organic compounds | Carbon substances dissolved in water. |
| footwall | The block beneath a dipping fault surface. |
| mean depth | The average depth of water in a stream channel or conduit |
| flood duration curve | A cumulative frequency curve that shows the percentage of time that specified discharges are equaled or exceeded. |
| manning roughness coefficient | after Robert Manning |
| interfacial tension | the strength of the film separating two immiscible fluids (e.g., oil and water) measured in dynes per, or millidynes per, centimeter. |
| ecological succession | An orderly, directional and therefore predictable process of development that involves changes in species structure and community processes over time |
| back siphonage | A reverse flow condition created by a difference in water pressures that causes water to flow back into the distribution pipes of a drinking water supply from any source other than the intended one |
| quadrat | a square frame with a measured grid of wire within it used to lay over surfaces and enable systematic sampling. |
| biomass | total amount of organic material. |
| synecology | The study of different natural communities or Ecosystems. |
| acid | donate an unshared pair of electrons to an acid or react with an acid to form a salt, a substance that has fewer free hydrogen ions, H+, than hydroxyl ions, OH-, (see alkaline). |
| enrichment | the addition of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater effluent or agricultural runoff to surface water |
| hydrograph | A graphic representation or plot of changes in the flow of water or in the elevation of water level plotted against time |
| odor threshold | The minimum odor of a water sample that can just be detected after successive dilutions with odorless water |
| diatomite | See Diatomaceous Earth. |
| permitted water right [nevada] | The right to put surface or groundwater to beneficial use that is identified by a document issued by the Nevada State Engineer prior to the filing of satisfactory proof of "perfection of application" in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 533 |
| filtration | the mechanical process which removes particulate matter by separating water from solid material, usually by passing it through sand. |
| mixed liquor | a mixture of activated sludge and water containing organic matter undergoing treatment in an aeration tank. |
| stratigraphy | The branch of geology which treats the formation, composition, sequence and correlation of the layered rocks as parts of the earth's crust. |
| autumnal equinox | One of two days during the year when the declination of the Sun is at the equator |
| flood | (Biblical) The universal deluge recorded in the Old Testament as having occurred during the life of Noah. |
| carbonates | the collective term for the natural inorganic chemical compounds related to carbon dioxide that exist in natural waterways. |
| climate | generalized weather at a given place on earth over a fairly long period; a long term average of weather |
| canal freeboard | The amount of canal lining available above maximum design water depth. |
| dollop | A small quantity or splash of a liquid. |
| crystallization | The process of crystal growth |
| suspended particulate matter | A sample drawn from natural water or from a wastewater stream consists of a mixture of both dissolved and suspended matter |
| hard water | Water which forms a precipitate with soap due to the presence of calcium, magnesium, or ferrous ions in solution. |
| solar eclipse | An eclipse of the sun occurs when the moon is in a direct line between the sun and the earth, casting some of the earth's surface in its shadow |
| diablo winds | Dry winds in the Diablo mountain range in central California that can exceed 60 miles per hour |
| distribution pipeline | A pipeline that carries natural gas between a main transmission line and a consumer. |
| priority pollutants | (Water Quality) A list of 129 chemicals in 65 classes of chemical materials defined as toxic pollutants by Section 307 of the 1977 Clean Water Act (CWA), which also requires technology-based effluent standards for the control of these chemicals. |
| irrigation systems tailwater recovery | A water runoff collection and storage system to provide a constant quantity of water back to the initial system or to another field. |
| graded bedding | A rock layer that has a progressive change in particle size from top to bottom |
| fragile area | Areas that, due to steepness, soil type, exposure, and cover, are especially subject to soil erosion and rapid deterioration |
| anthropogenic sites | Sites modified by human activities to the extent that their initial physical properties (e.g |
| ground | (1) The solid surface of the earth |
| indicator bacteria | (Water Quality) Nonpathogenic bacteria whose presence in water indicate the possibility of pathogenic species in the water. |
| strike | The bearing (compass direction) of a horizontal line on a bedding plane, a fault plane, -or some other planar structural feature. |
| gatt | see General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. |
| viscosity | The resistance of a fluid to flow |
| shigella dysenteriae | A waterborne microorganism which is the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, a disease characterized by severe diarrhea with bold and pus in the feces |
| rilling | a series of small channels which form on a slope after heavy rainfall |
| aquitard | A material of low permeability that greatly slows the movement of ground water. |
| choking | Excessive constriction of flow which may cause severe backwater effect. |
| mariculture | The cultivation of marine organisms for use as a food resource |
| isopleth | A graph showing the occurrence or frequency of any phenomenon as a function of two variables |
| upper atmosphere | the general term applied to the atmosphere above the mesopause. |
| flood forecasting | Prediction of stage, discharge, time of occurrence, and duration of a flood, especially of peak discharge at a specified point on a stream, resulting from precipitation and/or snowmelt. |
| till | Unsorted and unstratified glacial deposit. |
| active layer | the upper few metres of soil in a periglacial area which undergoes thawing in summer and is prone to mass movement relative to the permafrost layer below. |
| saturated zone | the area below the water table where all open spaces are filled with water under pressure equal to or greater than that of the atmosphere. |
| lava tube | A tunnel below the surface of a solidified lava flow, formed when the exterior portions of the flow solidify and the molten internal material is drained away. |
| critical depth | The depth of water flowing in an open channel or conduit under conditions of critical flow at which specific energy is a minimum for a given discharge. |
| lowland | A relatively flat area in the lower levels of regional elevation. |
| angle of repose | Measurement commonly used in civil engineering |
| dendrochronology | Dating an object by means of tree rings. |
| potable water | Water that is of adequate quality for drinking. |
| oil shale | A dark-colored shale containing an unusual amount of solid organic material known as kerogen |
| seston | All material, both organic and inorganic, suspended in a waterway. |
| arars | Applicable, Relevant, Appropriate Requirements. |
| metamorphic rock | rocks created by the chemical alteration of existing rocks under the influence of temperature, pressure, or both. |
| volcanic breccia | A rock made up of pyroclastic fragments that are at least 64 millimeters in diameter. |
| albedo | the amount of insolation reflected from the atmosphere and surface back to space |
| ocean current | large-scale movement of water within the oceans |
| ammonia | Chemical compound composed of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH3) |
| diseconomies of scale | at large-scale levels of output inefficienies may creep in and cause unit costs to rise. |
| deterministic process | (Statistics) An analytical and forecasting technique which assumes that the future can be predicted exactly from its past |
| interstate waters | According to law, interstate waters are defined as: (1) rivers, lakes and other waters that flow across or form a part of state or international boundaries; (2) waters of the Great Lakes; and (3) coastal waters whose scope has been defined to include ocean waters seaward to the territorial limits and waters along the coastline (including inland steams) influenced by the tide. |
| lithosphere | That part of the earth which is composed predominantly of rocks (either coherent or incoherent, and including the disintegrated rock materials known as soils and subsoils), together with everything contained in this rocky crust. |
| bedrock | solid rock underlying other surface materials. |
| continent | A large land mass rising abruptly from the deep ocean floor, including marginal regions that are shallowly submerged |
| fragmentation | Interruption of large expanses of one type of habitat or vegetation by man-made clearings |
| geothermal | heat from within the earth |
| tide gate | A swinging gate on the outside of a drainage conduit from a diked field that excludes water at high tide and permits drainage at low tide. |
| glacial budget | The annual relationship between accumulation and wastage |
| acute | Designates an exposure to a dangerous substance or chemical in sufficient dosage to precipitate a severe reaction |
| headwater | (1) The source and upper reaches of a stream; also the upper reaches of a reservoir |
| taxonomy | The science, laws, or principles of classifying living organisms in specially named categories based on shared characteristics and natural relationships. |
| scwmc | South Central Water Management Center |
| sustainable management | A method of exploiting a resource that can be carried on indefinitely |
| stenobathic | Limited to or able to live only within a narrow range of water depths |
| wind tunnel testing | A tool of aeronautics that involves placing a model of an aircraft or part of an aircraft into a wind tunnel and using instruments to gather data while air is blown by the model |
| soil flushing | A treatment technique for cleaning soil contaminated with inorganic or organic hazardous waste |
| desiccation | Drying up of; dehydration |
| stationary phase | is a term used in chromatography |
| nephelometric | A method of measuring turbidity in a water sample by passing light through the sample and measuring the amount of the light that is deflected. |
| isopleth map | a map which uses lines joining points of an equal value to show variations in that value e.g |
| bilharziasis | disease caused by a parasitic worm which enters the human body by penetrating the skin while swimming/bathing/working in infected waters |
| push factor | a negative quality of a place which pushes people to migrate away from it. |
| hailstorm | A storm with Hail. |
| atmospheric pressure | pressure (force per unit area) exerted by the atmosphere on any surface by virtue of its weight; it is equivalent to the weight of a vertical column of air extending above a surface of unit area to the outer limit of the atmosphere. |
| typhoid fever | An acute, highly infectious disease caused by a bacillus (Salmonella typhi) transmitted chiefly by contaminated food or water and characterized by high fever, headache, coughing, intestinal hemorrhaging, and rose-colored spots on the skin |
| retail park | an out-of-town centre which allows several stores to operate around some shared resources such as car park and restaurants. |
| melt | A substance altered from the solid state to the liquid state. |
| sediment storage | That portion of total reservoir storage dedicated for sediment deposition and encroachment |
| dune | A mound or ridge of sand piled up by wind. |
| snowfield | The zone of accumulation sometimes a cirque, cwm or corrie; or a large open collecting point between mountains. |
| world meteorological organization program | any scientific project (field experiment, inter-comparison, etc.) internationally performed under the aegis of the World Meteorological Organization. |
| tornado | (1) A rotating column of air usually accompanied by a funnel-shaped downward extension of a Cumulonimbus Cloud and having a Vortex several hundred yards in diameter whirling destructively at speeds of up to 500 miles per hour (800 kilometers per hour) |
| energy gradient | The change in energy per unit length in the direction of flow or motion. |
| intermediate zone | The subsurface water zone below the Root Zone and above the Capillary Fringe. |
| oolitic | A limestone texture that is characterized by spherical grains of calcium carbonate with a concentric internal structure |
| relative humidity | ratio of water vapour in the air compared to the maximum possible at that temperature and pressure, expressed as a percentage. |
| swill | (1) To flood with water, as for washing |
| expanded town | a town deliberately tagged for expansion to try and alleviate population pressure on a nearby, larger urban area |
| connector system | Conveys water from a single source to a different location typically without intermediate collection of diversions |
| sedimentation | a large scale water treatment process where heavy solids settle out to the bottom of the treatment tank after flocculation. |
| dissolution | A chemical reaction in which a solid material is dispersed as ions in a liquid |
| blinds | Water samples containing a chemical of known concentration given a fictitious company name and slipped into the sample flow of the lab to test the impartiality of the lab staff. |
| tidal energy | the energy involved in tidal movements of water which is available to be harnessed if those movements can be used to turn turbines. |
| horizon | 1 (geologic) A plane of stratification assumed to have been originally horizontal |
| naturopathy | A system of treatment of disease that avoids drugs and surgery and emphasizes the use of natural agents (as air, water, and sunshine) and physical means (as manipulation and electrical treatment). |
| cap | see common agricultural policy. |
| indian summer | A period of abnormally warm weather in mid to late autumn with clear skies and cool nights |
| photosynthesis | The process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source |
| emergency action plan | A predetermined plan of action to be taken to reduce the potential for property damage and loss of lives in a downstream area affected by a dam break or excessive spillway discharges. |
| control point | The temperature at which a system is to be maintained. |
| seasonal or intermittent streams | Streams which flow only at certain times of the year when it receives water from springs, rainfall, or from surface sources such as melting snow |
| turbine | A propeller or wheel device driven by the pressure of liquid or gas. |
| athalassohaline | water with a different proportion of dissolved salts than is usual in seawater. |
| association | (Lake) A voluntary union of riparians whose purpose is management or development, or use or conservation of riparian lands and lake surface |
| water cycle | The movement of water between the atmosphere, ground and surface water bodies through the processes of evaporation, precipitation, infiltration, percolation, transpiration and runoff |
| nodule | A mineral mass that has a different composition or is more weathering resistant than its surrounding rock |
| glacial trough | a large u-shaped valley formed from a v-shaped valley by glacial erosion. |
| agate | A variety of cryptocrystalline quartz in which colors occur in bands |
| differential erosion | Variation in the rate of erosion on different rock masses |
| bottom outlet | An opening at a low level from a reservoir generally used for emptying or for scouring sediment and sometimes for irrigation releases |
| frost | (1) Thin ice crystals in the shape of scales, needles, feathers or fans which are deposited by Sublimation at temperatures of 32°F (0°C) or lower |
| magnetometer | An instrument designed to measure the strength and character of Earth's magnetic field. |
| solute | any substance derived from the atmosphere, vegetation, soil, or rock that is dissolved in water. |
| detrital sediments | Sediments made of fragments or mineral grains weathered from pre-existing rocks. |
| high tide | the highest point to which the sea rises against the land in its daily vertical movement. |
| overbank flows | the component of an instream flow regime that represents infrequent, high flow events that exceed the normal channel |
| relief | The vertical difference between the surface in valleys and hilltops or the vertical between the base of a glacier and its top. |
| potential natural water loss | The water loss during years when the annual precipitation greatly exceeds the average water loss |
| cross-profile | cut away view through a feature from side to side. |
| soil | the very upper layer of the land surface made up of mixture of regolith, decomposed organic matter, air and water. |
| temperature | Measure of how hot or cold it is in an area. |
| bore | A high, often dangerous wave caused by the surge of a flood tide upstream in a narrowing Estuary or by colliding tidal currents |
| haze | Atmospheric moisture, dust, smoke, and vapor that diminishes visibility. |
| ptc | =Phase Transfer Catalysis, utilizes a catalyst which is able to transport an ion from one phase (usually aqueous) into the other phase (organic). |
| tropical disturbance | An area of organized convection, originating in the tropics and occasionally the subtropics, that maintains its identity for 24 hours or more |
| water recycling | The treatment of urban waste water to a level rendering it suitable for a specific, direct, beneficial use. |
| temperate climate | Climates with distinct winter and summer seasons, typical of regions found between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles |
| drift organisms | Benthic organisms temporarily suspended in the water and carried downstream by the current. |
| water polo | A goal game similar to soccer that is played in water by teams of swimmers using a ball resembling a soccer ball. |
| computer modelling | Representing a system using mathematical equations and measured values. |
| thaw | (1) To change from a frozen solid to a liquid by gradual warming |
| market town | a town whose main function is to act as a market place for the surrounding area. |
| undercast | In aviation, it is an opaque cloud layer viewed from an observation point above the layer |
| allele | Alternative forms of a gene |
| trench | A narrow, elongate depression of the deep-ocean floor oriented parallel to the trend of a continent or an island arc. |
| weather modification | The intentional or inadvertent alteration of clouds for the benefit of man |
| icebound | Locked in or covered over by ice. |
| ore mineral | A mineral that contains a high enough concentration of a useful element or compound that the element or compound can be extracted at a profit. |
| majors | Larger Publicly-Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) with flows equal to at least one million gallons per day (mgd) or servicing a population equivalent to 10,000 person, certain other POTWs having significant water quality impacts |
| solum | The top two soil layers, composed of the topsoil (A-Horizon) and the subsoil (B-Horizon, or layer of leached material deposition) |
| critical velocity | Velocity at which a given discharge changes from tranquil to rapid flow; that velocity in open channels for which the specific energy (the sum of the depth and velocity head) is a minimum for a given discharge. |
| condensate | A product of Condensation. |
| concrete revetment | Unreinforced or reinforced concrete slabs placed on the channel bed or banks to protect it from erosion. |
| front | the boundary where two air masses meet. |
| silicate | A mineral containing silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, in which four oxygen atoms surround each silicon atom. |
| log | An apparatus for measuring the rate of a ship's motion through the water that consists of a block fastened to a line and run out from a reel. |
| isohyet | line that connects points of equal rainfall. |
| lineament | A topographic feature or group of features having a linear configuration |
| humus | The generally dark, more or less stable part of the organic matter in a soil, so well decomposed that the original sources cannot be identified. |
| water treatment lagoon | An impound for liquid wastes designed to accomplish some degree of biochemical treatment |
| spheroidal weathering | the chemical weathering of blocks of rock so that they take on a more rounded shape. |
| benchmark | Data used as a base for comparative purposes with comparable data. |
| body water content | That portion of the human body composed of water; expressed as a percentage of total body volume |
| tundra | the biome found in the Arctic circle across North America, Greenland and Europe |
| water ice | A dessert made of finely crushed ice that has been sweetened and flavored. |
| silver iodide seeding | A method of Cloud Seeding in which Silver Iodide crystals are introduced into the supercooled portions of clouds to induce the Nucleation of ice crystals and, thus, precipitation. |
| divergent plate boundary | In the theory of Plate Tectonics, a boundary between two plates that make up the crust of the earth |
| mercury barometer | a mercury-filled glass tube in which the height of the mercury column is a measure of air pressure. |
| cycle | (Statistics) A periodic, repetitive fluctuation in time series data from either a constant mean or trend line |
| biological magnification | Refers to the process whereby certain substances such as pesticides or heavy metals move up the food chain, work their way into rivers or lakes, and are eaten by aquatic organisms such as fish, which in turn are eaten by large birds, animals or humans |
| slump | A type of mass movement in which material moves along a curved surface of rupture. |
| cyclomatic number | the number of circuits in a network. |
| carrying capacity | the idea that any given environment can only support a finite population |
| spring | the emergence of water from the ground, usually leading to the formation of a channel flow. |
| water balance | in any natural system, inputs of water must equal outputs plus or minus changes in storage since water cannot be created or destroyed. |
| domestic water | Water supplied to individual dwellings and other land uses which is suitable for drinking. |
| isobar | The line drawn on a weather map connecting points of equal barometric pressure. |
| air hole | An opening in the frozen surface of a body of water. |
| hepatitis a | A form of hepatitis caused by an RNA virus that does not persist in the blood serum and is transmitted by ingestion of infected food and water |
| transform fault transpiration | The process by which water vapor is released into the atmosphere by plants. |
| vadose zone | the zone between land surface and the water table where the moisture content is less than saturation (except in the capillary fringe) and pressure is less than atmospheric |
| stoss | Facing the direction from which a glacier moves |
| aqueduct | (1) A pipe, conduit, or channel designed to transport water from a remote source, usually by gravity |
| orbital wave | (Hydraulics) A wave, such as an ocean wave, where the water particles move in a closed transverse and do not translate. |
| multicell storm | A thunderstorm made up of two or more single-cell storms. |
| environmental impact assessment | the identification, prediction and evaluation of the impact that a proposed development may have so that either strict regulations can be laid down governing its construction or the project can be rejected. |
| beta decay | The process of radioactive decay in which a neutron loses a beta particle, which is physically identical to an electron |
| vadose | Of, relating to, or being water that is located in the Zone of Aeration in the earth's crust above the ground water level. |
| marble | A metamorphic rock consisting mostly of metamorphosed limestone or dolomite. |
| extending flow | in a glacier, when gradient becomes steeper and ice accelerates and becomes thinner. |
| pascal | The unit of pressure produced when one newton acts on about one square meter. |
| graben | An elongate fault block that has been lowered in relation to the blocks on either side. |
| catalytic converter | A reaction chamber typically containing a finely divided platinum-iridium Catalyst into which exhaust gases from an automotive engine are passed together with excess air so that carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon pollutants are oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. |
| paleozoic | An era of geologic time lasting from 570 to 245 million years ago. |
| pluvious | Characterized by heavy rainfall; rainy. |
| fathom | (1) A unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.83 meters), used principally in the measurement and specification of marine depths |
| earthlight | The faint illumination of the dark part of the moon's disk produced by sunlight reflected onto the moon from the earth's surface and atmosphere. |
| cwm | other name for a cirque |
| phreato-magmatic | A magma being in contact with ground water which is converted to the vapor phase. |
| acidic | Any substance with a pH below 7. |
| oasis | a wet-point site in an arid area. |
| petroleum | A group of liquid hydrocarbons that includes: crude oil, lease condensate, unfinished oils, refined products obtained from the processing of crude oil, and natural gas liquids. |
| aggradation | The process of building up a surface by deposition of sediment. |
| artificial beach | A bathing beach created by removing peat or muck and subsequently filling with sand or fine gravel |
| commuter | a person undertaking commuting. |
| uplift | A structurally high area in Earth's crust |
| cumulus mediocris | Cumulus clouds characterized by moderate vertical development with upper protuberances not very marked in appearance |
| plimsoll's mark | (Nautical) The load-line mark conspicuously painted originally on the sides of all British merchant vessels and used to indicate the limit of submergence allowed by law |
| phreatic line | Upper boundary of the seepage water surface landward of a streambank. |
| cir | Consumptive Irrigation Requirement/Crop Irrigation Requirement. |
| vegetative controls | non-point source pollution control practices that utilize vegetative cover to reduce erosion and minimize loss of pollutants. |
| biogenic | Used to describe changes in the environment resulting from the activities of living organisms. |
| deprivation | a situation where quality of life is below that of what can be expected for a particular place at a particular time. |
| thermal plant | A power generating plant which uses heat to produce energy |
| controller | A device that regulates the power supply to a heater or bath to bring it up to a specified temperature. |
| sinuous stream | Characterized by many curves or turns; winding. |
| paleogeographic map | A map that shows the distribution of sedimentary environments at a specific time in the past |
| culvert | A transverse drain or waterway under a road, railroad, canal, or other obstruction. |
| tombolo | a sand deposit which joins an island with a nearby land mass. |
| brash | A mass or pile of rubble, refuse, or fragments, as of stone, brush, or ice. |
| compliance cycle | (Water Quality) The 9-year calendar year cycle, beginning January 1, 1993, during which public water systems must monitor |
| varve | light and dark bands of SEDIMENT, layers represent summers and winters |
| wadi | steep-sided valley or ravine in desert and semi-arid areas |
| conduction | the transmission of heat through a substance i.e |
| ice blink | white glare on the underside of low clouds indicating presence of ice which may be beyond the range of vision. |
| buran | A violent windstorm of the Eurasian steppes, accompanied in summer by dust and in winter by snow. |
| meander breadth | The distance between the lines used to define the Meander Belt. |
| fluid ounce | (Abbreviated fl oz, fl |
| troposphere | lower layer of the atmosphere, from the surface to the tropopause |
| overburden | The earth, rock, and other materials that lie above a desired ore or mineral deposit. |
| agribusiness | corporations organized to provide vertical linkages both below and above the farm itself. |
| public corporation | an economic enterprise that has been nationalized. |
| leaching | the removal of minerals in solution from soils when water moves down through the soil and drains away. |
| quench | (1) To slake one's thirst |
| artesian-pressure surface | The level to which water in an artesian system would rise in a pipe high enough to stop the flow. |
| confining unit | A hydrogeologic unit of relatively impermeable material, bounding one or more aquifers |
| baymouth bar | A narrow, usually submerged ridge of sand or gravel deposited across the mouth of a bay by longshore drift |
| a posteriori classification | A classification made based upon the results of experimentation. |
| intertidal zone | That area of coastal land that is covered by water at high tide and uncovered at low tide. |
| median | (Statistics) In a set of observations, the middle-most value with an equal number of observations lying above and below the median value |
| headland | An extension of land seaward from the general trend of the coast; a promontory, cape, or peninsula. |
| ooze | (1) To flow or leak out slowly, as through small openings |
| ground rupture | The movement of the ground along one side of a Fault relative to the other side, caused by an earthquake. |
| tertiary sector | those industries providing services, both private and public. |
| urban fringe | the mixed marginal area lying outside the established urban area where the rural characteristics are increasingly overshadowed by encroaching urban features such as new housing, shopping centres, industrial estates and the like. |
| hydrostatic pressure | The pressure within a fluid (such as water) at rest, exerted on a given point within the body of the fluid. |
| bid-rent theory | the idea that land is acquired by the highest bidder which is in turn a function of the user who can make the most profit from the site |
| bank and channel stabilization | Implementation of structural features along a streambank to prevent or reduce bank erosion and channel degradation. |
| lake whitening | A phenomenon which occurs in moderately productive lakes when photosynthetic uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) causes the precipitation of small particles of calcite (mostly calcium carbonate, CaCO3) |
| constructive wave | a low height, low frequency wave where the net movement of material is up the beach as the swash is stronger than the backwash. |
| halophyte | a plant that is able to tolerate environments with a high level of salt |
| craton | The stable continental crust, including the shield and stable platform areas, most of which have not been affected by significant tectonic activity since the close of the Precambrian era. |
| cumuliform | Clouds composed of water droplets that exhibit vertical development |
| medial moraine | A moraine formed when two adjacent glaciers flow into each other and their lateral moraines are caught in the middle of the joined glacier. |
| alternative technology | (usually interchangeable with appropriate or intermediate technology) the use of low-cost, often labour-intensive, technology, based on local resources, that is appropriate to Economically Less Developed Countries |
| seep | (1) To pass slowly through small openings or pores; ooze |
| esker | A narrow ridge of gravelly or sandy glacial outwash material deposited by a stream in an ice tunnel within a glacier |
| delivery/release | The amount of water delivered to the point of use and the amount released after use; the difference between these amounts is usually the same as the Consumptive Use. |
| alkaline | (1) Having a pH greater than 7. |
| red book | (Water Quality) The 1976 publication issued by the U.S |
| community water system | In Texas, a public water system which has a potential to serve at least 15 residential service connections on a year-round basis or serves at least 25 residents on a year-round basis. |
| stress | Force applied to a material that tends to change its dimensions or volume; force per unit area. |
| tropical storm | A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface winds are from 39 miles per hour (34 knots) to 73 miles per hour (63 knots) |
| covariance | (Statistics) A measure of the linear association between two variables |
| water level pivot point | A location along the water surface in a canal reach where the water level remains essentially constant during changes in flow. |
| cholera | An infectious waterborne disease that is characterized by severe diarrhea and its resultant dehydration and electrolyte imbalance |
| check dam | A small dam constructed in a gully or other small watercourse to decrease the streamflow velocity, minimize channel erosion, promote deposition of sediment, and to divert water from a channel. |
| ars | Agricultural Restructuring Scenario. |
| direct discharger | A municipal or industrial facility which introduces pollution through a defined conveyance or system such as outlet pipes; a point source. |
| apothecaries' measure | A system of liquid volume measure used in pharmacy. |
| cfu | colony forming units. Concentrations of water quality indicator organisms such as fecal coliform bacteria are measured in cfu/100 ml. |
| mountain glacier | Cirque, niche type, crater type, or hanging glacier; also includes ice aprons and groups of small units. |
| talus | A slope built up by the accumulation of rock waste at the foot of a cliff or ridge. |
| kilowatt hour | One kilowatt of power applied for one hour. |
| rain | liquid precipitation from the atmosphere in drops of at least 0.5mm in diameter. |
| particulates | Very small solids suspended in water |
| sustained yield | Achievement and maintenance, in perpetuity, of a high-level annual or regular periodic output or harvest of the various renewable land and water resources. |
| dunk | To plunge into liquid; immerse as in to submerge oneself briefly in water |
| phreatic line | The line marking the upper surface of the Zone of Saturation in the soil. |
| solifluction | A slow, viscous, downslope flow of saturated sediment and rock debris especially in areas underlain by frozen ground. |
| histosols | Organic soils. |
| well yield | The volume of water discharged from a well in gallons per minute or cubic meters per day. |
| percolation rate | The rate, usually expressed as a velocity, at which water moves through saturated granular material |
| meander or full meander | Meander in a river consists of two consecutive loops, one flowing clockwise and the other counter‑clockwise. |
| permanent stream | A stream or reach of a stream that flows continuously throughout the year |
| cyclogenesis | The process that creates a new low pressure system or cyclone, or intensifies a pre-existing one |
| minimum pool | A term used to describe the lowest level of reservoir capacity safe for maintaining fish and aquatic life or for some other designated beneficial purpose |
| frost line | The depth to which frost penetrates the earth. |
| catalysis | The action of a Catalyst, especially an increase in the rate of a chemical reaction. |
| water ballet | A synchronized sequence of movements performed by a group of swimmers. |
| van der waals bond | A weak chemical bond in which atoms are held together by weak electrostatic attraction. |
| quantitative revolution | Time in the history (after 1950) of physical geography when measurement became the central focus of research |
| hydraulic roughness | an estimate of the resistance to flow due to energy loss caused by friction between the channel and the water |
| saturated | lit |
| gully erosion | The widening, deepening, and headcutting of small channels and waterways due to erosion; severe erosion in which trenches are cut to a depth greater than 30 centimeters (approximately one foot) |
| physical landscape | Natural land forms and associated natural phenomena of a region. |
| rock salt | A chemical sedimentary rock that forms from the evaporation of ocean or saline lake waters |
| hypochlorous acid | An unstable strongly oxidizing but weak acid, HClO, obtained in solution along with hydrochloric acid by reaction of chlorine with water and used especially in the form of salts as an oxidizing agent, bleaching agent, disinfectant, and chlorinating agent. |
| environmental flows | flows, or characteristics of the flow pattern, that are either protected or created to benefit the natural environment. |
| hydrophobia | (1) An abnormal fear of water |
| coal slurry pipeline | A pipeline which transports pulverized coal suspended in liquid, usually water. |
| buoyancy | the tendency of a body to float or rise when immersed in a fluid; the power of a fluid to exert an upward force on a body placed in it. |
| validation | comparison of computer model results with a set of data that were not used for calibration. |
| aquifer test | A test to determine hydrologic properties of an aquifer, involving the withdrawal of measured quantities of water from, or the addition of water to, a well and the measurement of resulting changes in head in the aquifer both during and after the period of discharge or addition (recharge). |
| riparian vegetation | Plants adapted to moist growing conditions found along waterways and shorelines |
| reaeration | (1) Absorption of oxygen into water from the atmosphere |
| sedimentary differentiation | The process in which distinctive sedimentary products (such as sand, shale, and lime) are generated and progressively separated from a rock mass by means of weathering, erosion, transportation, and deposition. |
| glacial outwash | Stratified material, chiefly sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams in front of the margin of a glacier. |
| micron | A unit of length equivalent to a micro-meter (µm), or one-millionth of a meter (10-6 meter) |
| vadose water | Water occurring in the Unsaturated Zone (Vadose Zone) between the land surface and the water table. |
| seepage bed | A trench or bed more than 36 inches (0.91 meter) wide containing at least 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) of clean, coarse aggregate and a system of distribution piping through which treated sewage may seep into the surrounding soil. |
| climate change | The slow variations of climatic characteristics over time at a given place. |
| feldspar | A mineral group consisting of silicates of aluminum and one or more of the metals potassium, sodium, or calcium |
| phosphates | General term used to describe phosphorus-containing derivatives of phosphoric acid (H3PO4) |
| sequestering agent | (Water Quality) A chemical compound such as EDTA or certain polymers that chemically tie up (sequester) other compounds or ions so they cannot be involved in chemical reactions. |
| piedmont | Ice field formed on a lowland area by lateral expansion of one or coalescence of several glaciers (Fig |
| point-of-use treatment device | (Water Quality) An approach to the management of the quality of drinking water that locates a water treatment device at the faucet in an individual household |
| hazardous material | An substance, pollutant or contaminant listed as hazardous under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, and the regulations promulgated pursuant to that act. |
| reclaimed water | domestic wastewater that is under the direct control of a treatment plant owner/operator which has been treated to a quality suitable for a beneficial use. |
| non-volatile suspended solids | The quantity of solids in a sample which is removed by filtration but not lost by ignition at 600C |
| ice floe | a cohesive sheet of ice floating in the water; the sea ice cover is made up of conglomerates of floes; ice floes are not unique to sea ice, as they also occur in rivers and lakes. |
| younger-dryas | A cold period during the generally mild Holocene epoch that occurred from about 10,000 - 8,500 BC |
| assimilation | the ability of a water body to purify itself of pollutants. |
| epiphyte | A plant that grows on another plant but is not a parasite and produces its own food by photosynthesis, as certain orchids, mosses, and lichens; an air plant. |
| dew | The droplets of water condensed from air, usually at night, onto cool surfaces. |
| felsic | A term used to describe an igneous rock that has a large percentage of light-colored minerals such as quartz, feldspar, and muscovite |
| overturn | (1) The sinking of surface water and rise of bottom water in a lake or sea that results from changes in temperature that commonly occur in spring and fall |
| cinder cone | A cone-shaped hill that consists of pyroclastic materials ejected from a volcanic vent. |
| collector sewers | Pipes used to collect and carry wastewater from individual sources to an interceptor sewer that will carry it to a treatment facility. |
| core | two main associations in geography: |
| site factors | those characteristics of a site which make it suitable for settlement. |
| total sediment discharge | The total quantity of sediment passing a section in a unit of time. |
| lithosphere | the crust and upper mantle |
| statistically significant | (Statistics) Describes the difference between two groups or two samples from the same population, one of which serves as the unaffected control group and the other having been subject to manipulation (cause and effect) by some external factor |
| leach | To remove soluble or other constituents from a medium by the action of a percolating liquid, as in leaching salts from the soil by the application of water. |
| water tower | A standpipe or elevated tank used as a reservoir or for maintaining equal pressure in a water system. |
| adjudication | Refers to a judicial process whereby water rights are determined or decreed by a court of law |
| creep | extremely slow downslope movement of soil |
| cp | Cultural Practices. |
| high-order good/service | one which is high in value and long-lasting and therefore generally bought infrequently e.g |
| agricultural chain | every step in the process(es) that lead to the consumption of food. |
| chrysophyte | Golden or yellow-green algae, algae of the division Chrysophyta. |
| dissolved oxygen | The amount of free (not chemically combined) oxygen dissolved in water, wastewater, or other liquid, usually expressed in milligrams per liter, parts per million, or percent of saturation |
| maximum holding time | The longest time period that water samples can be retained between the taking of the sample and the laboratory analysis for a specific material before the results are considered invalid |
| ice sheet | A thick, extensive body of glacial ice that is not confined to valleys |
| hardness | A property of water which causes an increase in the amount of soap that is needed to produce foam or lather and that also produces scale in hot water pipes, heaters, boilers and other units in which the temperature of water is increased materially |
| bod | See Biochemical Oxygen Demand (Biological Oxygen Demand). |
| sanitary sewer | A pipe or network of pipes which transport only municipal, commercial, or industrial wastewater (sewage) and not rain or storm waters from streets. |
| chemical effluents | Non-natural liquids or emulsions discharged to a stream or lake. |
| outlet channel | A waterway constructed or altered primarily to carry water from man-made structures, such as terraces, tile lines, and diversions. |
| service line sample | A one-liter sample of water collected according to federal regulations that has been standing for at least 6 hours in a service pipeline. |
| sediment | A loose, unconsolidated deposit of weathering debris, chemical precipitates or biological debris that accumulates on Earth's surface. |
| wind tunnel | Tubular structure or passages in which high-speed movements of air or other gases are produced |
| stokes- law | the settling rate of a particle in water is proportional to the diameter of that particle i.e |
| lethe | A river in Hades whose waters cause drinkers to forget their past. |
| runoff | Liquid water moving over the land surface as a sheet or channelized flow |
| extinction | complete disappearance of a species because of failure to adapt to environmental change. |
| anaerobic bacteria | Bacteria that lives without oxygen. |
| turnout | A structure that diverts water from an irrigation canal to a distribution system or farm delivery point |
| omnivore | an organism that consumes plants ( producers) and animals (consumers). |
| depth of runoff | The total runoff from a drainage basin divided by its area |
| continental shelf | The zone around the continents extending from the low-water mark seaward, typically ending in steep slope to the depths of the ocean floor. |
| consequent lake | Lake existing in a depression representing the original inequality in a new land surface |
| sea-floor spreading | The theory that the sea floor spreads laterally away from the oceanic ridge as new lithosphere is created along the crest of the ridge by igneous activity. |
| physiographic map | A map showing surface features of the earth. |
| elevation | The variation in the height of the earth's surface as measured by the vertical distance from a known datum plane, typically Mean Sea Level (MSL). |
| tornado alley | A geographic corridor in the United States which stretches north from Texas to Nebraska and Iowa |
| are | A metric unit of land measure equal to 100 square meters or 1/100 Hectare (119.6 square yards) |
| colonization | (Biology) As applied to vegetation, the invasion of a disturbed area; annual plants are often colonizing species. |
| saturation point | That point at which a soil or an aquifer will no longer absorb any amount of water without losing an equal amount. |
| minim | A unit of fluid measure, in the United States equal to 1/60 of a fluid dram (0.0616 milliliters, or 0.00208 fluid ounces), and in Great Britain equal to 1/20 of a scruple (0.0592 milliliters or 0.00200 fluid ounces). |
| coefficient of molecular diffusion | (1) The rate at which solutes are transported at the microscopic level due to variations in the solute concentrations within the fluid phases |
| alluvium | Sediment eroded from adjacent areas and deposited by running water in and along rivers and streams. |
| volumetric flow rate | For a liquid or a gas, the volume moving past a point per unit time |
| technology-based treatment requirements | NPDES permit requirements based on the application of pollution treatment or control technologies including BTP (best practicable technology), BCT (best conventional technology), BAT (best available technology economically achievable), and NSPS (new source performance standards). |
| submerged plants | Aquatic vegetation that has roots, stems, and leaves |
| radionuclides | Radioactive chemicals that are usually naturally occurring and found in drinking water |
| flood plane | The position occupied by the water surface of a stream during a particular flood |
| hydrology | The study of the waters of the earth, especially with relation to the effects of precipitation and evaporation upon the occurrence and character of water in streams, lakes, and on or below the land surface. |
| 7q10 | The period of lowest stream flow during a seven-day interval that is expected to occur once every 10 years |
| pleistocene epoch | period of time that started about 1.8 million years ago and ended about 10,000 years ago |
| platform reef | An organic reef with a flat upper surface developed on submerged segments of a continental platform. |
| douche | A stream of water, often containing medicinal or cleansing agents, that is applied to a body part or cavity for hygienic or therapeutic purposes. |
| steady-state conditions | Synonymous with Equilibrium conditions. |
| saturated air | Moist air in a state of equilibrium with a plane surface of pure water or ice at the same temperature and pressure; i.e., air whose vapor pressure is the saturation vapor pressure and its relative humidity is 100 percent. |
| residential type | the housing tenure of an area: owner-occupied, rented privately, or rented from the government. |
| normal annual precipitation | Average annual precipitation during a base period. |
| interstices | The openings or pore spaces in a rock, soil, and other such material |
| sediment yield | total amount of sediment moved by a river over time, usually in m3/km2/yr. |
| dryland | Non-irrigated cropland |
| flood | an overflow or inundation that comes from a river or other body of water and causes or threatens damage |
| recession hydrograph | A Hydrograph which shows the decreasing rate of runoff following a period of rain or snowmelt |
| fahrenheit | (1) A unit of temperature |
| canal automation | The implementation of a control system that upgrades the conventional method of canal system operation. |
| disconformity | An unconformity in which beds above and below are parallel. |
| gutter | (1) A channel at the edge of a street or road for carrying off surface water |
| cuspate foreland | Formation consisting of a V-bar and a foreland created from the joining of two spits in a lake |
| perigee | The point nearest the earth on the moon's orbit |
| siberian high | The semi-permanent high pressure area that forms over Siberia during the winter |
| circulate | to move in a circle, circuit or orbit; to flow without obstruction; to follow a course that returns to the starting point. |
| thermal low | Also known as heat low, it is an area of low pressure due to the high temperatures caused by intensive heating at the surface |
| tertiary treatment | removal from wastewater of traces or organic chemicals and dissolved solids that remain after primary treatment and secondary treatment. |
| hypsography | (1) The science or art of describing elevations of land surfaces with reference to a datum, usually Mean Sea Level (MSL) |
| graupel | Variations in temperature, migration of liquid and vapor water, and pressure of snow cover may result in rounded snow pellets from 2 to 5 mm diameter |
| linear | lit |
| phenocryst | A crystal that is significantly larger than the crystals surrounding it |
| hydrothermal reservoir | One of three geothermal reservoir systems |
| secondary succession | the process of revegetation of an area that has been cleared for some reason. |
| chlorination | The application of chlorine or one of its compounds to water or wastewater, often for disinfection or oxidation purposes. |
| fohn | warm, dry wind descending in the Alps |
| glassy texture | The texture of igneous rocks in which the material is in the form of natural glass rather than crystal. |
| hydrology | the science dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation of water. |
| abyssal plain | Large area of extremely flat ocean floor lying near a continent and generally over 4 km in depth. |
| blowing sand | Sand that is raised by the wind to heights of six feet or greater |
| transpiration ratio | The number of pounds of water required for transpiration per pound of dry plant tissue produced. |
| rill erosion | Removal of soil by running water with formation of shallow channels that can be smoothed out completely by normal tillage. |
| flowmeter | A gauge indicating the velocity of wastewater moving through a treatment plant or of any liquid moving through various industrial processes. |
| pump | a device which moves, compresses, or alters the pressure of a fluid, such as water or air, being conveyed through a natural or artificial channel. |
| blowing snow | Snow that is raised by the wind to heights of six feet or greater |
| meltwater | The water from melted snow or ice. |
| chemosphere | A vaguely defined region of the upper atmosphere in which photochemical reactions take place |
| decay | The disintegration of organic materials into simpler forms, or into their original elements, by action of bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms. |
| gis | See Geographical Information System (GIS). |
| quantitative precipitation forecast | A forecast of the amount of precipitation which will fall during a specific time period |
| external cost | The cost of production or consumption that must be borne by society and not specifically by the producer or consumer. |
| saltation | The transportation of particles in a current of wind or water by a series of bouncing movements. |
| accumulation zone | The area of a glacier where mass is increased through snowfall at a greater rate than snow and ice is lost through ablation. |
| environment | The sum total of all the external conditions that effect an organism, community, material, or energy. |
| spray tower | (Air Quality) An air pollution control device in which contaminated air is passed through a tower containing substances (packing) possessing large surface area |
| selva | A dense tropical rain forest usually having a cloud cover, especially one in the Amazon Basin. |
| recharge | Rainfall that drains past the root zone and reaches the groundwater. |
| rheology | The study of flow behavior and characteristics. |
| bioconcentration factor | Used to describe the accumulation of chemicals in aquatic organisms that live in contaminated environments |
| whalebacks | Elongated mounds or hills shaped by glacier movement may indicate direction of ice flow. |
| irrigation pit | A small storage reservoir constructed to regulate or store the supply of water available to the irrigator. |
| alberta low | a low centered on the eastern slope of the Canadian Rockies in the province of Alberta, Canada. |
| exposure | The amount of pollution present in a given environment that represents a potential health threat to living organisms. |
| azimuth | A system that measures direction clockwise from North over 360°. |
| primary succession | the colonization of a previously barren area by a plant community and its development to a climax community. |
| thank-you-ma'am | (Derived from its causing a nodding of the head] A bump or depression in a road; especially a ridge or hollow made across a road on a hillside to cause water to run off and thereby minimize erosion |
| digester | (Water Quality) In a Wastewater Treatment Plant, a closed tank that decreases the volume of solids and stabilizes raw sludge by bacterial action. |
| chemodynamics | The study of the transport, conversion, and fate of chemical substances in air, water, or soil, including their movement from one medium to another. |
| turbine | a rotary motor driven by a flow of water, steam or wind to produce electrical energy. |
| competition | where more than one company provides a good or service |
| watershed | the line where drainage basins meet and which determines to which basin precipitation will go. |
| alkali | Used in reference to materials that are rich in sodium and/or potassium. |
| wave-cut terrace | A long, level surface formed by wave erosion during a time when sea level was higher. |
| discharge permit | A permit issued by the state to discharge effluent into waters of the state. |
| divide | An imaginary line indicating the limits of a subbasin, subwatershed, or watershed; the boundary line along a topographic ridge or high point which separates two adjacent drainage basins |
| waterman | (1) A man who makes his living from the water (as by fishing) |
| antifluoridationist | One who is strongly opposed to the fluoridation of public water supplies. |
| arctic air mass | An air mass that develops around the Arctic, it is characterized by being cold from surface to great heights |
| neo-colonialism | the holding of political or economic influence (or both) by one country over another. |
| seasonal wetlands | Wetland areas flooded or taking on the characteristics of a wetland only during specific periods of the year or seasons |
| clear air turbulence | Name given to turbulence that may occur in perfectly clear air without any visual in warning in the form of clouds |
| rock glacier | A mass of rock material, cemented together by ice, that flows down a slope under the force of gravity much like the motion of a glacier. |
| biotope | non-living part of an ecosystem with the idea of the space in which the biota exist. |
| nautical | Of, relating to, or characteristic of ships, shipping, sailors, or navigation on a body of water. |
| meridional flow | Atmospheric circulation in which the north and south, or meridional, component of motion is unusually pronounced |
| fault sag ponds | A small, enclosed depression along an active or recent fault |
| horst | a raised block of land bordered by fault lines. |
| population density | (1) The number per unit area of individuals of any given species at a given time |
| plankton | any drifting biota inhabiting the pelagic (non-bottom) zones of seas and lakes |
| overhead irrigation | A pressurized irrigation system where water is distributed through pipes to the field and applied through a variety of sprinkler heads or nozzles |
| accuracy | the extent to which the readings of an instrument approach the true value of the calculated or measured quantities, supposing that all possible corrections are applied. |
| soil-moisture retention | That part of the soil moisture retained by surface tension and molecular forces against the influence of gravity. |
| metaconglomerate | A metamorphosed conglomerate. |
| oasis | A fertile or green spot in a desert or wasteland, made so by the presence of water. |
| dependable supply | That water which can be expected to be available at a time and place with the quality demanded; sometimes the amount of water available is at a stated percentage of time. |
| average global temperature | Average annual temperature of the Earth's entire surface atmosphere. |
| graded stream | Geomorphic term used for streams that have apparently achieved a state of equilibrium between the rate of sediment transport and the rate of sediment supply throughout long reaches. |
| dead end | the end of a water main that is not connected to other parts of the distribution system. |
| magmatic differentiation | A general term for the various processes by which early-formed crystals or early-formed liquids are separated and removed from a magma to produce a rock with composition different from that of the original magma |
| upper air/upper level | The portion of the atmosphere which is above the lower troposphere |
| pressure filter | (Water Quality) A device used to remove fine particulate matter from water |
| emdw | economically more developed world -collectively all the economically more developed countries (EMDCs). |
| snow advisory | A statement or advisory issued when snow is expected to create hazardous travel conditions |
| typhoon | a tropical cyclone forming in the western Pacific/South China Sea and posing a hazard to SE and East Asia. |
| total coliform | The Escherica coli and similar gram negative bacteria that are normal inhabitants of fecal discharges |
| titration | (Chemistry) (1) A method, or the process, of determining the strength of a solution, or the concentration of a substance in solution, in terms of the smallest amount of it required to bring about a given effect in reaction with another known solution or substance, as in the neutralization of an acid by a base |
| carbon tax | taxes levied on fossil fuel products as a disincentive to consume them as a strategy to slow global warming. |
| deionize | To remove ions from water by Ion Exchange |
| irrigation district | (1) Quasi-political districts created under special laws to provide for water services to property owners in the district |
| condemnation | Taking private property for public use, with compensation to the owner, under the right of Eminent Domain. |
| frost | The covering of ice crystals that forms by direct sublimation on exposed surfaces whose temperature is below freezing. |
| erratic | a large, extremely heavy boulder found in an area of entirely different geology |
| air mass | An extensive body of air throughout which the horizontal temperature and moisture characteristics are similar. |
| externality | The unintended or unwanted byproduct of production or consumption which must be borne by society in general |
| ferromagnesian | Containing iron and magnesium, applied to the mafic minerals |
| lateral moraine | sediment deposits on the sides of glaciers |
| thunder | The crashing or booming sound produced by rapidly expanding air along the path of the electrical discharge of lightning. |
| mineral interest | An ownership, lease, concession, or other contractual interest that gives a party the right to explore and extract mineral resources on a property. |
| quaternary period | (Geology) A period consisting of approximately the last 2 million years of earth history, encompassing both the Pleistocene and the Holocene epochs. |
| wet cooling | A type of cooling system which uses the evaporation of water to help dissipate excess heat |
| quartzite | A metamorphic rock formed by the alteration of sandstone by heat, pressure and chemical activity |
| aurora | Multicolored lights that appear in the upper atmosphere (ionosphere) over the polar regions and visible from locations in the middle and high latitudes |
| hyades | (Astronomy) A cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus, the five brightest of which form a V, supposed by ancient astronomers to indicate rain when they rose with the sun. |
| asexual reproduction | Plants reproducing without the sexual process by fragmentation, turions, tubers, and/or other vegetative structures. |
| kilogram | The base unit of mass in the International System of Units that is equal to the mass of a prototype agreed upon by international convention and that is nearly equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters of water at the temperature of its maximum density |
| actinomycetes | Group of filamentous microorganisms that are intermediate between bacteria and fungi. |
| firn | snow that has survived one summer and has begun the transformation into ice (usually about 25 years) |
| immiscible | Applied to liquids which are insoluble in each other |
| antarctic | Of or relating to the area around the geographic South Pole, from 90° South to the Antarctic Circle at approximately 66 1/2°South latitude, including the continent of Antarctica |
| adaptation | (1) Evolutionary adaptation - a genetically based characteristic expressed by a living organism |
| subsurface flow | Water which infiltrates the soil surface and moves laterally through the upper soil layers until it enters a channel. |
| hydroperiod | The seasonal and cyclical pattern of water in a Wetland. |
| isostasy | A condition of gravitational balance (similar to floating) in which a mass of lighter crustal rocks are buoyantly supported from below by denser mantle rocks |
| particulate loading | The mass of Particulates per unit volume of water. |
| biodiversity | the range of species in a particular area. |
| blockfield | extensive area of large angular rock fragments in periglacial regions. |
| euro | the single European currency. |
| drainage water | The water which has been collected by a drainage system |
| dike | (1) (Engineering) An embankment to confine or control water, especially one built along the banks of a river to prevent overflow of lowlands; a levee |
| discharge | the volume of water that passes a given point within a given period of time |
| acid precipitation | rain or snow containing acidic substances, resulting from the atmospheric pollution mainly with sulfur and nitrogen; acid precipitation has a lower pH than unpolluted rain. |
| negative feedback | when the action of a system leads to a reduction in that action |
| aeolian landform | Is a landform formed from the erosion or deposition of weathered surface materials by wind |
| agglomeration | the grouping together of businesses in the same area to minimize costs through linkages. |
| european union | see http://europa.eu/index_en.htm |
| tremie | A device used to place concrete or grout under water. |
| subsistence flows | the component of an instream flow regime that represents infrequent, naturally occurring low flow events that occur for a seasonal period of time |
| mesosphere | the layer of the atmosphere above the stratosphere |
| dike | An impermeable linear structure for the control or containment of overbank flow |
| filterable | Of particles that are sufficiently small to allow their passage through filters capable of retaining most particles |
| overturned fold | A fold that has both limbs dipping in the same direction, resulting from one of those limbs being rotated through an angle of at least 90 degrees |
| headgate | The gate that controls water flow into irrigation canals and ditches |
| bed material | The sediment mixture of which a streambed, lake, pond, reservoir, or estuary bottom is composed. |
| mudflow | Flow of a well-mixed mass of rock, earth, and water that behaves like a fluid and flows down slopes with a consistency similar to that of newly mixed concrete. |
| dissolved oxygen | The amount of oxygen freely available in water and necessary for aquatic life and the oxidation of organic materials. |
| shield | An extensive area of a continent where igneous and metamorphic rocks are exposed and have approached equilibrium with respect to erosion and isostasy |
| flow slide | Saturated soil materials which behave more like a liquid than a solid |
| jurassic | a geologic time period lasting from 208m to 144m years ago. |
| snowfall | The amount of snow, hail, sleet, or other precipitation in solid form which reaches the earth's surface |
| jet stream | Relatively fast uniform winds concentrated within the upper atmosphere in a narrow band |
| sprinkler irrigation | A pressurized irrigation system where water is distributed through pipes to the field and applied through a variety of sprinkler heads or nozzles |
| centrally planned economy | see command economy. |
| soil air | Below-ground air in the pore spaces between soil particles |
| gross national product | Gross domestic product plus net income from abroad |
| fecal bacteria | Any type of bacteria whose normal habitat is the colon of warm-blooded mammals, such as man |
| pitting | The construction of pits or basins of suitable capacity and distribution to retain water and increase infiltration on rangeland. |
| crest gage | An instrument used to obtain a record of flood crests at sites where recording gages are not installed. |
| valley glacier | Flows down a valley; the catchment area is well defined. |
| intervale | (New England) A tract of low-lying land, especially along a river. |
| arid | A term applied to a climate or region where precipitation is so deficient in quantity, or occurs so infrequently, that crop production is impractical without irrigation. |
| degradation | General and progressive (long-term) lowering of the channel bed due to erosion, over a relatively long channel length. |
| aquic | A mostly reducing soil moisture regime nearly free of dissolved oxygen due to saturation by groundwater or its capillary fringe and occurring at periods when the soil temperature at 50 centimeters is above 5C (41F). |
| discount rate | The interest rate used in evaluating water (and other) projects to calculate the present value of future benefits and future costs or to convert benefits and costs to a common time basis (e.g., current dollars). |
| avigational trespass | Persons using a float plane to gain access to a private lake without permission, trespass first on the air or avigational rights of the lake owners, then by landing on the surface of the lake, they commit simple trespass. |
| specific yield | the amount of water a unit volume of saturated permeable rock will yield when drained by gravity. |
| dyke | three meanings: |
| agricultural levee | A levee that protects agricultural areas where the degree of protection is usually less than that of a flood control levee. |
| trailing edge | A passive or divergent plate margin |
| haze | A suspension of fine dust and/or smoke particles in the air |
| acclimatization | The physiological adjustment or adaptation by an organism to new physical and/or environmental conditions |
| community beach | Beach dedicated for the semi-exclusive use of a definite subdivision |
| ion exchange | The substitution of one Ion for another in certain substances |
| relief | Variations in the height and slope of Earth's surface |
| standard project flood | The flood that may be expected from the most severe combination of meteorological and hydrological conditions considered reasonably characteristic of the geographical area in which the drainage basin is located, excluding extremely rare combinations. |
| stream order | The hierarchical number of a stream segment |
| bacterial plate count | A system used to quantify the number of bacteria in a sample of solid or liquid material by measuring the growth of bacterium into full colonies. |
| absolute humidity | (1) the ratio of the mass of water vapor to the volume occupied by a mixture of water vapor and dry air (2) mass of water contained in a unit volume of moist air. |
| oxidation | (1) A chemical reaction that involves combination with oxygen or the loss of electrons |
| agitator/mixer | (Water Quality) Blades or paddles that slowly rotate in a tank to facilitate the mixing of suspended material. |
| hygrometer | Any of several instruments used to measure atmospheric humidity. |
| pedology | The scientific study of soils, their origins, characteristics, and uses. |
| method blank | Laboratory grade water taken through the entire analytical procedure to determine if samples are being accidentally contaminated by chemicals in the lab. |
| advection | (1) The process by which solutes are transported by the bulk of flowing fluid such as the flowing ground water |
| snow grains | Frozen precipitation in the form of very small, white, opaque grains of ice |
| average annual recharge | amount of water entering the aquifer on an average annual basis |
| liquid | A state of matter in which the molecules are closer and held more tightly by one another than in the gaseous state |
| vegetative controls | Non-Point Source (NPS) Pollution control practices that involve vegetative cover to reduce erosion and minimize loss of pollutants. |
| drown | (1) To kill by submerging and suffocating in water or another liquid |
| paleoclimate | The climate of a given area at a specific time in the past |
| surface creep | Slow downwind movement of large sand grains by rolling or sliding along the surface due to the impact of smaller, saltating grains. |
| wave-cut platform | at a coast, where wave action erodes into a cliff, causing it to collapse and retreat, a rock platform is left behind between the low and high water marks. |
| lateral moraines | The ridges of Glacial Till that mark the sides of a glacier's path |
| nocturnal thunderstorms | Thunderstorms which develop after sunset |
| carbonic acid | A weak, unstable acid, H2CO3, present in solutions of carbon dioxide and water |
| underdrain | A drain that carries away water from prepared beds or agricultural fields to which water or wastewater has been applied. |
| amorphous solid | A solid in which atoms or ions are not arranged in a definite crystal structure |
| serial distribution | An arrangement of Absorption Trenches, Seepage Pits, or Seepage Beds so that each is forced to pond, utilizing the total effective absorption area, before liquid flows into the succeeding component. |
| herbaceous | With the characteristics of an herb; having the texture and color of a foliage leaf; a plant with no persistent woody stem above ground. |
| diatom ooze | A seafloor sediment that consists of at least 30% diatom remains. |
| appropriate technology | see alternative technology |
| flux | (1) A flowing or flow |
| indicator species | (Environmental) Any organism that by its presence or absence, its frequency, or its vigor indicates a particular property of its surrounding environment |
| snow metamorphism | The transformation of snowflakes within a snowpack into different forms or structures. |
| wet bulb depression | Dependent on the temperature and the humidity of the air, it is the difference between the dry bulb and the wet bulb readings. |
| field capacity | The capacity of soil to hold water |
| aquacade | (1) A water spectacle originated at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1937; (2) A water spectacle that consists usually of exhibitions of swimming and diving with musical accompaniment. |
| molecule | the smallest division of a compound that still retains or exhibits all the properties of the substance. |
| reclaimed water | Refers to water that has received at least Secondary Wastewater Treatment and is reused after flowing out of a wastewater treatment facility. |
| glacial drift | A general term for all material transported and deposited directly by or from glacial ice. |
| general circulation | in the atmosphere, the general pattern of wind and pressure at a global scale |
| coagulant | (1) An agent that causes a liquid or sol to coagulate |
| nist-traceable | Indicates that a given instrument has been calibrated using standards that have an accuracy certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). |
| physical-chemical treatment processes | A means of wastewater treatment using both physical and chemical processes. |
| proterozoic | an eon of geologic time lasting from 2500m to 570m years ago. |
| exceedence | (Water Quality) The violation of the pollutant levels permitted by environmental protection standards. |
| langelier saturation index | an index reflecting the equilibrium pH of a water with respect to calcium and alkalinity; used in stabilizing water to control both corrosion and scale deposition. |
| mattress | Blanket or revetment of materials interwoven or otherwise lashed together and placed to cover an area subject to scour. |
| march equinox | One of two days during a year when the declination of the Sun is at the equator |
| push moraine | A ridge or pile of unstratified glacial sediment that is formed in front of the ice margin by the terminus of an advancing glacier, bulldozing sediment in its path. |
| stratosphere | a layer of the Earth's atmosphere, between the troposphere and mesosphere, that is stratified in temperature such that cooler layers are closer to the Earth's surface, and warmer layers are higher up (opposite the pattern of the troposphere near the Earth's surface); situated between about 10 to 50 kilometers (6 to 31 miles) in altitude above the surface of the moderate latitudes; at the poles, it starts at about 8 km in altitude; composition is basically the same as that of the lower atmosphere, with the addition of ozone. |
| isodapane | line connecting points of equal total transport cost. |
| hydrogen bond | A type of chemical bond caused by electromagnetic forces, occurring when the positive pole of one molecule (e.g., water) is attracted to and forms a bond with the negative pole of another molecule (e.g., another water molecule). |
| interventionist | belief in significant government presence in modifying markets to improve their efficiency and to protect consumers from unscrupulous or irresponsible business behaviour |
| environmental indicator | A measurement, statistic or value that provides a proximate gauge or evidence of the effects of environmental management programs or of the state or condition of the environment. |
| linear programming | (Mathematics) A mathematical method used to determine the most effective allocation of limited resources between competing uses when both the objective (e.g., profit, cost, or output) and the restrictions (constraints) on its attainment can be quantified as a system of linear equations representing equalities or inequalities. |
| lineament | (Geology) An essentially rectilinear topographic feature resulting from a fault or zone of faulting |
| united states weather bureau | The official name of the National Weather Service prior to 1970. |
| chemical weathering | The gradual decomposition of rock by exposure to rainwater, surface water, atmospheric oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere, as well as compounds secreted by organisms |
| utility | an industry providing a service such as power and water. |
| replenishment | The act of replenishing an aquifer, usually through artificial recharge, to offset excess groundwater pumping. |
| convergence | Wind movement that results in a horizontal net inflow of air into a particular region |
| pelagic sediment | A ocean sediment that accumulates far enough from land that detrital materials are a minor component |
| clr | Classical Linear Regression Model. |
| kansan | North American glaciation related to European Mindel glaciation. |
| middle latitudes | The latitude belt roughly between 35 and 65 degrees North and South |
| lumo | lowest unoccupied molecular orbital |
| municipal wastewater facility | Refers to those facilities that receive or dispose of wastewater derived principally from residential dwellings, business or commercial buildings, institutions, and the like |
| jetty | A human made structure built at right angles to a coastline and extending into the water |
| pore | Synonymous with Interstice (Interstitial). |
| whirlwind | A small-scale, rapidly rotating column of wind, formed thermally and most likely to develop on clear, dry, hot afternoons |
| mass balance | The balance of glacial input (accumulation), throughput (transport), and output (ablation) of snow and ice. |
| artesian water | Ground water confined in an aquifer and under pressure great enough to cause the water to rise above the top of the aquifer when it is tapped by a well. |
| ice point | The temperature, equal to 1.0°C (33.8°F), at which pure water and ice are in equilibrium in a mixture at 1 atmosphere of pressure. |
| excess rainfall | Effective rainfall in excess of infiltration capacity, resulting in runoff |
| flood probability | The statistical probability that a flood of a given size will be equaled or exceeded in a given period of time. |
| mesosphere | The layer of the atmosphere located between the stratosphere and the ionosphere, where temperatures drop rapidly with increasing height |
| gpadp | Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project |
| rain | Water falling to earth in drops that have been condensed from moisture in the atmosphere. |
| non-operating interest | A mineral lease interest that does not involve the rights and responsibilities of exploration, development, or production |
| sparkling water | Water charged with carbon dioxide (CO2). |
| open system | system in which energy and matter are exchanged between the system and its environment, for example, a living organism. |
| upwelling | Movement of cold water from the floor of a lake or ocean up into a shallow area. |
| recreation | any activity people do during their leisure time |
| terrestrial radiation | longwave radiation emitted by the earth, including its atmosphere. |
| water quality indicators | Constituents or characteristics of water that can be measured to determine its suitability for use. |
| erosion | the wearing away of the land surface by wind, water, ice or other geologic agents |
| public sector | all enterprises and activities owned and funded by the government. |
| drainage well | a well drilled to carry excess water off agricultural fields |
| jar test | a laboratory procedure that simulates a water treatment plant's coagulation/flocculation units with differing chemical doses, mix speeds, and settling times to estimate the minimum or ideal coagulant dose required to achieve certain water quality goals. |
| neat | a term often used in IR spectroscopy, means that only the pure compound was place in the IR beam |
| ice density | Pure ice density is rarely attained except in individual crystals but is assigned the value of 0.917. |
| liquid injection incinerator | Commonly used system that relies on high pressure to prepare liquid wastes for incineration, breaking them up into tine droplets to allow for easier combustion. |
| scour pools | A pool formed by flow directed either laterally or obliquely against a partial channel obstruction or bank. |
| trihalomethanes | chemical compounds in which three of the four hydrogen atoms of methane (CH4) are replaced by halogen atoms |
| waterwall incinerator | An energy recovery system used in some municipal waste incinerators |
| kieselguhr | A fine, powdered diatomaceous earth used in industry as a filler, a filtering agent, and absorbent, a clarifier, and an insulator |
| hanging valley | A tributary valley with the floor lying ("hanging") above the valley floor of the main stream or shore to which it flows (see diagram) |
| blueschist | A fine-grained schistose rock characterized by high pressure, low-temperature mineral assemblages, and typically blue in color. |
| methyl orange alkalinity | A measure of the total alkalinity in a water sample in which the color of methyl orange reflects the change in level. |
| pediment | A broad, gently sloping erosional surface of low local relief adjacent to an eroding cliff or mountain range |
| plucking | The process of loosening and lifting pieces of rock by a flowing glacier |
| chemical | A substance made by chemistry |
| accessibility | the level of difficulty associated with getting to a location or feature within a larger area measured in distance, time and/or cost. |
| aquiclude | A formation which, although porous and capable of absorbing water slowly, will not transmit water fast enough to furnish an appreciable supply for a well or spring |
| pluvial period | Time when a dryland area had greater effective moisture than at present. |
| tds | All the solids (usually mineral salts) that are dissolved in water |
| tsunami | A seismic sea wave; a long, low wave in the ocean caused by an earthquake, faulting, or a landslide on the sea floor |
| recarbonation | (Water Quality) The process of introducing carbon dioxide as a final stage in the lime-soda ash softening process |
| fountainhead | (1) A spring that is the source or head of a stream |
| stratification | The layered structure of sedimentary rock. |
| perfected water permit | A permit issued after the permittee has initiated Beneficial Use of water in accordance with the terms and conditions of the conditional water permit |
| b.p. - before present | an alternative, more accurate, means of identifying past years. |
| electrical conductivity | A measure of the salt content of water. |
| retention time | is the time interval that passed between the sample injection and the appearance of the peak maximum |
| disinfection byproducts | halogenated organic chemicals formed when water is disinfected. |
| interception | when precipitation deposits onto a surface that Is not the actual land such as vegetation or animals. |
| meteorite | Any particle of solid matter that has fallen to the earth, the Moon, or another planet from space. |
| water quality standards | laws or regulations, promulgated under Section 303 of the Clean Water Act, that consist of the designated use or uses of a waterbody or a segment of a waterbody and the water quality criteria that are necessary to protect the use or uses of that particular waterbody |
| reservoir area | The surface area of a reservoir when filled to controlled retention water level. |
| vested water right | the right granted by a state water agency to use either surface or ground water. |
| cultural resources | Any prehistoric or historic remains, artifacts, or indicators of human activities |
| kinetic energy | The energy inherent in a substance because of its motion, expressed as a function of its velocity and mass, or MV2/2. |
| aquifer | A subsurface rock or sediment unit that is porous and permeable |
| disintegration | Weathering by mechanical processes |
| escherichia coli | A bacterial species which inhabits the intestinal tract of man and other warm-blooded animals |
| laminar flow | A state of uniform flow within a fluid in which the moving particles travel along parallel paths (compare with Turbulent Flow). |
| hydraulic problem | An effect of streamflow, tidal flow, or wave action such that the integrity of the highway facility is destroyed, damaged, or endangered. |
| grain | A particle of a mineral or rock, generally lacking well-developed crystal faces. |
| freezing point | (1) The temperature at which a liquid of specified composition solidifies under a specified pressure |
| strike-slip fault | A fault in which movement has occurred parallel to the strike of the fault. |
| rampers | Ramp personnel at an airport who service an aircraft upon its arrival and during pushback. |
| gumbotill | Highly weathered till which becomes sticky and plastic when wet. |
| open-cycle cooling | The practice of withdrawing surface or well water to cool the condensers of an electric power plant or other industrial equipment, followed by release of the heated water to the ocean, a river, or a lake. |
| hanging valleys | Hanging valleys can be created when smaller tributary glaciers join the main ice sheet |
| watermark | (1) A mark showing the greatest height to which water has risen |
| saprobien system | (Water Quality) A European system of classifying organisms according to their response to organic pollution in slow-moving streams |
| ultramafic rock | See Ultrabasic Rock. |
| top of dam | The elevation of the uppermost surface of a dam excluding any parapet wall, railings, etc. |
| river basin plan | A plan for the development of water and related land resources to make the best use of such resources to meet the basin needs and make the greatest long-term contribution to the economic growth and social well-being of the people of the basin and the nation. |
| divergence | A meteorological condition characterized by the uniform expansion in volume of a mass of air over a region, usually accompanied by fair dry weather. |
| chott | the name given to depressions found along and within the northern border zone of the Sahara which fill with water from the overland flow during flash floods |
| certificate of water right | an official document which serves as court evidence of a perfected water right. |
| critical dry year | A dry year in which the full commitments for a dependable water supply cannot be met and deficiencies are imposed on water deliveries. |
| nsidc | National Snow and Ice Data Center |
| mohorovicic discontinuity | The sharp seismic velocity discontinuity that separates the crust and the mantle. |
| catchment | Area of land from which all surface water drains to a common destination, such as a lake of a river. |
| reaeration | The natural process by which flowing stream water is mixed with the atmosphere, resulting in the addition of Dissolved Oxygen to the water. |
| ice streams | In glaciers, ice flows in lineaments which, if they encounter other ice streams, do not mix |
| biosphere | a reference to the totality of the earth surface and atmosphere that is inhabited by living organisms. |
| refraction | The bending of light or radar beam as it passes through a zone of contrasting properties, such as atmospheric density, water vapor, or temperature. |
| interglacial | Occurring between Glacial Epochs |
| type t | A more specialized thermocouple sensor pairing two wires made mostly of copper and constantan and using variance in voltage to calculate temperaturesâknown for greater accuracy and durabilityâtypical in medical or pharmaceutical applications. |
| sanitary landfill | landfill that is lined with plastic or concrete or located in clay-rich soils to prevent hazardous substances from leaking into the environment. |
| epa | Environmental Protection Agency. The federal regulatory agency responsible for protecting environmental quality throughout the nation |
| liquefaction | (1) (General) The act or process of making or becoming liquid; especially the conversion of a solid into a liquid by heat, or of a gas into a liquid by cold or pressure |
| glacial portal | Cavernous openings in subglacial ice and debris above meltwater streams. |
| evaporation | The physical process by which a liquid (or a solid) is transformed to the gaseous state |
| parts per thousands | An expression of concentration which indicates one unit is contained in a total of a thousands units |
| leading edge | The front edge of an airfoil |
| response time | The length of time a given instrument requires to reach a specified percentage of its final reading value |
| tapered aeration | A modification of the activated sludge process wherein air is introduced at a higher rate at the head of the tank than in subsequent sections. |
| igneous rock | (Geology) A rock formed by the solidification of molten materials (magma) |
| filter feeder | An aquatic animal, such as a clam, barnacle, or sponge, that feeds by filtering particulate organic material from water. |
| bacteriostatic | A substance that inhibits bacterial growth but is not necessarily lethal. |
| bed load | the particles in a stream channel that mainly move by bouncing, sliding, or rolling on or near the bottom of the stream. |
| relative humidity | A type of humidity that considers the ratio of the actual vapor pressure of the air to the saturation vapor pressure |
| internal drainage | (1) Movement of water down through soil to porous aquifers or to surface outlets at lower elevations |
| asthenosphere | The zone in the earth directly below the lithosphere, from 70 to 200 km below the surface |
| broad-leaved evergreen | Woody Angiosperms (trees or shrubs) with relatively wide, flat leaves that generally remain green and are usually persistent for a year or more; e.g., red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle). |
| water balance | (1) A measure of the amount of water entering and the amount of water leaving a system |
| phreatophyte | A plant that habitually obtains its water supply from the Zone of Saturation, either directly or through the Capillary Fringe. |
| check dam | a small dam constructed in a gully or other small water course to decrease the streamflow velocity, minimize channel erosion, promote deposition of sediment and to divert water from a channel. |
| relative dating | Determination of the chronologie order of a sequence of events in relation to one another without reference to their ages measured in years |
| chuckhole | A rough hole in pavement, made by wear and weathering, more commonly referred to as Pothole. |
| lavatory | (1) A room equipped with washing and often toilet facilities; a bathroom |
| magnetic chron | Time during which magnetic polarity is dominantly normal or dominantly reversed. |
| remedial response | (Environmental) Long-term action that stops or substantially reduces a release or threat of a release of hazardous substances that is serious but not an immediate threat to public health. |
| shrub | a plant which has a thick woody stem but not thick or sturdy enough to be described as a trunk |
| chalcedony | A general term for fibrous cryptocrystalline quartz. |
| neuston | (1) The collection of minute or microscopic organisms that inhabit the surface layer of a body of water |
| cap | A layer of clay, or other impermeable material installed over the top of a closed landfill to prevent entry of rainwater and minimize Leachate. |
| high-line jumpers | Pipes or hoses connected to fire hydrants and laid on top of the ground to provide emergency water service for an isolated portion of a distribution system. |
| westerlies | Usually applied to the broad patterns of persistent winds with a westerly component |
| closed canopy | Forest trees dense enough that tree crowns fill or nearly fill the canopy layer. |
| ocean thermal gradients | The temperature difference between deep and surface water in the oceans. |
| specific energy | The sum of the piezometric head and the velocity head; total energy, with respect to the bottom of a conduit or channel as a datum. |
| monitoring well | (1) A well used to obtain water quality samples or measure groundwater levels |
| spit | an embankment of sand which juts out from the land, often across a river mouth |
| kame delta | ramp of sediment formed when water runs off a glacier and deposits sediment at the base |
| growth pole | a particular site, or small area, where economic development is focused setting off wider growth through cumulative causation |
| fosse | a long narrow trench often found at an old fortified site. |
| edaphic | Soil characteristics, such as water content, pH, texture, and nutrient availability, that influence the type and quantity of vegetation in an area. |
| spectroscopic hygrometer | An instrument used to measure the selective absorption by water vapor of light in certain bands of the spectrum. |
| mull | a dark, crumbly, nutrient rich humus layer. |
| coliform bacteria | non-pathogenic microorganisms used in testing water to indicate the presence of pathogenic bacteria. |
| nearest neighbour analysis | a measure of how clustered or evenly spaced a distribution of points on a plane is. |
| glacial striations | grooves or gouges cut into the bedrock by gravel and rocks carried by glacial ice and meltwater; also called glacial grooves. |
| hygroscopic nuclei | piece of dust or other particle around which water condenses in the atmophere |
| morphology | lit |
| free-flowing stream | A stream or a portion of a stream that is unmodified by the works of man or, if modified, still retains its natural scenic qualities and recreational opportunities. |
| coriolis effect | (Climatology and Oceanography) The Coriolis effect, named for French physicist Gaspard Coriolis (1792-1843), is an imaginary force that appears to be exerted on an object moving within a rotation system |
| secondary forest | forest which is regrowing after the original vegetation was cleared. |
| fossil | Remains, imprints or traces of an ancient organism that have been preserved in the rock record |
| specialization | at different scales, the concentration of effort into particular areas so that the efficiency and quality are maximized. |
| erode | Wind, water, and movement of glaciers remove material from (erode) the surface of the earth. |
| skim | (1) To remove floating matter from the surface of a liquid |
| baumà | Being, calibrated in accordance with, or according to either of two arbitrary hydrometer scales for liquids lighter than water or for liquids heavier than water that indicate specific gravity in degrees. |
| foam | (1) A mass of bubbles of air or gas in a matrix of liquid film, especially an accumulation of fine, frothy bubbles formed in or on the surface of a liquid, as from agitation or fermentation |
| organic matter | Plant and animal residues, or substances made by living organisms |
| ductile | Structural behavior in which a material deforms permanently without fracturing. |
| meta- or met- | Derived from by loss of water, as meta phosphoric acid. |
| darcy's law | An empirically derived equation for the flow of fluids through porous media |
| shoot | (1) A rush of water down a steep or rapid |
| laccolith | An igneous intrusion that has been forced between two layered rock units |
| battery farming | intensive, commercial livestock (usually poultry or cattle) production where animals are reared in cages and fed and watered automatically to reduce the per unit cost |
| technology-forcing | Describing standards or levels of pollution and effluent control called for in environmental statutes or regulations for which existing technologies are inadequate and therefore require technical advancements to achieve. |
| siltation | The deposition of finely divided soil and rock particles upon the bottom of stream and river beds and in reservoirs. |
| permeable | Having pores or openings that permit liquids or gasses to pass through. |
| secondary recovery | The injection of water into an underground petroleum deposit to force the remaining oil into recovery wells |
| lode | A rich accumulation of minerals in solid rock |
| hailstone | A hard pellet of snow and ice. |
| holothurian | A group of marine, bottom-dwelling animals related to the sea stars and sand dollars (echinoderms) |
| quicksand | A bed of sand that has a high water content |
| delivery box | An irrigation structure for diverting water from a canal to a farm unit, often including measuring devices. |
| skin sample | Sampled water that is not representative of the cross-sectional flow in a pipe or conduit |
| branch water | (Chiefly Southern United States) Plain water from a stream, especially when mixed with a liquor such as whiskey. |
| hardness | 1 (mineralogy) The measure of the resistance of a mineral to scratching or abrasion |
| deep well | A well whose pumping head is too great to permit use of a suction pump. |
| eolian environment | The sedimentary environment of deserts, where sediment is transported and deposited primarily by wind |
| dune swale | A low place among sand dunes, typically moister and often having distinctive vegetation differing from the surrounding sand environment. |
| hydraulic jump | The rapid change in the depth of flow from a low stage to a high stage, resulting in an abrupt rise of water surface. |
| scour | the erosive action of running water in streams, which excavates and carries away material from the bed and banks |
| digester | in wastewater treatment, a unit in which anaerobic bacterial action is induced and accelerated in order to break down and stabilize organic matter removed from the treatment process. |
| ditch riders | Individuals responsible for operating structures and distribute water internally within an irrigation project |
| static | Pertaining to water stored in a tank but not under pressure. |
| natural resources | the things we use that are provided in the natural environment e.g |
| catastrophism | The belief that geologic history consists of major catastrophic events involving processes that were far more intense than any we observe now |
| socioeconomics | The study of the economic, demographic, and social interactions of humans. |
| acidification | Raising the acidity (lowering the pH) of a fluid by adding an acid. |
| piping | The progressive development of erosion of a dam structure by seepage, appearing downstream of the dam as a hole or seam discharging water that contains soil particles |
| hoarfrost | A light, feathery coating of ice. |
| attrition | a process of erosion where the collisions between parts of the load lead to comminution. |
| hydrosere | a freshwater environment in which primary plant succession takes place. |
| ultramafic rock | An igneous rock composed entirely of ferromagnesian minerals. |
| assemblage | an organism group of interacting species in a given ecosystem, for example, a fish assemblage or a benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage. |
| group | A number of similar ice masses occurring in close proximity to one another but are too small to be assessed individually. |
| horn | mountain shape formed by three cirques |
| adiabatic | Applies to a thermodynamic process during which no heat is added to or withdrawn from the body or system concerned |
| louis agassiz | father of glaciology |
| crustal warping | Gentle bending (upwarping or downwarping) of sedimentary strata. |
| coriolis force | Inertial force caused by the Earth's rotation that deflects a moving body to the right in the Northern Hemisphere. |
| ecliptic | The sun's apparent path across the sky that tracks a circle through the celestial sphere. |
| piezometric surface | An imaginary surface that everywhere coincides with the static level of the water in the aquifer |
| sleet | precipitation which is a mixture of rain and ice. |
| anion | An ion carrying a negative atomic charge. |
| aquanaut | A person trained to live in underwater installations and conduct, assist in, or be a subject of scientific research |
| percolation | the movement of water through the subsurface soil layers, usually continuing downward to the groundwater or water table reservoirs. |
| gradient | The slope of a stream channel measured along the course of the stream. |
| accuracy | "The closeness of the agreement between the result of a measurement and the value of the quantity being measured and or ""true value."" Usually expressed as ± a certain number of degrees or ± a certain percentage of the full reading." |
| barograph | a barometer that records barometric pressure over time (days or weeks). |
| surface compaction | Increasing soil density by applying force at the surface |
| clastic | 1 Pertaining to fragments (such as mud, sand, and gravel) produced by the mechanical breakdown of rocks |
| geostrophic wind | A steady horizontal motion of air along straight, parallel isobars or contours in an unchanging pressure or contour field |
| geochronology | A study of the time relationships of rock units |
| corrie glaciers | Larger than niche glaciers, smaller than valley glaciers, they occupy hollows on bedrock faces in mountain regions. |
| backscatter | A radar echo that is reflected, or scattered, at 180 degrees to the direction of the incident wave |
| opalized | A rock whose original constituents have been replaced by opaline silica, a form of Silica (SiO2) containing varying percentages of water. |
| cyclone | (Meteorology) An atmospheric system characterized by the rapid, inward circulation of air masses about a low-pressure center, usually accompanied by stormy, often destructive, weather |
| hydraulic radius | Cross‑sectional area of a stream divided by its wetted perimeter. |
| aeration tank | a chamber used to inject air into water. |
| environmental impact statement | a document that analyzes the effects of major federal projects on the environment |
| bulking | Increasing the water discharge to account for high concentrations of sediment in the flow. |
| chlorine contact chamber | the part of a wastewater treatment plant where treated water is disinfected by chlorine. |
| natural recharge | The replenishment of groundwater storage from naturally-occurring surface water supplies such as precipitation and stream flows |
| intermittently flooded | A water regime in wetland classification in which the substrate is usually exposed, but surface water is present for variable periods without detectable seasonal periodicity. |
| bpt | Best Practicable Control Technology. |
| bubble | (1) A thin, usually spherical or hemispherical film of liquid filled with air or gas, as a soap bubble |
| probability | (1) The likelihood that a given event will occur |
| droplet | A small airborne liquid particle that is larger than liquid aerosol and therefore settles out of the atmosphere relatively quickly. |
| ford | A shallow place in a body of water, such as a river, where one can cross by walking or riding on an animal or in a vehicle. |
| fold | A bend, or flexure, in a rock. |
| era | A division of geologic time next smaller than the eon and larger than a period |
| water equivalent | The depth or amount of water that would result from the complete melting of a sample of deposited snow, measured in inches of water. |
| disinfectant by-product | A compound formed by the reaction of a Disinfectant such as Chlorine with organic material in the water supply |
| instream use | use of water that does not require withdrawal or diversion from its natural watercourse; for example, the use of water for navigation, recreation, and support of fish and wildlife. |
| tributary | A stream that contributes its water to another stream or body of water. |
| extirpated species | A species rendered extinct in a given area. |
| glims | Global Land Ice Measurements from Space |
| unbiased sample | (Statistics) A sample is said to be unbiased if its behavior and characteristics are representative of the total Population. |
| dendrite | Snow dendrites are hexagonal ice crystals with complex and often fernlike branches. |
| spring | A place where ground water flows or seeps naturally to the surface. |
| broad-leaved deciduous | Woody Angiosperms (trees or shrubs) with relatively wide, flat leaves that are shed during the cold or dry season; e.g., black ash (Fraxinus nigra). |
| cellular | Made up of small compartments. |
| asthenosphere | Zone in the Earth's mantle that exhibits plastic properties |
| polar plateau | The relatively flat, elevated central region of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. |
| glacial valley | (also glacial trough) a broad, flat bottomed (U-shaped) valley created by glacial erosion and deposition |
| oxidation ditch | (Water Quality) A shaped ditch, usually oval, with a revolving drum-like aerator which circulates the liquid within it and supplies air to it, to reduce the organic material by aerobic action. |
| bioconversion | The conversion of organic materials, such as plant or animal waste, into usable products or energy sources by biological processes or agents, such as certain microorganisms. |
| streambanks | The usual boundaries, not the flood boundaries, of a stream channel |
| sediment-transport curve | Usually the relation between water discharge and Suspended-Sediment Discharge, but it can be between water discharge and Bed-Load Discharge, Unmeasured Sediment Discharge, or Total Sediment Discharge. |
| effluent limitation | restrictions established by a a regulating agency such as a State or the EPA in an NPDES permit on quantities, rates, and concentrations in wastewater discharges. |
| ice sheet | A thick, subcontinental to continental-scale accumulation of glacier ice and perennial snow that spreads from a center of accumulation, typically in all directions |
| moisture tension | The equivalent negative pressure in the soil water |
| surfactant | An agent that is used to decrease the surface tension of water, useful for removing or dispersing oils or oily residues |
| rising sludge | (Water Quality) The rising of previously settled solids in the settling tank of an activated sludge system |
| boundary conditions | definition or statement of conditions or phenomena at the boundaries of a model; water levels, flows, and concentrations that are specified at the boundaries of the area being modeled. |
| comply | A term used to indicate compliance or adherence with Clean Water Standards, specifically with respect to a schedule or plan ordered or approved by a court of competent jurisdiction, the U.S |
| aquaponics | The culture of plants in water areas (which includes lakes) in contrast to cultivation of plants on land, or geoponics. |
| tuberculation | development or formation of small mounds of corrosion products on the inside of iron pipe |
| accretion | The slow addition to land by deposition of water-borne sediment |
| terminal moraine | A mound of unsorted glacial till that marks the furthest advance of a glacier. |
| deforestation | removal of forest cover due to cutting or burning, or a combination of the two. |
| defog | To remove condensed water vapor from a surface. |
| positive feedback | in a system, those changes which serve to increase the effect. |
| escarpment | the topographic expression of a fault. |
| tephra | A general term for pyroclastic material ejected from a volcano |
| eutrophic | having a large or excessive supply of plant nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) |
| sanitary survey | An on-site review of the water sources, facilities, equipment, operation and maintenance of a public water system to evaluate the adequacy of those elements for producing and distributing safe drinking water. |
| young | (Geology) Being of an early stage in a geologic cycle |
| open field system | a farming system developed in Anglo-Saxon culture |
| threshold pollutant | substance that is harmful to a particular organism only above a certain concentration, or threshold level. |
| snow | Precipitation in the form of branched, hexagonal crystals, often mixed with simple ice crystals, which fall more or less continuously from a solid cloud sheet |
| industrial revolution | a fundamental change in the way that goods are produced and the behaviour of the people who produce them |
| rafting | a process by which currents or winds push around thin ice so they slide over each other; also called finger rafting. |
| bacteria | plants and animals. |
| col | saddle shaped arete |
| onshore | Coming or moving from the water toward or onto the shore, as a breeze or prevailing wind. |
| feasibility study | (1) A complete assessment of alternative courses of action to solve one or more problems, to meet needs, and to recommend the most practical course of action consistent with state and local planning objectives |
| phytoplankton | a miniscule plant which grows and lives in the upper layers of the ocean and which forms the basis of the marine food chain or web. |
| playa lake | A shallow temporary lake formed in a desert basin after rain. |
| channel control | The condition under which the stage-discharge relation of a gaging station is governed by the slope, size, geometry, and roughness of the channel. |
| probable maximum precipitation | The maximum amount of precipitation for a given period that can reasonably be expected to occur in a specific drainage basin. |
| guest worker | English translation of a German term for economic migrants, mostly from Turkey |
| emissivity | A measure of the energy-emitting propensity of a surface, usually measured at a specific wavelength |
| advanced wastewater treatment | any treatment of sewage that goes beyond the secondary or biological water treatment stage and includes the removal of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen and a high percentage of suspended solids. |
| vertical transfer | the transfer or transmission of energy from the surface to the atmosphere, and up through the atmosphere. |
| niche | Small glacier in a V-shaped gully or depression on a mountain slope (Fig |
| wind scale | A systematic arrangement of words and/or numbers used for expressing and recording the velocity or force of the wind |
| adhesion | Molecular attraction that holds the surfaces of two substances in contact, such as water and rock particles |
| reflux | implies that a solution/solvent is heated to a boil while maintaining its volume constant |
| stratified drift | Layered and sorted sediments deposited by meltwater streams or bodies of water adjacent to the ice. |
| liquid fertilizer | A fluid in which the plant nutrients are in true solution. |
| calcium hydroxide | A white crystalline strong alkali Ca(OH)2 that is used especially to make mortar and plaster and to soften water. |
| corrasion | The wearing away of earth materials through the cutting, scraping, scratching, and scouring effects of solid material carried by water or air. |
| milling | The activities of preparing an ore for market |
| intrusive rock | Igneous rock that, while it was fluid, penetrated into or between other rocks and solidified |
| channel pattern | Aspect of a stream channel in plan view, with particular reference to the degree of sinuosity, braiding, and anabranching. |
| ground water prime supply | The long-term average annual percolation to the major ground water basins from precipitation falling on the land and from flows in rivers and streams |
| assessment report | A comprehensive record of historical, existing and projected water quality conditions of a particular watershed. |
| diamicton | Unsorted, unstratified rock debris composed of a wide range of particle sizes |
| neritic zone | The relatively shallow water zone that extends from the high tide market to the edge of the Continental Shelf |
| wetlands | (Regulatory) The U.S |
| coliform bacteria | that are not in themselves harmful but whose presence is indicative of possible pollution or the presence of other more harmful microorganisms which, through its population size or condition, mirrors environmental conditions within an ecosystem. |
| assimilation | The ability of a body of water to purify itself of pollutants. |
| area-capacity curve | A graph showing the relation between the surface area of the water in a reservoir and the corresponding volume. |
| deionization | The removal of all charged atoms or molecules from some material such as water |
| drink | (1) To take into the mouth and swallow a liquid such as water |
| air padding | Pumping dry air into a container to assist with the withdrawal of liquid or to force a liquefied gas such as chlorine out of the container. |
| adenosine triphosphate | An organic, phosphate-rich compound important in the transfer of energy in organisms |
| ecosystem management | (Environmental) An approach to managing the nation's lands and natural resources which recognizes that plant and animal communities are interdependent and interact with their physical environment (i.e., soil, water, and air) to form distinct ecological units called Ecosystems |
| regolith | The blanket of soil and loose rock fragments overlying the bedrock. |
| hydrometer | an instrument used to measure the density of a liquid. |
| point-bar | gently sloping inner bank of a meander |
| calving | The breaking off of large blocks of ice from a glacier that terminates in a body of water |
| grid | a finite collection of points to which the meteorological variables used in a numerical model, or interpolated from observations, apply; a field of such regular values (points) is termed gridded field. |
| strata | Plural of stratum. |
| surf zone | An area of breaking waves bounded by the point of first breakers, then landward to the maximum uprush of waves on the beach. |
| lemna gibba | The genus and species name of a small, stemless, free-floating plant used in experiments to determine the toxicity of pollutants to aquatic plant life |
| zone of aeration | a region in the Earth above the water table |
| chinook | A downslope wind in which the air is warmed by adiabatic (gradual) heating |
| confluent | Coalescing, non-contributing (Fig |
| paleosol | A buried soil horizon of the geologic past |
| perched water table | groundwater standing unprotected over a confined zone. |
| dry dam | A dam that has an outlet positioned so that essentially all stored water will be drained from the reservoir by gravity |
| inclinometer | An instrument, usually consisting of a metal or plastic tube, inserted in a drill hole and a sensitized monitor either lowered into the tube or fixed within the tube |
| statistics | The mathematics of the collection, organization, and interpretation of numerical data by inference from sampling. |
| understory | Plants growing beneath the canopy of other plants |
| constant pressure chart | A chart of a constant pressure surface in which atmospheric pressure is uniform everywhere at any given moment |
| ice islands | Bodies of land ice calved from sheet or shelf. |
| isotherm | A line drawn on a weather map or chart linking all points of equal or constant temperature. |
| gated pipe | (Irrigation) Portable pipe with small gates installed along one side for distributing water to corrugations or furrows. |
| defluoridation | (Water Quality) A process by which the level of fluoride in a water is reduced to prevent mottling of teeth or fluorosis in consumers |
| appropriative rights | "first in time, first in right” principle of allocating water rights based |
| diversity index | A numerical expression of the evenness of distribution of aquatic organisms |
| suitability | (Environmental) The appropriateness of applying certain resource management practices to a particular area of land, as determined by an analysis of the economic and environmental consequences. |
| quartz | a mineral commonly found in continental crust. |
| gaining stream | A stream or reach of a stream, the flow of which is being increased by the inflow of ground water seepage or from springs in, or alongside, the channel |
| water treatment plants | Facilities that treat water to remove contaminants so that it can be safely used. |
| microwave oven | An oven in which food is cooked by the heat produced by the absorption of microwave energy by water molecules in the food. |
| irrigation return flow | water which is not consumptively used by plants and returns to a surface or ground water supply |
| hydrographic region [nevada] | Nevada has been divided into 14 hydrographic regions or basins, which are now used by the Nevada Division of Water Resources, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the U.S |
| silviculture | The art of producing and caring for a forest. |
| hydropathy | Internal and external use of water as a therapeutic treatment for all forms of disease |
| urban development corporations | bodies set up in the 1980s to oversee partnerships between government and the private sector whose goal was to regenerate inner city areas in the UK which had suffered urban decay. |
| amphibolite | A metamorphic rock consisting mostly of amphibole and plagioclase feldspar. |
| conductance | A rapid method of estimating the dissolved solids content of a water supply by determining the capacity of a water sample to carry an electrical current. |
| pan | see hardpan. |
| deflation basin | A shallow depression formed by wind erosion where ground-water solution activity has left unconsolidated sediment exposed at the surface. |
| stratosphere | The region of atmosphere above the troposphere and below the mesosphere; the portion of the atmosphere approximately 10 to 25 miles above the earth's surface. |
| drift | The change in the readings or measurement values of an instrument at a set point over time |
| deep-sea trench | See trench. |
| calm | A period or condition of freedom from storms, high winds, or rough activity of water. |
| steady flow | Flow in which the rate remains constant with respect to time at a given cross-section. |
| varve | A thin layer of fine-grained sediment deposited in the still waters of a lake |
| bar | An underwater ridge, usually of sand and/or gravel, that forms from the deposition and reworking of sediments by currents and/or waves |
| popple | To move in a tossing, bubbling, or rippling manner, as choppy water. |
| rotational movement | slip or slide over a curved path. |
| deep-well injection | Deposition of raw or treated, filtered hazardous waste by pumping it into deep wells, where it is contained in the pores of permeable subsurface rock. |
| sounding | A plot of the atmosphere, using data rom upper air or radiosonde observations |
| "right of free capture" | The idea or concept that the water under a person's land belongs to that person and they are free to capture and use as much as they want |
| tonnage | The number of tons of water that a ship displaces when afloat. |
| manufacturing industry | businesses that convert raw materials into finished products or component products, and those that convert or assemble component products into finished products. |
| snow crystal | A configuration of ice crystals, usually in the shape of a hexagonal plane or delicate column, formed around a nucleus by sublimation, condensation and freezing, coalescence, or a combination thereof. |
| chi-squared test | the comparison of an actual distribution of points with a random distribution of the same number of points to establish whether or not there is a significant enough difference to say that the actual distribution has occurred for a particular reason. |
| equilibrium surface discharge | The steady rate of surface discharge which results from a steady rate of net rainfall over a long period, with the discharge rate equal to the net rainfall rate. |
| primary drinking water standards | Enforceable standards related directly to the safety of drinking water; set by the U.S |
| chemical parameters | The constituent chemicals found in a sample of a media, such as water. |
| erratic | rock that was moved by a glacier and deposited on land |
| ice jam | An accumulation of broken river ice caught in a narrow channel, frequently producing local flooding |
| isopiestic | Having, or denoting, equal pressure; Isobaric. |
| cone of depression | an area in the shape of a V within an aquifer where de-watering begins and causes a trench or a trough-like hollowing of the aquifer |
| plunge | The inclination, with respect to the horizontal plane, of any linear structural element of a rock |
| macrointervebrate | an animal without a backbone, large enough to be seen without magnification and unable to pass through a 0.595 mm mesh. |
| gas chromatography | A method of separating chemical components of a mixture which involves the passage of a gaseous sample through a column having a fixed adsorbent phase |
| probability of detection | The likelihood, expressed as a percentage, that a test method will correctly identify a leaking tank. |
| well logs | A record that is kept during well drilling of the various formations and rock materials and the depths at which they are encountered |
| mass curve | A graph of the cumulative values of a hydrologic quantity (such as precipitation or runoff), generally as the Ordinate (y-axis), plotted against time or date as the Abscissa (x-axis) |
| station elevation | The vertical distance above mean sea level that is the reference level for all current measurements of atmospheric pressure at that station. |
| upwelling | (1) The appearance of water from the deep ocean at the surface |
| outwash | a deposit of sand and gravel formed by streams of meltwater flowing from a glacier. |
| gravity anomaly | An area where gravitational attraction is greater or less than its normal value. |
| interstitial monitoring | The continuous surveillance of the space between the walls of an underground storage tank. |
| vacuum filtration | (Water Quality) A process by which liquid is extracted from a sludge |
| weir basin | (Irrigation) The wide, basinlike approach to the upstream side of a weir, being constructed so as to reduce to a minimum the effect of the momentum of the approaching water on the flow over the weir. |
| debris basins | Storage for sediment and floating material provided by a dam with spillway above channel grade, by excavation below grade, or both |
| impact zone | The spot on a wave where the water is just about to collapse and explode, the spot of greatest danger to and opportunity for a surfer. |
| silurian | a period of geologic time lasting from 438m to 408m years ago. |
| precipitant | An agent added to a liquid mixture to encourage the formation of solid materials that will settle from the mixture |
| holding pond | A small basin or pond designed to hold sediment laden or contaminated water until it can be treated to meet water quality standards or be used in some other way. |
| loess | Deposits of wind-borne dust. |
| tahoe-prosser exchange agreement | Also referred to as the "Agreement for Water Exchange Operations of Lake Tahoe and Prosser Creek Reservoir," this agreement was finalized in June 1959 and designated certain waters in Prosser Reservoir in the Truckee River Basin as "Tahoe Exchange Water." By this agreement, when waters were to be released from Lake Tahoe for a minimum instream flow (50 cfs winter; 70 cfs summer) and when such releases from Lake Tahoe were not necessary for Floriston Rates due to normal flows elsewhere in the river, then an equal amount of water (exchange water) could be stored in Prosser Reservoir and used for releases at other times |
| bed material | Material found in and on the bed of a stream (May be transported as bed load or in suspension). |
| cliff | A cliff is a steep face of rock and soil. |
| heath | A tract of waste land; especially in Great Britain, an open, level area clothed with a characteristic vegetation consisting principally of undershrubs of the genus Erica, or a large genus of low evergreen shrubs |
| gondwana | The southern portion of the late Paleozoic supercontinent known as Pangea |
| redevelopment | the regeneration of urban areas that have fallen into poverty and disrepair |
| green flash | A brilliant green coloration of the upper edge of the sun, occasionally seen as the sun's apparent disk is about to set below a clear horizon. |
| toxicity test | the means to determine the toxicity of a chemical or an effluent using living organisms |
| chute spillway | The overfall structure which allows water to drop rapidly through an open channel without causing erosion |
| water softener | An apparatus designed to remove divalent metal ions (the most important of these being calcium, magnesium, and iron) from water, often replacing the divalent or trivalent ions with the monovalent sodium ion |
| unmeasured sediment discharge | The difference between Total Sediment Discharge and measured Suspended-Sediment Discharge. |
| unit density | A density of one gram per cubic centimeter or one gram per milliliter; the density of water at 4°C (39.2°F). |
| sustainability | the long-term capacity of an ecosystem to maintain ecological processes and functions, biological diversity, and productivity. |
| medial moraine | A ridge of till formed in the middle of a valley glacier by the junction of two lateral moraines where two valley valley glaciers converge. |
| pondage | (1) The holding back of water for later release for power development above the dam of a hydroelectric plant to: (a) equalize daily or weekly fluctuations of streamflow, or (b) to permit irregular hourly use of water by the wheels to take care of fluctuations in the load demand |
| sublimation | the transition of water directly from the solid state to the gaseous state, without passing through the liquid state; or vice versa |
| iceblink | (1) A white or yellow streak in the sky near the horizon, caused by the reflection of light from an area of ice |
| palaeoclimate | evidence of past climate that can be seen in the present e.g |
| extractive industries | Industries involved in mineral resource exploration, acquisition, assessment, development or production. |
| faunal succession | A principle of relative dating that is based upon the observed sequence of organisms in the rock record |
| azonal soil | a soil which does not demonstrate much, if any, evidence of soil-forming processes |
| fjord | flooded glacial valley, formed when sea level rose |
| jar test | A laboratory procedure that simulates a water treatment plant's coagulation/flocculation units with differing chemical doses, mix speeds, and settling times to estimate the minimum or ideal coagulant dose required to achieve certain water quality goals. |
| haboob | Sudanese name for duststorm or sandstorm with strong winds that carry small particles of dirt or sand into the air, particularly severe in areas of drought. |
| aphotic | Defined as without light (Dark zone) |
| atmosphere | The mixture of gases surrounding a planet |
| inert waste | waste that does not contain hazardous waste or soluble pollutants at concentrations in excess of applicable water quality objectives, and does not contain significant quantities of decomposable waste. |
| wind wave | An ocean or lake wave resulting from the action of wind on the water's surface |
| swash | The rush of a breaking wave up the slope of a beach. |
| weathering | The decay and breakup of rocks on the earth's surface by natural chemical and mechanical processes |
| isostatic rebound | the rising of a landmass after the removal of ice. |
| empedocles | Fifth century B.C |
| finished water | (Water Quality) Water that has completed a purification or treatment process; water that has passed through all the processes in a water treatment plant and is ready to be delivered to consumers |
| depositional environment | The nature of the environment in which sediments are laid down |
| lacustrine wetlands | According to criteria of the U.S |
| convection | Movement of portions of a fluid as a result of density differences produced by heating. |
| climatology | The study of climate |
| traction | the rolling of load along the bed of a river channel. |
| developmental drilling | Drilling done to delineate the boundaries of a known mineral deposit or to evaluate the deposit in advance of production. |
| laser land leveling | The use of instruments featuring laser beams to guide earth-moving equipment for leveling land for surface-type irrigation. |
| stream terrace | One of a series of level surfaces in a stream valley representing the dissected remnants of an abandoned flood plain, stream bed, or valley floor produced in a previous stage of erosion or deposition. |
| polarity epoch | A relatively long period of time during which the earth's magnetic field is oriented in either the normal direction or the reverse direction. |
| icecap | A small ice sheet. |
| total trihalomethanes | (Water Quality) The sum of the concentrations of individual members of a family of halogenated derivatives of methane in drinking water |
| allocthonous | Materials (e.g |
| mechanical weathering | see physical weathering. |
| ebb tide | That period of tide between a high water and the succeeding low water; falling tide |
| continuous permafrost | within the Arctic Circle average temperatures rarely rise above zero |
| hydrograph | a chart that measures the amount of water flowing past a point as a function of time. |
| air temperature | the ambient temperature indicated by a thermometer exposed to the air but sheltered from direct solar radiation, or placed in an instrument shelter 1.5 to two meters above ground; also called surface temperature. |
| nitrogen fixation | The conversion of elemental nitrogen in the atmosphere (N2) to a reduced form (e.g., ammonia and amino groups of amino acids) that can be used as a nitrogen source by organisms |
| extraction | water taken from rivers for off stream use or consumption |
| cascading | Descending in a series of marked steps with some crevasses and sà©racs. |
| effective precipitation | precipitation available for actual use by plants. |
| geothermal gradient | The rate at which temperature increases with depth. |
| greenstone | A low-grade metamorphic rock that frequently contains green minerals such as chlorite, epidote and talc. |
| algae wash | Shoreline drift composed mainly of filamentous algae |
| flow augmentation | The addition of water to a stream especially to meet instream flow needs. |
| combined residual chlorination | (Water Quality) The drinking water treatment method that involves the addition of chlorine to water at levels sufficient to produce, in combination with ammonia and/or organic amines, a Combine Available Chlorine residual |
| nilas | a thin sheet of smooth, level ice less than 10 centimeters (4 inches) thick; appear darkest when thin. |
| disposal pond | A small, usually diked, enclosure that is open to the atmosphere and into which a liquid waste is discharged |
| carr | an area of swamp whose dominant flora is a mixture of trees, bushes and shrubs. |
| intercepting drain | A drain constructed at the upper end of an area to intercept and carry away surface or ground water flowing toward the area from higher ground |
| echo sounder | A device for measuring the depth of water or the depth of an object below the surface by sending pressure waves down from the surface and recording the time until the echo returns from the bottom. |
| hydroseeding | Dissemination of seed under pressure, in a water medium |
| concentric-ring model | a theory of how urban land use develops over time |
| horizontal integration | the merging of firms at the same stage of production. |
| geyser | A thermal spring that intermittently erupts steam and boiling water. |
| argillic alteration | A form of Hydrothermal alteration in which certain minerals of rock are converted to clay minerals. |
| storm loss | Infiltration plus depression storage; may also include interception loss. |
| chlorine residual | The concentration of chlorine remaining in water or wastewater at the end of a specified contact period which will react chemically and biologically |
| national response center | The U.S |
| sea-wave | at sea, waves represent a horizontal movement of energy but a vertical elliptical movement of water. |
| service connector | The pipe that carries tap water from a public water main to a building. |
| algal bloom | Rapid growth of algae on the surface of lakes, streams, or ponds; stimulated by nutrient enrichment (or due to an increase in plant nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates) |
| cat ice | "Ice forming a thin shell from under which the water has receded." (Navigation Dictionary USHO, Bulletin 220, 1956) The term has some application to ice on lakes. |
| applied physical geography | The field of Applied Physical Geography uses theoretical information from the various fields of Physical Geography to manage and solve problems related to natural phenomena found in the real world. |
| carnivore | An organism that feeds primarily on other animals. |
| plunge pool | the pool found at the base of a waterfall created by the additional erosional energy that falling water and load has. |
| monimolimnion | The lower region in a Meromictic Lake. |
| human immunodeficiency virus | a virus which forms DNA while replicating its RNA leading to the development of Aids. |
| biogeochemistry | The study of the transformation and movement of chemical materials to and from the Lithosphere, the Atmosphere, the Hydrosphere, and the bodies of living organisms (the Biosphere). |
| chlorinated | (Water Quality) Describes water or wastewater that has been treated with either chlorine gas or a chlorine-containing compound. |
| sleet | Also known as ice pellets, it is winter precipitation in the form of small bits or pellets of ice that rebound after striking the ground or any other hard surface |
| geosyncline | A major trough or downwarp of the Earth's crust, in which great thicknesses of sedimentary and/or volcanic rocks have accumulated. |
| parallel | Another word for latitude lines. |
| native metal | A natural deposit of a metallic element such as gold, silver, copper or iron in a pure form. |
| duff | A general, non-specific term referring to the more or less firm organic layer on top of mineral soil, consisting of fallen vegetative matter in the process of decomposition, including everything from litter on the surface to pure humus. |
| physical weathering | breaking down of parent rock into bits and pieces by exposure to temperature and changes and the physical action of moving ice and water, growing roots, and human activities such as farming and construction |
| local scour | Removal of material from around piers, abutments, spurs, and embankments caused by an acceleration of flow and resulting vortices induced by obstructions to the flow. |
| oolite | A small sphere of calcium carbonate no more than a few millimeters in diameter and with a concentric internal structure |
| lacustrine | Pertaining to, produced by, or inhabiting a lake. |
| oolite | A limestone consisting largely of spherical grains of calcium carbonate in concentric spherical layers. |
| wind transport | smaller rock particles may be carried by the wind, moved by saltation, or rolled along the surface. |
| wetted perimeter | that portion of a river? bed and sides which is in contact with the water. |
| food chain | A succession of organisms in an ecological community that constitutes a continuation of food energy from one organism to another as each consumes a lower member and in turn is preyed upon by a higher member. |
| driblet | A tiny falling drop of liquid. |
| recirculation | Water reused within a plant unit |
| dendritic | description of a stream pattern that is random and creates a tree-like pattern. |
| mass production | the production of finished goods on a very large scale i.e |
| return flow | (1) That part of a diverted flow which is not consumptively used and returns to its original source or another body of water |
| well monitoring | Measurement by on-site instruments or laboratory methods of well water quality. |
| prior appropriation | a doctrine of water law that allocates the rights to use water on a first in time, first in right, basis. |
| intermittent | in rivers, flowing most of the time but seasonally or occasionally ceasing to flow in response to decreased water availability e.g |
| animal waste | The waste by products (manure and urine) produced by animals. |
| linkages | relationships between industries. |
| inch | A fall, as of rain or snow, sufficient to cover the surface to the depth of one inch (2.54 centimeters). |
| design flow | The average flow of wastewater that a treatment facility is built to process efficiently, commonly expressed in millions of gallons per day (MGD). |
| zone of saturation | the space below the water table in which all the interstices (pore spaces) are filled with water |
| hydrostatic head | a measure of pressure at a given point in a liquid in terms of the vertical height of a column of the same liquid which would produce the same pressure. |
| cryptophyte | Algae of variable pigment concentrations, with various other unusual features |
| xeric shrubs | Shrubs that are adapted to survive in areas of low precipitation |
| point of diversion | Broadly, the point(s) specified in a water right permit from which water is diverted from a source |
| drought | There is no universally accepted quantitative definition of drought |
| carnivore | an animal that consumes other animals for food. |
| mouth | where a river meets a body of water. |
| community | (1) A naturally occurring, distinctive group of different organisms which inhabit a common environment, interact with each other, and are relatively independent of other groups |
| headland | (1) A point of land, usually high and with a sheer drop, extending out into a body of water; a promontory |
| discharge | In glaciers, the total volume of ice passing through a specified cross section of the glacier during a particular unit of time. |
| non-point water pollution | See Non-Point Source (NPS) Pollution. |
| turbulent flow | (1) (Physics) The motion of a fluid having local velocities and pressures that fluctuate randomly |
| basalt | (Geology) A dark volcanic rock composed of microscopic grains of augite, feldspar, and olivine |
| nevada project wet [nevada] | See Water Education for Teachers (Project WET) [Nevada]. |
| adsorb pollutants | used in some water treatment systems to remove certain organic chemicals and radon gas. |
| surface observation | a meteorological observation made on the earth's surface, in contrast with an upper-air observation. |
| dew point | The temperature at which a gas or vapor condenses to form a liquid; the point at which dew begins to form. |
| preheating | Heating of feedwater prior to desalting in a membrane process in order to render desalting more efficient. |
| creosote | Chemical used in wood preserving operations and produced by distillation of tar, including Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs and PNAs) |
| detention time | (1) The theoretical calculated time required for a small amount of water to pass through a tank at a given rate of flow |
| mother liquor | the solution that was separated from the crystals |
| inorganic matter | Chemical substances of mineral origin, or more correctly, not of basically carbon compounds. |
| finite difference | a method of solving the governing equations of a numerical model by dividing the spatial domain into a mesh of nodes |
| current | the portion of a stream or body of water which is moving with a velocity much greater than the average of the rest of the water |
| watercourse bed | That portion of the watercourse which carries water at ordinary stages. |
| succession | (Biology) Directional, orderly process of change in a living community in which the community modifies the physical environment to eventually establish an ecosystem which is as stable as possible at the site in question. |
| sigmoid growth | (Data Analysis) A growth rate trend characterized by an elongated S-shaped, or sigmoid curve |
| primary data | (Data Analysis) Typically, data acquired by direct interaction, such as direct observation through measurements, tabulation, or surveys |
| peak land value point | the location of the highest land value in an urban area. |
| socs | See Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOCs). |
| rank-size rule | the size of a settlement is inversely proportional to its rank i.e |
| salt balance | A condition in which specific or total dissolved solids removed from a specified field, stratigraphic zone, political area, or drainage basin equals the comparable dissolved solids added to that location from all outside sources during a specified period of time. |
| confining bed or unit | a body of impermeable or distinctly less permeable material stratigraphically adjacent to one or more aquifers. |
| terminal spill | Refers to those releases made at the terminal ends of the project conveyance or reservoir system |
| storm surge | the pushing of water against a coastline to abnormally high levels, usually a combination of extreme low pressure and winds pushing water into a narrowing feature such as a bay or estuary. |
| patterned ground | a general term for any ground surface exhibiting a discernibly ordered, more or less symmetrical, morphological pattern of ground and, where present, vegetation. |
| diversion | to remove water from a water body |
| fabric mattress | Grout-filled mattress used for streambank protection. |
| overland flow | a land application technique that cleanses wastewater by allowing it to flow over a sloped surface |
| deflation | A process of erosion in which wind carries off particles of dust and sand. |
| orifice | As used in water studies, an opening with a closed perimeter; is usually sharp edged, and of regular form in a plate, wall, or partition through which water may flow |
| submersed | (Botany) Growing or remaining under water. |
| hydropneumatic | a water delivery system, usually small, that maintains water pressure in the distribution system by means of pressure in a compressed air tank. |
| septic tank absorption field | A soil absorption system for sewage disposal, consisting of a subsurface tile system laid in such a way that effluent from the septic tank is distributed with reasonable uniformity into the natural soil. |
| aquifer | A permeable region of rock or soil through which ground water can move. |
| construction | The process of building. |
| head ditch | The water supply ditch at the head end of an irrigated field. |
| longitudinal profile | A cross section of a stream or valley beginning at the source and continuing to the mouth |
| venturi flume | A calibrated measuring flume having a contracted throat section which produces a differential head that can be related to discharge. |
| live-bed scour | Scour at a pier or abutment (or contraction scour) when the bed material in the channel upstream of the bridge is moving at the flow causing bridge scour. |
| rapture of the deep | A state of euphoria and exhilaration that occurs when nitrogen in normal air enters the bloodstream at approximately seven times atmospheric pressure (as in deep-water diving) |
| accumulation zone | (1) Region in a glacier where there is a surface net addition of snow. |
| kame | cone shaped deposit of sediment |
| potamon zone | Stream reach at lower elevations characterized by reduced flow, higher temperature, and lower dissolved oxygen levels |
| undercurrent | a current below the upper currents or surface of a fluid body. |
| toxemia | A pathological condition in a person or animal caused by the presence of a toxic substance in the body. |
| downwasting | The thinning of a glacier due to the melting of ice |
| meteor | A meteoroid that penetrates Earth's atmosphere, producing a streak of bright light caused by incineration. |
| fishway | A passageway designed to enable fish to ascend a dam, cataract, or velocity barrier |
| kettle | A shallow basin or bowl shaped depression formed when a large block of ice is buried in outwash or diamicton during ablation |
| pesticide | A substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest |
| hydropneumatic | A water system, usually small, in which a water pump is automatically controlled by the pressure in a compressed air tank. |
| resource management plan | The basic document used by the U.S |
| critical reach | The point in the receiving stream below a discharge point at which the lowest dissolved oxygen level is reached and recovery begins |
| sacrificial anode | An easily corroded material deliberately installed in a pipe or intake to give it up to corrosion while the ret of the water supply facility remains relatively corrosion-free. |
| jet stream | a long narrow meandering current of high-speed winds near the tropopause blowing from a generally westerly direction and often exceeding a speed of 250 miles per hour. |
| categorical exclusion | A class of actions which either individually or cumulatively would not have a significant effect on the human environment and therefore would not require preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). |
| freezing drizzle | Drizzle, falling as a liquid, but freezing on impact with the colder ground or other exposed surfaces |
| secondary benefits | The values over and above the immediate products or services of a water resource development project. |
| resistance | The resistance to the flow of electric current measured in ohms |
| lithology | The study and description of rocks, including their mineral composition and texture |
| terminal moraine | Constitutes the material (Glacial Till) left behind by the farthest advance of a Glacier's toe |
| wes | U.S Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station at Vicksburg, Miss., headquarters for the U.S |
| phytoplankton | Microscopic floating plants, mainly algae, that live suspended in bodies of water and that drift about because they cannot move by themselves or because they are too small or too weak to swim effectively against a current. |
| forebay reservoir | A reservoir used to regulate the flow of water to a hydroelectric plant; it may also serve other purposes such as recreation |
| infield-outfield | farming system, largely obsolete now, where the fields closest to the farm buildings receive the most attention and most intensive cropping |
| digestion | (General) The biochemical decomposition of organic matter, resulting in partial gasification, liquefaction, and mineralization of pollutants |
| fault scarp | A cliff formed by a fault, usually modified by erosion unless the fault is very recent. |
| distribution graph | A Unit Hydrograph of direct runoff modified to show the portion of the volume of runoff that occurs during successive equal units of time. |
| aphytal | The plantless zone of a lake bottom |
| atmospheric pressure | Weight of the atmosphere on a surface |
| abandoned water right | A water right which has not been put to Beneficial Use for generally five or more years, in which the owner of the water right states that the water right will not be used, or takes such actions that would prevent the water from being beneficially used |
| water vapor | water substance in vapor (gaseous) form; one of the most important of all constituents of the atmosphere. |
| soil creep | slow mass movement of soil downslope due to outward expansions brought on by water infiltration which lead to downward movements under gravity as water moves out of the soil. |
| boiling water reactor | A nuclear reactor in which water, used as both coolant and moderator, is allowed to boil in the core |
| tenaja | Pools in seasonal streams that may support a flora similar to Vernal Pools upon desiccation. |
| nutrient cycle | the movement of nutrients in the ecosystem between the three major stores of the soil, biomass and litter |
| hydromancy | Divination by the observation of water. |
| deposit | Something dropped or left behind by moving water, as sand or mud. |
| sheepback | See roche moutonnée. |
| global brand | technically any brand that has been marketed extensively around the world to a wide variety (economically, socially and politically) of countries |
| irrigation systems | See Irrigation. |
| non-filtrable residue | The total quantity of substances in a sample which can be removed by filtration through a 0.45 m membrane filter |
| blanket mires | See Peatland. |
| sublimation | The process of a solid (ice) changing directly into a gas (water vapor), or water vapor changing directly into ice, at the same temperature, without ever going through the liquid state (water) |
| cladocera | Water fleas |
| initial loss | Rainfall which precedes the beginning of surface runoff |
| hydraulic ram | A device which uses the energy of falling water to force a small portion of the water to a height greater than the source |
| braided stream | Stream whose flow is divided at normal stage by small mid‑channel bars or small islands; the individual width of bars and islands is less than about three times water width; a braided stream has the aspect of a single large channel within which are subordinate channels. |
| christmas tree | The valves, pipes and fittings installed above ground surface at an oil or gas well site |
| well monitoring | measurement by on-site instruments or laboratory methods of well water quality. |
| wet scrubber | An air cleaning device that literally washes out the dust |
| generator | A machine that changes water power, steam power, or other kinds of mechanical energy into electricity. |
| gis | see Geographical Information System. |
| aquiculture | See Aquaculture |
| wetland | land inundated wish temporary or permanent water that is usually slow moving or station, shallow, and either fresh, brackish or saline. |
| direct runoff | The runoff entering stream channels most immediately after rainfall or snowmelt |
| doldrums | see intertropical convergence zone. |
| proof of beneficial use | A part of the water right application and permitting process which documents that the water permitted for use has been applied to Beneficial Use |
| sludge digester | tank in which complex organic substances like sewage sludge are biologically dredged |
| andesite line | The geographic boundary between rocks of the Pacific Basin, which are basaltic, and those around the rim of the basin, which are in part andesitic. |
| sludge disposal | The removal and discarding of thick watery suspensions of particulate waste matter |
| toxic | Describing a material that can cause acute or chronic damage to biological tissue following physical contact or absorption. |
| slush | (1) Partially melted snow or ice |
| snow density | New fallen snow density is near or less than 0.1 |
| late seral condition | Synonymous with good ecological conditions. |
| structural deformation | The distortion in walls of a tank after liquid has been added or removed. |
| available water | The portion of water in a soil that can be absorbed by plant roots, usually considered to be that water held in the soil against a tension of up to approximately 15 atmospheres. |
| chemical weathering | The breaking down of surface rock material by solution or chemical alteration |
| method blank | laboratory grade water taken through the entire analytical procedure to determine if samples are being accidentally contaminated by chemicals in the lab |
| isostatic depression | the sinking of a landmass due to the overlying weight of ice. |
| saturated flow | The liquid flow of water in soils that occurs when the soil pores in the wettest part of the soil are completely filled with water and the direction of flow is from the wettest zone of higher potential to one of lower potential. |
| growing season | (1) The period and/or number of days between the last freeze in the spring and the first frost in the fall for the freeze threshold temperature of the crop or other designated temperature threshold |
| subsurface seepage | Subsurface seepage is movement of water through soils from above-lying bodies of water. |
| aerial photography | Form of remote sensing that captures images of objects using photographic cameras and film from platforms in the atmosphere. |
| trickle irrigation | method in which water drips to the soil from perforated tubes or emitters. |
| kondratieff cycle | a contentious economic theory of price behaviour |
| surface water disposal | Refers to the release of reclaimed water or treated effluent directly into a surface body of water (including marshes and wetlands) |
| unsaturated flow | Movement of water in a porous medium in which the pore spaces are not filled with water and the direction of flow is from the wetter zone of higher potential to one of lower potential. |
| herbivore | any organism which feeds exclusively on plants ( producers). |
| tap | A valve and spout used to regulate delivery of a fluid at the end of a pipe. |
| pluvial | pertaining to precipitation. |
| ice blocks | Chunks of the glacier remain as ice blocks after glacial outburst floods which may remain as kettle lakes. |
| gentrification | the renovation of the housing fabric in an old, usually inner-city area, when more affluent groups displace lower income groups en masse over a relatively short period of time |
| outwash plain | the flat area at the end of a glacier where meltwater flows and deposits sediment |
| focus | The area within the earth where an earthquake originates. |
| illuviation | The deposition in an underlying soil layer of colloids, soluble salts, and mineral particles leached out of an overlying soil layer. |
| ice cap | a dome-shaped mass of glacier ice that spreads out in all directions; an ice cap is usually larger than an icefield but less than 50,000 square-kilometers (12 million acres). |
| asos | Automated Surface Observing System (NWS/NOAA) |
| deposit | something dropped or left behind by moving water, as sand or mud. |
| tsunami | A huge sea wave caused by a great disturbance under an ocean, as a strong earthquake or volcanic eruption |
| convection | transfer of heat in a gas or liquid by upward movement of the hotter, less dense portion |
| opaque | A condition where a material, such as a cloud, blocks the passage of radiant energy, especially light |
| biotic | Pertaining (1) to life or living things, or caused by living organisms |
| mafic | A term used to describe an igneous rock that has a large percentage of dark-colored minerals such as amphibole, pyroxene and olivine |
| water table aquifer | an aquifer confined only by atmospheric pressure (water levels will not rise in the well above the confining bed). |
| barrier island | A long, narrow island that parallels a shoreline. |
| antecedent drainage | the maintenance of course by an old river over more recent uplifting of the land surface. |
| miogeocline | A geocline situated near a continental margin containing a thick sequence of well-sorted clastic and chemical sediments derived from the continent. |
| wastewater reclamation | The planned reuse of waste water for specific beneficial purposes. |
| trickle down | the movement of wealth from a core region into the periphery. |
| acid | (1) Substance having a pH less than 7. |
| rain gauge | An instrument used to measure the amount of rain that has fallen |
| earthfill dam | A dam the main section of which is composed principally of earth, gravel, sand, silt, and clay |
| color | (1) Measured in units that relate to a standard |
| environmental water | The water for wetlands, the instream flow for a major river (based on the largest fish flow specified in an entire reach of that river) or, for wild and scenic rivers, the amount of water based on unimpaired natural flow |
| snowburn | A burn of the skin, like a sunburn, but caused by the sun's rays reflected off the snow surface. |
| soil structure | the pattern of aggregated soil particles into certain shapes of peds. |
| relative age | The age of a rock or an event as compared with some other rock or event. |
| icicle | A tapering spike of ice formed by the freezing of dripping or falling water. |
| turbidity current | A mixture of sediment particles and water that flows down the continental slope |
| draft | the act of drawing or removing water from a tank, reservoir or groundwater supply. |
| nannofossils | A generic term used in reference to very small fossils that are at the limit of resolution by a light microscope |
| water level | (1) An instrument to show the level by means of the surface of water in a trough or in a U-shaped tube |
| light water | (Chemistry and Physics) Ordinary water, H2O, as compared to Heavy Water. |
| critical wildlife habitat | Habitat that is vital to the health and maintenance of one or a variety of species based on habitat features such as nesting sites, denning sites, food sources, breeding grounds, etc. |
| mare's tail | The name given to thin, wispy cirrus clouds composed of ice crystals that appear as veil patches or strands, often resembling a horse's tail. |
| minimum thermometer | An instrument with an index which remains at the lowest temperature occurring since its last setting. |
| anathermal | (Climatology) The period preceding the Altithermal; the early Holocene epoch from about 10,000-7,000 years before the present |
| microbarograph | A instrument designed to continuously record a barometer's reading of very small changes in atmospheric pressure. |
| convergence | Where two ice streams or glaciers flow together, convergence occurs. |
| neck cutoff | The breakthrough of a river across the narrow neck separating two meanders, where downstream migration of one has been slowed and the next meander upstream has overtaken it |
| soil management | The basis of all scientific agriculture, which involves six essential practices: (1) proper tillage; (2) maintenance of a proper supply of organic matter in the soil; (3) maintenance of a proper nutrient supply, including water; (4) control of soil pollution; (5) maintenance of the correct soil acidity; and (6) control of erosion. |
| immersible | Capable of being completely immersed in water without suffering damage. |
| consumptive waste | Water that returns to the atmosphere without providing benefit to humans. |
| slosh | (1) To spill or splash (a liquid) copiously or clumsily |
| decreed rights | Water rights determined by court decree. |
| trickling filter | a treatment system in which wastewater is trickled over a bed of stones or other material covered with bacteria that break down the organic waste and produce clean water. |
| cheyenne fog | An upslope fog formed by the westward flow of air from the Missouri River Valley, producing fog on the eastern slopes of the Rockies. |
| trophic level | in ecosystems, each level of energy storage which is also a food supply for the next. |
| trellis pattern | A roughly rectilinear arrangement of stream courses in a pattern reminiscent of a garden trellis, developed in a region where rocks of differing resistance to erosion have been folded, beveled, and uplifted. |
| flash | To fill suddenly with water. |
| metamorphism | A change in the constitution of rock; specifically a pronounced change effected by pressure, heat, and water that results in a more compact and more highly crystalline condition. |
| stratified random sample | (Statistics) A randomized sample composed of two or more sets of random samples, each drawn from a single homogeneous unit (stratum) of a heterogeneous population |
| mafic | Referring to a generally dark-colored igneous rock with significant amounts of one or more ferromagnesian minerals, or to a magma with significant amounts of iron and magnesium. |
| varve | a two-layered deposit in a lake near to a glacial area |
| banded iron ore | A rock that consists of alternating layers of chert and iron oxide mineral (usually hematite) with the iron oxide in high enough concentration to be of economic value. |
| thermometer | an instrument for measuring temperature; in meteorology, generally used to measure the temperature of the air or the soil. |
| dribble | To flow or fall in drops or an unsteady stream; trickle. |
| overland flow | (1) The flow of rainwater or snowmelt over the land surface toward stream channels |
| vertical-velocity curve | A curve showing how the down-gradient velocity varies with depth along a vertical depth-observation line in a surface stream. |
| graded stream | A stream that has attained a state of equilibrium, or balance, between erosion and deposition, so that the velocity of the water is just great enough to transport the sediment load supplied from the drainage basin, and neither erosion nor deposition occurs. |
| grooves | deep striations |
| hypothermal | (1) Moderately warm; tepid |
| solar aquatic systems | A technology which, under controlled conditions, duplicates the natural water purification processes of streams and wetlands |
| iceberg | A massive piece of ice that breaks off and floats away from a Glacier |
| commercial frontage | Riparian lands zoned for commercial use. |
| decentralization | movement of people, government functions or employment opportunities out from an established central area to a relatively peripheral one |
| abscission | The dropping of leaves from a plant |
| diversification | a strategy for spreading business risk whereby a business branches into new industries or markets to protect against potential, unpredictable problems in their core business. |
| oxygen demanding waste | organic water pollutants that are usually degraded by bacteria if there is sufficient dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water. |
| radionuclide | a radioactive particle, man-made or natural, with a distinct atomic weight number |
| sea mile | A unit of length used in sea and air navigation, based on the length of one minute of arc of a great circle, especially an international and U.S |
| endangerment assessment | A study to determine the nature and extent of contamination at a site on the National Priorities List and the risks posed to public health or to the environment |
| bulkhead | A low wall of stones, concrete, or piling built to protect a shore, or fills, from wave erosion. |
| drift | To be carried along by currents of air or water. |
| antecedent soil water | Degree of wetness of a soil prior to irrigation or at the beginning of a runoff period, typically expressed as an index. |
| calcareous fens | Peatlands formed in areas of groundwater discharge, where cold, anoxic, mineral-rich water provides a specialized habitat for disproportionately large numbers of rare and endangered plants |
| needle-leaved deciduous | Woody Gymnosperms (trees or shrubs) with needle-shaped or scale-like leaves that are shed during the cold or dry season; e.g., bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). |
| sensitive species | Those plant or animal species susceptible or vulnerable to activity impacts or habitat alterations |
| national trust | in the UK, an organisation tasked with preserving historic and/or architecturally important buildings as well as areas of beautiful landscape |
| caisson | (1) A watertight structure within which construction work is carried on under water |
| geologic time scale | The time scale determined by the geologic column and by radiometric dating of rocks. |
| water analysis | The determination of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water |
| asthenosphere | A portion of the upper mantle that is directly below the lithosphere |
| prechlorination | The addition of chlorine at the headworks of a water treatment plant prior to other treatment processes |
| fauna | (1) A term used to describe the animal species of a specific region or time |
| venturi tube | A closed conduit that gradually contracts to a throat, causing a pressure head by which the velocity through the throat may be determined. |
| kerogen | Solid organic substances frequently found in shales |
| lade | To take up or remove water with a ladle or dipper. |
| wellhead price | The value of natural gas at the mouth of the well. |
| california water commission | See Department of Water Resources (DWR) [California]. |
| sinkhole | see swallow hole. |
| glacial trough | Glaciers transform v-shaped stream valleys to u-shaped glacial troughs by erosion. |
| gravity dam | A dam constructed of concrete and/or masonry that relies on its weight for stability |
| fracture | A general term for any break in rock, which includes cracks, joints, and faults. |
| ogive | An arcuate, convex, down-glacier-pointing band or undulation that forms on the surface of a glacier at the base of an icefall |
| batholith | A large, discordant, intrusive body of igneous rock. |
| occlusion | the coming together of the cold sectors of air in a depression as the warm sector is lifted from the surface altogether |
| prime agricultural lands | Lands that are in one of the following categories:[1] Lands rated as either Class I or Class II in the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Land Capability Classification system;[2] Lands that support livestock used for the production of food and fiber and which have an annual carrying capacity equivalent to at least one animal unit per acre as defined by the U.S |
| area studies tradition | Academic tradition in modern Geography that investigates an area on the Earth from a geographic perspective at either the local, regional, or global scale. |
| instream flow | Nonconsumptive water requirements which do not reduce the water supply; water flows for uses within a defined stream channel |
| biosphere reserve | a designation given and coordinated by UNESCO to conserve natural systems through education and research. |
| cirque | A smallish, rounded depression with steeply sloping sides carved into the rock at the top of a ridge where a glacier has its head |
| longshore current | A current that flows parallel to the shore just inside the surf zone.Also called the littoral current. |
| suspensoids | Colloidal particles which remain in suspension under all conditions and will combine or react only to a limited extent with the liquid in which they exist. |
| ·push moraine | A ridge or pile of unstratified glacial sediment that is formed in front of the ice margin by the terminus of an advancing glacier, bulldozing sediment in its path. |
| soluble minerals | Naturally occurring substances capable of being dissolved. |
| white water | Turbulent or frothy water, as in rapids or surf. |
| carriage losses | A term used to describe the operational losses associated with conveying water from its point of diversion to its point of use |
| supply augmentation alternatives | Water management programs that increase supply, for example, Conjunctive Use, Water Banking, or water project facility expansion. |
| mean monthly temperature | The average of the mean monthly maximum and minimum temperatures. |
| furrow dams | Small earth ridges or rows used to impound water in furrows. |
| coral | a tiny animal (polyp) which exists in large colonies in warm, shallow, clear salt-water. |
| chlorine | One of a group of elements classified as the halogens |
| crustacean | A fresh and salt water animal that has a hard shell |
| sewage | The liquid waste from domestic, commercial, and industrial establishments. |
| mechanical turbulence | The erratic movement of air or water influenced by local obstructions. |
| self-supplied water | Water withdrawn from a surface or ground-water source by a user rather than being obtained from a Public Water Supply System (PWSS) |
| rip current | A current formed on the surface of a body of water by the convergence of currents flowing in opposite directions |
| commission | A group of persons choosen to do or oversee certain work. |
| eddy | A current, as of water or air, moving contrary to the direction of the main current, especially in a circular motion. |
| head | the pressure of a fluid owing to its elevation, usually expressed in feet of head or in pounds per square inch, since a measure of fluid pressure is the height of a fluid column above a given or known point. |
| spawning | The depositing and fertilizing of eggs (or roe) by fish and other aquatic life. |
| cation exchange | A chemical process in which Cations of like charge are exchanged equally between a solid, such as zeolite, and a solution, such as water |
| geosphere | Considered the solid portions of the earth, including the hydrosphere and the lithosphere, as opposed to the atmosphere, which lies above it |
| precision | (Statistics) The repeatability of a series of test results; whether the testing method gives the same answer under the same set of circumstances or sampling criteria. |
| gas chromatograph | an instrument that identifies the molecular composition and concentrations of various chemicals in water and soil samples. |
| faucet | A device for regulating the flow of a liquid from a reservoir such as a pipe or drum. |
| xeric | Describing an organism that requires little moisture or a habitat containing little moisture; dry environmental conditions as compared to Hydric (wet environmental conditions) and Mesic (moderate environmental conditions). |
| till | Many writers use till for any glacial deposit |
| shield volcano | a volcanic cone made up of multiple layers of basaltic lava. |
| frost | a covering of minute ice crystals on a cold surface. |
| sloping gage | A staff gage used to register the elevation of the water surface in a stream channel, conduit, reservoir or tank, with a scale graduated to represent vertical elevation |
| cstr | Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor. |
| brink | (1) The upper edge of a steep or vertical slope |
| visibility | A measure of the opacity of the atmosphere, and therefore, the greatest distance one can see prominent objects with normal eyesight |
| atterberg limits | The transition points between various states of soil consistency |
| cape | (1) A point or head of land projecting into a body of water |
| outfall | A location where water is discharged |
| atomic weight | Combined weight of an atom's electrons, protons, and neutrons. |
| sand | a particle of rock/mineral that has a diameter between 0.1 and 1.0mm. |
| archipelago | A group of islands that have an arc shaped distribution |
| saturation | The condition of a liquid when it has taken into solution the maximum possible quantity of a given substance at a given temperature and pressure. |
| channel stabilization | Erosion prevention and stabilization of velocity distribution in a channel using jetties, drops, revetments, vegetation, and other measures. |
| desertification | the spread of desert, or desert conditions, from an established desert area into the surrounding area |
| littoral transport | The movement of material along the shore by waves and currents. |
| bank-full capacity | the rate of water flow that completely fills a channel; the flow rate at which the water surface is level with the flood plain. |
| amphibiotic | Living in water during an early stage of development and on land during the adult stage. |
| frost shattering | see freeze-thaw weathering. |
| xylem | Conducting tissue in vascular plants through which water and mineral nutrients are transported. |
| foreshore | (1) The part of a shore that lies between high and low watermarks |
| p-wave | a seismic wave released during an earthquake which travels in a collision fashion and can thus travel through gases, liquids and solids. |
| significant | A term applied to differences, correlations, cause-and-effect relationships, etc., to indicate that they are probably not due to chance alone |
| rating table | (1) A table showing the relation between two mutually dependent quantities or variables over a given range of magnitude |
| project conveyance efficiency | The project conveyance efficiency is an expression representing those "losses" (seepage, operation spills, evaporation, etc.) experienced by an irrigation project conveyance system while transporting water from the diversion point to the farm headgate(s) |
| random variable | (Statistics) A variable characterized by random behavior in assuming its different possible values |
| cretaceous | The geologic period from about 144-65 million years ago (Mya) |
| subsequent stream | A tributary stream flowing along beds of less erosional resistance, parallel to beds of greater resistance |
| heat of condensation | The heat released when a vapor changes state to a liquid |
| thalweg | the line of maximum depth in a stream |
| snowcap | Snow covering a mountain peak, especially such snow existing year-round. |
| initial detention | The volume of water on the ground, either in depressions or in transit, at the time active runoff begins |
| water recycling | the treatment of wastewater making it suitable for reuse. |
| truncate | In glaciers, truncated surfaces occur along the sides of valley glaciers, beneath mountain and continental glaciers, and across the tops of sediments previously laid down. |
| lahar | A mudflow composed of volcanic debris and water. |
| well screen | A filtering device used to keep sediment from entering a water well. |
| hydrologic unit | (1) A geographic area representing part or all of a surface drainage basin or distinct hydrologic feature |
| cyclone ciruculation | atmospheric circulation associated with a cyclone (depression, low pressure area); it is counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. |
| well plug | a seal installed in a borehole or well preventing movement of fluids. |
| tuff | A general term for all consolidated pyroclastic rock |
| pyroclastic cloud | the cloud of gas, ash, dust, stones and rocks emitted during a highly explosive volcanic eruption. |
| pore space | The spaces within a rock body that are unoccupied by solid material |
| unsaturated zone | the area above the water table where soil pores are not fully saturated, although some water may be present. |
| bergy seltzer | A crackling or sizzling similar to that made by soft drinks or seltzer water but louder |
| noxious plant | A harmful plant species. |
| atm | One unit of atmospheric pressure is equal to the total weight of the air on the earth's surface at sea level (14.70 pounds per square inch). |
| atmospheric circulation | the large-scale movement of air, and the means by which heat is distributed on the surface of the Earth; may vary from year to year. |
| superposed stream | A stream with a course originally established on a cover of rock now removed by erosion, so that the stream or drainage system is independent of the newly exposed rocks and structures |
| sedimentary environment | A place where sediment is deposited and the physical, chemical, and biological conditions that exist there |
| pingo | Large mounds of earth-covered ice which form in a permafrost environment which are found in Alaska, Greenland and Antarctica |
| sustainable agriculture | the increase in food yields without damage to the environment. |
| pirate stream | One of two streams in adjacent valleys that has been able to deepen its valley more rapidly than the other, has extended its valley headward until it has breached the divide between them, and has captured the upper portion of the neighboring stream. |
| sastrugi | complex, fragile shapes of snow on top of sea ice that resemble sand dunes; they form parallel to the prevailing wind direction; sastrugi can also form on snow cover over land. |
| closed drain | Subsurface drain, tile, or perforated pipe that receives surface water through surface inlets. |
| soil core | A sample of soil taken by forcing a cylindrical device into the ground perpendicular to the horizontal |
| aquatic plants | fall into four categories |
| load allocation | (Water Quality) The portion of the pollution Load of a stream attributable to human Nonpoint Sources (NPS) of pollution |
| mass balance | A measure of the change in mass of a glacier at a certain point for a specific period of time |
| strip cropping | Growing crops in a systematic arrangement of strips or bands that serve as barriers to wind and water erosion. |
| nonreimbursable costs | Water project costs allocated to general statewide or national beneficial purposes and funded from general fund revenues. |
| anticline | A fold in which the limbs dip away from the axis |
| backwash | A backward flow or water, also referred to as Backrush |
| cold vapor | A method to test water for the presence of mercury. |
| efta | see European Free Trade Association. |
| climate | The sum total of the meteorological elements that characterize the average and extreme conditions of the atmosphere over a long period of time at any one place or region of the earth's surface |
| dowser | (1) A person who uses a Divining Rod to search for underground water or minerals |
| gully reclamation | Projects designed to prevent erosion in gullies by either filling them in or planting vegetation to stabilize the banks |
| correlative rights | rights that are coequal or that relate to one another, so that any one owner cannot take more than his share. |
| streamflow regulation | The artificial manipulation of the flow of a stream. |
| fog bank | A fairly well-defined mass of fog observed in the distance |
| hydroelectric plant | A hydroelectric power plant which utilizes streamflow only once as the water passes downstream; electric power plant in which the energy of falling water is used to spin a turbine generator to produce electricity. |
| secondarily improved pastures | Livestock pasture areas that have not been intensively land leveled or serviced by modern conveyance structures |
| bed load | Material transported by currents along the bottom of a stream or river by rolling or sliding, in contrast to material carried in suspension or in solution. |
| bacteria | a class of organisms known as Prokaryotes in which the cell has no nucleus |
| carbon 14 | A radioisotope of carbon |
| daily temperature range | The difference between the highest and lowest temperatures recorded on a particular day. |
| glacial surge | A rapid forward movement of the snout of a glacier |
| dredge | To clean, deepen, or widen with a mechanical scoop |
| mediterranean | Surrounded nearly or completely by dry land |
| backwater effect | The rise in surface elevation of flowing water upstream from and as a result of an obstruction to flow |
| miner's inch [nevada] | Defined as a rate of flow or discharge equivalent to 1/40 of 1 (0.025) cubic foot per second (cfs). |
| coagulate | To cause the transformation of a liquid or sol, for example, into or as if into a soft, semisolid, or solid mass. |
| buffer strips | Strips of grass or other erosion-resisting vegetation between or below cultivated strips or fields |
| capital | three forms can be identified: |
| taiga | A subarctic, evergreen coniferous forest of northern Eurasia located just south of the Tundra and dominated by firs and spruces |
| development gap | the disparity in development between the EMDW and ELDW. |
| alluvium | sediments deposited by erosional processes, usually by streams. |
| lead | long, linear areas of open water that range from a few meters to over a kilometer in width, and tens of kilometers long; they develop as ice diverges, or pulls apart. |
| pillow lava | An ellipsoidal mass of igneous rock formed by extrusion of lava underwater. |
| sewer | The piping system or conduit used to carry runoff water or wastewater |
| area of shallow flooding | Designated Flood Zones AO and AH on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) with a one percent or greater annual chance of flooding to an average depth of one to three feet where a clearly defined channel does not exist, where the path of flooding is unpredictable and where velocity flow may be evident |
| discharge | The volume of water in a flowing stream that passes a given location in a unit of time |
| cloud seeding | attempt to create or grow clouds by the introduction of condensation nuclei in order to cause greater precipitation. |
| detergent | Synthetic washing agent that helps to remove dirt and oil |
| animal waste management | A planned process of collection, storage and application of domestic animal waste to the land. |
| sediment yield | That amount of sediment transported by a stream system that may be measurable at a particular location |
| load line | The line on a ship indicating the depth to which it sinks in the water when properly loaded |
| metamorphism | Alteration of the minerals and textures of a rock by changes in temperature and pressure and by a gain or loss of chemical components. |
| rectangular drainage | A drainage pattern in which stream channels develop within a large-scale network of intersecting joints |
| subtropical air | An air mass that forms over the subtropical region |
| birth rate | number of live births per thousand people per year. |
| longshore drift | The movement of sediment along a coastline caused by waves striking the coast at an oblique angle |
| tank | An artificial pool, pond, reservoir, cistern, or large container for holding and storing water for drinking or irrigation. |
| west virginia high | An area of stagnant high pressure located over West Virginia during Indian Summer. |
| public scoping | The process of soliciting public comments on the issues to be examined in environmental documents such as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) |
| return seepage | Water which percolates from canals and irrigated areas to underlying strata, raising the ground-water level, and eventually returning to natural channels. |
| hydrologic study area | See Hydrologic Regions [California]. |
| partial duration flood series | A list of all flood peaks that exceed a chosen base stage or discharge, without regard for the number occurring in a year |
| flood | High water flow or an overflow of rivers or streams from their natural or artificial banks, inundating adjacent low lying areas. |
| stream piracy | Diversion of the headwaters of one stream into another stream |
| awash | Washed by the sea as level with or washed by waves |
| tillage | Plowing, seedbed preparation, and cultivation practices. |
| cutoff wall | Wall, usually of sheet piling or concrete, that extends down to scour‑resistant material or below the expected scour depth. |
| epiphytes | plants in tropical rainforest which live on the branches or trunks of larger trees |
| outlet discharge structure | A structure built to protect the downstream end of a dam's outlet pipe from erosion and is often designed to slow the velocity of released water to prevent erosion of the stream channel. |
| streak | The color of a mineral in powdered form |
| berm | (1) A narrow ledge or path as at the top or bottom of a slope, stream bank, or along a beach |
| badlands | An area nearly devoid of vegetation and dissected by stream erosion into an intricate system of closely spaced, narrow ravines. |
| primary sector | in industry, those activities concerned with extraction and or exploitation of raw materials. |
| channel | Bed and banks that confine surface flow of a stream. |
| c-celsius | Centigrade Temperature Scale |
| index of wetness | The precipitation for a given year expressed as a ratio to the mean annual precipitation. |
| suspended load | The part of a stream's load that is carried in suspension for a considerable period of time, without contact with the stream bed |
| isohyet | a line drawn through geographical points recording equal amounts of precipitation during a specific period. |
| constriction | Natural or artificial control section, such as a bridge crossing, channel reach or dam, with limited flow capacity in which the upstream water surface elevation is related to discharge. |
| terrestrial | Land above sea level. |
| strand | The land bordering a body of water; a Beach. |
| weather | day to day variation in atmospheric conditions |
| lacustrine | lit |
| secure landfill | (Water Quality) A ground location for the deposit of hazardous wastes |
| b horizon | The solid zone of accumulation underlying the A horizon of a soil profile |
| outfall | The place where a sewer, drain, or stream discharges; the outlet or structure through which reclaimed water or treated effluent is finally discharged to a receiving water body. |
| coal liquefaction | The process of converting solid coal into a liquid fuel such as synthetic crude oil or methanol. |
| breccia | A clastic sedimentary rock that is composed of large (over two millimeter diameter) angular fragments |
| channel morphology | shape and dimensions of the cross-section of a channel. |
| indirect water uses | Uses of water that are not immediately apparent to the consumer |
| subterranean water | Those subsurface waters whose courses are well defined and reasonably ascertainable and whose existence is not temporary. |
| paleogeography | The study of geography in the geologic past, including the patterns of the earth's surface, the distribution of land and ocean, and ancient mountains and other landforms. |
| balance of payments | net sum of a country income from and expenditure on foreign trade which can run to a surplus or a deficit. |
| arctic haze | haze in arctic regions which reduces horizontal and slant visibility and which may extend to a height of about 10 km; it appears blue-grey when viewed away from the sun, and reddish-brown toward it. |
| surface runoff | That part of the runoff which travels over the soil surface to the nearest stream channel |
| frontal passage | It is the passage of a front over a specific point on the surface |
| crevasse | a crack in a glacier extending as deep as 50 meters (165 ft) |
| quaternary | Geologic period that occurred roughly 1.6 million years ago to today |
| hydrolysis | A chemical reaction involving water that results in the breakdown of mineral material. |
| rock flour | Fine-grained rock particles pulverized by glacial erosion. |
| hygroscope | An instrument showing changes in humidity. |
| ocean | The intercommunicating body of salt water occupying the depressions of the earth's surface, or one of its major primary subdivisions, bounded by the continents, or the equator, and other imaginary lines |
| distilled water | water that has been treated by boiling and condensation to remove solids, inorganics, and some organic chemicals. |
| trophogenic region | The area of a body of water where organic production from mineral substances takes place on the basis of light energy and photosynthetic activity. |
| anhydrous | Without water, especially water of crystallization; not hydrated (Dehydrated). |
| abrasion | Physical wearing and grinding of a surface through friction and impact by material carried in air, water, or ice. |
| catchment basin | The entire area from which drainage is received by a river or a lake; most generally used in reference to surface runoff. |
| leaching | The process by which soluble materials in the soil, such as salts, nutrients, pesticide chemicals or contaminants, are washed into a lower layer of soil or are dissolved and carried away by water |
| stage-capacity curve | A graph showing the relation of the surface elevation of the water in a reservoir, usually plotted as the ordinate, to the volume below that elevation, plotted as the abscissa. |
| nàvà | (1) The upper part of a glacier where the snow turns into ice |
| denizen | (Ecology) An animal or a plant naturalized in a region. |
| lease bonus | Money paid to a mineral rights owner in exchange for granting a lease |
| radial velocity | A type of velocity that expresses motion toward or away from a given location |
| astrogeology | The study of extraterrestrial bodies by the application of geologic methods and knowledge. |
| cattail | A tall, reedy marsh plant with brown furry fruiting spikes; an Emergent Plant. |
| operating criteria | Design and institutional criteria that determine the operating limits of a water system. |
| roche moutonnee | An elongated, rounded, asymmetrical, bedrock knob produced by glacier erosion |
| stream piracy | The process whereby a stream rapidly eroding headward cuts into the divide separating it from another drainage basin, and provides an outlet for a section of a stream in the adjoining valley |
| laurentide | greenland, cordilleran, and ________________ |
| stringer | A long, narrow line of vegetation, usually following a stream channel or bottom of a draw. |
| borehole | A hole bored or drilled in the earth, as an exploratory well; a small-diameter well drilled especially to obtain water. |
| white goods | domestic appliances. |
| sill | (1) A submerged ridge at relatively shallow depth separating the basins of two bodies of water |
| esker | A narrow, sinuous ridge of sorted sands and gravels deposited by a supraglacial, englacial or subglacial stream. |
| channel modification | The modification of the flow characteristics of a channel by clearing, excavation, realignment, lining, or other means to increase its capacity |
| floe | An ice flow |
| oil field | The geographic area above an underground accumulation of oil and natural gas. |
| co-permittee | A permittee to a NPDES permit that is only responsible for permit conditions relating to the discharge for which it is operator. |
| source region | the type of area from which an air mass originates. |
| continental shelf | The submerged shelf of land that slopes gradually from the exposed edge of a continent for a variable distance to the point where the steeper descent (the Continental Slope) to the ocean bottom begins, commonly at a depth of about 600 feet (183 meters). |
| moulin | steep hole in a glacier formed by running water in the summer, resembles a waterslide but not as fun |
| ambient medium | material surrounding or contacting an organism (e.g., outdoor air, indoor air, water, or soil through which chemicals or pollutants can reach the organism. |
| seacock | (Nautical) A valve in the hull of a boat or ship that may be opened to let in water so as to flood a ballast tank, for example. |
| air mass thunderstorm | A thunderstorm that is produced by convection within an unstable air mass through an instability mechanism |
| easterly wave | An inverted, migratory wave-like disturbance or trough in the tropical region that moves from east to west, generally creating only a shift in winds and rain |
| temperate glacier | A glacier with a or temperature-regime in which liquid water coexists with frozen water (glacier ice) during part or even all of the year. |
| irrigate | (1) To supply (dry land) with water by means of ditches, pipes, or streams; to water artificially |
| tidal zone | the area between the low water mark and the high water mark. |
| ground water reservoir | An aquifer or aquifer system in which ground water is stored |
| magnetic reversal | A complete 180-degree reversal of the polarity of the earth's magnetic field. |
| clay | a particle size classification for rock |
| microbiology | The study of organisms that can be seen only with the aid of a microscope |
| ecosystem structure | Attributes related to instantaneous physical state of an ecosystem; examples include species population density, species richness or evenness, and standing crop Biomass. |
| orographic cloud | A cloud whose form and extent is determined by the disturbing effects of orography and mountains upon the passing flow of air |
| vesicle | Spherical or elongated cavities in an igneous rock that are created when a melt crystallizes with bubbles of gas trapped inside. |
| depth hoar | In snow, relatively large (1 to several mm diameter), cohesionless, coarse, faceted snow crystals resulting from the presence of steep temperature gradients within the snowpack. |
| infiltration | movement of water from the surface into the soil. |
| dependency ratio | the proportion of working (economically active) people to non-working (non-economically active) people in a country by the formula: |
| nitrogen | (1) (General) Chemical symbol N, the gaseous, essential element for plant growth, comprising 78 percent of the atmosphere, which is quite inert and unavailable to most plants in its natural form |
| ice cliff | Walls of ice where glaciers meet the sea, such as at the edge of land or the edge of an ice shelf. |
| mantle | That portion of the Earth below the crust and reaching to about 2,780 km, where a transition zone of about 100 km thickness separates it from the core. |
| evaporation pan | An open tank used to contain water for measuring the amount of evaporation |
| standpipe | (1) A large vertical pipe into which water is pumped in order to produce a desired pressure; a high vertical pipe or reservoir that is used to secure a uniform pressure in a water-supply system |
| seiche | An oscillation of the water surface of a lake or other body of water due to variations of atmospheric pressure, wind, or minor earthquakes |
| phenols | A group of organic compounds that in very low concentrations produce a taste and odor problem in water and which in higher concentrations are toxic to aquatic life |
| interstitial pressure | (Hydraulics) The upward pressure of water in the pores or Interstices of a material. |
| pingo | a dome-shaped hill in a flat tundra plain, often having a depression in the summit |
| sop | (1) To dip, soak, or drench in a liquid; saturate |
| standing | Water that is not flowing, as stagnant. |
| municipal sludge | semi-liquid residue remaining from the treatment of municipal water and wastewater. |
| spray | (1) A cloud or mist of fine liquid particles, as of water from breaking waves |
| grassed waterway | natural or constructed watercourse or outlet that is shaped or graded and planted in suitable vegetation for the disposal of runoff water without erosion. |
| recharge area | The area in which water reaches the Zone of Saturation by surface infiltration |
| macroburst | A large downburst with an outflow diameter of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) or larger and damaging winds. |
| flood capacity | The flow carried by a stream or floodway at bankfull water level |
| topography | The shape of a landscape, composed of its relief and position of natural and man-made features. |
| precipitation | The process by which crystals form from saturated solutions |
| bong | A water pipe that consists of a bottle or a vertical tube partially filled with liquid and a smaller tube ending in a bowl, used often in smoking narcotic substances. |
| ntu | A unit of measure for the turbidity water based on the amount of light that is reflected off the water |
| low tide | (1) The lowest level of the tide |
| phreatomagmatic | An explosive volcanic eruption initiated by the interaction of magma and water (usually either meteoric or groundwater). |
| infiltration capacity curve | A graph showing the time variation of infiltration capacity |
| zero discharge | The goal, in the preamble to the Clean Water Act (CWA), of zero pollutants in water discharges. |
| basin | In tectonics, a circular, syncline-like depression of strata |
| lenticular clouds | Lenticular clouds are characteristic of all mountain ranges and form in response to wind |
| troy weight | A system of units of weight in which the grain is the same as in the Avoirdupois Weight system and the pound contains 12 ounces, 240 penny weights, or 5,760 grains. |
| agricultural economics | The application of economic principles to the Agribusiness sector of the economy. |
| felsite | A general term for lightcolored aphanitic (fine-grained) igneous rocks |
| autotroph | an organism that can produce nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances |
| hydrocompaction | The settling and hardening of land due to application of large amounts of water for irrigation. |
| profile | A graph showing variation of elevation with distance along a traverse or profile cross section. |
| slope-discharge | A curve which shows the discharge at a given Gaging Station, taking into account the slope of the water surface, as well as the Gage Height |
| bedding | The characteristic structure of sedimentary rocks in which layers of different composition, grain size or arrangement are stacked one on top of another in a sequence with oldest at the bottom and youngest at the top. |
| dabble | To bob forward and under in shallow water so as to feed off the bottom. |
| aum | Animal Unit Month. |
| bajada | A long outwash detrital (sedimentary) slope at the base of a mountain range. |
| diorite | A coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock that contains a mixture of feldspar, pyroxene, hornblende and sometimes quartz |
| hydraulic action | lit |
| af | Acre-Feet (or Acre-Foot). |
| overturned fold | A fold in which at least one limb has been rotated through an angle greater than 90 degrees. |
| canal system operation | Water transfer from its source to points of diversion for irrigation, municipal and industrial, fish and wildlife, and drainage purposes. |
| trend | (1) A statistical term referring to the direction or rate of increase or decrease in magnitude of the individual members of a time series of data when random fluctuations of individual members are disregarded |
| active solar water heater | A water heating system in which heat from the sun is absorbed by collectors and transferred by pumps to a storage unit |
| submarine canyon | An underwater canyon, carved into the continental shelf |
| grooves/grooving | As the glacier moves forward, rocks imbedded in the ice scratch the underlying materials |
| soil monolith | A vertical section of a soil profile removed and mounted for display or study. |
| hydrometric network | Network of stations at which measurement of hydrological parameters is performed. |
| dendrochronology | The study of tree rings and subfossil wood to provide information about the glacial and climatic history of an area. |
| farm delivery requirement | The Crop Irrigation Requirement plus farm losses due to evaporation, deep percolation, surface waste, and nonproductive consumption |
| static water depth | (Hydraulics) For a water well, the vertical distance from the centerline of the pump discharge down to the surface level of the free pool while no water is being drawn from the pool or water table. |
| ripple mark | One of a series of small ridges produced especially on sand by the action of wind, a current of water, or waves. |
| activated sludge | The Floc produced in raw or settled wastewater due to the growth of bacteria and other organisms in the presence of Dissolved Oxygen |
| tephra | A general term for all pyroclastic material. |
| polar air mass | An air mass that forms over a high latitude region |
| environmental monitoring | The process of checking, observing, or keeping track of something for a specified period of time or at specified intervals. |
| actual evapotranspiration | Is the amount of water that is actually removed from a surface due to the processes of evaporation and transpiration. |
| magnetic poles | Either of the two points on the earth's surface where the magnetic meridians converge |
| overflow | (1) To flow or run over the top, brim, or banks |
| sand trap | (Irrigation) A device, often a simple enlargement in a ditch or conduit, for arresting the heavier particles of sand and silt carried by the water. |
| effluent | (1) Something that flows out or forth, especially a stream flowing out of a body of water |
| crustal subsidence | The downwarping of Earth's crust due to the immense mass of continental ice sheets. |
| recharge | refers to water entering an underground aquifer through faults, fractures, or direct absorption. |
| in-situ | refers to the synthesis of a reactive intermediate, which is not isolated since it is too difficult or too dangerou |
| class "b" airspace | That airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL surrounding the nation's busiest airports in terms of airport operations or passenger enplanements |
| sahel | a region in the centre of West Africa on the margins of the Sahara and prone to drought. |
| arctic front | (1) the semi-permanent, semi-continuous front between the deep, cold arctic air and the shallower, basically less cold polar air of northern latitudes (2) south boundary of the arctic air mass. |
| austral | Southern as in southern pine forest |
| wettability | the degree to which a fluid will spread into or coat a solid surface in the presence of other fluids into which it will not dissolve. |
| valence electrons | Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom |
| ice age | Reoccuring periods in Earth history when the climate was colder and glaciers expanded to cover larger areas of the Earth's surface. |
| billion | One thousand times one million, 1,000,000,000 |
| "worst drought of record" | The series of (water) years when water supply and hydrologic conditions represented the least ever recorded. |
| stream power | a measure of energy available to move sediment, or any other particle in a stream channel |
| nival | Of, relating to, or growing in or under snow. |
| cirrocumulus clouds | A high-altitude cloud composed of a series of small, regularly arranged cloudlets in the form of ripples or grains |
| soil erodibility | An indicator of a soil's susceptibility to raindrop impact, runoff, and other erosive processes. |
| aeolian soil | Soil transported from one area to another by the wind. |
| freshet | (1) A sudden overflow of a stream resulting from a heavy rain or a thaw |
| pancake ice | pieces of new ice approximately circular, up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) thick and 0.03 to 3 meters (0.1 to 9.8 feet) in diameter, with raised edges that form from rubbing against each other; formed from the freezing together of grease ice, slush or shuga, or the reaking up of ice rind or nilas. |
| intrusion | 1 Injection of a magma into a preexisting rock |
| accretion | The growth of the continental masses over geologic time via the addition of marine sediments |
| dissolve | A condition where solid particles mix, molecule by molecule, with a liquid and appear to become part of the liquid. |
| proven reserves | Mineral deposits that have been explored thoroughly enough to be quantified but which are still in the ground. |
| arithmetic mean | (Statistics) The sum of a set of observations divided by the number of observations |
| ecosphere | total of all the ecosystems on the planet, along with their interactions; the sphere of air, water, and land in which all life is found. |
| wave cut platform | A gently sloping surface produced by wave erosion, extending far into the sea or lake from the base of the wave cut cliff. |
| oxbow lake | a U-shaped water body formed when a meander bend is cut off from the mainstem of a river or stream to create a lake. |
| antarctic high | A region of high pressure that occupies central Antarctic throughout the year |
| littoral zone | (1) The shallow area near the shore of a non-flowing body of water; that portion of a body of fresh water extending from the shoreline lakeward to the limit of occupancy of rooted plants |
| contaminant | organism, group of contaminants or constituent which signals the presence of something else, coliforms indicate the possible presence of other pathogenic bacteria, tests for a specific contaminant, or constituent which signals the possible presence of something else. |
| katabatic wind | any wind blowing down an incline; if the wind is warm, it is called a foehn or chinook; if cold, it may be a fall wind (bora), or a gravity wind (mountain wind); the opposite of anabatic wind. |
| relief | The difference in altitude between the high and the low parts of an area. |
| emergent | Rising above a surrounding medium, especially a fluid |
| angle of repose | Maximum angle (as measured from the horizontal) at which gravel or sand particles can stand. |
| erosive | The action of wind or water having sufficient velocity to cause Erosion |
| backwater flooding | Flooding caused by a restriction or blocking of flow downstream |
| joule | Unit for measuring energy |
| wet line | The length of sounding line below the water surface. |
| temporary wetland | A type of Wetland in which water is present for only part of the year, usually during the wet or rainy seasons (e.g., spring) |
| limnology | scientific study of physical, chemical, and biological conditions in lakes, ponds, and streams. |
| oxidant | An oxidizing agent. |
| overall project efficiency | A term reflecting all of the losses experienced by the irrigation project |
| lime | Calcium oxide (CaO) used in many water and wastewater treatment operations such as softening, coagulation and phosphorus removal |
| oxygen deficit | (Water Quality) The difference between observed oxygen concentration and the amount that would theoretically be present at 100 percent saturation for existing conditions of temperature and pressure. |
| cobble | Fragment of rock whose diameter is in the range of 64 to 250 mm. |
| ablation | the process of wastage of snow or ice by melting, sublimation, and calving |
| plinian eruption | An explosive eruption where large volumes of rock, ash and gas are blasted at high velocity from a vent |
| podsol | soil type found in cold, wet climatic areas in high latitudes |
| storage ratio | The net available storage divided by the mean flow for one year. |
| bottomset beds | layers of sediment in a delta found furthest from the river mouth and formed from flocculated clay particles. |
| subclimax | (Ecology) A stage in the ecological succession of a plant or animal community immediately preceding a Climax, and often persisting because of the effects of fire, flood, or other conditions. |
| light industry | an industry in which the physical mass of raw materials used is relatively low |
| rating curve | A plot that shows the relationship between the stage and discharge (streamflow) of a specific stream at a specific location |
| ferralitic | a soil in which the heavy leaching of silica leaves a higher concentration of iron giving the soil a rich red colour |
| sounding | (1) Measuring the depth of water, as in a well, river, or lake; Fathom |
| discharge period | The period of time during which effluent is discharged. |
| microscale | The smallest scale of meteorological phenomena that range in size from a few centimeters to a few kilometers |
| hydraulic permeability | The flow of water through a unit cross-sectional area of soil normal to the direction of flow when the Hydraulic Gradient is unity. |
| supercooled | Supercooled water remains in the liquid state even though the its temperature is below its freezing point. |
| sanitary seal | The neat cement seal at the top of a water well intended to prevent well contamination from surface water or shallow ground water flows containing potential contaminants. |
| stone circle | a circle of large stones found in periglacial areas when the formation of an ice lens just beneath the surface creates a dome from which stones on the surface roll away. |
| epoch | A division of geologic time next shorter than a period |
| biogeography | The study of the geographic distribution of organisms. |
| afy | Acre-Feet per Year. |
| condensation funnel | A funnel-shaped cloud consisting of condensed water drops that has possible rotation. |
| biochemical oxidation | The process by which bacteria and other microorganisms feed on complex organic materials and decompose them |
| kibble | An iron bucket used in wells or mines for hoisting water, ore, or refuse to the surface. |
| terrigenous sediment | Sediment that is derived from the weathering of rocks which are exposed above sea level. |
| absolute humidity | The actual weight of water vapor contained in a unit volume of the atmosphere, usually expressed in grams of water per kilogram of air |
| sesquioxide | the oxides of iron and aluminium that occur in soils. |
| coast | a zone of interaction of the land and the sea at the margins where the two meet. |
| fault | A surface along which a rock body has broken and been displaced. |
| plastic soil | A soil capable of being molded or deformed continuously and permanently, by relatively moderate pressure into various shapes. |
| urban heat island | the higher temperature found over and around an urban area created by the release of solar energy from the solid fabric of the buildings, roads etc., coupled with energy released by human activity such as lighting, heating, air-conditioning and/or vehicles and industry. |
| epidemic | widespread occurrence of a disease in a particular area or population. |
| ground water divide | A line on a water table on either side of which the water table slopes downward |
| gravel | Clastic sedimentary particles of any composition that are over 2 mm in diameter. |
| conifer | A tree belonging to the order Coniferae with cones and leaves of needle shape or "scalelike." |
| hydrogeologic parameters | Numerical parameters that describe the hydrogeologic characteristics of an aquifer such as Porosity, Permeability, and Transmissivity. |
| malnutrition | the body response to a lack of food in terms of the calorific energy intake or a lack of the right food in terms of the proportions of energy, minerals, protein, and vitamins |
| geostrophic wind | wind blowing parallel to isobars because of deflection of the pressure-gradient force by the Coriolis Force. |
| guzzler | A manmade water collecting device used in wildlife management. |
| evaporation rate | The quantity of water which evaporates from a given surface per unit of time, usually expressed in inches or depth per day, month, or year. |
| eye | The center of a tropical storm or hurricane, characterized by a roughly circular area of light winds and rain-free skies |
| lahar | A mudflow composed of water and volcanic ash |
| range | The values that a particular instrument is intended to measure, usually noted in a specification table by upper and lower limits. |
| andesite | An extrusive igneous rock that develops from a magma that is chemically between felsic and mafic and whose mineral crystals are fine. |
| aneroid | Not using liquid. |
| biologic material | A general term for material originating from organisms |
| planned economy | see command economy. |
| facultative phreatophyte | Plants that utilize moisture from groundwater for a portion of their water requirements. |
| flow | in streams and rivers, it is equal to a volume of water one foot high and one foot wide flowing a distance of one foot in one second, one cfs is equal to 7.48 gallons of water per second. |
| product water | Output water of a desalting or water treatment plant. |
| nivation | the expansion of a hollow through freeze-thaw under a patch of snow and the subsequent washing out of the debris by meltwater. |
| hanging wall | The surface or block of rock that lies above an inclined fault plane. |
| distillation | is a technique to purify liquids based on different boiling points |
| fluvioglacial landforms | meltwater transports and deposits material both in and adjacent to glacial environments |
| prairie pothole | A geologic and geographic formation prevalent in the Northern Great Plains region of the United States and characterized by a depression in the land formed thousands of years ago as a result of retreating Glaciers during the last Ice Age |
| wet milling | The mechanical size reduction of solid wastes that have been wetted to soften the paper and cardboard constituents. |
| oil slick | A layer of oil floating on the surface of water. |
| meltwater | Water that comes from the melting ice of a glacier or a snow bank. |
| petrify | To convert (organic matter) into stone or a substance of stony hardness by the infiltration of water and the deposition of dissolved mineral matter . |
| glacial trough | A U-shaped valley carved out of a V-shaped stream valley by the movement of a valley glacier. |
| mohorovicic discontinuity | The boundary between the crust and the mantle |
| xerophyte | A plant that can survive in a very dry location or climate. |
| lithification | The processes through which sediments are converted into sedimentary rock, including compaction and cementation. |
| clint | flat-topped block that forms the 'paving stone' in a limestone pavement. |
| gravity | The force of attraction of the earth on an object |
| richness | (Biological) The total number of species in an area, usually expressed as the number of species divided by the total number of individuals, or the number of species per unit area. |
| blinds | water samples containing a chemical of known concentration given a fictitious company name and slipped into the sample flow of the lab to test the impartiality of the lab staff. |
| national wilderness preservation system | All lands covered by the Wilderness Act of 1964 and subsequent wilderness designations, irrespective of the department or agency having jurisdiction. |
| rip tide | See Rip Current. |
| noaa | See National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). |
| downpour | A heavy fall of rain. |
| pump lift | The distance between the ground water table and the overlying land surface. |
| seep | a spot where water contained in the ground oozes slowly to the surface and often forms a pool; a small spring. |
| current canal | The current caused by an influent (inlet) or effluent (outlet) stream may effectively limit the growth of aquatic plants and create canal-like openings through weed beds. |
| pilot balloon | A small balloon whose ascent is used to determine the direction and speed of low level atmospheric winds |
| spreading center | A plate boundary formed by tensional stress along the oceanic ridge |
| abyssal | Pertaining to the great depths of the oceans, generally 2000 m (1000 fathoms) or more below sea level. |
| anemometer | Mechanical instrument used to measure wind speed |
| active layer | The seasonally thawed zone above permafrost . |
| island arc | A chain of volcanic islands |
| tuffs | (Geology) A volcanic rock composed of ash particles. |
| monitor | An articulated device holding a rotating nozzle with which a jet of water is regulated, used in mining and fire fighting. |
| igneous rock | A rock that has crystallized from a molten state. |
| mermaid | a fabled marine creature usually represented as having the head, trunk, and arms of a woman and a lower part like the tail of a fish. |
| imbibition | (Chemistry) Absorption of fluid by a solid or colloid that results in swelling. |
| hundred-year flood | The magnitude of a flood which has one chance in one hundred (i.e., one percent) of being exceeded in any future one-year period |
| solute transport | The movement of dissolved substances through a Hydrogeologic Unit. |
| monitoring well | a well used to obtain water quality samples or measure groundwater levels. |
| supercool | To cool a liquid below a transition temperature without the transition occurring, especially to cool below the freezing point of water without solidification into ice. |
| ice quakes | The beginning of the formation of a crevasse or moulin is often accompanied by shaking ice and a hissing or cracking sound. |
| most probable number | (Water Quality) A statistically determined number which represents the number of bacteria most likely present in a sample, based on test data |
| glacial | of or pertaining to: or a cooler period of climate during which glaciers advance (ice age) |
| nsf certified | This icon indicates that the design, materials, production process and quality controls used in the production of a product have been verified and certified for food safety by a highly respected third party non-profit organization, the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). |
| outcrop | An exposure of bedrock |
| gurgitation | A whirling or surging motion, as of water. |
| divide | A ridge separating two adjacent drainage basins. |
| enteric viruses | A category of viruses related to human excreta found in waterways. |
| replenishment district | An authority, serving a specific area of water users, which has the ability to combine resources to replenish over drafted aquifers with renewable water supplies. |
| ice cap | Dome-shaped ice masses with radial flow. |
| estuary | area of a lower river valley or mouth influenced by tidal change. |
| depth finder | An instrument used to measure the depth of water, especially by radar or ultrasound. |
| ripple marks | A series of parallel or sub-parallel ridges in sand or sediment that is caused by the rhythmic or directional movement of wind or water. |
| tsunami | An ocean wave with a long period that is formed by an underwater earthquake or landslide, or volcanic eruption |
| salt sink | A body of water too salty for most freshwater uses. |
| pier | (1) A structure or platform which extends from the shore out into a body of water, supported by piles or pillars, and serves primarily for mooring and landing ships or boats |
| schedule of compliance | Description of remedial actions to be accomplished by the permit holder (type of facility to be installed or alternative control measures to be established) and a sequence of actions leading to compliance with applicable standards. |
| aspect | The compass direction toward which a sloping land area faces |
| kelvin scale | An absolute scale of temperature in which each degree equals one kelvin |
| seep | A spot where ground water or other fluids (such as oil) are discharged at the earth's surface. |
| continental drift | The theory that the continents have moved in relation to one another. |
| megawatt | A unit of electricity equivalent to 1 million watts or 1,000 kilowatts (KW). |
| glacier | a mass of ice that originates on land, usually having an area larger than one tenth of a square kilometer; many believe that a glacier must show some type of movement; others believe that a glacier can show evidence of past or present movement. |
| river regime | the variation in discharge over a year. |
| mesoscale convective system | A large organized convective weather system comprised of a number of individual thunderstorms |
| entrainment | (Streams) The incidental trapping of fish and other aquatic organisms in the water, for example, used for cooling electrical power plants or in waters being diverted for irrigation or similar purposes. |
| helicity | A property of a moving fluid, such as air, representing the potential for helical flow (flow that follows a corkscrew pattern) |
| ignimbrite | An igneous rock formed by the lithification of ash flow or pyroclastic flow deposits. |
| organic chemicals | chemicals containing carbon. |
| bedding plane | A surface separating layers of sedimentary rock. |
| duckweed | Any of various small, free-floating, stemless aquatic flowering plants of the genus Lemna |
| massive | A term used in reference to a rock unit that is homogeneous in texture, fabric and appearance. |
| biogenic sediment | Sediments produced directly by the life processes of plants or animals. |
| megalitre | one million litres (an Olympic swimming pool is about 2 megalitres). |
| copernican system | The youngest system of rocks on the Moon, formed during the Copernican period. |
| flow | The rate of water discharged from a source given in volume with respect to time. |
| sub-aerial processes | all physical processes occurring at the surface. |
| diagenesis | All of the changes which happen to a sediment after deposition, excluding weathering and metamorphism |
| terminus | the lowest end of a glacier, also called the glacier toe or glacier snout. |
| friction head | Energy required to overcome friction due to fluid movement with respect to the walls of the conduit or containing medium. |
| composite sample | (Water Quality) A representative water or wastewater sample made up of individual smaller samples taken at periodic intervals and composited into one representative sample for analysis. |
| subsurface drainage | (1) The process of directing excess water away from the root zones of plants by natural or artificial means, such as by using a system of pipes and drains placed below ground surface level |
| wet suit | A tight-fitting permeable suit worn in cold water, as by skin divers, to retain body heat. |
| seepage | The slow movement of water through the pore spaces of a solid material |
| delay time | Duration of time for contamination or water to move from point of concern to the well; analogous to time-of-travel. |
| fairfield-hardy digester | (Water Quality) A machine that decomposes garbage, sewage sludge, industrial and other organic wastes by a controlled continuous Aerobic-Thermophilic Process. |
| wave refraction | The process by which a wave is bent or turned from its original direction |
| water service agency | An agency organized, founded, or established to produce and distribute water directly or indirectly to customers |
| orogenic | Pertaining to deformation of a continental margin to the extent that a mountain range is formed. |
| produced water | As crude oil is extracted from a well, the water that comes to the surface with the oil |
| isohyet | The line drawn through geographic points recording equal amounts of rainfall during a given time or for a given of storm. |
| accumulation | The addition of ice and snow into a glacier system |
| kettle | (1) (Geology) A depression left in a mass of Glacial Drift, formed by the melting of an isolated block of glacial ice |
| longshore drift | The general movement of sediment parallel to the shoreline |
| ph | numeric value that describes the intensity of the acid or basic (alkaline) conditions of a solution |
| gravity wave | a wave disturbance in which buoyancy (or reduced gravity) acts as a restoring force on parcels displaced from hydrostatic equilibrium; there is a direct oscillatory conversion between potential and kinetic energy in the wave motion. |
| diffluence | A rate at which wind flow spreads apart along an axis oriented normal to the flow in question |
| saturation | the condition of a liquid when it has taken into solution the maximum possible quantity of a given substance at a given temperature and pressure. |
| sectoral change | the general trend for the percentage of a workforce in agriculture to decline over time and for the secondary and then tertiary sectors to become increasingly important. |
| cirque | A bowl-shaped depression carved out of a mountain by an alpine glacier. |
| absolute zero | The coldest possible temperature, zero on the Kelvin scale, or approximately â'273.15 °C, â'459.67 °F |
| mass movement | the downslope movement en masse of rock, earth or water |
| congelation ice | an advanced form of new ice that forms as a stable sheet with a smooth bottom surface. |
| cold high | A high pressure system that has its coldest temperatures at or near the center of circulation, and horizontally, is thermally barotropic |
| marina | A water-based facility used for storage, service, launching, operation, or maintenance of watercraft. |
| flora | plant life. |
| algal bloom | a phenomenon whereby excessive nutrients within a river, stream or lake cause an explosion of plant life which results in the depletion of the oxygen in the water needed by fish and other aquatic life |
| unit period | The time duration of a unit storm |
| canyon | a large-scale, steep-sided valley which is deeper than it is wide. |
| interstate carrier water supply | A source of water for drinking and sanitary use on planes, buses, trains, and ships operating in more than one state |
| holding medium | (Water Quality) A special fluid employed for maintaining fecal bacteria in a viable state between the time that water samples are processed by filtration and the time that the filters used to remove the bacteria from water can be incubated properly |
| permitted well | A well from which water is used for other than a domestic use and which has received a permit for a Beneficial Use from the water regulatory body or other appropriate official. |
| affluent | A stream or river that flows into a larger one; a Tributary. |
| equator | the line of latitude (0- bisecting the northern and southern hemispheres equally and thus at the maximum circumference of the globe and perpendicular to the polar circumference. |
| weir | a wall or plate placed in an open channel to measure the flow of water; a wall or obstruction used to control flow from settling tanks and clarifiers to ensure a uniform flow rate and avoid short-circuiting. |
| latent heat of condensation | The amount of heat released by a unit mass of substance, without change in temperature, while passing from the vapor to the liquid state. |
| antediluvian | (1) Extremely old and antiquated |
| jackson turbidity unit | The JTU is a measurement of the turbidity, or lack of transparency, of water |
| isotope | some elements have more than one form |
| suspended-sediment concentration | The ratio of the mass of dry sediment in a water-sediment mixture to the mass of the water-sediment mixture |
| travertine | A form of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), such as aragonite or calcite, that is precipitated out of hot mineral springs as it cools upon reaching the ground surface |
| nps pollution | See Non-Point Source Pollution. |
| bathymetric chart | A topographic map of the earth's surface underlying a body of water (such as the ocean floor). |
| synoptic chart | Any map or chart that depicts meteorological or atmospheric conditions over a large area at any given time. |
| heat | A form of energy transferred between two systems by virtue of a difference in temperature |
| quaternary | a period of geologic time lasting from 1.6m years ago to the present. |
| discharge curve | A curve that expresses the relation between the discharge of a stream or open conduit at a given location and the stage or elevation of the liquid surface at or near that location |
| feeder bands | In tropical parlance, the lines or bands of thunderstorms that spiral into and around the center of a tropical system |
| nebula | A cloud of interstellar dust that is faintly visible from Earth. |
| hydraulics | Applied science concerned with behavior and flow of liquids, especially in pipes, channels, structures, and the ground. |
| flow | Glacial ice flows in two ways |
| splashboard | (Nautical) A screen on a boat to keep water from splashing onto the deck |
| altithermal | A period of time in the mid-Holocene when climate was generally warmer |
| tidal flat | An extensive flat tract of land alternatively covered and uncovered by the tide, and comprising mostly unconsolidated mud and sand |
| pyroxene | A group of rock-forming silicate minerals composed of single chains of silicon-oxygen tetrahedra |
| tar sand | A sandstone that contains asphalt within its pore spaces. |
| gc-ms | An analytical technique involving the use of both Gas Chromatography (GC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS), the former to separate a complex mixture into its components and the latter to deduce the atomic weights of those components |
| disinfection by-products | Chemicals which are formed when a disinfectant such as Chlorine is added to water that contains organic matter, usually from decaying plant or animal material |
| aquatic weeds | A common, unsightly, troublesome aquatic (water) plant, that grows in abundance or out of place |
| differentiation | The process of developing more than one rock type, in situ, from a common magma. |
| backwash | The return sheet flow down a beach after a wave is spent. |
| pangaea | A large continental landmass that existed from about 300 million years ago through about 200 million years ago |
| metalimnion | The middle layer of a thermally stratified lake or reservoir |
| barrage | a dam or barrier with adjustable gates and sluices built across an estuary in order to harness tidal energy. |
| appurtenant water right | A water right that is incident to the ownership or possession of land. |
| ramsar convention | The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat held at Ramsar in Iran in 1971 |
| sediment dam | A structure used specifically to trap sediment in water and prevent its transport further downstream. |
| 90th percentile | (Water Quality) Term used in conjunction with water sampling standards as required under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and amendments thereto |
| cbod | Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand. A BOD test in which a nitrification inhibitor is added, so that only the carbonaceous oxygen demanding compounds are measured. |
| troposphere | The lowest layer of the atmosphere located between the earth's surface to approximately 11 miles (17 kilometers) into the atmosphere |
| well hydrograph | A graphic representation of the fluctuations of the water surface in a well, plotted as Ordinate, against time, plotted as Abscissa. |
| jadeite | A high pressure clinopyroxene that is frequently carved and polished as a gemstone. |
| noncontributing area | An area within a drainage basin having no direct connection with the basin's principal drainage system. |
| abutment seepage | Reservoir water that moves through seams or pores in the dam's natural Abutment material and exists as seepage. |
| water main | A principal pipe in a system of pipes for conveying water, especially one installed underground. |
| bioassay | a test to determine the relative strength of a substance by comparing its effect on a test organism with that of a standard preparation. |
| cirrus | a principal high-level cloud type (cloud genus), appearing as detached clouds in the form of white, delicate filaments or white or mostly white patches or narrow bands; these clouds have a fibrous (hair-like) appearance, or a silky sheen, or both; because cirrus elements are too narrow, they do not produce a complete circular halo. |
| weathering | The process of physical and chemical decomposition which changes earth and rock materials in color, texture, composition, firmness or form |
| centrifugal force | The apparent force in a rotating system that deflects masses radially outward from the axis of rotation |
| estuary | thin zone along a coastline where freshwater system(s) and river(s) meet and mix with a salty ocean (such as a bay, mouth of a river, salt marsh, lagoon). |
| biosphere | the earth and all its ecosystems. |
| clarke-fisher model | theoretical change in the relative importance of primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary employment sectors over time as an economy develops from pre-industrial, through industrial to post-industrial stages. |
| tidal wave | (1) An unusual rise or incursion of water along the seashore, as from a storm or a combination of wind and spring tide |
| artesian well | A well where the water rises and flows out to the surface because of hydrostatic pressure. |
| hydrologic soil groups | The classification of soils by their reference to the intake rate of infiltration of water, which is influenced by texture, organic matter content, stability of the soil aggregates, and soil horizon development. |
| biodiversity | the variety of plant, animal, and microorganism species present in the ecosystem and the community structures the form. |
| spa | (1) A resort providing therapeutic baths |
| coefficient of linear extensibility | The ratio of the difference between the moist and dry lengths of a Clod to its dry length |
| segregation | the location of particular groups of people into distinct areas separate from the general population, usually based on race, religion or economic circumstances. |
| lagoon | a shallow pond where sunlight, bacterial action, and oxygen work to purify wastewater |
| unit storm | A net rainfall one-inch deep which occurs over all parts of a drainage area at a uniform rate during a specified unit period of time. |
| snow ablation | The removal of snow by the force of the wind. |
| guyot | Aseamount with a flat top. |
| brandt report | produced in 1980 by a commission headed by Willy Brandt, former West German Chancellor |
| correlative rights | Certain rights of land owners over a common ground water basin are coequal, or correlative, so that any one owner cannot take more than his share even if the rights of others are impaired |
| project installation period | The time period required for construction and installation of a project. |
| point-of-entry treatment device | (Water Quality) A treatment device applied to the drinking water entering a house or building to reduce the contaminants in the water distributed throughout the house or building. |
| glacial milk | glacial flour that has mixed with water to cause a milky appearance |
| soil fertility | the ability of a soil to provide nutrients for plant growth. |
| ion | An atom or combination of atoms that has gained or lost one or more electrons and thus has a net electrical charge. |
| condensation | Exothermic physical process by which water vapor becomes liquid water (100C at 1atm) |
| storm tracks | The path or tracks generally followed by a cyclonic disturbance. |
| atom | Smallest unit of an element that still maintains its chemical characteristics. |
| soil sorption coefficient | A parameter relating the partitioning of a chemical between soil and water in a soil-water mixture |
| blackwater | Water that contains animal, human, or food wastes; wastewater from toilet, latrine, and agua privy flushing and sinks used for food preparation or disposal of chemical or chemical-biological ingredients |
| pitch | Used to refer to angle or gradient |
| urban land-use | the spatial differences and similarities in certain types of land-use in urban areas which allow tracking of the history of their development and thus can be useful for future planning. |
| stratum | A layer of sedimentary rock. |
| snowbridge | A mass of snow that has accumulated in the top of an open crevasse, masking the existence of the crevasse |
| coal gasification | The process of converting solid coal into gas, usually by heating |
| joule | A unit of energy or work equivalent to one watt per second, 0.737 foot-pounds, or 0.238 Calories, or 9.484 X 10-4 British Thermal Unit (BTU). |
| retrogression | In meteorology, it is the movement of a weather system in a direction opposite to the direction of the basic flow in which it is embedded |
| aqui | A prefix for water, e.g., Aquifer. |
| waterspout | A small, weak tornado, which is not formed by a storm-scale rotation |
| water content of snow | The amount of liquid water contained in a snowpack |
| dynamic head | (Irrigation) The total of the following factors: (1) the total static head, including suction lift; (2) friction head in the discharge pipeline; (3) head losses in fittings, elbows, and valves; and (4) pressure required to operate lateral lines. |
| perched water table | The top of a Zone of Saturation that bottoms on an impermeable horizon above the level of the general water table in the area |
| copernican period | The period of lunar history during which rayed craters, such as Copernicus, and their associated rim deposits were formed (from 2 billion years ago to the present). |
| wave crest | The highest part of a wave. |
| acid deposition | Atmospheric deposition of acids in solid or liquid form on the Earth's surface |
| ice-dammed lake | A lake that exists because its water is restricted from flowing by an ice dam |
| pumice | A rock consisting of frothy natural glass. |
| salinization | The accumulation of salts in soil to the extent that plant growth is inhibited |
| annular space | the space between two concentric cylindrical objects, one of which surrounds the other, such as the space between the walls of a drilled hole and a casing. |
| persistence | The relative ability of a chemical to remain chemically stable following its release into the environment |
| sewage | The waste and wastewater produced by residential and commercial sources and discharged into sewers. |
| snow sampler | An instrument used in obtaining snow samples, which consists of a set of light, jointed metal tubes for taking samples and a spring scale graduated to read directly the corresponding depth of water contained in the sample. |
| lapse rate | The rate of change of temperature with height in the free atmosphere. |
| intrabasin transfer | The diversion of water within a drainage basin. |
| sedimentary structure | A structure in a sedimentary rock that forms at or near the time of deposition and reveals information about the depositional environment |
| upwelling | The process by which water rises from a lower to a higher depth, usually as a result of divergence and offshore currents |
| oolith | a calcareous sphere, approximately 1 mm in diameter, formed by precipitation of concentric layers of calcium carbonate around a nucleus such as a grain of sand or shell fragment as it is rolled around by wave action in warm, shallow, tropical seas. |
| soil texture | the ratio of sand, silt and clay within a soil. |
| snow line | The elevation above which snow can form and remain all year. |
| chemical oxygen demand | (Water Quality) A chemical measure of the amount of organic substances in water or wastewater |
| stream load | All the material transported by a stream or river either as visible sediment (Bed Load and Suspended Load) or in solution (Dissolved Load). |
| dredging | removal of sediment from the bottom of a sea or river |
| macronutrient | A chemical element necessary in relatively large amounts (usually more than one part per million [ppm] in the plant) for the growth of plants. |
| trachyte | A fine-grained volcanic rock that contains large amounts of potassium feldspar. |
| compressive flow | The body of the glacier is shortened and thickened (not elastically compressed) in reaches where velocity is decreasing. |
| subwatershed | Drainage area composed of two or more Subbasins. |
| bench flume | A flume built on constructed benches or terraces along hillsides or around mountain slopes when the ground is too rough or too steep to permit the use of an excavated canal. |
| continental rise | The portion of the continental margin that lies between the abyssal plain and thecontinental slope |
| terrigenous | Derived from or originating on the land (usually referring to sediments) as opposed to material or sediments produced in the ocean (marine) or as a result of biologic activity (biogenous). |
| oxygen saturation capacity | The maximum quantity of dissolved oxygen that a liquid exposed to the atmosphere can contain at a given temperature and pressure. |
| spring | an issue of water from the earth; a natural fountain; a source of a body or reservoir of water. |
| katabatic | a wind flowing down valley sides and floors, usually as air cools, condenses and sinks at night. |
| thermokarst | in periglacial areas, the melting of ground ice causes subsidence and creates a very uneven surface. |
| bass | Any of a number of North American fish found in streams and lakes |
| urban runoff | Storm water from city streets and gutters that usually contains a great deal of litter and organic and bacterial wastes into the sewer systems and receiving waters. |
| acec | Area of Critical Environmental Concern. |
| forbes bands | Alternating bands of light and dark ice on a glacier usually found down glacier from steep narrow icefalls and considered to be the result of different flow and ablation rates in summer and winter |
| adventive | Non native plant |
| cyclogenesis | process of initiation or intensification of a cyclonic circulation in the atmosphere; the opposite to cyclolysis. |
| saturation mixing ratio | The maximum water vapor concentration in the atmosphere for a given air temperature |
| bioconcentration potential | The maximum concentration of a chemical in an organism resulting from the rate of absorption equaling the rate of metabolism and excretion. |
| natant | Floating or swimming win water. |
| agricultural suitability | Determines how suitable a given area of land is, in it's present state, for agricultural purposes. |
| altithermal | (Climatology) A period of time when it was much warmer than now, approximately 7,000-4,500 years before the present time |
| species | (Biology and Botany) A group of individuals having a common origin and a continuous breeding system |
| trough | in meteorology, an elongated area of relatively low atmospheric pressure; the opposite of a ridge. |
| crystal | A solid, polyhedral form bounded by naturally formed plane surfaces resulting from growth of a crystal lattice. |
| mean high water | The average height of the high water over 19 years. |
| waterborne disease outbreak | The significant occurrence of acute infection illness associated with drinking water from a Public Water System (PWS) that is deficient in treatment, as determined by appropriate local or state agencies, or from untreated water sources. |
| specific humidity | The mass of water vapor per unit mass of moist air. |
| alachlor | A herbicide, marketed under the trade name Lasso, listed by the U.S |
| claypan | (1) A dense, compact layer in the subsoil having a much higher clay content than the overlying material from which it is separated by a sharply defined boundary |
| saturated vapor pressure | The pressure exerted by the vapor in a saturated space. |
| magma | Molten rock material that occurs below Earth's surface. |
| rhyolite | A fine-grained silica-rich igneous rock, the extrusive equivalent of granite. |
| herbicide | a chemical used to kill nuisance plants |
| freezing rain | Rain that falls as liquid and freezes upon impact to form a coating of glaze on the colder ground or other exposed surfaces |
| magma | A mobile silicate melt, which can contain suspended crystals and dissolved gases as well as liquid. |
| canoe | A light narrow boat made of bark, aluminum, or fiberglass |
| giardiasis | A disease that results from an infection by the protozoan parasite Giardia Intestinalis, caused by drinking water that is either not filtered or not chlorinated |
| temperature-gradient metamorphism | Process of firnification when large temperature gradients exist within the snowpack, such as within adjacent layers of snow |
| coral | A bottom-dwelling marine invertebrate organism of the class Anthozoa. |
| monomictic | Lakes or reservoirs which are relatively deep, do not freeze over during the winter, and undergo a single stratification and mixing cycle during the year (usually in the fall). |
| contour-furrow irrigation | The application of irrigation water in furrows that run across the slope with a forward grade in the furrows. |
| system head curve | A curve of system head comprising total static head and head loss in the system versus flow through the system. |
| anoxia | The total deprivation of oxygen, as in bodies of water, lake sediments, or sewage. |
| suspended solids | the small solid particles in water that cause turbidity |
| primary settling tank | (Water Quality) A holding tank where raw sewage or other wastewater is retained to allow the settling and removal of particulate material |
| crystal face | A naturally formed smooth plane surface of a crystal. |
| transmission pipeline | A pipeline that carries natural gas from a region where it is produced to a region where it is stored or consumed. |
| crevasse | (1) A deep crack or fissure, especially in a glacier |
| peat | a type of soil formed in cold wet conditions which inhibit full and proper decomposition of the litter layer |
| silver iodide | A compound of silver and iodine, the crystalline structure of which closely approximates that of ice crystals; used as ice nuclei in weather modification. |
| brawl | To flow noisily, as turbulent water. |
| bia | Bureau of Indian Affairs (USDI). |
| potential evapotranspiration | theoretical amount of moisture that could be lost from the surface to the atmosphere if it were available. |
| in situ | In place |
| hummocky | Hilly, uneven landscape resulting from deep-seated soil movement, usually of a rotational nature. |
| soil | The surface material of the continents, produced by disintegration of rock |
| radarsonde observation | An upper air observation used to determine winds and other meteorological data, by tracking the range, elevation, and azimuth of a radar target carried aloft |
| extreme value series | Hydrological series which includes the largest or smallest values, with each value selected from an equal time interval in the record. |
| adiabatic | A process in which heat does not enter or leave a system |
| glacial diversion | see diffluence. |
| winter range | Areas used by migratory wildlife during the winter months |
| migmatite | A mixture of igneous and metamorphic rocks in which thin dikes and stringers of granitic material interfinger with metamorphic rocks. |
| upstream blanket | An impervious layer placed on the reservoir floor upstream of a dam |
| solder | A metallic compound used to seal joints between pipes |
| overcast | The amount of sky cover for a cloud layer that is 8/8ths, based on the summation layer amount for that layer. |
| laissez-faire | the belief that markets should be left to run free from government intervention as business and consumer needs will find their balance in the market place. |
| in-situ biodegradation | (Environmental) The treatment of soil in place to encourage contaminants to break down |
| permit system | A system requiring all appropriators to obtain a permit from some administrative official or body before commencing the use of water |
| algorithm | A series of well-defined steps used in carrying out a specific process |
| overstory | (Botany) The uppermost, or tree, part of a forest, formed by tree crowns; canopy. |
| adret slope | a south-facing slope. |
| recycling | the re-use of materials that would otherwise be deemed rubbish. |
| climate | synthesis of weather conditions in a given area, characterized by long-term statistics (mean values, variances, probabilities of extreme values, etc.) of the meteorological elements in that area; polar climate (arctic climate) is generally the climate of a geographical polar region, most commonly taken to be a climate which is too cold to support the growth of trees. |
| intrazonal soil | one whose main characteristics are controlled by a single local factor |
| bilge water | Water that collects and stagnates in the bilge or bottom-most areas of a ship. |
| ecosystem | A system formed by the interaction of a group of organisms and their environment. |
| exogenous | (Geology) Geologic processes originating at or near the surface of the earth or magma. |
| continental ice glacier | An ice sheet that obscures all but the highest peaks of a large part of a continent. |
| xerophyte | Any plant growing in a habitat in which an appreciable portion of the rooting medium dries to the wilting coefficient at frequent intervals |
| wave trough | The lowest part of a wave, between successive crests. |
| scientific method | A systematic method of inquiry that includes the identification of a specific question or problem, the accumulation of the available data and information relating to that question, the proposal of a tentative answer or solution to the question or problem, the conduct of methodical observations or experiments to test the proposed answer, and the rational interpretation of the results of the observations or experiments. |
| chlorine demand | (Water Quality) The amount of chlorine that must be added to purify drinking water; the amount of chlorine required to react with all dissolved and particulate materials and inorganic ammonia in the water. |
| heavy water | Water composed of isotopes of hydrogen of atomic weight greater than 1 or of oxygen of atomic weight greater than 16, or both; especially water composed of ordinary oxygen and the isotope of hydrogen of atomic weight 2; Deuterium Oxide (D2O) |
| inventorying | Gathering data needed for analyses and evaluation of the status or condition of a specific universe or area of concern. |
| berm | A nearly horizontal portion of a beach or backshore formed by storm waves |
| algicide | substance or chemical used specifically to kill or control algae. |
| clarification | the clearing action that occurs during wastewater treatment when solids settle out |
| sea surface temperature | The temperature of the water's surface |
| floc | Generally, a very fine, fluffy mass formed by the aggregation of fine suspended particles, as in a precipitate |
| love wave | A seismic surface wave that has a horizontal (side-to-side) component but no vertical component. |
| entrainment | the taking up of river sediment into transport. |
| disposal field | Area used for spreading liquid effluent for separation of wastes from water, degradation of impurities, and improvement of drainage waters |
| conditional water permit | An authorization for the permittee to construct any facilities (such as a well and irrigation system) and to begin utilization of the water |
| ·ablation moraine | An irregular-shaped layer or pile of glacier sediment formed by the melting of a block of stagnant ice |
| compensation | An addition of specific materials or devices to counteract a known error. |
| damp | Slightly wet; somewhat moist or wet. |
| perfected water right | A water right which indicates that the uses anticipated by an applicant, and made under permit, were made for Beneficial Use |
| polarization | the disparate development of wealth around a core leaving a much poorer peripheral area. |
| psammosere | succession of plants in a sandy environment such as coastal dunes. |
| leisure industry | the goods and services provided for consumption during leisure |
| bedew | To wet with or as if with Dew. |
| watershed | The geographic area that contributes runoff to a stream |
| bioindicator | A living organism that denotes the presence of a specific environmental condition |
| sodium adsorption ratio | An expression of relative activity of sodium ions in exchange reactions with soil, indicating the sodium or alkali hazard to soil |
| area of influence | The area surrounding a pumping or recharging well within which the water table or potentiometric surface has been changed due to the well's pumping or recharge. |
| aerobic | (1) Characterizing organisms able to live only in the presence of air or free oxygen, and conditions that exist only in the presence of air or free oxygen |
| filling | Depositing dirt, mud or other materials into aquatic areas to create more dry land, usually for agricultural or commercial development purposes, and frequently with ruinous ecological consequences |
| pumped storage | (1) A reservoir that has a pumping plant as the main source of water supply |
| delta | (1) An alluvial deposit made of rock particles (sediment and debris) dropped by a stream as it enters a body of water |
| combined sewer overflow | the discharge of a mixture of storm water and domestic waste when the flow capacity of a sewer system is exceeded during rainstorms. |
| spot ratio | See Distance to Target Ratio. |
| headgate | the gate that controls water flow into irrigation canals and ditches |
| gravity model | a formula to calculate the likely interaction between two places given their distance apart, size and barriers (or lack of connectivity) between them. |
| agricultural runoff | The runoff into surface waters of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and the nitrate and phosphate components of fertilizers and animal wastes from agricultural land and operations |
| distribution | two uses: |
| flowline | (1) The general path that a particle of water follows under laminar flow conditions |
| mixed liquor | (Water Quality) In wastewater treatment, the liquid in the aeration tank of an activated sludge system; a mixture of activated sludge and water containing organic matter undergoing activated sludge treatment in an aeration tank. |
| tree line | The dividing point, caused by changing latitudes or altitudes, between areas with environmental conditions supporting trees and those that do not |
| pore space | That portion of rock or soil not occupied by solid mineral matter and which may be occupied by ground water. |
| least-cost location | the place where raw material and transport costs are minimized for a particular business, according to Weber. |
| frozen | (1) Made into, covered with, or surrounded by ice |
| katafront | A front where the warm air descends the frontal surface, except in the low layers of the atmosphere. |
| transport capacity | the capacity of a river to carry sediment in suspension or to move sediment along the riverbed. |
| biota | The plant (flora) and animal life (fauna) of a region or ecosystem, as in a stream or other body of water. |
| suspension | the transport of load in the body of the water in a river i.e being carried along in the flow. |
| oil shale | Shale that is rich in hydrocarbon derivatives |
| current meter | An instrument for measuring the velocity of water flowing in a stream, open channel, or conduit by ascertaining the speed at which elements of the flowing water rotate a vane or series of cups. |
| concentration time | The period of time required for storm runoff to flow from the most remote point of a catchment or drainage area to the outlet or point under consideration |
| polar wandering | The apparent movement of the magnetic poles with respect to the continents. |
| magma chamber | A full or emptied magma reservoir in the shallow portion of the lithosphere. |
| monomictic | lakes and reservoirs that are relatively deep, do not freeze over during winter, and undergo a single stratification and mixing cycle during the year (usually in the fall). |
| topography | The shape and form of the earth's surface. |
| monoculture | an agricultural system in which the cultivation of a single crop is the norm. |
| aerodynamic | Refers to forces acting upon the soil or crop surface by moving air. |
| non-tariff barrier | a covert restriction to imported goods |
| max/min | A common thermometer feature allowing you to quickly display the maximum and/or minimum values measured during a specified period of time. |
| network | points (vertices) joined by links |
| bed layer | Flow layer, several grain diameters thick (usually two) immediately above the bed. |
| nutrient sink | an ecosystem which has a tendency to store organic matter and thus the nutrients within it |
| habitat indicator | A physical attribute of the environment measured to characterize conditions necessary to support an organism, population, or community in the absence of pollutants, e.g., salinity of estuarine waters or substrate type in streams or lakes. |
| break | (1) To emerge above the surface of the water |
| rain | Precipitation in the form of liquid water droplets greater than 0.5 mm |
| heat exchangers | Any mechanical device designed to transfer heat energy from one medium to another |
| lake | Any inland body of standing water, usually fresh water, larger than a pool or pond; a body of water filling a depression in the earth's surface. |
| aw | Applied Water |
| contour line | A line on a map that traces locations where the value of a variable is constant |
| salinisation | the deposition of salts at the surface of a soil in areas where evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation so drawing water up through the soil and with it salts that had been dissolved in it. |
| nekton | Macroscopic organisms swimming actively in water, such as fish |
| photochemical smog | a heavy, brown coloured, air pollution formed by the reaction of vehicle and factory emissions with sunlight to produce ozone which is harmful to humans, animals and plants. |
| ephemeral stream | Stream or reach of stream that does not flow for parts of the year |
| plucking | the process by which a glacier picks up rocks as it flows over the land, rocks loosened by frost wedging |
| piezometer | A well structure or tube which allows the level of saturation within a dam to be measured. |
| completed test | (Water Quality) The third, and last, part of the examination of water for the presence of bacteria of fecal origin |
| rock glacier | A mass of poorly sorted, angular boulders cemented with interstitial ice |
| snowflakes | An ice crystal or an aggregate of ice crystals which fall from clouds. |
| oxidized rhizosphere | A zone around a plant root system in Hydric Soils that shows staining from oxidation ("rust" stains). |
| cavitation | creation of pot holes in a stream bed due to the blasting effect of particles thrown against it by the formation and collapse of air bubbles |
| triphibian | Designed to operate on land, water, or in air. |
| water column | an imaginary column extending through a water body from its floor to its surface |
| thrust fault | A reverse fault that has a dip of less than 45 degrees. |
| severe weather | Generally, any destructive weather event, but usually applies to localized storms, such as blizzards, intense thunderstorms, or tornadoes. |
| gross erosion | The total of all sheet, gully, and channel erosion in a drainage basin, usually expressed in units of mass. |
| hazardous waste | See Hazardous Substance. |
| overflow rate | (1) The flow into a basin divided by its total surface area, often expressed in units of gallons per day per square foot |
| retardation factor | is the ratio of how far the center of a spot traveled compared to the solvent front (=Rf-value) |
| water disposal system | The complete system for removing excess water from land with minimum erosion |
| ravine | deep, steep-sided valley, gorge or cleft cut into a rocky landscape. |
| gross water yield | The available water runoff, both surface and subsurface, prior to use by man's activities, use by phreatophytes, or evaporation from free water surfaces. |
| ozone | A nearly colorless gas and a form of oxygen (O2) |
| clean lakes program | Federal program evolved from Section 314 of the Clean Water Act. |
| mammatocumulus | An obsolete term for cumulonimbus mammatus, it is a portion of a cumulonimbus cloud that appears as a pouch or udder on the under surface of the cloud |
| wedge storage | The volume of water contained between two different water surface profiles within a canal pool. |
| arch-gravity structure | A structure which derives its resistance to the pressure of water from both an arching effect and its own weight. |
| zone | (1) (Ecology) An area characterized by similar flora or fauna; a belt or area to which certain species are limited |
| drumlin | a mound of glacial debris formed into a smooth, elongated feature whose apex is skewed towards the rear (in terms of the direction of movement) |
| impermeable layer | A layer of rock, sediment or soil that does not allow water to pass through |
| field-moisture deficiency | The quantity of water which would be required to restore the soil moisture to Field-Moisture Capacity. |
| beach | A deposit of wave-washed sediment along a coast between the landward limit of wave action and the outermost breakers. |
| forset beds | The distinctly dipping sediment layers deposited on the front of a prograding delta or on the lee side of a sand dune. |
| leaching | The removal of soluble constituents from a rock or soil by moving ground water or hydrothermal fluids. |
| teratogenic | Causing birth defects. |
| brine | (1) Water saturated with or containing large amounts of a salt, especially of sodium chloride |
| active layer | Upper zone of soil in higher latitude locations that experiences daily and seasonal freeze-thaw cycles. |
| zone of saturation | The zone beneath the water table where all pore spaces are completely filled with water |
| sand | Loose particles of hard, broken rock or minerals |
| continental drift | The theory that continents slowly shift their positions as a result of currents in the molten rocks of the earth's mantle. |
| katabatic wind | A wind that is created by air flowing downhill |
| growing season | the length of time in the year available for crop growth |
| daily flood peak | The maximum mean daily discharge occurring in a stream during a given flood event. |
| weather | the state of the atmosphere, mainly with respect to its effects upon life and human activities; distinguished from climate by focusing on short-term (minutes to about 15 days) variations of the atmosphere state. |
| clarifier | A device or tank in which wastewater is held to allow the settling of particulate matter. |
| maximum thermometer | An instrument used to measure the highest temperature since its last setting |
| energy budget | for the Earth, the net balance between insolation and outgoing radiation |
| scale | in general use refers to the size of an area or time period |
| rainshadow | the area on the leeward side of a mountain range which experiences drier conditions than the windward side |
| strip mining | A method of mining in which soil and rock cover are removed to obtain the sought-after material. |
| radial drainage | a pattern of streams radiating from a central point or area e.g |
| electrolysis | The passage of an electric current through an Electrolyte, causing the migration of the positively charged ions to the negative electrode (cathode) and the negatively charged ions to the positive electrode (anode). |
| asthenosphere | The weak or "soft" zone in the upper mantle just below the lithosphere , involved in plate movement and isostatic adjustments |
| altimeter | An instrument used to determine the altitude of an object with respect to a fixed level |
| icefall | Part of a glacier where the ice flows over a bed with a very steep gradient, typically at a higher rate than both above and below |
| volatile solids | The quantity of solids in a sample which is lost by ignition of the dry solids at 600°C. |
| force pump | A pump with a solid piston and valves used to raise a liquid or expel it under pressure. |
| unit hydrograph | (1) The Hydrograph of direct runoff from a storm uniformly distributed over the drainage basin during a specified unit of time; the hydrograph is reduced in vertical scale to correspond to a volume of runoff from the drainage basin of one inch |
| head | Difference in elevation between intake and discharge points for a liquid |
| hyetal | Of or relating to rain or rainy regions. |
| ice pack | (1) A large area of floating pieces of ice driven together more or less closely |
| foliation | A planar feature in metamorphic rocks, produced by the secondary growth of minerals |
| conjunctive operation | The operation of a ground water basin in combination with a surface water storage and conveyance system |
| watch | A forecast issued well in advance of a severe weather event to alert the public of the possibility of a particular hazard, such as tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flash and river floods, winter storms, or heavy snows. |
| non-potable | Used to describe water that is not suitable for drinking because it contains pollutants, contaminants, minerals, or infective agents. |
| tillite | A rock formed by lithification of glacial till (unsorted, unstratified glacial sediment). |
| carbon polishing | (Water Quality) The removal of residual dissolved organic substances from wastewater by Adsorption on activated charcoal (granular activated carbon) |
| dome | An uplift that is round or elliptical in map view with beds dipping away in all directions from a central point. |
| salts | nutrients, pesticide chemicals or contaminants, are washed into a lower layer of soil or are dissolved and carried away by water. |
| water control | (Soil and Water Conservation) The physical control of water by such measures as conservation practices on land, channel improvements, and installation of structures for water retardation and sediment detention |
| nonthreshold pollutant | substance or condition harmful to a particular organism at any level or concentration. |
| transmissivity | refers to the rate at which limestone allows the transmission of water |
| groundwater | water within the earth that supplies wells and springs; water in the zone of saturation where all openings in rocks and soil are filled, the upper surface of which forms the water table. |
| sag pond | (1) A small body of water occupying an enclosed depression or sag formed where active or recent fault movement has impounded drainage |
| arctic circle | the line of latitude 66 degrees 34 minutes N (often taken as 66.5 degrees N); along this line, the sun does not set on the day of the summer solstice, and does not rise on the day of the winter solstice. |
| hydrologic region | A study area, consisting of one or more planning subareas, used to analyze water use and hydrologic conditions |
| solar constant | the amount of energy received per unit area from the sun over a given period of time. |
| hygrophyte | Plants extremely sensitive to dry air, growing only in habitats where relative humidity is always high |
| drought condition | Hydrologic conditions during a defined Drought period during which rainfall and runoff are much less than average. |
| biological diversity | The variety of different species, the genetic variability of each species, and the variety of different ecosystems that they form. |
| oligotrophic | having a low supply of plant nutrients |
| upgradient well | A groundwater monitoring well, such as those required at facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste using surface impoundments or landfills, that allows sampling and analysis of groundwater that is upstream from the facility, before the groundwater is possibly affected by any escaping contaminants |
| chatter marks | A series of small, closely spaced, crescentic grooves or scars formed in bedrock by rocks frozen in basal ice as they move along and chip the glacier's bed |
| usda | U.S |
| closed-loop recycling | Recycling or reusing wastewater for non-potable purposes in an enclosed process. |
| thundersquall | A squall accompanied by thunder and lightning. |
| pandemic | disease spread over a wide geographical area. |
| glacial valley | A valley with a U-shaped cross section that was cut by an alpine glacier. |
| dew point | The air temperature at which, under current barometric pressure, the water vapor currently in the air would condense into water or dew (or reach 100% humidity) |
| cesspool | An underground catch basin for combined liquid and solid waste, such as household sewage, so designed as to retain the organic matter and solids but permitting the liquids to seep through the bottom and sides |
| death rate | number of deaths per thousand people per year. |
| firn line | A line across the glacier, from edge to edge, that marks the transition between exposed glacier ice (below) and the snow-covered surface of a glacier (right) |
| zone of saturation | Underground region within which all openings are filled with water |
| weathering | The processes by which rocks are chemically altered or physically broken into fragments as a result of exposure to atmospheric agents and the pressures and temperatures at or near the earth's surface, with little or no transportation of the loosened or altered materials. |
| cumulative infiltration | The summation of the depth of water absorbed by a soil in a specified elapsed time in reference to the time of initial water application. |
| permafrost | frozen ground |
| ozone layer depletion | The destruction of Ozone molecules in the Ozone Layer of the Stratosphere by chemical reactions with materials released by human activities |
| crystal form | The geometric shape of a crystal. |
| application rate | For irrigation, the rate at which water is applied per unit of land area, usually expressed in terms of inches per hour. |
| conductor casing | The temporary or permanent steel casing used in the upper portion of the borehole to prevent collapse of the formation during the construction of the well or to conduct the gravel pack to the perforated or screened areas of the casing. |
| fluid inclusion | A small amount of fluid (liquid and/or gas) trapped within a rock and which is thought to represent the fluid from which the rock crystallized. |
| foraminiferal ooze | A calcareous sea-floor sediment composed of foraminifer shells. |
| interstitial water | Water in the pore spaces of soil or rock. |
| bathochromic shift | is a shift to higher wavelength in the UV-Vis spectrum |
| snow stake | A graduated fixed pole or staff used to measure snow depth. |
| grout | Fluid mixture of cement and water or of cement, sand, and water used to fill joints and voids. |
| porosity | The volume of pore space in a rock, sediment or soil |
| injection | Generally refers to a system of artificially introducing surface water into the ground water system as a means of storage or recharge |
| specific heat | the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a kilogram of a substance (water) by 1 degree Celsius. |
| arete | ridge between two cirques |
| striations | Scratches, or small channels, gouged by glacier action |
| specific discharge | For ground water, the rate of discharge per unit area, measured at right angles to the direction of flow. |
| sludge digestion | The biological decomposition of solids collected during the operation of a facility designed to remove organic wastes from domestic or industrial sources |
| dispersion | the movement and spreading of contaminants out and down in an aquifer. |
| launching | Release of undercut material (stone riprap, rubble, slag, etc.) downslope or into a scoured area. |
| saltation | The transport of sediment in short jumps and bounces above the stream bed or ground by a current that is not strong enough to hold the sediment in continuous suspension |
| probabilistic process | The process in which the probability of occurrence of the variables is taken into consideration and their sequence of occurrence is ignored. |
| transient snowline | The line separating transient accumulation and ablation areas, also a transient equilibrium line. |
| resource | A person, thing, or action needed for living or to improve the quality of life. |
| millstream | The rapid stream of water flowing in a Millrace. |
| sleet | a form of precipitation where snow falls through warmer air and arrives at the surface partially melted. |
| deep seepage | That portion of applied irrigation water that, in excess of the leaching requirement, passes through the rooting zone and is subsequently unavailable for crop use. |
| tributary | a stream that contributes its water to another stream or body of water. |
| riss | European glaciation related to North American Illinoian glaciation. |
| plvi | see peak land value intersection (point). |
| rugosity | A term used to indicate the degree of roughness of a test-well caused by drilling and subsequent wash-outs |
| glacial lake | An accumulation of standing liquid water on (supraglacial), in (englacial), or under (subglacial) a glacier. |
| convection | the transport of energy resulting from the concerted movement of molecules in coherent groups; contrasts with conduction in which energy is transported by the random motions of molecules; atmospheric convection is nearly always turbulent and results in the vertical transport and mixing of atmospheric properties. |
| arkose | A type of sedimentary sandstone that contains a large quantity of weathered feldspar grains |
| right of capture | the idea that the water under a person's land belongs to that person and they are free to capture and use as much as they want |
| cement | A solid precipitate of calcium carbonate, silica, iron oxide, clay minerals or other materials that forms within the pore spaces of a sediment and binds it into a sedimentary rock. |
| cone of depression | natural depression in the water table around a well during pumping. |
| deflocculating agent | A material added to a suspension to prevent settling. |
| heavy water reactor | A nuclear reactor that uses heavy water as its moderator |
| granitization | Formation of granitic rock by metamorphism without complete melting. |
| debris flow | A moving mass of rock fragments, soil, and mud with more than one-half of the material being larger than sand size. |
| backwashing | In a wastewater or water treatment facility, the flow of clean water in a direction opposite (upward) to the normal flow of raw water through rapid sand filters in order to clean them. |
| stromatolite | A mound-shaped fossil that forms from the repetitious layering of algal mat covered by trapped sediment particles. |
| preservative | a chemical added to a water sample to keep it stable and prevent compounds in it from changing to other forms or to prevent microorganism densities from changing prior to analysis. |
| fringing reef | A reef that lies alongside the shore of a landmass. |
| drizzle | Slowly falling precipitation in the form of tiny water droplets with diameters less than 0.02 inches or 0.5 millimeters |
| filter | Layer of fabric (geotextile) or granular material (sand, gravel, or graded rock) placed between bank revetment (or bed protection) and soil for the following purposes: (1) to prevent the soil from moving through the revetment by piping, extrusion, or erosion; (2) to prevent the revetment from sinking into the soil; and (3) to permit natural seepage from the streambank, thus preventing the buildup of excessive hydrostatic pressure. |
| carbonate rock | (Geology) A rock consisting chiefly of carbonate minerals, such as limestone and dolomite. |
| ditch | A long narrow trench or furrow dug in the ground, as for irrigation, drainage, or a boundary line. |
| erosion | The processes that loosen sediment and move it from one place to another on the earth's surface |
| molecular weight | The sum of the atomic weights of the atoms in a molecule |
| compaction | A physical change in soil properties that result in an increase in soli bulk density and a decrease in Porosity |
| piezometric head | Synonymous with Hydraulic Head, which is now commonly used. |
| sublimation point | is the temperature at which a solid evaporates without melting first |
| lake | separated by the fairly thin thermocline zone, from the lower, colder, denser zone of water, the hypolimnion. |
| steady-state mass balance | the mathematical concept that the sum of upstream pollutant loads, each determined by the product of their concentration times flow, equals a resultant downstream load after mixing. |
| earthflow | A detached mass of soil that moves downslope over a curved failure surface under the influence of gravity |
| symbiosis | A relationship between two species who live in close association but do not compete with each other or prey on one another |
| pretreatment | (1) Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), the required alteration and/or reduction of certain water pollutants in a waste stream before the wastewater is discharged into a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) |
| monsoon | (1) A wind system that influences large climatic regions and reverses direction seasonally |
| end moraine | Unlike terminal moraines which mark the furthest advance of the ice sheet or lobe, end moraines record the continuing retreat of the ice. |
| lotic-adapted species | species for which all or part of their life history is dependent on flowing water. |
| deposition | the laying down of material by erosion or transport by water or air. |
| carcinogenic | Cancer causing. |
| contaminate | To make impure or unclean by contact or mixture. |
| absolute humidity | the amount of water vapour in the air in grams per cubic metre. |
| suncup | A melted bowl-shaped depression in ice due to insolation. |
| s-wave | Secondary seismic waves |
| electrofishing | a biological collection method that uses electric current to facilitate capturing fishes. |
| spring equinox | either of the two points of intersection of the sun's apparent annual path and the plane of the earth's equator; in the northern hemisphere, the spring (vernal) equinox falls on or about 21 March, and the autumnal equinox on or about 22 September. |
| metabolism | (Biology) The sum of the processes concerned in the building up of protoplasm and its destruction incidental to life; the chemical changes in living cells, by which the energy is provided for the vital processes and activities, and new material is assimilated to repair the waste |
| degree day | The difference, expressed in degrees, between the mean temperature for a given day and a reference temperature (usually 0°C). |
| glacier | A huge mass of ice, formed on land by the compaction and re-crystallization of snow, that moves very slowly downslope or outward due to its own weight. |
| current velocity | the velocity of water flow in a stream, measured in units of length per unit of time, such as feet per second (fps). |
| carrying capacity | (Lake) The amount of human development that can occur in the lake's watershed without causing a significant change in its water quality. |
| chelation | a form of chemical weathering |
| prognostic chart | A chart of forecast predictions that may include pressure, fronts |
| temperate grasslands | extensive natural grasslands in the continental interiors of temperate regions. |
| mesoclimate | The climate of small areas of the earth's surface; it may not be representative of the general climate of the district; intermediate in scale between Macroclimate and Microclimate |
| cirque lake | A lake occupying a rock basin usually at the head of a valley in high mountain ranges. |
| pool | A deep reach of a stream |
| travertine | Variety of limestone which forms stalactites and stalagmites and other deposits in limestone caves (dripstone) and the mouths of hot and cold calcareous springs. |
| ogives | alternate bands of light and dark ice seen on a glacier surface. |
| interquartile range | statistical measure of the spread of values around the median |
| bioremediation | a process that uses living organisms to remove pollutants. |
| non-government organisation | any charity or volunteer association which takes on responsibility for a particular cause |
| desilting area | An area of grass, shrubs, or other vegetation used for inducing the deposition of silt and other debris from flowing water |
| intangible flood damage | Estimated damage done by disruption of business, danger to public health, shock, loss of life, and other factors not directly measurable. |
| soil-moisture depletion | The process where soil water is removed by crops through Evapotranspiration. |
| css | Combined Sewer System. |
| green belt | in the UK, an area of land surrounding an urban area in which planning restrictions severely curb new housing, commercial and industrial developments |
| filter cake | (1) The solids or semisolids deposited on a filter as a fluid is moved through it |
| ridge lines | Points of higher ground that separate two adjacent streams or Watersheds |
| inter-basin transfer | the transfer of water between drainage basins by humans. |
| state revolving funds | a program, capitalized in part by federal funds, that provides low-interest loans for construction of publicly owned wastewater treatment and water recycling facilities, for implementation of nonpoint source and storm drainage pollution control management programs, and for the development and implementation of estuary conservation and management programs. |
| geomorphology | The science of Earth's landforms, their description, classification, distribution, origin and significance. |
| water wave | Water waves provide one of the most important mechanisms for transporting energy from one point to another on the sea surface |
| abyssal fan | Fan shaped accumulation of sediment from rivers that is deposited at the base of a submarine canyon within a ocean basin. |
| stratigraphy | The study of sedimentary rock units, including their geographic extent, age, classification, characteristics and formation. |
| nonwithdrawal use | Use which does not require diversion |
| hydrolysis | A decomposition reaction involving water, in which hydrogen ions (H+) or hydroxyl ions (OH-) replace other ions |
| katabatic wind | A wind that flows from a glacier, caused by air cooled by the ice becoming heavier than surrounding air, then draining down-valley. |
| shaft | A vertical or inclined opening of uniform and limited cross section made for finding or mining ore, raising water, or ventilating underground workings (as in a cave). |
| stratification | A layered structure of sedimentary rocks in which the individual layers can be traced a considerable distance |
| aquarius | (1) A constellation in the equatorial region of the Southern Hemisphere near Pisces and Aquila also referred to as the Water Bearer |
| ceilometer | An instrument that is used to measure the angular elevation of a projected light on the base of a cloud |
| well function | The mathematical function by means of which the unsteady drawdown can be computed at a given point in an aquifer at a given time due to a given constant rate of pumping from a well. |
| water quality criteria | scientifically derived ambient limits developed and updated by EPA, under section 304(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act, for specific pollutants of concern |
| runoff | water that runs off the soil surface |
| cyclone | An area of closed pressure circulation with rotating and converging winds, the center of which is a relative pressure minimum |
| well injection | The subsurface emplacement of fluids into a well. |
| quarry | A surface mine usually for the extraction of construction stone. |
| litre | The basic unit of measurement for volume in the metric system; equal to 61.025 cubic inches or 1.0567 liquid quarts. |
| trickle | To flow or fall in drops or in a thin stream. |
| stable/stability | Occurs when a rising air parcel becomes denser than the surrounding air |
| water witch | A person who predicts the presence of underground water with hand-held tools such as forked twigs (Divining Rod) or metal rods |
| cosmetic solution | Acting upon symptoms or given conditions without correcting the actual cause of the symptoms or conditions. |
| thalweg | (1) The lowest thread along the axial part of a valley or stream channel |
| subtropical | The region between the tropical and temperate regions, an area between 35° and 40° North and South latitude |
| soaker hose | A low-flow watering device with small holes throughout the surface of the hose used to soak plant beds and gardens. |
| seamount | An isolated, conical mound rising more than 1000 m above the ocean floor |
| sky | The vault-like apparent surface against which all aerial objects are seen from the earth. |
| rille | An elongate trench of cracklike valleys on the moon's surface |
| tundra | A tundra is a cold, treeless area; it is the coldest biome. |
| hydrotropism | Growth or movement in a sessile (fixed, root-bound) organism toward or away from water, as of the roots of a plant. |
| climate change | long term variations in climate, particularly related to average annual temperatures and annual rainfall. |
| inflow design flood | The maximum probable flood defined as the largest flood that can be expected to occur on a given stream at a selected point |
| aggrading | The building up of a stream channel which is flowing too slowly to carry its sediment load. |
| snow crust | The crisp, almost icy, surface on fallen snow, usually formed by the slight melting and refreezing of the surface snow. |
| dew point | The temperature to which air must be cooled at a constant pressure to become saturated. |
| irrigation water | water which is applied to assist crops in areas or during times where rainfall is inadequate. |
| fault creep | A very slow movement along a fault which is unaccompanied by perceptible earthquakes. |
| adsorption | the adhesion of a substance to the surface of a solid or liquid |
| post-closure plan | A document prepared by a hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility outlining the groundwater monitoring and reporting, waste containment provisions, and security arrangement for the 30-year period following closure. |
| heavy water | water in which all the hydrogen atoms have been replaced by deuterium. |
| unconfined aquifer | An aquifer containing water that is not under pressure; the water level in a well is the same as the water table outside the well |
| frontolysis | The destruction or dying of a front where the transition zone is losing its contrasting properties |
| hydrothermal solution | A hot, watery solution that usually emanates from a magma in the late stages of cooling |
| neap tide | A tide that occurs when the difference between high and low tide is least; the lowest level of high tide |
| hydric soil | A soil that, in its undrained condition, is saturated, flooded, or ponded long enough during the growing season to develop Anaerobic conditions that favor the growth and regeneration of hydrophytic vegetation (Hydrophytes). |
| pediment | A gently sloping erosion surface formed at the base of a receding mountain front or cliff |
| confluence | (1) The act of flowing together; the meeting or junction of two or more streams or rivers; also, the place where these streams meet |
| finite element | a method of solving the governing equations of a numerical model by dividing the spatial domain into elements in each of which the solution of the governing equations is approximated by a continuous function. |
| fresh water | water containing less than 1,000 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved solids of any type |
| bernoulli's theorem | A statement of the conservation of energy for a steady, nonviscous, incompressible level flow |
| phreatophytes | plants that send their roots into or below the capillary zone to use ground water. |
| scatter-graph | a graph which plots values by the use of dots |
| terminal moraine | A cross-valley, ridge-like accumulation of glacial sediment that forms at the farthest point reached by the terminus of an advancing glacier |
| pile dike | Type of permeable structure for the protection of banks against caving; consists of a cluster of piles driven into the stream, braced and lashed together. |
| irrigated acreage | The land area that is irrigated, which is equivalent to total irrigated crop acreage minus the amount of acreage that was double cropped. |
| threatened species | Any plant or animal species likely to become an "endangered" species within the foreseeable future throughout all of a significant area of its range or natural habitat; identified by the Secretary of the Interior as "threatened", in accordance with the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA) |
| emigration | movement of people away from an area, region or country. |
| reconstituted glacier | A glacier formed below the terminus of a hanging glacier by the accumulation, and reconstitution by pressure melting (regelation), of ice blocks that have fallen and/or avalanched from the terminus of the hanging glacier |
| thunderhead | A round mass of Cumulus Clouds appearing before a Thunderstorm. |
| parshall flume | A device used to measure the flow of water in an open channel. |
| gneiss | A coarse, foliated metamorphic rock in which bands of granular minerals (commonly quartz and feldspars) alternate with bands of flaky or elongate minerals (e.g., micas, pyroxenes) |
| tidemark | A line or an artificial indicator marking the high-water or low-water limit of the tides. |
| point source | source of pollution that involves discharge of wastes from an identifiable point, such as a smokestack or sewage treatment plant |
| s-curve | The mass curve corresponding to a Unit Hydrograph or a distribution graph. |
| saline | of, containing, or concerned with salt (NaCl). |
| pretreatment | processes used to reduce, eliminate, or alter the nature of wastewater pollutants from non-domestic sources before they are discharged into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). |
| effluent | any substance, particularly a liquid, that enters the environment from a point source |
| sublimation | The process through which ice goes directly into a vapor without passing through the liquid state. |
| zone of accumulation | The snowfields or cirques of mountain glaciers and the snowfields of continental glaciers are called the zone of accumulation because it is here than new snow falls to nourish the glacier. |
| river profile | see long profile. |
| artesian basin | A geologic structural feature in which ground water is confined and is under artesian pressure. |
| litmus paper | An unsized white paper impregnated with Litmus and used as a Ph or acid-base indicator. |
| hydrophile | Having or denoting a strong affinity for water; said of Colloids which swell in water and which are not easily coagulated. |
| dock | (1) The area of water between two piers or alongside a pier that receives a ship for loading, unloading, or repairs |
| plateau | A plateau is a large, flat area of land that is higher than the surrounding land. |
| disproportionation | refers to the transformation of a substance into two or more dissimilar substances usually by simultaneous oxidation and reduction i.e |
| concentration | amount of a chemical or pollutant in a particular volume or weight of air, water, soil, or other medium. |
| alluvial dam lakes | Numerous basins which are the sites of both existing and extinct lakes in the arid regions of western U |
| soil water tension | The work that must be done per unit quantity of pure water to transport it from free water at the same elevation to soil water |
| superchlorination | Chlorination with doses that are deliberately selected to produce water free of combined residuals so large as to require dechlorination. |
| labour mobility | two kinds: |
| delta | An assemblage of sediments accumulated where a stream flows into a body of standing water and its velocity and transporting power are suddenly reduced |
| disturbed area | (Geology) Area where vegetation, topsoil, or overburden has been removed, or where topsoil, spoil, and processed waste has been placed. |
| hdi | see human development index. |
| partial pressure | In a mixture of gases, the pressure exerted by each gas independently of the other gases. |
| aspirator | is a device that produces vacuum by means of the Venturi effect |
| cryptomonads | A group of brown colored flagellate algae, very common in the phytoplankton. |
| stratocumulus | A low cloud composed of layers or patches of cloud elements |
| latent heat | (1) The quantity of heat absorbed or released by a substance undergoing a change of state, such as ice changing to water or water to steam, at constant temperature and pressure |
| arithmetic growth | (Statistics) A rate of increase (or decrease) by a constant amount per time period, for example a population increase of X persons per year, year after year |
| reverse osmosis | (1) (Desalination) Refers to the process of removing salts from water using a membrane |
| slump | The sliding or gravitational movement of an overlying layer of soil, typically from becoming saturated, and lying on a rock layer or other relatively impermeable layer. |
| cold low | at a given level in the atmosphere, any low that is generally characterized by colder air near its center than around its periphery; the opposite of a warm low. |
| altitude | How high a place is above sea level. |
| filter blanket | Layer of graded sand and gravel laid between fine‑grained material and riprap to serve as a filter. |
| catalase | A red crystalline enzyme that consists of a protein complex with hematin groups and catalyzes the decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide into water and oxygen. |
| downgradient | the direction that groundwater flows; similar to "downstream" for surface water. |
| organism abundance and condition | that portion of an Index of Biotic Integrity that is a metric measuring species abundance and condition, including proportion of individuals as hybrids and proportion of individuals with disease, tumors, physical damage, or physical anomalies. |
| erosion | The wearing down or washing away of the soil and land surface by the action of water, wind, or ice. |
| exempted aquifer | Underground bodies of water defined in the Underground Injection Control (UIC) program as aquifers that are potential sources of drinking water though not being used as such, and thus exempted from regulations barring underground injection activities. |
| aleutian low | Subpolar low pressure system found near the Aleutian Islands |
| scattered | The amount of sky cover for a cloud layer between 3/8ths and 4/8ths, based on the summation layer amount for that layer. |
| nrcs | Natural Resources Conservation Service |
| disinfection | (Water Quality) The process of killing a large portion of microorganisms in or on a substance, but not bacterial spores |
| animalia | Group, at the kingdom level, in the classification of life |
| rejuvenation | the increased erosional activity of a river brought about by a relative fall in sea-level which means the river must flow further and at increased gradient thus giving it more energy. |
| cretaceous | in geologic time, a period lasting from 144m to 65m years ago. |
| aquasol | A water soil |
| velocity head | Energy contained by fluid because of its velocity; usually expressed in feet of fluid (foot-pounds per pound). |
| rock glacier | A glacier-like landform that often heads in a cirque and consists of a valley-filling accumulation of angular rock blocks |
| reserve supply | Developed but presently unused surface water supply available to certain portions of a hydrologic study or planning area (as defined) to meet planned future water needs; the supply is not usually available to other areas needing additional water because of a lack of physical facilities and/or institutional arrangements. |
| electrical log | A record of electrical-resistivity tests made at various depths in a well. |
| high-grade metamorphism | Metamorphism that occurs under high temperature and high pressure. |
| core | (Geology) The central portion of the earth below the Mantle, beginning at a depth of about 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) and probably consisting of iron and nickel |
| hydroelectric plant | electric power plant in which the energy of falling water is used to spin a turbine generator to produce electricity. |
| seeding | is a technique to initiate crystallization from saturated or super-saturated solutions |
| surface wave | A seismic wave that travels along the earth's surface |
| short ton | A unit of weight that equals 2,000 pounds. |
| ice shelf | The floating terminus of a glacier, typically formed when a terrestrial glacier flow into a deep water basin, such as in Antarctica and the Canadian Arctic. |
| moulin | A vertical shaft at the downslope end of a transverse fissure |
| pressure relief pipes | Pipes used to relieve uplift or Pore Pressure in a dam foundation or in the dam structure. |
| bathtub | A large tub to bathe in. |
| continental drift | theory that the land mass of the earth was once held as a single continent which has since split into segments which have drifted apart and into the modern configuration of the continents |
| internal deformation | One of the ways glaciers flow is by movement across the faces of the ice crystals that make the glacier. |
| caldera | A large, basin-shaped volcanic depression, more or less circular in form |
| tuff | A fine-grained rock composed of volcanic ash. |
| dissolved organic carbon | A measure of the organic compounds that are dissolved in water |
| farm-out arrangement | A contractual agreement in which a mineral rights owner or lessee assigns a working interest to another party who will become responsible for specific exploration, development or production activities. |
| wavelength | The horizontal distance between similar points on two successive waves, measured perpendicular to the crest. |
| penstock | (1) A gate or sluice used in controlling the flow of water |
| degasification | A water treatment process that removes dissolved gases from the water. |
| outlet glacier | A tonguelike stream of ice, resembling a valley glacier, that forms where a continental glacier encounters a mountain system and is forced to move through a mountain pass in large streams. |
| triangular facet | a triangle shaped face that has been cut off by a passing, larger glacier |
| metamorphism | Alteration of the minerals, textures and composition of a rock caused by exposure to heat, pressure and chemical actions. |
| water line | (Nautical) (1) The line on the hull of a ship to which the surface of the water rises |
| degradation | The general lowering of the surface of the land by processes of erosion. |
| waterlogged | see saturated. |
| headcutting | Channel degradation associated with abrupt changes in the bed elevation (headcut) that generally migrates in an upstream direction. |
| open channel system | A system of conveyance channels where the top flow boundary is a free surface (e.g., canal systems). |
| tailings | The waste material remaining after metal is extracted from ore. |
| fill slope | Side or end slope of an earth‑fill embankment |
| permafrost | The part of the earth's surface that is permanently frozen |
| erosion flood plain | A flood plain that has been created by the lateral erosion and the gradual retreat of the valley walls. |
| coastal plain | An area of low relief along a continental margin that is underlain by thick, gently dipping sediments. |
| spread/spreading | A method of recharging a Ground Water Basin by diverting water to a highly-pervious area for Percolation into the basin |
| water demand | The water requirements for a particular purpose, such as irrigation, power production, municipal supply, plant transpiration, or storage. |
| easement | A legal instrument enabling the giving, selling, or taking or certain land or water rights without transfer of title, such as for the passage of utility lines |
| plateau basalt | Basalt extruded in extensive, nearly horizontal layers, which, after uplift, tend to erode into great plateaus |
| cold wave | A rapid fall in temperature within twenty-four hours to temperatures requiring substantially increased protection to agriculture, industry, commerce, and social activities |
| iceberg | A block of ice that has broken or calved from the face of a glacier and is floating in a body of marine of fresh water |
| toxic hot spot | location in enclosed bay, estuary, or any adjacent waters that has toxic pollution problems in the water or sediment in excess of applicable standards. |
| osmotic pressure | The pressure exerted by the flow of water through a semipermeable membrane separating two solutions with different concentrations of solute. |
| water allocation | In a hydrologic system in which there are multiple uses or demands for water, the process of measuring a specific amount of water devoted to a given purpose or use. |
| watershed lag | The time from the center of mass of effective rainfall to peak of hydrograph. |
| cut-off low | A closed cold core low completely removed from the primary westerly flow |
| thunder | The sound emitted by rapidly expanding gases along the channel of a lightning discharge |
| ice fog | Fog that is composed of minute ice particles |
| terracing | A series of levels on a hillside, one above the other; dikes built along the contour of sloping farm land that hold runoff and sediment to reduce erosion |
| crescentic gouge | Any curved mark or fracture produced by plucking or chipping of the glacier's bed |
| fissure | a crack in the crust through which lava may erupt. |
| usable storage capacity | The available storage capacity plus the remaining ground water storage within a reasonable pump lift |
| cec | Cation Exchange Capacity |
| hydrogeologic | Those factors that deal with subsurface waters and related geologic aspects of surface waters. |
| cce | Carbon - Chloroform Extract |
| wilderness study area | An area possessing wilderness characteristics as defined in the Wilderness Act, an identified pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 |
| striations | Multiple, generally parallel, linear grooves, carved by rocks frozen in the bed of a glacier into the bedrock over which it flows. |
| percolation test | A soil test to determine if soil will take sufficient water seepage for use of a septic tank. |
| overflow rate | one of the guidelines for design of the settling tanks and clarifiers in a treatment plant. |
| clay | A clastic mineral particle of any composition that has a grain size smaller than 1/256 mm |
| leachate collection system | a system that gathers leachate and pumps it to the surface for treatment. |
| hydrothermal deposits | Mineral deposits that are formed by the actions of hot water or gases associated with a magmatic source. |
| coliform bacteria | A group of bacteria used as an indicator of sanitary quality in water |
| carbonate aquifer | An aquifer found in limestone and dolomite rocks |
| management indicator species | (Environmental) A species selected because its welfare is presumed to be an indicator of the welfare of other species in the habitat |
| alluvial fan flooding | Flooding occurring on the surface of an Alluvial Fan or similar landform which originates at the apex and is characterized by high-velocity flows: active processes of erosion, sediment transport, deposition, and unpredictable flow paths. |
| analytical model | A model that provides approximate or exact solutions to simplified forms of the differential equations for water movement and solute transport |
| meter | A unit of length which constitutes the basis of the Metric System, was intended to be, and is very nearly, one ten-millionth part of the distance measured on a meridian of the earth from the equator to the pole, being equal to 39.37 U.S |
| effluent guidelines | Technical U.S |
| recharge basin | A surface facility, often a large pond, used to increase the infiltration of surface water into a ground water basin. |
| habitat conservation plan | A requirement under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when economic development may result in harm to Threatened or Endangered Species |
| micro-organism | any organism not visible to the naked eye, for example, bacteria. |
| hydroelectric | Having to do with production of electricity by water power from falling water. |
| flow | the rate of water discharged from a source expressed in volume with respect to time. |
| magnetic north | The direction that a compass points |
| contour trenching | Development of water storage Detention or Retention Facilities along the contour by excavation and placement of soils as an embankment along the downstream side |
| mcf | One thousand cubic feet - the standard sales volume for natural gas. |
| afforestation | planting of trees on previously un-wooded land. |
| isoconcentration | Graphic plot of points having the same contaminant concentration levels. |
| contour line | on topographical maps, the isolines connecting points of equal height above sea-level. |
| soil amendment | Any material added to soil that enhances plant growth. |
| piedmont glacier | large ice lobe spread out over surrounding terrain, associated with the terminus of a large mountain valley glacier. |
| face | The external surface of a structure, such as the surface of an appurtenance or a dam. |
| steady state | In a system with a flow-through of material (e.g., water) or energy, the equilibrium condition in which the flow in equals the flow out. |
| depositional remanent magnetism | Develops as magnetic minerals settle through water and align themselves in the Earth's magnetic field. |
| slackwater channel | A navigation channel in a canal or river where the water surface elevation is controlled by a dam or dams with locks. |
| island arc | a chain, often arc-shaped, of volcanic islands |
| aeolian | Geomorphic process involving wind |
| condensation point | is the temperature at which the conversion of a substance from the vapor state to a denser liquid or solid state takes place usually initiated by a reduction in temperature of the vapor |
| surface tension | A phenomenon caused by a strong attraction towards the interior of the liquid action on liquid molecules in or near the surface in such a way to reduce the surface area |
| settlement | a location where people have built structures to use as a base for their existence. |
| graded profile | the long-section or profile of a river from source to mouth |
| anthropogenic | Involving the impact of man on nature; induced, caused, or altered by the presence and activities of man, as in water and air pollution. |
| stratum | A horizontal layer or section. |
| heat wave | A period of abnormally and uncomfortably hot weather |
| suspended load | Small particles being carried by a stream and held in suspension by the movement of the water |
| national strike force | An organization under the leadership of the U.S |
| cloud bank | A well-defined cloud mass that can be observed at a distance |
| physiographic province | (Geography) A region of similar structure and climate that has had a unified Geomorphic history. |
| calorie intake | a measure of the amount of energy derived from food |
| meteorological element | any one of the properties or conditions of the atmosphere which together specify the weather at a given place for any particular time (for example, air temperature, pressure, wind, humidity, thunderstorm and fog). |
| pogonip | A term used in the Western United States denoting a dense winter fog containing frozen particles, formed in the deep valleys of the Sierra Nevada. |
| api | Antecedent Precipitation Index. |
| chemist | A person who specializes or works in chemistry. |
| eluviation | removal of material from a soil horizon, usually downward. |
| conservation | The continuing protection and management of natural resources in accordance with principles that assure their optimum long-term economic and social benefits. |
| heat balance | equilibrium between the gain and loss of heat at a specific place or for a specific system. |
| clay liner | A layer of clay soil that is added to the bottom and sides of a pit designed for use as a disposal site for potentially dangerous wastes |
| plastic | description of the movement of a glacier |
| sanitary water | Water discharged from sinks, showers, kitchens, or other nonindustrial operations, but not from commodes |
| capillary rise | The height above a free water surface to which water will rise by Capillary Action. |
| truncated spur | steep cliff face at the side of a glacial trough where a valley glacier has removed an interlocking spur |
| dew | Condensation in the form of small water drops that forms on grass and other small objects near the ground when the temperature has fallen to the dew point, generally during the nighttime hours. |
| newhall winds | The local name for winds blowing downward from desert uplands through the Newhall Pass southward into the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles. |
| biomonitoring | a test used to evaluate the relative potency of a chemical by comparing its effect on a living organism with the effect of a standard population on the same type of organism. |
| grit chamber | A small detention basin designed to permit the settling of inorganic materials while passing the organic fraction. |
| rare species | A species of plant or animal which, although not presently threatened with extinction, is in such small numbers throughout its range that it may be endangered if its environment worsens. |
| deflation | Erosion of loose rock particles by wind. |
| hydrant | A discharge pipe with a valve and spout at which water may be drawn from a water main (as for fighting fires) called also fireplug; (2) Faucet. |
| subsidence | sinking to a lower level. |
| sill | A tabular body of intrusive rock injected between layers of the enclosing rock. |
| bed forms | three-dimensional configurations of bed material, which are formed in streambeds by the action of flowing water. |
| rain gage | any instrument used for recording and measuring time, distribution, and the amount of rainfall. |
| cumulus clouds | A principal cloud type characterized by vertical development; usually isolated with a dark, nearly horizontal base and upper parts resembling domes or towers and usually formed by the ascent of thermally unstable air masses |
| nitrification | The conversion of nitrogenous matter into Nitrates by bacteria; the process whereby ammonia in wastewater is oxidized to nitrite and then to nitrate by bacterial or chemical reactions. |
| imbricated | Reference to stream bed sediment particles, having an overlapping or shingled pattern. |
| model plant | A hypothetical plant design used for developing economic, environmental, and energy impact analyses as support for regulations or regulatory guidelines; the first step in exploring the economic impact of potential New Source Performance Standards (NSPS). |
| squall | A brief, sudden, violent windstorm, often accompanied by rain or snow. |
| cation exchange capacity | ability of the soil to retain cations and thus be fertile. |
| glacier toe | the lowest end of a glacier; also called glacier snout or terminus. |
| reserves | Natural resources that can be exploited in an economically feasible manner employing current technology |
| jetter | one (as a geyser) that sends out a jet. |
| shield volcano | A large volcano shaped like a flattened dome and built up almost entirely of numerous flows of fluid basaltic lava |
| mindel | European glaciation related to North American Kansan glaciation. |
| surface mining | The process of removing mineral deposits that are found close enough to the surface so that the construction of tunnels (underground mining) is not necessary |
| moat | A deep, wide ditch, usually filled with water, typically surrounding a fortified medieval town, fortress, or castle as a protection against assault. |
| flow path | The subsurface course a water molecule or solute would follow in a given ground-water velocity field. |
| evaporation | The process by which a liquid changes to a vapour. |
| residential area | an area where the dominant land-use is for homes. |
| alum | Common name for commercial-grade Aluminum Sulfate |
| gallon | A unit of volume |
| cumulative causation | the idea that one factor can trigger a sequence of events which reinforce and amplify the entire process concerned |
| ice core | two types: |
| imbrian period | The period of lunar history during which the large multiringed basins, such as Mare Imbrium, were formed and the mare basalts extruded (from 3.9 billion to 3.1 billion years ago). |
| air pressure | the force of the atmosphere on the surface. |
| humus | the decomposed organic element of the soil |
| hydrograph | The graph of stage or discharge against time. |
| carbon | A nonmetallic element found in all organic substances and in some inorganic substances, as diamonds, coal, graphite, charcoal and lampblack. |
| cold vapor | method to test water for the presence of mercury. |
| hail | Precipitation that originates in convective clouds, such as cumulonimbus, in the form of balls or irregular pieces of ice, which comes in different shapes and sizes |
| hygroscopic water | that water in the soil which exists as a microscopic level as a layer around particle of clay |
| synthetic organic chemicals | Man-made chemicals containing carbon including pesticides, herbicides, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) |
| lorenz curve | a line graph that portrays the (un)evenness of a geographical distribution |
| administered groundwater basin | A groundwater basin (watershed, area, or sub-area) which, in the interest of public welfare, is monitored by an appropriate agency to insure adequate water resources for prescribed uses |
| pingo | An Arctic mound or conical hill, consisting of an outer layer of soil covering a core of solid ice. |
| bathtub effect | The accumulation of Leachate in a landfill containing a good liner, but not equipped with a leachate collection and removal system. |
| table | water beneath the surface of the ground, consisting largely of surface water that has seeped down, water beneath the earth's surface, occurring in aquifers at one or more depth levels, (see surface water). |
| organic | Of or related to a substance that contains carbon atoms linked together by carbon-carbon bonds |
| abyssal floor | The deep, relatively flat surface of the ocean floor located on both sides of the oceanic ridge |
| greenhouse effect | The warming of the earth's atmosphere caused by a build-up of carbon dioxide or other trace gases; it is believed by many scientists that this build-up allows light from the sun's rays to heat the earth but prevents a counterbalancing loss of heat. |
| absolute zero | Considered to be the point at which theoretically no molecular activity exists or the temperature at which the volume of a perfect gas vanishes |
| water-based recreation | Those activities which require water for participation such as boating, swimming, sailing and canoeing. |
| heat flow | The movement of heat energy from the core of the Earth towards the surface. |
| concentration units | Express the amount of a chemical dissolved in water |
| ablation | Surface removal of ice or snow from a glacier or snowfield by melting, sublimation, and/or calving. |
| flush | to open a cold-water tap to clear out all the water which may have been sitting for a long time in the pipes; to force large amounts of water through a system to clean out piping or tubing and storage or process tanks. |
| landsat | a remote-sensing satellite program run by NASA and the U.S |
| index of biotic integrity | a multi-metric measure of biological condition developed from collection of data for fish or other organisms |
| ecotone | (1) A habitat created by the juxtaposition of distinctly different habitats; an edge habitat; or an ecological zone or boundary where two or more ecosystems meet |
| critical dry period | As a general definition, describes a series of water-deficient years, usually a historical period, in which a full reservoir storage system at the beginning is drawn down to minimum storage at the end without any spill. |
| mantle plume | A rising mass of hot mantle material that can create an area of volcanic activity in the center of a lithospheric plate. |
| protozoa | Small, one-celled animals including amoebae, ciliates, and flagellants. |
| twister | A slang term used in the United States for a tornado. |
| baroclinity | The state of stratification in a fluid in which surfaces of constant pressure intersect surfaces of constant density |
| cambrian | in geologic time, a period lasting from 570m to 505m years ago. |
| combined sewer system | A sewage system that carries both sanitary sewage and storm water runoff |
| perennial crops | Those plants that live and evapotranspire throughout the year (365 days). |
| osmotroph | An organism that obtains nutrients through the active uptake of soluble materials across the cell membrane |
| divergent plate boundary | A plate margin formed where the lithosphere splits into plates that drift apart from one another |
| halite | The mineral name for "rock salt" |
| infrastructure | the collective name for all the communication links and basic utility links that get built across a country to facilitate movements |
| gravity flow | The downhill flow of water through a system of pipes, generated by the force of gravity. |
| calving | process by which ice breaks off a glacier's terminus; usually the term is reserved for tidewater glaciers or glaciers that end in lakes, but it can refer to ice that falls from hanging glaciers. |
| retention | That part of the precipitation falling on a drainage area that does not escape as a surface streamflow, during a given period. |
| recrystallization | Reorganization of elements of the original minerals in a rock resulting from changes in temperature and pressure and from the activity of pore fluids. |
| nucleation | Any process by which the phase change of a substance to a more condensed state (condensation, sublimation, freezing) is initiated at certain loci, nuclei, within the less condensed state. |
| dependable yield | The maximum annual supply of a given water development that is expected to be available on demand, with the understanding that lower yields will occur in accordance with a predetermined schedule or probability |
| permeability | the ability of a water bearing material to transmit water |
| canal reach | The segment of the main canal system consisting of a series of canal pools between major flow control structures. |
| bergy bit | A large chunk of glacial ice (or a very small iceberg) which floats in the sea. |
| partial melting | The process by which minerals with low melting points liquefy within a rock body as a result of an increase in temperature or a decrease in pressure (or both) while other minerals in the rock are still solid |
| petrochemicals | Chemical substances produced from petroleum in refinery operations and as fuel oil residues |
| mean tide level | A plane midway between mean high water and mean low water. |
| tributary | a river of creek that flows into a larger river. |
| cover crop | A close-growing crop grown primarily for the purpose of protecting and improving soil between periods of regular crop production or between trees and vines in orchards and vineyards. |
| secondary standards | Allowable amounts of materials in air or water that are set to retain environmental qualities not related to the protection of human health |
| ordinate | (Mathematics) The plane Cartesian coordinate representing the distance from a specified point to the x-axis (Abscissa), measured parallel to the y-axis. |
| density current | A gravity-driven flow of dense water down an underwater slope |
| gnp | see gross national product. |
| atropisomer | is a stereoisomer that results from hindered rotation about a single bond where the steric strain barrier to rotate is high enough to isolate the different conformers. |
| sewage treatment return flow | Water returned to the hydrologic system by a Sewage Treatment Plant. |
| isotope | One of the several forms of a chemical element that have the same number of protons in the nucleus but differ in the number of neutrons and thus differ in atomic weight. |
| emergent hydrophytes | Erect, rooted, herbaceous Angiosperms that may be temporarily to permanently flooded at the base but do not tolerate prolonged inundation of the entire stem or plant |
| contract rate | The repayment or water service rate set forth in a contract to be paid by a district to the federal government. |
| cove | A small sheltered inlet, creek, or bay; a recess in the shore. |
| disposal system | A system for the disposing of wastes, either by surface or underground methods; includes sewer systems, treatment works, disposal wells, and other systems. |
| wadi | A stream valley in an arid region that is dry except during the rainy season. |
| hail | a form of precipitation which forms into balls or lumps of ice over 0.2 inch in diameter |
| supersaturation | In water, the condition which occurs in the atmosphere when the relative humidity is greater than 100 percent. |
| drainage density | (1) The relative density of natural drainage channels in a given area, obtained by dividing the total length of the stream channels by the area |
| differential weathering | Weathering that occurs at different rates, as the result of variations in composition and mechanical resistance of rocks, or differences in the intensity of weathering processes. |
| unconfined aquifer | an aquifer containing water that is not under pressure; the water level in a well is the same as the water table outside the well |
| sanitary sewers | underground pipes that carry off only domestic or industrial waste, not storm water. |
| cyanophyte | Blue green algae, algae of the division Cyanophyta actually a set of pigmented bacteria. |
| casing | The steel conduit required to prevent waste and contamination of the ground water and to hold the formation open during the construction or use of the well |
| gravel envelope | In well construction, a several-inch thickness of uniform gravel poured into the annular space between the well casing and the drilled hole |
| metamorphic rock | A rock changed from its original form and/or composition by heat, pressure, or chemically active fluids, or some combination of them. |
| seawater | The salt water in, or coming from the sea or ocean. |
| transparency | The portion of light that passes through water without distortion or absorption |
| unconfined | Conditions in which the upper surface of the Zone of Saturation forms a water table under atmospheric pressure. |
| sludge volume index | A laboratory test result used to indicate the rate at which Sludge is to be returned from the discharge end of an Aeration Tank to the inflow (upstream) end |
| devonian | in geologic time, a period lasting from 408m to 360m years ago. |
| nutrient pollution | Contamination of water resources by excessive inputs of nutrients |
| riffle | a bar-shaped deposit on a channel bed, midstream. |
| copepodites | The penultimate five, out of a total of twelve, life history stages of copepods. |
| meadow | An area of moist low-lying grassland usually along a watercourse supporting a more dense stand of grasses and perhaps dwarf shrubs as compared to adjacent more arid uplands. |
| bottom fauna | see benthos. |
| vector line | This is a course line that is predicted within a specified number of minutes assuming the aircraft's course is not changed. |
| desorption | The removal of a substance adsorbed to the surface of an adsorbent |
| bentonite | A clay material that swells as it dries, filling gaps and sealing itself against a well casing |
| spread effect | the transfer of resources away from a core area to a peripheral area due to diseconomies of scale. |
| main | A relatively large pipe in a distribution system for drinking water or in a collection system for municipal wastewater |
| bankfull stage | The stage at which a stream first begins overflows its natural banks |
| biodiversity | biological diversity or the variety of life forms, comprising genetic diversity (within species), species diversity and ecosystems diversity. |
| pluvial | wet period during the Pleistocene evidenced by fluvial features In currently arid areas. |
| wicket | A sluice gate for regulating the amount of water in a millrace or a canal or for emptying a lock. |
| economic man | assumption used in many models of economic geography that human decision-making and subsequent behaviour is based on rational economic motives |
| mobile phase | is a term used in chromatography |
| debris flow | The rapid downslope movement of debris (rock, soil, and mud). |
| epithermal | A Hydrothermal mineral deposit formed within approximately one kilometer (0.6 mile) of the earth's surface and in the temperature range of 50°C (122°F) to 200°C (392°F). |
| coefficient of determination | (Statistics) A common measure of the "Goodness of Fit" in Regression Analysis used to assess the degree of causation between two variables or between one or more independent variables and a single dependent variable |
| leeward | the downwind area from a slope. |
| arma | AutoRegressive Moving Average. |
| wilting point | The minimum quantity of water in a given soil necessary to maintain plant growth |
| storage coefficient | (1) For surface water, the relation of storage capacity in a reservoir to the mean annual flow of a stream above the dam forming the reservoir |
| helical flow | Three‑dimensional movement of water particles along a spiral path in the general direction of flow |
| bird-foot delta | A delta with distributaries extending seaward and in map view resembling the claws of a bird |
| weeper | A hole or pipe in a wall to allow water to run off. |
| wellfield | area containing one or more wells that produce usable amounts of water or oil. |
| blowout | A basin excavated by wind erosion. |
| rock knob | Carved by the forward advance of the glacier, these knobs have a smooth side and a plucked side |
| daily discharge | Discharge averaged over 1 day (24 hours). |
| econometrics | (Statistics) The application of statistical and mathematical methods to the analysis of economic data, with a purpose of giving empirical content to economic theories and verifying them or refuting them |
| glacial | (1) Period of time during an ice age when glaciers advance because of colder temperatures |
| basin | The soil surface area, which drains into a network of rivers and/or streams |
| garden city | in the UK, a planned settlement with low housing density |
| beta index | a measurement of connectivity using the formula |
| melt ponds | pools of melted snow and ice on the sea ice surface created during the summer melt. |
| orogenic | (Geology) Pertaining to the process of mountain-building, especially by the folding of the earth's crust |
| water law | A law that has been instigated to control the right to the use of water |
| primacy | when the primate city is overly large compared to the size expected according to the rank-size rule. |
| bed | (1) An underwater or intertidal area in which a particular organism is established in large numbers |
| mohorovicic discontinuity | The first global seismic discontinuity below the surface of the earth |
| normal water level | For a reservoir with a fixed overflow, the lowest crest level of that overflow |
| decant | To draw off the upper layer of liquid after the heaviest material (a solid or other liquid) has settled. |
| lateral plate margin | see conservative plate margin. |
| anaerobic decomposition | The degradation of materials by Anaerobic microorganisms living beneath the ground or in oxygen-depleted water to form reduced compounds such as methane or hydrogen sulfide |
| rime | (1) A coating of ice, as on grass and trees, formed when extremely cold water droplets freeze almost instantly on a cold surface |
| composite volcano | one in which the cone is made up of alternating layers of lavas and ashes. |
| mineralization | (1) The general process by which elements present in organic compounds are eventually converted into inorganic forms, ultimately to become available for a new cycle of plant growth |
| cyclolysis | process of weakening or terminating of a cyclonic circulation in the atmosphere; the opposite of cyclogenesis. |
| humidity | (1) water vapor content of the air |
| monitoring | Sampling and analysis of air, water, soil, wildlife, and other conditions, to determine the concentrations of contaminants. |
| ogee | A reverse curve shaped like an elongated letter S |
| old field | Cropland that is no longer used to produce an agricultural crop and that has been allowed to revert to natural plant cover. |
| inorganic | non-living things |
| elastic limit | The maximum stress that a given substance can withstand without undergoing permanent deformation either by solid flow or by rupture. |
| state industry | one which is owned and operated by the government. |
| combined sewer overflow | (Water Quality) The condition that occurs when a Combined Sewer System (CSS) that is already loaded with wastewater experiences an influx of stormwater runoff from a heavy rain or melting snows |
| b-horizon | A layer in the soil, below the A-horizon, where materials leached from above accumulate |
| esdim | Environmental Services Data and Information Management |
| epicenter | The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake. |
| fissure eruption | Extrusion of lava along a fissure. |
| granular activated carbon | In water treatment, granular activated carbon has been used mainly for taste and odor control, with some special applications that remove Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOCs) or Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) from contaminated water |
| insolation | (1) exposure of an object to the sun (2) intensity of incoming solar radiation incident on a unit horizontal surface at a specific level. |
| ·recessional moraine | A ridge of glacial sediment that forms when the terminus of a retreating glacier remains at or near a single location for a period of time sufficient for a cross-valley accumulation to form. |
| indicator tests | tests for a specific contaminant, group of contaminants, or constituent which signals the presence of something else (ex., coliforms indicate the presence of pathogenic bacteria). |
| ansi | An acronym for American National Standards Institute |
| blowout | A shallow, round or trough-shaped depression in sand or dry soil that is formed by wind erosion |
| capillary action | movement of water through very small spaces due to molecular forces called capillary forces. |
| staphylococcus | A microscopic bacteria common to skin and mucous membranes |
| mean annual runoff | The average value of all annual runoff amounts usually estimated from the period of record or during a specified base period from a specified area. |
| supply | a schedule that shows the various quantities of things offered for sale at various prices at a point in time |
| derecho | A line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving thunderstorms that moves across a great distance |
| interstices | the void or empty portion of rock or soil occupied by air or water. |
| stage | The height of a water surface above some established reference point or Datum (not the bottom) at a given location |
| glacial table | block of ice protected by a large rock from ablation and sunny weather |
| kinetic rate coefficient | A number that describes the rate at which a water constituent such as a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) or Dissolved Oxygen (DO) rises or falls. |
| soil texture | A classification of soils based on the size distribution of mineral grains comprising the soil |
| ammonium sulfate | A brownish-grey to white crystalline salt, (NH4)2SO4, used in fertilizers and water purification. |
| acid-forming material | Material containing sulfide minerals or other materials, which if exposed to air, water, or weathering processes will form sulfuric acid that may create Acid Mine Drainage. |
| static level | The level of water in a nonpumping or nonflowing well |
| bubbler | A drinking fountain from which a stream of water bubbles upward. |
| macrophyte | A member of the macroscopic plant life, especially of a body of water. |
| hardpoint | Streambank protection structure whereby "soft" or erodible materials are removed from a bank and replaced by stone or compacted clay |
| dome | The high, central stable portion of an ice sheet with low rates of accumulation and slow ice movement. |
| degradation | when high discharge creates a high energy environment in a river channel leading to a lowering of the channel bed. |
| blue ice | Water molecules reflect blue wavelengths of light. |
| infiltration | paving, roofs, roadways or other human structures, impervious cover increases runoff and affects the quantity and composition of non-point source pollution, the quality or state of being impermeable, resisting penetration by water or plant roots. |
| raindrop | A drop of rain. |
| aggradation | deposition of load within river channels. |
| hydraulic mining | Mining by washing sand and dirt away with water, leaving the desired mineral. |
| plug flow | type of flow that occurs in tanks, basins, or reactors when a slug of water moves through without ever dispersing or mixing with the rest of the water flowing through. |
| deflation | The removal of clay- and silt-size particles from a soil by wind erosion |
| depth sounder | An ultrasonic instrument used to measure the depth of water under a ship. |
| conservation | the maintenance of a landscape (natural or man-made) in its current state. |
| production | the conversion of raw materials into usable products. |
| lacustrine | Pertaining to lakes |
| ocean | such as a bay, mouth of a river, salt marsh or lagoon, deepwater tidal habitat and tidal wetland, they are usually partially enclosed by land but have free access to the ocean and are at least occasionally diluted by fresh water runoff from the land. |
| mixed precipitation | Any of the following combinations of freezing and frozen precipitation: snow and sleet, snow and freezing rain, or sleet alone |
| paleocurrent | An ancient current, which existed in the geologic past, with a direction of flow that can be inferred from cross-bedding, ripple marks, and other sedimentary structures. |
| elutriate | To purify, separate, or remove by washing, decanting, and settling. |
| moulin | A nearly vertical shaft or cavity worn in a glacier by surface or rock debris falling through a crack in the ice. |
| buttress dam | A dam consisting of a watertight upstream face supported at intervals on the downstream side by a series of buttresses |
| satellite plant | Generally refers to a wastewater treatment facility in an outlying area, not connected to the main plant. |
| doubling time | number of years taken for a population to double in size (number). |
| sedimentation | The process of sediment deposition from out of a suspension or solution. |
| supersaturate | (1) To cause (a chemical solution) to be more highly concentrated than is normally possible under given conditions of temperature and pressure |
| methylcellulose | Any of various gummy products of cellulose methylation that swell in water and are used especially as emulsifiers, adhesives, thickeners, and bulk laxatives. |
| covalent bond | A chemical bond in which electrons are shared between different atoms so that none of the atoms has a net charge. |
| exposure | Bedrock not covered with soil or regolith; outcrop |
| seasonality | (Statistics) Periodic, repetitive, and generally predictable patterns in time series data |
| heat pump | An apparatus for heating or cooling a building by transferring heat by mechanical means from or to a reservoir (as the ground, water, or air) outside the building. |
| shorebird | One of several families of often long-legged wading birds that inhabit the seacoast and shallow fresh-water bodies including sandpipers, stilts, killdeer, avocets, plovers and others. |
| neutral soil | A soil in which the surface layer, at least to normal plow depth, is neither acid nor alkaline in reaction, approximately 7.0 pH. |
| total water used | Total water withdrawal which does not include recirculation. |
| thundercloud | A large dark cloud charged with electricity and producing thunder and lightning; A Cumulonimbus cloud |
| nitrogen narcosis | A state of euphoria and exhilaration that occurs when nitrogen in normal air enters the bloodstream at approximately seven times atmospheric pressure (as in deep-water diving) |
| recharge | Water added to an aquifer or other water body |
| biomonitoring | surveillance of an ecosystem to monitor and record change. |
| wetlands management | The maintenance or modification of Wetlands to achieve desired functions. |
| sulfur dioxide | A colorless, irritating gas that is a primary cause of Acid Rain |
| ecological risk assessment | The application of a formal framework, analytical process, or model to estimate the effects of human actions on a natural resource and to interpret the significance of those effects in light of the uncertainties identified in each component of the assessment process |
| seismic discontinuity | A surface within the earth at which seismic wave velocities abruptly change. |
| completion | sealing off access of undesireable water to the well bore by proper casing and/or cementing procedures. |
| cinder | A fragment of volcanic ejecta from 0.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter. |
| dechlorination | The partial or complete reduction of residual chlorine in a liquid by any chemical or physical process |
| flood wave | A distinct rise in stage, culminating in a crest and followed by recession to lower stages. |
| classical inference | (Statistics) Statistical inference is based on two basic premises: (1) The sample data constitute the only relevant information; and (2) The construction and assessment of the different procedures for inference are based on long-run behavior under essentially similar circumstances |
| water requirement | The total quantity of water, regardless of its source, required for production of crops at their normal growth under field conditions |
| catabolism | The biological breakdown of materials into their simpler components, i.e., decomposition |
| reclamation of wastewater | The process of treating salvaged water from municipal, industrial, or agricultural waste water sources for beneficial uses, whether by means of special facilities or through natural processes. |
| solubilize | To make (substances such as fats and lipids) soluble in water by the action of a detergent or similar agent. |
| horn | A sharp peak formed at the intersection of the headwalls of three or more cirques. |
| amprometric titration | A means to measure concentrations of certain substances in water using an electric current that flows during a chemical reaction |
| strike | The geographic direction of a line created by the intersection of a plane and the horizontal |
| heat budget | see energy budget. |
| till | A random mixture of finely crushed rock, sand, pebbles, and boulders deposited by a glacier. |
| gage height | A measured height of water above a reference datum |
| instream cover | overhanging or instream structure, such as tree roots, undercut streambanks, boulders, or aquatic vegetation that offer protection for aquatic organisms. |
| witch | To use a divining rod to find underground water or minerals; Dowse. |
| nitrate | A chemical compound having the formula NO3- |
| net water use | Refers to water withdrawals plus or minus water transfers |
| ecology | The study of relationships between organisms and their environments. |
| udi | See Ground Water Under the Direct Influence (UDI) of Surface Water. |
| cluster development | Placement of housing and other buildings of a development in groups to provide larger areas of open space between groups. |
| boat | A small vessel used to travel on water. |
| segment | a water body or portion of a water body that is individually defined and classified |
| rock flour | Fine-grained rock material produced when a glacier abrades or scrapes rock beneath it. |
| packer | A device lowered into a well to produce a fluid-tight seal. |
| microcosm | A laboratory model of a natural Ecosystem in which certain environmental variables can be manipulated to observe the response |
| long profile | the side view of a river course from source to mouth which shows how the gradient of the river changes as it flows. |
| silvics | (1) The science treating of the life of trees in the forest |
| choropleth map | a map using different densities of shading to indicate the distribution of different classes of data by administrative unit across an area. |
| wet adiabatic lapse rate | The rate of temperature decrease as a parcel of air saturated with water rises and the pressure decreases, given by:à°s = -dT/dzwhere:dT is the temperature change;dz is the change in altitude; andà°s is the saturated (wet) Adiabatic Lapse Rate |
| snout | the front end of a corrie glacier or valley glacier. |
| saline marsh | A saturated, poorly drained area, intermittently or permanently water covered, having aquatic and grasslike vegetation whose water chemistry contains various dissolved salts. |
| substrate | (1) The substances used for food by microorganisms in liquid suspension, as in wastewater treatment |
| strombolian eruption | A type of volcanic eruption characterized by fountains of lava jetting from a lava-filled central crater. |
| wave machine | A device used for converting the energy of ocean waves into electrical energy |
| irrigation structure | Any structure or device necessary for the proper conveyance, control, measurement, or application of irrigation water. |
| standard permeability | The permeability corresponding to a temperature of 60F. |
| ecotone | a transition zone between two distinctly different ecosystems or communities. |
| eolian | Pertaining to wind. |
| hydraulic | Pertaining to a fluid in motion. |
| estuary | A bay at the mouth of a river formed by subsidence of the sand or by a rise in sea level |
| cypress knees | Part of a cypress tree's root system that juts out of the ground, extending above the high water mark. |
| ash flow | A turbulent blend of unsorted pyroclastic material (mostly fine-grained) mixed with high-temperature gases ejected explosively from a fissure or crater. |
| quartzose | An adjective used in reference to a rock that is composted primarily of quartz. |
| latent heat of fusion | the amount of heat required to cause a change of phase from solid to liquid, or the heat released when the phase change is from liquid to solid; in the case of melting snow, the phase change from ice to water requires a significant amount of heat160 times that required to raise the temperature of the same amount of ice by just 1 degree Celsius; until the required amount of heat is supplied to completely melt all of the ice being considered, no further increase in temperature will occur. |
| feedlot | A confined area for the controlled feeding of animals |
| stratosphere | The layer of the atmosphere located between the troposphere and the mesosphere, characterized by a slight temperature increase and absence of clouds |
| depauperate | (Biology) An area poor in species quantities and/or diversity; an aquatic sample showing few life forms |
| depositing substrates | Bottom areas where solids are being actively deposited; often occurring in the vicinity of effluent discharges. |
| iron formation | A layered deposit of chemical sedimentary rocks containing at least 15 percent (by weight) iron in the form of sulfide, oxide, hydroxide, or carbonate minerals. |
| sandstone | A sedimentary rock composed mostly of sand-size particles, usually cemented by calcite, silica, or iron oxide. |
| snowpack | The total ice and snow on the ground, including fresh and older snow and ice. |
| gravitation | The mutual attraction between two masses of matter |
| thunderbird | (Mythology) A spirit of thunder, lightning, and rain in the form of a huge bird in the mythology of certain Native American peoples. |
| hummock | A small, rounded or cone-shaped, low hill or a surface of other small, irregular shapes |
| mining | extraction of minerals from the crust for industrial use. |
| confined aquifer | an aquifer that lies between two rock layers of very low permeability |
| caliche | an alkaline salt deposit (crust) created by salinisation. |
| holding time | the maximum amount of time a sample may be stored before analysis. |
| arc view | Desktop computer software program that allows viewing, manipulation, and printing of maps of lands and lakes |
| glacial retreat | when the position of a mountain glacier's terminus is farther upvalley than before; occurs when a glacier ablates more material at its terminus than it transports into that region. |
| boiling point | The temperature at which a liquid changes to a vaporous state |
| tufa | (Geology) The calcareous and siliceous rock deposits of springs, lakes, or ground water |
| kettle | A depression that forms in an outwash plain or other glacial deposit by the melting of an in-situ block of glacier ice that was separated from the retreating glacier-margin and subsequently buried by glacier sedimentation |
| fid | =Flame Ionization Detector, a detector used in GC chromatography, very sensitive but destroys the sample due to combustion |
| fossil fuel | A fuel containing solar energy that was absorbed by plants and animals in the geologic past and thus is preserved in organic compounds in their remains |
| stream | the volume of water that passes a given point within a given period of time, an all-inclusive outflow term, describing a variety of flows such as from a pipe to a stream or from a stream to a lake or ocean, usually expressed in cubic feet per second. |
| convergent plate margin | see destructive plate margin. |
| physical weathering | The breaking down of parent rock into bits and pieces by exposure to temperature changes and the physical action of moving ice and water, growing roots, and human activities such as farming and construction |
| sag pipe | A section of a sewer line that is placed deeper in the ground than normal in order to pass under utility piping, waterways, rail lines, highways, or other obstacles |
| flashboard | A temporary barrier, relatively low in height and usually constructed of wood, placed along the crest of the spillway of a dam to allow the water surface in the reservoir to be raised above spillway level in order to increase the storage capacity |
| land application | discharge of wastewater onto the ground for treatment or reuse. |
| critical shear stress | Minimum amount of shear stress required to initiate soil particle motion. |
| desert pavement | A large accumulation of pebbles or boulders that cuts off further deflation . |
| navigable waters | The waters of the United States, including the territorial seas, and intrastate waters, which is any body of water with any connection to interstate waters or commerce and this includes virtually all surface water and wetlands |
| swash | The rush of water up onto a beach after a wave breaks. |
| baptism | (1) A Christian sacrament marked by ritual use of water and admitting the recipient to the Christian community; (2) A non-Christian rite using water for ritual purification. |
| irrigation canal | A permanent irrigation conduit constructed to convey water from the source of supply to one or more farms. |
| national economic development | One of the two main objectives of planning for water and related land resources by governmental agencies whose activities involve planning and development of water resources |
| friction | In meteorology, it is the turbulent resistance of the earth on the atmosphere |
| biological community | All of the living things in a given environment. |
| calf | A large floating chunk of ice split off from a glacier, an iceberg, or a floe. |
| light water reactor | A nuclear power plant which uses ordinary Water (H2O) as distinguished from one that uses Heavy Water (D2O) or Deuterium Oxide |
| tidal current | Currents of water that are produced in response to a rising or falling tide |
| bank storage | The water absorbed into the banks of a stream, lake, or reservoir, when the stage rises above the water table in the bank formations, then returns to the channel as effluent seepage when the stage falls below the water table |
| exfoliation | A physical weathering process in which concentric layers of rock are removed from an outcrop. |
| point waste load allocation | The amount of a particular pollutant a Point Source, e.g., a wastewater treatment facility, can discharge over a specified period of time into a receiving body of water |
| corrie glaciation | The development of ice fields between peaks, the growth and coalescence of mountain ice caps into regional ice caps, and the growth of these regional caps into ice sheets. |
| economies of scale | lower per unit costs achieved by large-scale output |
| cfs | Cubic feet per second |
| medial moraine | A sediment ridge, located on a glacier's exposed ice surface, away from its valley walls, extending down glacier to the terminus |
| in-channel storage | Water storage volume in a canal above the minimum water level required for conveyance. |
| stability | (Ecological) The tendency of systems, especially ecosystems, to persist, relatively unchanged, through time. |
| stagnation | The in-situ melting of glacier ice |
| hydrothermal | (1) Having to do with hot water, especially having to do with the action of hot water in producing minerals and springs or in dissolving, shifting, and otherwise changing the distribution of minerals in the earth's crust |
| tsunami | A large sea wave normally produced by sudden movement of the ocean floor caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption |
| placer | A mineral deposit formed by the sorting or washing action of water |
| freezing point/freeze | The process of changing a liquid to a solid |
| ndmc | The National Drought Mitigation Center |
| depression | In meteorology, it is another name for an area of low pressure, a low, or trough |
| heavy industry | those secondary industries using bulk raw materials for both energy (e.g |
| drumlin | remnant elongated hills formed by historical glacial action; it is not clear exactly how they are formed and why they form only in some glaciated regions. |
| diluting water | distilled water that has been stabilized, buffered, and aerated |
| czma | Coastal Zone Management Act (EPA). |
| accretion | growth of a cloud or precipitation particle by the collision and union of a frozen particle (ice crystal or snowflake) with a super-cooled liquid droplet which freezes on impact. |
| guttation | The loss of water in liquid form from the uninjured leaf or stem of the plant, principally through water stomata (the microscopic opening in the epidermis of plants, surrounded by guard cells and serving for gaseous exchange); the exudation of water from leaves as a result of root pressure. |
| peak flow | in a wastewater treatment plant, the highest flow expected to be encoutered under any operational conditions, including periods of high rainfall and prolonged periods of wet weather. |
| sea stack | A small, steep-sided rocky projection above sea level near a cliffed shore. |
| pumped storage plant | A hydroelectric power plant which generates electric energy for peak load use by utilizing water pumped into a storage reservoir during off-peak periods. |
| algae | simple rootless plants that grow in sunlit waters in proportion to the amount of available nutrients |
| mmcf | One million cubic feet - the standard reporting volume for daily natural gas well production. |
| swim | To move through water by means of the limbs, fins, or tail. |
| ice tongue | A long, narrow projection of ice which points out for the coastline where a valley glacier flows rapidly into the sea or a lake. |
| gneiss | A coarse-grained, foliated rock produced by regional metamorphism |
| continental crust | The part of the crust that directly underlies the continents and continental shelves.Averages about 35 km in thickness, but may be over 70 km thick under largest mountain ranges. |
| bar | An offshore, submerged, elongate ridge of sand or gravel built on the sea floor by waves and currents. |
| wastage area | On a glacier, the terminal end where ablation results in deposition of till and removal of water. |
| earthquake | A series of elastic waves propagated in the earth, initiated where stress along a fault exceeds the elastic limit of the rock so that sudden movement occurs along the fault. |
| geographic information system | A computer information system that can input, store, manipulate, analyze, and display geographically referenced data to support the decision-making processes of an organization |
| thermosphere | A thermal classification, it is the layer of the atmosphere located between the mesosphere and outer space |
| mixing zone | a limited volume of receiving water that is allocated for diluting a wastewater discharge without causing adverse effects to the overall water body. |
| allochthonous sediment | one in which the major components have formed in situ. |
| catchment | (1) The catching or collecting of water, especially rainfall |
| hemisphere | lit |
| magmatic segregation | Separation of crystals of certain minerals from a magma as it cools |
| crustal plate | see crust. |
| anastomising | see braiding. |
| strike-slip fault | A fault with horizontal displacement, typically caused by shear stress. |
| kettle | depression formed when an iceberg is left in the ground and melts, leaving a large hole |
| horst | An elongate fault block that has been uplifted in relation to the adjacent rocks. |
| ball cock | A self-regulating device controlling the supply of water in a tank, cistern, or toilet by means of a float connected to a valve that opens or closes with a change in water level. |
| eddy current | Vortex‑type motion of a fluid flowing contrary to the main current, such as the circular water movement that occurs when the main flow becomes separated from the bank. |
| trash rack | A screen located at an intake fixture of a dam spillway or other such conduit to prevent the ingress of debris. |
| equilibrium condition | As used in the chemical sense, a state in which there are no changes in the relative concentrations of the chemical species present in a system |
| sustainable resources | those resources which can be managed to provide an ongoing yield |
| false ogives | Light and dark bands on the glacier formed by rock avalanching. |
| suspension | A dispersion of solid particles which are large enough to be seen and will settle out on standing |
| nitrate | a nutrient essential to plant growth. |
| glaciofluvial | Geomorphic feature whose origin is related to the processes associated with glacial meltwater. |
| sink | (1) Generally, a dry or intermittently dry lakebed in the lowest spot of a closed valley; a depression in the land surface, especially one having a central playa or saline lake with no outlet |
| glacier karst | Stagnant ice covered by debris with surficial lakes, lakes in buried caverns or tunnels, typically found at the ice/soil or ice/water interface of a retreating glacier. |
| trimline | A clear boundary line on the wall of a glacier valley that delineates the maximum recent thickness of a glacier |
| sweet | Water that is pleasing to the senses; agreeable and not saline or polluted; drinkable; Potable. |
| nitrogen supersaturation | A condition of water in which the concentration of dissolved nitrogen exceeds the saturation level of water |
| designer bugs | A popular term for Microbes developed through Biotechnology that can degrade specific toxic chemicals at their source in toxic waste dumps, in ground water, or on the land surface |
| "repurified water" | Denotes reclaimed or recycled wastewater that is treated far beyond the most stringent standards current in force and then remixed with fresh water to augment existing water supplies |
| creep | Slow mass movement of soil and soil material down relatively steep slopes, primarily under the influence of gravity but facilitated by saturation with water and by alternate freezing and thawing. |
| felsenmeers | A large area blanketed with angular debris from outcrops which have suffered repeated cycles of freezing and thawing. |
| fogbow | A whitish semicircular arc seen opposite the sun in fog |
| drag | To search or sweep the bottom of a body of water, as with a grappling hook or dragnet. |
| erosion | The gradual wearing away of Earth surfaces through the action of wind and water. |
| industrial location theory | any theory attempting to explain why industries are found to have located in the places they are found |
| synthetic organic chemicals | man-made organic chemicals |
| epoch | geological time period |
| plasma | (Physics) An electrically neutral, highly ionized gas composed of ions, electrons, neutral particles |
| osmotic lysis | The rupture of a cell placed in a dilute solution |
| arctic sea smoke | evaporation (steam) fog produced above a surface of open water within arctic ice when the air is stable and relatively cold. |
| mining | Withdrawal over a period of time of ground water that exceeds the rate of recharge of the aquifer. |
| hydrodynamic dispersion | (1) Spreading (at the macroscopic level) of the solute front during transport resulting from both mechanical dispersion and molecular diffusion |
| bottom-up | ideas, initiatives or developments originating in and flowing from the lower levels of a hierarchy further up the hierarchy. |
| ukas | An acronym for United Kingdom Accreditation Service, the organization tasked by the British government with the maintenance and administration of national standards |
| steering flow | in meteorology, a basic fluid flow which exerts a strong influence upon the direction of movement of disturbances embedded in it; in the atmosphere, it is usually an air flow in the middle or upper troposphere which govern directions of the disturbances at low levels. |
| incised river | A river which cuts its channel through the bed of the valley floor, as opposed to one flowing on a floodplain; its channel formed by the process of degradation. |
| regulation | (Hydrology) The artificial manipulation of the flow of a stream. |
| audubon society | A national environmental organization founded in 1905 and dedicated to the conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems with a focus on birds and other wildlife species for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity |
| auto-qi | Automated Q-ILLUDAS. |
| braiding | when a river is forced to divide into multiple channels which interlink with each other |
| lichen | an organism created by the joining of fungus and algae. |
| shore | The zone between the waterline at high tide and the waterline at low tide |
| periglacial | the area at the edge of a glacier or ice sheet which is not covered by ice but experiences very cold conditions |
| divining rod | A forked branch or stick that is believed to indicate subterranean water or minerals by bending downward when held over a source |
| nebraskan | (Geology) Of or relating to one of the glacial stages of the Pleistocene epoch which occurred in North America, which consisted of the Nebraskan (first stage), Kansan (second stage), Illinoian (third stage), and Wisconsin (fourth stage). |
| hydrocarbons | chemical compounds that consist entirely of carbon and hydrogen; also referred to as volatile organic compound. |
| cwa | Clean Water Act (EPA). |
| mixed media filtration | A system using two or more dissimilar granular materials (such as anthracite, sand and garnet) blended by size and density |
| wastewater | water containing waste including greywater, blackwater or water contaminated by waste contact, including process-generated and contaminated rainfall runoff. |
| winter irrigation | The irrigation of lands between growing seasons in order to store water in the soil for subsequent use by plants. |
| evapotranspiration | The loss of water from a land area through evaporation from the soil and through plant transpiration. |
| contour map | A map that shows the change in value of a variable over a geographic area through the use of contour lines |
| sublittoral | (1) Situated, occurring, or formed on the aquatic side of a shoreline or Littoral Zone |
| aid | transfer of resources from a donor to a recipient |
| inverted valley | A valley that has been filled with lava or other resistant material and has subsequently been eroded into an elongate ridge. |
| well | a bored, drilled, or driven shaft or a dug hole whose depth is greater than the largest surface dimension and whose purpose is to reach underground water supplies or oil or to store or bury fluids below ground. |
| turbidity | a cloudy condition in water due to suspended silt or organic matter. |
| hydrodynamics | The branch of science that deals with the dynamics of fluids, especially incompressible fluids, in motion. |
| cyanobacteria | See Blue-green Algae. |
| organism | any form of animal or plant life. |
| ground water flow model | (1) A digital computer model that calculates a hydraulic head field for the modeling domain using numerical methods to arrive at an approximate solution to the differential equation of ground-water flow |
| current meter | Instrument used to measure flow velocity. |
| hydrologic equation | The water inventory equation: Inflow = [Outflow + Change in Storage], which balances the Hydrologic Budget and expresses the basic principle that during a given time interval the total inflow to an area must equal the total outflow plus the net change in storage. |
| active fault | A fault that has undergone movement in recent geologic time (the last 10,000 years) and may be subject to future movement |
| biosphere | In its broadest sense, the entire planetary ecosystem including all living organisms and those parts of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that are capable of supporting life, to include, in addition to the plant and animal species:[1] Atmosphereâthe gaseous layer covering the earth;[2] Lithosphereâthe solid portion of the earth's crust and mantle;[3] Hydrosphereâthat portion of the earth composed of liquid water; andAlso referred to as the Ecosphere |
| snowmold | (1) A disease of grasses appearing as grayish-white or pinkish patches after heavy snow has melted and caused by fungi that thrive at low temperatures |
| offset | (Irrigation) The difference between the controlled variable and the referenced input, for example, in a canal system, the difference between the actual water level in the canal and the water level at design flow. |
| tarn | A small lake that fills the central depression in a cirque. |
| ferruginous | a soil in which a hard layer of laterite forms due to alternating periods of leaching and capillary action |
| fluid potential | The mechanical energy per unit mass of a fluid at any given point in space and time with respect to an arbitrary state and datum |
| cloud amount | that portion of the sky cover which is attributed to clouds; the unit of measurement is the okta or tenths (meaning one-eighth or one-tenth) of the sky dome as seen by the observer. |
| dehydrator | (1) A substance, such as sulfuric acid, that removes water |
| crystal structure | The orderly arrangement of atoms in a crystal. |
| obsidian hydration studies | A method of determining the approximate age of an obsidian artifact by the measurement of the thickness of a microscopically visible "rind" on a flaked edge, resulting from the absorption of water. |
| jasper | A variety of colored chert, typically red or green and often found in association with iron ores |
| conglomerate | A clastic sedimentary rock composed of lithified beds of rounded gravel mixed with sand. |
| plunge | To thrust or cast oneself into, or as if into, water. |
| grike | the crack in a limestone pavement. |
| reuse | Water that is discharged by one user and is used by other users |
| sky cover | The amount of the celestial dome that is hidden by clouds and/or obscurations. |
| endangered species conservation act | Passed in 1969, this act superseded the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 and would eventually be replaced by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 |
| glacial striations | Grooves and scratches on a bedrock surface that were produced by the movement of a glacier |
| bcf | Bioconcentration Factor. |
| snow devil | A small, rotating wind that picks up loose snow instead of dirt (like a dust devil) or water (like a waterspout) |
| submerged aquatic vegetation | Vegetation such as sea grasses that cannot withstand excessive drying and therefore live with their leaves at or below the water surface |
| tarn | A lake that develops in the basin of a cirque, generally after the melting of the glacier. |
| september equinox | One of two days during a year when the declination of the Sun is at the equator |
| stream | also the upper reaches of a reservoir, the water upstream from a structure or point on a stream, the small streams that come together to form a river, any and all parts of a river basin except the mainstream river and main tributaries. |
| water quality limited segment | A portion of a stream where the condition of the water does not meet water quality standards and/or where standards are not expected to be achieved after Effluent Limitations on all Point Sources (PS) of water pollution are applied |
| deep-sea fan | A cone-shaped or fan-shaped deposit of land-derived sediment located seaward of large rivers or submarine canyons |
| formation | A laterally continuous rock unit with a distinctive set of characteristics that make it possible to recognize and map from one outcrop or well to another |
| catadromous | Used to describe fish that live in fresh water but migrate to marine waters to breed |
| income | money received |
| jet stream | relatively strong winds concentrated within a narrow stream in the atmosphere; generally refers to a quasi-horizontal jet stream of maximum winds embedded in the midlatitude westerlies, and concentrated in the high troposphere. |
| crib | Frame structure filled with earth or stone ballast, designed to reduce energy and to deflect streamflow away from a bank or embankment. |
| consolidated aquifer | An aquifer made up of consolidated rock that has undergone solidification or lithification. |
| retaining wall | A wall built to support or prevent the advance of a mass of earth or water. |
| exploration | The work of identifying areas that may contain viable mineral resources |
| stagnation | lack of motion in water that holds pollutants in place. |
| valve | A device fitted to a pipeline or orifice in which the closure member is either rotated or moved transversely or longitudinally in the waterway so as to control or stop the flow. |
| fully permanent sprinkler system | An irrigation system usually composed of buried enclosed conduits carrying water under pressure to fixed orifices to distribute water over a given area. |
| plastic solid | A perfectly plastic solid yields after a critical threshold of stress has been exceeded |
| fissure | A surface of a fracture or crack in a rock along which there is a distinct separation. |
| coliform index | An index of the bacteriological quality of water, based on a count of the numbers of coliform bacteria. |
| sediment oxygen demand | The amount of dissolved oxygen removed from the water covering the sediment in a lake or stream because of microbial activity. |
| gross domestic product | the total summed value of the output in a country for a year |
| depth of scour | Vertical distance a streambed is lowered by scour below a reference elevation. |
| scoria | An igneous rock of basaltic composition and containing numerous vesicles caused by trapped gases |
| pelagic ooze | A deep ocean sediment consisting of at least 30% skeletal remains of calcareous or siliceousmicroorganisms, the rest being clay minerals. |
| gravity anomaly | A geographic area where the gravitational attraction is significantly higher or significantly lower than normal. |
| freezing | the change of a liquid into a solid as temperature decreases |
| lining | A protective covering over all or part of the perimeter of a reservoir or a conduit to prevent seepage losses, withstand pressure, resist erosion, reduce friction, or otherwise improve conditions of flow. |
| spring | (1) A concentrated discharge of ground water coming out at the surface as flowing water; a place where the water table crops out at the surface of the ground and where water flows out more or less continuously |
| crib dam | A barrier or form of Gravity Dam constructed of timber forming bays, boxes, cribs, crossed timbers, gabions or cells that are filled with earth, stone or heavy material |
| storage-required frequency curve | A graph showing the frequency with which storage equal to or greater than selected amounts will be required to maintain selected rates of regulated flow. |
| rehydrate | To cause (something Dehydrated) to take up fluid. |
| salt water | Water which contains a relatively high percentage of sodium chloride. |
| haystack | A vertical standing wave in turbulent river waters. |
| vascular plant | Any of various plants, such as the ferns and seed-bearing plants, in which the phloem transports sugar and the xylem transports water and salts. |
| weather surveillance radar | The newest generation of Doppler radars, the 1988 Doppler weather radar |
| cryptodepression | Lake basin whose deep parts are below sea level. |
| coastline | The shape or outline of a coast. |
| snow depth | The vertical distance between the surface of a snow layer and the ground beneath. |
| cut and built terrace | See Wave Built Terrace or Littoral Shelf. |
| sandstorm | A strong wind carrying sand particles through the air |
| autochthonous | Pertaining to substances (organic matter from plankton), materials, or organisms originating within a particular waterway or lake and remaining in that waterway. |
| clod | A compact, coherent mass of soil ranging in size from 5 to 10 millimeters (0.20 to 0.39 inch) to as much as 200 to 250 millimeters (7.87 to 9.84 inches) produced artificially, usually by the activity of man by plowing, digging, etc., especially when these operations are performed on soils that are either too wet or too dry for normal tillage operations. |
| coquina | A limestone composed of an aggregate of shells and shell fragments. |
| high tide | (1) The tide at its fullest extent, when the water reaches its highest level |
| cataclastic rock | A breccia of powdered rock formed by crushing and shearing during tectonic movements. |
| stress | A force acting upon or within a mass or rock, expressed in terms of unit weight per surface area such as tons per square inch. |
| subaqueous sand flow | A type of mass movement in which saturated sand or silt flows beneath the surface of a lake or an ocean. |
| benthos | All the plant and animals living on or closely associated with the bottom of a body of water (within or attached to the sediment of lakes, streams, and oceans) |
| bathometer | An instrument used to measure the depth of water. |
| spearman rank correlation coefficient | a statistical measure of the degree to which two sets of data are correlated according to the formula: |
| confidence level | the degree of confidence that a statistical result is the correct one rather than one produced by chance. |
| flood irrigation | The application of irrigation water where the entire surface of the soil is covered by a sheet of water, called Controlled Flooding when water is impounded or the flow directed by border dikes, ridges, or ditches. |
| noncontact recreation | recreational pursuits not involving a significant risk of water ingestion, including fishing, commercial and recreational boating, and limited body contact incidental to shoreline activity |
| thufur | perennial hummocks formed in either the active layer in permafrost areas, or in the seasonally frozen ground in non-permafrost areas, during freezing of the ground. |
| breakup | The cracking and shifting of ice in rivers or harbors during the spring. |
| committee | A group of persons chosen to complete certain work. |
| cpi | Consumer Price Index. |
| maximum depth | The greatest depth of the body of water measured in feet and 10ths of feet. |
| algaecide | One of a group of plant poisons used to kill filamentous algae and phytoplankton. |
| soil conservation | the protection of a soil from erosion plus the maintenance of its fertility so that its productivity is maintained. |
| partial penetration | A well constructed in such a way that it draws water directly from a fractional part of the total thickness of the aquifer |
| the south | see economically less developed countries. |
| snow line | the line above which snow accumulates |
| withdrawal | A removal of water from a surface or ground water source for use. |
| asbestosis | A disease associated with inhalation of Asbestos fibers |
| rouche mountanee | a ramp shaped rock carved by a glacier, glacier travels up the gradual side and down the steep side |
| heat lightning | Lightning that appears as a glowing flash on the horizon |
| fault scarp | A cliff produced by faulting. |
| crater | Occurring in extinct or dormant volcanic craters. |
| rural | lit |
| pleistocene | The epoch of geologic time from the end of the Pliocene epoch of the Tertiary period (about 2 million years ago) to the beginning of the Holocene epoch of the Quaternary period (about 10,000 years ago) |
| species composition | that portion of an Index of Biotic Integrity that is a metric measuring the number and identity of species. |
| granular activated carbon | pure carbon heated to promote "active" sites which can adsorb pollutants |
| floating plant | A non-anchored plant that floats freely in the water or on the surface; e.g., water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) or common duckweed (Lemna minor). |
| icefoot | A belt of ledge of ice that forms along the shoreline in Arctic regions. |
| pristine | (Ecology) No trace of human activities; landscape alterations from natural ecological processes only. |
| carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand | The incubation of a sample of water or wastewater for a relatively short period of time in order to determine the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) |
| bituminous coal | A rank of coal that falls between anthracite and semi-bituminous |
| canal pool | Canal section between check structures |
| snow pellet | A small white ice particle that falls as precipitation and breaks apart easily when it lands on a surface |
| divergent plate margin | see constructive plate margin. |
| desertification | The transformation of arable or habitable land to desert, as by a change in climate or destructive land use |
| tar balls | Non-volatile hydrocarbon clumps remaining in water after the volatile fractions have evaporated from crude oil that has been discharged or spilled into the marine environment |
| carbamates | a class of new-age pesticides that attack the nervous system of organisms. |
| check irrigation | A method of irrigation in which an area is practically or entirely surrounded by earth ridges. |
| stewardship | (Ecology) Administrative and/or custodial actions taken to preserve and protect the Natural Resources, particularly the plant (Flora) and animal (Fauna) life, of an area or Ecosystem. |
| potometer | An apparatus for measuring the rate of transpiration in a plant by determining the amount of water absorbed. |
| flanking line | A line of attached cumulus or towering cumulus clouds of descending height, appearing as stair steps (usually on the southwest side) of the most active part of a supercell. |
| pedestrianisation | the temporary or permanent blocking of streets to vehicular traffic. |
| ice | the solid crystalline form of water. |
| nonuniform flow | (Hydraulics) Flow in which the mean velocity or cross-sectional area vary at successive channel cross-sections |
| drift | Early writers assumed that glacial deposits had drifted in with the Great Flood. |
| cold front | the boundary between a warm and a cold air mass where the cold mass is undercutting the warm, causing the latter to rise |
| chimney | A tall column of rock on the ocean floor that is formed by the precipitation of minerals from superheated water issuing from a vent in the earth's crust and rising through the column of rock |
| coefficient of transmissivity | The rate at which water of the prevailing kinematic viscosity is transmitted through a unit width of the aquifer under a unit Hydraulic Gradient |
| kalema | a violent surf that occurs on the coast of the Guinea region, West Africa. |
| claybanks | Term applied to lake bluffs, or cliffs, composed almost entirely of till clay or glacial lacustrine clay. |
| concrete-gravity structure | A type of concrete structure in which resistance to overturning is provided only by its own weight. |
| auxiliary spillway | A dam spillway built to carry runoff in excess of that carried by the principal spillway; a secondary spillway designed to operate only during exceptionally large floods |
| arctic mist | a mist of ice crystals; a very light ice fog. |
| diatom | A one celled plant that lives in the shallow waters of lakes, streams or oceans |
| spring runoff | Snow melting in the spring causes water bodies to rise |
| balance of trade | the net sum of imports and exports of visible goods |
| shpo | State Historic Preservation Officer |
| mesa | Table land, flat in nature, moderately elevated, and well drained. |
| dry slot | An area of dry, and usually cloud-free, air that wraps into the southern and eastern sections of a synoptic scale or mesoscale low pressure system |
| regulation reservoir | A reservoir used in canal and irrigation systems to reduce the mismatch between downstream demands and upstream water supplies in order to maintain a balanced operation. |
| biological control | use of natural organisms to fight weeds and pests in agriculture. |
| marine life | Plants and animals of the sea, from the high-tide mark along the shore (also see Shore Life) to the depths of the ocean |
| left bank | The left-hand bank of a stream viewed when the observer faces downstream. |
| multiyear ice | ice that has survived at least one melt season; it is typically 2 to 4 meters (6.6 to 13.1 feet) thick and thickens as more ice grows on its underside. |
| striations | The long, parallel scratches and grooves produced in rocks underneath a glacier as it moves over them. |
| bank storage | Water that seeps into the ground along the banks of a stream during a time of high flow |
| cell | (Biology) The basic building block of all living matter |
| planning horizon | The overall time period considered in the planning process that spans all activities covered in or associated with the analysis or plan and all future conditions and effects or proposed actions which would influence the planning decisions. |
| kame | A body of stratified glacial sediment |
| thermograph | A self-registering thermometer which has a thermometric element consisting either of a bimetallic strip or a metal tube filled with alcohol or mercury, and makes an autographic record on a ruled chart wrapped around a clock-driven cylinder. |
| convective precipitation | Precipitation resulting from vertical movement of moisture-laden air, which upon rising, cools and precipitates its moisture. |
| public-supply water | Water withdrawn by and delivered to a public water system regardless of the use made of the water |
| thaw | A warm spell of weather when ice and snow melt |
| french drain | An underground passageway for water through the interstices among stones placed loosely in a trench. |
| subsistence | farming system where the farmer produces just enough to sustain himself and his family. |
| periglacial | Refers to conditions in a near glacial climate. |
| vested water right | The water right to use either surface or ground water acquired through more or less continual beneficial use prior to the enactment of water law pertaining to the source of the water |
| sacramento model | (Hydrology) A dynamic River Flow Model or Water Budget Model, run on a computer at various intervals, which accounts for all water entering, stored in, and leaving a Drainage Basin |
| harris-ullman | model of urban land-use based on multiple nuclei i.e |
| frost wedging | The forcing apart of rocks by the expansion of water as it freezes in fractures and pore spaces. |
| pull factor | an attractive quality of a place which pulls migrants to it. |
| ·hanging glacier | A glacier that originates high on the wall of a glacier valley and descends only part of the way to the surface of the main glacier |
| grade stabilization structure | A structure for the purpose of stabilizing the grade of a gully or other watercourse, thereby preventing further head-cutting or lowering of the channel grade. |
| casing | a tubular structure intended to be watertight installed in the excavated or drilled hole to maintain the well opening and, along with cementing, to confine the ground waters to their zones of origin and prevent the entrance of surface pollutants. |
| concordant flows | Flows at different points in a river system that have the same Recurrence Interval, or the same frequency of occurrence |
| contour | A line on a map that indicates a line of equal elevation on the land or water in feet over mean sea level |
| magnetic anomaly | An increase or decrease in the local magnetic field compared to the normally expected value. |
| forebay | The water behind a dam |
| carbon-chloroform extract | A measurement of the organic content of a water |
| confined water | Water under artesian pressure |
| aquiclude | a formation which, although porous and capable of absorbing water slowly, will not transmit water fast enough to furnish an appreciable supply for a well or a spring. |
| carbon dioxide | A colorless, odorless, nonpoisonous gas, CO2, that forms Carbonic Acid when dissolved in water |
| straight-line winds | Any surface wind that is not associated with rotation |
| absolute zero | The zero value of thermodynamic temperature, or 0 Kelvin (K), also equivalent to -273.15 Celsius (C) on the Centigrade Temperature Scale or -459.67 Fahrenheit (F) on the Fahrenheit Temperature Scale. |
| boiloff | The vaporization of liquid. |
| vicious circle | a downward spiral of negative feedback where a trigger event starts a sequence of effects which continue to make the situation worse. |
| longitudinal dune | An elongate sand dune oriented in the direction of the prevailing wind. |
| hydrotherapy | External use of water in the medical treatment of diseases |
| till | Glacial drift composed of rock fragments that range from clay to boulder size and randomly arranged without bedding. |
| random sample | (Statistics) A sample selected in such a manner that all possible samples of the same size have an equal and independent chance of being included. |
| wgms | World Glacier Monitoring Service |
| overfall | An abrupt change in stream channel elevations |
| exclusion rule | describes the fact that a molecule with a center of inversion has peaks either in the IR or in the Raman spectrum, but not in both. |
| basalt | A dark-colored fine-grained extrusive igneous rock composed largely of plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene |
| remedial investigation | (Environmental) An in-depth study designed to gather data needed to determine the nature and extent of contamination at a Superfund site, establish site cleanup criteria, identify preliminary alternatives for remedial action, and support technical and cost analyses of alternatives |
| holocene | (Geology) The present epoch of time, beginning about 10,000 years ago |
| downstream | In the direction of the current of a stream. |
| altostratus clouds | Gray-looking middle altitude cloud that is composed of water droplets and ice crystals |
| total storage | The volume of storage below the maximum designed water surface level, including Dead Storage. |
| alum treatment | Process of putting liquid alum (Aluminum Sulfate) into the lake water, to precipitate to a floc that settles through the water column removing fine particles to the sediment and building up a barrier layer to contain soluble phosphorus in the lake sediments. |
| catalyze | To modify, especially to increase, the rate of a chemical reaction by Catalysis or the action of a Catalyst. |
| kinetic energy | lit |
| sludge age | A measure of the time biological solids are retained in a basin calculated by dividing the mass of volatile solids in the basin by the total mass of volatile solids wasted during a given time period |
| phyllite | A foliate metamorphic rock that is made up mainly of very fine-grained mica |
| vapor pressure | The pressure exerted by the molecules of a given vapor |
| cryoscope | An instrument used to measure the freezing point of a liquid. |
| seif | a sand dune found in desert areas where the alignment is with the prevailing wind direction. |
| marine surveying | The branch of surveying that comprises a topographic survey of the coast and a hydrographic survey of adjacent waters |
| aftershock | An earthquake that follows a larger earthquake |
| photoautotroph | An organism which utilizes carbon dioxide (CO2) for cell growth and obtains its energy from the sun. |
| ablation | In glaciers, refers to melting, erosion and evaporation which reduces the area of the ice. |
| continental slope | That part of the continental margin that lies between the continental shelf and the continental rise |
| centrifugation | (Water Quality) In water and wastewater treatment, a method used to remove liquid from sludge through use of centrifugal forces. |
| slash and burn | (Environmental) An agricultural practice involving the rapid destruction of natural forest for limited farming activity |
| acrotelm | the upper layer of peat deposits |
| clay minerals | A group of fine-grained crystalline hydrous silicates formed by weathering of minerals such as feldspar, pyroxene, or amphibole. |
| sausage dam | A dam composed of loose rock that has been wrapped with wire into cylindrical bundles and laid in a horizontal or vertical position. |
| blanket | A portion of the physical structure of a dam designed to affect the dams hydrologic characteristics, particularly its seepage and strength characteristics |
| independent variable | one which is not affected by another e.g |
| flooding problem | The disruption to community affairs, damage to property and facilities, and the danger to human life and health that occurs when land use is incompatible with the hydrologic-hydraulic system. |
| tension | Stress that tends to pull materials apart. |
| echard | Soil water not available for absorption by plants. |
| roche mouton | lit |
| seal | A tight and perfect closure as against the passage of water. |
| activated sludge process | A method of Secondary Wastewater Treatment in which the waste is treated by microorganisms in a well-aerated tank to degrade the organic material |
| rankine scale | A scale of absolute temperature using Fahrenheit degrees, in which the freezing point of water is 491.69° and the boiling point of water is 671.69° |
| striation | One of a number of parallel lines or scratches on the surface of a rock that were inscribed by rock fragments embedded in the base of a glacier as it moved across the rock. |
| trimlines | Sharp boundaries in vegetation abundance or community type showing the upper margin of a former glaciation |
| nwmc | National Water Management Center |
| hot spot | A volcanic center located within a lithospheric plate that is thought to be caused by a plume of hot mantle material rising from depth. |
| natural flow | The rate of water movement past a specified point on a natural stream from a drainage area for which there have been no effects caused by stream diversion, storage, import, export, return flow, or change in Consumptive Use caused by man-controlled modification to land use |
| polar glacier | A glacier with a thermal or temperature regime in which ice temperatures always remain below the freezing point. |
| drainage | (1) The removal of excess surface water or groundwater from land by means of surface or subsurface drains |
| yield | the quantity of water expressed either as a continuous rate of flow (cubic feet per second, etc.) or as a volume per unit of time |
| inorganic | Matter other than plant or animal and not containing a combination of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, as in living things. |
| riparian zone | See Riparian Areas. |
| nondischarging treatment plant | A treatment plant that does not discharge treated wastewater into any stream or river |
| asce | American Society of Civil Engineers. |
| salmonella typhosa | A waterborne microorganism which is the causative agent of typhoid fever. |
| fuelwood | as it suggests, the use of wood as a fuel |
| static head | The difference in elevation in feet between the water surface of the body of water being pumped and the centerline of the discharge pipe at the point of release |
| seismic | lit |
| anticyclonic circulation | system of air movements (atmospheric circulation) associated with an anticyclone, which is clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere. |
| representative sample | A portion of material or water that is as nearly identical in content and consistency as possible to that in the larger body of material or water being sampled. |
| subtropical jet | Marked by a concentration of isotherms and vertical shear, this jet is the boundary between the subtropical air and the tropical air |
| cenozoic | The current geologic era, which began 66.4 million years ago and continues to the present. |
| monohydrate | A compound, such as calcium chloride monohydrate, CaCl2 · H2O, that contains one molecule of water. |
| andesite | A fine-grained igneous rock composed mostly of plagioclase feldspar and from 25% to 40% amphibole and biotite, but no quartz or K-feldspar |
| synoptic analysis | the study of the synoptic observation data plotted on synoptic charts aimed at analysis of the atmospheric disturbances (for example, fronts, cyclones, and anticyclones). |
| frost heave | Ruptured soil, rock, or pavement caused by the expansion of freezing water immediately beneath the surface. |
| pedogenesis | lit |
| wing wall | The side walls of a structure used to prevent sloughing of banks or channels and to direct and confine overfall. |
| flora | (1) A term used to describe the entire plant species of a specified region or time |
| water quality-based permit | A permit with an effluent limit more stringent than one based on technology performance |
| acid shock | A sudden acidification of runoff waters from the spring melting of accumulated snow in the middle latitudes because of the winter deposition of acidic precipitation. |
| chresard | Water present in the soil and available for plant absorption. |
| concentration | The amount of Solute present in proportion to the total Solution |
| screening | The use of screens to remove coarse floating and suspended solids from sewage. |
| névé | see firn. |
| cfs-day | The volume of water represented by a flow of 1 cubic foot per second for 24 hours |
| base flow | The fair-weather or sustained flow of streams; that part of stream discharge not attributable to direct runoff from precipitation, snowmelt, or a spring |
| debris | Any material, including floating or submerged trash, suspended sediment, or bed load, moved by a flowing stream. |
| pour | (1) To make a liquid stream or flow, as from a container |
| arch | when a cave in the side of a headland is eroded right through to the other side forming a bridge-shaped landform. |
| wettable powder | dry formulation that must be mixed with water or other liquid before it is applied. |
| hydraulic radius | The cross-sectional area of a stream of water divided by the length of that part of its periphery in contact with its containing conduit; the ratio of area to wetted perimeter |
| toxicity reduction evaluation | a study conducted to determine the source(s) of toxicity in a discharge effluent so that these sources can be controlled sufficiently to allow a discharger to comply with their permit limits. |
| open | An unobstructed area of land or water. |
| tropical wave | Another name for an easterly wave, it is an area of relatively low pressure moving westward through the trade wind easterlies |
| phreatic | Of or relating to ground water. |
| island | A permanently vegetated area, emergent at normal stage, that divides the flow of a stream |
| texture | The visible characteristics of a rock which include its grain size, grain orientation, rounding, angularity or presence of vesicles. |
| hydrologic unit | is a geographic area representing part or all of a surface drainage basin or distinct hydrologic feature. |
| recharge rate | the quantity of water per unit of time that replenishes or refills an aquifer. |
| evaporation ponds | (Water Quality) Shallow ponds in which sewage sludge is placed to dry and then be removed for further treatment and/or disposal |
| porosity | The percentage of the total volume of a rock or sediment that consists of pore space. |
| artificial substrate | A device placed in the water for a specified period of time that provides living spaces for a multiplicity of organisms; for example, glass slides, concrete blocks, multi-plate samplers, or rock baskets; used primarily to collect organisms in areas where the physical habitat is limiting or cannot be adequately sampled using conventional methods. |
| structural measures | Measures that delay, reduce, or control flood flows |
| foredeepening topography | The ground below an ice sheet may be bowl-shaped with the inner part being deeper than the ground around the edges because glaciers erode preglacial material and subsidence due to the weight of the ice. |
| alluvial valley floor | [Public Law 95-87, Section 701] (Legal) "The unconsolidated stream laid deposits where water availability is sufficient for subirrigation or flood irrigation |
| ecosystem | the interacting system of a biological community and its non-living environmental surroundings; a complex system composed of a community of fauna and flora, taking into account the chemical and physical environment with which the system is interrelated. |
| leaching field | The area used for disposal of liquid through a non-water-tight artificial structure, conduit, or porous material by downward or lateral drainage, or both, into the surrounding permeable soil. |
| leakage | (1) (Hydrology) The flow of water from one Hydrogeologic Unit to another |
| bridge opening | Cross‑sectional area beneath a bridge that is available for conveyance of water. |
| mill wheel | A wheel, typically driven by water, that powers a mill. |
| invert | Lowest point in the channel cross section or at flow control devices such as weirs, culverts, or dams. |
| shallow-focus earthquake | An earthquake with a focus less than 70 km below the earth's surface. |
| verglas | A thin coating of ice, as on rock. |
| carbonate | (1) The collective term for the natural inorganic chemical compounds related to carbon dioxide that exist in natural waterways |
| subirrigation | (1) Irrigation below the surface (as by a periodic rise of the water table or by a system of underground porous pipes) |
| enforceable requirements | Conditions or limitations in permits issued under the Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 202 or 404, that, if violated, could result in the issuance of a compliance order or initiation of a civil or criminal action under federal or applicable state laws. |
| polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons | A group of highly reactive organic compounds, such as naphthalene and biphenyls, that are a common component of creosotes, which can be carcinogenic. |
| temperature | The measure of molecular motion or the degree of heat of a substance |
| countermeasure | Measure intended to prevent, delay or reduce the severity of hydraulic problems. |
| basin yields | The amount of water which will flow from a drainage or catchment area in a given storm. |
| commuting | movement of people between place of residence and place of work and vice versa |
| comparison goods | those goods which are highly priced and which are bought infrequently |
| initial storage | That portion of precipitation required to satisfy interception by vegetation, the wetting of the soil surface, and Depression Storage. |
| arranged delivery | Operation of a water delivery system to meet predetermined needs, generally based on user water orders |
| archean | Geologic eon that occurred from 2500 to 3800 million years ago |
| isobar | A line on a weather map connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure |
| primary consumers | the herbivores which feed on plants and are available as food to carnivores. |
| y-axis | Vertical axis on a graph. |
| runway incursion | Any occurrence at an airport involving an aircraft, vehicle, person, or object on the ground that creates a collision hazard or results in loss of separation with an aircraft taking off, intending to take off, landing or intending to land. |
| bathymetry | The measurement of ocean depths and the charting (mapping) of the topography of the ocean floor. |
| pesticide | any chemical sprayed on crops to prevent disease or to kill pests which attack the plants |
| fertigation | The use of irrigation water as a vehicle for spreading fertilizer on the land. |
| snow depth | The actual depth of snow on the ground at any instant during a storm, or after any single snowstorm or series of storms. |
| bmp | See Best Management Practices (BMP) and Best Management Practices (BMP)âUrban Water Use. |
| continental shelf | The portion of the continental margin that extends as a gently sloping surface from theshoreline seaward to a marked change in slope at the top of the continental slope |
| offshore | holds different meanings in different contexts: geomorphology -features found on the seaward side of the wave breakpoint. meteorology -wind moving from the land to the sea. |
| evaporation | The physical process by which a liquid, such as water is transformed into a gaseous state, such as water vapor |
| benthic invertebrates | Aquatic animals without backbones that dwell on or in the bottom sediments of fresh or salt water |
| horn | A body of land or water shaped like a horn. |
| ground water | or aquifer, storage from surface water supplies such as irrigation water, reclaimed wastewater or induced infiltration from streams or wells. |
| reuse water | Water used repeatedly. |
| point precipitation | Precipitation at a particular site, in contrast to the mean precipitation over an area. |
| runlet | A Runnel (see below). |
| holocene | The current part of geologic time |
| water pollution | degradation of a body of water by a substance or condition to such a degree that the water fails to meet specified standards or cannot be used for a specific purpose. |
| youth | (Geology) The first stage in the erosion cycle. |
| mainstem | The major reach of a river or stream formed by the smaller tributaries which flow into it. |
| normal stage | Water stage prevailing during the greater part of the year. |
| minor flooding | Flooding resulting in minimal or no property damage but some public inconvenience |
| bog hole | A hole containing soft mud or quicksand. |
| mesocyclone | A area of rotation of storm size that may often be found on the southwest part of a supercell |
| sediment pool | The reservoir space allotted to the accumulation of submerged sediment during the life of the structure. |
| endangered species preservation act | Passed in 1966, this represented the first legislated effort towards identification and protection of animal species in the United States threatened by extinction |
| stream gaging | The quantitative determination of stream flow using Gages, Current Meters, Weirs, or other measuring instruments at selected locations. |
| thermocline | A vertical negative temperature gradient in some layer of a body of water which is appreciably greater than the gradients above and below it |
| floe ice | Ice usually several feet thick, which has formed on the surface of a body of water and then has broken into pieces and is floating on the water's surface. |
| tailwater runoff | Refers to unused irrigation water or rain water that is collected at the base or at the end of an irrigation system or field in a ditch or other impoundment |
| gradation | Leveling of the land due to erosion by such agents as river systems ground water, glaciers, wind, and waves. |
| flood crest | The maximum stage or elevation reached by the waters of a flood at a given location. |
| normal daily temperature | The average daily mean temperature for a given date, computed for a specific 30-year period. |
| crevasse | open fissure in the glacier surface. |
| aerated lagoon | A holding and/or treatment pond that speeds up the natural process of biological decomposition of organic waste by stimulating the growth and activity of bacteria that degrade organic waste. |
| capillary potential | The work required to move a unit mass of water from the reference plane to any point in the soil column. |
| fertility | two kinds: |
| rockslide | A landslide in which a newly detached segment of bedrock suddenly slides over an inclined surface of weakness (such as a joint or bedding plane). |
| preferred use | A use given some sort of preference not given other uses |
| backwater curve | The longitudinal profile of the water surface in an open channel where the water surface is raised above its normal level by a natural or artificial obstruction |
| scattering | the diffusion of insolation by particles in the atmosphere |
| meander | A broad, looping bend in a river. |
| detention structure | A structure constructed for the temporary storage of floodflows where the opening for release is of a fixed capacity and not manually operated. |
| spritz | To squirt or spray (something like water) quickly. |
| flushometer | A device for flushing toilets and urinals that utilizes pressure from the water supply system rather than the force of gravity to discharge water into the bowl, designed to use less water than conventional flush toilets. |
| population policy | government interventions to try and control high population growth, stimulate low population growth or control the distribution of people within a country. |
| lateral line | A series of sensory pores along the head and sides of fish and some amphibians by which water currents, vibrations, and pressure changes are detected. |
| national meteorological center | Now incorporated into the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, it was the division of the National Weather Service that produced, processed, handled, and distributed meteorological and oceanographic information to users throughout the Northern Hemisphere, specifically U.S |
| garden festival | in the UK, a large scale renovation of derelict inner-city land by designating it for the planting of specially designed gardens |
| conduction | The transfer of energy due to actual contact of two materials, not their movement relative to each other. |
| hudson bay low | An area of low pressure over or near the Hudson Bay area of Canada that often introduces cold air to the north central and northeast United States. |
| wind | the horizontal movement of air created by differing pressures of adjacent air masses |
| scoria | An igneous rock containing abundant vesicles. |
| continental rise | The gently sloping surface located at the base of a continental slope. |
| aquatic microbiology | Study of microscopic plants and animals and their interrelationships. |
| homeowner water system | Any water system which supplies piped water to a single residence. |
| breakthrough curve | A plot of relative concentration versus time, where relative concentration is defined as C/C0; the concentration at a point in the ground-water flow domain divided by the source concentration. |
| icefield | A large, level expanse of floating ice that is more than eight kilometers (five miles) in its greatest dimension. |
| mesa | A flat-topped, steep-sided highland capped with a resistant rock formation |
| small stream flooding | Nuisance flooding of very small creeks and streams due to excessive rainfall over small drainage areas |
| closed conduit system | A conveyance system where the flow of water is confined on all boundaries (i.e., pipe systems). |
| impermeable | a rock which cannot absorb water and does not allow it to pass through. |
| hydrography | The study, description, and mapping of oceans, lakes, and rivers, especially with reference to their navigational and commercial uses. |
| polar cell | one of the cells of atmospheric circulation in the tri-cellular model. |
| subirrigated land | Land with a high water table condition, either natural or artificially controlled, that normally supplies a crop irrigation requirement. |
| sinking agent | A chemical additive that, when applied to a floating oil discharge, will cause oil to sink below the surface of the water |
| capillarity | (1) The property of tubes or earth-like particles with hair-like openings which, when immersed in fluid, raise (or depress) the fluid in the tubes above (or below) the surface of the fluid in which they are immersed |
| piedmont glacier | A fan or lobe-shaped glacier, located at the front of a mountain range |
| second world | outdated term for the old communist bloc of the USSR and Eastern Europe. |
| snow line | (1) The general altitude to which the continuous snow cover of high mountains retreats in summer, such as the Snowcap of a mountain, chiefly controlled by the depth of the winter snowfall and by the summer temperature |
| sandar * | Flat outwash plains caused by glacial melting feature braided streams and sinous sand and gravel bars. |
| euphotic | Of, relating to, or being the uppermost layer of a body of water that receives sufficient light for Photosynthesis and the growth of green plants |
| type k | A common thermocouple sensor pairing two wires made mostly of nickel and chromium and using variance in voltage to calculate temperaturesâknown for its wide temperature range and affordabilityâtypical in industrial applications. |
| flood zone | The land bordering a stream which is subject to floods of about equal frequency; for example, a strip of the floodplain subject to flooding more often than once, but not as frequently as twice in a century (100-Year Flood). |
| crust | solid, outer layer of the earth |
| liner | (1) (Water Quality) A low-permeability material, such as clay or high-density polyethylene, used for the bottom and sides of a landfill |
| anaerobic digester | An airtight tank in which Anaerobic microorganisms decompose organic material and produce Biogas, mainly Methane |
| granite | Light colored, coarse grained, intrusive igneous rock characterized by the minerals orthoclaseand quartz with lesser amounts of plagioclase feldspar and iron-magnesium minerals |
| suspended load | All the material transported by a stream or river, neither in contact with the river bottom (Bed Load) nor in solution (Dissolved Load). |
| magnetic anomaly | A deviation of observed magnetic inclination or intensity (as measured by a magnetometer) from a constant normal value. |
| zone of ablation | The area of wastage in a glacier. |
| mare | Any of the relatively smooth, low, dark areas of the Moon |
| return flow credit [nevada] | Nevada's apportionment of Colorado River water is a consumptive use apportionment |
| panthalassa | The ancient ocean that surrounded the Pangaea landmass. |
| ice sheet | mass of ice that covers more than 50,000 square km |
| hydrogeologic unit | Any soil or rock unit or zone that because of its hydraulic properties has a distinct influence on the storage or movement of ground water. |
| lake effect snow | Snow showers that are created when cold dry air passes over a large warmer lake, such as one of the Great Lakes, and picks up moisture and heat. |
| demand delivery | A method of irrigation water delivery whereby the project delivers water to the headgate upon farm irrigator demand; usually is associated with high head (cfs) delivery rates |
| mathematical model | A representation of physical laws or processes expressed in terms of mathematical symbols and expressions (i.e., equations) |
| soil zone | The Root Zone. |
| natural sink | A habitat that serves to trap or immobilize chemicals such as plant nutrients, organic pollutants, or metal ions through natural processes |
| splash | (1) To cause (a liquid substance) to scatter and fall in drops or blobs |
| drop spillway | An overfall structure in which water drops over a vertical wall onto a protected apron at a lower elevation. |
| abrasion | The mechanical wearing away of a rock by friction, rubbing, scraping, or grinding |
| black ice | Thin, new ice on fresh or salt water that appears dark in color because of its transparency |
| lake | or other body of water into which light can penetrate, also known as the zone of photosynthesis. |
| gram | The basic unit of weight in the Metric System equal to 1/1000 kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density; also equal to 1/28th of an ounce or 0.0022046 pound. |
| ground water plume | A volume of contaminated groundwater that extends downward and outward from a specific source; the shape and movement of the mass of the contaminated water is affected by the local geology, materials present in the plume, and the flow characteristics of the area groundwater. |
| advection | horizontal transfer of heat by a horizontally moving air mass. |
| glacial surge | The rapid forward movement of a glacier. |
| conjunctive management | integrated management and use of two or more water resources, such as an aquifer and a surface water body. |
| conservation easement | An agreement negotiated on privately owned lands to preserve open space or protect certain natural resources. |
| migration | Change in position of a channel by lateral erosion of one bank and simultaneous accretion of the opposite bank. |
| convective transport | The component of movement of heat or mass induced by thermal gradients in ground water |
| terrestrial radiation | Long wave radiation that is emitted by the earth back into the atmosphere |
| habitat | The native environment where a plant or animal naturally grows or lives. |
| sublittoral zone | The part of the shore from the lowest water level to the lower boundary of plant growth; the transition zone from the Littoral to Profundal bottom. |
| resource management system | A combination of conservation practices identified by the primary use of land or water that, if effected, will at a minimum protect the resource base by meeting tolerable soil losses, maintaining acceptable water quality, and maintaining acceptable ecological and management levels for the selected resource use |
| thermocline | fairly thin zone in a lake that separates an upper warmer zone (epilimnion) from a lower colder zone (hypolimnion). |
| nauplius | The free-swimming microscopic larval stage characteristic of many crustaceans, barnacles, etc. |
| biotic community | A naturally occurring assemblage of plants and animals that live in the same environment and are mutually sustaining and interdependent |
| direct filtration | (Water Quality) A method of treating water which consists of the addition of coagulant chemicals, flash mixing, coagulation, minimal flocculation, and filtration |
| saturated adiabatic lapse rate | The lapse rate in the saturated lower layers of the air |
| background | Value for a parameter that represents the conditions in a system prior to a given influence in space or time. |
| hydrology | The science of waters of the earth, their occurrence, distribution, and circulation; their physical and chemical properties; and their reaction with the environment, including living beings. |
| raw materials | unprocessed inputs to an industrial process. |
| thermosphere | the upper layer of the atmosphere above 80km from the earth surface |
| hydraulic model | Small‑scale physical or mathematical representation of a flow situation. |
| clean water act | federal legislation enacted in 1972 to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the surface waters of the United States |
| mangrove | Tropical evergreen trees and shrubs that have stilt like roots and stems, and often form dense thickets along tidal shores |
| current | Water flowing through a channel. |
| calcium | (Ca++) The most abundant cation found in Wisconsin lakes |
| sea level | The level of the surface of the sea, especially measured at its mean position midway between mean high and low water |
| foundation | The natural material on which the dam structure is placed. |
| gross primary productivity | the addition, through photosynthesis, of organic matter in plants measured in dry grammes per square metre per year. |
| developed | an out of date term for economically more developed countries |
| tempest | A violent windstorm, frequently accompanied by rain, snow, or hail. |
| arboriculture | The planting, care, and tending of trees and shrubs, individually or in small groups, for utilitarian purposes. |
| horn | a peak or pinnacle thinned and eroded by three or more glacial cirques. |
| sewage | The waste and wastewater produced by residential and commercial establishments and discharged into sewers. |
| hypersaline | Term used to characterize waters with salinity greater than 40 0/00 (parts per thousand), due to land-derived salts. |
| fjord | A deep glacial trough submerged with seawater. |
| domestic wastewater facility | Refers to those facilities that receive or dispose of wastewater derived principally from residential dwellings, business or commercial buildings, institutions, and the like |
| vacuum drying | Removal of liquid material from a solution or mixture under reduced air pressure, which results in drying at a lower temperature than is required at full pressure. |
| soil erosion | the processes by which soil is removed from one place by forces such as wind, water, waves, glaciers, and construction activity and eventually deposited at some new place. |
| cooling water | Water used for cooling purposes by electric generators, steam condensers, large machinery or products at industrial plants, and nuclear reactors |
| lagged endogenous variable | (Statistics) Refers to the use of a prior-period Dependent Variable used as an Explanatory Variable in the current period |
| equilibrium line | On a glacier the line separating the zone of accumulation from the zone of ablation . |
| biofuel | fuel derived from biomass |
| deposition | The settling from suspension of transported sediments |
| tidal volume | The volume of water entering and leaving a bay or salt marsh as the water level fluctuates because of the tides. |
| bulk sediment analysis | Analysis of soil material or surface sediment deposits to determine the size and relative amounts of particles composing the material. |
| conduit | (1) A natural or artificial channel through which fluids may be conveyed |
| geostationary orbit | an orbit path that keeps a satellite over the exact same point on the earth surface at all times. |
| sial | crustal material made mainly of silica and aluminium. |
| radial drainage | An arrangement of stream courses in which the streams radiate outward in all directions from a central zone or inward from all directions to a central area. |
| joint | A fracture in a rock where no movement has taken place or where no movement has taken place perpendicular to the surface of the fracture |
| dissolution | The process by which materials are dissolved. |
| igneous | a rock formed through the cooling of magma or lava |
| initial water deficiency | The quantity, usually expressed in depth of water in inches on a unit area, by which the actual water content of a given soil zone (usually the Root Zone) is exceeded by the field capacity of that zone at the beginning of the rainy season |
| suspended water | Underground water held in the Zone of Aeration by molecular attraction exerted on the water by the rock and earth materials and by the attraction exerted by the water particles on one another |
| newton | The unit of force giving a mass of about one kilogram (2.205 pounds) an acceleration of about one meter (1 yard) per second per second. |
| anvil | The upper portion of a cumulonimbus cloud that becomes flat and spread-out, sometimes for hundreds of miles downstream from the parent cloud |
| holocene | the current geological period, currently about 10,000 years long. |
| atomic number | Number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. |
| lee | Located in or facing the path of an oncoming glacier |
| paleocurrent map | A map that shows the directions of currents at the time of sediment deposition |
| radiation fog | a fog formed when warm moist air is cooled to the dew point by the ground. |
| pervious | Allowing passage through, as a material to water. |
| multi-cropping | The practice of producing two or more crops consecutively on the same parcel of land during a 12-month period |
| kettle | A depression formed in glacial deposits when a buried block of ice, left behind by a retreating glacier, melts. |
| smog | a mixture of smoke and fog produced by factory and domestic emissions which provide hygroscopic nuclei for condensation to occur onto. |
| rainband | (Physics and Meteorology) A dark band in the yellow portion of the solar spectrum near the sodium lines, caused by watery vapor in the atmosphere, and hence sometimes used in weather predictions. |
| landscape | (Geography) All the natural features, such as fields, hills, forests, and water that distinguish one part of the earth's surface from another part |
| manning n | after Robert Manning |
| quarrying | See plucking. |
| silt | Sedimentary particles smaller than sand particles, but larger than clay particles. |
| soil conservation | The use of land, within the limits of economic practicability, according to its capabilities and its needs to keep it permanently productive. |
| containerization | the development of standardized metal containers for cargo which can be transshipped between train, lorry and ship carriers |
| riparian areas | Land areas directly influenced by a body of water |
| stadial | a short-term advance of ice during a more general interglacial period. |
| irrigation water use | Artificial application of water on lands to assist in the growing of crops and pastures or to maintain vegetative growth on recreational lands, such as parks and golf courses. |
| chemigation | Application of pesticides or fertilizers to farmlands through irrigation systems. |
| irrecoverable losses | Water lost to a salt sink or lost by evaporation or evapotranspiration from a conveyance facility, drainage canal, or in fringe areas. |
| trickle channel | A longitudinal channel constructed along the center and lowest part of a channel or through a detention or retention facility and intended to carry low flows |
| backwash | used in both physical and human geography |
| chert | A microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock material composed of SiO2 |
| paleomagnetism | The study of Earth's magnetic field over time |
| continent | one of the seven largest pieces of land on earth. |
| albedo | The percent reflectivity of a surface |
| shock load | (Water Quality) The arrival at a water treatment plant of raw water containing unusual amounts of algae, colloidal matter, color, suspended solids, turbidity, or other pollutants. |
| cirrostratus clouds | A high-altitude, thin hazy cloud, usually covering the sky and often producing a halo effect |
| monocline | A bend or fold in gently dipping horizontal strata. |
| water budget | (1) (Hydrology) An accounting of the inflows to, the outflows from, and the storage changes of water in a hydrologic unit or system |
| spring melt/thaw | the process whereby warm temperatures melt winter snow and ice |
| continuous sample | A flow of water from a particular place in a plant to the location where samples are collected for testing |
| zooplankton | animal species of plankton. |
| hydrometeorology | The science of the application of meteorology to hydrologic problems; the branch of meteorology that deals with the occurrence, motion, and changes of the state of atmospheric water |
| base flood elevation | The height in relation to mean sea level (MSL) expected to be reached by the waters of the base flood at pertinent points in the floodplain of Riverine areas. |
| aquitard | A saturated, but poorly permeable bed that impedes ground-water movement and does not yield water freely to wells, but which may transmit appreciable water to or from adjacent aquifers and, where sufficiently thick, may constitute an important ground-water storage unit |
| bag of waters | The double-walled fluid-filled sac that encloses and protects the fetus in the womb and that breaks releasing its fluid during the birth process |
| whiteout | When visibility is near zero due to blizzard conditions or occurs on sunless days when clouds and surface snow seem to blend, erasing the horizon and creating a completely white vista. |
| yardang | An elongate ridge carved by wind erosion. |
| salmonella | A rod-shaped bacteria common to food, particularly chicken and chicken products like eggs |
| humid | Containing or characterized by perceptible moisture |
| gradient wind | the same as geostrophic wind, but blowing parallel to curved isobars or contours; the curved airflow pattern around a pressure center results from a balance among pressure-gradient force, coriolis force, and centrifugal force. |
| rain forest | A forest which grows in a region of heavy annual precipitation |
| flood forecasting | Flood forecasts are primarily the responsibility of the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and are used to predict flood stages and times and indicate areas subject to flooding. |
| river stage | The elevation of the water surface at a specified station above some arbitrary zero datum (level). |
| leaching | extraction or flushing out of dissolved or suspended materials from the soil, solid waste, or another medium by water or other liquids as they percolate down through the medium to groundwater. |
| embankment | An artificial deposit of material that is raised above the natural surface of the land and used to contain, divert, or store water, support roads or railways, or for other similar purposes. |
| draw | To cause to flow forth as a pump drawing water. |
| antecedent precipitation | Precipitation which occurred prior to a particular time over a specific area or Drainage Basin |
| enteric viruses | a category of viruses related to human excreta found in waterways. |
| advisory | Statements that are issued by the National Weather Service for probable weather situations of inconvenience that do not carry the danger of warning criteria, but, if not observed, could lead to hazardous situations |
| secondary association | (Statistics) A situation in which there exists an apparent link between two Variables that is actually the result of a Confounding Variable |
| cap | Composed of a layer of warmer, dryer air aloft which may suppress or delay the development of thunderstorms |
| ground water mining | The withdrawal of water from an aquifer in excess of recharge which, if continued over time, would eventually cause the underground supply to be exhausted or the water table could drop below economically feasible pumping lifts. |
| persistent pesticides | Pesticides remaining in the environment for more than one growing season or for more than one year after applications. |
| flood damage | The direct and indirect economic loss caused by floods including damage by inundation, erosion, or sediment deposition |
| point bar | A crescent -shaped accumulation of sand and gravel deposited on the inside of a meander bend. |
| dome | 1 (structural geology) An uplift that is circular or elliptical in map view, with beds dipping away in all directions from a central area |
| glacier | a mass of ice formed through the accumulation of multiple years of snow input causing compaction and thus the expulsion of air from within the mass. |
| rational method | A simple procedure for calculating the direct precipitation peak runoff from a watershed, using the rainfall intensity, the area of the watershed, and the runoff coefficient appropriate for the type of watershed runoff surface. |
| flood insurance study | A document containing the results of an examination, evaluation, and determination of flood hazards and, if appropriate, corresponding water surface elevations, mudslides and erosion hazards. |
| prescription | A method of acquisition of title or the use of water by immemorial or long-continued enjoyment |
| warm front | the forward edge of an advancing warm air mass that is displacing cooler air in its path. |
| estuarine zone | area near the coastline that consists of estuaries and coastal saltwater wetlands. |
| bpi pan | A circular evaporation pan, 6 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep, made of unpainted galvanized iron |
| leaching | The removal of soluble organic and inorganic substances from the topsoil downward by the action of percolating water. |
| injection zone | a geological formation receiving fluids through a well. |
| drainage basin | Part of the surface of the earth that is occupied by a drainage system, which consists of a surface stream or a body of impounded surface water together with all tributary surface streams and bodies of impounded surface water |
| planetary differentiation | The processes by which the materials in a planetary body are separated according to density, so that the originally homogeneous body is converted into a zoned or layered (shelled) body with a dense core, a mantle, and a crust. |
| antidegradation policy | Rules or guidelines that are required of each state by federal regulations implementing the Clean Water Act (CWA), stating that existing water quality be maintained even if the current water quality in an area is higher than the minimum permitted as defined by federal ambient water quality standards |
| organic soil | Soil composed of predominantly organic rather than mineral material |
| trellis drainage pattern | A drainage pattern in which tributaries are arranged in a pattern similar to that of a garden trellis. |
| hardpan | a shallow layer of earth material which has become relatively hard and impermeable, usually through the deposition of minerals |
| gram molecular weight | The mass, in grams, of a substance equal to its molecular weight |
| storm | (1) An atmospheric disturbance manifested in strong winds accompanied by rain, snow, hail, or other precipitation and often by thunder and lightning |
| forecast horizon | (Statistics) The number of time periods to be forecasted; also, the time period in the future to which forecasts are to be made. |
| suncups | A series of bowl-like depression melted into a snow or ice surface, separated by a network of connected ridges |
| in-line filtration | a pretreatment method in which chemicals are mixed by flowing water; commonly used in pressure filtration installations. |
| fresh-salt water interface | The region where fresh water and salt water meet. |
| crest | (1) The top of a dam, dike, or spillway, which water must reach before passing over the structure; in international usage it refers to the crown of an overflow section of a dam |
| original horizontality | One of the principles of relative dating |
| shifting cultivation | a farming system in which a small tribal group cuts and burns the natural vegetation before cultivating the land |
| viscosity | The tendency within a body to resist flow |
| saline | (1) Term used to describe waters containing common salt, or sodium chloride |
| hadean | The oldest eon in Earth history, extending from the origin of the Earth to about 3.9 billion years ago. |
| mean column velocity | the average velocity of fluid flow measured in a column extending from the surface of the water to the bed of the channel |
| maximum contaminant level | The designation given by the U.S |
| igneous rock | Rock formed by cooling and solidification of molten silicate minerals (magma) |
| ground water hydraulics | The study of the movement of water, especially water under pressure and water's movement through various soil medium. |
| physiography | The study of the surface features and landforms of the earth. |
| sand bar | a long strip of deposited sand lying offshore, usually only exposed at low tide, if at all. |
| contour furrows | Furrows plowed approximately on the contour on pasture and rangeland to prevent runoff and increase infiltration; also, furrows laid out approximately on the contour for irrigation purposes. |
| clepsydra | An ancient device that measured time by marking the regulated flow of water through a small opening |
| paleosol | An ancient or buried soil, often used as a stratigraphic marker for interglacial periods. |
| joint set | A group of joints that are parallel or nearly parallel |
| drought year supply | The average annual supply of a water development system during a defined Drought Period |
| surges | Periods of extremely rapid movements in glacial flow. |
| crest gate | A temporary or movable gate installed on top of a spillway crest to provide additional storage or prevent flow over the crest. |
| gleization | A soil formation process that occurs in poorly drained environments |
| constructive plate margin | in plate tectonics, a plate boundary where the relative movement of the crustal plates is apart from each other allowing magma to rise from the mantle and solidify to construct new crust. |
| recrystallization | is a technique used to purify solids based on different solubilities of the impurity and the target compound. |
| piedmont | where a mountain range abruptly falls into a lowland area. |
| thickener | A Settling Pond or tank where the concentration of solids is increased by allowing settling and the removal of clarified liquid |
| environmental audit | (1) An internal investigation of company compliance with environmental regulations |
| tropic of cancer | The most northern point on the earth where the sun is directly overhead, located at approximately 23.5 degrees North latitude. |
| duststorm | A severe weather condition characterized by strong winds and dust-filled air over a large area |
| plant community | (Biology) An assemblage of plants characterized or dominated by certain species. |
| cirque | A bowl-shaped, amphitheater-like depression eroded into the head or the side of a glacier valley |
| ownership entitlements | The maximum acreage a landholder may directly or indirectly own and irrigate with Reclamation irrigation water. |
| process variable | A physical or chemical quantity which is usually measured and controlled in the operation of a water treatment plant or industrial plant. |
| narrow | (1) A body of water with little width that connects two larger bodies of water |
| continental shelf | shallow sea floor fringing continents |
| comma cloud | A feature seen on satellite images with a distinctive comma-shape |
| treatment | Any method, technique, or process designed to remove solids and/or pollutants from wastestreams and effluents |
| laminar flow | parallel flow of different portions of an overall flow. |
| gas | A state of matter; a substance that generally exists in the gaseous phase at room temperature. |
| swash | (1a) A splash of water or other liquid hitting a solid surface; (1b) The sound made by such a splash |
| lagoon | A shallow body of seawater separated from the open ocean by a barrier island or reef. |
| chasm | Sometimes water filled, deep crack or opening in the earth's surface. |
| surface runoff | Surface runoff is water flow on the land that occurs when the soil is saturated with water and the excess water (from precipitation or snowmelt) runs over the surface. |
| entrapment zone | An area of an estuary or other watercourse where seaward-flowing fresh water overlays more dense, saline ocean water resulting in a two-layer mixing zone characterized by Flocculation, aggregation, and accumulation of suspended materials from upstream. |
| wetlander | A person who lives in proximity to Wetlands and whose culture is linked to them. |
| cu | Catalog Unit. |
| sample | bacterial colonies on laboratory media resulting from filtering and culturing bacteria from a water sample, each colony in the laboratory culture is presumed to have arisen from the multiplication of a single bacterium in the original sample. |
| cultivation | the preparation and use of land for crop growing. |
| annual plant | Plant species that completes its life in one growing season. |
| cfc | see chloroflurocarbon |
| cementation | The processes through which chemical precipitates form within the pore spaces of a sediment and help bind it into a sedimentary rock. |
| ice shelf | A floating ice sheet extending across water from a land-based glacier. |
| hanging valley | A shallow glacial trough that leads into the side of a larger, main glacial trough. |
| nuisance flooding | Flooding which causes public inconvenience, but little or no property damage |
| ducking stool | A seat attached to a plank and formerly used to plunge culprits tied to it into water. |
| perspiration | The fluid, consisting of water with small amounts of urea and salts, that is excreted through the pores of the skin by the sweat glands; sweat. |
| jade | A translucent gemstone consisting of either jadeite or nephrite that is typically green in color |
| gush | To flow forth suddenly in great volume. |
| fissure | An open fracture in a rock. |
| chute spillway | the overall structure which allows water to drop rapidly through an open channel without causing erosion |
| backrush | the seaward return of water after the landward motion of a wave |
| standard sample | The part of finished drinking water that is examined for the presence of coliform bacteria. |
| pollarding | in forest/woodland management, the technique of cutting tree growth back to the main trunk and thereby encouraging new growth from the top of the main trunk. |
| density | The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume it occupies |
| submersible | (Nautical) A vessel capable of operating or remaining under water. |
| torrent | (1) A turbulent, swift-flowing stream |
| primary recovery | Any crude oil or natural gas that is recovered from a well as a result of the natural pressure within the reservoir. |
| carcinogen | A cancer-causing substance or agent. |
| connate water | water trapped in the pore spaces of a sedimentary rock at the time it was deposited |
| angle of incidence | Angle at which the Sun's rays or insolation strike the Earth's surface |
| sun cup | an ablation hollow that develops during intense sunshine |
| selective ion probe | An electrode for which the measured voltage is proportional to the concentration of a specific ion in the solution being tested |
| lithometeor | Solid material, except ice (water), suspended in the atmosphere, as dust, smoke, or pollen |
| on-site sewage treatment | any individual residential sewage treatment and wastewater dispersal system, such as a septic system. |
| fungus | a non-photosynthetic organism which feeds on organic matter e.g |
| anchor ice | Frazil ice that has collected on rocks on the stream bed |
| glacier flow | The movement of ice in a glacier, typically in a downward and outward direction, caused by the force of gravity |
| wmo | World Meteorological Organization |
| degree | A unit of measurement of temperature on any of several scales, such as Celsius or Fahrenheit. |
| agricultural capability | Determines, given the ideal state, what a given area of land is capable of producing in terms of agricultural production and output. |
| water losses | Water which is unavailable or lost from a particular containment system. |
| dalton's law | States that the total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of the gases |
| embeddedness | a measure of the degree that gravel and larger substrates are surrounded by fine particles (silt and sand). |
| distributary | A diverging stream which does not return to the main stream, but discharges into another stream or the ocean |
| chlorides | Negative chlorine ions, Cl-, found naturally in some surface waters and groundwaters and in high concentrations in seawater |
| temperate glacier | a glacier in which the ice reaches the pressure melting point. |
| parent material | The unconsolidated and more or less chemically weathered mineral or organic matter from which the Solum of soils is developed by Pedogenic processes. |
| redrilled well | A previously drilled hole that is reentered and deepened by additional drilling. |
| oxbow | Abandoned former meander loop that remains after a stream cuts a new, shorter channel across the narrow neck of a meander |
| pumping-generating plant | A plant at which the turbine-driven generators can also be used as motor-driven pumps. |
| grout curtain | (Dam) A barrier produced by injecting grout into a vertical zone, usually narrow horizontally, in the foundation of a dam to reduce seepage under the dam |
| mesopause | top of the mesosphere, situated at about 80-85 kilometers (50-53 miles). |
| stationary front | A front which is nearly stationary or moves very little since the last synoptic position |
| denudation | The combined action of all of the various processes that cause the wearing away and lowering of the land, including weathering, mass wasting, stream action, and ground-water activity. |
| neve | Granular ice formed by recrystallization of snow |
| causeway | A raised roadway formed by filling across wet or marshy ground, or the surface of a lake from shore to shore. |
| delta | A deposit of sediment that occurs at a river mouth, usually triangular, named after the Greek letter "delta." |
| major flooding | Flood conditions resulting in extensive inundation and property damage |
| peterson dredge | A device used to collect sediment samples for the identification of bottom-dwelling animals in lakes and streams |
| autumn turnover | The mixing of the entire water mass of a lake in the autumn. |
| decomposition | Weathering by chemical processes |
| perched ground water | Ground water in a saturated zone of material underlain by a relatively impervious stratum which acts as a barrier to downward flow and which is separated from the main ground water body by a zone of unsaturated material above the main ground water body. |
| public water use | Water supplied from a Public Water Supply System and used for such purposes as fire fighting, street washing, and municipal parks and swimming pools |
| biologist | Person who specialized or works in biology. |
| hydrokinetics | The branch of physics having to do with fluids in motion. |
| x-ray radiation | Form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 0.03 to 30 nanometers. |
| diffusion coefficient | (1) The rate at which solutes are transported at the microscopic level due to variations in the solute concentrations within the fluid phases |
| ice storm | A severe weather condition characterized by falling freezing precipitation |
| downgradient | The direction that groundwater flows; similar to "downstream" for surface water flows. |
| haline | Term used to indicate dominance of ocean salt. |
| kgal | A thousand gallons (kilogallons). |
| saline soil | A nonalkali soil containing soluble salts in such quantities that they interfere with the growth of most plants. |
| flood of record | The highest observed river stage or discharge at a given site during the period of record keeping |
| flood | An overflow of water onto lands that are normally above local water levels |
| headwall | The steep rock at the top edge of the cirque. |
| free moisture | Liquid that will drain freely from solid waste by the action of gravity only. |
| hydraulic radius | stream efficiency measured by dividing cross-sectional area of a stream by the wetted perimeter |
| calorie | In meteorology, it is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one (1) gram of water one (1) degree Celsius |
| supercooling | The reduction of the temperature of any liquid below the melting point of that substance's solid phase |
| secondary wave | See S wave. |
| static water level | elevation or level of the water table in a well when the pump is not operating; the level or elevation to which water would rise in a tube connected to an artesian aquifer or basin in a conduit under pressure. |
| mesohabitat | basic structural elements of a river or stream such as pools, backwaters, runs, glides, and riffles. |
| liming | The application of lime to land, primarily to reduce soil acidity and supply calcium for plant growth |
| din | An acronym for Deutsche Industrial Norm |
| drifting snow | Snow particles blown from the ground by the wind to a height of less than six feet. |
| land reconstruction | (Mining) (1) Restoring land and water areas adversely affected by past mining practices and increasing the productivity of the areas for a beneficial use |
| precautionary drawdown | Release of water from a reservoir or other water impoundment facility initiated by projections that inflows will cause water in the structure to exceed desired levels. |
| polyacrylamides | Synthetic polymers with extensive water-retention and water-saving capabilities used to halt erosion and promote dryland farming |
| lacustrine deposits | Stratified materials deposited in lake waters and later become exposed either by the lowering of the water level or by the elevation of the land. |
| zone of contribution | The area surrounding a pumping well that encompasses all areas or features that supply ground-water recharge to the well. |
| total hardness | The total dissolved salts in water, expressed as total parts of dissolved slats in a million parts of water |
| sapropel | (1) A mud rich in organic matter formed at the bottom of a body of water |
| basement | The igneous and metamorphic rocks that exist below the oldest sedimentary cover |
| rinsing/rinse | refers to the washing of a solid with small amounts of cold solvent to remove mother liquor and impuries from the surface |
| water storage pond | An impound for liquid wastes designed to accomplish some degree of biochemical treatment |
| arete | A narrow, sharp ridge separating two adjacent glacial valleys. |
| national response center | The 24-hour a day federal operations center receives notifications of all releases of oil and hazardous substances into the environment |
| immigration | inward movement of people to a country. |
| dedications | A controversial water rights policy that involves a trade-off in which a user can begin pumping groundwater in exchange for a guarantee to buy and retire a like amount of surface water in the future |
| resident population | The number of persons who live within a state or other political subdivision (county, city, etc.) who consider it their permanent place of residence |
| unconsolidated | A term used when referring to sediment that has not been lithified into a rock |
| thrust fault | A low-angle fault (45 degrees or less) in which the hanging wall has moved upward in relation to the footwall |
| altimeter setting | The pressure value to which an aircraft altimeter scale is set so that it will indicate the altitude above mean sea level of an aircraft on the ground at the location for which the value was determined. |
| rationalization | the reorganization of a company to increase efficiency, usually by cutting costs especially labour costs. |
| farm diversification scheme | in UK, grants available to farmers to develop supplementary income from alternative, non-farming activities on their land |
| declared underground water basin | An area of a state designated in some states by their respective State Engineers to be underlain by a ground water source having reasonably ascertainable boundaries |
| gabbro | A black, coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock that is the compositional equivalent of basalt |
| sea mile | A unit of length distinguished from a nautical mile |
| hjulstrّm curve | a graph showing critical stream velocities for the erosion, transport and deposition of different sizes of load. |
| rural depopulation | the net movement of people to urban areas. |
| distance to target ratio | "Indicates the diameter of the surface area an infrared thermometer will measure at a given distance |
| discharge coefficient | (Hydraulics) The ratio of actual rate of flow to the theoretical rate of flow through orifices, weirs, or other hydraulic structures. |
| spray irrigation | Any irrigation by means of nozzles along a pipe or from perforated overhead pipes. |
| clear | The state of the sky when no clouds or obscurations are observed or detected from the point of observation. |
| drainage coefficient | Design rate at which water is to be removed from a drainage area. |
| core | The central part of the earth below a depth of 2900 km. |
| mean low water | The average height of the low water over 19 years. |
| chlorination | the adding of chlorine to water or sewage for the purpose of disinfection or other biological or chemical results. |
| potentiometric surface | A surface which represents the static head of ground water in tightly cased wells that tap a water-bearing rock unit (i.e., aquifer) |
| base | accept an unshared pair of electrons from a base or react with a base to form a salt, a substance that has more free hydrogen ions, H+, than hydroxyl ions, OH-, (see alkaline). |
| directional shear | The shear created by a rapid change in wind direction with height. |
| calorie | amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. |
| blowout depression | a small, shallow bowl-shaped feature created by wind erosion in coastal and arid areas. |
| drainage reuse | reuse of agricultural drainage on salt-tolerant crops. |
| direct water uses | Uses of water that are apparent, for example, washing, bathing, cooking, etc. |
| hogback | A narrow ridge with steeply inclined sides of nearly equal slopes |
| environmental impact statement | A report required by Section 102(2)(c) of Public Law 91-190, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for all major projects which significantly impact on the quality of the human environment or are environmentally controversial |
| temperature | a physical quantity characterizing the mean random motion of molecules in a physical body; in other words, it is a measure of the degree of hotness or coldness of a substance. |
| completion | Sealing off access of undesirable water to the well bore by proper casing and/or cementing procedures. |
| tropic of capricorn | The most southern point on the earth where the sun is directly overhead, located at approximately 23.5 degrees South latitude. |
| margin | The tectonic region that lies at the edge of a continent, whether it coincides with a plate boundary or not. |
| channel | In instances sub-lacustrine channels appear where a lake has been formed by the submergence of a valley, or the drowning of a river; the channels formed under subaerial conditions by stream cutting may remain unfilled by sediments, on the lake bottom. Channel is applied to a surface water way, either natural or artificial, which connects two lakes and provides for boat travel; to river distributaries and connecting water in a delta; and to trench-like excavations extended inland from a lake shoreline to provide water frontages and boat access for back lots. |
| calibration | to check, adjust, or determine by comparison that a computer model will produce results that meet or exceed some defined criteria within a specified degree of confidence. |
| levigate | (1) To make into a smooth, fine powder or paste, as by grinding when moist; to separate fine particles from coarse by grinding in water |
| gross duty of water | (Irrigation) The irrigation water diverted at the intake of a canal system, usually expressed in depth on the irrigable area under the system |
| sérac | A large pointed mass of ice in a glacier isolated by intersecting crevasses. |
| central pressure | The atmospheric pressure at the center of a high or low |
| silt | a particle of rock/mineral with a diameter between 0.01 and 0.1mm. |
| rainfall rate | The amount of precipitation occurring in a unit of time; generally expressed in inches per hour. |
| flood control pool | Reservoir volume reserved for flood runoff and then evacuated as soon as possible to keep that volume in readiness for the next flood. |
| high water mark | A mark indicating the highest level reached by a body of water. |
| discharge | Volume of water passing through a channel during a given time. |
| causeway | Rock or earth embankment carrying a roadway across water. |
| disaster area | An area that officially qualifies for emergency governmental aid as a result of a catastrophe, such as an earthquake or a flood. |
| sssi | see Site of Special Scientific Interest. |
| tidal flat | A large, nearly horizontal area of land covered with water at high tide and exposed to the air at low tide |
| slip-face | the lee side of a sand dune so called because material often slides or rolls down it. |
| gavelkind | see fragmentation. |
| hydrothermal deposit | (Geology) A mineral deposit formed when hot, aqueous solutions fill fractures or other open spaces in rocks or along faults |
| amensalism | Interspecific interaction where one species suffers in terms of fitness, while the fitness of the other species does not change |
| ultrabasic rock | An igneous rock with a very low silica content and rich in minerals such as hypersthene, augite and olivine |
| stratus | A low altitude cloud typically resembling a horizontal layer of fog |
| nonthreshold pollutant | A substance or condition harmful to a particular organism at any level or concentration. |
| sublimation | transformation between solid and gas, and vice versa, without being in a liquid stage. |
| natural control | A stream-gaging control which is natural to the stream channel, in contrast to an artificial control constructed by man. |
| aeration | Any active or passive process by which intimate contact between air and liquid is assured, generally by spraying liquid in the air, bubbling air through water, or mechanical agitation of the liquid to promote surface absorption of air. |
| desire line | a line on a map relating information on the movement of people by joining their point of origin with their destination |
| electron | A subatomic particle with a negative charge and of negligible mass that orbits the nucleus of an atom. |
| ninetieth percentile | See 90th Percentile (first entry under the letter "N"). |
| listeria | A rod-shaped bacteria common to food. |
| stream order | classification of streams within a drainage basin so that it can be compared with another |
| salt water | The water of the ocean, distinguished from fresh water by its appreciable salinity. |
| solar pond | A pool of salt water heated by the sun and used either as a direct source of heat or to provide power for an electric generator. |
| biennial plant | A plant that lives for two years, producing vegetative growth the first year, usually blooming and fruiting in the second year, and then dying. |
| decomposition | Weathering processes that are the result of chemical reactions |
| flow-sensitive habitats | habitats that show hydraulic response to relatively small changes in streamflow |
| ocean | lake, or other body of water into which light can penetrate, also known as the zone of photosynthesis. |
| microbial growth | The activity and growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, algae, diatoms, plankton, and fungi. |
| impervious | A term denoting the resistance to penetration by water or plant roots; incapable of being penetrated by water; non-porous. |
| hydrofoil | (Nautical) (1) A wing-like structure attached to the hull of a boat that raises all or part of the hull out of the water when the boat is moving forward, thus reducing drag |
| ripple marks | Small waves produced on a surface of sand or mud by the drag of wind or water moving over it. |
| ridge ice | piled ice formed by ridging. |
| hydrodynamic loads | Forces imposed on structures by floodwaters due other impacts of moving water on the upstream side of the structure, drag along its sides, and eddies or negative pressures on its downstream side. |
| state engineer | The official most often charged with the administration of the water appropriation system within a state |
| frozen precipitation | Precipitation that reaches the ground in a frozen state |
| radiation | The process by which energy is propagated through any medium by virtue of the wave motion of that medium |
| discharger | any person who discharges waste that could affect the quality of state waters |
| density | Mass divided by the same unit system in volume stated as "pounds per cubic inch," "pounds per cubic foot," or "grams per cubic centimeter (cc)" |
| allopatric speciation | The evolution of a new species because of the isolation of a small group of individuals from the other members of a population. |
| nondegradation | an environmental policy that does not allow any lowering of naturally occurring water quality regardless of pre-established health standards. |
| water commitment | A commitment from a water purveyor to provide water service to a particular parcel of land and/or a specific development. |
| incidence | (Statistics) The rate of occurrence of a specific event within a given number of observations over a standard time period. |
| outflow channel | A natural stream channel that transports reservoir releases. |
| habitat | The native environment or specific surroundings where a plant or animal naturally grows or lives |
| adaptation | Changes in an organism's structure or habits that allow it to adjust to its surroundings, which usually makes them more likely to survive and reproduce than their competitors. |
| atrazine | A herbicide listed by the U.S |
| direct precipitation | Water that falls directly into a lake or stream without passing through any land phase of the runoff cycle. |
| crust | The outermost layer, or shell, of the earth (or any other differentiated planet) |
| curl | A hollow arch of water formed when the crest of a breaking wave spills forward. |
| exempted | (Water Quality) A state (with Primacy) may exempt a Public Water System (PWS) from a requirement involving a Minimum Contaminant Level (MCL), treatment technique, or both, if the system cannot comply due to compelling economic or other factors, or because the system was in operation before the requirement or MCL was instituted, and the exemption will not create a public health risk. |
| downward spiral | decline occurring in a vicious circle or negative cumulative causation. |
| tailrace | (1) The part of a Millrace below the water wheel through which the spent water flows; the channel which conducts water away from a water wheel |
| usfws | U.S |
| development | The work done on a mineral property before mineral production begins on a commercial scale. |
| net consumptive use | The Consumptive Use decreased by the estimated contribution by rainfall toward the production of irrigated crops |
| mass movement | The transfer of rock and soil downslope by direct action of gravity without a flowing medium (such as a river or glacial ice) |
| unsteady flow | Flow that is changing with respect to time. |
| homogeneity | Characteristic of a medium in which material properties are identical throughout |
| index model | A hydrologic computer model based on empirical, statistical relationships. |
| pumping head | Energy given to a fluid by a pump; usually expressed in feet of fluid (foot-pounds per pound). |
| plume | the area taken up by contaminant(s) in an aquifer. |
| elr | see environmental lapse rate. |
| invisible trade | import and export of services in industry sectors such as banking, tourism and education |
| subsurface water | Water below the surface of the ground, including soil moisture, intermediate zone water, capillary fringe water, and ground water |
| confirmed test | (Water Quality) The second stage in the examination of water for the presence of bacteria of fecal origin |
| tailings pond | An excavated or diked area that is intended to contain liquid and solid wastes from mining and milling operations. |
| jurisdictional wetland | An area that meets the criteria established by the U.S |
| dolos | A concrete protective unit used to dissipate wave energy thus preventing damages to breakwaters and jetties |
| development well | A well drilled within the proven area of an oil or gas reservoir to the depth of the productive stratigraphic horizon |
| water-related issue | An allocation, use, rights, or environmental problem involving water that is complicated by the disagreement of two or more parties over the cause, effect, and/or resolution of the problem. |
| volcanic ash | Sand-sized particles of igneous rock that form when a spray of liquid magma is blown from a volcanic vent by escaping gas |
| scavenging coefficient | The exponential constant (Þ) in an Exponential Decay model for the physical removal of particulate from the air by rainfall |
| three-mile limit | The limit of the marginal sea of three miles included in the territorial waters of a state. |
| tailings | Washed or milled ore that is too poor to be further treated. |
| chlorine demand | the difference between the amount of chlorine added to water, sewage, or industrial wastes and the amount of residual chlorine remaining at the end of a specific contact period |
| slaker | A mechanical device in which dry lime (calcium oxide) or magnesium oxide is powdered and mixed with water to produce alkali consisting of calcium or magnesium hydroxide |
| mineral | A naturally occurring inorganic solid having a definite internal structure and a definite chemical composition that varies only within strict limits |
| sustained overdraft | A long-term withdrawal from the aquifer of more water than is being recharged |
| cycle of poverty | the process which maintains conditions of chronic poverty in rural areas of ELDCs |
| masonry dam | A dam constructed mainly of stone, brick, or concrete blocks that may or may not be joined with mortar |
| nitrogen | a plant nutrient that can cause an overabundance of bacteria and algae when high amounts are present, leading to a depletion of oxygen and fish kills |
| convective clouds | Clouds generated by the rising of air over a relatively warm land mass. |
| datum | Any numerical or geometric quantity or set of such quantities that may serve as a reference or base for other, comparable quantities |
| delay rental | A payment to a mineral rights owner by a lessee if commercial production does not begin according to the terms of the mineral rights contract |
| communication | the movement and/or exchange of information, goods and people over time and space. |
| ophiolite | A sequence of rocks characterized by ultramafic rocks at the base and Cin ascending order) gabbro, sheeted dikes, pillow lavas, and deep-sea sediments |
| adsorption | physical or chemical bonding of solid particles with liquids or gases. |
| hydrophytic | Plants that grow in water or in saturated soils that are periodically deficient in oxygen as a result of high water content. |
| plantation | a large-scale form of agriculture in which a tree or bush species is planted from which a fruit, leaf or sap is harvested |
| static water depth | the vertical distance from the centerline of the pump discharge down to the surface level of the free pool while no water is being drawn from the pool or water table. |
| plop | To fall with a sound like that of an object falling into water without splashing. |
| aquifer recharge area | Surface area that provides water for an aquifer. |
| stability | when the DALR and SALR are both higher than the ELR then an air mass will be cooler than its surroundings and will sink back to its original position once the upward forces on it have ceased e.g |
| moraine | a mound, ridge, or other distinct accumulation of glacial till. |
| detention facility | A surface water runoff storage facility that is normally dry but is designed to hold (detain) surface water temporarily during and immediately after a runoff event |
| anemorumbograph | a Russian anemograph (recording anemometer) which is equipped with a device to record the wind direction in addition to wind speed. |
| contact recreation | activities involving a significant risk of ingestion of water, such as wading by children, swimming, water skiing, diving and surfing |
| craton | see shield area. |
| free ground water | Water in interconnected pore spaces in the Zone of Saturation down to the first impervious barrier, moving under the control of the water table slope. |
| ·ice cap | A dome-shaped accumulation of glacier ice and perennial snow that completely covers a mountainous area or island, so that no peaks or Nunataks poke through. |
| fetch | Area in which waves are generated by wind having a rather constant direction and speed; sometimes used synonymously with fetch length. |
| convective condensation level | The height at which a parcel of air, if heated sufficiently from below, will rise adiabatically until it is just saturated. |
| solute | material dissolved in water. |
| volatilization | The process of Evaporation. |
| amphibolite | Amphibolite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms through recrystallization under conditions of high viscosity and directed pressure |
| natural levee | A mound of sediment that parallels a stream channel forming a levee-like deposit |
| amenities | (Lake) Those features or aspects which produce a pleasurable effect, or have a sentimental value. |
| load | rock material being transported by an agent of erosion. |
| conductivity | (1)A measure of the ability of a solution to carry an electrical current |
| freeboard | the vertical distance between the lowest point along the top of a surface impoundment dike, berm, levee, treatment works or other similar feature and the surface of the liquid contained therein. |
| abandonment of a dam | In a legal sense, abandonment is most precisely described as transfer of all rights, title and interest in a dam to the current property owner.Abandonment may also involve the slow but resolute erosion of rights to a dam by non-use, physical destruction, lack of maintenance or intent of same |
| aftershock | ground tremors occurring after a major earthquake but associated with the same focus point. |
| bulk density | Density of the water sediment mixture (mass per unit volume), including both water and sediment. |
| rotation delivery | A method of delivering water to the headgate from the project conveyance system on a rotational time basis |
| rain shadow | A dry region on the lee side of a topographic barrier, usually a mountain range, where the rainfall is noticeably less than on the windward side. |
| nimbostratus clouds | Rain clouds in layers that are generally spread across the sky; a low, gray, often dark cloud that precipitates rain, snow, or sleet |
| air mass | an extensive body of the atmosphere in which physical properties, particularly temperature and humidity, exhibit only small and continuous differences in the horizontal plane; it may extend over an area of several million square kilometers and over a height of several kilometers. |
| stratocumulus | a principal low-level cloud type (cloud genus), predominantly stratiform, in the form of relatively low gray and/or whitish layer, sheet or patch; its elements are often arranged in bands or rolls that lie across the wind; light rain, snow, or sleet may fall from stratocumulus. |
| staple food crop | the main crop which forms the basis of calorific content of the diet for a particular area |
| critical point | (1) (Physics) The temperature and pressure at which the liquid and gaseous phases of a pure stable substance become identical |
| oxygen sag curve | A graph of the measured concentrations of Dissolved Oxygen in water samples collected (1) upstream from a significant Point Source (PS) of readily degradable organic material (pollution), (2) from the area of the discharge, and (3) from some distance downstream from the discharge, plotted by sample location |
| absolute humidity | Measurement of atmospheric humidity |
| conservation storage | The portion of water stored in a reservoir that can be later released for useful purposes such as municipal water supply, power, or irrigation |
| project efficiency | The project efficiency is a general term referring to the efficiency relating to all aspects of a project's use of water. |
| polar front | A semi-continuous, semi-permanent boundary between polar air masses and tropical air masses |
| groundwater | the store of water that has moved by percolation into the lower layers of the soil or the bedrock. |
| trap efficiency | The ratio of sediment retained within the reservoir to the sediment inflow of the reservoir expressed as a percentage. |
| circulation | The flow or motion of a fluid in or through a given area or volume |
| stevenson screen | a white, usually wooden, box with louvre sides and raised on stilts used to hold thermometers at weather recording stations. |
| photosynthesis | manufacture of carbohydrates by plants using energy from light. |
| tideland flooding | The periodic flooding of Tidelands during extremely high tides coupled with strong winds and/or high river stages flowing out over a high tide. |
| greenhouse effect | A warming of the atmosphere caused by carbon dioxide and water vapor in the lower portions of the atmosphere capturing heat that is radiated from and reflected by Earth's surface. |
| replacement | The dissolving or disintegration of one material followed by precipitation of a new material in its place. |
| consolidation | (Soil Mechanics) Adjustment of a soil in response to increased load; involves squeezing of water from the pores and a decrease in void ratio (pore space) |
| snowpack | The amount of annual accumulation of snow at higher elevations. |
| headwater | The upper portions of a drainage basin where the tributaries of a stream first begin flow. |
| nephelometer | A device which measures the intensity of light scattered at right angles to its path through a sample |
| charles' law | States that when the pressure is held constant, the volume of a gas varies directly with the temperature |
| allogenic | Exogenous, caused by external factors, such as a change in a habitat or environment caused by flooding |
| boundaryconditions | Flow conditions imposed at the ends of a pipeline or canal reach by various physical structures, which must be described mathematically to solve the general equation of flow for hydraulic transient computer models. |
| flood frequency curve | (1) A graph showing the average interval of time within which a flood of a given magnitude will be equaled or exceeded once |
| hook echo | A radar reflectivity pattern observed in a thunderstorm, appearing like a fish hook and indicating favorable conditions for tornadic development |
| undercurrent | A current, as of air or water, below another current or beneath the surface. |
| entrain | to trap bubbles in water either mechanically through turbulence or chemically through a reaction. |
| cuesta | A ridge with a gentle slope on one side and a steep slope on the other, often resulting from the movement of a glacier over a rock outcrop |
| regression | (Statistics) A statistical method for studying and expressing the change in one Variable associated with and dependent upon changes in another related variable or set of variables. |
| elevation | height above sea-level. |
| tidal power | A form of power obtained from the filling and emptying of a Bay or an Estuary that can be closed by a dam |
| icefield | a mass of glacier ice; similar to an ice cap, and usually smaller and lacking a dome-like shape; somewhat controlled by terrain. |
| nonpoint source | source of pollution in which wastes are not released at one specific, identifiable point but from a number of points that are spread out and difficult to identify and control |
| infrared | The long wave, electromagnetic radiation of radiant heat emitted by all hot objects |
| gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer | A highly sophisticated instrument that identifies the molecular composition and concentrations of various chemicals in water and soil samples. |
| datum | A reference location or elevation which is used as a starting point for subsequent measurements |
| solar radiation | the total electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun. |
| ultrafiltration | Filtration through a medium (as a semipermeable capillary wall) which allows small molecules (as of water) to pass but holds back larger ones (as of protein). |
| flutes | Long grooves gouged by englacial debris on subglacial pavement parallel to the direction of glacial movement. |
| median particle size | value for which half the particles in a sample have a greater diameter and half a lesser diameter. |
| continental margin | The zone of transition from a continental mass to the adjacent ocean basin |
| water-related land | Land on which projected use and/or management practices may significantly affect the runoff pattern or quality of the water resources to which it relates and land that is significantly affected by existing or proposed measures for management or use of the water resources to which it relates. |
| chloramines | Compounds containing nitrogen, hydrogen, and chlorine, formed by the reaction between hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and ammonia (NH3) and/or organic amines in water |
| meltwater | water that comes from the melting ice of a glacier or a snowbank. |
| globule | A tiny ball or globe, especially a drop of liquid. |
| water of hydration | Water chemically combined with a substance in such a way that it can be removed, as by heating, without substantially changing the chemical composition of the substance. |
| categorical pretreatment standard | A technology-based effluent limitation for an industrial facility discharging into a municipal sewer system |
| crop subsidy | A price support paid to farmers by the government. |
| low tide | the lowest point to which the sea falls against the land in its daily vertical movement. |
| well development | The application of a surging or brushing process to a well in order to draw fine material from the aquifer next to the well and increase its discharge capacity. |
| climate model | representation of the climate system based on the mathematical equations governing the behavior of the various components of the system and including treatment of key physical processes and interactions, cast in a form suitable for numerical approximation with computers. |
| hygrometer | An instrument that measures the humidity of the air or other gases, especially the relative humidity. |
| world weather watch | the world-wide, coordinated system of meteorological facilities and services provided by World Meteorological Organization members for the purpose of ensuring that all members obtain the meteorological information required both for operational work and for research; the essential elements of the WWW are: the global observing system, the global data-processing system, and the global telecommunication system. |
| delta | an alluvial deposit made of rock particles (sediment, and debris) dropped by a stream as it enters a body of water. |
| abiotic | Non-living thing |
| shear stress | the frictional force per unit area exerted on a streambed by flowing water |
| station pressure | The atmospheric pressure with respect to the station elevation. |
| noria | A water wheel with buckets attached to its rim, used to raise water from a stream, especially for transfer to an irrigation channel. |
| maria | Plural of mare. |
| precambrian | The division of geologic time from the formation of the earth (about 4.5 billion years ago) to the beginning of the Cambrian period of the Paleozoic era (about 600 million years ago) |
| baffle | A flat board or plate, deflector, guide, or similar device constructed or placed in flowing water or slurry systems to cause more uniform flow velocities to absorb energy and to divert, guide, or agitate liquids. |
| ld50 | The dose of a toxicant that is fatal to 50 percent of the organisms tested in a specific time |
| nowcast | A short-term weather forecast for expected conditions in the next few hours. |
| radius of influence | the radial distance from the center of a wellbore to the point where there is no lowering of the water table or potentiometric surface; the edge of the cone of depression. |
| till | An unsorted and unstratified accumulation of glacial sediment, deposited directly by glacier ice |
| flood control | measures used to reduce the frequency and the magnitude of flooding |
| splatter | To Spatter or Splash. |
| drainage basin | Area confined by drainage divides, often having only one outlet for discharge (catchment, watershed). |
| dry farming | A type of farming practiced in arid areas without irrigation by planting drought-resistant crops and maintaining a fine surface tilth or mulch that protects the natural moisture of the soil from evaporation |
| pesticide | Any chemical agent used for the control of specific organisms, for example, Insecticides, Herbicides, Fungicides, etc. |
| indigenous | originating in a particular area, region or nation |
| spring overturn | A physical phenomenon that may take place in a lake or similar body of water during the early spring, most frequently in lakes located in temperate zones where the winter temperatures are low enough to result in freezing of the lake surface |
| aquifer | a geologic formation that will yield water to a well in sufficient quantities to make the production of water from this formation feasible for beneficial use; permeable layers of underground rock or sand that hold or transmit groundwater below the water table. |
| multiple use | Harmonious and coordinated management of the various surface and subsurface resources, without impairment of the land, that will best meet the present and future needs of the people |
| dispersivity | A property of a porous medium (and the specific substance or fluid) that determines the dispersion characteristics of the contaminant in that medium by relating the components of pore velocity to the Dispersion Coefficient. |
| aerobe | An organism which requires oxygen for its life processes. |
| stratovolcano | A volcano built up of alternating layers of ash and lava flows |
| fault | A fracture or fracture zone in rock along which movement has occurred. |
| kame | A steep-sided, conical mound or hill formed of glacial drift that is created when sediment is washed into a depression on the top surface of a glacier and then deposited on the ground below when the glacier melts away. |
| vapor blanket | The layer of air which overlies a body of water and, due to its proximity to the water, has a water vapor content higher than that of the surrounding atmosphere. |
| glob | A small drop; a globule. |
| subduction zone | An elongate zone in which one lithospheric plate descends beneath another |
| downstream control | (Irrigation) Control structure adjustments which are based on information from downstream; the required information is measured by a sensor located downstream or based on the downstream water schedule established by the Watermaster. |
| forest land | Land which is at least 10 percent occupied by forest trees of any size or formerly having had such tree cover and not currently developed for non-forest use |
| brownian movement | The constant, random, zigzag movement of small particles dispersed in a fluid medium, caused by collision with molecules of the fluid |
| advanced treatment | A level of wastewater treatment more stringent than secondary treatment; requires an 85 percent reduction in conventional pollutant concentration or a significant reduction in nonconventional pollutants. |
| softening | The removal of metal ions such as calcium and magnesium from water supplies |
| macrophytes | literally ‘big plants |
| volcanic bomb | A projectile of hot magma or rock that is blown from the vent during a volcanic eruption |
| col | Mountain pass formed by enlargement of two opposing cirques until their head walls meet and are broken down. |
| sounding line | (Nautical) A line marked at intervals of fathoms and weighted at one end, used to determine the depth of water |
| discharge permit | a permit issued by a state or the federal government to discharge effluent into waters of the state or the United States |
| deciduous stand | A plant community where Deciduous trees or shrubs represent more than 50 percent of the total areal coverage of trees or shrubs. |
| hanging valley | valley that is suspended over a larger valley, formed by glaciers |
| volatility | the tendency of a liquid to evaporate. |
| vertical temperature profile | A series of temperature measurements taken at various levels in the atmosphere that show the thermal structure of the atmosphere over a specific location |
| drops | Structures to reduce or control water velocity within an irrigation ditch or canal by lowering the water abruptly from one level to a lower level. |
| arc-trench gap | The geographic area in an island arc deep-sea trench system that separates the arc of volcanoes from the trench |
| rotation | (Irrigation) Water delivery where a relatively constant supply flow is rotated to different users at varying times. |
| chlorinator | A device for adding a chlorine-containing gas or liquid to drinking water or wastewater. |
| isotropy | That condition in which a medium has the same properties in all directions. |
| glacial stream | A channelized accumulation of liquid water on (supraglacial), in (englacial), or under (subglacial) a glacier, moving under the influence of gravity. |
| pangaea | A hypothetical continent from which the present continent originated by plate movement from the Mesozoic era to the present. |
| cuticle | Waxy protective layer on the surface of a leaf or stem. |
| barrel | (1) A measure of liquid volume (conventionally) equal to 42 U.S |
| exploratory holes | An excavation drilled to obtain engineering or geological data for the purposes of defining water bearing formations for production wells. |
| average value | arithmetic mean (m) of a number (n) of values (x1, x2, .. |
| rotation management | A type of livestock grazing management system where pastures are grazed for only a portion of the year or season and rested for the remainder. |
| aggressive water | water which is soft and acidic and can corrode plumbing, piping, and appliances. |
| interbasin transfer | the physical transfer of water from one watershed to another; regulated by the Texas Water Code. |
| watershed | land area from which water drains toward a common watercourse in a natural basin. |
| rain forest | A tropical woodland that has an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches (254 centimeters) and often much more, typically restricted to certain lowland areas. |
| hydroelectric plant | A hydroelectric power plant which generates electric power during peak load periods by using water pumped into a storage reservoir during off-peak periods. |
| purgeable organics | Volatile organic chemicals which can be forced out of the water sample with relative ease through purging. |
| icebergs | Floating chunks of ice which calved off the glacier 5/6th underwater 1/6th above |
| conservation district | A public organization crated under state-enabling law as a special purpose district to develop and carry out a program of soil, water, and related resource conservation, use, and development within its boundaries |
| water plan | A document of issues, policies, strategies and action plans intended to effectively and economically execute a Water Planning process |
| navigate | (Nautical) To voyage over water in a boat or ship; to travel by water; sail. |
| primary treatment | mechanical treatment in which large solids are screened out and suspended solids in the sewage settle out as sludge |
| colorado river commission [nevada] | An agency of the State of Nevada consisting of seven members, to include four members appointed by the Governor and three members from the Southern Nevada Water Authority Board of Directors |
| paleontology | The study of fossils of animal and plant life that existed in remote geological times |
| synoptic hour | hour (UTC - Coordinated Universal Time) determined by international agreement at which meteorological observations are made simultaneously throughout the world; the primary synoptic hours are every six hours, commencing at 00:00 UTC. |
| saltwater encroachment | Displacement of fresh ground water by salt water in coastal areas, due to the greater density of salt water. |
| business cycle | regular pattern of 'boom and bust'upturns and downturns in economic demand and output repeating every 5-7 years. |
| outlet glacier | Drains an ice sheet, ice field, or ice cap, usually of valley glacier form; the catchment area may not be easily defined. |
| cod | See Cone of Depression. |
| teflon | A registered trademark |
| island | A landform smaller than a continent and completely surrounded by water. |
| pervious | allowing water to flow along cracks or joints. |
| crossing | Relatively short and shallow reach of a stream between bends; also crossover or riffle. |
| superimposed stream | A stream whose present course was established on young rocks burying an old surface |
| throughflow | the movement of water through a soil to a river channel. |
| perennial yield | The amount of usable water of a ground water reservoir that can be withdrawn and consumed economically each year for an indefinite period of time |
| dental fluorosis | disorder caused by excessive absorption of fluorine and characterized by brown staining of teeth. |
| agglomeration | (Water Quality) The grouping of small suspended particles into larger particles that are more easily removed through filtration, skimming, or settling |
| waterfront | (1) Land abutting a body of water |
| presedimentation | (Water Quality) A pretreatment process used to remove gravel, sand, and other gritty material from raw water before it enters the main treatment plant |
| lee | sheltered side of a slope. |
| sheet erosion | The removal of thin, fairly uniform layer of soil or materials from the land surface by the action of rainfall and runoff water. |
| hanging valley | a small glacial valley entering a larger one someway up the side of the latter |
| litter layer | dead organic matter lying on the surface and waiting for/in the process of decomposition. |
| internal flow | The movement of ice inside a glacier through the deformation and realignment of ice crystals; also known as creep. |
| riparian owner | One who owns land bounding upon a river or water course. |
| cold glacier | one in which ice temperature remains very low (often -30˚C) all year |
| bedrock | Solid rock exposed at the surface of the earth or overlain by soils and unconsolidated material. |
| primary standards | (Water Quality) Standards set by the U.S |
| dolostone | A carbonate rock made up predominately of the mineral dolomite, CaMg(C03)2. |
| launch | (Nautical) To put (a boat) into the water in readiness for use. |
| detention storage | The volume of water, other than depression storage, existing on the land surface as flowing water which has not yet reached the channel. |
| production-line | the organization of a factory so that each stage of the manufacture is physically next to the one before and a good moves along the line being added to as it goes until it is complete. |
| green revolution | most properly refers to the development of higher yield varieties of maize (Mexico) and rice (India) in the 1960s |
| non-producing | A term that refers to a property, a well or a mine from which commercial amounts of a mineral resource have not yet been produced. |
| polarity event | A specific event in the history of Earth's magnetic field |
| arid | A term used for an extremely dry climate |
| anticyclone | a stable, generally subsiding air mass producing high pressure, warming conditions |
| sediment load | the amount of sediment carried by a stream |
| bolson | An alluvium-floored basin, depression, or wide valley, mostly surrounded by mountains and drained by a system that has no surface outlet; an undrained basin |
| navier-stokes equations | a set of equations that describe the physics governing the motion of a fluid |
| hose | (1) A flexible tube for conveying liquids or gases under pressure |
| boulder | A rock fragment with a diameter of more than 256 mm (about the size of a volleyball) |
| stratopause | The boundary in the Atmosphere between the Stratosphere and the next highest layer, the Mesosphere. |
| pyrolysis | is the process where organic compounds decompose when heated without burning. |
| land pan | An evaporation pan located on land |
| air mass | A body of air whose temperature and humidity characteristics remain relatively constant over a horizontal distance of hundreds to thousands of kilometers |
| certificate of water right | An official document which serves as evidence of a Perfected Water Right |
| zodiac | The position of the sun during the course of the year as it appears to move though successive constellations |
| mesoscale convective complex | A large mesoscale convective system (MCS) which is about the size of the state of Ohio or Iowa and lasts at least 6 hours |
| leachate | water containing contaminants which leaks from a disposal site such as a landfill or dump. |
| laccolith | A concordant igneous intrusion that has arched up the strata into which it was injected, so that it forms a pod-shaped or lensshaped body with a generally horizontal floor. |
| quartz | One of the most abundant minerals in the earth's crust |
| backsiphonage | reverse seepage of water in a distribution system. |
| limnetic | Referring to a standing water Ecosystem (ponds or lakes); of, relating to, or inhabiting the open water of a body of fresh water, as a limnetic environment or Limnetic Zone. |
| cavern | A large underground opening in rock (usually limestone) which occurred when some of the rock was dissolved by water |
| permafrost | Permanently frozen ground. |
| surface wave | A type of seismic wave that travels along Earth's surface. |
| runoff rate | The volume of water running off in a unit of time from a surface, expressed as inches of rainfall per hour, cubic feet per second, or other units. |
| monopoly | control of supply of a product or service to a particular market |
| kettle | A shallow, bowl-shaped depression formed when a large block of glacial ice breaks away from the main glacier and is buried beneath glacial till, then melts |
| bathymetric map | A map showing the depth (bottom contours) of water in lakes, streams, or oceans |
| icefog | A fog of ice particles |
| inverted siphon | A closed pipeline with its end sections above the middle section, used for crossing under drainage channels, roadways, depressions, or other structures |
| sewage treatment plant | A facility designed to receive the wastewater from domestic sources and to remove materials that damage water quality and threaten public health and safety when discharged into receiving streams or bodies of water |
| turbulence | A state of fluid flow in which instantaneous velocities exhibit irregular and apparently random fluctuations. |
| flow meter | a gauge indicating the velocity and/or volume of a flowing liquid. |
| unep | United Nations Environment Programme |
| bathymetry | The measurement of ocean depths and the preparation of topographic maps of the ocean floor. |
| break of bulk | a site where cargo is broken down from a large, bulk carrying unit, to smaller scale units, usually involving a change in the mode of transport. |
| opaque | An adjective used in reference to a substance that does not allow light of visible wavelength to enter or pass through |
| growing season | Considered the period of the year during which the temperature of cultivated vegetation remains sufficiently high enough to allow plant growth |
| water year | a division based on a general pattern of annual wet and dry periods rather than a calendar year |
| supercritical water | A type of thermal treatment using moderate temperatures and high pressures to enhance the ability of water to break down large organic molecules into smaller, less toxic ones |
| corrasion | see abrasion. |
| conservation | to protect from loss and waste |
| pelite | (Geology) A sedimentary rock composed of fine fragments, as of clay or mud. |
| geyser | A geyser is a natural hot spring that occasionally sprays water and steam above the ground. |
| teleconnection | (Meteorology) A term which describes the influence of an aberration in weather patterns in one part of the world to cause strange weather in another area of the globe |
| skew t-log p diagram | A thermodynamic diagram, using the temperature and the logarithm of pressure as coordinates |
| rain | Water falling to earth in drops that have been condensed from moisture in the atmosphere |
| watering place | (1) A place where animals find water to drink; a watering hole |
| conglomerate | A clastic sedimentary rock that contains large (greater then two millimeters in diameter) rounded particles |
| active storage capacity | The total amount of usable reservoir capacity available for seasonal or cyclic water storage |
| marine climate | a climate dominated by the ocean; because of the moderating effect of water, sites having this climate are considered relatively mild. |
| hydrophyte | any plant which has adapted to moist environments. |
| hydroelectricity | Electric energy produced by water-powered turbine generators. |
| peridotite | A dark-colored, coarse-grained igneous rock that is made up mainly of olivine and pyroxene, with very little quartz or feldspar |
| volcano | A vent in Earth's surface through which molten rock and gases escape |
| taiga | the Russian term for boreal. |
| water supply | (1) Any quantity of available water; a Water System |
| alpenglow | A rosy glow that suffuses snow-covered mountain peaks at dawn or dusk on a clear day. |
| adsorption | (1) The adherence of ions or molecules in solution to the surface of solids |
| restoration | The act or process of bringing something back to a previous condition or position |
| promontory | A high ridge of land or rock jutting out into a body of water; a headland. |
| enclosure | in the UK 1450-1820, the move from an agricultural system based on open, or shared, crop fields with common land for grazing and resource collection (e.g |
| creams | Chemicals, Runoff and Erosion from Agricultural Management Systems. |
| vaporization | The change of a substance from a liquid or solid state to the gaseous state. |
| relative time | Geologic time as determined by relative dating, that is, by placing events in chronologic order without reference to their ages measured in years. |
| bauxite | The principal ore of aluminum |
| hydrocolloid | A substance that forms a gel with water. |
| anabatic | the movement of air up slopes due to convection. |
| high | area of high pressure in the atmosphere; used interchangeably with anticyclone. |
| tilt | The inclination to the vertical of a significant feature of the pressure pattern or of the field of moisture or temperature |
| turbulent flow | A type of flow in which the path of motion is very irregular, with eddies and swirls. |
| hydromechanics | The branch of physics having to do with the laws governing the motion and equilibrium of fluids. |
| drawdown | the change in the level of the upper water surface in a well or reservoir which is due to the withdrawal of water. |
| stratigraphic sequence | The sequence of sedimentary rock layers found in a specific geographic area, arranged in the order of their deposition. |
| natural precipitation | Represents the average annual precipitation (rainfall, snow, and sleet) measured at a number of different weather stations. |
| isograd | A line on a map that represents a specific degree of metamorphism |
| angular unconformity | An unconformity in which the older strata dip at a different angle (generally steeper) than the younger strata. |
| cradle | A supporting structure shaped to fit the conduit it supports. |
| boom | A floating device used to contain oil on a body of water. |
| time constant | As defined by engineering sciences, a time constant is the actual time that a physical system requires to reach 62.3% of its total value |
| drift | Alternate term for vegetative "debris." |
| biological opinion | A document which states the opinion of the U.S |
| terra rossa | a soil found on limestone where silicates have leached out leaving oxidized iron-rich deposits which give the soil a distinctive red colour, hence the name. |
| pioneer | used to define a species or community of plant(s) that is first to colonise a previously barren area. |
| subsurface drains | Subsurface drains are buried, perforated pipelines designed to collect and convey subsurface water from an irrigated area. |
| oxygen-demanding waste | Any organic material that will stimulate the metabolism of bacteria with a corresponding use of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) when discharged into a natural waterway |
| oblique-slip fault | A fault that has both horizontal and vertical elements of displacement. |
| drainage layer | (Dam) A layer of permeable material in a dam to relieve pore pressure or to facilitate drainage of fill material. |
| neutron | A subatomic particle, contained in the nucleus of an atom |
| absolute zero | Temperature of -273.15° Celsius |
| blue-green algae | A group of phytoplankton which often cause nuisance conditions in water, so called because they contain a blue pigment in addition to chlorophyll |
| meridian | a line tracing a circle that passes through both poles. |
| scenic waterway | Rivers or river segments chosen for scenic and recreation qualities to be preserved in their natural state. |
| outfall | the place where a wastewater treatment plant discharges treated water into the environment. |
| base period | A period of time specified for the selection of data for analysis |
| snow cover | The areal extent of ground covered by the snow |
| regulated | a river or creek where water is released from storage to meet diversions requirements downstream, or to reduce flooding. |
| habitat indicator | a physical attribute of the environment measured to characterize conditions necessary to support an organism, population, or community in the absence of pollutants |
| chemical decomposition | Synonymous with chemical weathering. |
| area of origins protection | State and federal laws, dating back to 1931, enacted to guarantee that the counties that contribute water to state and federal water projects will get priority for water when it is needed to match future growth |
| drains | A vertical well or borehole, usually downstream of impervious cores, grout curtains, or cutoffs, designed to collect and direct seepage through or under a dam to reduce uplift pressure under or within the dam |
| soluble reactive phosphate | That phosphate which is detected by analysis of a sample which has been filtered through a 0.45 µm (10-6 meter) membrane filter. |
| whiteout | A polar weather condition caused by a heavy cloud cover over the snow, in which the light coming from above is approximately equal to the light reflected from below, and which is characterized by absence of shadow, invisibility of the horizon, and ability to discern only very dark objects. |
| hydroelectricity | Electric energy production by water powered turbine generators. |
| isotherm | line that connects points of equal temperature. |
| ground water flow | The movement of water through openings in sediment and rock that occurs in the Zone of Saturation. |
| outcrop | exposed at the surface |
| conjunctive management | The integrated management and use of two or more water resources, such as a (ground water) aquifer and a surface water body. |
| hole | A deep place in a body of water. |
| dissolved oxygen | amount of oxygen gas dissolved in a given quantity of water at a given temperature and atmospheric pressure |
| triassic | a period of geologic time lasting from 245m to 208m years ago. |
| synoptic-scale | the scale of the high- and low-pressure systems of the lower atmosphere; dimensions typically range from 1000 to 2500 kilometers (620 to 1550 miles; synoptic-scale circulation). |
| soil absorption field | A sub-surface area containing a trench or bed with clean stones and a system of piping through which treated sewage may seep into the surrounding soil for further treatment and disposal. |
| endemic | (Ecology) Confined to, or Indigenous in, a certain area or region, as an endemic plant or animal. |
| drop structure | A structure for dropping water to a lower level and dissipating its surplus energy |
| divertible water supply | Includes that amount of water consumptively used and that water which returns to the river system |
| heat budget | relation between fluxes of heat into and out of a given region or body and the heat stored by the system; in general, this budget includes advective, evaporative, and other terms as well as a radiation term. |
| dendritic drainage pattern | A branching stream pattern, resembling the branching of certain trees, such as oaks and maples. |
| graywacke | An impure sandstone consisting of rock fragments and grains of quartz and feldspar in a matrix of clay-size particles. |
| rapid sand filter | Generally a concrete basin filled with graded gravel and coarse sand |
| graywater | Waste water from a household or small commercial establishment which specifically excludes water from a toilet, kitchen sink, dishwasher, or water used for washing diapers |
| water jacket | A casing containing water circulated by a pump, used around a part to be cooled, especially in water-cooled internal-combustion engines. |
| heat of vaporization | The heat energy (calories) required to convert one gram of liquid to vapor without a change in temperature of the substance which is being vaporized |
| capillary water | (1) Water held in the soil above the Phreatic Surface by capillary forces; or soil water above hydroscopic moisture and below the field capacity |
| flow-control structure | Structure either within or outside a channel that acts as a countermeasure by controlling the direction, depth, or velocity of flowing water. |
| indicator tests | (Water Quality) Tests for a specific contaminant, group of contaminants, or constituent which signals the presence of something else |
| runoff plots | Areas of land, usually small, arranged so the portion of rainfall or other precipitation flowing off and perhaps carrying soluble materials and soil may be measured. |
| primogeniture | inheritance of an estate to the eldest son, or eldest child, only. |
| filling | Used in describing the history of a low pressure system or an area of cyclonic circulation, it means an increase in the central pressure of the system |
| blackbody | A theoretical material that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation and reflects none |
| pleistocene | first epoch of the Quaternary, 2 m |
| salinity control | The physical control, management, and use of water and related land resources in such a way as to maintain or reduce salt loading and concentrations of salt in water supplies. |
| geomorphology | the science of understanding landform formation. |
| kilolitre | one thousand litres |
| bimodal distribution | (Statistics) A collection of observations with a large number of values centered (as in a Normal Distribution) around each of two points |
| hydrophone | An electrical instrument for detecting or monitoring sound transmitted through water. |
| camp scar | Camp sites on wilderness and primitive lakes are easily recognized from the water surface and air by their lighter tone and barren character |
| demand | the number of units of something that will be purchased at various prices at a point in time |
| sedimentary rock | Rock formed by the accumulation and consolidation of sediment. |
| awwa | American Water Works Association. |
| drift | A general term for sediment deposited directly on land by glacial ice or deposited in lakes, oceans, or streams as a result of glaciation |
| landspout | A small, weak tornado, which is not formed by a storm-scale rotation |
| grounding line | The place where a glacier extending into the sea or a lake loses contact with the seafloor and begins to float as an ice shelf |
| relative humidity | Relative humidity is actual humidity of a packet of air divided by maximum possible humidity that air can hold |
| glacial uplift | Upward movement of the Earth's crust following isostatic depression from the weight of the continental glaciers. |
| gondwanaland | a supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener after the breakup of Pangaea (the single continent) into two |
| coefficient of storage | The volume of water an aquifer releases from or takes into storage per unit surface area of the aquifer per unit change in head. |
| map scale | The relationship between the actual size of a place and its size as shown on a map. |
| elevation head | The potential energy in a hydraulic system, represented by the vertical distance between the hydraulic system (pipe, channel, etc.) and a reference level, and expressed in length units |
| utm | Universal Transverse Mercator |
| crystallization | The process of a substance going directly from a vapor form (water vapor) to a solid (ice) at the same temperature, without going through the liquid phase (water) |
| driftage | (1) (Nautical) Deviation from a set course caused by drifting |
| coriolis force | the effect of drag from the earth rotation on airflow. |
| gneiss | A coarse-grained metamorphic rock with a characteristic type of foliation (gneissic layering), resulting from alternating layers of light-colored and darkcolored minerals |
| pyroclastic | Pertaining to fragmental rock material formed by volcanic explosions. |
| mist | (1) A mass of fine droplets of water in the atmosphere near or in contact with the earth; liquid particles measuring 40 to 500 microns, formed by condensation of vapor |
| ultimate base level | The lowest possible level to which a stream can erode the earth's surface; sea level. |
| waterpower | (1a) The energy produced by running or falling water that is used for driving machinery, especially for generating electricity; (1b) A source of such energy, as a waterfall |
| field capacity | the amount of water held in soil against the pull of gravity. |
| volcanic front | The line in a volcanic arc system (parallel to a trench) along which volcanism abruptly begins. |
| control scheme | The collection of methods and algorithms brought together to accomplish control of a canal system. |
| dike swarm | A group of associated dikes. |
| celestial equator | The projection of the plane of the geographical equator upon the celestial sphere. |
| glacier meal | Finely ground rock particles produced by glacial abrasion |
| aeration tank | A chamber used to inject air into water. |
| logarithm | (Mathematics) The value of the exponent that a fixed number (the base) must have to equal a given number |
| volcanic plume | the cloud of gases and solids ejected into the atmosphere from a volcano and then carried by the wind. |
| pollutant | (1) Something that pollutes, especially a waste material that contaminates air, soil, or water |
| net reservoir evaporation | The difference between the total evaporation from the reservoir water surface and the Evapotranspiration from the reservoir area under pre-reservoir conditions, with identical precipitation considered for both conditions. |
| moisture holding capacity | the amount of liquid that can be held against gravity, by waste materials or soil, without generating free liquid. |
| photovoltaic cells | a unit, usually of silicon, which is able to collect and store, temporarily, energy from the sun to produce electricity. |
| threshold | in human geography, the minimum number of people required to support a good or service |
| pluvial period | A period of increased rainfall and decreased evaporation, which prevailed in nonglaciated areas during the time of ice advance elsewhere. |
| volatile organic carbon | (Water Quality) A measure of the amount of particulate material in a water sample that is lost upon heating |
| warm | To have or give out heat to a moderate or adequate degree |
| global tectonics | The study of the characteristics and origin of structural features of the earth that have regional or global significance. |
| moisture equivalent | The ratio of: (1) the weight of water which the soil, after saturation, will retain against a centrifugal force 1,000 times the force of gravity, to (2) the weight of the soil when dry |
| dimictic lake | A stratified lake or reservoir that experiences two periods of full mixing or (Fall and Spring) Overturns annually |
| distribution channel | the route a product takes from producer to consumer |
| waterer | (1) A person who obtains or supplies drinking water |
| sodic | Soils having an excess concentration of sodium ions |
| water right | A legally protected right, granted by law, to take possession of water occurring in a water supply and to put it to Beneficial Use. |
| flocculation | (Water Quality) In water and wastewater treatment, the agglomeration or clustering of colloidal and finely divided suspended matter after coagulation by gentle stirring by either mechanical or hydraulic means such that they can be separated from water or sewage. |
| ground frost | frost within the upper layers of the soil. |
| sea ice | At temperatures of -2° C (28.5° F), freezes directly from ocean water to a thickness of five meters (15 feet) |
| discharge | the volume of water in a channel passing a particular point in a particular time, usually cubic metres per second or cumecs |
| tree | A woody plant which at maturity is usually 6 meters (20 feet) or more in height and generally has a single trunk, unbranched for 1 m or more above the ground, and a more or less definite crown; e.g., red maple (Acer rubrum), northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis). |
| draft | (1) The act of drawing or removing water from a tank or reservoir |
| hygrograph | An instrument that records the hygrometer's measure of water vapor. |
| traction | Transport of sediment by wind or water in which the sediment remains in contact with the ground or bed of the stream, moving by rolling or sliding |
| fresh water inflow requirements | freshwater flows required to maintain the natural salinity, nutrient, and sediment delivery in a bay or estuary that supports their unique biological communities and ensures a healthy ecosystem. |
| amc | Antecedent Moisture Condition |
| hep | see hydro-electric power. |
| urban flooding | Nuisance flooding of streets, underpasses, basements and other low-lying urban areas |
| gravitational water | Water that moves into, through, or out of a soil or rock mass under the influence of gravity. |
| frost | sublimation of water vapour directly onto surfaces such as plants, cars and pavements when very rapid heat loss occurs during an anticyclone during winter when temperatures allow the formation of ice crystals. |
| eon | The major divisions of the geologic time scale |
| manometer | An instrument for measuring pressure which usually consists of a U-shaped tube containing a liquid, the surface of which in one end of the tube moves proportionally with changes in pressure on the liquid in the other end |
| hygroscopic nuclei | A piece of dust or other particle around which water condenses in the atmosphere |
| oxidase | Any of a group of enzymes which catalyze oxidation reactions by using molecules of oxygen as the electron acceptor. |
| mechanical weathering | A general term applied to a variety of weathering processes that result in the particle size reduction of rock materials with no change in composition |
| gooseneck | A portion of a water service connection between the distribution system water main and a meter |
| average water year | A tern denoting the average annual hydrologic conditions based upon an extended or existing period of record |
| input | in systems theory, any element introduced to the system from outside. |
| geode | A hollow nodule of rock lined with crystals; when separated from the rock body by weathering, it appears as a hollow, rounded shell partly filled with crystals. |
| managerial controls | (Irrigation) Methods of nonpoint source pollution control based on decisions about managing agricultural wastes or application times or rates for agrochemicals. |
| helical flow | the spiraling flow of water in meandering channels caused by the deflection of flow as water hits the bending banks. |
| transpiration | A process of plants removing water from the soil and releasing it into the atmosphere through their leaves. |
| continuous discharge | A routine release to the environment that occurs without interruption, except for infrequent shutdowns for maintenance, process changes, etc. |
| veering | A clockwise shift in the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere at a certain location |
| moderate flooding | Flood conditions characterized by the inundation of secondary roads, transfer of property to higher elevations, and some evacuations of people and livestock |
| cfr | Code of Federal Regulations. |
| water-repellent | Resistant to penetration by water but not entirely Waterproof |
| plankton | Minute floating forms of microscopic plants and animals in water which cannot get about to any extent under their own power |
| cultural landscape | Man-made features of a region reflecting land-use patterns, population distribution, and other activities of man that have altered the natural landscape. |
| appropriate | To authorize the use of a quantity of water to an individual requesting it. |
| solute transport model | Mathematical model used to predict the movement of solutes (generally contaminants) in an aquifer through time. |
| natural gas | Naturally occurring hydrocarbons that exist in subsurface rock units in the gaseous state |
| lentic | Characterizing aquatic communities found in standing water |
| incidental recharge | Ground water recharge (infiltration) that occurs as a result of human activities unrelated to a recharge project, for example, irrigation and water diversion (unlined canals) |
| acid deposition | The introduction of acidic material to the ground or to surface waters |
| tropical dry forest | Similar to Tropical Rain Forest in as much as characterized by high temperatures throughout the year, but there is also a well-defined dry season that limits plant growth and animal activity |
| warping | A slight bend, uplift or subsidence of Earth's crust on a regional scale. |
| tcid | See Truckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID). |
| swell | Ocean waves that have traveled out of their generating area |
| groyne | a wooden wall built across a beach from land to sea |
| plutonic rock | Igneous rock formed deep beneath the earth's surface. |
| pit pond | A depression in an outwash plain by the melting of a block of ice floated to its depositional site by meltwater and subsequently buried by sediment |
| fahrenheit temperature scale | A temperature scale where water at sea level has a freezing point of +32°F and a boiling point of +212°F |
| runoff | surface water entering rivers, freshwater lakes, or reservoirs. |
| closed lakes | Those that do not have an effluent in contrast to drainage lakes or open lakes which do have outlet streams |
| plucking | The process of glacial erosion by which large rock fragments are loosened by ice wedging, become frozen to the bottom surface of the glacier, and are torn out of the bedrock and transported by the glacier as it moves |
| snowflake | Precipitation which is made up of a number of snow crystals fused together. |
| hydraulic head | (1) The height of the free surface of a body of water above a given point beneath the surface |
| immature soil | one which has not had time to develop |
| derelict land grant | in the UK, government funding for the improvement of derelict land. |
| clay-humus complex | a soil particle made up of clay and some humus. |
| reef | A solid structure built of shells and other secretions of marine organisms, particularly coral. |
| aquatic macrophytes | Macrophytes (large plants versus microscopic) that live completely or partially in water. |
| hyetograph | A chart showing the distribution of rainfall over a particular period of time or a particular geographic area. |
| talus | the accumulation of weathered material on a slope. |
| strip farming | the splitting of a larger field into smaller strips which are looked after by individual farmers. |
| blowdown | the water drawn from boiler systems and cold water basins of cooling towers to prevent the buildup of solids. |
| blowhole | A hole in ice to which aquatic mammals, such as dolphins and seals, come to breathe. |
| desiccation cracks | Surface fractures that can result from the drying of soil or porous sedimentary rock. |
| bergschrund | a crevasse at the head (beginning) of a glacier |
| dredging | The removal of material from the bottom of water bodies using a scooping machine |
| nephelometric | method of measuring turbidity in a water sample by passing light through the sample and measuring the amount of light deflected. |
| chromosphere | A thin layer of relatively transparent gases above the photosphere of the sun |
| bat | Best Available Technology [Economically Achievable] |
| beach depletion | net loss of sand and/or shingle from a beach due to reduced replenishment while removal processes such as longshore drift continue unabated |
| adiabatic | change in temperature due to expansion or contraction of a parcel of air which thus change the pressure and therefore the temperature |
| archaebacteria | Term used to describe organisms that belong to the biological domain Archaea. |
| glacial retreat | when ablation exceeds accumulation causing a net loss of ice from the glacier |
| total head | Energy contained by fluid because of its pressure, velocity, and elevation, usually expressed in feet of fluid (foot-pounds per pound). |
| water table | level below the earth's surface at which the ground becomes saturated with water |
| resolution | The minimum distance between two adjacent features or objects, or the minimum size of a feature or object, that can be detected by a Remote Sensing system. |
| valley train | Outwash confined between two rock walls, moraines or by unmelted ice, ice blocks or calving ablation fields. |
| land use | The primary or primary and secondary uses of land, such as cropland, woodland, pastureland, etc |
| water-sick | Land rendered unproductive because of excessive irrigation. |
| troposphere | lower part of the atmosphere, extending from the surface up to a height varying from about 7 to 9 kilometers (4.3 to 5.6 miles) at polar regions to approximately 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) in tropics; characterized by decreasing temperature with height, appreciable vertical wind motion, appreciable water vapor content, and weather. |
| nuclear fuel | Fissionable materials that are rich enough to sustain a fission chain reaction. |
| ice shelf | Floating ice sheet of considerable thickness attached to a coast nourished by a glacier or glaciers; snow accumulation on its surface or bottom freezing. |
| toxin | Any of a variety of unstable, poisonous compounds produced by some microorganisms and causing certain diseases or physical reactions. |
| lock | See hold. |
| altitude | height above sea-level. |
| pyroclastic flow | A hot, high-velocity mixture of ash, gas and fragmented rock that flows like a liquid down slopes and over terrain. |
| pressure ridge | An elongate uplift of the congealing crust of a lava flow, resulting from the pressure of underlying and still fluid lava. |
| accretion | growth of a natural feature by enlargement due to the addition of more of the same material. |
| arm | (1)An inlet of water (as from the sea) |
| coulee | (1) (Western U.S.) A deep gulch or ravine with sloping sides, often dry in summer |
| oceanic crust | That part of the crust underlying the ocean basins |
| storm seepage | That part of precipitation which infiltrates the surface soil, and moves toward the streams as ephemeral, shallow, perched ground water above the main ground-water level |
| spring tide | extremely high and low tides which occur twice a month when the sun and moon align on the same side of the earth and exert a combined gravitational pull on the oceans. |
| reclamation project | A water development project based on the Reclamation Act of 1902 for the irrigation of arid lands, particularly in the western United States, and for other purposes administered by the U.S |
| assay | a test for a specific chemical, microbe, or effect. |
| evaporative cooling | Cooling of a liquid, such as water, by allowing a portion to evaporate |
| deep-focus earthquake | An earthquake that originates at a depth greater than 300 km. |
| nutrients | substances, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, that are necessary for plants (including algae) to grow. |
| pressure characteristic | The pattern of the pressure change during the specified period of time, usually the three hour period preceding an observation |
| unesco | United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization |
| diversion rate | A rate of water flow (cfs) diverted into a canal or through a farm headgate. |
| diatomaceous | consisting of or abounding in diatoms, a class of unicellular or colonial algae having a silicified cell wall that persists as a skeleton after death. |
| reclaimed sewage | Wastewater treatment-plant effluent that has been diverted or intercepted for use before it reaches a natural waterway or aquifer. |
| median streamflow | the rate of discharge of a stream for which there are equal numbers of greater and lesser flow occurrences during a specified period. |
| dike | A tabular intrusive rock that occurs across strata or other structural features of the surrounding rock. |
| submergent features | those formed where a coastline experiences a relative rise in sea-level. |
| sullage | (1) Silt deposited by a current of water |
| milligram | One-thousandth of a gram. |
| reduction | a chemical reaction involving the removal of oxygen. |
| vibrio comma | The waterborne microorganism which causes asiatic cholera. |
| freeze-thaw weathering | a process of physical or mechanical weathering |
| hummock | (1) A small but steep, irregular hill rising above the general level of the surrounding land; a low mound or ridge of earth, a knoll |
| treatment | any method, technique, or process designed to remove solids and/or pollutants from solid waste, waste-streams, and effluents. |
| geopressured reservoir | a geothermal reservoir consisting of porous sands containing water or brine at high temperature or pressure. |
| constructed wetlands | (1) Wetlands constructed by man either as part of a Wetland Banking, Wetland Clumping (Aggregation), or Wetland Mitigation program, or to achieve some other environmental preservation or restoration program |
| reverse fault | A fault in which the hanging wall has moved upward in relation to the footwall; a high angle thrust fault. |
| red tide | a bloom of surface algae, red in colour, found in coastal waters when a heavy nutrient load is washed from the land stimulating the algal growth. |
| aqua | Water; an Aqueous solution |
| ophiolite suite | The typical sequence of rocks in the oceanic crust: from bottom to top: ultrabasic rocks, gabbro, sheeted dikes, pillow basalts, and sea-floor sediments |
| isotropic | physically uniform in all directions |
| rainstick | A common term for a type of tubular rattle that mimics the sound of rainfall; a primitive musical instrument in which sound is produced by the movement of particles (sand, stones, etc.) through a hollow tube with an internal matrix that is closed on each end. |
| extirpation | (Biology) To destroy or remove completely, as a species from an particular area, region, or habitat |
| sea cliff | A cliff produced by wave erosion. |
| lateral moraine | A sediment ridge, located on a glacier's surface adjacent to the valley walls, extending down glacier to the terminus |
| sere | a particular type of plant succession. |
| acreage | (1) An area of land or water measured in acres |
| co-dominant | Two or more plant species providing about equal areal cover which in combination control the environment. |
| electromagnetic radiation | Also called radiation, it is waves of energy propagated though space or through a material media. |
| lava flow | (Geology) A solidified mass of rock formed when a stream of viscous, molten lave from a volcano or fissure has cooled and congealed. |
| climatic cycle | the periodic changes climate displays, such as a series of dry years following a series of years with heavy rainfall. |
| hanging valley | A former tributary glacier valley that is incised into the upper part of a U-shaped glacier valley, higher than the floor of the main valley |
| glacier | A large body of ice that formed on land by the compaction and recrystallization of snow, survives year to year, and shows some sign of movement downhill due to gravity. |
| sea-wall | a steel and concrete wall built at the back of a beach, usually to protect a high value land area such as a town. |
| tropic | a line of latitude marking the most northerly and most southerly overhead paths of the sun |
| bridging point | a site factor |
| ogives * | A series of ice waves or bands of lighter and darker material formed below ice falls in some glaciers |
| biosphere | The transition zone between the earth and the atmosphere within which most terrestrial life forms are found |
| equator | The geographic circle at 0 degrees latitude on the earth's surface |
| abscissa | (Mathematics) The coordinate representing the position of a point along a line perpendicular to the y-axis (Ordinate) in a Plane Cartesian Coordinate System. |
| acreage | An area, measured in acres, that is owned or controlled by one or more owners or lessees |
| harbor | A sheltered anchorage for ships and boats |
| bottom | (1) The deepest or lowest part, as the bottom of a well |
| backpressure | a pressure that can cause water to backflow into the water supply when a user's wastewater system is at a higher pressure than the public system. |
| suspended load | specific sediment particles maintained in the water column by turbulence and carried with the flow of water. |
| biological processes | Processes characteristic of, ore resulting from, the activities of living organisms. |
| ultraviolet radiation | electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength than visible radiation but longer than x-rays; roughly, radiation in the wavelength interval from 10 to 4000 angstroms. |
| rotating biological contractor | (Water Quality) A means of wastewater treatment in which large, closely-spaced plastic discs are rotated about a horizontal shaft |
| loading | Synonym for the pollution Load of a stream. |
| regelation | The process of localized melting and refreezing of ice, involving no overall change in glacier mass. |
| floodwater retention | The capacity of Wetland sediments and vegetation to hold excess pulses of water for subsequent discharge. |
| specific drawdown | The drawdown in a well per unit discharge. |
| interstitial | Referring to the Interstices or pore spaces in rock, soil, or other material subject to filling by water. |
| bypass system | A structure in a dam that provides a route for fish to move through or around the dam without going through the turbines. |
| peclet number | the relationship between properties of the mesh, fluid velocity, and eddy viscosity for a hydraulic computer model. |
| zonal index | The measure of the strength of the westerly winds of the middle latitudes |
| surplus water | Developed water supplies in excess of contract entitlement or apportioned water. |
| growth management program | A program comprised of several techniques to coordinate public and private decisions about the location and timing of development in order to best utilize environmental and physical resources. |
| storm winds | On the Beaufort Wind Scale, a wind with speeds from 56 to 63 knots (64 to 72 miles per hour). |
| diffusion | The movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration |
| geocline | An elongate prism of sedimentary rock deposited in a subsided part of the continental margins and adjacent oceanic crust |
| usdm | U.S |
| air curtain | A method for mechanical containment of oils spills in which air is bubbled through a perforated pipe, causing an upward water flow that retards the spreading of oil; also used as barriers to prevent fish from entering a polluted body of water. |
| root hair | (Botany) A thin, hairlike outgrowth of an epidermal cell of a plant root that absorbs water and minerals from the surrounding soil. |
| temperature inversion | a situation where temperature of air in the lower troposphere increases with height. |
| foreset beds | in a delta, the deposits of silts and clays found to the seaward side of the feature beyond the topset beds but above and before the bottomset beds |
| hydronic | Of, relating to, or being a system of heating or cooling that involves transfer of heat by a circulating fluid (as water or vapor) in a closed system of pipes. |
| rock flour | Finely ground rock particles produced by glacial abrasion |
| landtype | A land system with a designated soil, vegetation, geology, topography, climate, and drainage situation. |
| bernoulli's equation | Under conditions of steady flow of water, the sum of the velocity head, the pressure head, and the head due to elevation at any given point is equal to the sum of these heads at any other point plus or minus the head losses between the points due to friction or other causes. |
| net economic benefits | Economic benefits minus economic costs. |
| enzyme | Any of numerous proteins or conjugated proteins produced by living organisms and functioning as biochemical catalysts |
| climax | The final stage of vegetation succession; a climax community reproduces itself and is in equilibrium with the existing environment. |
| gleying | in soils that are waterlogged, reduction of ferric iron to ferrous iron takes place changing the colour of the soil from reddish brown to blue-grey. |
| chemocline | (1) The transition zone between layers in a Meromictic Lake |
| surf | The breaking of waves as they enter shallow water. |
| racemic | a mixture that is composed of equal amounts of dextrorotatory and levorotatory forms of the same compound and is not optically active |
| net duty of water | The amount of water delivered to the land to produce a crop, measured at the point of delivery to the field |
| krill | Small abundant crustaceans that form an important part of the food chain in Antarctic waters. |
| buffer | A solution which is resistant to pH changes, or a solution or liquid whose chemical makeup tends to neutralize acids or bases without a great change in pH |
| watershed protection | The treatment of watershed lands in accordance with such predetermined objectives as the control of erosion, stream flow, silting floods, and water, forage, or timber yield |
| thermocline | (1) The region in a thermally stratified body of water which separates warmer oxygen-rich surface water from cold oxygen-poor deep water and in which temperature decreases rapidly with depth |
| saturation deficit | The difference between the actual vapor pressure and the saturation vapor pressure as the existing temperature |
| plain | Level or gently rolling land, usually below 2,000 feet (610 meters) in elevation. |
| english heritage | in England, a private body, originating from central government, charged with regeneration and conservation of buildings considered to have a high historical value and thus maintenance of the cultural landscape. |
| emulsion | A suspension of small Globules of one liquid in a second liquid with which the first will not mix. |
| bed | A layer of sediment 1 cm or more in thickness. |
| sublimation | An endothermic physical process whereby ice passes directly into the vapor state |
| rhyolite | The fine-grained volcanic or extrusive rocks that are equivalent in composition to granite |
| interface | The common boundary between two substances such as a water and a solid, water and a gas, or two liquids such as water and oil. |
| shrub | A woody plant which at maturity is usually less than 6 m (20 feet) tall and generally exhibits several erect, spreading, or prostrate stems and has a bushy appearance; e.g., speckled alder (Alnus rugosa) or buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). |
| red tide | A visible red-to-orange coloration of the sea caused by the presence of a bloom or excessive growth of dinoflagellates in marine waters, resulting in a red, brown, green or yellow tint in the water |
| cenozoic | The era of geologic time from the end of the Mesozoic era (65 million years ago) to the present. |
| cliff | A very steep slope of rock or soil. |
| population density | number of people per unit area, usually people per square kilometre. |
| geyser | A periodic thermal spring that results from the expansive force of super heated steam |
| secondary succession | The orderly and predictable changes that occur over time in the plant and animal communities of an area that has been subjected to the removal of naturally occurring plant cover |
| fringe water | Water occurring in the Capillary Fringe. |
| output | relates to activity and means the amount of goods and services produced |
| canal check gate structure | A structure designed to control the water surface level and flow in a canal, maintaining a specified water depth or head on outlets or turnout structures |
| gorge | deep, narrow, steep (often vertical) -sided valley which usually has a river occupying its entire floor. |
| hydrologic model | Mathematical formulations that simulate hydrologic phenomenon considered as processes or as systems. |
| human development index | an attempt to make 'fairer' but still statistical measurements of development that became popular at the UN in the 1990s |
| dip | To plunge briefly into a liquid, as in order to wet, coat, or saturate |
| muddle | To make turbid or muddy. |
| nonpersistent emergents | Emergent Hydrophytes whose leaves and stems break down at the end of the growing season so that most above-ground portions of the plants are easily transported by currents, waves, or ice |
| debouchure | An opening or mouth, as of a river or stream. |
| ammonium | Chemical compound composed of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH4) |
| hydrologic balance | An accounting of all water inflows to, water outflows from, and changes in water storage within a hydrologic unit over a specified period of time. |
| indicator | (Water Quality) An organism, species, or community that shows the presence of certain environmental conditions. |
| bioaccumulation | (1) The increase in concentration of a chemical in organisms that reside in environments contaminated with low concentrations of various organic compounds |
| geyser | a periodic thermal spring that results from the expansive force of super heated steam. |
| even/regular | Includes the regular or slightly irregular and stepped longitudinal profile. |
| volcano | A volcano is a mountainous vent in the Earth's crust |
| competence | The maximum size of particles that a given stream, glacier, or wind can move at a given velocity. |
| historical geomorphology | See Geomorphology, Historical. |
| dockyard | An area, often bordering a body of water, with facilities for building, repairing, or dry-docking ships. |
| portal ** | Cavernous openings in subglacial ice and debris above meltwater streams. |
| lapilli | Volcanic rock materials which are formed when magma is ejected by a volcano |
| hazardous waste | Waste that poses a risk to human health or the environment and requires special disposal techniques to make it harmless or less dangerous. |
| nappe | Faulted and overturned folds. |
| remnant vegetation | Native vegetation that remains after surrounding land has been cleared. |
| tectonics | The branch of geology that deals with regional or global structures and deformational features of the earth. |
| piezometry | (Physics) The measurement of the compressibility of liquids. |
| rocketsonde | A type of radiosonde that is shot into the atmosphere by a rocket, allowing it to collect data during its parachute descent from a higher position in the atmosphere than a balloon could reach. |
| tuberculation | Development or formation of small mounds of corrosion products on the inside of iron pipe |
| clay plug | Cutoff meander bend filled with fine grained cohesive sediments. |
| bivalve | any animal with a two-part, hinged shell. |
| rain sensor | A simple, relatively inexpensive device that measures rainfall and prevents unnecessary irrigation with an automatic controller. |
| tropopause | the boundary layer between the troposphere and stratosphere, where an abrupt change in temperature lapse rate usually occurs; it is defined as the lowest level at which the lapse rate decreases to 2 degrees Celsius per kilometer or less, provided that the average lapse rate between this level and all higher levels within 2 kilometers does not exceed 2 degrees Celsius per kilometer; occasionally, a second tropopause may be found if the lapse rate above the first tropopause exceeds 3 degrees Celsius per kilometer. |
| meromixis | A condition of permanent stratification of water masses in lakes. |
| diatomaceous earth | A yellow, white or light-gray material composed of the siliceous shells of Diatoms (fossilized diatoms) and used in water filtration to filter out solid waste in wastewater treatment plants; also used as an active ingredient in some powdered pesticides |
| infant mortality | the number of deaths of infants below one year of age as a proportion of every thousand live births in that population in that year. |
| basalt aquifers | Aquifers found in basalt rock in areas of past volcanic activity, particularly in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and in Hawaii. |
| furrow stream | The size of water flow released into the furrow; the size of the stream is adjusted to prevent erosion, limited in amount to the capacity of the furrow, and as needed for the intake rates of the soil involved. |
| percolation | The movement of water downward through the subsurface to the zone of saturation. |
| threshold pollutant | A substance that is harmful to a particular organism only above a certain concentration, or threshold level. |
| ocean trench | deep depressions in the ocean floor (up to 11km) formed at a subduction zone where the denser plate is forced below the less dense one. |
| heat sink | process, or region, in which energy is removed from the atmosphere in the form of heat. |
| climatic cycle | The periodic changes of climate, including a series of dry years following a series of years with heavy rainfall. |
| fungicide | a chemical used in farming to kill funguses which inhibit plant growth. |
| membrane filter | Filter made of plastic or modified cellulose and having a known pore diameter |
| photosynthesis | The manufacture by plants of carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll, using sunlight as an energy source. |
| foliation | The layering or banding that develops in a glacier during the process of transformation of snow to glacier ice |
| sand wave | A wave produced on a surface of sand by the drag of air or water moving over it |
| welded tuff | A rock formed from particles of volcanic ash that were hot enough to become fused together. |
| pan evaporation | Evaporation in inches from a standard Weather Bureau Class A pan |
| geothermal energy | The heat energy available in the earth's subsurface, extracted from three basic sources: (1) steam; (2) hot water; and (3) hot rocks or near surface intrusions of volcanic molten rock |
| evaporation | The process of liquid water becoming water vapor |
| reservation | A withdrawal usually of a more or less permanent nature; also, any federal lands of the U.S |
| elimination | The act, process, or an instance of eliminating or discharging, as the removal from a molecule of the constituents of a simpler molecule for example, ethylene is formed by the elimination of water from ethanol. |
| meander line | A line delineated by government survey for the purpose of defining the bends or windings of the banks of a stream or the shore of a body of water, and as a means for ascertaining the quantity of land embraced by the survey. |
| transient water system | A non-community water system that does not serve 25 of the same nonresidents per day for more than six months per year. |
| black smoker | A vent in a geologically active region of the sea floor from which issues superheated water laden with minerals (as sulfide precipitates). |
| base flood | The flood having a 1 percent average probability of being equaled or exceeded in a given year at a designated location |
| capitalism | a social and economic system relying on market mechanisms to allocate factors of production which are privately rather than state owned. |
| creep | 1 |
| unesco | the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation |
| boulder | Rock fragments larger than 60.4 cm (24 inches) in diameter. |
| preservation | The natural resources policy that stresses the aesthetic aspects of forests, rivers, wetlands, and other areas and tends to favor leaving such areas in an undisturbed state |
| exceedence interval | The average number of years between the occurrence of an event of a given magnitude and one that is more extreme. |
| acidification | the increase in acidity in an environment due to the development of a particular biome or due to human pollution causing unnaturally high levels of acid rain. |
| ablation | As applied to glacier ice, the process by which ice below the snow line is wasted by evaporationand melting. |
| aa flow | A lava flow with a surface typified by angular, jagged blocks |
| federalism | the combination of smaller states under a larger, national (federal) government to improve ability and efficiency in providing some administrative functions e.g |
| snow squall | A heavy snow shower accompanied by sudden strong winds, or a squall. |
| chemical feeder | (Water Quality) A mechanical device for measuring quantities of chemical and applying them to a water at a preset rate. |
| ·reconstituted glacier | A glacier formed below the terminus of a hanging glacier by the accumulation, and reconstitution by pressure melting (regelation), of ice blocks that have fallen and/or avalanched from the terminus of the hanging glacier |
| cfcs | Chlorofluorocarbons. |
| friction losses | Total energy losses in the flow of water due to friction between the water and the walls of a conduit, channel, or porous medium, usually expressed in units of height. |
| kolkhoz | a collective farm in the USSR. |
| reconstitute | To bring (a liquid in concentrate or powder form) to normal strength by adding water. |
| erratic | A rock of unspecified shape and size, transported a significant distance from its origin by a glacier or iceberg and deposited by melting of the ice |
| filter bed | A layer of sand or gravel on the bottom of a reservoir or tank, used to filter water or sewage. |
| mantle plume | A hypothetical column of hot, partially molten material that rises from an indeterminate depth in the mantle and is thought by some geologists to provide a driving force for plate movement |
| process wastewater | Any water that comes into contact with any raw material, product, byproduct, or waste. |
| terraqueous | Composed of land and water. |
| bedding plane | A distinct surface of contact between two sedimentary rock layers. |
| central place theory | the idea that all settlements influence the area surrounding them in the provision of goods and services -the sphere of influence |
| altocumulus cloud | A fleecy cloud, usually a rounded mass, but which can change radically and unexpectedly, producing intermediate forms, at an average height of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) |
| seven seas | Figuratively, all the waters or oceans of the world |
| slimes | (Water Quality) Substances of viscous organic nature, which are usually formed from micro-biological growth and which attach themselves to other objects forming a coating. |
| anhc | Arkansas National Heritage Commission |
| shelf ice | An extension of glacial ice into coastal waters that is in contact with the bottom near the shore but not toward the outer edge of the shelf. |
| metamorphism | The processes of recrystallization, textural and mineralogical change that take place in the solid state under conditions beyond those normally encountered during diagenesis. |
| bed | Bottom of a channel bounded by banks. |
| permeability soil | The quality of a soil horizon that enables water or air to move through it |
| lotic environment | Characterizing aquatic communities found in running water |
| foreshore | The seaward part of the shore or beach lying between high tide and low tide. |
| irrigation leaching requirement | The amount of water required to move residual salts out of the root zone and maintain an adequate soil-salt balance for crop production |
| salt-water marsh | Low, flat marshlands subject to inundation by salt waters; may be tidal or non-tidal; normally the only vegetation present is salt-tolerant bushes and grasses |
| operable unit | a term used by the Superfund program to describe a discrete action that comprises an incremental step toward comprehensively addressing site problems |
| routing | (1) The derivation of an outflow Hydrograph of a stream from known values of upstream inflow, using the wave velocity and/or the storage equation |
| stoma | (Botany) One of the minute pores in the epidermis of a leaf or stem of plants through which gases and water vapor pass |
| critical habitat | The area of land, water, and airspace required for normal needs and survival (e.g., forage, reproduction, or cover) of a plant or animal species. |
| urban | built-up area |
| roughness coefficient | (Hydraulics) A factor in velocity and discharge formulas representing the effect of channel roughness on energy losses in flowing water. |
| cobblestone pavement | See Boulder Pavement. |
| detection monitoring program | Groundwater monitoring at the boundary of a treatment, storage, or disposal facility (the point of compliance) to detect any contamination caused by leaks from the hazardous waste at the facility |
| tropopause | The boundary zone or transition layer between the troposphere and the stratosphere |
| valley | An area of land that is lower than the land on either side of it |
| diadromous | Relating to a fish that migrates between salt and fresh waters. |
| nuclear energy | uranium is processed into uranium dioxide, which undergoes nuclear fission |
| threatened species | Under the Federal Endangered Species Act, animal populations may be determined to be either threatened or endangered |
| condensation | sublimation, vapourization, transpiration, evapotranspiration, volatilization). |
| glacier cave | a cave of ice, usually underneath a glacier and formed by meltwater; cave entrances are often enlarged near a glacier terminus by warm winds; most common on stagnant portions of glaciers. |
| gradient wind | A steady horizontal air motion along curved parallel isobars or contours in an unchanging pressure or contour field, assuming there is no friction and no divergence or convergence. |
| oxygen depletion | The removal of Dissolved Oxygen from a body of water as a result of bacterial metabolism of degradable organic compounds added to the water, typically caused by human activities. |
| ocean discharge waiver | A variance from Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements for discharges into marine waters. |
| solubility | the amount of mass of a compound that will dissolve in a unit volume of solution. |
| freezing | An exothermic physical process in which liquid water changes into solid ice (0C at 1 atm) |
| caa | Clean Air Act (EPA) |
| inclined staff gage | A gage which is placed on the slope of a stream bank and graduated so that the scale reads directly in a vertical depth. |
| equilibrium line | The boundary between the accumulation area and the ablation area. |
| semiconfined | An aquifer that has a "leaky" confining unit and displays characteristics of both confined and unconfined aquifers, typically evidencing low permeability through which recharge and discharge can still occur |
| biological integrity | the ability to support and maintain balanced, integrated functionality in the natural habitat of a given region |
| karst | A landscape that is characterized by the features of solution weathering and erosion in the subsurface |
| watershed | (1) All lands enclosed by a continuous hydrologic drainage divide and lying upslope from a specified point on a stream |
| closed basin | A basin is considered closed with respect to surface flow if its topography prevents the occurrence of visible surface outflow |
| bergeron-findeison process | a theory of raindrop formation |
| moisture stress | A condition of physiological stress in a plant caused by a lack of water. |
| designated uses | Those water uses identified in state water quality standards that must be achieved and maintained as required under the Clean Water Act (CWA) |
| field | (1) A broad, level, open expanse of land; a meadow |
| greenhouse effect | The overall warming of the earth's lower atmosphere primarily due to carbon dioxide and water vapor which permit the sun's rays to heat the earth, but then restrict some heat-energy from escaping back into space. |
| bed slope | Inclination of the channel bottom. |
| hydraulic grade line | A line whose plotted ordinate position represents the sum of pressure head plus elevation head for the various positions along a given fluid flow path, such as a pipeline or ground-water streamline. |
| biocoenosis | A community of animal and plant life. |
| dissolved load | All the material transported by a stream or river in solution, as contrasted with Bed Load and Suspended Load. |
| levee | Bank of sand and silt built by a river during floods, where the Suspended Load is deposited in greatest quantity close to the river |
| fecal coliform | the portion of the coliform bacteria group which is present in the intestinal tracts and feces of warm-blooded animals |
| rain area | (1) The area indicated on a weather map over which rain fell within a certain period of time |
| population | The number of people living in a certain area. |
| aquamarsh | A water body in which the original open water is nearly or completely obscured by emergent, and floating aquatic vegetation |
| ground water mound | Raised area in a water table or other Potentiometric Surface, created by Ground Water Recharge. |
| esker | A long, narrow, sinuous ridge of stratified glacial drift deposited by a stream flowing beneath a glacier in a tunnel or in a subglacial stream bed. |
| perfected water right | a water right which indicates that the uses anticipated by an applicant, and made under permit, were made for beneficial use |
| land reform | imposed redistribution of land and/or changes in land ownership designed to increase agricultural productivity under the philosophy that owner-occupiers make more of an effort therefore as much agricultural land as possible should be owner-occupied. |
| chara | Muskgrasses or stoneworts - An unusual type of algae that has a grown form resembling a higher plant, but a close look reveals each joint of the stem is a single cell with no connective tissue. |
| forest hydrology | The study of hydrologic processes as influenced by forest and associated vegetation. |
| indigenous | Existing, growing, or produced naturally in a region. |
| desiccation | (1) Loss of water from pore spaces of sediments through compaction or through evaporation caused by exposure to air |
| toilet water | A scented liquid with a high alcohol content used in bathing or applied as a skin freshener. |
| ionic strength | The weighted concentration of ions in solutions, computed by the formula:Ionic Strength = 1/2 Sum(Zi2Ci)where:Z = the charge on a particular ionic species; andC = the concentration of a particular ionic species. |
| sea breeze | The sea-to-land surface wind that typically occurs in coastal areas during the day |
| land retirement | (Agriculture) Taking land out of agriculture production by leaving it fallow or letting it return to a natural state. |
| medical geology | The study of human health related to geology |
| bar racks | (Water Quality) The closely spaced rods, often in the form of a screen, that remove large solids from the wastewater entering a sewage treatment plant. |
| general scour | General scour is a lowering of the streambed across the stream or waterway at the bridge |
| channel storage | The volume of water at a given time in the channel or over the flood plain of the streams in a drainage basin or river reach |
| lachrymator | a compound that makes the eyes fill with tears but does not damage them (“teargas”) |
| double cropping | The practice of producing two or more crops consecutively on the same parcel of land during a 12-month period |
| aridic | A soil moisture regime that has no moisture available for plants for more than half the cumulative time that the soil temperature at 19.7 inches (50 centimeters) is above 5C (41F) and has no period as long as 90 consecutive days when there is moisture for plants while the soil temperature at 50 centimeters is continuously above 8C (46.4F). |
| lessivage | downward movement of clay particles through a soil in suspension as water passes through. |
| hanging glacier | a glacier that terminates at or near the top of a cliff. |
| bed form | Recognizable relief feature on the bed of a channel, such as a ripple, dune, plane bed, antidune, or bar |
| zone of aeration | The comparatively dry soil or rock located between the ground surface and the top of the Water Table |
| elastic deformation | Temporary deformation of a substance, after which the material returns to its original size and shape |
| calve | To break at an edge, sot that a portion separates |
| ferromagnesian minerals | A variety of silicate minerals containing abundant iron and magnesium |
| synoptic chart | a weather map. |
| muck | (1) A moist, sticky mixture, especially of mud and filth |
| alpine permafrost | Form of permafrost that exists at high altitudes in mountainous environments. |
| evaporation | the transformation of water liquid to water gas (or vapour) by energy from heat or air movements. |
| emergent plant | A plant that grows in shallow water with the root system submerged under the water and the upper vegetation rising above the water surface |
| marl | A mixture of clays, carbonates of calcium and magnesium, and remnants of shells, forming a loam useful as a fertilizer. |
| psychrometer | A Hygrometer used to determine relative humidity of the atmosphere |
| tarn lake | After melting, the central depression of a former cirque may hold a tarn lake. |
| hydrology | The science of waters of the earth; water's properties, circulation, principles, and distribution. |
| static lift | The vertical distance between source and discharge water levels in a pump installation. |
| human ecology | (1) A branch of sociology dealing particularly with the spatial and temporal interrelationships between humans and their economic, social, and political organization; (2) The ecology of human communities and populations, especially as concerned with preservation of environmental quality (as of air or water) through proper application of conservation and civil engineering practices. |
| field sprinkler system | A system of closed conduits carrying irrigation water under pressure to orifices designed to distribute the water over a given area. |
| damage-frequency curve | A graph showing the flood damages and their probabilities of occurrence |
| water cycle | natural pathway water follows as it changes between liquid, solid, and gaseous states; biogeochemical cycle that moves and recycles water in various forms through the ecosphere |
| refractive index | is a physical property that quantifies the refraction of light by a solid or liquid |
| rural-urban migration | the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas. |
| turbulence | The irregular and instantaneous motions of air which is made up of a number of small of eddies that travel in the general air current |
| recurrence interval | average amount of time between events of a given magnitude |
| playa | Generally, a dry or intermittently dry lakebed in the lowest spot of a closed valley |
| flowstone | A layered deposit of calcium carbonate, CaCO3, on rock where water has flowed or dripped, as on the walls of a cave |
| zonal soil | soils that have been under development for a very long period of time and therefore show characteristics clearly attributable to the biome in which they are found. |
| strain | The result of a physical material to stress. |
| patterned ground | Polygonal or circular ground patterns which develop from contrasting size/color soils in poorly drained areas subject to intensive frost action. |
| oligomer | is a polymer or polymer intermediate containing relatively few structural units (more than two units) i.e |
| trickling filter | (Water Quality) A means of secondary sewage treatment used to remove soluble or colloidal organic compounds |
| flood plain | An area of alluvium-covered, relatively level land along the banks of a stream that is covered with water when the stream leaves its channel during a time of high flow. |
| aquatic life | All forms of living things found in water, ranging from bacteria to fish and rooted plants |
| conflicting uses | Uses that act to the detriment of other users |
| mudslide prone area | An area with land surfaces and slopes of unconsolidated material where the history, geology, and climate indicate a potential for mudflows. |
| beach | A sloping landform on the shore of larger water bodies, generated by waves and currents and extending from the water to a distinct break in landform or substrate type (e.g., a foredune, cliff, or bank.) |
| pothole | (1) A deep hole or pit, especially a deep, round hole formed in the rock of a river bed by gravel whiling in water |
| agency | A department of the government. |
| percent sodium | The percent of cationic equivalents in a water which is attributable to sodium. |
| clean | Water that is free from foreign matter or pollution; not infected; unadulterated. |
| literacy | the ability to read and write |
| anhydride | A chemical compound formed from another, often an acid, by the removal of water. |
| public water system | a system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances. In Texas, a public water system is one that serves at least 15 service connections or serve at least 25 individuals at least 60 days out of the year. |
| scud | Wind-driven clouds, mist, or rain; a gust of wind; ragged low clouds, moving rapidly beneath another cloud layer. |
| biotower | (Water Quality) A means of wastewater treatment in which the waste is allowed to fall through a tower packed with synthetic media, on which there is biological growth |
| sample | bacterial colonies on laboratory media resulting from filtering and culturing bacteria from a water sample, each colony in the laboratory culture is presumed to have arisen from the multiplication of a single bacterium in the original sample. |
| nodule | A small, irregular, knobby, or rounded rock that is generally harder than the surrounding rock. |
| haze | fine dust or salt particles dispersed through a portion of the atmosphere; the particles are so small that they cannot be felt or individually seen with the naked eye, but they diminish horizontal visibility and give the atmosphere a characteristic opalescent appearance that subdues all colors; a type of lithometeor. |
| distribution | The management of water which allows water users to receive the amount of water to which they are entitled by law and as supply permits. |
| convergent plate boundary | The zone where the leading edges of converging plates meet |
| ecology | The study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment. |
| chromatography | is a technique to separate compounds from each other |
| scarp | the steep slope of an escarpment. |
| incineration | (Water Quality) A treatment technology involving the destruction of waste by controlled burning at high temperatures, e.g., burning sludge to remove the water and reduce the remaining residues to a safe, non-burnable ash that can be disposed of safely on land, in some waters, or in underground locations. |
| phagotroph | An organism that obtains nutrients through the ingestion of solid organic matter |
| neutralization | (1) (Chemistry) A reaction between an acid and a base that yields a salt and water |
| irrigation | the mechanical distribution of water over the ground in lieu of natural rainfall |
| resilience | the ability of an ecosystem to maintain or restore biodiversity, biotic integrity, and ecological structure and processes following disturbance. |
| storativity | The volume of water that a permeable unit, i.e., aquifer, will absorb or expel from storage per unit surface area per unit change in head |
| secondary sector | manufacturing industry. |
| land improvement | See Land Development. |
| heterogeneous | is a system that consists of at least two phases (solid-liquid) |
| desiccant | A substance, such as calcium oxide or silica gel, that has a high affinity for water and is used as a drying agent. |
| base flow | Ground water that enters a stream channel, maintaining stream flow at times when it is not raining. |
| wave | See Water Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency. |
| latifundia | system of landholding found most commonly in Latin America |
| millrace | (1) The fast-moving stream of water that drives a mill wheel |
| biological oxidation | Decomposition of complex organic materials by microorganisms |
| open canopy | (Botany) Forest trees which are so scattered that there are frequent openings between tree crowns in the canopy. |
| nitrogen fixation | a process carried out by certain algae and soil bacteria whereby atmospheric nitrogen is incorporated to form nitrogen-based organic compounds |
| inner core | The solid innermost part of the core with a diameter of a little over 1,200 km. |
| water reclamation | The treatment of water of impaired quality, including brackish water and sea water, to produce a water of suitable quality for the intended use. |
| energy dissipator | A structure for slowing the fast moving spillway flows of a dam in order to prevent erosion of the stream channel below the dam. |
| mantle | (Geology) The division of the earth's interior between the core and the crust |
| reclaimed land | artificial land created in coastal areas. |
| lindane | A pesticide that causes adverse health effects in domestic water supplies and is toxic to freshwater fish and aquatic life. |
| consumptive irrigation requirement | The quantity of irrigation water, exclusive of precipitation, stored soil moisture, or ground water, that is required consumptively for crop production. |
| upper air observation | an observation made in the free atmosphere either directly or indirectly. |
| waterside | (1) Land bordering a body of water; a bank or shore |
| cutoff | (A) Direct channel, either natural or artificial, connecting two points on a stream, thereby shortening the original length of the channel and increasing its slope; (B) natural or artificial channel which develops across the neck of a meander loop (neck cutoff) or across a point bar (chute cutoff). |
| hydrostatic loads | Forces imposed on a flooded structure due to the weight of the water. |
| convection | The transfer of heat by the circulation of fluid or gas. |
| contact recreation | Recreational activities involving a significant risk of ingestion of water, including wading by children, swimming, water skiing, diving and surfing. |
| fumarole | A hole or orifice in a volcanic region, and usually in lava, from which issue gases and vapors at high temperature. |
| return flow | surface water that returns to the natural environment after diversion for beneficial uses, such as for irrigation. |
| prime farmland | Land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing agricultural crops as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to the Farmland Protection Policy Act of 1982 |
| petroleum derivatives | chemicals formed when gasoline breaks down in contact with water. |
| stream order | A classification system that represents the relative position of streams in a drainage basin |
| beach erosion | The carrying away of beach materials by wave action, tidal currents, or littoral currents, or by wind. |
| waste utilization | Using an agricultural or other waste on land in an environmentally acceptable manner while maintaining or improving soil and plant resources. |
| map projection | the system of representing the three-dimensional surface of the world into the two-dimensional surface of a piece of paper. |
| coe | Corps of Engineers |
| solar radiation | see insolation. |
| median tolerance limit | The concentration of a test substance at which just 50 percent of the test animals are able to survive for a specified period of exposure. |
| specific heat | (1) The ratio of the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one unit of temperature to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a similar mass of a reference material, usually water, by the same amount |
| exposure assessment | Identifying the pathways by which toxicants may reach individuals, estimating how much of a chemical an individual is likely to be exposed to, and estimating the number likely to be exposed. |
| farm irrigation efficiency | An expression comparing the amount of water actually required for growing a crop to the amount of irrigation water that is diverted at the farm headgate |
| hogback | A narrow, sharp ridge formed on steeply inclined, resistant rock. |
| zingg bench terrace | A special type of bench terrace designed for dryland moisture conservation |
| density current | A current that flows as a result of differences in density |
| subduction zone | An area at a convergent plate boundary where an oceanic plate is being forced down into the mantle beneath another plate |
| noctilucent clouds | Rarely seen clouds of tiny ice particles that form approximately 75 to 90 kilometers above the earth's surface |
| pleuston | (1) Plants that float on the surface of bodies of fresh water |
| biotechnology | use of biological knowledge and research to developing technologies especially in pharmaceutical areas. |
| open space/open space use | Refers to the current employment of land, the preservation of which conserves and enhances natural or scenic resources, protects streams and water supplies or preserves sites designated as historic pursuant to law. |
| wake | The visible track of turbulence left by something moving through water. |
| richter magnitude scale | A scale that is used to compare the strength of earthquakes based upon the amount of energy released |
| pluviometer | A Rain Gauge. |
| influent seepage | The movement of gravity water in the Zone of Aeration from the ground surface toward the water table. |
| infiltration | The movement of surface water into porous soil. |
| dehydration | (1) The process of removing water from a substance or compound |
| hydrothermal deposit | A mineral deposit formed by high-temperature ground water |
| bank | Sides of a channel between which the flow is normally confined. |
| matrix interference | The adverse influence of the environmental sample Matrix on the ability to detect the presence or amount of a chemical substance in the sample. |
| silica | (Geology) Silicon dioxide (SiO2) |
| microflora | Plants invisible to the naked eye, such as diatoms and algae. |
| andesite line | The boundary in the Pacific Ocean separating volcanoes of the inner Pacific basin, which discharge only basalt, from those near the continental margins, which discharge both andesite and basalt. |
| mechanisation | the replacement of human and/or animal labour with machines. |
| exotic species | one found in an area to which it is not native. |
| limnetic zone | The open water of a pond or lake supporting Plankton growth |
| coniferous woodland | woodland or forest made up of softwood trees having common characteristics such as an evergreen appearance, waxy needle-like leaves and usually producing seeds within cones which open to allow dispersal by wind. |
| intermittent stream | A stream through which water flows only part of the time. |
| woody plant | A seed plant (Gymnosperm or Angiosperm) that develops persistent, hard, fibrous tissues, basically xylem; e.g., trees and shrubs. |
| stack | a pinnacle of rock standing just off a headland and formed when an arch collapses. |
| venturi meter | A meter, developed by Clemens Herschel, for measuring flow of water or other fluids through closed conduits or pipes |
| contrail | A visible trail of streaks of condensed water vapor or ice crystals sometimes forming in the wake of an aircraft |
| wallow | A pool of water or mud where animals go to wallow; the depression, pool, or pit produced by wallowing animals. |
| parabolic dune | A dune shaped like a parabola with the concave side toward the wind. |
| condensation nuclei | A particle upon which condensation of water vapor occurs |
| buys ballot's law | Describes the relationship of the horizontal wind direction to the pressure distribution |
| ambient background concentration | a representative concentration of the water quality in a receiving water body, determined from monitoring |
| standing crop | The quantity of plant Biomass in a given area |
| cyclonic rainfall | see depressions. |
| proof of appropriation | Part of the water right application and permitting process which attests to the fact that water has been withdrawn for the use specified in the original permit request. |
| armor | Surfacing of channel bed, banks, or embankment slope to resist erosion and scour |
| mudstone | A sedimentary rock composed of clay-size particles but lacking the stratified structure that is characteristic of a shale. |
| corona | A pastel halo around the moon or sun created by the diffraction of water droplets |
| pyrophoric | means that a compound catches on fire when it comes in contact with air |
| braided stream | A complex tangle of converging and diverging stream channels (Anabranches) separated by sand bars or islands |
| seasonally adjusted | (Data Analysis) Data which have been adjusted (modified) by Seasonal Adjustment Factors so as to remove the effects of Seasonality |
| clarifier | a tank in which solids settle to the bottom and are subsequently removed as sludge. |
| aerobic treatment | The process by which microbes decompose complex organic compounds in the presence of oxygen and use the liberated energy for reproduction and growth |
| delivery | (Irrigation) The release of water from turnouts to water users. |
| movable bed | A stream bed made up of materials readily transportable by the streamflow. |
| ground water reservoir | primarily from the surface, infiltration of rain and snowfall and its movement to the water table is one form of natural recharge, the volume of water added by this process, (see ground water). |
| representativeness | (Statistics) How well a given sample represents the total population from which it was taken. |
| bottled water [general] | Water sold commercially generally for its health, therapeutic, or purity values |
| chatter marks | crescent shaped marks in a rock caused by irregular jerky motion of a glacier |
| oxbow | a U-shaped bend in a river or stream that may or may not be cut off from the mainstem. |
| meteorology | The science that deals with the phenomenon of the atmosphere, especially weather and weather conditions. |
| water vapor | Water in gaseous form |
| absorption loss | The loss of water by Infiltration or Seepage into the soil during the process of priming, i.e., during the initial irrigation of a field; generally expressed as flow volume per unit of time. |
| ph | measure of acidity |
| heat flow | The flow of heat from the interior of the earth. |
| european parliament | the elected body of representatives who draft legislation appropriate to the pan-European members of the EU |
| analysis | in synoptic meteorology, a detailed study of the state of the atmosphere over a particular region based on the actual observations. |
| relative humidity | The ratio of the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere to the amount necessary for saturation at the same temperature |
| base width | (1) The time interval between the beginning and end of the direct runoff produced by a storm |
| underflow | movement of water through subsurface material. |
| coast | According to prevailing usage, the term is applied to land bordering seas. The shorelands of the Great Lakes are also called coasts. |
| volcanic neck | The solidified magma that originally filled the vent or neck of an ancient volcano and has subsequently been exposed by erosion. |
| snow flurry/flurries | Light showers of snow, generally very brief without any measurable accumulation |
| particulate organic matter | Material of plant or animal origin that is suspended in water |
| demand | The numerical expression of the desire for goods and services associated with an economic standard for acquiring them. |
| allogenic recharge | recharge that occurs in a sinking stream, entering an aquifer through sinkholes or fault planes |
| water table | A level beneath the Earth's surface, below which all pore spaces are filled with water and above which the pore spaces are filled with air |
| slip face | See lee slope. |
| low flow frequency curve | A graph showing the magnitude and frequency of minimum flow for a specified period of time (duration). |
| placer | A surficial mineral deposit formed by mechanical concentration of valuable minerals from weathered debris, usually through the action of stream currents or of waves. |
| water year | The 12-month period, October 1 through September 30 |
| wet meadow | Grassland with waterlogged soil near the surface but without standing water for most of the year. |
| hard water | Water that has a significant amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium ions |
| run-off | all water leaving a drainage basin. |
| percolation pond | Refers to a pond (usually man-made) designed to allow treated wastewater effluent to percolate slowly into the ground |
| dry wash | A defined drainage channel in arid regions that is dry except following a major storm or heavy spring snowmelt. |
| expansive clay | A clay soil that expands when water is added and contracts when it dries out |
| body fluid | the total body water, contained principally in blood plasma and in intracellular and interstitial fluids |
| filter | a device used to remove solids from a mixture or to separate materials |
| birth control programme | a systematic approach to controlling the birth rate in a particular area, usually at the national or sub-national level in an ELDC. |
| tectonics | The study of processes that move and deform Earth's crust. |
| snowdrift | A mass or bank of snow piled up by the wind. |
| abatement | Reducing the degree or intensity of, or eliminating, pollution, as a water pollution abatement program. |
| ice fall | A glacier with a considerable drop in the longitudinal profile at one point causing heavily broken surface. |
| geomorphology/morphology | That science that deals with the form of the Earth, the general configuration of its surface, and the changes that take place due to erosion and deposition. |
| quicklime | Another term for lime, or calcium oxide (CaO), used in many water and wastewater treatment operations such as softening, coagulation, and phosphorus removal. |
| basal melting | Known specific melting rates for different substances including ice |
| flooded sea ice | ice that is pushed into the underlying ocean water by the weight of thick snow cover on its surface; the salty ocean water floods the snow cover and creates a salty, slushy layer; flooded sea ice is more common in the antarctic because of more snowfall and thinner sea ice than in the arctic. |
| shrink-swell potential | The susceptibility of soil to volume change due to loss or gain in moisture content. |
| flat | A level landform composed of Unconsolidated Sedimentsâusually mud or sand |
| flow duration curve | a measure of the range and variability of a stream's flow |
| muskeg | A Swamp or Bog formed by an accumulation of sphagnum moss, leaves, and decayed matter resembling Peat |
| thermal spring | A spring that brings warm or hot water to the surface |
| air photo | A photograph of the earth's surface taken from the air |
| capture zone | The zone around a well contributing water to the well; the area on the ground surface from which a well captures water. |
| element | (1) (Chemistry) Any substance that cannot be separated into different substances by ordinary chemical methods |
| fiscal policy | those government policies relating to raising revenue (through taxation and other measures) and government spending (on what it should spend and to what level). |
| playa lake | A temporary lake formed in a Playa |
| unconsolidated formation | Natural earth formations that have not been turned to stone, such as alluvium, soil, gravel, clay, sand and overburden. |
| lateral erosion | Erosion in which the removal of material is extended horizontally as contrasted with degradation and scour in a vertical direction. |
| phytoplankton die-off | An abrupt, massive mortality of Phytoplankton resulting from natural or manmade causes. |
| toe drain and outfall | A drainage conduit from a dam's structure used to carry seepage water away from the dam and can allow seepage quantities to be measured. |
| convection | Motions in a fluid that transport and mix the properties of the fluid |
| m.y. | Million years - abbreviation. |
| subsidence | A sinking or downward motion of air, often seen in anticyclones |
| volcanic cone | see volcano. |
| scald | (1) To burn with or as if with hot liquid or steam |
| quarry | open-air works where rock is removed for commercial use. |
| deep-well disposal | Transfer of liquid wastewater to underground strata; usually limited to biologically or chemically stable wastes. |
| reproducibility | See repeatability. |
| discontinuous permafrost | between 50˚N and the Arctic Circle where mean annual temperature is -1˚ to -5˚ there will be patches of permanent permafrost perhaps 50 metres deep, separated by areas of little or no permafrost which are kept warmer by local conditions such as rivers. |
| till | An unsorted sediment deposited directly by a glacier and not reworked by meltwater. |
| barrage | a construction across the mouth of a river that prevents the entry of seawater; behind a barrage' the water is fresh. |
| stemflow | The rainfall or snowmelt led to the ground down the trunks or stems of plants. |
| market | can be seen in two ways: |
| hydrostatic head | A measure of pressure at a given point in a liquid in terms of the vertical height of a column of the same liquid which would produce the same pressure. |
| latent heat transfer | The removal or addition of heat when a substance changes state |
| splay | A small deltaic deposit formed on a flood plain where water and sediment are diverted from the main stream through a crevasse in a levee. |
| rainfall intensity-duration-freque | Curves showing the relationship between rainfall or precipitation intensity and duration for different levels of frequency; each curve represents the rainfall intensity-duration which will be equaled or exceeded once in a certain number of years, indicated as the frequency of that curve. |
| national response team | representatives of 13 federal agencies that, as a team, coordinate federal responses to nationally significant incidents of pollution and provide advice and technical assistance to the responding agencies. |
| global warming | the warming of the atmosphere, or more properly the increase over time in average annual global temperature |
| ssa | See Sole Source Aquifer (SSA). |
| hydrologic benchmark | A hydrologic unit, such as a basin or a ground-water body, that because of its expected freedom from the effects of man, has been designated as a benchmark |
| secondary consumer | any animal which feeds on primary consumers or other secondary consumers. |
| amphibian | (1) A cold-blooded, smooth-skinned vertebrate of the class Amphibia, such as a frog or salamander, that characteristically hatches as an aquatic larva with gills |
| nucleated settlement | the arrangement of buildings in a settlement in a tight cluster as a result of the landscape e.g |
| kilowatt-hour | A unit of electrical energy equal to 1,000 watt-hours or a power demand of 1,000 watts for one hour |
| stressed waters | A portion of an aquatic environment with poor species diversity due to human actions |
| calcium nitrate treatment | A method of adding nitrate to lake sediments. |
| chemosynthesis | The synthesis of carbohydrate from carbon dioxide and water using energy obtained from the chemical oxidation of simple inorganic compounds |
| water quality standards | (1) A plan for water quality management containing four major elements: water use; criteria to protect uses; implementation plans, and enforcement plans |
| life cycle assessment | (Environmental) An objective process to evaluate all the environmental burdens of a product or process through its entire existence (life cycle) |
| area of review | The area around an underground injection well that may be influenced adversely by fluid injection |
| cartography | map and chart making. |
| bottom material | See Bed Material. |
| deionized water | water free of inorganic chemicals. |
| heterogeneity | Characteristic of a medium in which material properties vary from point to point |
| percolation path | The course followed by water moving or percolating through any permeable material or under a dam which rests on a permeable foundation. |
| groundwater runoff | the portion of runoff which has passed into the ground, has become ground water, and has been discharged into a stream channel as spring or seepage water. |
| percolating waters | Underground waters whose course and boundaries are incapable of determination |
| thermoremanent magnetism | The magnetism of a mineral that it is acquired as it cools below its Curie point. |
| vertical wind profile | A series of wind direction and wind speed measurements taken at various levels in the atmosphere that show the wind structure of the atmosphere over a specific location |
| actual mixing ratio | Another term used to describe mixing ratio. |
| subpolar | The region bordering the polar region, between 50° and 70° North and South latitude |
| activity | The effective concentration of a chemical based on thermodynamic considerations |
| escarpment | A cliff or very steep slope. |
| photolysis | The breakdown of a material by sunlight |
| floater | A Wetland plant that floats on the surface of the water. |
| ice rafting | The transportation of glacier sediment away from the ice margin by icebergs |
| glacier table | A rock sitting on top of a pillar of ice shielded from insolation by the rock's mass. |
| shoal | (1) A shallow place in a body of water |
| hygroscopic | a substance that attracts water. |
| barrage | any artificial obstruction placed in water to increase water level or divert it |
| median diameter | Particle diameter of the 50th percentile point on a size distribution curve such that half of the particles (by weight, number, or volume) are larger and half are smaller (D50). |
| winters doctrine | The doctrine of (federal) reservation rights |
| cumulus humilis | Cumulus clouds with little or no vertical development characterized by a generally flat appearance |
| fish ladder | (1) A series of small pools arranged in an ascending fashion to allow the migration of fish upstream past construction obstacles, such as dams |
| firn limit | The dividing line between old ice and new snow at the end of the melting season. |
| climatic year | a period used in meteorological measurements |
| terminal velocity | The final velocity of falling solid particles in water or in air or of raindrops in air. |
| field-moisture capacity | The quantity of water which can be permanently retained in the soil in opposition to the downward pull of gravity. |
| water resource plan | A planning document or process which assesses both sources and uses of water and develops strategies for their most effective and efficient use according to public needs and criteria |
| bracketed intrusion | An intrusive rock that was once exposed at the surface by erosion and was subsequently covered by younger sediment |
| adequate-size farm | A farm with resources and productivity sufficient to generate enough income to (a) provide an acceptable level of family living; (b) pay current operating expenses and interest on loans; and (c) allow for capital growth to keep pace with technological growth. |
| virgin flow | The streamflow which exists or would exist if man had not modified the conditions on or along the stream or in the drainage basin. |
| seismicity | The study of the worldwide distribution of earthquakes over time and the probability of an earthquake occurring in a specific location. |
| scum | (Biological) A filmy layer of extraneous or impure matter that forms on or rises to the surface of a liquid or body of water. |
| delegated state | A state (or other governmental entity such as a tribal government) that has received authority from the U.S |
| totalizing meters | A water measuring (headgate or surface tailwater runoff point) device which registers or accumulates total flow (for example, in acre-feet). |
| knickpoint | An abrupt change in slope |
| surging glacier | a glacier that experiences a dramatic increase in flow rate, 10 to 100 times faster than its normal rate; usually surge events last less than one year and occur periodically, between 15 and 100 years. |
| autogenic recharge | recharge that occurs by falling directly on an aquifer's outcrop at the surface |
| rge | (1) The total distance an aircraft can fly using a given rate of fuel consumption |
| contact load | Sediment particles that roll or slide along in almost continuous contact with the streambed (bed load). |
| distributary | A tongue of glacier ice that flows away from the main trunk of the glacier |
| diversion channel | (1) An artificial channel constructed around a town or other point of high potential flood damages to divert floodwater from the main channel to minimize flood damages |
| pervious paving | Paving material that allows water to penetrate to the soil below. |
| k-feldspar | A potassium feldspar such as orthoclase, microcline, sanidine or adularia |
| deciduous woodland | woodland or forest made up of trees which have broad, flat leaves and which shed them annually during autumn, or fall |
| spring melt/thaw | The process whereby warm temperatures melt winter snow and ice |
| electrodialysis | a process which uses an electrical current and an arrangement of permeable membranes to separate soluble minerals from water |
| firn | The granular ice formed by the recrystallization of snow; also known as névé. |
| sand | Composed predominantly of coarse-grained mineral sediments with diameters larger than 0.074 mm (0.0029 inch) and smaller than 2 mm (0.079 inch) in diameter. |
| streamflow routing | A technique used to compute the effect of channel storage on the shape and movement of a flood wave. |
| fold | A bend or flexure in a rock unit or series of rock units that has been caused by crustal movements. |
| exotic | An organism or species that is not native to the area in which it is found. |
| xenoblast | A crystal that has grown in a rock during the process of metamorphism and which has not developed its characteristic crystal faces because of space limitations. |
| slipway | (Nautical) A sloping surface leading down to the water, on which ships are built or repaired and then more readily moved back into the water. |
| cercla | Comprehensive Environment Response, Compensation and Liability Act |
| boulder wind | A local name referring to an extremely strong downslope wind in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains near Boulder, Colorado. |
| joint-use storage | Reservoir storage space which is used for more than one purpose |
| osmosis | the passage of a liquid from a weak solution to a more concentrated solution across a semi-permeable membrane that allows passage of the solvent (water) but not the dissolved solids. |
| irrigation | The controlled application of water to cropland, hayland, and/or pasture to supplement that supplied through nature. |
| significant municipal facilities | Those publicly owned sewage treatment plants that discharge a million gallons per day or more and are therefore considered by states to have the potential to substantially effect the quality of receiving waters. |
| fascine | Matrix of willow or other natural material woven in bundles and used as a filter |
| schengen agreement | an agreement by some members of the EU to remove all travel restrictions for their nationals across the borders of the members. |
| fossil water | water that has become detached from the hydrological cycle having lain, untouched and without addition, in deep aquifers since prehistoric times. |
| water quality-based limitations | Effluent limitations applied to dischargers when mere technology-based limitations would cause violations of Water Quality Standards |
| evapotranspiration | All methods of water moving from a liquid to water vapor in nature |
| nutrient | as a pollutant, any element or compound, such as phosphorous or nitrogen, that fuels abnormally high organic growth in aquatic ecosystems |
| boil | To change from a liquid to a vapor by the application of heat till bubbles form and steam is given off |
| clay | Particle whose diameter is in the range of 0.00024 to 0.004 mm. |
| mariculture | cultivation of fish and shellfish in estuarine and coastal areas |
| x-ray diffraction | In mineralogy, the process of identifying mineral structures by exposing crystals to a beam of X-rays and studying the resulting diffraction patterns. |
| wave length | The least distance between particles moving in the same phase of oscillation of a wave |
| fracture zone | 1 (field geology) A zone where the bedrock is cracked and fractured |
| spit | (1) A narrow point of land extending into a body of water |
| rodinia | A giant supercontinent believed to have formed about 1.1 billion years ago in the Precambrian |
| horn | A high mountain peak that forms when the walls of three or more glacial cirques intersect. |
| reach | in general, a length of stream with relatively homogenous characteristics. |
| bath | The act of soaking or cleansing a body, as in water or steam |
| polymer | A substance which consists of giant molecules formed by the linkage of simple molecules (monomers) |
| caving | Collapse of a bank caused by undermining due to the action of flowing water. |
| crop coefficient | The ratio of evapotranspiration occurring with a specific crop at a specific stage of growth to potential evapotranspiration at that time. |
| eon | The primary division of geologic time which are, from oldest to youngest, the Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic, and Phanerozoic eons. |
| counterurbanisation | decentralisation of population from large urban areas to smaller ones or rural areas |
| excess water | when referring to the GPADP, excess water is defined by the Arkansas State Water Plan for the White River as being greater than the needs for fish and wildlife, navigation, and water quality |
| spring tide | The highest high and the lowest low tides during the lunar month |
| regelation | the refreezing of water into ice after pressure which caused it to melt is released. |
| sedimentation | the accumulation of sediment. |
| orographic precipitation | Precipitation which results from the lifting of moist air over a topographic barrier such as a mountain range |
| annual flood | Maximum flow in 1 year (may be daily or instantaneous). |
| laterite | see hardpan. |
| watershed management | The analysis, protection, development, operation or maintenance of the land, vegetation and water resources of a drainage basin for the conservation of all its resources for the benefit of its residents |
| eolian soil material | Soil material accumulated through wind action. |
| diquat | A strong, non-persistent, yellow, crystalline herbicide, C12H12Br2N2, used to control water weeds. |
| wet bulb thermometer | A thermometer used to measure the lowest temperature in the ambient atmosphere in its natural state by evaporating water from a wet muslin-covered bulb of a thermometer |
| desert | A barren or desolate area, especially one characterized by dry, often sandy conditions of little rainfall, typically less than 10 inches of rain per year, extreme temperatures, and sparse vegetation |
| flood profile | A graph showing the relationship of water surface elevation to location, the latter generally expressed as distance above mouth for a stream of water flowing in an open channel |
| frost creep | a form of mass movement where expansion due to freezing of water in the upper soil leads to downslope collapse on thawing and thus a net downslope movement. |
| ionic substitution | The replacement of one kind of ion in a crysta1line lattice by another kind that is of similar size and electrical charge. |
| paleopedology | The study of fossil soils |
| pothole | two types: |
| dolostone | A sedimentary rock composed mostly of the mineral dolomite |
| dormitory settlement | a rural settlement that is increased in size due to the influx of new residents from a nearby urban area |
| gabbro | A dark-colored, coarse-grained rock composed of Ca-plagioclase, pyroxene, and possibly olivine, but no quartz. |
| enteric fever | An acute, highly infectious disease caused by a bacillus (Salmonella typhi) transmitted chiefly by contaminated food or water and characterized by high fever, headache, coughing, intestinal hemorrhaging, and rose-colored spots on the skin |
| cliff | Often used interchangeably with bank and bluff, in technical descriptions cliff is preferred for the wave-cut nearly vertical acclivity or abrupt slope which borders the waterline, or marks the position of the present or former shore lines of lakes. |
| steam | The vapor that forms when water is heated to the boiling point |
| well stimulation | Cleaning, enlarging, or increasing the pore space of a well used for the Injection of fluids into subsurface geological strata. |
| isohyetal line | A line drawn on a map or chart joining points that receive the same amount of precipitation |
| endemism | the characteristic of being confined to or indigenous in, a certain area or region. |
| lateral moraines | A moraine which forms on the side of the ice stream, often where the ice meets the rock wall |
| oxidation pond | A man-made body of water in which organic wastes are stabilized by the action of bacteria, used most frequently with other waste-treatment processes; a sewage lagoon. |
| heat stroke | Introduced to the body by overexposure to high temperatures, particularly when accompanied by high humidity |
| blending | The mixing or combination of one water source with another, typically a finished source of water with raw water to reuse water while still satisfying water quality standards, for example, mixing of product water from a desalting plant with conventional water to obtain a desired dissolved solids content, or mixing brine effluents with sewage treatment plant effluents in order to reduce evaporation pond size. |
| conventional tilling | Tillage operations considered standard for a specific location and crop and that tend to bury the crop residues; usually considered as a base for determining the cost effectiveness of control practices. |
| perspire | To produce sweat or salty water from glands in the skin |
| artificial flood | deliberate release of water from dam reservoirs to create downstream flooding that is beneficial to farmland or wetland areas. |
| saltation salt dome | A dome produced in sedimentary rock by the upward movement of a body of salt. |
| ubiquitous organisms | Organisms that can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions or variations |
| geologic log | A detailed description of all underground features (e.g., depth, thickness, type of formation, etc.) discovered during the drilling of a well. |
| water purveyor | Anyone who sells drinking water to the public, usually the owner of a Public Water Supply System (PWSS); a public utility, mutual water company, county water district, or municipality that delivers drinking water to customers. |
| photic zone | The upper water layer down to the depth of effective light penetration where Photosynthesis balances respiration |
| cloudy | (1) When the sky is covered with clouds |
| acequia | (Southwestern U.S.) An irrigation canal. |
| connectivity | the extent to which points, or nodes, in a network may be interconnected and thus a measure of the network efficiency in allowing transfers in space or time |
| ice | The solid form of water |
| proglacial | The area in front of, or just at the outer edge of a glacier. |
| topography | The shape of Earth's surface or the geometry of landforms in a geographic area. |
| secure maximum contaminant level | The maximum permissible level of a contaminant in water delivered to the free flowing outlet of the ultimate user, or of contamination resulting from corrosion of piping and plumbing caused by water quality. |
| sodicity | A measure of the excess sodium in a soil which imparts a poor physical condition to the soil |
| overfall dam | A dam constructed to allow water to overflow the dam's crest. |
| jack field | Rows of jacks tied together with cables, some rows generally parallel with the banks and some perpendicular thereto or at an angle |
| drift | A general term for all sedimentary materials deposited directly from the ice or melt water of a glacier. |
| aggradation | (1) The build-up of sediments at the headwaters of a lake or reservoir or at a point where streamflow slows to the point that it will drop part or all of its sediment load |
| catfish | A fish found in freshwater rivers and has long feelers around its mouth |
| lifeline rates | A system used by many water purveyors of providing subsidized water rates to needy individuals and those on fixed incomes for a minimum amount of water delivered. |
| gallery | (1) A passageway within the body of a dam or abutment; hence the terms "grouting gallery," "inspection gallery," and "drainage gallery." (2) A long and rather narrow hall; hence the following terms for a power plant: "valve gallery," "transformer gallery," and "busbar gallery." |
| floodplain information reports | Reports prepared to provide local governmental agencies with basic technical data to assist in planning for wise use and development of their flood plains. |
| drumlin | Streamlined hill, largely of till, with blunt end pointing into direction from which ice moved |
| discharge formula | (Hydraulics) A formula used to calculate the rate of flow of fluid in a conduit or through an opening |
| bathymetric | related to the measurement of water depth within a water body. |
| water soluble | Of a material that dissolves in water. |
| annulus pressure | The positive pressure maintained by a fluid introduced between the well piping and the outer wall (casing) of the borehole of an underground Injection Well providing an indication of the integrity of the well. |
| spreading basin | A surface facility, often a large pond, used to increase the percolation of surface water into a Ground Water Basin |
| terrestrial planet | One of the four rocky planets closest to the sun, which include Mars, Venus, Earth and Mercury. |
| melt | To be changed from a solid to a liquid state by application of heat or pressure or both. |
| mean sea level | The level of the surface of the sea between mean high and mean low tide; used as a reference point for measuring elevations. |
| declination | the latitude where, on any particular day, the sun is 90˚ above the horizon at solar noon i.e |
| alluvial fan | A fan-shaped deposit of sediment built by a stream where it emerges from an upland or a mountain range into a broad valley or plain (see diagram) |
| state wellhead protection program | A program established to protect wellhead protection areas within a State's jurisdiction from contaminants that may have any adverse effects on the health of persons (Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), subsection 1428[a]) |
| anti-seepage collar | A projecting collar, usually of concrete, built around the outside of a pipe, tunnel, or conduit, or conduit under or through an Embankment Dam to lengthen the seepage path along the outer surface of the conduit. |
| offshore | The geographic area that is seaward of a coastline. |
| oecd | see Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. |
| lithosphere | The relatively rigid outer zone of the earth, which includes the continental crust, the oceanic crust, and the part of the mantle lying above the softer asthenosphere. |
| subduction | the movement of an oceanic plate beneath another crustal plate |
| mid-seral condition | Synonymous with fair ecological conditions. |
| wisconsin | (Geology) Of or relating to one of the glacial stages of the Pleistocene epoch which occurred in North America, which consisted of the Nebraskan (first stage), Kansan (second stage), Illinoian (third stage), and Wisconsin (fourth stage). |
| permafrost | Perennially frozen layer in the soil, found in alpine, arctic, and antarctic regions. |
| levee | An embankment, generally constructed on or parallel to the banks of a stream, lake or other body of water, for the purpose of protecting the land side from inundation by flood water or to confine the stream flow to its regular channel. |
| system design capacity | (Water Quality) Plant design capacity plus any blending water added to the desalting plant product. |
| environmentalism | the politicization of concern for the environment and demands for action to protect and conserve it. |
| vapor barrier | A continuous plastic membrane which surrounds the entire thermal envelope of a house and prevents moisture penetration into the wall cavity |
| pliocene | (Geology) The epoch immediately preceding the Pleistocene which lasted for about 10 million years' duration from about 12 million years ago to about 2 millions years ago. |
| flow regime | the pattern of flow in a river which can be described in terms of the quantity and variability of water flows. |
| recreational benefit | The value of a recreational activity to the recreationist, usually measured in dollars above the cost of participating in the recreational activity (travel, lodging, entrance fees, etc.) |
| carbonate conservation depth | The water depth below which the calcium carbonate produced in the ocean is completely dissolved |
| terminus | The end of the glacier |
| ferrel cell | the mid-latitude cell in the tricellular model of atmospheric circulation. |
| pump curve | The relationship between the head developed by a pump and the capacity (flow) for a constant rotative speed. |
| electrophoresis | The migration of charged colloidal particles (Colloids) or Molecules through a solution under the influence of an applied electric field usually provided by immersed electrodes |
| locational factor | any factor which has an influence in an entrepreneurial decision to locate industry in a particular place. |
| dry ice | Solid carbon dioxide that sublimates at -78.5°C (-110°F) and is used primarily as a coolant. |
| well plug | Any watertight or gastight seal installed in a well to prevent the flow of fluids or gases. |
| adsorbent | Any material which adsorbs another on its surface. |
| marina | a man-made dock or mooring area, protected from the sea, particularly for the mooring of pleasure craft. |
| debris guard | A screen or grate at the intake of a channel, drainage, or pump structure for the purpose of stopping debris. |
| density | (1) Matter measured as mass per unit volume expressed in pounds per gallon (lb/gal), pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft3), and kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m3) |
| ground moraine | A continuous layer of till deposited beneath a steadily retreating glacier. |
| sewage treatment | The processing of wastewater for the removal or reduction of contained solids or other undesirable constituents. |
| lindane | a pesticide that causes adverse health effects when present in domestic water supplies and is toxic to freshwater fish and aquatic life. |
| playa | A broad flat desert basin, often containing an ephemeral playa lake. |
| vapor trail | A visible trail of streaks of condensed water vapor or ice crystals sometimes forming in the wake of an aircraft |
| tap water | Water withdrawn directly from a tap or faucet. |
| xylem | The supporting and water-conducting tissue of Vascular Plants, consisting primarily of tracheids and vessels; woody tissue. |
| solifluction | A type of mass movement in which material moves slowly downslope in areas where the soil is saturated with water |
| benioff zone | A zone of deep-focus earthquakes that dips away from a deep-sea trench and slopes beneath the adjacent continent or island arc. |
| parts per billion | The number of "parts" by weight of a substance per billion parts of water |
| underground injection control | A program required in each state by a provision of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) for the regulation of Injection Wells, including a permit system |
| joints | natural crack in a rock running vertically between bedding planes. |
| impaired water body | a water body that has been determined under state and federal law as not meeting water quality standards, or having the potential to do so in the future. |
| shower | Precipitation from a convective cloud that is characterized by its sudden beginning and ending, changes in intensity, and rapid changes in the appearance of the sky |
| potential supply | That part of the resource base that has the potential for development or further expansion. |
| trajectory | The curve that a body, such as a celestial object, describes in space |
| phaneritic texture | The texture of igneous rocks in which the interlocking crystals are large enough to be seen without magnification. |
| plash | (1) To cause a splashing or spattering effect |
| transform fault | A strike-slip fault that connects offsets in a mid-ocean ridge. |
| potential energy | The energy available in a substance because of position (e.g., water held behind a dam) or chemical composition (hydrocarbons) |
| bergschrund | The ice wall commonly found at the head of a glacier which has separated slightly from the rock wall of its cirque. |
| overproduction | usually applied to food yields exceeding the needs of the area in which they are produced |
| water sky | the dark appearance of the underside of a cloud layer when it is over a surface of open water; it is darker than land sky, and much darker than ice blink or snow blink. |
| barrier beach | low-lying, bar-shaped sand and/or coral island lying parallel to but slightly away from a coastline |
| hydrologic balance | an accounting of all water inflow to, water outflow from, and changes in water storage within a hydrologic unit over a specified period of time. |
| jack | Device for flow control and protection of banks against lateral erosion consisting of three mutually perpendicular arms rigidly fixed at the center |
| cso | See Combined Sewer Overflow. |
| peneplain | An extensive erosion surface worn down almost to sea level |
| caldera | A large, bowl-shaped crater associated with a volcanic vent |
| dual media filtration | A system using two layers of dissimilar media, such as anthracite and sand. |
| cabotage | Trade or transport in coastal waters or airspace or between two points within a country. |
| wilderness act | A 1964 Act of Congress which established federal Wilderness Areas |
| diffused air | (Water Quality) A type of aeration that forces oxygen into sewage by pumping air through perforated pipes inside a holding tank. |
| steppe | the temperate grasslands of Eurasia which stretch from Hungary to Mongolia. |
| inch-degrees | The product of inches of rainfall times temperature in degrees above freezing (Fahrenheit), used as a measure of the snowmelting capacity of rainfall. |
| matrix | The relatively finegrained rock material occupying the space between larger particles in a rock |
| dry well | A portable calibration furnace that uses narrow metal enclosures rather than liquid to generate uniformity at thermal contact for pre-set temperatures. |
| strike valley | A valley that is eroded parallel to the strike of the underlying nonresistant strata. |
| agricultural | Having to do with farming or farms. |
| underemployment | when people have jobs that do not fully occupy them and so they do not earn sufficient wages to properly cover their needs. |
| icefall | (1) The part of a glacier resembling a frozen waterfall that flows down a steep slope |
| neve | another name for firn |
| awt | Advanced Wastewater Treatment |
| precipitation | two types: |
| waste treatment plant | A facility containing a series of tanks, screens, filters and other processes by which pollutants are removed from water |
| intermediate rock | An igneous rock that has an intermediate silica content |
| bottom bergs | Icebergs which originate from near the base of a glacier |
| attenuation | the process whereby the magnitude of a flood event is reduced by slowing, modifying, or diverting the flow of water. |
| natural increase | in population studies, when the birth rate is higher than the death rate. |
| aster | Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer |
| mid-oceanic ridge | an elongated range of undersea mountains formed by the extrusion of lava, combined with the upward pressure of a convection plume, at a divergent plate margin. |
| granite | A coarse-grained igneous rock composed of K-feldspar, plagioclase, and quartz, with small amounts of ferromagnesian minerals. |
| mine drainage | Water pumped or flowing from a mine. |
| water table | the upper boundary of the saturated portion of a soil or rock. |
| slump | see rotational movement. |
| floodwater | The water of a flood |
| acquisition | Obtaining the legal right to test a property for mineral resources and produce any that are discovered |
| hi/low alarm | A feature common to thermometers that will alert you via visual and/or audible cues (or, in some cases, email or texts) when a measurement is outside user-specified limits for safety or desirability |
| lagoon | calm, protected area of water between a barrier beach or coral reef and a coastline, or in the centre of an atoll. |
| supercritical flow | flow characterized by high velocity and a Froude number greater than 1 |
| alternate concentration limits | One of the three types of standards that may be applied when a leak is detected at a treatment, storage, or disposal facility and groundwater compliance monitoring is required |
| bog | a type of wetland that accumulates appreciable peat deposits |
| reservoir | an impoundment for water storage either above or below the ground |
| macroclimate | The general large-scale climate of a large area or country, as distinguished from Mesoclimate and Microclimate. |
| mariculture | a branch of aquaculture specializing in the cultivation of marine organisms in salt water usually by enclosing a cubic volume of a natural waterway |
| competence | in rivers, the maximum particle diameter that can be carried at a given velocity. |
| ethnic | having one or all of the following: common national or cultural tradition; common language; commonality relating to race or descent thereof. |
| conduit | a natural or artificial channel through which fluids may be conveyed. |
| epilimnion | The warm upper layer of a body of water with thermal stratification, which extends down from the surface to the Thermocline, which forms the boundary between the warmer upper layers of the epilimnion and the colder waters of the lower depths, or Hypolimnion |
| volcanic water | Juvenile Water (new water) furnished by lava flows and volcanic activity. |
| deglaciation | the removal of glacier cover (glacial retreat) when ablation outstrips accumulation. |
| acid aerosol | Airborne particles composed of sulfates (SOX), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), nitrates (NOX), and/or nitric acid (HNO3) |
| time zone | An area using the same standard of time. |
| raised bogs | See Peatland. |
| lotic waters | Describing the waters of rivers and streams (flowing waters) as compared to Lentic Waters of ponds or marshes (standing waters). |
| icefall | part of a glacier with rapid flow and a chaotic crevassed surface; occurs where the glacier bed steepenes or narrows. |
| priming | (1) The first filling or first seasonal filling of a canal, reservoir, or other structure with water |
| snow | Frozen precipitation in the form of white or translucent ice crystals in complex branched hexagonal form |
| watery | (1) Filled with, consisting of, or soaked with water; wet or soggy |
| mine wash | Water-deposited accumulation of sandy, silty, or clayey material recently eroded in mining operations. |
| mesozoic | an era of geologic time lasting from 245m to 65m years ago. |
| mechanical aeration | The use of mechanical energy to inject air into water to cause a waste stream to absorb oxygen. |
| peak use rate | The maximum periodic rate of consumptive use (Evapotranspiration) of water by plants. |
| basin fill | Unconsolidated material such as sand, gravel, and silt eroded from surrounding mountains and deposited in a valley. |
| quaternary sector | those types of economic activity involving high technology and information services which have appeared in the last thirty years and do not fit neatly into the secondary or tertiary sectors. |
| mixolimnion | The uppermost region in a Meromictic Lake. |
| hygroscopic | is a compound that absorbs water from the air or a solution, nature of drying agents |
| cottage industry | small-scale, home-based production. |
| vernal equinox | Taking place in the Northern Hemispheric spring, it is the point at which the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator |
| environmental indicator | a measurement, statistic or value that provides evidence of the effects of environmental management programs or of the state or condition of the environment. |
| water cycle | The cycle of evaporation and condensation that controls the distribution of the earth's water as it evaporates from bodies of water, condenses, precipitates, and returns to those bodies of water |
| industrial estate | planned area of integrated buildings and roads for industrial use, especially by modern industrial businesses |
| streamline | (1) A line that is parallel to the direction of flow of a fluid at a given instant |
| foodweb | a model structure used to represent the links between organisms within an environment, based upon the order in which various organisms consume one another. |
| polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons/polararomatic hyd | A group of highly reactive organic compounds, such as pyrene, that comprise a component of creosotes and can cause cancer. |
| backing | A counterclockwise shift in the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere at a certain location |
| mud | A soft, saturated mixture mainly of silt and clay. |
| ice cave | a cave of ice, usually underneath a glacier and formed by meltwater; cave entrances are often enlarged near a glacier terminus by warm winds; most common on stagnant portions of glaciers. |
| advection fog | fog which forms in the lower part of a warm moist air mass moving over a colder surface (land or water). |
| profundal zone | a lake's deep-water region that is not penetrated by sunlight. |
| secondary treatment | second step in most waste treatment systems, in which bacteria break down the organic parts of sewage wastes; usually accomplished by bringing the sewage and bacteria together in trickling filters or in the activated sludge process |
| renewable resource | Natural resources that continuously can be replenished in the course of natural events within the limits of human time |
| splashdown | A spacecraft's soft landing on the water, thereby permitting recovery of personnel and critical components. |
| low-velocity zone | A zone within the upper mantle where seismic wave velocities are relatively low |
| mountain | A general term used in reference to an area that is at a conspicuously higher elevation than surrounding lands |
| maquis | scrub vegetation made up of plants such as heathers which can grow up to 3 metres in height |
| wedge | Primarily refers to an elongated area of shallow high pressure at the earth's surface |
| visible trade | import and export of physical goods |
| seepage losses | A measure of water losses in a conveyance system due to water being seeped into the surrounding soils |
| sea level pressure | The atmospheric pressure at mean sea level, usually determined from the observed station pressure. |
| granite | a massive, intrusive rock |
| firewhirl | A tornado-like rotating column of fire and smoke created by intense heat from a forest fire or volcanic eruption. |
| acid fog | Airborne water droplets containing sulfuric acid and/or nitric acid |
| alkaline | Sometimes water or soils contain an amount of Alkali substances sufficient to raise the pH value above 7.0 and be harmful to the growth of crops |
| isobar | a line of equal or constant pressure; it most often refers to a line drawn through all points of equal atmospheric pressure. |
| histogram | a bar chart where the vertical (y) axis is frequency and the horizontal (x) axis is the classes/values of data that have been measured for frequency. |
| gdp | see gross domestic product. |
| arctic oscillation | an atmospheric circulation pattern in which the atmospheric pressure over the polar regions varies in opposition with that over middle latitudes (about 45 degrees N) on time scales ranging from weeks to decades; the oscillation extends through the depth of the troposphere, and from January to March, it extends upward into the stratosphere where it modulates in the strength of the westerly vortex that encircles the arctic polar cap region; the north atlantic oscillation and arctic oscillation are different ways of describing the same phenomenon. |
| yardang | Rock that has developed a streamline form because of wind erosion |
| catotelm | the lower level or layer of a peat deposit. |
| eutrophic lakes | Lakes that are rich in nutrients and organic materials, therefore, highly productive for plant growth |
| blizzard | A severe weather condition characterized by low temperatures, winds 35 mph or greater, and sufficient falling and/or blowing snow in the air to frequently reduce visibility to 1/4 mile or less for a duration of at least 3 hours |
| cross-contamination | a condition created when a drill hole, boring, or improperly constructed well forms a pathway for fluid movement between a saturated zone which contains pollutants and a formerly separated saturated zone containing uncontaminated groundwater |
| chemical weathering | Chemical reactions that act on rocks exposed to water and the atmosphere so as to change their unstable mineral components to more stable forms |
| flow rate | The rate, expressed in gallons or liters-per-hour, at which a fluid escapes from a hole or fissure in a tank |
| water demand schedule | A time distribution of the demand for prescribed quantities of water for specified purposes |
| ridge | An elevated area of the sea floor in the center of an ocean basin with rugged topography, a central rift-valley and recurring seismic activity |
| andisols | Soil order (type) of the United States Department of Agriculture Comprehensive Soil Classification System |
| waterfall | a sudden, nearly vertical drop in a stream, as it flows over rock. |
| superimposed drainage | a drainage pattern that formed on one set of rocks which have since been removed and so bears no relation to the set of rocks on which it is now found. |
| fall velocity | Velocity at which a sediment particle falls through a column of still water. |
| range carrying capacity | Permitted Animal Unit Month (AUM) production. |
| continental glacier | A glacier that forms over large areas of continents close to the poles. |
| impound | To accumulate and store water as in a reservoir. |
| firn line | The highest level to which the fresh snow on a glacier's surface retreats during the melting season; the line separating the accumulation area from the ablation area. |
| consolute | Of or relating to liquid substances that are capable of being mixed in all proportions. |
| medial moraine | deposit of sediment formed when the lateral moraines of two glaciers meet |
| decomposition | breakdown of organic material in the litter by detritivores |
| prt | An acronym for Platinum Resistance Thermometer |
| mid-atlantic ridge | The mountain range extending from north to south down the central part of the Atlantic Ocean floor. |
| nitrogen cycle | series of flows in an ecosystem which move nitrogen between various stores and allow it to perform functions essential for life |
| microclimate | the local climate conditions that show variations to the general climate conditions of the wider environment. |
| esker fan | A small plain of sand and gravel built at the mouth of a subglacial stream and associated with an esker formed simultaneously. |
| basin lag | (1) The time from the centroid (centermost point in time based on total period rainfall) of rainfall to the hydrograph peak |
| seashore | (1) Land by the sea |
| place of use | The specific location, typically documented in a water right permit, where water is applied or used |
| hardwood bottomland | hardwood forested lowlands adjacent to some rivers, especially valuable for wildlife breeding, nesting, and habitat. |
| seed dispersal | movement of seeds away from parent plants. |
| stenohaline | Pertaining to an aquatic organism unable to withstand wide variation in salinity of the surrounding water. |
| no till farming | Planting crops without prior seedbed preparation, into an existing cover crop, sod, or crop residues, and eliminating subsequent tillage operations. |
| activated carbon adsorption | the process of pollutants moving out of water and attaching on to activated carbon. |
| import | Water piped or channeled into an area. |
| secular trend | (Data Analysis) A trend existing to some characteristic or phenomena over a relatively long period of time |
| external cost | cost of production or consumption that must be borne by society; not by the producer. |
| alpine | That portion of mountains above tree growth; or organisms living there |
| lahar | mudflow associated with volcanic activity |
| marsh gas | Gas produced during the decomposition of organic material buried in wetland soils |
| sand filter | (Water Quality) A device used to remove particles from drinking water prior to distribution to customers |
| stalagmite | A conical mineral deposit, usually calcite or aragonite, built up on the floor of a cavern, formed from the dripping of mineral-rich water |
| kinematic viscosity | The ratio of dynamic viscosity to mass density |
| snow garland | Snow appearing as a beautiful long thick rope draped on trees, fences and other objects |
| condensation | the change of state from a gas to a liquid |
| surface supply | Water supply from streams, lakes, and reservoirs. |
| gravitational water | the water in the soil that is unavailable to plants and which flows out of the soil as throughflow to the river channel or percolates into the rock below. |
| plucking | a form of glacial erosion in which ice freezes on to rock and pulls it away when the glacier moves on. |
| saturated | (1) Generally, filled to capacity; having absorbed all that can be taken up; soaked through with moisture |
| design capacity | The average daily flow that a water or wastewater treatment plant or other facility is designed to accommodate. |
| nonfull-cost entitlement | Maximum acreage, whether held directly or indirectly, that a landholder may irrigate with Reclamation irrigation water at less than the Full-Cost Rate. |
| stewardship | an approach to environmental management which advocates careful balance between development and protection of the environment. |
| superposed stream | A stream that cuts across resistant bedrock units |
| infiltration gallery | A sub-surface groundwater collection system, typically shallow in depth, constructed with open-jointed or perforated pipes that discharge collected water into a watertight chamber from which the water is pumped to treatment facilities and into the distribution system |
| rainfall intensity-duration curve | A curve showing the relationship between average rainfall or precipitation depth (or the rate) and storm duration in a given area. |
| absolute humidity | A type of humidity that considers the mass of water vapor present per unit volume of space |
| marine-based ice sheet | A large mass of ice with its base grounded below sea level. |
| saturation point | The point when the water vapor in the atmosphere is at its maximum level for the existing temperature. |
| titrant | A solution of known strength or concentration; used in Titration. |
| food surplus | when food stores build up in certain areas |
| legionella | A genus of bacteria, some species of which have caused a type of pneumonia called Legionnaires Disease. |
| ice age | see glacial. |
| aftershock | Smaller earth tremors that occur seconds to weeks after a major earthquake event. |
| organometallic | the compound has at least one metal-carbon bond i.e |
| riparian doctrine | The system for allocating water used in England and the eastern United States |
| peak flow | The maximum instantaneous discharge of a stream or river at a given location |
| ecosystem functions | Processes that are necessary for the self-maintenance of an Ecosystem such as primary production, nutrient cycling, decomposition, etc |
| equilibrium scour | Scour depth in sand-bed stream with dune bed about which live bed pier scour level fluctuates due to variability in bed material transport in the approach flow. |
| recruitment | survival of young plants and animals from birth to a life stage less vulnerable to environmental change. |
| thermodynamics | Study of the processes that involve the transformation of heat into mechanical work, of mechanical work into heat, or the flow of heat from a hotter body to a colder body. |
| influent water | Water that flows into sink holes, open cavities, and porous materials and disappears into the ground. |
| frost flowers | crystals of ice that form when water vapor becomes a solid (bypassing the liquid phase) and deposits itself on the sea ice surface; frost flowers roughen the surface and dramatically affect its electromagnetic signal. |
| constant pressure surface | A surface along which the atmospheric pressure is equal everywhere. |
| twilight zone | in Burgess model of urban land use, the second zone, surrounding the CBD characterized by old factories and slum areas which may be in transition and experiencing some regeneration. |
| flood-related erosion prone area | A land area adjoining the shore of a lake or other body of water, which due to the composition of the shoreline or bank and high water levels or wind-driven currents, is likely to suffer flood-related erosion damage. |
| primary wave | See P wave. |
| marsh | an area periodically inundated and treeless and often characterized by grasses, cattails, and other monocotyledons |
| hydrogeology | the geology of groundwater, with particular emphasis on the chemistry and movement of water. |
| abioseston | Nonliving components of the seston. |
| transmission lines | Pipelines that transport raw water from its source to a water treatment plant, then to the distribution grid system. |
| right abutment | That part of the right-hand side of a valley side wall against which a dam is constructed |
| jet stream | A high-speed, meandering wind current, generally moving from a westerly direction at speeds often exceeding 400 kilometers (250 miles) per hour at altitudes of 15 to 25 kilometers (10 to 15 miles) |
| triple junction | A point where three lithospheric plates meet |
| dipper | One that dips, especially a container for taking up water. |
| englacial | All the glacial environments which occur within the ice itself are called englacial environments. |
| coefficient of runoff | Factor in the rational runoff formula expressing the ratio of peak runoff rate to rainfall intensity. |
| ablation zone | The area of a glacier where mass is lost through melting or evaporation at a greater rate than snow and ice accumulate. |
| infrared spectroscopy | is a spectroscopic technique to identify functional groups, looks at vibrational modes of the molecule |
| imperiled species | declining, rare, or uncommon species; species federally listed as threatened or endangered, or candidates for such; and species with limited distributions. |
| visibility | the greatest distance that prominent objects can be seen and identified by unaided, normal eyes. |
| carbon filtration | (Water Quality) The passage of treated wastewater or domestic water supplies through activated charcoal in an effort to remove low concentrations of dissolved chemicals. |
| wind shear | A sudden drastic change in wind speed, wind direction or both that may occur in the vertical or horizontal plane, resulting in a tearing or shearing affect |
| carbon treatment | (Water Quality) In a drinking water purification process, the removal of Colloids by Adsorption on Activated Charcoal |
| synoptic code | a code approved by the World Meteorological Organization, by which meteorological elements observed at the earth's surface at synoptic times are encoded in groups of five figures and transmitted internationally through the GTS (Global Telecommunications System). |
| ground clutter | A pattern of radar echoes reflecting off fixed ground targets such as buildings or hills near the radar |
| cuspate foreland | triangular beach form |
| active remote sensing | Form of remote sensing where the sensor provides its own source of electromagnetic radiation to illuminate the object understudy |
| snowline | The line on a glacier separating the area where snow remains from year to year from the area where snow from the previous season melts. |
| flood-frequency curve | Graph indicating the probability that the annual flood discharge will exceed a given magnitude, or the recurrence interval corresponding to a given magnitude. |
| secondary wastewater treatment | Treatment (following Primary Wastewater Treatment) involving the biological process of reducing suspended, colloidal, and dissolved organic matter in effluent from primary treatment systems and which generally removes 80 to 95 percent of the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and suspended matter |
| siphon tubes | (Irrigation) Small curved pipes, typically 0.5-4.0 inches (1.3-10.2 centimeters) in diameter, that deliver water over the side of a head ditch or lateral to furrows, corrugations, or borders. |
| refugee | a person who flees their home country through a fear of persecution on the grounds of race or religion, or membership of some other group. |
| coromell | The prevailing evening land breeze which takes place from November to May in the vicinity of La Paz, at the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. |
| aground | Onto or on a shore, reef, or the bottom of a body of water. |
| best-fit line | a line drawn on a scatter-graph, as close to all the points as possible, which thus indicates any trend in the pattern |
| interceptor sewer | very large sewer lines that collect the flow from main and trunk lines and carry them to treatment plants. |
| peninsula | A peninsula is a body of land that is surrounded by water on three sides. |
| limb | The part of the Hydrograph in which the discharge is steadily increasing or decreasing. |
| dechlorinate | To remove Chlorine from water. |
| safe yield | the annual amount of water that can be taken from a source of supply over a period of years without depleting that source beyond its ability to be replenished naturally in "wet years." |
| paleontology | The study of ancient life. |
| winter kill | The complete or partial kill of fish and other animals in a body of water, usually occurring during prolonged periods of ice and snow cover |
| polluted | Something which contains foreign substances. |
| longshore drift | The process in which sediment is moved in a zigzag pattern along a beach by the swash and backwash of waves that approach the shore obliquely. |
| natural decrease | in population studies, when the death rate is higher than the birth rate. |
| arkose | A sandstone containing at least 25% feldspar. |
| reserves | amount of a particular resource in known locations that can be extracted at a profit with present technology and prices. |
| melting point | The temperature at which a solid substance undergoes fusion, changing from a solid to a liquid state |
| consequent stream | A stream that has a course determined by! or directly resulting from, the original slope on which it developed |
| interception | The process of storing rain or snow on leaves and branches which eventually evaporates back to the air |
| potential evapotranspiration | (1) The maximum quantity of water capable of being evaporated from the soil and transpired from the vegetation of a specified region in a given time interval under existing climatic conditions, expressed as depth of water |
| confined aquifer | An aquifer which is bounded above and below by formations of impermeable or relatively impermeable material |
| pressure jump | A sudden increase in the observed atmospheric pressure or station pressure. |
| high-level clouds | typically thin, white clouds above 6,000 meters (20,000 feet); at these altitudes, temperatures are so cold that clouds are composed primarily of ice crystals; includes cirrus, cirrocumulus and cirrostratus clouds. |
| water exports | The artificial transfer (pipes, canals, aqueducts, etc.) of water to one region or subregion from another region |
| superposition | The concept that the oldest rock layers are at the bottom of a sequence with younger rock layers deposited on top of them |
| outwash | Stratified sediment washed out from a glacier by meltwater streams and deposited in front of the end moraine. |
| labour-intensive | an economic activity where labour is the largest input by value, as opposed to capital. |
| inundation | The covering by water of lands not normally so covered. |
| trap | A sedimentary or tectonic structure where oil and/or natural gas has accumulated |
| farm surface runoff | A portion of the Farm Headgate Delivery that flows off the lower portion of the farm or field surface (drain ditch) flow |
| sand filters | devices that remove suspended solids from a wastewater treatment plant effluent or water treatment plant product. |
| jet streak | A region of accelerated wind speed along the axis of a jet stream. |
| rivulet | A small stream or brook; a streamlet. |
| industrial wastewater facility | Refers to those facilities that produce, treat or dispose of wastewater not otherwise defined as a domestic wastewater |
| flashiness | a measure of a river or stream's tendency to carry a high percentage of its flow volume in large, infrequent events rather than more moderate flows that occur frequently. |
| ground cover | Plants grown to keep soil from eroding. |
| alpine tundra | High altitude biome dominated by a few species of dwarf shrubs, a few grasses, sedges, lichens, and mosses |
| striation | A scratch or groove produced on the surface of a rock by a geologic agent, such as a glacier or stream. |
| chlorine-contact chamber | (Water Quality) In a wastewater treatment plant, a chamber in which effluent is disinfected by chlorine before it is discharged to the receiving waters. |
| blowing spray | Salt spray that is raised by the wind to heights of six feet or greater |
| natural flow | the rate of water movement past a specified point on a natural stream |
| aa | A term of Hawaiian origin |
| absolute time | Geologic time expressed in years before the present. |
| weir box | (Irrigation) A wooden or concrete box oblong in shape and open at both ends, set lengthwise in a canal and in which a weir for measurement of irrigation water is set cross-wise. |
| zone of aeration | The zone below the earth's surface and above the water table, in which pore spaces are usually filled with air. |
| latent heat | release of heat during a change of state |
| import penetration | the proportion of the market for a particular product-type taken up by imports. |
| check dam | Low dam or weir across a channel used to control stage or degradation. |
| bernoulli effect | The phenomenon of internal pressure reduction with increased stream velocity in a fluid |
| anemometer | an instrument which measures wind speed or wind speed and direction; a cup anemometer measures the wind speed from the speed of rotation of a windmill which consist of 3 or 4 hemispherical or conical cups, each fixed to the ends of horizontal arms attached to a vertical axis; a byram anemometer is a variety of the cup anemometer; a counting anemometer has cups or a fan whose rotation is transmitted to a technical counter which integrates directly the air movement speed; a hand anemometer is small portable anemometer held at arm's length by an observer making a wind speed measurement; a pressure tube anemometer (dines anemometer) is an instrument which derives wind speed from measurements of the dynamic wind pressures - wind blowing into a tube develops a pressure greater than the static pressure, while wind blowing across a tube develops a pressure less than the static, this pressure difference is proportional to the square of the wind speed. |
| hornblende | A variety of the amphibole mineral group |
| teleconnections | Information used by forecasters to determine what the weather might be elsewhere when compared with past weather conditions at the same degree of longitude. |
| parent element | A radioactive element that spontaneously decays into a new substance |
| dispersion coefficient | A measure of the spreading of a flowing substance due to the nature of the porous medium (and specific substance or fluid properties), with interconnected channels distributed at random in all directions |
| core | Innermost zone of Earth |
| photic | (1) Penetrated by or receiving light |
| log and safety boom | A net-like device installed around the discharge facility of a dam to prevent logs, debris, or boaters from entering the outlet device. |
| storm sewer | A sewer system that collects surface runoff instead of waste water |
| bloom | a proliferation of algae and/or higher aquatic plants in a body of water; often related to pollution or excessive nutrients, especially when they accelerate growth. |
| remembrement | the consolidation of fragmented land parcels, split by inheritance practices over many years, back into larger units. |
| mcl | See Maximum Contaminant Level. |
| ph | An expression of both acidity and alkalinity on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 representing neutrality; numbers less than 7 indicate increasing acidity and numbers greater than 7 indicate increasing alkalinity. |
| northing | the horizontal gridlines on a map so called because their numeric value increases from south to north. |
| data bank | A well-defined collection of data, usually of the same general type, which can be accessed by a computer and may readily be used for further analysis, presentation, and forecasting |
| habitat | the native environment or specific surroundings where a plant or animal naturally grows or lives |
| carbonate rock | A rock composed mostly of carbonate minerals |
| elutriation | Separation of solid waste into heavy and light fractions by washing. |
| star dune | A mound of sand with a high central point and arms radiating in various directions. |
| shadow zone | An area where there is very little or no direct reception of seismic waves from a given earthquake because of refraction of the waves in the earth's core |
| volumetric tank test | One of several tests to determine the physical integrity of a storage tank; the volume of fluid in the tank is measured directly or calculated from product-level changes |
| solution valley | A valley produced by solution activity, either by dissolution of surface materials or by removal of subsurface materials such as limestone, gypsum, or salt. |
| aerate | To supply or charge a liquid or body of water with a gas, as to expose a body of water to the circulation of air for purification |
| distribution coefficient | The quantity of a solute absorbed per unit weight of a solid divided by the quantity dissolved in water per unit volume of water. |
| aquifer | A permeable stratum or zone below the earth's surface through which ground water moves. |
| water cycle | evapotranspiration, evaporation, incorporation into plant tissue, infiltration into ground water and consumption by humans, wildlife or livestock, are some of the reasons water may not be immediately available for reuse |
| slaked lime | Calcium hydroxide which is formed by the addition of water to quicklime; a process termed Slaking. |
| elastic limit | The maximum stress that can be applied to a body without resulting in permanent deformation - the rock reverts to its original shape after the stress is removed |
| demography | the study of demographics. |
| sandstone | A sedimentary rock composed of sand-sized particles (1/16 to 2 millimeters in diameter) |
| chernozem | soil type often found in continental interiors with a temperate grassland biome type |
| estancia | a ranch in Spanish-speaking S |
| isothermy | In Limnology, a state in which a lake is at the same temperature throughout and is well-mixed |
| mid-channel bar | Bar lacking permanent vegetal cover that divides the flow in a channel at normal stage. |
| guelta | pools found in overly-deepened portions of river beds in mountainous areas of North Africa |
| normal distribution | (Statistics) A fundamental underpinning of statistical and econometric analysis: that if repeated samples are drawn (observed) from a population, that as the sample size grows then the observed values will centralize around a non-random value, termed the expected value |
| meteorite | A particle of iron or rock that has fallen to Earth's surface from inter-planetary space. |
| technology-based standards | (EPA) Effluent limitations applicable to direct and indirect sources which are developed on a category-by-category basis using statutory factors, not including water-quality effects. |
| mineral soil | Soil composed of predominantly mineral rather than organic materials. |
| artesian zone | a zone where water is confined in an aquifer under pressure so that the water will rise in the well casing or drilled hole above the bottom of the confining layer overlying the aquifer. |
| design runoff rate | In irrigation, the maximum runoff rate expected over a given period of time. |
| climate | Meteorological elements that characterize the average and extreme conditions of the atmosphere over a long period of time at any one place or region of the earth's surface. |
| windstorm | A storm with high winds or violent gusts but little or no rain. |
| trituration | commonly refers to the grinding of powders in a pestle or mortar |
| limestone | A sedimentary rock consisting of at least 50% calcium carbonate (CaCO2) by weight |
| icing | a sheetlike mass of layered ice formed on the ground surface, or on river or lake ice, by freezing of successive flows of water that may seep from the ground, flow from a spring or emerge from below river or lake ice through fractures. |
| volcano | a mountain created by the eruption and deposition of lavas and ashes from a vent in the ground in a volcanic area. |
| crop rotation | A pattern of changing the crops grown in a specific field from year to year in order to control pests and maintain soil fertility. |
| geologic cross section | A diagram showing the structure and arrangement of rocks as they would appear in a vertical plane below the earth's surface. |
| approximate original contour | The surface configuration achieved by backfilling and grading of mined areas so that the reclaimed area, including any terracing or access roads, closely resembles the general surface configuration of the land prior to strip mining and blends into and complements the drainage pattern of the surrounding terrain. |
| plug | cement, grout, or other material used to fill and seal a hole drilled for a water well. |
| water-soluble substance | a substance that can readily disperse through the environment. |
| ecoregion | a geographic area over which the macroclimate is sufficiently uniform to permit development of similar ecosystems on sites with similar geophysical properties. |
| carbonate hardness | Water hardness caused by the presence of Carbonate and Bicarbonate of calcium and magnesium |
| ash-flow tuff | A rock composed of volcanic ash and dust, formed by deposition and consolidation of ash flows. |
| prevailing wind | the direction from which wind most frequently blows in a particular place. |
| impermeable | Unable to transmit water; not easily penetrated |
| plasmolysis | Shrinkage or contraction of the protoplasm away from the wall of a living plant or bacterial cell, caused by loss of water through Osmosis. |
| qualitative analysis | (Data Analysis) The examination or analysis of a phenomenon to determine its qualitative characteristics versus its quantitative characteristics, i.e., characteristics for which precise numerical identification are not appropriate |
| pathogen | microorganisms which can cause disease. |
| allophane | Hydrated aluminosilicate substance ordinarily found associated with clay minerals. |
| confluence | A rate at which wind flow comes together along an axis oriented normal to the flow in question |
| leadsman | A person who uses a sounding lead to determine depth of water. |
| recycling | The process by which salvaged materials become usable products. |
| autumnal | Appearing or flowering in the fall. |
| zooglea | (Water Quality) A jelly-like matrix developed by bacteria which is abundant in activated sludge flocs and trickling filter slimes. |
| calcium carbonate treatment | The adding of limestone (calcium carbonate) to an acid lake to raise the pH. |
| aerobic bacteria | Single-celled, microscopic organisms that require oxygen to live and are partly responsible for the Aerobic Decomposition of organic wastes. |
| hydraulic earthfill dam | An embankment built up from waterborne clay, sand, and gravel carried through a pipe or flume. |
| economic activity | work or industry undertaken for economic purposes |
| variance | (Statistics) A measure of the spread or dispersion of a variable about its Mean or Arithmetic Mean value |
| heat equator | the tilt of the earth means that during an orbit cycle the line of latitude receiving the most concentrated insolation igrates-between the tropics |
| canopy | when the trees in a woodland or forest area are close enough together that the upper leaf layer of the trees form a more or less consistent cover. |
| zone of aeration | A zone between the land surface and the water table where pore spaces are filled mainly with air |
| desert pavement | A ground cover of granule-size and larger particles that is typically found in arid areas |
| darcy's law | A formula describing the flow of water through an aquifer. |
| buffer zone | A protective, neutral area between distinct environments. |
| aluminum | A light, bluish white malleable and ductile metallic element found only in combinations |
| agricultural restructuring scenario | A term used to describe the sensitivity of agricultural water demand and farm marketing revenues to changes in certain cropping patterns. |
| boiling point | is the temperature when a liquid becomes a gas |
| lead line | (Nautical) A line marked at intervals of fathoms and weighted at one end, used to determine the depth of water |
| ·tidewater glacier | A glacier with a terminus that ends in a body of water influenced by tides, such as the ocean or a large lake |
| trace element | An element that is present in very small quantities. |
| squall | A sudden onset of strong winds with speeds increasing to at least 16 knots (18 miles per hour) and sustained at 22 or more knots (25 miles per hour) for at least one minute |
| thermoelectric power water use | Water used in the process of the generation of Thermoelectric Power |
| contact metamorphism | Alteration of a rock, mainly by heat, which occurs adjacent to a dike, sill, magma chamber or other magma body. |
| fractured bedrock aquifer | An aquifer composed of solid rock, but where most water flows through cracks and fractures in the rock instead of through pore spaces |
| landfill | a location for the disposal of human waste be it domestic, commercial or industrial |
| population structure | the ratio of age groups, by sex, within a population. |
| consent decree | (Environmental) A legal document approved by a judge, that formalizes an agreement reached between the U.S |
| mica | A group of silicate minerals exhibiting perfect cleavage in one direction. |
| north-south divide | the imaginary line separating the mostly EMDW of the North from the ELDW of the South. |
| aridisols | Soil order (type) of the United States Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Classification System |
| polychlorinated biphenyls | A group of chemicals found in industrial wastes. |
| cloud chamber | A vessel containing air saturated with water vapor whose sudden expansion reveals the passage of an ionizing particle by a trail of visible droplets. |
| mountain breeze | A katabatic wind, it is formed at night by the radiational cooling along mountainsides |
| topography | The general configuration of the land surface including relief and position of natural and man-made features. |
| drop | The quantity of fluid which falls in one spherical mass; a liquid globule; often, a teardrop, raindrop, dewdrop, etc |
| hydrology | Science concerned with the occurrence, distribution, and circulation of water on the earth. |
| mismatch | A condition in which water supplied to a given point in a conveyance or distribution system does not equal the demand for water at that point. |
| disposal | The transference of unwanted material, such as wastes, to a new entity, a new place, or a new form. |
| endamoeba histolytica | A waterborne disease organism causing amoebic dysentery. |
| mark | (Nautical) A knot or piece of material placed at various measured lengths on a lead line to indicate the depth of the water, or, more generally, measurement indicators of water depth, e.g., a Plimsoll mark. |
| watershed area | The watershed area at a point in the stream refers to the area of the earth from which the water concentrates toward that point, through the drainage system. |
| supraglacial | The area on top of the glacier which may be snow, ice, rock fragments or covered with soil, plants or forests. |
| right bank | The right-hand side of a stream, river, or channel when facing in the direction of the flow. |
| snow creep | A continuous, extremely slow, downhill movement of a layer of snow. |
| zirconium | A mineral, zirconium silicate |
| adiabatic cooling | The cooling of a rising parcel of air due to adiabatic processes. |
| firn | Granular ice formed by the recrystallization of snow |
| current | A horizontal movement of water, such as the Gulf Stream off the east coast of North America, or air, such as the jet stream. |
| plumber | One who installs, repairs, and maintains piping, fittings, and fixtures involved in the distribution and use of water in a building. |
| buys ballot | a Dutch scientist |
| satisficing | accepting what is satisfactory rather than chasing the maximum possible outcome. |
| salt marsh | an area of semi-vegetated tidal mudflat that becomes increasingly vegetated as sediments accumulate in sheltered waters allowing salt-tolerant plants to colonise them. |
| dissolved load | The dissolved material being carried by a stream |
| crag and tail | rocky hill followed by a tail of till |
| solifluction | a mass movement of soil in periglacial areas when upper layers thaw in summer and are lubricated in comparison to the permafrost below. |
| nutrient | any chemical or compound which is used by an organism in order to survive and/or grow. |
| cavitation | The boiling of a liquid caused by a decrease in pressure rather than an increase in temperature. |
| discontinuity | A surface separating rock layers of differing properties or compositions |
| drizzle | Rather uniform precipitation consisting exclusively of minute and very numerous drops of water less than 0.02 inches (0.51 mm) in diameter, which seem to float in and follow even the slightest motion of the air |
| water gap | A pass in a ridge through which a stream flows. |
| joint-use capacity | That reservoir capacity which has been assigned to flood control purposes during certain periods of the year and to other purposes during other periods of the year. |
| rapids | A part of a stream where the current is moving with a greater swiftness than usual and where the water surface is broken by obstructions, but without a sufficient break in slope to form a water fall, as where the water descends over a series of small steps |
| dystrophic lake | A lake characterized by a lack of nutrients, and often having a low pH (acidic) and a high humus content |
| pitot tube | An instrument used to measure the velocity of flowing water, with the velocity head of the stream an index of velocity |
| uv-vis spectroscopy | is a technique to investigate conjugation within molecules |
| formation | A distinctive body of rock that serves as a convenient unit for study and mapping. |
| air pollution | Process of making the air unclean, such as, burning wood or coal and putting its smoke into the atmosphere or gasoline burning in cars engine and expelling the by products out the exhaust pipe. |
| vein | A fracture that has been filled with mineral material. |
| sterile | A condition in which a quantity of water does not contain viable organisms such as viruses and bacteria |
| schist | A metamorphic rock containing abundant particles of mica, characterized by strong foliation, and originating from a metamorphism in which directed pressure plays a significant role |
| tideland | (1) Land overflowed during flood tide |
| hydroscope | An optical device used for viewing objects far below the surface of water. |
| angle of repose | The maximum angle that a soil, sediment or other loose material can be placed or accumulate and be stable |
| moving average process | (Statistics) As a simple mathematical process, the moving average process is merely a moving, fixed-interval average of a Time Series of data used to smooth fluctuations and distortions in the data and provide a more meaningful representation of underlying trends and cycles |
| flood-related erosion | The collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or other body of water as a result of undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels or suddenly caused by an unusually high water level in a natural body of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force of nature, such as a flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge, or by some similarly unusual and unforeseeable event which results in flooding. |
| npdes permit | A permit issued under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for companies discharging pollutants directly into the waters of the United States. |
| ice cap | a large area of ice |
| short circuiting | when some of the water in tanks or basins flows faster than the rest; shortcircuiting may result in shorter contact, reaction, or settling times than calculated or presumed. |
| micronutrient | A chemical element required only in small amounts (usually less than one part per million [ppm] in the plant) for the growth of plants. |
| zone of fracture | The upper 50 meters of glacial ice is brittle and is carried by the ice below it. |
| azotobacter | Any of various rod-shaped, nonpathogenic, nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the genus azotobacter, found in soil and water |
| miscible | Liquids which are soluble in each other. |
| zeolite | (1) (Geology) Any of various hydrous silicates that are analogous in composition to the feldspars, occur as secondary minerals in cavities of lavas, and can act as an ion-exchanger |
| gas field | The geographic area that is directly above an underground accumulation of natural gas that is commercially viable. |
| kilobar | A unit of pressure equal to 1000 bars (the mean atmospheric pressure at 100 meters above sea level is one bar). |
| wet | Consisting of, containing, covered with, or soaked with, water or other liquid; soaked with moisture; having water or other liquid upon the surface. |
| snowfall | The rate at which snow falls, usually expressed in inches of snow depth over a six hour period. |
| beach drift | The migration of sediment along a beach caused by the impact of waves striking the shore at an oblique angle. |
| agricultural drainage | (1) The process of directing excess water away from the root zones of plants by natural or artificial means, such as by using a system of pipes and drains placed below ground surface level |
| public service | The business of supplying an essential commodity, such as water or electricity, or a service, such as communications or transportation, to the public. |
| secondary drinking water regulations | Non-enforceable regulations applying to public water systems and specifying the maximum contamination levels that, in the judgement of the U.S |
| capillary water | the water that moves around the soil and is available for plant use. |
| athalassohaline lake | A term used to describe a saline lake which is not of marine origin |
| flow duration curve | A cumulative frequency curve that shows the percentage of time that specified discharges are equaled or exceeded. |
| hydrothermal | Pertaining to hot water, the actions of hot water or the products produced by the actions of hot water. |
| emergent coast | a coast that has experienced net sea level fall and the characteristics particular to it as a result. |
| interface | the common boundary between two substances such as water and a solid, water and a gas, or two liquids such as water and oil. |
| water quality | the chemical, physical, biological, radiological, and thermal condition of water. |
| international date line | The line of longitude located at 180° East or West (with a few local deviations) where the date changes by a day |
| grab sample | a sample taken at a given place and time |
| carbonate rock | A rock made up primarily of carbonate minerals (minerals containing the CO3 anionic structure) |
| wet digestion | A solid waste stabilization process in which mixed solid organic wastes are placed in an open digestion pond to decompose anaerobically. |
| afterbay | The tail race or reservoir of a hydroelectric power plant at the outlet of the turbines used to regulate the flow below the plant; may refer to a short stretch of stream or conduit, or to a pond or reservoir |
| industrialisation | the move from an economy dominated by agricultural output and employment to one dominated by manufacturing. |
| detachment | The removal of transportable fragments of soil material from a soil mass by an eroding agent, usually falling raindrops, running water, or wind |
| cold front | any non-occluded front that moves in such a way so that colder air replaces warmer air; the leading edge of a relatively cold air mass. |
| newtonian fluid | A fluid which yields to increasing force (stress) at a uniformly increasing rate. |
| percolation | downward movement of water through soil and bedrock. |
| municipal discharge | The discharge of effluent from waste water treatment plants which receive waste water from households, commercial establishment, and industries |
| obsidian | A glassy igneous rock with a composition similar to granite |
| environment | aggregate of external conditions that influence the life of an individual organism or population. |
| pebble | A rock fragment with a diameter between 2 mm (about the size of a match head) and 64 mm (about the size of a tennis ball). |
| flocculation | the clustering of clay particles when river load meets sea water |
| filter fabric | Geosynthetic fabric that serves the same purpose as a granular filter blanket. |
| swell | see sea-wave. |
| ecology | study of the ecosystem with particular reference to the relationships between plants and animals and the environment. |
| situation | the relationship of a settlement site to its surroundings and thus a factor in whether the settlement will grow or not. |
| heat source | process, or region, in which energy is added to the atmosphere in the form of heat. |
| interglacial | a period of warmer climate conditions between glacial periods. |
| sludge deposits | Accumulations of settled, usually rapidly decomposing organic material in the aquatic system. |
| air gap | An open vertical gap or empty space that separates a drinking water supply to be protected from another water system in a treatment plant or other location |
| project crop water requirement | The project crop water requirement is the annual amount of water required to meet the total project's crop consumptive use plus leaching requirement, and adjusted for natural precipitation (expressed in acre-feet per year). |
| waste pipe | A pipe that carries off liquid waste. |
| mantle plume | A buoyant mass of hot mantle material that rises to the base of the lithosphere |
| delivery flexibility | The flexibility that water users have in requesting delivery changes and the ability of the canal system to accommodate the request. |
| vapor flow | The gaseous flow of water vapor in soils from a moist or warm zone of higher potential to a drier or colder zone of lower potential. |
| adit | A horizontal or nearly horizontal passage, driven from the surface, for the working or dewatering of a mine |
| water flow | The rate of flow of water measured in volume and time (e.g., cubic feet per second, or cfs). |
| percolation | (1) The movement, under hydrostatic pressure, of water through the interstices of a rock or soil |
| rip current | A strong, narrow current of high velocity and short duration that flows seaward through the breaker zone |
| geomorphology | Geomorphology is the scientific field that investigates how landforms are formed on the Earth (and other planets). |
| amd | Acid Mine Drainage |
| population distribution | the variation in population densities over wide areas. |
| firn | partially packed snow which lasts through at least one summer |
| injection zone | A geological formation receiving fluids trough a well. |
| nutrient cycle | the cyclic conversions of nutrients from one form to another within biological communities |
| acre | A measure of area equal to 43,560 square feet (4,046.87 square meters) |
| design flow | Discharge that is selected as the basis for the design or evaluation of a hydraulic structure. |
| threshold velocity | the velocity required for particles of a certain size to be taken into transport by an agent of erosion (entrainment). |
| hardpan | A hard impervious layer composed chiefly of clay or organic materials cemented by relatively insoluble materials, which does not become plastic when wet, and definitely limits the downward movement of water and roots. |
| free-flowing weir | A weir that in use has the tailwater lower than the crest of the weir. |
| sun dog | Either of two colored luminous spots that appear at roughly 22° on both sides of the sun at the same elevation |
| particle size | The diameter (usually the intermediate diameter), in millimeters, of suspended sediment or bed material determined by either sieve or other sedimentation methods. |
| mechanical dispersion | Process whereby solutes are mechanically mixed during advective transport, caused by the velocity variations at the microscopic level |
| altitude | In meteorology, the measure of a height of an airborne object in respect to a constant pressure surface or above mean sea level. |
| meltwater | Water from melted snow or ice. |
| wetlands | (Technical) The (U.S |
| normal year | A year during which the precipitation or streamflow approximates the average for a long period of record. |
| speed | See response time. |
| sedimentary rock | A rock formed from the accumulation and consolidation of sediment, usually in layered deposits. |
| e. coli | A group of bacteria, Escherichia, that reside in the intestinal tracts of humans and many animals and can cause food poisoning, urinary infections and enteritis. |
| sole source aquifer | An aquifer that is the sole or principal source (50 percent or more) of drinking water for a geographical area, as established under Section 1424(e) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) |
| trickle tube | A small diameter pipe to take water by gravity from a farm pond to a drinking receptacle without allowing livestock access to the pond. |
| hornfels | A nonfoliated metamorphic rock that is typically formed by contact metamorphism around igneous intrusions |
| geoponics | The art or science of cultivating the earth; husbandry. |
| temporary hardness | Water hardness that can be reduced or removed by heating the water |
| playa | A depression in the center of a desert basin, the site of occasional temporary lakes. |
| cyclone movement | the spatial displacement of a center of low pressure caused by the local redistribution of mass in the atmosphere; the trajectory of the center is often altered by heating or cooling on the air column, which can result from thermal fluxes at the surface or latent heat transformations associated with cloud formation and precipitation; these processes change the temperature distribution in the air column, resulting in density changes which modify the surface pressures. |
| clastic | A sedimentary rock (such as shale, siltstone, sandstone or conglomerate) or sediment (such as mud, silt, sand, or pebbles) |
| sleet | (1) A form of precipitation consisting of frozen raindrops cooled to the ice stage while falling through air at subfreezing temperatures |
| fresh water | Water found rivers, lakes, and rain, that is distinguished from salt water by its appreciable lack of salinity. |
| channel density | The ratio of the length of stream channels in a given basin to the area of the basin, expressed in feet per acre (meters per hectare). |
| runnel | (1) A rivulet; a brook |
| meteoroid | A particle of iron or rock found in inter-planetary space |
| quota | a limit to production or trade |
| cloud | A visible collection of minute particle matter, such as water droplets and/or ice crystals, in the free air |
| water surface elevation | the elevation of a water surface above or below an established reference level, such as sea level. |
| capillary | A small, tubular opening with a diameter about that of a human hair. |
| convection cloud | cumuliform cloud which forms in the atmosphere as a result of convection; such clouds are also called clouds of vertical development, a cloud that has its base in the low height range but extends upward into the middle or high altitudes. |
| outliers | (Data Analysis) Data values in a time series which are significantly different from the series trend and/or other data values such that their inclusion may jeopardize the model's ability to fit the data |
| zone of saturation | The zone in the subsurface in which all pore spaces are filled with water. |
| ballast | Heavy material, often seawater, placed in the hold of a ship to gain stability |
| kettle | A closed depression in a deposit of glacial drift formed where a block of ice was buried or partly buried and then melted. |
| chemosphere | The region of the upper Atmosphere including the Mesosphere and upper Stratosphere in which various sunlight-driven chemical reactions occur. |
| environmental evaluation | That part of the planning process by governmental agencies that inventories and estimates the potential effects on the human environment of alternative solutions to resource problems, determines the need for an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and aids in the consideration of alternatives and the identification of available resources. |
| dual economy | a country having one or two core areas which far outstrip the development of the surrounding peripheral area. |
| axis | 1 (crystallography) An imaginary line passing through a crystal around which the parts of the crystal are symmetrically arranged |
| hygroscopic | Describing a chemical substance with an affinity for water, one that will absorb moisture, usually from the air |
| municipal water system | A water system which has at least five service connections or which regularly serves 25 individuals for 60 days |
| free-flowing well | An Artesian Well in which the potentiometric surface is above the land surface |
| tundra | A level to undulating treeless plain characteristic of Arctic and subarctic regions |
| evapotranspiration | The combined processes by which water is transferred from the earth surface to the atmosphere; evaporation of liquid or solid water plus transpiration from plants |
| crop | (1) Plants, seeds, flowers and root tubers that are grown to be used as food or to be sold for profit |
| thermograph | an instrument continuously recording temperature. |
| barrier reef | An elongate coral reef that trends parallel to the shore of an island or a continent, separated from it by a lagoon. |
| headward erosion | Extension of a stream headward, up the regional slope of erosion. |
| paving | Covering of stones on a channel bed or bank (used with reference to natural covering). |
| eluviation | (1) The removal of soil material in suspension (or in solution) from a layer or layers of a soil |
| geothermal | Pertaining to the heat of the interior of the earth. |
| exhaust trail | A condensation trail that is visible when water vapor in aircraft exhaust mixes with the air in the vehicle's wake and saturates it |
| tuff | A rock composed of pyroclastic materials that have been ejected from a volcano |
| land reclamation | Making land capable of more intensive use by changing its general character, as by drainage of excessively wet land, irrigation of arid or semiarid land, or recovery of submerged land from seas, lakes, and rivers. |
| crest stage | The highest value of river Stage (or streamflow) attained in a flood. |
| river capture | when the headwaters of one river are able to generate headward erosion and then break into another river channel and divert the flow into the new channel. |
| snow sample | A core taken from the snow mantle on a snow course from which the depth and density of snow may be determined. |
| renewable resources | flows or living things which are either never-ending or grow quickly enough that their use does not lead to exhaustion. |
| sastruga | (Russian) A long wavelike ridge of snow, formed by the wind and found on the polar plains. |
| old growth | Forests that either have never been cut or have not been cut for many decades |
| glacier | A huge mass of ice, formed on land by the compaction and recrystallization of snow, that moves very slowly downslope or outward due to its own weight. |
| shield area | ancient, stable area of crust away from plate margins and therefore unaffected by volcanic or earthquake activity. |
| hydraulics | (1) The study of liquids, particularly water, under all conditions of rest and motion |
| recharge area | The geographic area where water infiltrates into the ground and enters an aquifer. |
| snow line | The lower limit of permanent snow cover, below which snow doesn't accumulate. |
| crop requirement | See Crop Consumptive Use. |
| hydrous | Containing water, especially water of crystallization or hydration. |
| new town | the targeted and rapid expansion of a settlement (although they may also be built from scratch) to alleviate the pressure of overly high demand for housing in a region, especially on existing cities. |
| ·lateral moraine | A sediment ridge, located on a glacier's surface adjacent to the valley walls, extending down glacier to the terminus |
| basal sliding | The sliding of a glacier over the ground on a layer of water. |
| recessional moraine | A ridge of till deposited at the margin of a glacier during a period of temporary stability in its general recession. |
| surface collecting agents | Chemical additives spread on oil spills in an aquatic environment to control the thickness of the oil layer. |
| arete | a sharp, steed-sided ridge in an upland area |
| employment sector | the broad types of economic activity within which jobs are provided: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary. |
| ridge | An elongated area of high atmospheric pressure that is associated with an area of maximum anticyclonic circulation |
| daughter isotope | An isotope produced by radioactive decay of its parent isotope |
| canopy | the overhanging cover formed by branches and foliage. |
| abandoned well | A well which is no longer used or a well removed from service; a well whose use has been permanently discontinued or which is in a state of such disrepair that it cannot be used for its intended purpose |
| crevasse | Elongated open cracks in glacial ice, usually nearly vertical, and subject to change at any moment |
| deflation | wind removal of small, grain-size rock particles such as sand. |
| rime | Ice deposits formed when supercooled water droplets freeze on contact with an object (deposition). |
| hydrostatics | The branch of physics that deals with fluids at rest and under pressure. |
| contact stabilization | A modification of the Activated Sludge Process wherein a contact basin provides for the rapid adsorption of the waste |
| udometer | A Rain Gauge. |
| regolith | A layer of unconsolidated fragmental rock material. |
| glacial flour | finely ground rock, formed by glaciers |
| tropopause | The boundary in the Atmosphere between the layer next to the surface of the earth (Troposphere) and the next highest layer (Stratosphere). |
| gully reclamation | use of small dams of manure and straw; earth, stone,or concrete to collect silt and gradually fill in channels of eroded soil. |
| agitated pit | A reservoir, pit, or pond that ordinarily is not stirred or aerated, but which is mixed just before emptying to suspend any settled solids. |
| equinoctial | A violent storm of wind and rain occurring at or near the time of the equinox. |
| volcano | An opening in the earth's crust through which steam and lava are forced out. |
| forecast | (Statistics) A forecast is a quantitative estimate (or set of estimates) about the likelihood of future events based on past and current information |
| recalcitrant | Of a substance that is degraded at an extremely slow rate if at all when released into the environment |
| slue | See Slough. |
| hydrosol | A disperse system (colloid) in which water is the disperse medium. |
| infauna | Aquatic animals that live in the substrate of a body of water, especially in a soft sea bottom. |
| antecedent moisture | The degree of wetness of soil at the beginning of a runoff, determined by summation of weighted daily rainfall amounts for a period preceding the runoff. |
| soft water | Water that contains low concentrations of metal ions such as calcium and magnesium |
| ammonia stripping | A process for the removal of ammonia from wastewater |
| certificated water right [nevada] | The right to put surface or ground water to beneficial use that is identified by a recorded document issued by the Nevada State Engineer after satisfactory proof of "perfection of application" for a permitted water right has been filed in accordance with Nevada Revised Statues Chapter 533. |
| ice lens | in periglacial areas, as winter sets in, land not under continuous permafrost will experience freezing of water in the surface layer |
| salt | generally potassium or ammonium is the cation, used to coagulate particles in water treatment. |
| kilowatt | The electrical unit of power which equals 1,000 watts or 1.341 horsepower |
| residual sodium carbonate | The excess milliequivalents of carbonate and bicarbonate over the milliequivalents of calcium and magnesium in a sample of water, where:RSC = ( CO3-2 + HCO3-2 ) â ( Ca+2 + Mg+2 )where all concentrations are expressed in milliequivalents per liter (meq/l) |
| freeboard | Vertical distance above a design stage that is allowed for waves, surges, drift, and other contingencies. |
| dry proofing | A flood-proofing method used to design and construct buildings so as to prevent the entrance of floodwaters. |
| soak | (1) To make thoroughly wet or saturated by or as if by placing in liquid; to immerse in liquid for a period of time |
| washoff | Materials transported from a land or soil surface by overland flow, often used to describe soil materials transported off runoff test plots. |
| still water | A flat or level section of a stream where no flow or motion of the current is discernible and the water is still. |
| cut bank | Concave wall of a meandering stream. |
| remote-sensing | the study of the surface from data gathered at high altitude by photography and other technology carried on aircraft and satellites. |
| duripan | A subsurface (soil) horizon that is cemented by silica. |
| accumulation area | The part of a glacier that is perennially covered with snow |
| imhoff tank | An anaerobic sewage treatment tank in which solids are withdrawn from the bottom of the tank. |
| dust | Small particles of earth or other matter suspended in the air |
| dap | (1) To dip lightly or quickly into water, as a bird does |
| amino acids | Components of proteins |
| pressure gradient | The amount of pressure change that occurs over a fixed distance at a fixed altitude. |
| collada | A strong, steady wind blowing from the north or northwest in the upper part of the Gulf of California and from the northeast in the lower part. |
| millibar | The standard unit of measurement for atmospheric pressure used by the National Weather Service |
| drilling arrangement | A contractual agreement under which a mineral rights owner or lessee assigns a fractional interest in a property to another party |
| aldosterone | A steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex that regulates the salt and water balance in the human body. |
| agribusiness | The sum of all operations involved in the production, storage, processing, and wholesale marketing of agricultural products. |
| sea-floor spreading | the widening of an ocean basin by the creation of new crust at a divergent margin. |
| immerge | To submerge or disappear in or as if in a liquid. |
| breakpoint chlorination | The addition of chlorine to water or wastewater until the chlorine demand has been satisfied and further additions result in a residual that is directly proportional to the amount added beyond the breakpoint. |
| precipitation gage | A device used to collect and measure precipitation. |
| rain gauge | an instrument used to quantify the amount of rain falling in a particular location over a period of hours |
| hydrated | Chemically combined with water, especially existing in the form of a Hydrate. |
| terminal lake | A lake with no outlet. |
| acquired immune deficiency syndrome | a fatal syndrome caused by HIV |
| resurgence | the reappearance of a river at the surface after it has spent some time running underground |
| hydration | The chemical combination of water with another substance. |
| reclamation withdrawal | A withdrawal of public lands in connection with a reclamation project. |
| geothermal gradient | The progressive increase of temperature with depth into the Earth. |
| stoplogs | Large logs or timber or steel beams placed on top of each other with their ends held in guides on each side of a channel or conduit providing a temporary closure versus a permanent bulkhead gate. |
| upstream control | Control structure adjustments based on information from upstream |
| arctic | Of or relating to the area around the geographic North Pole, from 90° North to the Arctic Circle at approximately 66 1/2 North latitude. |
| microseism | A vibration of the Earth that is unrelated to earthquake activity - instead it is caused by wind, moving trees, ocean waves or human activity. |
| siltstone | A fine-grained clastic sedimentary rock composed mostly of silt-size particles. |
| permeability | The ability of a material to transmit fluids. |
| terminal moraine | A moraine found near the terminus of a glacier; also known as an end moraine. |
| base floodplain | Floodplain associated with the flood with a 100-year recurrence interval. |
| laundering weir | A sedimentation basin overflow weir. |
| caustic | Alkaline or basic. |
| agent of erosion | the direct source of movement that can cause erosion through the transfer of energy or transport of rock material: water (rivers and waves), wind and ice. |
| ground moraine | a spread out layer of till that left in front of the glacier as it recedes |
| alberta clipper | A fast moving, snow-producing weather system that originates in the lee of the Canadian Rockies |
| biological additives | Cultures of bacteria, enzymes, or nutrients that are introduced into an oil discharge or other wastes to promote decomposition. |
| pelagic | Referring to the open sea at all depths (pelagic animals live in the open sea and are not limited to the ocean bottom). |
| striations/stria | Gouges in bedrock or on glacial sediments which record abrasion by the moving glacier |
| overbank flow | Water movement that overtops the bank either due to stream stage or to overland surface water runoff. |
| underground water | Water below the surface of the ground |
| air-bound | Condition in a pipeline wherein air trapped in a summit prevents the free flow of the material in the pipeline. |
| alluvium | Unconsolidated material deposited by a stream in a channel, floodplain, alluvial fan, or delta. |
| calibration | The process of adjusting an instrument to be more accurate by comparing it to a reliable standard |
| bittern | The bitter water solution of bromides, magnesium, and calcium salts remaining after sodium chloride is crystallized out of seawater. |
| spheroidal weathering | The process by which corners and edges of a rock body become rounded as a result of exposure to weathering on all sides, so that the rock acquires a spheroidal or ellipsoidal shape. |
| recharge | The introduction of surface or ground water to groundwater storage such as an aquifer |
| thunderstorm | A storm accompanied by thunder and lightning. |
| avalanche | rapid, down slope mass movement of ice and/or snow due to a trigger overcoming reduced friction in an unstable accumulation. |
| erratic | A boulder or other rock fragment transported by glacial ice from their place of origin (or a previous glacial resting point) to an area which has a different type of bedrock. |
| off-line reservoir | A reservoir constructed to the side of the main canal, usually in a natural drainage channel used to store surplus water runoff during the winter season for use during the irrigation season. |
| wind shadow | The area behind an obstacle where air movement is not capable of moving material. |
| escarpment | an elongated, steep slope at the edge of an upland area such as a plateau or cuesta. |
| arrhenius equation | predicts that the rate of reaction increases if the temperature is raised |
| radiogenic heat | Heat generated by radioactivity. |
| gross water requirement | The Farm Delivery Requirement plus the seepage losses in the canal system from the headworks to the farm unit plus the waste of water due to poor operation. |
| urban climate | the climate of an urban area is distinct from the general conditions for the region in which it is located due to the energy released through human activity. |
| glaciology | Collectively, the branches of science concerned with the causes and modes of ice accumulation and with ice action, on the earth's surface |
| leads | Long, narrow openings or fractures in sea ice. |
| nws | See National Weather Service (NWS). |
| parent-material | rock or regolith from which the inorganic, mineral component of a soil is derived. |
| float | (1) To remain suspended within or on the surface of a fluid without sinking |
| drainage main | A natural or artificial ditch or conduit for moving water off the land. |
| acre feet | the amount of water required to cover one acre of ground (43,560 square feet) to a depth of one foot (or 7.48 gallons per cubic foot X 43,560 square feet = 325,829 gallons cover 1 acre to a depth of one foot) |
| headworks | The diversion structures at the head of a conduit. |
| service pipe | The pipeline extending from the water main to the building served or to the consumer's system. |
| sedimentation tanks | Wastewater tanks in which floating wastes are skimmed off and settled solids are removed for disposal. |
| mathematical model | Numerical representation of a flow situation using mathematical equations (also computer model). |
| ground water basin | A ground-water reservoir together with all the overlying land surface and the underlying aquifers that contribute water to the reservoir |
| transient flow | Unsteady flow during a change from a steady-flow state to another steady-flow state. |
| cloudburst | a torrential downpour of rain, which by it spottiness and relatively high intensity suggests the bursting and discharge of water from a cloud all at once. |
| runs | An area of swiftly flowing water, without surface agitation or waves, which approximates uniform flow and in which the slope of the water surface is roughly parallel to the overall gradient of the stream reach. |
| fata morgana | See Mirage. |
| guide bank | Dike extending upstream from the approach embankment at either or both sides of the bridge opening to direct the flow through the opening |
| creek | a small stream of water which serves as the natural drainage course for a drainage basin |
| water quality | A term used to describe the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water, usually in respect to its suitability for a particular purpose |
| tenure | the conditions of occupancy of a piece of land. |
| boiling point | The temperature at which a substance in the liquid phase transforms to the gaseous phase |
| glacial erratic | a boulder swept from its place of origin by glacier advance or retreat and deposited elsewhere as the glacier melted; after glacial melt, the boulder might be stranded in a field or forest where no other rocks of its type or size exist. |
| air pollution | Toxification of the atmosphere through the addition of one or more harmful substances in the air |
| in-situ vitrification | technology that treats contaminated soil in place at high temperatures, at 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more. |
| settleable solids | in sewage, suspended solids that will settle when the sewage is brought to a quiet state for a reasonable length of time, usually two hours. |
| water sample | A representative part of a portion used to determine quality of a larger body of water. |
| celsius | A metric scale of temperature, originally defined as having the freezing point of water as 0° and its boiling point as 100°, at standard atmospheric pressure |
| grit removal | The process of removing sand and fine gravel from a stream od domestic waste in a Grit Chamber. |
| calgon | Trademark product used for a water softener. |
| jolly balance | A spring balance used in the determination of specific gravity. |
| aerated lagoon | a holding and/or treatment pond that speeds up the natural process of biological decomposition of organic waste by stimulating the growth and activity of bacteria that degrade organic waste. |
| virgin flow | the streamflow which exists or would exist if man had not modified the conditions on or along the stream or in the drainage basin. |
| aggressive water | Water which is soft and acidic and can corrode plumbing, piping, and appliances. |
| drifts | Normally used when referring to snow or sand particles are deposited behind obstacles or irregularities of the surface or driven into piles by the wind. |
| glacial period | (Geology) The period of time encompassing the Glacial Epochs. |
| rhithron zone | A stream reach at higher elevations, characterized by rapid flow, low temperature, and high dissolved oxygen levels |
| municipal sewage | sewage from a community which may be composed of domestic sewage, industrial wastes or both. |
| s-wave | a seismic wave which moves material in a motion perpendicular to the direction in which the energy of the wave itself is travelling. |
| coefficient of viscosity | The degree to which a fluid resists flow under an applied force, measured by the tangential friction force per unit area divided by the velocity gradient under conditions of streamline flow. |
| bustee | the name for a shanty town in India. |
| hydrolysis | Chemical combination of water with other substances |
| lake | separated by the fairly thin thermocline zone, from the upper, warmer, less dense zone, the epilimnion. |
| sanitary landfill | (Water Quality) A disposal site employing methods of disposing of solid wastes in a manner that minimizes environmental hazards by spreading, compacting to the smallest practical volume and applying cover material over all exposed wastes at the end of each operating day. |
| gravity irrigation | (1) Irrigation in which the water is not pumped but flows and is distributed by gravity, includes sprinkler systems when gravity furnishes the desired head (pressure) |
| eruption | the escape of gases, steam and lava from within the crust to the surface or into the atmosphere |
| hook gage | A pointed, U-shaped hook attached to a staff or vernier scale, used in the accurate measurement of the elevation of a water surface |
| overflow standpipe | A standpipe located in a dam or other structure at an elevation that allows removal of excess water, preventing overflow. |
| mean annual precipitation | The average of all annual precipitation values known, or an estimated equivalent value derived by such methods as regional indexes or Isohyetal maps. |
| advection fog | Fog generated when winds flow over a surface with a different temperature |
| domestic sewage | Wastewater and solid waste that is characteristic of the flow from toilets, sinks, showers, and tubs in a household |
| anorthosite | A coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock composed primarily of calcium-rich plagioclase feldspar. |
| improved irrigated acreage | Refers to farm acreage which has been leveled, planed and serviced by improved conveyance and control structures. |
| headwaters | the uppermost portion of a river course close to the source. |
| fluidized | A mass of solid particles that is made to flow like a liquid by injection of water or gas is said to have been fluidized |
| fahrenheit | An older form of temperature measurement |
| desertification | A process of land degradation initiated by human activity, particularly in the zones along the margins of deserts. |
| gini coefficient | G= ½ Σ(Xi -Yi) Xi and Yi are two sets of data expressed as a percentage |
| c-horizon | The lowest horizon of a soil profile |
| sediment | soil particles, sand, and minerals washed from the land into aquatic systems as a result of natural and human activities. |
| azonal soil | A soil without developed horizons. |
| dropper | A small tube with a suction bulb at one end for drawing in a liquid and releasing it in drops. |
| soil moisture regime | The changes in the moisture content of soil during a year. |
| secchi depth | A relatively crude measurement of the turbidity (cloudiness) of surface water |
| reservoir surface | The surface of a reservoir at any level. |
| edaphic | lit |
| glacier table | a rock that resides on a pedestal of ice; formed by differential ablation between the rock-covered ice and surrounding bare ice. |
| hardpan | a thin crust of material within a soil as a result of the illuviation of iron and/or aluminium from layers above or the precipitation of calcium carbonates which cement sands together. |
| division box | (Irrigation) A structure used to divide and direct the flow of water between two or more irrigation ditches. |
| benefit-cost ratio | The relationship of the economic benefits of an action to its total costs. |
| wetting agent | A chemical that reduces the surface tension of water and enables it to soak into porous material more readily. |
| mgd | Million gallons per day |
| gradient | the steepness of a slope. |
| roche moutonnee rock | An aggregate of minerals that forms an appreciable part of the lithosphere. |
| particle size classification | Agrees with recommendations made by the American Geophysical Union Subcommittee on Sediment Terminology |
| confined ground water | A body of ground water covered by material so impervious as to sever the hydraulic connection with overlying ground water except at the intake or recharge area |
| rcra | See Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. |
| glass | 1 A state of matter in which a substance displays many properties of a solid but lacks crystal structure |
| millipore filter | A thin membrane of modified cellulose that is used as a filter in the bacteriological examination of water or wastewater |
| roche moutonnee | An abraded knob of bedrock formed by an overriding glacier |
| palaeomagnetism | evidence of past differences in the alignment of the Earth magnetic field |
| laminae | Plural of lamina. |
| unconformity | A contact between two rock units of significantly different ages |
| crust | The upper part of the lithosphere , divided into oceanic crust and continental crust . |
| albedo | Is the reflectivity of a surface. |
| pipeline | A conduit of pipe, especially one used for the conveyance of water, gas, or petroleum products. |
| open water loop | Any process in which water is routed through a facility and then not reused, but discharged into a surface body of water after any appropriate treatment |
| coastal zone | Coastal waters and adjacent lands that exert a measurable influence on the uses of the seas and their resources and biota. |
| drumlin | A smooth, glacially streamlined hill that is elongate in the direction of ice movement |
| maximum sustainable yield | The greatest amount of a renewable natural resource (e.g., forests or wildlife) that can be removed without diminishing the continuing production and supply of the resource. |
| environmental analysis | (1) An analysis of alternative actions and their predictable short and long-term environmental effects, which may include physical, biological, economic, social and environmental design factors and their interaction |
| hail suppression | Any method of reducing the damaging effects of hailstorms by modifying the characteristics of the hail-producing cloud |
| sector model | based on 149 US cities, an urban land-use model which accounts for transport routes within the city |
| evapotranspiration | combination of evaporation and transpiration of water into the atmosphere from living plants and soil |
| paleontology | The study of ancient life through fossils. |
| hydrologic system. | The system of moving water at the earth's surface. |
| anticyclone | An atmospheric pressure system consisting of an area of high pressure and outward circular surface wind flow |
| herding agent | A chemical applied to the surface of water to control the spread of a floating oil spill. |
| piezometric surface | the imaginary surface to which groundwater rises under hydrostatic pressure in wells or springs. |
| uniformitarianism | A basic geologic principle |
| magnetic inclination | The vertical angular difference between a horizontal plane and the orientation of Earth's magnetic field. |
| meteoric water | Ground water derived primarily from precipitation and the atmosphere. |
| upwarp | An arched or uplifted segment of the crust. |
| land voiding | The process of damaging land by gully action causing this land to be unproductive for agricultural uses and relegating its use primarily to wildlife and recreation. |
| water meter | An instrument for recording the quantity of water passing through a particular outlet. |
| glacier trough | another name for a U-shaped valley |
| fishpond | A small body of water managed for fish. |
| tropopause | a narrow layer of the atmosphere between the troposphere and the stratosphere |
| rendzina | a thin soil developed on limestone or chalk bedrock. |
| autotrophic | Plants that produce their own nutrients |
| base flows | the component of a flow regime that represents normal flow conditions between precipitation events |
| geologic column | A diagram representing divisions of geologic time and the rock units formed during each major period. |
| distillation | water treatment method where water is boiled to steam and condensd in a separate reservoir |
| classes | Classifications of the U.S |
| underdrain | a concealed drain with openings through which the water enters when the water table reaches the level of the drain. |
| pumice | A vesicular volcanic glass of granitic composition |
| polder | reclaimed land created by the construction of an embankment or dyke to hold back water that would otherwise flood the new surface. |
| land breeze | The land-to-sea surface wind that occurs in coastal areas at night |
| atmospheric radiation | longwave (infrared) radiation emitted by or being propagated through the atmosphere. |
| fluorosis | An abnormal condition caused by excessive intake of Fluorine, as from fluoridated drinking water, characterized chiefly by mottling of the teeth. |
| triple point | The point at which any three atmospheric boundaries meet |
| stock | A small, roughly circular intrusive body, usually less than 100 km' in surface exposure. |
| visibility | the distance from which an object can be seen |
| limestone | a sedimentary rock formed from at least 80% calcium carbonate |
| alluvium | Sediment that originates from a stream. |
| left abutment | That part of the left-hand side of a valley side wall against which a dam is constructed |
| footloose | industries that do not rely on the location of raw materials or the cost of transporting them for their own locational decision-making |
| vernal pools | (1) Wetlands that occur in shallow basins that are generally underlain by an impervious subsoil layer (e.g., a clay pan or hard pan) or bedrock outcrop, which produces a seasonally perched water table |
| wave-pounding | the breakdown of rock through the sheer impact force of waves |
| bioaccumulation | A term used to describe a process that occurs when levels of toxic substances increase in an organism over time, due to continued exposure. |
| instrument shelter | A boxlike structure designed to protect temperature measuring instruments from exposure to direct sunshine, precipitation, and condensation, while at the same time time providing adequate ventilation. |
| volcanic pipe | A vertical or nearly vertical tunnel which connects a magma reservoir to the surface |
| british thermal unit | A unit of heat energy equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit |
| ppm | An abbreviation for parts per million. |
| gondwanaland | The ancient continental landmass that is thought to have split apart during Mesozoic time to form the present day continents of South America, Africa, India, Australia, and Antarctica. |
| aluminum sulfate | A white crystalline compound, Al2(SO4)3, used chiefly in paper making, water purification, sanitation, and tanning |
| settleable solids | Most generally, all solids in a liquid that can be removed by stilling the liquid |
| subsoil | Soil material underlying the surface soil. |
| directional drilling | Drilling wells that are deliberately deviated from the vertical to hit a target that is not directly beneath the well site or to penetrate a greater thickness of rock within a productive zone. |
| allelopathy | A particular form of amensalism found in plants |
| denitrifying bacteria | Bacteria in soil or water that are capable of anaerobic respiration, using the nitrate ion as a substitute for molecular oxygen during their metabolism |
| avalanche | mass of snow which becomes detached and slides down a slope, often acquiring great bulk by fresh addition as it descends. |
| paleozoic | an era of geologic time lasting from 570m to 245m years ago. |
| supplier of water | Any person who owns or operates a Public Water Supply System (PWSS). |
| landslide | A general term for relatively rapid types of mass movement, such as debris flows, debris slides, rockslides, and slumps. |
| recirculated water | Water that is used more than one time before it passes back into the natural hydrological system or discharged into a wastewater system |
| calving | The process by which pieces of ice break away from the terminus of a glacier that ends in a body of water or from the edge of a floating ice shelf that ends in the ocean |
| wave-cut cliff | A cliff formed along a coast by the undercutting action of waves and currents. |
| hierarchy | organisation by class of importance, status or authority |
| gneissic layering | The type of foliation characterizing gneiss, resulting from alternating layers of the constituent silicic and mafic minerals. |
| accretion | Snow accretion is the growth of precipitation particles by collision of ice crystals with supercooled liquid droplets which freeze on impact. |
| back pressure | a pressure that can cause water to Backflow into the water supply when a user's waste water system is at a higher pressure than the public system. |
| level of development | In a planning study, the practice of holding constant the population, irrigated acreage, industry, and wildlife so that hydrologic variability can be studied to determine adequacy of supplies. |
| cirque | bowl shaped depression formed by erosion, where a glacier starts |
| intermountain high | An area of high pressure that occurs during the winter between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra-Cascade ranges |
| contraction scour | Contraction scour, in a natural channel or at a bridge crossing, involves the removal of material from the bed and banks across all or most of the channel width |
| recharge | The processes involved in the addition of water to the zone of saturation; also the amount of water added. |
| solubility | The relative capacity of a substance to serve as a solute |
| ground water registration | A statement made by a well owner registering the Beneficial Use of ground water |
| walker cell | a convectional cell in the tropical South Pacific which generally moves air in an east-west direction and is associated with el Ni?o.. |
| bob | To move up and down briefly or repeatedly, as in water. |
| plane | To skim across the surface of the water. |
| ice cap | A dome-shaped accumulation of glacier ice and perennial snow that completely covers a mountainous area or island, so that no peaks or Nunataks poke through. |
| geological age | (Archeology) A period of time, earlier than the present postglacial period, which can only be effectively dated geologically, that is by its rock formations and fossilized matter within those rock formations. |
| cirque basin | A half-amphitheater formed by alpine Glaciation with three steep sides |
| residuum | (Geology) Soil material formed from rock weathering in place. |
| groundwater hydrology | the branch of hydrology that deals with groundwater; its occurrence and movements, its replenishment and depletion, the properties of rocks that control groundwater movement and storage, and the methods of investigation and utilization of ground water. |
| narghile | A water pipe that originated in the Near East. |
| decomposition | The breakdown of matter by bacteria and fungi, changing the chemical makeup and physical appearance of materials. |
| cunette | A longitudinal channel constructed along the center and lowest part of a channel or through a detention or retention facility and intended to carry low flows |
| wasatch winds | Strong winds blowing easterly out of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, sometimes reaching speeds greater than 75 miles per hour. |
| sial | A general term for the silicarich rocks that form the continental masses. |
| fishing waters | Waters used for angling or for commercial fishing. |
| solifluction | The slow downhill flow or creep of soil and other loose materials that have become saturated. |
| atp | Adenosine TriPhosphate. |
| landslide | A mass of material that has slipped downhill under the influence of gravity, frequently occurring when the material is saturated with water. |
| decomposable waste | waste that under suitable natural conditions can be transformed through biological and chemical processes into compounds that do not impair water quality. |
| dehydration | Any process by which water bound within a solid material is released |
| grain | A unit of weight equivalent to 1/7000th pound |
| membrane filter method | A procedure used to recover and count bacteria in samples of liquid substances, such as water |
| balanced groundwater scenario | A term referring to the development of a scenario exploring changes in cropping patterns such that long-term ground water withdrawals do not exceed long-term groundwater recharge rates |
| latitude | The location north or south in reference to the equator, which is designated at zero (0) degrees |
| settling tank | A term used synonymously with Settling Chamber. |
| river capacity | the maximum amount of load a river can carry. |
| hydrophilous | (Botany) (1) Growing or thriving in water |
| permafrost | Soil or rock at or near the ground in Arctic or subarctic regions that has been continuously frozen for a long time. |
| ped | a structured unit of soil created when particles become grouped and bound together |
| backshore | The part of a shore between the Foreshore and the landward edge that is above high water except in the most severe storms. |
| aquifer | A geologic formation, a group of formations, or a part of a formation that is water bearing |
| aedile | An elected official of ancient Rome who was responsible for public works and games and who supervised markets, the grain supply, and the water supply. |
| diagenesis | All the physical, chemical, and biologic changes undergone by sediments from the time of their initial deposition, through their conversion to solid rock, and subsequently to the brink of metamorphism. |
| uplift | (Hydraulics) The upward pressure of water on the base of a structure or the upward pressure in the pores of a material, i.e., Interstitial Pressure. |
| permeable | a rock which can absorb water (porous) or allow water to pass through cracks and joints (pervious). |
| hectare | (Abbreviation ha) A metric unit of area equal to 100 Ares (2.471 acres) and equivalent to 10,000 square meters (107,639 square feet) |
| eddy viscosity | a model parameter that reproduces the effects of turbulent mixing in fluid flow. |
| extractable organics | (Water Quality) Organic chemical compounds that can be removed from a water sample by the solvent methylene chloride under conditions of pH greater than 11 or less than 2 |
| roche moutonnàe | An elongated mound of bedrock worn smooth and rounded by glacial abrasion. |
| smoke | Small particles produced by combustion that are suspended in the air |
| lifting condensation level | The height at which a parcel of moist air becomes saturated when it is lifted dry adiabatically. |
| conservation plan | A collection of material containing land user information requested for making decisions regarding the conservation of soil, water, and related plant and animal resources, along with necessary habitat, for all or part of an operating unit. |
| scree | highly angular rock pieces produced by freeze-thaw weathering and found at the base of a steep or vertical cliff face. |
| facies | A distinctive group of characteristics within part of a rock body (such as composition, grain size, or fossil assemblages) that differ as a group from those found elsewhere in the same rock unit |
| trophic composition | that portion of an Index of Biotic Integrity that is a metric measuring the proportion of species and proportions of omnivores, insectivores, and omnivores. |
| swash | the running of water up a beach under the momentum of a breaking wave. |
| initial dilution | the process that results in the rapid and irreversible turbulent mixing of effluent and receiving water around the point of discharge. |
| scabland | (Geography) An elevated area of barren, rocky land with little or no soil cover, often crossed by dry stream channels. |
| throughfall | precipitation falling through the vegetation cover to the surface |
| aquifer compaction | Term used to describe the effects of emptying or overdrawing an aquifer; overdrafts tend to collapse the structure of the aquifer such that the original volume cannot be restored |
| postglacial | Relating to or occurring during the time following a glacial period. |
| snow course | A line laid out and permanently marked on a drainage area along which the snow is sampled at definite distances or stations |
| shuga | a form of new ice, composed of spongy, white lumps a few cm across, that tend to form in rough seas; they resemble slushy snow balls. |
| community forests | a UK policy begun in 1990 to improve derelict areas on the edge of urban areas |
| lavage | A washing, especially of a hollow organ, such as the stomach or lower bowel, with repeated injections of water. |
| ph | A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance, using numerical values from 0 (maximum acidity) through 7 (neutral) to 14 (maximum alkalinity). |
| erosion control | The application of necessary measures including artificial structures, vegetative manipulation, water control, or physical soil changes to minimize soil erosion. |
| total soil water potential | The work per unit quantity of pure water that has to be done to change its energy status to that of soil water at the point under consideration |
| stagnation | A lack of motion in a mass of water that tends to hold pollutants in place. |
| steady-state or apparent plateau | (Biology) In testing chemical substances for their Bioconcentration Potential in fish, the situation in which the amount of chemical substance taken into the test fish from the water is equal to the amount being eliminated from the test fish |
| full employment | the level at which all those of legal age who wish to work are actually employed, with the exception of the frictionally unemployed |
| low-level drawdown | A discharge feature of a dam allowing water to be removed from the bottom of a reservoir. |
| plug flow | A type of flow that occurs in tanks, basins, or reactors when a slug of water moves through without ever dispersing or mixing with the rest of the water flowing through. |
| lithification | The processes by which sediment is converted into sedimentary rock |
| ice field | Ice masses of the sheet or blanket type with a thickness that is insufficient to obscure the subsurface topography. |
| stormwater discharge | precipitation that does not infiltrate into the ground or evaporate due to impervious land surfaces but instead flows onto adjacent land or water areas and is routed into drain/sewer systems. |
| base level | The lowest level to which a land surface can be reduced by the action of running water. |
| ablation area or zone | The region of a glacier where more mass is lost by melting or evaporation than is gained. |
| head loss | (1) The decrease in total head caused by friction |
| bathysphere | A reinforced spherical deep-diving chamber in which persons are lowered by a cable to study the oceans |
| toe | (1) The downstream edge at the base of a dam |
| salt-water intrusion | The invasion of a body of fresh water by a body of salt water, due to its greater density |
| circulation cells | Large areas of air movement created by the rotation of the earth and the transfer of heat from the equator toward the poles |
| kelvin | An absolute, thermodynamic temperature scale using as its null point absolute zero and the triple point of water at 273.16 K (0.01 °C; 32.02 °F) |
| biome | large-scale natural community named for its dominant vegetation. |
| polynya | irregularly shaped areas of persistent open water that are sustained by winds or ocean heat; they often occur near coasts, fast ice, or ice shelves. |
| stemflow | the flow of water down stems and trunks after interception of rainfall. |
| transmissibility | The capacity of a rock to transmit water under pressure |
| stream channel | The bed where a natural stream of water runs or may run; the long narrow depression shaped by the concentrated flow of a stream and covered continuously or periodically by water. |
| flushless toilet | A toilet that disposes of waste without using water, especially one that utilizes bacteria to break down waste matter. |
| cover | (1) Vegetation or other material providing protection to a surface |
| activated carbon | A material produced by heating coal or wood in such a manner as to yield a porous structure, creating a very large internal surface area |
| acidity | A measure of how acid a solution may be |
| ranching | vast, extensive livestock farms, usually found in remote, marginal areas which are not viable for other types of farming. |
| atmospheric stability | Relative stability of parcels of air relative to the atmosphere that surrounds them |
| streak plate | A piece of unglazed porcelain that is used for determining the streak of a mineral specimen. |
| elevation | The measure of height with respect to a point on the earth's surface above mean sea level |
| washout | (1) Erosion of a relatively soft surface, such as a roadbed, by a sudden gush of water, as from a downpour or floods |
| saline water | water containing more than 1,000 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved solids of any type |
| monte carlo method | (Statistics) A method that produces a statistical estimate of a quantity by taking many random samples from an assumed probability distribution, such as a normal distribution |
| nucleating agent | In cloud physics, any substance that serves to accelerate the Nucleation of cloud particles |
| anomaly | deviation of a meteorological quantity value in a given region from the normal (mean) value for the same period. |
| wetlands [california] | Wetlands are transitional lands between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is often covered by shallow water during some parts of the year |
| ablation zone | Region in a glacier where there is a surface net removal of snow and/or ice by melting, sublimation, and/or calving. |
| microclimate | The local climate conditions, brought about by the modification of general climatic conditions by local differences in elevation and exposure |
| statistical tests of significance | (Statistics) Mathematical methods of stating the probability that two data sets are not from the same Population; specifically, that there is an actual difference in some characteristic between the two groups |
| naturalized conditions | an estimate of natural conditions obtained by attempting to remove effects of human activities from a set of measured conditions. |
| macroscale | The meteorological scale covering an area ranging from the size of a continent to the entire globe. |
| tile drainage | Land drainage by means of a series of tile lines laid at a specific depth and grade. |
| fault block | A rock mass bounded by faults on at least two sides. |
| supra-glacial | on the surface of a glacier. |
| surface water withdrawals | Includes all waters taken from streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, springs and all effluent and other waste water. |
| backfill | Material used to refill a ditch or other excavation, or the process of doing so. |
| enantiomer | is a molecule that is not superimposable on its mirror image, related to chirality |
| noble metal | A chemically inactive metal such as gold; does not corrode (oxidize) easily. |
| cloud | a hydrometeor consisting of a visible aggregate of minute particles of liquid water or ice, or both, suspended in the free air and usually not touching the earth's surface; it may also include larger particles of liquid water or ice (precipitation particles) and non-aqueous liquid or solid particles such as those present in fumes, smoke and dust (aerosols); cloudiness is the same as cloud cover; but usually it is used in a very general sense. |
| base flow | that portion of river discharge derived from groundwater flow. |
| suspended solids | Solids which are not in true solution and which can be removed by filtration |
| volatile organic compounes | a group of chemicals that react in the atmosphere with nitrogen oxides, heat and sunlight to form ozone; VOCs are referred to as hydrocarbons. |
| invertebrates | animals without backbones including zooplankton, shellfish, worms, insects, shrimp, crabs and snails. |
| silver iodide generator | Any of several devices used to generate a smoke of Silver Iodide crystals for Cloud Seeding. |
| effluent stream | A stream that gains water from ground water flow |
| temperature inversion | A surface cooling at the earth's surface which sometimes leads to an increase in temperature with altitude. |
| left-lateral fault | A fault with horizontal movement |
| levee | A long continuous ridge built by people along the banks of a stream to contain the water during times of high flow |
| zinc blende | A term used in reference to the mineral sphalerite. |
| rip current | A strong, narrow surface current that flows rapidly away from the shore, returning the water carried landward by waves |
| delta | A large, roughly triangular body of sediment deposited at the mouth of a river. |
| thermal | Having to do with heat, as a hot spring (Thermal Spring). |
| development model | a theory of development -why and how it occurs |
| emdc | see economically more developed country. |
| lithospheric plate | A large slab of the lithosphere that can be moved by convection current motion within the mantle. |
| microcontinent | A relatively small, isolated fragment of continental crust |
| sheet | (Geology) A broad, relatively thin deposit or layer of Igneous or Sedimentary Rock. |
| conservation education | A comprehensive concept that spans curricula from kindergarten through adult, post-graduate programs and links the subject to natural resource conservation, stressing the characteristics and interrelationships in management and use of our natural resources that will result in knowledgeable citizenry with attitudes of responsibility toward the conservation of those natural resources. |
| broken | The amount of sky cover for a cloud layer between 5/8ths and 7/8ths, based on the summation layer amount for that layer. |
| swamp | a type of wetland dominated by woody vegetation but without appreciable peat deposits |
| municipal discharge | discharge of effluent from treatment plants that receive wastewater from households, commercial establishments, and industries. |
| sump | (1a) A low-lying place, such as a pit, that receives drainage; (1b) A cesspool |
| archean | An eon of geologic time extending from about 3.9 billion years to 2.5 billion years ago. |
| biota | plant and animal life. |
| aids | see acquired immune deficiency syndrome |
| gradient | Elevation divided by ground distance, for example, a fall of one kilometer over two kilometers on the ground would result in a 50% gradient |
| cooling tower | A large tower or stack that is used for heat exchange of once-through cooling water generated by steam condensers |
| glacial retreat | The backwards movement of the snout of a glacier. |
| deep percolation | Water that percolates below the lower limit of the Root Zone of plants into a ground water aquifer and cannot be used by plants. |
| founder | To sink below the water. |
| hydrologic model | a computer model of a watershed used to evaluate how precipitation contributes to flow in streams |
| blackwater | wastewater from toilet, latrine, and agua privy flushing and sinks used for food preparation or disposal of chemical or chemical-biological ingredients. |
| environmentalism | Advocacy for or work toward protecting the natural environment from destruction or pollution. |
| functional zone | a portion of an urban area have a clearly defined dominant function such as the CBD. |
| frontage | Land adjacent to something, such as a body of water. |
| particulates | the mechanical process which removes particulate matter by separating water from solid material, by passing it through a filter such as sand in many water filtration plants. |
| dendritic drainage | A stream drainage pattern that resembles the veins of a leaf in map view |
| wastewater infrastructure | The plant or network for the collection, treatment, and disposal of sewage in a community |
| industrial inertia | the continuing presence of industry in an area, or at a location, after the initial locational factors have ceased to apply. |
| forward integration | vertical integration in a downstream direction e.g |
| fix a sample | A sample is "fixed" in the field by adding chemicals that prevent water quality indicators of interest in the sample from changing before laboratory measurements are made. |
| influent | water, wastewater, or other liquid flowing into a reservoir, basin, or treatment plant. |
| crystal lattice | A systematic, symmetrical network of atoms within a crystal. |
| tableland | An area of elevated land with a nearly level surface. |
| total inorganic carbon | (Water Quality) The total amount of inorganic salts of carbonates and bicarbonates present in water without regard as to whether the salts are in suspended particulate form or dissolved |
| plug | (1) The procedure by which a well is sealed after it has been abandoned |
| water potential | The capability of soil water to do work as compared with free water. |
| le châtelier principle | describes equilibrium reactions and how to influence them |
| nox | Oxides of nitrogen, specifically NO (nitric oxide), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide or nitrogen peroxide), and NO3, nitrate. |
| fault escarpment | (Geology) A fracture or fracture zone along which there has been displacement of one side with respect to the other. |
| miscible displacement | Mutual mixing and movement of two fluids that are soluble in each other |
| bridge | An over the lake, stream or river structure built so that people can get from one side to the other. |
| btu | British Thermal Unit. |
| low clouds | A term used to signify clouds with bases below 6,000 feet and are of a stratiform or a cumuliform variety |
| stage-discharge curve | A graph showing the relation between the gage height, usually plotted as the ordinate, and the amount of water flowing in a channel, expressed as volume per unit of time and plotted as the abscissa. |
| billow | A large wave or swell of water. |
| gage height | The height of the water surface above the gage datum (reference level) |
| compensation level | The level in a body of water, usually occurring at the depth of 1 percent light penetration, which forms the lower boundary of the Zone of Net Metabolic Production |
| kilowatt | A unit of electrical power equal to 1000 watts or 1.341 horsepower. |
| ablation | Reduction of a glacier by melting, evaporation, iceberg calfing, or deflation. |
| evaporation | the change by which any substance is converted from a liquid state and carried of in vapor |
| leachate collection system | An arrangement of reservoirs and pipes underlying a waste disposal site designed to accumulate and remove Leachate, water that migrates through the waste, and pump it to the surface for treatment. |
| vadose zone | The subsurface zone between the water table (Zone of Saturation) and the land surface where some of the spaces between the soil particles are filled with air |
| trench | A long, narrow, deep depression in the ocean floor that parallels a convergent boundary involving at least one oceanic plate. |
| plumbing | The pipes, fixtures, and other apparatus of a water, gas, or sewage system in a building. |
| interglacial periods | Times between recognized advances of the ice |
| focus | in an earthquake, the actual point within the crust where the energy was released. |
| tensiometer | An instrument used for measuring the suction or negative pressure of soil water. |
| quarry water | the moisture content of freshly quarried stone, esp |
| settling pond | (Water Quality) An open Lagoon into which wastewater contaminated with solid pollutants is placed and allowed to stand |
| heavy aircraft | A class of aircraft capable of takeoff weights of 300,000 pounds or more whether or not they are operating at this weight during a particular phase of flight. |
| pluvial lake | A lake formed during a pluvial period. |
| banded iron formation | A sedimentary mineral deposit dominated by iron oxides, carbonates, or silicates that were deposited chemically from seawater |
| flood basalt | A sequence of parallel to subparallel basalt flows that were formed during a geologically brief interval of time and which covered an extensive geographic area |
| radiolarian ooze | A deep-sea pelagic sediment that contains at least 30% siliceous radiolarian remains. |
| brim | The upper surface of a body of water. |
| fresh | (1) Not saline or salty |
| hurricane warning | A formal advisory issued by forecasters at the National Hurricane Center when they have determined that hurricane conditions are expected in a coastal area or group of islands within a 24 hour period |
| slope protection | The protection of a Slope against wave action or erosion. |
| barrier island | An elongate island of sand or gravel formed parallel to a coast. |
| porphyritic texture | The texture of igneous rocks in which some crystals are distinctly larger than others. |
| bias | An error in data gathering or analysis caused by faulty program design, mistakes on the part of personnel, or limitations imposed by available instrumentation or data sources. |
| pumped storage project | A hydroelectric power plant and reservoir system using an arrangement whereby water released for generating energy during peak load periods is stored and pumped back into the upper reservoir, usually during periods of reduced power demand. |
| net water demand | The amount of water needed in an irrigation or water service area to meet all requirements |
| snow making | The production of artificial snow in the form of granular ice particles for use on ski slopes. |
| sea cave | A cave formed by wave erosion. |
| fault trace | The intersection of a fault and the earth's surface as often revealed by dislocation of fences and roads and/or by ridges and furrows in the ground. |
| phosphates | phosphorous-based fertilizers |
| microbiological anaerobic degradation | The use of Microbes, either already present at a site or introduced for a specific treatment process, to degrade and render harmless hazardous wastes and toxic compounds in soil and water |
| drop-inlet spillway | Overfall structure in which the water drops through a vertical riser connected to a discharge conduit. |
| hygrothermograph | An instrument which combines the features of the Hair Hygrograph and the Thermograph, recording both relative humidity and temperature on one chart. |
| emergency spillway | A dam spillway built to carry runoff in excess of that carried by the principal spillway; a secondary spillway designed to operate only during exceptionally large floods |
| maritime climate | the climate of land areas in coastal regions where the characteristics of the climate are clearly affected by the proximity to the water mass |
| self-produced water | A water supply (usually from wells) developed and used by an individual or entity |
| quality of life | a component of development |
| fahrenheit temperature scale | A thermometric scale on which the freezing point of water is at 32°F (Fahrenheit) above the 0°(F) mark on the scale, and the boiling point of water is at 212°F |
| chilile | Inshore lake bottom. |
| residual depression storage | Depression storage existing at the end of a period of excess rain. |
| standard surface pressure | The measurement of one atmosphere of pressure under standard conditions |
| archimedean screw | An ancient apparatus for raising water, consisting of either a spiral tube around an inclined axis or an inclined tube containing a tight-fitting, broad-threaded screw |
| detritivore | an organism which feeds on dead organic material. |
| activated carbon adsorption | The process of pollutants moving out of water and attaching on to Activated Carbon. |
| salt water intrusion | the invasion of fresh surface or ground water by salt water |
| magnetic anomaly | The amount by which a measurement of the local magnetic field intensity exceeds or falls below the intensity of the global magnetic field. |
| co-operative agriculture | smaller, individual farmers form a co-operative to reduce input costs through bulk buying and improve pricing through greater bargaining power. |
| fragipan | A dense layer of soil, containing silt and sand but no organic matter and little clay, whoseextreme hardness and impermeability are due primarily to compaction |
| nonalluvial channel | Channel whose boundary is in bedrock or non-erodible material. |
| glacial polish | The smooth and shiny surfaces that are produced on rocks underneath a glacier by material carried in the base of that glacier. |
| spit | A sandy bar projecting from the mainland into open water |
| peak flow | The maximum instantaneous discharge of a stream at a specific location |
| offshore | The area from low tide seaward. |
| snowfall | The amount of snow which has accumulated since the last observation |
| limnology hydrobiologist | A person who undertakes the biological study of bodies of water. |
| senile | (Geology) Worn away nearly to the base level, as at the end of an erosion cycle. |
| chattermarks | Striations or marks left on the postglacial exposed bedrock caused by the striking of englacial debris against the bedrock surface during glacial movement. |
| periphyton | An assemblage of microorganisms (plants and animals) firmly attached to and growing upon solid surfaces, such as the bottom of a stream, rocks, logs, pilings, and other structures. |
| poles/polar | The poles are the geographic point at 90 degrees latitude North and South on the earth's surface |
| satellite images | Images taken by a weather satellite that reveal information, such as the flow of water vapor, the movement of frontal system, and the development of a tropical system |
| sima | crustal material made mainly of silica and magnesium. |
| kinetic energy | energy possessed by a moving object or water body. |
| hydraulic head | The pressure exerted by a fluid at a given depth beneath its surface |
| purification | Steps taken to eliminate impurities and pollution from water. |
| thermistor | A common thermal sensor that uses the predictable variance in the resistance to an electrical current with changes in temperature to calculate temperatures |
| channel lining | Protection of the channel bottom and banks with concrete or Riprap. |
| effluent seepage | Diffuse discharge of ground water to the ground surface. |
| septic tank | underground receptacle for wastewater from a home |
| sediment-delivery ratio | The ratio of sediment yield to gross erosion, expressed in percent. |
| sag pond | A small lake that forms in a depression, or sag, where active or recent movement along a fault has impounded a stream. |
| ·piedmont glacier | A fan or lobe-shaped glacier, located at the front of a mountain range |
| bathing water | Water in swimming pools or natural fresh or marine waters used for swimming. |
| dendritic drainage | A stream pattern that, when viewed on a map or from the air, resembles the branching pattern of a deciduous tree such as a maple or oak. |
| accretion | The process by which the terrestrial planets grew, increasing their mass by graduallyaccumulating smaller bodies, called planetesimals. |
| diatom | Any of the microscopic unicellular or colonial algae constituting the class Bacillarieae |
| orogenic belt | A linear or arcuate region of folded and uplifted rocks. |
| d-3 drought extreme | A measure of the severity of drought on The Drought Monitor |
| total organic carbon | (Water Quality) A measure of the amount of organic materials suspended or dissolved in water |
| leaching efficiency | The ratio of the average salt concentration in drainage water to an average salt concentration in the soil water of the root zone when near field capacity (also defined as the hypothetical fraction of the soil solution that has been displaced by a unit of drainage water). |
| storm sewer | A sewer that carries only surface runoff, street wash, and snow melt from the land |
| deionized water | Water that has been passed through resins that remove all ions |
| eurybathic | Capable of living in a wide range of water depths |
| bathyal zone | The ocean stratum beneath the Euphotic Zone and above the Abyssal Zone, or to the bottom of the Continental Shelf |
| vertical integration | when companies at different stages of the same industry merge or buy one another |
| cloud seeding | A Weather Modification technique involving the injection of a substance into a cloud for the purpose of influencing the cloud's subsequent development |
| hanging glacier | Ice moving out of high cirques can carve hanging valleys unconnected to a lower glacial mass on steep slopes. |
| anaerobic | (1) Absence of molecular oxygen. |
| plagioclimax | the combination of plant species in an area brought about by human interference |
| acclimation | Slow adjustment of an organism to new conditions in its environment. |
| potential rate of evaporation | The rate of evaporation under the existing atmospheric conditions from a surface of water that is chemically pure and has the temperature of the atmosphere |
| lagoon system | (Water Quality) A system of scientifically construction Lagoons or ponds in which sunlight, algae, and oxygen interact to restore water to a quality equal to effluent from a Secondary Treatment Plant. |
| chemical sedimentary rock | A rock that forms from the precipitation of mineral material from solution |
| radiometric dating | Determination of the age in years of a rock or mineral by measuring the proportions of an original radioactive material and its decay product |
| debris cone | A cone or mound of debris-covered ice, with a thick enough sediment cover to protect the ice from melting. |
| type j | A specialized thermocouple sensor pairing two wires made mostly of iron and constantan and using variance in voltage to calculate temperaturesâmore limited in its range to higher temperatures but known for its sensitivity. |
| drench | To wet through and through; soak. |
| adiabatic process | A thermodynamic change of state in a system in which there is no transfer of heat or mass across the boundaries of the system |
| e. coli | A bacterial species which inhabits the intestinal tract of man and other warm-blooded animals |
| erosion | Displacement of soil particles due to water or wind action. |
| lateral moraine | A moraine deposited along the side of a valley glacier. |
| drought | Abnormal dry weather for a specific area that is sufficiently prolonged for the lack of water to cause serious hydrological imbalance. |
| snow shower | Frozen precipitation in the form of snow, characterized by its sudden beginning and ending |
| secchi disc | A circular plate, generally about 10-12 inches (25.4-30.5 cm) in diameter, used to measure the transparency or clarity of water by noting the greatest depth at which it can be visually detected |
| river system | A river with all of its tributaries. |
| eagre | A high, often dangerous wave caused by the surge of a flood tide upstream in a narrowing Estuary or by colliding tidal currents |
| streambank stabilization | Natural geological tendency for a stream to mold its banks to conform with the channel of least resistance to flow |
| semiarid | A term applied to regions or climates where moisture is normally greater than under arid conditions but still definitely limits the growth of most crops |
| microbiota | The plants, animals, and microorganisms that can only be seen with the aid of a microscope. |
| ground water reservoir storage | The amount of water in storage within the defined limit of the aquifer. |
| cryptocrystalline texture | The texture of rocks composed of crystals too small to be identified with an ordinary microscope. |
| hydrogeology | The part of geology concerned with the functions of water in modifying the earth, especially by erosion and deposition; geology of ground water, with particular emphasis on the chemistry and movement of water. |
| total suspended particles | A method of monitoring particulate matter by the total weight of a sample of water. |
| aggradation | General and progressive buildup of the longitudinal profile of a channel bed due to sediment deposition. |
| medium-size water system | A water system that serves 3,300 to 50,000 customers. |
| fen | a type of wetland that accumulates peat deposits, but not as much as a bog |
| icelandic low | the low pressure center near Iceland (mainly between Iceland and southern Greenland); on mean charts of sea-level pressure, it is a principal center of action in the atmosphere circulation of the northern hemisphere. |
| anchor | A series of methods used to secure a structure to its footings or foundation wall so that it will not be displaced by flood or wind forces. |
| subsidence | sinking down of part of the earth's crust due to underground excavation, such as removal groundwater. |
| remote sensing | The collection of information about an object or area from a distance |
| hydathode | (Botany) A water-excreting microscopic epidermal structure in many plants. |
| dive | To plunge, especially headfirst, into water. |
| closed low | A region of low pressure distinguished by a center of counterclockwise circulation (in the Northern Hemisphere), and is surrounded by one or more isobars or height contours |
| arctic air | an air mass originating over the Arctic Circle. |
| pinnacle | A tall, tower-shaped or spire-shaped pillar of rock. |
| clinometer | An instrument used to measure angles of inclination |
| minors | Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) with flows of less than 1 million gallons per day |
| particulate transport | Movement of undissolved particles in subsurface water. |
| protectionism | the placing of barriers to trade used by a government to try and promote domestic products over imports. |
| intermediate technology | see alternative technology. |
| prescribed water rights | Water rights to which legal title is acquired by long possession and use without protest of other parties |
| range line | In the generally recognized U.S |
| deposition | An exothermic physical process whereby water vapor passes directly to the frozen state |
| border ditch | A ditch used as a border of an irrigated strip or plot, water being spread from one or both sides of the ditch along its entire length. |
| permit | (1) (Water Right) A written document which grants authority to take unused water and put it to Beneficial Use |
| enantiomeric excess | is the ratio of one enantiomer to the other enantiomer in a mixture (abbreviated: e.e |
| temperate deciduous forest | forest that dominates in temperate areas |
| lithology | (Geology) (1) The scientific study of rocks, usually with the unaided eye or with little magnification |
| flash flood | A flood that rises and falls quite rapidly with little or no advance warning, usually as the result of intense rainfall over a relatively small area |
| vadose water | Water that exists in the pore spaces of a rock or soil, between the ground surface and the water table. |
| supralittoral zone | That portion of the seashore adjacent to the tidal or spray zone |
| trough | An elongated area of low atmospheric pressure that is associated with an area of minimum cyclonic circulation |
| ngdc | National Geophysical Data Center |
| tailrace | The channel that is downstream of the draft tube that carries the water discharged from a turbine |
| irrigation water management | The use and management of irrigation water where the quantity of water used for each irrigation is determined by the water-holding capacity of the soil and the need for the crop, and where the water is applied at a rate and in such a manner that the crop can use it efficiently and significant erosion does not occur. |
| sandstone aquifer | The type of aquifer supplying groundwater to large parts of the United States upper Middle West, Appalachia, and Texas |
| loess | Windblown rock flour of the silt size class |
| dry deposition | The introduction of acidic material to the ground or to surface waters by the settling of particles containing sulfate or nitrate salts |
| molar | A solution containing the indicated number of Moles of solute per liter of solution. |
| solvent recovery | A method to minimize hazardous waste by recovering process solvents for reuse |
| net water yield | The available water runoff at a given location, both surface and subsurface, after the upstream uses by man's activities, use by Phreatophytes, and evaporation from upstream free water surfaces. |
| hemihydrate | A hydrate in which the molecular ratio of water molecules to anhydrous compound is 1:2. |
| nanoplankton | Very minute plankton not readily retained in ordinary plankton nets. |
| evaporite | A chemical sediment or sedimentary rock that has formed by precipitation from evaporating waters |
| border irrigation | A surface method of irrigation by flooding between two confining border levees or dikes |
| key habitats | flow-sensitive habitats as well as habitats that support key species. |
| ridging | process that occurs when wind, ocean currents, and other forces push sea ice around into piles that rise and form small mountains above the level sea ice surface; ridges are initially thin and transparent with very sharp edges from blocks of ice piling up; also see keels. |
| snow field | An area, usually at high elevation or in polar latitudes, where snow accumulates and remains on the ground throughout the entire year. |
| reverse fault | A fault with vertical movement and an inclined fault plane |
| apwa | American Public Works Association. |
| transmigration | the mass resettlement of people within a country to alleviate overcrowding or localized overpopulation. |
| readily water-soluble substances | In water pollution, chemicals that are soluble in water at a concentration equal to or greater than one milligram per liter (mg/l). |
| flood abatement | See Flood Control. |
| exploratory drilling | Drilling done to locate mineral deposits in an area where little subsurface data about those minerals is available |
| alkali lakes | Those containing water very highly impregnated with alkalies |
| plankton | Tiny plants and animals that live in water. |
| meander ratio | Ratio of meander width to meander length. |
| incubate | To maintain environmental conditions that are optimum for the growth of bacteria |
| oscillation ripple marks | Symmetrical ridges in sand or other sediment that are caused by a back-and-forth wave action. |
| gully washer | A heavy rain shower that occurs suddenly, possibly creating a flash flood. |
| eutrophication | an excess of plant nutrients from natural erosion and runoff from the land in an aquatic ecosystem supporting a large amount of aquatic life that can deplete the oxygen supply. |
| colloids | finely divided solids which will not settle but which may be removed by coagulation or biochemical action. |
| blizzard | winds of at least 35 miles per hour along with considerable falling and/or blowing snow reducing visibility to less than one-quarter mile for a period of at least three hours (extremely cold temperatures are often associated with dangerous blizzard conditions, but are not a formal part of the modern definition). |
| dead end | The end of a water main which is not connected to other parts of the distribution system. |
| ethnic group | a particular group of people within a larger population distinguished by ethnic characteristics. |
| ocean basin | A low part of the lithosphere lying between continental masses |
| claypan | The layer of clay found beneath the subsoil which limits or slows the downward movement of water through the soil |
| vapor trail | A cloudlike streamer or trail often seen behind aircraft flying in clear, cold, humid air |
| cement grout | a mixture of water and cement in the ratio of not more than 5-6 gallons of water to a 94 pound sack of portland cement which is fluid enough to be pumped through a small diameter pipe. |
| squall line | A narrow band or line of active thunderstorms that is not associated with a cold front |
| ventifact | A pebble or cobble shaped and polished by wind abrasion. |
| flotage | See Flotation. |
| quartz | An important rock-forming silicate mineral composed of silicon-oxygen tetrahedra joined in a three-dimensional network |
| ball valve | A valve regulated by the position of a free-floating ball that moves in response to fluid or mechanical pressure. |
| clastic texture | The texture of sedimentary rocks consisting of fragmentary particles of minerals, rocks, and organic skeletal remains. |
| intermittent stream | A stream that goes dry at certain times of the year |
| finger rafting | a process by which currents or winds push around thin ice so they slide over each other. |
| voids | A general term for pore spaces or other openings in rock. |
| residual chlorine | The level of chlorine existing in the distribution system after chlorination at a drinking water treatment plant. |
| superheated water | Liquid water heated above 100°C (212°F) under pressures greater than atmospheric. |
| stratus cloud | a layered cloud found below 2.5 km which produces light drizzle. |
| jökulhlaup | A glacier outburst flood resulting from the failure of a glacier-ice-dam, glacier-sediment-dam, or from the melting of glacier ice by a volcanic eruption (Icelandic). |
| desalting | The term used to refer to any process by which the dissolved solids content of saline water or seawater is reduced |
| sea-floor spreading | The process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges in which convection currents below pull the plates apart and create new sea floor. |
| ecological impact | The effect that a man-made or natural activity has on living organisms and their non-living (abiotic) environment. |
| eligible costs | The construction costs for waste-water treatment plants upon which U.S |
| denitrification | The removal of nitrate ions (NO3-) from soil or water; involves the Anaerobic biological reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas |
| eustatic sea level change | A rise or fall in sea level that affects the entire earth |
| mass spectrometry | An analytical technique wherein ions are separate according to their ratio of charge to mass |
| saturation vapor pressure | The maximum possible partial pressure of water vapor in the atmosphere at a given temperature. |
| crevasse | 1 (glacial geology) A deep crack in the upper surface of a glacier |
| thermograph | Essentially, a self-recording thermometer |
| berm | a low ridge towards the rear of a beach marking the uppermost level that waves reached during the previous high tide. |
| dysentery | A disorder of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by severe diarrhea with blood and pus in the feces |
| coefficient of discharge | The ratio of the observed to theoretical discharge. |
| tarn | a lake in a corrie. |
| eec | see European Economic Community. |
| drip irrigation | A planned irrigation system in which water is applied directly to the Root Zone of plants by means of applicators (orifices, emitters, porous tubing, perforated pipe, etc.) operated under low pressure |
| fountain | (1) An artificially created jet or stream of water; a structure, often decorative, from which a jet or stream of water issues |
| sheet flow | Unrestricted glaciers including ice caps and ice sheets flow independently of underlying topography |
| gale warning | A warning for marine interests for impending winds from 28 to 47 knots (32 to 54 miles per hour). |
| aswcc | Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission |
| dystrophic | (Ecology) Characterized by having brownish acidic waters, a high concentration of humic matter, and a small plant population |
| braiding | Successive division and rejoining of riverflow with accompanying islands. |
| cyclone | area in the atmosphere in which the pressures are lower than those of the surrounding region at the same level; it is represented on a synoptic chart by a system of isobars at a specified altitude level (or a system of contours at a specified pressure level) which enclose relatively low values of pressure (or altitude); a cyclone begins when a wave (young) cyclone forms and moves along a front; a mature cyclone has well-developed warm sectors and both cold and warm fronts; an occluded cyclone is that within which there has developed an occluded front. |
| npp | see net primary productivity. |
| monocline | An area of increased dip in otherwise gently dipping strata. |
| resuspended | Describes particles that have been remixed with the air or water from which they have settled |
| ionosphere | The upper layer of the Atmosphere above the Stratosphere, from a distance of about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the earth's surface |
| meander amplitude | The distance between points of maximum curvature of successive meanders of opposite phase in a direction normal to the general course of the Meander Belt, measured between centerlines of channels. |
| showerhead | A fixture for directing the spray of water in a bathroom shower. |
| migration | The movement of oil, gas, contaminants, water, or other liquids through porous and permeable rock. |
| delivery concept | The mode of making deliveries with respect to time; types are rotation, scheduled, or demand deliver concepts. |
| dry-hole | A well drilled in hopes of finding oil or natural gas that fails to make commercial production rates. |
| wash load | In a stream system, the relatively fine material in near-permanent suspension which is transported entirely through the system without deposition. |
| water use efficiency | A measure of the crop production per unit of water used, irrespective of water source, expressed in units of weight per unit of water depth per unit area |
| ce-qual-wz | Two-dimensional, laterally averaged hydrodynamic and water quality model. |
| environmental manipulation | Actions taken directly or indirectly by man to alter the natural characteristics and evolving patterns of an Ecosystem through alterations to plant or animal life, or habitat conditions. |
| tailwater recovery | The process of collecting irrigation water runoff for reuse in the system. |
| disinfectant time | The time it takes water to move from the point of Disinfectant application (or the previous point of residual disinfectant measurement) to a point before or at the point where the residual disinfectant is measured. |
| seepage pit | A covered pit with lining designed to permit treated sewage to seep into the surrounding soil. |
| algae | collective name for a group of chlorophyll-containing plants, ranging in size from single cells to stems, including seaweeds and freshwater forms. |
| calving | process of ice breaking off a glacier and falls into a body of water |
| profundal zone | The deep, bottom-water area beyond the depth of effective light penetration |
| economic rent | also known as locational rent, the profit to be derived from land |
| water quality management | Planning for the protection of a water's quality for various Beneficial Uses, for the provision of adequate wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal for municipalities and industries, and for activities that might create water quality problems, and regulating and enforcing programs to accomplish the planning goals and laws and regulations dealing with water pollution control. |
| tertiary | The geological time period before the Quaternary composed of Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene. |
| mclg | See Maximum Contaminant Level Goal. |
| line storm | A violent storm or a series of storms of rain and wind believed to take place during the equinoxes. |
| stratiform | Clouds composed of water droplets that exhibit no or have very little vertical development |
| ice breccia | Large angular ice fragments embedded in finer ice or snow record abrupt changes. |
| granite | A coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock composed primarily of light colored minerals such as quartz, orthoclase, sodium plagioclase and muscovite mica |
| crick | (Inland Northern U.S |
| grey-white ice | a category of young ice 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) thick, named for its color. |
| dereliction | (Legal) (1) A gaining of land by the permanent recession of the water line |
| mineral | A naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and an ordered internal structure. |
| trough | (1) A long, narrow, generally shallow receptacle for holding water or feed for animals; any of various similar containers for domestic or industrial use |
| peat | An accumulation of partly carbonized plant material containing approximately 60% carbon and 30% oxygen |
| air pressure | See atmospheric pressure. |
| sinuosity | the endiness-of a river course i.e |
| ore deposit | A natural accumulation of a metal, gemstone or other valuable mineral substance, which is rich enough in concentration that it can be mined and processed at a profit. |
| fret | To gnaw or wear away; erode |
| minimum streamflow | The specific amount of water reserved to support aquatic life, to minimize pollution, or for recreation |
| potential drop | Difference in total head between two Equipotential Lines. |
| pancake ice | Coherent plates of ice that can reach a few meters across and grow from thickened grease ice and resembles pancakes or lily pads. |
| basal sliding | When the bottom of a glacier slides directly over subglacial bedrock. |
| undeveloped | see economically less developed countries. |
| water mill | A mill whose machinery is moved by water. |
| peak flow | the highest discharge found in a river channel in response to a particular rainfall or snowmelt event. |
| milling capacity | The maximum amount of material that a mill can produce in a unit of time. |
| cirque | An amphitheater-shaped depression at the head of a glacial valley, excavated mainly by ice plucking and frost wedging. |
| water yield | Runoff, including ground water outflow that appears in the stream, plus ground water outflow that leaves the basin underground |
| water wings | A device consisting of a pair of joined inflatable waterproof bags that fit under the arms of a person, especially a child learning to swim, and provides buoyancy. |
| hydrogeomorphic unit | A land form characterized by a specific origin, geomorphic setting, water source, and hydrodynamic. |
| bioaccumulants | Substances that increase in concentration in living organisms as they take in contaminated air, water, or food because the substances are very slowly metabolized or excreted |
| phreatic surface | A term equivalent to the Groundwater Surface or the Water Table; the free surface of ground water at atmospheric pressure. |
| gallons per capita | A term used relative to water use per person per specified time, usually a day. |
| tube settler | device using bundles of tubes to let solids in water settle to the bottom for removal by conventional sludge collection means |
| phreatic divide | an underground watershed |
| sapwood | Newly formed outer wood that lies just inside the cambium of a tree trunk and is usually lighter in color and more active in water conduction than the heartwood. |
| suspended sediment | Very fine soil particles which remain in suspension in water for a considerable period of time without contact with the bottom |
| tract | An expanse of land or water. |
| specific gravity | The ratio of the weight of a substance to the weight of an equal volume of water. |
| adjustable emissivity | A setting on many infrared thermometers allowing you to help the thermometer calculate a more accurate temperature reading for a given material based on an estimate of its ability to emit infrared energy |
| blue-green algae | also known as cyanobacteria |
| debris dam | A barrier built across a stream channel to retain rock, sand, gravel, silt, or other material. |
| mantle | the layer of the earth between the crust and the core |
| aqueous solubility | the maximum concentration of a chemical that will dissolve in pure water at a reference temperature. |
| zone of ablation | The termini of glaciers where loss of ice occurs through calving, melting or evaporation. |
| trace | The amount of rainfall or other form of precipitation which occurs when the quantity is so small that it cannot be measured in the rain gage. |
| shear line | A line of maximum horizontal wind shear |
| bronze age settlement | settlements, or evidence of settlement, dating between 3900BP to 2500BP. |
| tributary | A stream flowing into or joining a larger stream. |
| swell | (1) To rise or extend above the surrounding level, as clouds |
| azores high | See Bermuda High. |
| canceled water right | A water right that is invalidated due to the failure of the water right holder to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit |
| polar cap | (1) Either of the regions around the poles of the earth that are permanently covered with ice |
| streaming flow | Where glaciers are constricted, such as in a valley, the flow may or may not be controlled by underlying topography |
| aurora | It is created by the radiant energy emission from the sun and its interaction with the earth's upper atmosphere over the middle and high latitudes |
| bed load | The larger, heavier particles that are being transported by a stream |
| shower | A brief fall of precipitation, such as rain, hail, sleet, or snow. |
| night | The period of the day between dusk and dawn. |
| backbar channel | A channel formed behind a bar connected to the main channel but usually at a higher bed elevation than the man channel |
| draft | The depth below the water level, usually sea level, to whichthe base (or keel) of an iceberg penetrates is called its draft. |
| hydrothermal metamorphism | Alteration of rock by hot waters or gases associated with a magmatic source. |
| rift system | A system of faults resulting from extension. |
| artesian | A commonly used expression, generally synonymous with Confined and referring to subsurface (ground) bodies of water which, due to underground drainage from higher elevations and confining layers of soil material above and below the water body (referred to as an Artesian Aquifer), result in underground water at pressures greater than atmospheric. |
| persistent emergent | Emergent Hydrophytes that normally remain standing at least until the beginning of the next growing season; e.g., cattails (Typha spp.) or bulrushes (Scirpus spp.). |
| compliance monitoring | (Water Quality) Collection and evaluation of data, including self-monitoring reports, and verification to show whether pollutant concentrations and loads contained in permitted discharges are in compliance with the limits and conditions specified in the permit. |
| moderate flood hazard areas | Areas between the 100-year and the 500-year flood boundaries are termed Moderate Flood Hazard Areas |
| inter-basin transfer | A transfer or diversion of water (either groundwater or surface water) from one Drainage or Hydrographic Basin to another |
| soil moisture | Water diffused in the upper part of the Unsaturated Zone (Zone of Aeration) of the soil, from which water is discharged by the Transpiration of plants, by Evaporation, or Interflow. |
| particle count | (Water Quality) Results of a microscopic examination of treated water with a special "particle counter" that classifies suspended particles by number and size. |
| bed sediment discharge | Part of the total sediment discharge that is composed of grain sizes found in the bed and is equal to the transport capability of the flow. |
| impermeable | material that does not permit fluids to pass through. |
| nitrogenous waste | (Water Quality) Wastewater that contains inorganic forms of nitrogen, including ammonia and nitrite. |
| streak | The color of a powdered mineral. |
| drilling mud | A mixture of clay, water, and other materials, often bentonite clay and barite, commonly used in drilling with a rotary drill rig |
| succession | the development of a plant community over time. |
| conservative substances | Non- interacting substances, undergoing no kinetic reactions; chloride and sodium are approximate examples. |
| snow blindness | Temporary blindness or impaired vision that results from bright sunlight reflected off the snow surface |
| autogenic succession | Succession where the plant community causes the environment to change and this modification drives the succession. |
| mass movement | (Geology) The downslope movement of a portion of the land's surface (i.e., a single landslide or the gradual downhill movement of the whole mass of loose earth material) on a slope face |
| stability hazard | A potential or rating for a slope assessing its susceptibility to slope failure. |
| cross-bedding | Stratification inclined to the original horizontal surface upon which the sediment accumulated |
| onfarm | Activities (especially growing crops and applying irrigation water) that occur within the legal boundaries of private property. |
| landscape impoundment | A body of reclaimed water which is used for aesthetic enjoyment or which otherwise serves a function not intended to include contact recreation. |
| few | The amount of sky cover for a cloud layer between 1/8th and 2/8ths, based on the summation layer amount for that layer. |
| altocumulus clouds | Middle altitude cloud that is colored from white to gray |
| weir | a construction across a river that dams the water but may be removable during times of flood. |
| sacramento-san joaquin delta [california] | See Bay-Delta [California]. |
| preservative | A chemical added to a water sample to keep it stable and prevent compounds in it from changing to other forms or to prevent microorganism densities from changing prior to analysis. |
| adsorber | A solid or liquid that can hold molecules of another substance on its surface. |
| humidity | The degree of moisture in the air. |
| diurnal | in geography, daily, or of each day, where a day means the full 24 hour period. |
| lineament | A straight topographic feature of regional extent which is thought to represent crustal structure |
| arch dam | Curved masonry or concrete dam, convex in shape upstream, that depends on arch action for its stability; the load or water pressure is transferred by the arch to the Abutments |
| maximum | The greatest value attained by a function, for example, temperature, pressure, or wind speed |
| abyssal plain | The flat, gently sloping or nearly level region of the sea floor. |
| wash | A dry stream bed. |
| collector system | Conveys water from several individual sources such as groundwater wells and drains and surface inlet drains for rainstorm and snowmelt runoff to a single point of diversion |
| equilibrium drawdown | The ultimate constant drawdown for a steady rate of pumped discharge. |
| volatile | Describes a substance that evaporates or vaporizes rapidly at room temperature, as a volatile liquid. |
| aggradation | Readjustment of the stream profile where the stream channel is raised by the deposition of bed load. |
| meander | The turn of a stream, either live or cut off |
| von thunen model | a model to explain differences in agriculture with distance from the market |
| sovkhoz | see collective farm. |
| compression | A system of stresses that tends to reduce the volume of or shorten a substance. |
| pater noster lakes | A string of glacial lakes along the path of a mountain glacier |
| recharge zone | A land area into which water can infiltrate into an Aquifer relatively easily |
| chalk | A mineral composed mainly of the calcareous shells of various marine microorganisms, but whose matrix consists of fine particles of calcium carbonate, some of which may have been chemically precipitated. |
| minimum streamflow | the specific amount of water reserved to support aquatic life, to minimize pollution, or for recreation |
| turbidity | the measure of suspended sediment maintained in water by turbulent flow. |
| polymorphism | The circumstance in which two minerals with different crystalline structures have identical chemical compositions |
| deposition | The accumulation of material dropped because of a slackening movement of the transporting medium, e.g., water or wind |
| losses incidental to irrigation | The quantity of water depleted by irrigation in excess of the beneficial irrigation consumptive use. |
| ice wedging | A type of mechanical weathering in which rocks are broken by the expansion of water as it freezes in joints, pores, or bedding planes |
| quartzite | A sandstone recrystallized by metamorphism. |
| cycle of erosion | A qualitative description of river valleys and regions passing through the stages of youth, maturity, and old age with respect to the amount of erosion that has been effected. |
| aridity | The quality or state of being arid, dry, or barren. |
| pressure tendency | The pressure characteristic and amount of pressure change during a specified time period, usually the three hour period preceding the observation. |
| diastrophic | (Geology) Pertaining to processes by which the earth's crust is deformed, producing continents, oceans, basins, mountains, and other Geophysical features |
| cuesta | where a more resistant strata of rock is left upstanding when less resistant strata on either side are degraded more rapidly |
| opencast mining | extraction of a mineral deposit after first removing the layers of rock laid over it |
| lahar | A mudflow composed chiefly of pyroclastic material on the flanks of a volcano. |
| anaerobic | a life or process that occurs in, or is not destroyed by, the absence of oxygen. |
| saturated thickness | The thickness of the portion of the aquifer in which all pores, or voids, are filled with water |
| diastereomer | is a stereoisomer of a compound having two or more chiral centers that is not a mirror image of another stereoisomer of the same compound i.e borneol and isoborneol |
| distilled water | Water that has been purified by the Distillation process |
| first draw | The water that comes out when the tap is first opened, likely to contain the highest level of lead contamination from plumbing fixtures and materials. |
| base | (1) Any of various typically water-soluble and bitter tasting compounds that in solution have a pH greater than 7, are capable of reacting with an acid to form a salt, and are molecules or ions able to take up a proton from an acid or able to give up an unshared pair of electrons to an acid |
| nutrient sink | See Natural Sink. |
| relief | the shape of the land particularly as it pertains to elevation. |
| tornado | A violently rotating column of air in contact with and extending between a convective cloud and the surface of the earth |
| lift station | A pumping facility that raises municipal sewage to a higher elevation to allow for further gravity flow |
| non-contact recreation | Recreational pursuits not involving a significant risk of water ingestion, including fishing, commercial and recreational boating, and limited body contact incidental to shoreline activity. |
| peaking | Typically describes the peak water demand for a municipal water system and is expressed as a ratio of the base demand level, e.g., 2:1 peaking represents a peak demand that is twice the base demand. |
| subsurface irrigation system | Irrigation by means of underground porous tile or its equivalent. |
| demography | The statistical science dealing with the distribution, density, vital statistics, and other related characteristics of population |
| vichy water | (1) A naturally effervescent mineral water originally from the springs at Vichy, France |
| inundate | (1) To cover with water, especially floodwaters |
| snow density | The ratio of the volume of meltwater derived from a sample of snow and the initial volume of the sample |
| facies | The characteristics of a rock mass that reflect its depositional environment |
| variable | (Statistics) A series of comparable observations or characteristics of a phenomenon taken as a single set of data; a listing of specific characteristics of a population or a number of observations taken over a specific period of time which may reasonably be expected to vary from observation to observation. |
| load | The total amount of sediment carried at a given time by a stream, glacier, or wind. |
| sinter | A chemical sedimentary rock deposited as a hard incrustation on rocks or on the ground by precipitation from hot or cold mineral waters of springs, lakes, or streams. |
| ground water hydrology | The branch of Hydrology that deals with ground water; its occurrence and movements, its replenishment and depletion, the properties of rocks that control ground water movement and storage, and the methods of investigation and utilization of ground water |
| cross-connection | any actual or potential connection between a drinking water system and an unapproved water supply or other source of contamination. |
| litmus | A water-soluble blue powder derived from certain lichens that changes to red with increasing Acidity and to blue with increasing Basicity. |
| backwater pools | A pool type formed by an eddy along channel margins downstream from obstructions such as bars, rootwads, or boulders, or resulting from backflooding upstream from an obstructional blockage |
| ice wedge | when temperature fall below -15蚓, ice in soil contracts |
| skerry | (Scandinavian) A rocky isle; a reef. |
| non-aqueous phase liquid | contaminants that remain undiluted as the original bulk liquid in the subsurface, such as spilled oil. |
| cholophyte | Green algae, algae of the division Chlorophyta. |
| water-related disease | An epidemic event caused by Waterborne virus or bacteria |
| bedrock | Any solid rock exposed at the Earth's surface or overlain by unconsolidated material. |
| pahoehoe flow | A lava flow with a billowy or ropy surface |
| blue water | The open sea. |
| water-level gage | A gage which indicates the water level in a reservoir, stilling well, or other receptacle. |
| secondary settling tank | A tank used to hold wastewater that has been subjected to Secondary Wastewater Treatment |
| demographic transition model | a theory of population change over time |
| watermaster | An employee of a water department who distributes available water supply at the request of water right holders and collects hydrographic data. |
| topographical map | a map of surface feature, natural and human, drawn to scale. |
| natural bridge | An arch-shaped rock formation produced by weathering and/or erosion. |
| pond | a body of water usually smaller than a lake and larger than a pool either naturally or artificially confined. |
| vapor | The gaseous state of a substance which under ordinary conditions exists as a liquid or solid. |
| mineralogy | The study of minerals - their composition, structure, formation, uses, properties, occurrence and geographic distribution. |
| laboratory blank | An artificial sample, usually distilled water, introduced to a chemical analyzer to observe the response of the instrument to a sample that does not contain the material being measured |
| troposphere | The lowest layer of the earth's Atmosphere and the site of all weather processes |
| water supply system | Includes the works and auxiliaries for collection, treatment, storage, and distribution of the water from the sources of supply to the free-flowing outlet of the ultimate consumer |
| water bloom | An accumulation of algae and especially of blue-green algae at or near the surface of a body of water |
| flood-base discharge | A value of high flow usually computed during the first 5 years of station operation that, on the average, is exceeded about three times per year. |
| flood proofing | Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to structures and properties subject to flooding primarily for the reduction or elimination of flood damage to real estate or improved property, water and sanitary facilities, structures and their contents. |
| magma | Molten rock, containing dissolved gases and suspended solid particles |
| outcrop | An exposure of bedrock. |
| metasomatism | The metamorphic processes that occur as a result of the passage of chemically active fluids through a rock, adding to or removing constituents during metamorphism. |
| atoll | A ring shaped reef composed largely of coral |
| axis | The horizontal centerline of a dam in the longitudinal direction. |
| drumlin | a ramp shaped deposit of sediment formed by a glacier, glacier traveled up the steep side and down the gradual side |
| infrared | A type of thermometry that measures the amount of infrared energy being emitted by a substance and compares that value to a predictable curve to calculate temperature. |
| hypolimnion | The lowermost, non-circulating layer of cold water in a thermally stratified lake or reservoir that lies below the Thermocline, remains perpetually cold and is usually deficient of oxygen |
| medial moraine | Formed by the merging of lateral moraines as two valley glaciers join. |
| fao | see Food and Agriculture Organisation. |
| circumpolar vortex | the large-scale cyclonic circulation in the middle and upper troposphere centered generally in the polar region; also called polar vortex. |
| total inorganic phosphate | A measure of the concentration of usable phosphorus (soluble Phosphates) contained in a body of water |
| hydroelectric power | Power (hydroelectricity) produced using water power as a source of energy |
| salinity | amount of dissolved salts in a given volume of water. |
| ubac | a north-facing slope. |
| well | An artificial excavation put down by any method for the purposes of withdrawing water from the underground aquifers |
| solution | the taking of minerals into water and removing them through flow. |
| separatism | the efforts of certain groups to create autonomous regions, or even achieve national independence, for a particular area within an existing nation-state. |
| drip | To fall in drops; to shed drops; to ooze or become saturated with or as if with liquid. |
| heat island | the warm air found around and above an urban area, distinct from the air temperature above the surrounding rural land. |
| breccia | A general term for sediment consisting of angular fragments in a matrix of finer particles |
| raised beach | a relict beach left dry by a relative fall in sea-level. |
| benthic region | The bottom of a body of water, supporting the Benthos. |
| open-pit mining | The process of removing mineral deposits that are found close enough to the surface so that the construction of tunnels (underground mining) is not necessary |
| rawinsonde | An upper air observation that evaluates the winds, temperature, relative humidity, and pressure aloft by means of a balloon-attached radiosonde that is tracked by a radar or radio direction-finder |
| disinfectant | killing most of the harmful and objectionable bacteria in sewage or drinking water usually accomplished by introduction of chlorine or exposure to ultraviolet radiation which sterilizes the bacteria. |
| glaciation | The transformation of the landscape through the action of glaciers. |
| hyperchromic | Increased absorption of UV-Vis light (opposite: hypochromic) |
| greenhouse effect | the name for the system by which the earth retains some insolation |
| parhelic circle | A luminous halo visible at the height of the sun and parallel to the horizon, caused by the sun's rays reflecting off atmospheric ice crystals |
| frazil ice | Disorganized, slushy ice crystals in the water column, usually near the water surface |
| front | (1) Land bordering a lake or river |
| pre-imbrian period | The earliest period of lunar history, extending from the formation of the planet (about 4.5 billion years ago) to the formation of the multiringed basins (about 3.9 billion years ago) |
| cryosphere | The perennially frozen regions of the planet, including land-ice, sea-ice, permanent snow cover and permafrost |
| cypress swamp | A wetland environment common throughout the southeastern United States in which cypress trees are a dominant species. |
| phenols | organic compounds that are byproducts of petroleum refining; tanning; and textile, dye, and resin manufacturing |
| colvin algorithm | A canal flow control structure technique that operates the gates based on the rate of deviation of the water surface level from the setpoint. |
| flood prevention | Methods or structural measures used to prevent floods. |
| sewage sludge | Settled sewage solids combined with varying amounts of water and dissolved materials that are removed from sewage by screening, sedimentation, chemical precipitation, or bacterial digestion |
| algae | A simple photosynthetic plant that usually lives in moist or aquatic environments |
| braided stream | A stream with a complex of converging and diverging channels separated by bars or islands |
| matter | Anything which is solid, liquid, or gas and has mass. |
| zaitsev rule | predicts the formation of an alkene based on thermodynamic stability: the alkene with the highest the degree of substitution is preferentially formed under thermodynamic conditions. |
| altostratus cloud | A somewhat high level, blue to grayish blue cloud that forms a sheet or layer at an average height of 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) |
| bell | A hollow, usually inverted vessel, such as one used for diving deep below the surface of a body of water. |
| ground water | Water that exists below the water table in the zone of saturation |
| chromophore | is a chemical group that absorbs light at a specific wavelength and so imparts color to a molecule i.e |
| euphotic zone | An area, particularly in regard to lakes, where there is sufficient light for Photosynthesis to take place |
| strata | layers of deposited material. |
| ionic bond | A chemical bond formed by electrostatic attraction betWeen oppositely charged ions. |
| islet | A small or minor island. |
| conservation practice | A technique or measure used to meet a specific need in planning and carrying out soil and water conservation programs for which standards and specifications have been developed. |
| velocity of a stream | Rate of motion of a stream measured in terms of the distance its water travels in a unit of time, usually in feet per second. |
| drawdown | A lowering of the water table around a producing well |
| collection site | A stream, lake, reservoir, or other body of water fed by water drained from a watershed. |
| cryptosporidiosis | A disease of the intestinal tract caused by the parasite Cryptosporidium parvum |
| laurasia | The ancient continental landmass that is thought to have split apart to form Europe, Asia, North America, and Greenland. |
| ablation | (1) The process by which ice and snow waste away as a result of melting and/or evaporation |
| natural attenuation | The process of Microbiological Anaerobic Degradation in which hazardous wastes and toxic compounds are treated while not involving the addition of foreign microbes to the site but rather using naturally-occurring microbes already present |
| instream aeration | The addition of air to a flowing stream to maintain the dissolved oxygen content of the water at an acceptable level. |
| biodisc | (Water Quality) A large rotating cylinder possessing surface features that allow for the growth of attached microorganisms |
| waterway | (Nautical) A navigable body of water, such as a river, channel, or canal. |
| firn | An intermediate stage in the transformation of snow to glacier ice |
| pollutant | or the pollutant or substance itself, such that the final concentration after mixing is lower than that in the effluent or of the pure substance. |
| bailer | An instrument such as a long pipe with a valve at the lower end used to extract a water sample from a groundwater well |
| sauna | (1) A Finnish steam bath in which the steam is produced by pouring water over heated rocks; a bathhouse or room for taking such a steam bath |
| cohesion | a molecular attraction by which the particles of a body are united throughout the mass whether like or unlike |
| microbial load | The total number of bacteria and fungi in a given quantity of water or soil or on the surface of food |
| niverous | Resembling snow; snowy. |
| aestival ponds | Those ponds existing only in summer. |
| sonar | A system using transmitted and reflected underwater sound waves to detect and locate submerged objects or measure the distance to the floor of a body of water. |
| texture | The size, shape, and arrangement of the particles that make up a rock. |
| basement complex | A series of igneous and metamorphic rocks lying beneath the oldest stratified rocks of a region |
| hematite | An iron oxide mineral that is commonly used as an ore of iron |
| riparian land | Land situated along the bank of a stream or other, generally flowing bodies of water. |
| molecular diffusion | The process in which solutes are transported at the microscopic level due to variations in the solute concentrations within the fluid phases |
| eugeosyncline | A geosyncline situated seaward from a continent and characterized by sediments deposited by turbidity currents and derived in part from a volcanic arc. |
| slash and burn | another term for shifting cultivation. |
| hypothesis | (Statistics) A statement made about the condition or behavior of a variable or event which lends itself to rigorous testing for validity |
| rockslide | A type of mass wasting in which a large volume of rock debris slides down a slope under the influence of gravity. |
| farm pond | A water impoundment made by constructing a dam or embankment or by excavating a pit or "dug out". |
| hogshead | Any of various units of volume or capacity ranging from 63 to 140 gallons (238 to 530 liters), especially a unit of capacity used in liquid measure in the United States equal to 63 gallons (238 liters). |
| minimum | The least value attained by a function, for example, temperature, pressure, or wind speed |
| mole | (Chemistry) The mass of a compound in grams numerically equal to its molecular weight |
| water dilution volume | The volume of water required to dilute radioactive waste to a concentration meeting drinking water standards |
| pressure change | The net difference between the barometric pressure at the beginning and ending of a specified interval of time, usually the three hour period preceding an observation. |
| slow sand filter | Essentially, a concrete basin covered with graded gravel and about 3 feet of sand used to pass raw water through at low velocity, resulting in substantial removal of chemical and biological contaminants |
| noaa | National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration |
| disintegration | The processes of weathering by which physical actions such as frost wedging break down a rock into fragments, involving no chemical change. |
| sustainable development | Describes those efforts to guide economic growth, especially in less-developed countries, in an environmentally sound manner, with an emphasis on natural resource conservation. |
| residue on evaporation | A procedure for establishing the mineral content of a water. |
| troposphere | the layer of atmosphere closest to the Earth, extending seven to ten miles above the surface, containing most of the clouds and moisture. |
| erratic | A stone or boulder, glacially transported from place of origin and left in an area of different bedrock composition. |
| ecotone | the transition zone between very diverse ecosystems e.g |
| ablation | The loss of ice and snow from a glacier system |
| gill | (1) A unit of volume or capacity in the U.S |
| thundershower | A shower accompanied by thunder and lightning. |
| euryhaline | Capable of tolerating a wide range of salt water concentrations |
| proglacial ground angle | If the proglacial ground angle and the ice are similar, meltwater flows away |
| arable | cultivation of crops such as cereals, legumes, roots and leaves. |
| magma | (Geology) Molten rock found in the mantle, beneath the cruse of the earth |
| valley glacier | A glacier that occurs in a mountainous region and occupies a valley |
| atmospheric particulates | solids present in the atmosphere |
| water well | An excavation where the intended use is for location, acquisition, development, or artificial recharge of ground water. |
| backwash | The seaward rush of water down a beach that occurs with a receding wave. |
| laterite | A soil that is rich in oxides of iron and aluminum formed by deep weathering in tropical and subtropical areas. |
| aggradation | a progressive build up of a channel bed with sediment over several years due to a normal sequence of scour and deposition, as distinguished from the rise and fall of the channel bed during a single flood. |
| hypothesis | the proposition of a relationship between variables which can then be tested and either rejected or accepted. |
| archaea | Is a group of recently discovered organisms that resemble bacteria |
| entrance head | The Head required to cause flow into a conduit or other structure, including both entrance loss and Velocity Head. |
| rebound | The upwarping of Earth's crust after additional weight is removed from it |
| missed detection | (Water Quality) The situation that occurs when a test indicates that a tank is "tight" when in fact it is leaking. |
| average annual recharge | The amount of water entering an aquifer on an average annual basis |
| bioturbated | An adjective used in reference to a sediment or sedimentary rock |
| levee | Embankment, generally landward of top bank, that confines flow during high-water periods, thus preventing overflow into lowlands. |
| fragmentation | in agriculture, the splitting of a landholding into smaller, more disparate parts usually due to inheritance being applied inefficiently. |
| ventifact | A rock that has been shaped or polished by the sandblasting effect of wind-blown sand. |
| packed tower | (Air Quality) An air pollution control device in which contaminated air is passed through a tower containing substances (packing) possessing large surface area |
| baobab tree | a pyrophitic tree found in savannah areas |
| utility water use | Water supplied from a Public Water Supply System and used for such purposes as firefighting, street washing, and municipal parks and swimming pools |
| pollutant | Particles, gases, or liquid aerosols in the atmosphere which have an undesirable effect on humans or their surroundings |
| competence | The maximum size of particle that a stream can carry. |
| arctic air mass | mass of very cold air in the arctic regions which invades lower latitudes at irregular intervals. |
| cold-water | Lacking modern plumbing or heating facilities, as a cold-water residence. |
| mineral lease | A contract in which a mineral interest owner conveys to another party a right to explore for, develop, and produce mineral resources |
| solfatara | a minor extrusive volcanic feature where gases escape from surface cracks and vents. |
| apron | (1) A platform, as of planking, at the entrance to a dock |
| condensation | the physical process by which a vapor becomes a liquid or solid; the opposite of evaporation; in meteorological usage, this term is applied only to transformation from vapor to liquid; any process in which a solid forms directly from its vapor is termed sublimation, as is the reverse process. |
| unclassified waters | those waters for which no classification has been assigned and which have not been identified in Appendix A of 31 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 307.10 of Title 31 (relating to definitions). |
| spot size | The diameter of the circle formed by the intersection of the field of view of an infrared thermometer with the surface being measured |
| primary drinking water regulation | Applies to public water systems and specifies a contaminant level, which, in the judgement of the U.S |
| heat exhaustion | The effect of excessive heat, particularly when combined with high humidity, on a human being |
| phytotoxicity | The ability of chemicals to damage or kill plants in aquatic environments. |
| pack ice | Floating ice that has been driven together into a single mass. |
| greywater | wastewater from clothes washing machines, showers, bathtubs, handwashing, lavatories and sinks that are not used for disposal of chemical or chemical-biological ingredients. |
| convection cell | The space occupied by a single convection current. |
| groundmass | The matrix of relatively fine-grained material between the phenocrysts in a porphyritic rock. |
| free liquids | (Water Quality) Liquids capable of migrating from waste and contaminating ground water |
| periglacial | The area around a glacier often characterized by harsh climate. |
| wire-to-water efficiency | The efficiency of a pump and motor together |
| hookah | An Eastern smoking pipe designed with a long tube passing through an urn of water that cools the smoke as it is drawn through |
| gore-tex | A trademark used for a water-repellant, breathable laminated fabric used primarily in outerwear and shoes. |
| import substitution | the establishment and/or explicit government support for an industry producing goods that were formally exclusively, or nearly exclusively, imported |
| karst | A landscape that develops from the action of ground water in areas of easily soluble rocks |
| guild | a group of species or organisms that use the same environmental resources (habitat, food source, etc.) or life history strategy (such as reproduction) in the same way. |
| phycology | The study of algae. |
| ravine | (1) A deep, narrow valley or gorge in the earth's surface worn by running water |
| magmatic water | Water driven out of Magma during crystallization. |
| drain | (1) To draw of (a liquid) by a gradual process |
| stalactite | An icicle-shaped mineral deposit, usually calcite or aragonite, hanging from the roof of a cavern, formed from the dripping of mineral-rich water |
| fault | (Geology) A fracture in rock along which movement can be demonstrated |
| bankfull stage | A height of water in a stream that completely fills the natural channel |
| mitigation | (1) (Environmental, General) Actions designed to lessen or reduce adverse impacts; frequently used in the context of environmental assessment |
| anabaena | Any of various freshwater algae of the genus anabaena that sometimes occur in drinking water and cause a bad taste and odor. |
| tidewater | (1) Water that inundates land at flood tide |
| debacle | (1) The breaking up of ice in a river |
| irrigated crop acreage | The total amount of land area that is irrigated, including acreage that is double cropped. |
| geohydrology | A term which denotes the branch of Hydrology relating to subsurface or subterranean waters; that is, to all waters below the surface |
| earthquake | A sudden, transient motion or trembling of the earth's crust, resulting from the waves in the earth caused by faulting of the rocks or by volcanic activity. |
| continental glacier | A thick ice sheet covering large parts of a continent |
| hamlet | a small settlement with a purely residential function |
| native species | A species that is a part of an area's original fauna or flora. |
| radiolarian | A group of one-celled marine animals with a siliceous skeleton that occupies shallow portions of the water column |
| flowing well | An Artesian Well having sufficient head to discharge water above the land surface; a well where the Piezometric Surface lies above the ground surface.. |
| varve | A pair sedimentary units, one coarse-grained, the other fine-grained, interpreted as representing one year of sedimentation. |
| scupper | (1) (Nautical) Openings along the side of a ship at deck level to allow water to run off |
| transfer | Refers to the movement of water from one reservoir or storage facility to another. |
| surface hoar | the deposition (sublimation) of ice crystals on a surface which occurs when the temperature of the surface is colder than the air above and colder than the frost point of that air. |
| well | a hole dug or drilled into the ground to allow access to groundwater. |
| slack tide | See Slack Water. |
| marginal ice zone | a part of the seasonal ice zone that varies in width (100 to 200 kilometers, 62 to 124 miles) that extends from the ice edge into the ice pack, where waves and swells affect the ice; often characterized by highly variable ice conditions; in general, it is wider in the Antarctic than the Arctic. |
| noggin | A unit of liquid measure equal to one quarter of a pint. |
| lead and copper rule | Water quality standards covered under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and amendments thereto, as set by the U.S |
| permissible velocity | (Hydraulics) The highest velocity at which water may be carried safely in a channel or other conduit |
| icescape | A wide view or vista of a region of ice and snow. |
| channel capacity | The maximum rate of flow that may occur in a stream without causing overbank flooding. |
| habitat | the type of environment in which a given animal or plant lives and grows, including physical and biological conditions. |
| arhizous | Plant without roots. |
| slurry | a watery mixture of insoluble matter resulting from some pollution control techniques. |
| stable air mass | air mass having static stability in its lower layers; it is free from convection, has a low degree of turbulence and may have stratiform clouds or fog, or no clouds. |
| uplands | (1) The ground above a floodplain; that zone sufficiently above and/or away from transported waters as to be dependent upon local precipitation for its water supplies |
| water column | A hypothetical cylinder of water from the surface to the bottom of a stream, lake, or ocean within which the physical and/or chemical properties can be measured. |
| limestone | (Geology) A sedimentary rock composed of calcite, or calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and sometimes containing shells and other hard parts of prehistoric water animals and plants |
| whey | The clear fluid that separates from the solid curd when milk is allowed to coagulate, or sour |
| ceiling light | An instrument consisting of a drum and an optical system that projects a narrow vertical beam of light onto a cloud base. |
| hoarfrost | Another name for frost |
| crud | (Sports) Heavy, sticky snow that is unsuitable for skiing. |
| regional metamorphism | Metamorphism across a broad area caused by the elevated temperatures and pressures of plate collision or deep burial. |
| consumers | Organisms that obtain their energy by eating other organisms; generally divided into primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores), and microconsumers (decomposers). |
| environmental assessment | The critical appraisal of the likely effects of a proposed project, activity, or policy on the environment, both positive and negative. |
| deglomeration | the dispersal of businesses from an area due to rising costs, especially those of specialized labour and land rents |
| denudation | stripping of surface cover |
| non-contact cooling water | Water used for cooling which does not come into direct contact with any raw material, product, byproduct, or waste. |
| pathogen | A disease-producing agent; usually applied to a living organism |
| pore pressure | Pressure exerted by fluid in the void space of soil or rock; the interstitial (pore) movement of water that may take place through a dam, its foundation, or its abutments. |
| clam | A mollusk with a hinged shell in two parts(bi-valve) and a soft body |
| illuviation | inward movement of clays, minerals and organic matter to a low soil horizon From one above. |
| era | A subdivision of geologic time that is longer than a period but shorter than an eon |
| soft water | any water that does not contain a significant amount of dissolved minerals such as salts of calcium or magnesium. |
| canyon | A canyon is a deep valley with very steep sides - often carved from the Earth by a river. |
| electrodialysis | A treatment process that uses electrical current and an arrangement of permeable membranes to separate soluble minerals from water |
| inline reservoir | A reservoir constructed in line with the canal used to regulate flow for a balanced operation. |
| calcite | (Geology) Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), with hexagonal crystallization, a mineral found in the form of limestone, chalk, and marble. |
| sinking | (Environmental) Controlling oil spills by using an agent to trap the oil and sink it to the bottom of the body of water where the Sinking Agent and the oil are biodegraded. |
| yellowboy | Iron oxide flocculent (clumps of solids in waste or water); usually observed as orange-yellow deposits in surface streams with excess iron content |
| sorting | The separation of particles according to size, shape, or weight |
| tube settler | A device using bundles of tubes to let solids in water settle to the bottom for removal by conventional sludge collection means; sometimes used in sedimentation basins and clarifiers to improve particle removal. |
| faulting | tectonic movements which create faults in rock strata. |
| minimal flood hazard areas | Areas between the 100-year and the 500-year flood boundaries are termed Moderate Flood Hazard Areas |
| feet per second | A measure of the velocity of moving water. |
| cohesion | A molecular attraction by which the particles of a body are united throughout the mass whether like of unlike |
| submergible | That which can be immersed in or can remain under water. |
| mafic rock | An igneous rock containing more than 50% ferromagnesian minerals. |
| sun pillar | Horizontal ice crystals in the form of plates, which occur in clouds and ice fog near the earth's surface, reflect sunlight into vertical sun pillars for a spectacular display. |
| runway configuration | The arrangement of approach and takeoff runways. |
| resolution | In relation to radar, it is the ability to read two distinct targets separately |
| continental crust | is the layer of granitic, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks which form the continents and the areas of shallow seabed close to their shores, known as continental shelves. |
| sedimentation basin | A surface water runoff storage facility intended to trap suspended solids, suspended and buoyant debris, and adsorbed or absorbed potential pollutants that are carried by surface water runoff |
| magnetic stratigraphy | The correlation of rock units and study of Earth's history using magnetic events and magnetic epochs as a time reference. |
| froth | A mass of bubbles in or on a liquid; foam. |
| quartz | Mineral with the chemical formula SiO2 |
| technology-based | Describing emission or effluent limitations that are not defined in terms of allowable releases that achieve a desirably low ambient pollutant concentration, but instead are based on the pollutant control efficiency that is achievable using current levels of technology. |
| cold low | A low pressure system that has its coldest temperatures at or near the center of circulation, and is thermally barotropic with respect to a horizontal plane |
| loess | A fine-grained, yellowish-brown, extremely fertile loam deposited mainly by the wind and found widely in North America, Asia, and Europe |
| wave celerity | The velocity of propagation of a wave through a liquid, relative to the rate of movement of the liquid through which the disturbance is propagated. |
| dissolved solids | inorganic material contained in water or wastes |
| embargo | an order to prohibit trade with a particular country. |
| precipitation | Movement of water from the atmosphere to the land or to a surface water body |
| settling pond | An open pond where waste or process water is allowed to stand while suspended materials settle out. |
| exfoliation | the 'peeling' away of outer layers of rock in a process of physical weathering found where diurnal temperature range is very wide |
| dew point | temperature at which air becomes saturated i.e |
| flue gas scrubber | A type of equipment that removes fly ash and other objectionable materials from flue gas by the use of sprays, wet baffles, or other means that require water as the primary separation mechanism |
| endogenous | (Geology) Derived from within; geologic processes originating from internal causes within the earth or magma. |
| ·medial moraine | A sediment ridge, located on a glacier's exposed ice surface, away from its valley walls, extending down glacier to the terminus |
| measuring weir | A shaped notch, typically in rectangular, trapezoidal, or triangular shape, through which flowing water is measured. |
| bioconcentration | The increase in concentration of a chemical in an organism resulting from absorption levels exceeding the rate of metabolism and excretion. |
| exotic species | A non-native species that is introduced into an area. |
| freezing | The change of a liquid into a solid as temperature decreases |
| global village | the idea that the world is 'shrinking' as technology allows faster and cheaper communication at the global scale |
| climax community | The stage in community succession where the community has become relatively stable through successful adjustment to its environment. |
| m.y.a. | Million years ago - abbreviation. |
| plateau basalt | A sequence of parallel to subparallel basalt flows that were formed during a geologically brief interval of time and which covered an extensive geographic area |
| tragedy of the commons | The concept that no one takes responsibility for things theat everybody owns. |
| well injection | the subsurface placement of fluids into a well. |
| scuba | A portable apparatus containing compressed air and used for breathing under water |
| seismic | Pertaining to earthquakes or to waves produced by natural or artificial earthquakes. |
| sluice | (1a) An artificial channel for conducting water, with a valve or gate to regulate the flow; (1b) A valve or gate used in such a channel; a Floodgate or Sluice Gate |
| roll cloud | A relatively rare, low-level, horizontal, tube-shaped cloud |
| bod | Biochemical Oxygen Demand |
| pelean eruption | after the 1902 eruption of Mount Pel |
| in-situ vitrification | (Environmental) A technology used to treat hazardous waste substances in soils |
| splash-proof | A non-technical term used to describe instruments that are protected from ingress caused by the splashing of liquids but not necessarily protected against immersion |
| eurythermic | Capable of tolerating a wide range in temperature. |
| recumbent fold | An overturned fold that has two limbs which are nearly horizontal. |
| dead storage | The volume of water in a reservoir stored below the lowest outlet or operating level. |
| limicolous | Living in mud. |
| hydrographic study area | An area of hydrological and climatological similarity so subdivided for study purposes. |
| pseudomorphs | (Geology) A mineral whose outward crystal form is that of another mineral species, typically as a result of Hydrothermal alteration. |
| cleavage | The tendency of a mineral to break in a preferred direction along smooth planes. |
| hydrograph | Graph of variation of stream flow over time. |
| clastic | Pertaining to a rock or sediment composed principally of broken fragments that are derived from pre-existing rocks or minerals and that have been transported some distance from their places of origin. |
| composite volcano | A large volcanic cone built by extrusion of alternating layers of ash and lava |
| absorption | (1) Process of taking in and being made part of an existing amount of matter. |
| non-irrigated cropland | Those non-irrigated cultivated lands that are used for the production of grain crops (harvested and/or grazed), orchard, and field crops. |
| compound basin | Two or more individual accumulation basins feeding one glacier system (Fig |
| migration | properly, any movement of a living organism across space, or between locations |
| chlorophyll mapping | Showing the variation of chlorophyll over the surface of a water body on a map. |
| slush | Snow or ice on the ground that has been reduced to a softy watery mixture by rain and/or warm temperatures. |
| wave-cut terrace | See wave-cut platform. |
| channelization | natural or intentional straightening and/or deepening of streams so water moves faster and causes less flooding. Channelization can sometimes exacerbate flooding in other downstream areas. |
| location | A place where something can be found. |
| organic compound | a ring molecule of six carbons and six hydrogens with three shared or resonant double carbon-to-carbon bonds, known as an aromatic compound. |
| freezing fog | Used to describe the phenomena when fog is present and the air temperature is below 0°C |
| mirage | An optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water, often with inverted reflections of distant objects, and results from distortion of light by alternate layers of hot and cool air |
| phytotoxicant | A chemical that can damage or kill pants in aquatic environments. |
| dissolve | the process by which solid particles mix molecule by molecule with a liquid and appear to become part of the liquid. |
| response action | (Environmental) A generic term used to describe actions taken in response to actual or potential health-threatening environmental events such as spills, sudden releases, and similar such events. |
| deep-draft harbor | A harbor designed to accommodate commercial cargo vessels having drafts greater than 15 feet (4.6 meters). |
| lock | A section of a waterway, such as a canal, closed off with gates, in which vessels in transit are raised or lowered by raising or lowering the water level of that section. |
| minimum tillage farming | A farming technique that reduces the degree of soil disruption |
| magmatic water | Water that is dissolved in a magma or water that is released from a magma |
| npdes | See National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). |
| range condition | The state of the plant community on a range site in relation to the potential natural plant community for that site |
| bail | To remove water, as from the bottom of a boat or other vessel. |
| average year water demand | The demand for water under average hydrologic conditions for a defined level of development. |
| alpine lakes | Lakes in any high mountain region, associated with snow, ice and a cold climate. |
| armoring | the formation of an erosion-resistant layer of relatively large particles on a streambed or bank resulting from removal of finer particles by erosion. |
| discharge velocity | An apparent velocity, calculated by Darcy's Law, which represents the flow rate at which water would move through an aquifer if the aquifer were an open conduit |
| p-wave | Primary seismic waves |
| design flood | The flood magnitude selected for use as a criterion in designing flood control works |
| conservation tillage | A level of reduced tillage combined with one or more soil and water conservation practices designed to reduce loss of soil or water relative to conventional tillage |
| snowpack | A field of naturally packed snow that ordinarily melts slowly during the early summer months. |
| livestock | animals domesticated and kept by humans either for food or to do work. |
| reliction | A recession of the sea or other water body leaving land uncovered |
| advection | the horizontal transfer of air mass properties by the velocity field of the atmosphere. |
| stream capture | The process whereby a stream rapidly eroding headward cuts into the divide separating it from another drainage basin, and provides an outlet for a section of a stream in the adjoining valley |
| well interference | The effects of neighboring pumping wells on the discharge and drawdown at a particular pumping well. |
| pressure jump | A sudden increase in the observed atmospheric pressure or station pressure. |
| foraminifer | A group of single-celled organisms, mostly marine, that produce a calcium carbonate shell |
| in-line filtration | A pre-treatment method in which chemicals are mixed by the flowing water; commonly used in pressure filtration installations |
| herbicide | a chemical used to control/prevent weed growth in arable farming. |
| vena contracta | The minimum cross section of a jet of fluid discharging from an orifice or over a weir. |
| dehydratase | (Biochemistry) An Enzyme that catalyzes the removal of oxygen and hydrogen from organic compounds in the form of water. |
| urban decay | aging inner city areas often experience a loss of industry meaning fewer jobs and triggering a downward spiral of economic and therefore social decline. |
| epeirogenic | gentle but large-scale uplift of the crust, or ontinent building- |
| hazard | an event or condition which threatens people and property |
| synoptic meteorology | the study and analysis of synoptic weather information (synoptic charts, synoptic weather observations); thus, it is a study of macro-scale atmospheric processes, as well as weather prediction based on results of synoptic studies. |
| finite volume | a method of solving the governing equations of a numerical model by dividing the spatial domain into a mesh of nodes and corresponding volumes around each node |
| irrigated land | Land receiving water by controlled artificial means for agricultural purposes from surface or subsurface sources. |
| arctic circle | Latitude of 66.5° North |
| mean temperature | The average of temperature readings taken over a specified amount of time |
| basic rock | An igneous rock that has a relatively low silica content |
| chlorophyll | (1) The green pigments of plants |
| pervious zone | A part of the cross section of an Embankment Dam comprising material of high permeability. |
| reserve capacity | Extra treatment capacity built into solid waste and wastewater treatment plants and interceptor sewers to accommodate flow increases due to future population growth. |
| gigalitre | one thousand million litres |
| region | an area defined from its surroundings by common characteristics of physical landscape, economy or function. |
| abutment | The part of a valley side wall against which a dam is constructed |
| meander radius of curvature | Radius of a circle inscribed on the centerline of a meander loop. |
| cumulus fractus | Cumulus clouds that appear in irregular fragments, as if they had been shred or torn |
| phase | Physical matter is defined to occur in three phases; solid, liquid and gas. |
| water gap | A traverse cleft in a mountain ridge through which a stream flows; the gap cut through a resistant ridge by a superimposed or Antecedent Stream. |
| whirlpool | A rapidly rotating current of water; a Vortex |
| lava | Molten rock material on Earth's surface. |
| iceberg | a piece of ice that has broken off from the end of a glacier that terminates in water. |
| non-volatile solids | The quantity of solids in water, wastewater or other liquids, not lost by ignition of the dry solids at 600C |
| biological oxygen demand | (Water Quality) An indirect measure of the concentration of biologically degradable material present in organic wastes |
| mor | a humus layer with high levels of acidity |
| retarding reservoir | Ungated reservoir for temporary storage of flood water |
| cdi | Capacitive Deionization |
| cumulative impact | The environmental impacts of a proposed action in combination with the impacts of other past, existing and proposed actions |
| wastewater treatment | Any of the mechanical or chemical processes used to modify the quality of waste water in order to make it more compatible or acceptable to man and his environment. |
| pluvial lake | A lake that was created under former climatic conditions, at a time when rainfall in the region was more abundant than it is now |
| discharge measurement | Total discharge is equal to the cross-sectional area of the water in a channel or pipe times its average velocity. |
| purge | To force a gas through a water sample to liberate volatile chemicals or other gases from the water so their level can be measured. |
| boundary layer | The layer of reduced velocity in fluids, such as air and water, that is immediately adjacent to the surface of a solid past which the fluid is flowing. |
| reservoir | bay or other system, based upon flow rates into and out of the system, (see residence time). |
| outlet | Point where water exits from a stream, river, lake, reservoir, tidewater, or artificial drain |
| ooze | Marine sediment consisting of more than 30% shell fragments of microscopic organisms. |
| functional equivalent | A term used to describe the U.S |
| polder | An area of low-lying land, especially in the Netherlands, that has been reclaimed from a body of water and is protected by dikes. |
| blowout | A sudden escape of a confined gas or liquid, as from a well. |
| fabric | In tills which have been oriented by flowing water, fabric indicates the preferred orientation of the grains |
| artificial circulation | The mixing of lake water using an air bubble stream or other mechanical means rather or in addition to the wind mixing. |
| water resources sub-area | An approximation of a Water Resources Sub-Region using county boundaries |
| land use planning | The process of inventorying and assessing the status, potentials, and limitations of a particular geographic area and its resources, interacting with the populations associated and/or concerned with the area to determine their needs, wants, and aspirations for the future. |
| water management | the attempt to provide the right quality of water for a variety of uses in the places where it is required |
| expanded foot | Lobe or fan formed where the lower portion of the glacier leaves the confining wall of a valley and extends on to a less restricted and more level surface (Fig |
| perforation of wells | Holes in the casing of wells which allow water to flow into the well. |
| centrifugal pump | A device that converts mechanical energy to pressure or kinetic energy in a fluid by imparting centrifugal force on the fluid through a rapidly rotating impeller. |
| mesa | A mesa is a land formation with a flat area on top and steep walls - usually occurring in dry areas. |
| regional response team | An organization under the joint leadership of the U.S |
| husbandry | (Agriculture) The act or practice of cultivating crops and breeding and raising livestock |
| sima | A general term for the magnesium-rich igneous rocks (basalt, gabbro, and peridotite) of the ocean basins. |
| pleistocene | The epoch of geologic time, informally called the 'The Great Ice Age' or the 'Glacial Epoch', that began ~1.8 million years ago and ended ~8,000 years ago (see the CVO's Geologic Time Scale) |
| delineation | The process of deciding where something, for example, the boundaries of a Wetland, begins and ends. |
| longevity | lit |
| stagnation point | A place in a ground-water flow field at which the ground water is not moving |
| glacier | A large long lasting accumulation of snow and ice that develops on land |
| everglade | A tract of marshland, usually under water and covered in places with tall grass |
| leaching | The process by which ground water dissolves and transports soluble components of a rock or soil. |
| enterprise zone | in the UK, a policy of the 1980s to encourage economic growth, often in deprived inner city areas, by making it easier and cheaper to establish industrial activity through tax and rates allowances and exemptions and simpler planning procedures |
| forb | Any Herbaceous flowering plant, other than a grass; especially one growing under range conditions. |
| reference wetland | A wetland within a relatively homogeneous biogeographic region that is representative of a specific hydrogeomorphic wetland type. |
| equilibrium constant | A value which describes the relationship between chemical species in a system at equilibrium |
| pothole | A cylindrical or hemispherical hold in the bedrock of a stream that is formed from the continual swirling motion of sand and gravel by swirling currents. |
| scouring | see abrasion. |
| waterish | Resembling water; watery. |
| porosity | the degree to which a rock or soil is porous. |
| avalanche | A fall or slide of a large mass, as of snow or rock, down a mountainside. |
| purgeable organics | volatile organic chemicals which can be forced out of the water sample with relative ease through purging. |
| quartz arenite | A sandstone consisting of at least 95% quartz. |
| candidate species | Plant or animal species designated by the Department of the Interior, U.S |
| alkalinity | The capacity of water for neutralizing an acid solution |
| bow echo | A radar echo signature often associated with severe thunderstorms, especially those that produce wind damage |
| soft hail | See Snow Pellet. |
| meander width | Amplitude of a fully developed meander measured from midstream to midstream. |
| flood plain | Level land that may be submerged by flood waters. |
| quantitative precipitation forecast | A forecast of rainfall, snowfall or liquid equivalent of snowfall. |
| advection | The horizontal transfer of any property in the atmosphere by the movement of air (wind) |
| probability distribution | The frequency distribution divided by the total number of occurrences (observations), provided that the latter tends to infinity. |
| trap | A device for sealing a passage against the escape of gases, especially a U-shaped or S-shaped bend in a drainpipe that prevents the return flow of sewer gas by means of a water barrier. |
| logged | Sodden, especially with water, i.e |
| dendritic | A drainage pattern in which tributaries branch irregularly in all directions from and at almost any angle to a larger stream |
| biomonitoring | The use of living organisms to test the suitability of an effluent for discharge into receiving waters or to test the quality of such receiving waters downstream from the discharge |
| main canal system | A canal that delivers water from a primary source of supply to several points of diversion or canal-side turnouts to smaller distribution systems. |
| parcel | A volume of air small enough to contain uniform distribution of its meteorological properties and large enough to remain relatively self-contained and respond to all meteorological processes. |
| sérac | A jagged pinnacle or tower of glacier ice located on the surface of a glacier, formed as a glacier flows down an icefall or by the intersection of crevasses |
| water cushion | A pool of water maintained to absorb the impact of water flowing from an overfall structure. |
| santa ana winds | The hot, dry winds, generally from the east, that funnel through the Santa Ana river valley south of the San Gabriel and San Bernadino Mountains in southern California, including the Los Angeles basin |
| sludge bulking | A common problem encountered in the operation of activated sludge plants in which a portion of the sludge does not settle properly and is carried out with the effluent. |
| flora | plant population of a region. |
| afforestation | The artificial establishment of forest crops by planting or sowing on land that has not previously, or recently, grown trees. |
| emersed | (Botany) Rising above the surface of water as emersed aquatic plants. |
| hydrograph | a graph which combines a bar chart of precipitation in a particular event with a line graph of discharge for a particular river channel in the catchment area of that event and thus the reaction of the channel to the precipitation. |
| strip mining | The process of removing mineral deposits that are found close enough to the surface so that the construction of tunnels (underground mining) is not necessary |
| trade winds | Two belts of prevailing winds that blow easterly from the subtropical high pressure centers towards the equatorial trough |
| gobbet | A small amount of liquid; a drop. |
| cites | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna -an international agreement designed to limit the harmful impacts of removal of plants and animals from their natural habitats, especially those whose population numbers decline to critical levels |
| syncline | A trough-shaped fold with youngest strata in the center. |
| holding pond | a small basin or pond designed to hold sediment laden or contaminated water until it can be treated to meet water quality standards or be used in some other way. |
| ozonator | A device that applies Ozone to water for disinfection or for taste and odor control. |
| electron capture | Nuclear decay in which a proton in the nucleus acquires an electron from the outer cloud of the atom's electrons |
| amphibian | Group of vertebrate animals that can inhabit both terrestrial and aquatic habitats |
| ash | Volcanic fragments the size of dust particles. |
| feedback | in a system, an output which causes changes to that system inputs |
| gpp | see gross primary productivity. |
| loam | A soil consisting of a friable mixture of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand. |
| intrinsic permeability | Pertaining to the relative ease with which a porous medium can transmit a liquid under a hydraulic or potential gradient |
| rain shadow | Also referred to as a precipitation shadow, it is the region on the lee side of a mountain or similar barrier where the precipitation is less than on the windward side |
| corrie glacier | the glacier found in a corrie which has been responsible for its formation. |
| phyto-remediation | The use of plants to cleanse polluted and contaminated soils |
| petroleum ether | (also called Petrolether or ligroin) is a mixture of different hydrocarbons |
| aphelion | It is the point in the Earth's orbit when it is farthest from the Sun (152.5 million kilometers) |
| alpha index | a measure of connectivity in a network |
| tide pool | Habitat in the rocky intertidal zone that retains some water at low tide. |
| national audubon society | An American environmental interest group founded in 1905 that emphasizes natural resource and wildlife conservation and protection |
| melting | An endothermic physical process in which solid ice changes into liquid water (0° C at 1 atm) |
| rockfill dam | An Embankment Dam in which more than 50 percent of the total volume comprises compacted or dumped pervious natural or crushed rock |
| hovercraft | A vehicle that is supported above the surface of land or water by a cushion of air produced by downwardly directed fans. |
| watercraft | (Nautical) A boat or ship; water vehicles considered as a group. |
| water wheel | (1) A device such as a turbine or similar engine to transform the energy of flowing water into mechanical power |
| blanch | To scald or parboil in water or steam in order to remove the skin from, whiten, or stop enzymatic action in (as food for freezing). |
| canopy closure | The degree of canopy cover relative to openings (Forestry Canada 1992) |
| imhoff cone | a clear, cone-shaped container used to measure the volume of settleable solids in a specific volume of water. |
| total toxicity | Toxicity as determined by exposing aquatic organisms to samples or dilutions of instream water or treated effluent. |
| horst | An elongated block of high topographic relief that is bounded on two sides by steep normal faults |
| retailing | sale of goods and services to the public. |
| mesophyte | A plant that grows under medium or usual conditions of atmospheric moisture supply, as distinguished from one which grows under dry or desert conditions (Xerophyte) or very wet conditions (Hydrophyte). |
| absorption | The process in which incident radiant energy is retained by a substance |
| icing | Masses or sheets of ice formed on the frozen surface of a river or floodplain |
| geodesy | the science of measuring the surface of the earth. |
| age | An approximation of the time between the water's penetration of the land surface at one location and its later presence at another location. |
| synoptic chart | a weather chart reflecting the state of the atmosphere over a large area at a given moment. |
| septum/septa | Dividing lines between chambers or compartments (such as nasal sinus) |
| discrete variable | a variable which can only be measured in whole, individual units if it is to have any real meaning e.g numbers of people. |
| mesolow | A small scale low pressure center, ranging from the size of an individual thunderstorm to many tens of miles. |
| crater | the depression found at the summit of a volcanic cone. |
| connate water | Water that was trapped in the interstices of a sedimentary or extrusive igneous rock at the time of its deposition |
| aneroid barometer | an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure; it is constructed on the following principles: an aneroid capsule (vidie capsule, which is a thin, disk-shaped box or capsule, usually metallic) is partially evacuated of gas, and is restrained from collapsing by an external or internal spring; the deflection of the spring will be nearly proportional to the difference between the internal and external pressures; magnification of the spring deflection is obtained both by connecting capsules in series and by mechanical linkages. |
| biota | Collectively, the plants, microorganisms, and animals of a certain area or region. |
| acid rain | Rainfall with a pH of less than 7.0 |
| ice crystals | Ice crystals are hexagonal in internal structure |
| retention time | The interval of time that some waste, fluid or other material is in a treatment facility or process unit. |
| pressure gradient | The change in pressure with distance, from lower to higher pressure, or vice versa. |
| old age | A stage in the development of a landscape when streams have a low gradient and meander back and forth across broad floodplains |
| detection criterion | A predetermined rule to ascertain whether a tank is leaking or not |
| metallorganic | a compound that possesses carbon but no direct M-C bond i.e |
| transhipment | the transfer of cargo between ships or between two different modes of transport. |
| paleozoic | The era of geologic time from the end of the Precambrian (600 million years ago) to the beginning of the Mesozoic era (225 million years ago). |
| plan position indicator | Also known as a PPI Scope, it is a radar indicator scope displaying range and azimuth of targets in polar coordinates. |
| food chain | the transfer/flow of energy through an ecosystem |
| crystalline texture | The rock texture resulting from simultaneous growth of crystals. |
| discontinuity | A sudden or rapid change in physical properties of rocks within the earth |
| supernatant | (1) Floating on the surface |
| arête | A knife-edged rock divide between two glacial cirques. |
| ground water | Water below the earth's surface |
| juvenile water | water that originated within the earth and was brought to the surface by intrusive vulcanism. |
| camel | A device used to raise sunken objects, consisting of a hollow structure that is submerged, attached tightly to the object, and pumped free of water |
| chalk | A variety of limestone composed of shells of microscopic oceanic organisms. |
| crypto oocyst | The hard shell in which the parasite, Cryptosporidium parvum, resides |
| salinity intrusion | The movement of salt water into a body of fresh water |
| back swamp | Marshy area of a flood plain at some distance from and lower than the banks of a river confined by natural levees. |
| dehydrate | (1) To remove bound water or hydrogen and oxygen from (a chemical compound) in the proportion in which they form water |
| bottom land hardwoods | Forested freshwater Wetlands adjacent to rivers in the southeastern United States, especially valuable for wildlife breeding, nesting, and habitat. |
| waterflood | The process of waterflooding an oil well; to pump water into the ground around an oil well nearing depletion in order to loosen and force out additional oil. |
| peridotite | A dark-colored igneous rock of coarse-grained texture, composed of olivine, pyroxene, and some other ferromagnesian minerals, but with essentially no feldspar and no quartz. |
| polymetamorphism | A series of events in which two or more metamorphic episodes have left their imprint on the same rocks. |
| central business district | a centrally-located (in space and/or time) zone of an urban area, containing the principal commercial, professional, retail and governmental functions. |
| heat transfer agent | A liquid or gas that functions in a Heat Exchanger to facilitate the movement of heat from one location to another |
| multiple-purpose reservoir | A reservoir planned and constructed to provide water for more than one purpose, e.g., irrigation, recreation, and flood control |
| acre-foot | The volume of water needed to flood one acre of land to a depth of one foot |
| advance | An increase in the length of a glacier compared to a previous point in time |
| souse | (1) To plunge into a liquid |
| sand | Sedimentary material composed of fragments ranging in diameter from 0.0625 to 2 mm |
| magnetic polarity | The direction, north (normal) or south (reversed), that a magnetic compass needle points. |
| ice contact deposit | The multiple types of accumulated stratified sediment left behind when meltwater flows over, within, and at the base of a motionless, melting terminus |
| macroinvertebrates | Invertebrates with a body greater than 1 mm that is, that can be seen with the naked eye. |
| industrial waste | Unwanted materials from an industrial operation; may be liquid, sludge, or hazardous waste. |
| settling velocity | The rate at which suspended solid material subsides and is deposited. |
| immerse | To plunge, drop, or dip into or as if into a liquid, especially so as to cover completely. |
| purge | to force a gas through a water sample to liberate volatile chemicals or other gases from the water so their level can be measured. |
| overdraft | pumping water from a groundwater basin or aquifer in excess of the supply flowing into the basin; results in a depletion or "mining" of the groundwater in the basin. |
| detectable leak rate | The smallest leak (from a storage tank), expressed in terms of gallons or liters per hour, that a test can reliably discern with a certain probability of detection or false alarm. |
| resource | anything that we use for survival in the first place and wealth generation in the second |
| flow line | a mapping technique using a line to show volume of a movement along a route |
| cooling water required | The amount of water needed to pass through the condensing unit in order to condense the steam to water. |
| magnetic polarity time scale | A chronology based on the shifting polarity of the Earth's magnetic field. |
| wastewater treatment plant | A water effluent treatment facility containing a series of tanks, screens, filters and other mechanical, biological, and chemical processes by which pollutants are removed from water |
| operational spill | (1) A loss or waste of water in an irrigation system caused by operation of the system |
| dilution | The reduction of the concentration of a substance in air or water. |
| slate | A fine-grained metamorphic rock with a characteristic type of foliation (slaty cleavage), resulting from the parallel arrangement of microscopic platy minerals, such as mica and chlorite. |
| tropical air mass | An air mass that forms in the tropics or subtropics over the low latitudes |
| adaptive radiation | The evolution of a number of new species from one or a few ancestor species over many thousands or millions of years |
| bourne | a seasonal river which flows in normally dry valleys during wetter periods of the year. |
| lake missoula | lake in montana, caused huge jokulhlaup |
| gasification | The process of combining coal with air (or pure oxygen) and steam to yield a gaseous product suitable for use either as a direct source of energy or as a raw material used in the synthesis of chemicals, liquid fuels, or other gaseous fuels. |
| cyanazine | A herbicide listed by the U.S |
| detergent | synthetic washing agent that helps remove dirt and oil |
| deep-sea trench | see ocean trench. |
| nmr spectroscopy | is a spectroscopic technique to identify functional groups and structure of a compound |
| combined available chlorine | Concentration of chlorine which is combined with ammonia as chloramine or as other chloro-derivatives yet is still available to oxidize organic matter. |
| asc | Atmospheric Sciences Center (DRI). |
| fishway | a structure designed to enable fish to move over a physical barrier (dam or weir) in a waterway. |
| salr | see saturated adiabatic lapse rate. |
| losing stream | A stream or reach of a stream that is losing water by seepage into the ground |
| bergschrund | a large crevasse at the upper portion of a corrie glacier, close to the back-wall. |
| less developed | see economically less developed countries. |
| fan | A fan-shaped deposit of sediment |
| base level | The lower limit of erosion by a stream |
| glacial polish | The abrasion of bedrock surfaces by materials carried on the bottom of a glacier |
| lunette | A broad, low-lying, typically crescent-shaped mound of sandy or loamy matter that is formed by the wind, especially along the leeward side of a lake basin. |
| ion exchange treatment | A common water-softening technique often found on a large scale at water purification plants that remove some organics and radium by adding calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide to increase the pH to a level where the metals will precipitate out. |
| resources | That which is, or may be, readily available as a source of supply or support |
| holding time | (Water Quality) The time allowed between removal of samples from water sources for bacteriological analysis and the processing of those samples. |
| mixed economy | the most common form of national economic organization, somewhere between a command economy and a market economy |
| perfection | The process of meeting terms and conditions of a water right permitting process which results in a Perfected Water Right. |
| cliff | Steep, vertical or overhanging rock faces |
| advanced wastewater treatment | Any process which reduces the level of impurities in a wastewater below that attainable through conventional secondary or biological treatment |
| abandonment | Failure to put a water right to Beneficial Use for generally five or more years, in which the owner of the water right states that the water right will not be used, or takes such actions that would prevent the water from being beneficially used |
| calorie | The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1° Celsius. |
| census | the collection of data about a population |
| meander loop | Individual loop of a meandering or sinuous stream lying between inflection points with adjoining loops. |
| salinisation | the accumulation of salts in the soil to a level that causes degradation of the soil. |
| atmosphere | layer of gases surrounding earth and held there by gravity |
| anaerobic | also refers to metabolic activities, glycolysis, in the absence of oxygen which occurs in some microorganisms. |
| intermediate-focus earthquake | An earthquake with a focus located at a depth between 70 and 300 km. |
| intrusive | Where a fluid (e.g., magma) has penetrated into or between other rocks, but has solidified before reaching the surface. |
| temperature gradient | The rate of change of temperature with increase in height or decrease in depth. |
| clam-flat | (New England) A level stretch of soft tidal mud where clams burrow. |
| isobath | An imaginary line on the earth's surface or a line on a map connecting all points which are the same vertical distance above the upper or lower surface of a water-bearing formation or aquifer. |
| stilling well | a tube of wide diameter sunk into a river bank which thus allows an accurate and constant measurement of the still water surface level of the river itself. |
| snowmelt rate | The rate of conversion of ice into water within a snowpack. |
| season | A period of time characterized by some distinguishable occurrence or feature, such as growing season, harvest season, winter season, dry season, etc |
| anomalous propagation | This refers to the non-standard propagation of a beam of energy, radio or radar, under certain atmospheric conditions, appearing as false (non-precipitation) echoes |
| aqualung | Equipment used by a person to breath underwater. |
| eutrophication | The natural process by which lakes and ponds become enriched with dissolved nutrients, resulting in increased growth of algae and other microscopic plants. |
| surface detention | That part of the rain which remains on the ground surface during rain and either runs off or infiltrates after the rain ends; surface detention does not include Depression Storage. |
| glacial ice | Consolidated, relatively impermeable ice crystal aggregates with a density greater than 0.84. |
| ground water outflow | That part of the discharge from a drainage basin that occurs through the ground water |
| meniscus | The curved surface of the liquid at the open end of a capillary column. |
| typhoon | A tropical Cyclone occurring in the region of the Philippines or China Sea. |
| stability | The ability of an instrument or sensor to maintain a consistent output when a constant input is applied over time |
| transpiration | the loss of water from plants through the stomata in the leaves. |
| effective precipitation | the part of precipitation which produces runoff; a weighted average of current and antecedent precipitation "effective" in correlating with runoff |
| capillary action | (1) The action by which water is drawn around soil particles because there is a stronger attraction between the soil particles and the water molecules themselves |
| isallobar | The line of equal change in atmospheric pressure during a certain time period |
| wdc | World Data Center |
| dewater | remove or separate a portion of the water in a sludge or slurry to dry the sludge so it can be handled and disposed; remove or drain the water from a tank, trench, or aquifer. |
| comparative advantage | the idea that areas tend to be more efficient in certain economic activities than others and so should specialise in them in order to maximize their quality of life through trade. |
| ozone hole | A large area over Antarctica recently discovered to have a seasonal drop in stratospheric ozone concentration of as much as 50 percent |
| tailwater | Surface water having fallen as rain or flowing through a field as irrigation collected through a series of ditches, pipes and pumping mechanisms for return to a reservoir or other holding structure |
| carp | A fresh water fish that sometimes lives in schools in lakes |
| dropstone | a rock that was carried elsewhere by a glacier or iceberg and deposited when the ice melts, the rock sinks to the bottom of the body of water and becomes part of a sedimentary rock |
| leaf area index | The area of one side of leaves per unit area of soil surface. |
| check gate | A gate located at a check structure used to control flow. |
| roches moutonnée ** | An Alpine term for a rock knob with one smooth side and one steep side, produced by glacial plucking |
| set-aside | the policy within the EU, begun in the late 1980s, in which farmers are paid for keeping land out of production |
| drainage well | (Irrigation) A vertical opening to a permeable substation into which surface and subsurface water is channeled |
| lateral | (1) A branch canal or pipeline that diverges from the main canal or other branches |
| physiographic province | an area with similar characteristics based on geology, soil type, and topography. |
| ambient bed elevation | Initial (unscoured) bed elevation. |
| specific humidity | The ratio of the density of the water vapor to the density of the air, a mix of dry air and water vapor |
| skin diving | The sport of swimming under water with a face mask and flippers and especially without a portable breathing device. |
| physical weathering | (also mechanical weathering) a process of weathering which results in smaller pieces of the same rock material being produced. |
| endoreic | A term used to describe areas with terminal lakes and an interior drainage basin |
| acid | (1) Corrosive substances with pH of less than 7.0; acidity is caused by high concentrations of hydrogen ions |
| dry-hole contribution | A payment made to the owner of an unsuccessful well in exchange for a log of the well and evaluation data. |
| hot spring | A natural spring that delivers water to the surface that is of higher temperature than the human body. |
| large water system | A water system that services more than 50,000 customers. |
| cuesta | An elongate ridge formed on the tilted and eroded edges of gently dipping strata. |
| salination | The process whereby soluble salts accumulate in the soil. |
| hydraulic barrier | Modifications to a ground-water flow system that restrict or impede movement of water and contaminants |
| nebraskan | North American glaciation related to European Gunz glaciation. |
| allogenic | when an external environmental factor causes a process to occur. |
| infiltration | the penetration of water through the ground surface into sub-surface soil or the penetration of water from the soil into sewer or other pipes through defective joints, connections, or manhole walls. |
| dredging | A method for deepening streams, swamps, or other waters by scraping and removing solid materials from the bottom |
| symmetrical fold | A fold in which the two limbs are essentially mirror images of each other. |
| deep-marine environment | The sedimentary environment of the abyssal plains. |
| sludge | solid matter that settles to the bottom of sedimentation tanks in a sewage treatment plant and must be disposed of by digestion or other methods or recycled to the land. |
| wind power | the generation of electricity by turbines which are turned by wind. |
| soda ash | (Water Quality) Also known as Sodium Carbonate, typically of chemical symbol Na2CO3, a salt of strong alkaline taste used in making glass, soap, paper, chemical reagents and to remove non-carbonate hardness from water. |
| quenching | a reaction is terminating by deactivating reactive intermediates |
| free ground water | water in interconnected pore spaces in the zone of saturation down to the first impervious barrier, moving under the control of the water table slope. |
| nautical mile | A unit of length used in sea and air navigation, based on the length of one minute of arc of a great circle, especially an international and U.S |
| runoff cycle | That portion of the Hydrologic Cycle between incident precipitation over land areas and its subsequent discharge through stream channels or Evapotranspiration. |
| bioclimatic zones | Also referred to as Biomes, these constitute the earth's ten zones differentiated by climate, soil, water, and plant and animal life |
| annulus | For a well, the space between the pipe and the outer wall (casing) of the borehole, which may be a pipe also (the well casing). |
| calibration bath | A uniform temperature enclosure using carefully stirred fluid to provide excellent thermal contact and uniformity for temperature calibration. |
| staff gage | A graduated scale used to indicate the height of the water surface in a stream channel, reservoir, lake, or other water body. |
| holding tank | A prefabricated structure of concrete or steel or like materials constructed to store liquid manure from animals. |
| fluorine | A pale-yellow, highly corrosive, poisonous, gaseous halogen element, the most electronegative and most reactive of all the elements, used in a wide variety of industrially important compounds |
| oil skimmer | A device that collects and removes oil from a water surface |
| water-cooled reactor | A nuclear reactor that employs water to cool the reactor core |
| crater | An abrupt circular depression formed by extrusion of volcanic material, by collapse, or by the impact of a meteorite. |
| lead | (Statistics) The difference in time units of a series value and a subsequent series value |
| contraction | Effect of channel or bridge constriction on flow streamlines. |
| differentiated planet | A planet that has layers composed of elements and minerals of different densities |
| artesian zone | A zone where water is confined in an aquifer under pressure so that the water will rise in the well casing or drilled hole above the bottom of the confining layer overlying the aquifer. |
| plate | A broad segment of the lithosphere (including the rigid upper mantle, plus oceanic and continental crust) that floats on the underlying asthenosphere and moves independently of other plates. |
| half-life | The time required for one half of a radioactive substance to decay into its daughter material. |
| volcanic neck | A vertical intrusion with the geometry of a volcanic pipe |
| volcanic bomb | A hard fragment of lava that was liquid or plastic at the time of ejection and acquired its form and surface markings during flight through the air |
| snow roller | The product of moist, cohesive snow that when initiated by wind rolls across the landscape, gathering snow until it can no longer move |
| bathyscaphe | A free-diving, self-contained deep-sea research vessel consisting essentially of a large flotation hull with a crewed observation capsule fixed to its underside, capable of reaching depths of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) or more. |
| seismic ray | The path along which a seismic wave travels |
| brine | highly salty and heavily mineralized water containing heavy metal and organic contaminants. |
| butt | A large cask especially for wine, beer, or water. |
| low-lying | Lying close to water or ground level as low-lying coastal areas. |
| altostratus | a principal middle level cloud type (cloud genus) in the form of a grayish (gray) or bluish cloud sheet or layer of striated, fibrous, or uniform appearance, totally or partly covering the sky; the layer has parts thin enough to reveal the position of the sun; halo phenomena do not usually occur. |
| xerophyte | Plant that have adaptations to survive prolonged periods of soil drought. |
| water dedications | A controversial water rights policy that involves a trade-off in which a user can begin pumping groundwater in exchange for a guarantee to buy and retire a like amount of surface water in the future |
| transitional storage reserve | The quantity of water in storage in a particular groundwater aquifer that is extracted during the transition period between natural equilibrium conditions and new equilibrium conditions with groundwater pumped at perennial yield levels. |
| hydraulic model | a computer model of a segment of river used to evaluate hydraulic conditions |
| waste treatment lagoon | An impoundment made by excavation or earth fill for biological treatment of wastewater |
| cross section | Section normal to the trend of a channel or flow. |
| sustained overdraft | long term withdrawal from the aquifer of more water than is being recharged. |
| terminus | The lower-most margin, end, or extremity of a glacier |
| groundwater discharge | the reemergence of groundwater to the surface at springs or resurgences, or by seepage. |
| contour flooding | Irrigation method resulting in flooding fields from Contour Ditches. |
| amino acid | Organic nitrogen containing acids which are used to construct proteins. |
| tragedy of the commons | the idea that no one takes responsibility for things that everybody owns. |
| adiabatic process | A change involving no gain or loss of heat. |
| flowage | (1) The act of flowing or overflowing |
| seasonal adjustment factors | (Data Analysis) Mathematical indexes used to adjust for the intra-year normal seasonal fluctuations in time-series data |
| ground moraine | A gently rolling ground surface underlain by till deposited beneath a glacier and usually bordered by terminal moraines. |
| grass/forb | An early forest successional stage where grasses and forbs are the dominant vegetation. |
| siltstone | A clastic sedimentary rock that forms from silt-size (between 1/256 and 1/16 millimeter diameter) weathering debris |
| subcritical flow | flow characterized by low velocity and a Froude number less than 1 |
| temperature range | the difference between maximum and minimum temperature |
| aquarium | (1) A tank, bowl, or other water-filled enclosure in which living fish or other aquatic animals and plants are kept |
| fine sediment load | That part of the total sediment load that is composed of particle sizes finer than those represented in the bed (wash load) |
| detention time | the time required for a volume of water to pass through a tank at a given rate of flow; in storage reservoirs, the length of time water will be held before being used. |
| ceaza | Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Aridas |
| tidal flat | the surface exposed only at low tide. |
| asthenosphere | layer of rock in the mantle approximately 80km deep and at a temperature of 1400°C |
| condense | (1) To cause a gas or vapor to change to a liquid |
| dry bulb thermometer | A thermometer used to measure the ambient temperature |
| extended aeration | (Water Quality) A modification of the activated sludge process which maintains a longer period of aeration, thus providing for sludge digestion within the aeration tank. |
| final clarifier | (Water Quality) A gravitational settling tank installed as part of some wastewater treatment plants and placed after the biological treatment step |
| rainfall duration | The period of time during which rainfall occurs, exceeds a given intensity, or maintains a given intensity. |
| unit cell | The smallest sample of a substance that has a complete representation of its atomic structure |
| hot spring | A spring that brings hot water to the surface |
| geyser | A hot spring that intermittently erupts a spray of steam and hot water |
| ecotourism | maintenance of very small-scale, low density tourist developments, usually in locations where the environment is particularly fragile or sensitive to human activity, so that degradation does not occur in those areas. |
| wade | To walk in or through water or something else that similarly impedes normal movement. |
| wasteload allocation | A system designed to limit the total discharge of pollutant materials into a receiving body of water |
| gallons per minute | A unit expressing rate of discharge, used in measuring well capacity |
| critical slope | That slope that will sustain a given discharge at uniform, Critical Depth in a given channel. |
| dropsonde | A radiosonde dropped with a parachute from an aircraft rather than lifted by a balloon to measure the atmosphere below. |
| stratopause | The boundary zone or transition layer between the stratosphere and the mesosphere |
| class a pan | The U.S |
| aquatic life use | a beneficial use designation in which the water body provides suitable habitat for survival and reproduction of desirable fish, shellfish, and other aquatic organisms. |
| frazil ice | fine spicules or plates of ice in suspension in water. |
| dew | condensation of water directly onto ground surfaces such as leaves or car windscreens |
| defrost | (1) To remove ice or frost from |
| dust bowl | in the USA, the area of degradation of the agricultural land of the High Plains region in the 1930s when overexploitation of the land exposed the area to a higher impact when drought arrived |
| particulate phosphate | That portion of the total amount of phosphate (PO4-3) suspended in water that is attached to particles and will not pass through a filter |
| linear | (Statistics) Indicating a constant (straight-line) relationship between two Variables |
| wellhead protection area | The surface and subsurface area surrounding a water well or well field, supplying a public water system, through which contaminants are reasonably likely to move toward and reach such water well or well field. |
| catchment area | The area draining into a river, reservoir, or other body of water. |
| phaneritic | A textural term meaning "coarse-grained" that applies to igneous rocks. |
| sinking | controlling oil spills by using an agent to trap the oil and sink it to the bottom of the body of water where the agent and the oil are biodegraded. |
| basin | (1) A geographic area drained by a single major stream; consists of a drainage system comprised of streams and often natural or man-made lakes |
| cyclone | extremely low pressure system |
| project yield | The water supply attributed to all features of a project, including integrated operation of units that could be operated individually |
| operational concept | Mode of operating a canal with respect to location of priorities; usually supply oriented (upstream concept) or demand oriented (downstream concept). |
| critical flow | (1) The flow conditions at which the discharge is a maximum for a given specific energy, or at which the specific energy is a minimum for a given discharge |
| intermittent stream | A stream that carries water only part of the time, generally in response to periods of heavy runoff either from snowmelt or storms |
| discharge point | A location at which effluent is released into a receiving stream or body of water. |
| diurnal | Pertaining to actions or events that occur during a twenty-four hour cycle or recurs every twenty-four hours |
| anomaly | A deviation from the norm or average. |
| palustrine | Pertaining to a Marsh or Wetlands; wet or marsh habitats. |
| glacieret and snowfield | Small ice masses of indefinite shape in hollows, river beds, or on protected slopes that have developed from snow drift, avalanches, and/or particularly heavy accumulation in certain years |
| acre-inch | The volume of water or solids that will cover one acre to a depth of one inch, equivalent to 3,630 cubic feet or 102.7 cubic meters. |
| once-through cooling water | Water (fresh or saline) that is withdrawn from a river, stream or other water body (man-made or natural), or a well, that is passed through a steam condenser one time, and then returned to the stream or water body some distance from the intake |
| continental shelf | The submerged margin of a continental mass extending from the shore to the first prominent break in slope, which usually occurs at a depth of about 120 m. |
| anticline | A fold in rock layers that forms an arch. |
| quart | A measure of capacity in both liquid and dry measure equal to two pints |
| meander bend | a windings or sinuous section of a stream channel |
| accumulation | Surface addition of snow to a glacier or snowfield. |
| orogeny | period of mountain-building. |
| alluvium | Clay, silt, sand, gravel, or similar soil material deposited in a common location by running water |
| stilling well | A device used to allow monitoring of water levels in turbulent flow. |
| rhyolite | A fine-grained volcanic rock composed of quartz, K-feldspar, and plagioclase |
| fossil fuel | A carbon-rich rock material or fluid, of organic origin that can be produced and burned as a fuel |
| water of crystallization | Water in chemical combination with a crystal, necessary for the maintenance of crystalline properties but capable of being removed by sufficient heat. |
| flint | A popular name for darkcolored chert (cryptocrystalline quartz). |
| sedimentary rock | any rock formed from sediments under pressure from other overlying sediments. |
| magnetic pole | either of the two points on the earth's surface at which magnetic meridians converge; the horizontal component of the magnetic field of the earth becomes zero at this point; also called the dip pole. |
| seal | (Hydraulics) The watertight seal established in the annular space between the outermost water well casing and the drill hole to prevent the inflow and movement of surface water or shallow ground water, or to prevent the outflow or movement of water under artesian pressures |
| barchan | A crescent-shaped sand dune with horns pointing downwind. |
| fallow | (1) Allowing cropland, either tilled or untilled, to lie idle during the whole or greater portion of the growing season |
| detour index | a measure of connectivity in a network which compares actual distance between vertices with the straight line distance. |
| urban regeneration | the improvement of urban areas which have been in decline. |
| lead service line | A service line made of lead which connects the water to the building inlet and any lead fitting connected to it. |
| cbd | see central business district |
| organelles | in eukaryotic cells that carry out photosynthesis, where the chlorophyll pigments and related enzymes are located, specialized structures that carry out photosynthesis in plants and algae. |
| burn | (Chiefly Scottish) (1) A brook; a rivulet |
| olgives | stripes of dark and white in a glacier that represent each summer and winter |
| mudflow | A type of mass movement composed mainly of clay-size materials with a high enough water content that it flows readily.. |
| world health organisation | an office of the UN which overseas international efforts to improve general health conditions and to address international threats such as pandemics |
| gumbo | A fine, silty soil, common in the southern and western United States, that forms an unusually sticky mud when wet. |
| mean annual flood | over a series of years, the mean average of the maximum flood discharges experienced in a particular river |
| seal | the impermeable material, such as cement grout bentonite, or puddling clay placed in the annular space between the borehole wall and the casing of a water well to prevent the downhole movement of surface water or the vertical mixing of artestian waters. |
| township line | In the generally recognized U.S |
| usace | U.S |
| sea stack | A small, pillar-shaped, rocky island formed by wave erosion through a headland near a sea cliff. |
| carbon dioxide | an atmospheric gas which has in modern times made up approximately 0.03% of the atmosphere by volume |
| miscellaneous | Any type not listed below. |
| oceans | The oceans of the world include the North and South Atlantic Oceans, the North and South Pacific Oceans, the Arctic Ocean, the Antarctic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean |
| inversion | An atmospheric condition where a lower layer of cool air is trapped below an upper layer of warm air |
| stable canal system | A canal system in which flow disturbances are attenuated. |
| normal fault | A fault with vertical movement and an inclined fault plane |
| short wave | A progressive wave of smaller amplitude, wave length, and duration than a long wave |
| nitrogen-fixing plants | Plants that can assimilate and fix the free nitrogen of the atmosphere with the aid of bacteria living in the root nodules |
| channel efficiency | the ability of the channel to conserve energy that may otherwise be lost to friction |
| suspended-sediment discharge | The quantity of suspended sediment passing a transect in a unit of time |
| a-horizon | The uppermost zone in the Soil Profile, from which soluble Salts and Colloids are leached, and in which organic matter has accumulated |
| catalyst | A substance that alters the speed of a reaction, but does not change the form or amount of product |
| waterstop | A strip of metal, rubber, or other material used to prevent leakage through joints between adjacent sections of concrete. |
| towering cumulus | Another name for cumulus congestus, it is a rapidly growing cumulus or an individual dome-shaped clouds whose height exceeds its width |
| supersaturated | is a solution that contains more than the maximum amount of solute at a given temperature |
| old | (1) (Geology) Having become slower in flow and less vigorous in action |
| strata | (Geology) Distinct horizontal layers in geological deposits |
| magnitude | A measure of earthquake strength based upon the amount of ground motion experienced and corrected for the distance between the observation point and the epicenter |
| rainfall frequency | The frequency, usually expressed in years, at which a given rainfall intensity and duration can be expected to be equaled or exceeded. |
| stabilization | (Environmental) A broad expression used to denote a process that is intended to lessen the damage that a pollutant or discharge causes in the environment; the process of changing an active substance into inert, harmless material, or physical activities at a site that act to limit the further spread of contamination without actual reduction of toxicity |
| el nino | a periodic reversal in the usual pressure, wind and precipitation patterns of the tropical Pacific region which can have severe implications for human activity |
| aerosol | A suspension of liquid or solid particles in air or gas. |
| land sky | the relatively dark appearance of the underside of a cloud layer when it is over land that is not snow covered; this term is used largely in polar regions with reference to the sky map; land sky is brighter than water sky, but is much darker than ice blink or snow blink. |
| pressure filtration | (Water Quality) A process by which liquid is removed from a sludge by using external pressure to force it through a filter. |
| well drillers | Individuals who have the equipment an ability to drill or dig wells |
| hogback ridge | Any ridge with a sharp summit and steep slopes of nearly equal inclination on both flanks, and resembling in outline the back of a hog. |
| calcium carbonate | CACO3 - a white precipitate that forms in water lines, water heaters and boilers in hard water areas; also known as scale. |
| mesosphere | The division of the Atmosphere above the Stratosphere |
| halcyon days | With respect to water, generally refers to idyllic by-gone days when supplies of an area's fresh water were relatively abundant with respect to the demands of man. |
| basal slipping | during summer time in warmer glacial areas, limited melting lubricates the base of the glacier allowing it to move more freely |
| half-life | The time required for half of a given sample of a radioactive isotope to decay to its daughter isotope. |
| equipotential surface | A surface (or line) in a three-dimensional ground-water flow field such that the total hydraulic head is the same everywhere on the surface. |
| drain field | A network of buried piping or tubing where the fluid is discharged to the ground through seepage |
| retrograde metamorphism | Mineral changes within a rock that are caused by adjustments to conditions of reduced temperature and pressure. |
| thin section | A slice of rock mounted on a glass slide and ground to a thickness of about 0.03 mm. |
| runoff | Water that flows over the land surface. |
| precambrian | a span of geologic time lasting from 4600m to 570m years ago. |
| forest management | the strict control of forest areas either to maintain them in a particular form (usually as forest parks for recreation and leisure) or for the purpose of farming the trees in a sustainable manner. |
| coal | A brown or black sedimentary rock that forms from accumulated plant debris |
| wastewater operations and maintenance | Actions taken after the construction of a Wastewater Treatment Plant to assure that the facilities will be operated, maintained, and managed to reach prescribed effluent levels in an optimum manner. |
| forminifera | a protozoan, microscopic shellfish which proliferates in warm marine environments and whose sedimentation leads eventually to the formation of chalk. |
| moisture content | the amount of water lost from soil upon drying to a constant weight, expressed as the weight per unit of dry soil or as the volume of water per unit bulk volume of the soil. |
| capillary action | The action by which a fluid (such as water) is drawn up into small openings (such as pore spaces in rocks) due to surface tension. |
| discontinuity | Comparatively large contrast in meteorological elements over a relatively small distance or period of time |
| vector | the unaffected carrier of a disease. |
| pangaea | the name that Wegener gave to his proposed single supercontinent in his theory of continental drift. |
| ground water disposal | Refers to wastewater that is disposed of through the ground either by injection or seepage |
| suspension | Transport of sediment by wind or water currents that are strong enough to keep the sediment particles continuously above the stream bottom or ground |
| high water | (1) High tide |
| site | (Environmental) An area or place within the jurisdiction of the U.S |
| quartzite | (Geology) A hard Metamorphic Rock made up of interlocking quartz grains that have been cemented by silica. |
| hydro | The prefix denoting water or hydrogen. |
| la niٌa | opposite of El Niٌo. |
| geophysical log | A record of the structure and composition of the earth encountered when drilling a well or similar type of test or boring hole. |
| biological wastewater treatment | The use of bacteria to degrade and decompose organic materials in wastewater. |
| comprehensive plan | (Natural Resource) A plan for water and related land resources development, that does consider all economic and social factors and provides the greatest overall benefits to the region as a whole. |
| catalyst | is a compound that increases the rate of the reaction by lowering the activation energy for a chemical reaction, but does not change the yiel |
| levee system | A flood protection system which consists of a levee, or levees, and associated structures, such as closure and drainage devices, which are constructed and operated in accord with sound engineering practices. |
| auto-off | The ability of a device to turn itself off to conserve power after a specified period of time without any user inputs |
| arctic | Referring to the region of the earth between the North Pole and Arctic Circle. |
| denudation | The sum of the processes that result in the wearing away or the progressive lowering of theEarth's surface by weathering, erosion, mass wasting, and transportation. |
| ozone layer | A region of the upper atmosphere, between about 15 and 30 kilometers (10 and 20 miles) in altitude, containing a relatively high concentration of ozone that absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation in a wavelength range not screened by other atmospheric components |
| water vapor | Water in a gaseous state, especially when diffused as a vapor in the atmosphere and at a temperature below boiling point. |
| loess | in glacial environments there is a large amount of small, fine-grained material found in the outwash plain |
| deuterium oxide | An isotopic form of water with composition D2O, isolated for use as a moderator in certain nuclear reactors |
| anemorumbometer | a Russian anemometer combined with a vane to determine the wind direction. |
| ice | The solid form of water is called ice. |
| filter | A device used to remove solids from a mixture or to separate materials |
| duration curve | A graph representing the percentage of time during which the value of a given parameter (e.g., water level, discharge, etc.) is equaled or exceeded. |
| focus | A point beneath Earth's surface where the vibrations of an earthquake are thought to have originated |
| discharge | Rate of flow; the volume of water moving through a given cross section of a stream in a given unit of time. |
| geohydrology | a term which denotes the branch of hydrology relating to subsurface or subterranean waters; that is, to all waters below the surface. |
| settle | To cause to sink, become compact, or come to rest; to cause a liquid to become clear by forming a Sediment. |
| waterproof | (1) Impervious to or unaffected by water |
| cellulose | The fibrous part of plants used in making paper and textiles, which in turn may be made into building products. |
| prescriptive water rights | Water rights which are acquired by diverting water and putting it to use in accordance with specified procedures, e.g., filing a request with a state agency to use unused water in a stream, river, or lake. |
| steam stripping | The removal of volatile compounds from wastewater by forcing steam through the liquid |
| soft detergents | Cleaning agents that break down in nature. |
| bromide | A salt which naturally occurs in small quantities in sea water; a compound of bromine. |
| peninsula | An elongate body of land extending into a body of water. |
| water purification | See Purification (Water) and Purification Process (Water). |
| longshore current | A flow of water parallel to a coastline that is caused by waves striking the coast at an oblique angle. |
| boulder | a size-classification of rock pieces |
| wasteload allocation | term used in conjunction with the TMDL Program, a WLA is the portion of a receiving water's loading capacity that is allocated to one of its existing or future point sources of pollution |
| instream flow needs | Those habitat requirements within the running water Ecosystem related to current velocity and depth which present the optimum conditions of density (or diversity) or physiological stability to the aquatic organisms being examined at various life cycle stages. |
| in-situ stripping | treatment system that removes or strips volatile organic compounds from contaminated groundwater or surface water by forcing an air stream through the water and causing the compounds to evaporate. |
| irrigation efficiency | the percentage of water applied, and which can be accounted for, in the soil moisture increase for consumptive use. |
| available water holding capacity | The capacity of a soil to hold water in a form available to plants |
| fill | (Geology) Any sediment deposited by any agent such as water so as to fill or partly fill a channel, valley, sink, or other depression. |
| diastrophism | movements producing positional changes in the crust |
| isopleth | A line connecting equal points of value |
| imf | see International Monetary Fund. |
| fluvial | Pertaining to a river or rivers. |
| prior appropriation doctrine | The system for allocating water to private individuals used in most Western states |
| mineral | Any naturally occurring inorganic material with an orderly internal arrangement of atoms and specific physical and chemical properties. |
| saprophyte | An organism, especially a fungus or bacterium, that grows on and derives its nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter that help natural decomposition of organic matter in water. |
| irrigation season | the summer months including June, July, August and September, which are generally not during the legal waterfowl seasons |
| ghetto | an area, usually in slum condition, where an ethnic group is dominant. |
| endangered species | one having so few individual survivors that the species could soon become extinct in all or part of its region. |
| influent stream | A stream that contributes water to the Zone of Saturation and to Bank Storage |
| thermal pollution | Water quality is not defined by chemistry alone |
| natural resource | A material source of wealth, such as timber, fresh water, or a mineral deposit, that occurs in a natural state and has economic value |
| contents | The volume of water in a reservoir |
| developing | a term for a country or region that is enjoying ever increasing levels of economic development |
| rejuvenated stream | A stream that has had its erosive power renewed by uplift or by a lowering of the base level or by climatic changes. |
| bar chart | bars of equal width placed within perpendicular axes and used to represent varied amounts or frequencies through variations in length. |
| local flooding | Flood conditions which occur over a relatively limited area. |
| geosol | (Geography) A stratigraphic unit of distinctive material, laterally traceable. |
| hydrolysis | the decomposition of organic compounds by interaction with water. |
| split-mode | refers to the fact that only a small amount of the sample is actually introduced to the GC column |
| esker | A meandering, water-deposited, generally steep-sided sediment ridge that forms within a subglacial or englacial stream channel |
| melting | the changing of a solid into a liquid. |
| osmosis | The selective passage of liquids through a semipermeable membrane in a direction which tends to make concentrations of all substances on one side of the membrane equal to those on the other side |
| paleowind | An ancient wind, existing in the geologic past, the direction of which can be inferred from patterns of ancient ash falls, orientation of cross-bedding, and growth rates of colonial corals. |
| oil spill | An accidental or intentional discharge of oil which reaches bodies of water |
| placer | (Geology) (1) A glacial or alluvial deposit of heavy minerals such as gold or platinum concentrated in stream or beach gravels |
| primary seismic waves | The fastest set of earthquake vibrations - also known as P-waves |
| time-domain electromagnetics | (Geophysics) A high technology form of Dowsing (Dousing), or groundwater exploration, used to search for underground bodies of water (aquifers) |
| force mains | Pipes in which wastewater is transported under pressure; the system is used in some areas having small elevation changes with distance and therefore needing to augment the gravity flow. |
| occluded front | see occlusion. |
| rostow model of growth | after W.W |
| undertow | the current beneath the surface that sets seaward or along the beach when waves are breaking on the shore. |
| sea-level | average elevation of the surface of the oceans. |
| wetland mitigation bank | An arrangement whereby private developers buy credits of an acre or so each for the right to drain and build on Wetlands on their own property |
| benthic organisms | Those organisms living at or near the bottom of a body of water. |
| ozonation | (Water Quality) The use of Ozone gas (O3) as a disinfectant to reduce the microbial load and to kill dangerous pathogenic bacteria in water |
| salt | A chemical class of ionic compounds formed by the combination of an acid and a base |
| ephemeral stream | A stream that flows for a short interval of time after precipitation or snow melt in the immediate area |
| potentiometric surface | the surface to which water in an aquifer can rise by hydrostatic pressure |
| land subsidence | The sinking or settling of land to a lower level in response to various natural and man-caused factors, for example:[1] earth movements;[2] lowering of fluid pressure (or lowering of ground water level);[3] removal of underlying supporting materials by mining or solution of solids, either artificially or from natural causes;[4] compaction caused by wetting (Hydrocompaction);[5] oxidation of organic matter in soils; or[6] added load on the land surface.With respect to ground water, subsidence most frequently results from overdrafts of the underlying water table or aquifer and its inability to fully recharge, a process termed Aquifer Compaction |
| aerobic | life or processes that require, or are not destroyed by, the presence of oxygen. |
| high clouds | A term used to signify cirriform clouds that are composed of ice crystals and generally have bases above 20,000 feet |
| nunatak | A mountain peak or ridge that pokes through the surface of an Ice Field or a Glacier |
| subterranean water | Water below the surface of the ground |
| rain barrel | A barrel of, or for rain water, particularly a barrel placed so as to catch water dripping from eaves of a house or other buildings. |
| oxygen demand | The need for molecular oxygen (O2) to meet the needs of biological and chemical processes in water |
| land | The entire complex of surface and near surface attributes of the solid portions of the surface of the earth, which are significant to man |
| glaze | A smooth, clear coat of ice on older ice, rock or any other surface. |
| corrosive | A substance that deteriorates material, such as pipe, through electrochemical processes. |
| water pipe | (1) A pipe that is a conduit for water |
| flow hazard | Flow characteristics (discharge, stage, velocity, or duration) that are associated with a hydraulic problem or that can reasonably be considered of sufficient magnitude to cause a hydraulic problem or to test the effectiveness of a countermeasure. |
| liquor | (Water Quality) A liquid solution containing dissolved substances |
| river cliff | steep slope on the outer bend of a river where erosion allows for undercutting. |
| discharge area | (1) An area in which ground water is discharged to the land surface, surface water, or atmosphere |
| ground truth | (Data Analysis and Interpretation) Verification of aerial photointerpretation by observers on the ground. |
| mode | (Statistics) In a set of observations, the most frequently occurring value |
| regolith | A general term used in reference to unconsolidated rock, alluvium or soil material on top of the bedrock |
| miogeosyncline | A geosyncline situated near a continental margin and receiving well-sorted clastic and chemical sediments from the continent, not associated with volcanism. |
| mistral | the French term for a katabatic wind. |
| cormix | Cornell Mixing Zone Expert System. |
| permanent monument | Fixed monuments or reference markers placed away from the dam which allow movements in the horizontal and vertical Control Points on the dam to be observed by using accurate survey procedures. |
| bay | a curved indent to the coastline, usually created by greater erosion rates than neighbouring parts of the coast |
| drainage basin | The geographic area that contributes runoff to a stream |
| variable ceiling | Occurs when the height of a ceiling layer increases and decreases rapidly, The ascribed height is the average of all the varying values. |
| basal ice | The basal layer is the part of the glacier in which the nature of the ice is directly affected by proximity to the glacier bed |
| syncline | A fold in which the limbs dip toward the axis |
| geology | The science that studies the physical nature and history of the earth. |
| phanerozoic | the most recent eon of geologic time beginning 570 million years ago and continuing to thepresent. |
| sandbar | A ridge of sand built up by currents, especially in a river or in coastal waters. |
| moutonnàe | (Geology) Rounded by glacial action into a shape resembling a sheep's back |
| beta-particle | An electron emitted with high energy and velocity from the nucleus of an atom during radioactive decay. |
| ablation hollow | irregular features in snow on a glacier created by differences in wind and temperature |
| bucket | (1) A cylindrical vessel used for holding or carrying water or other liquids; a pail |
| ice age | (1) A cold period marked by episodes of extensive glaciation alternating with episodes of relative warmth |
| bsc | Biological Sciences Center |
| ionic bond | A chemical bond formed by the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. |
| dry dock | (Nautical) A large dock in the form of a basin from which the water can be emptied or pumped, used for building or repairing a ship below its water line. |
| hydric | Characterized by, relating to, or requiring an abundance of moisture; referring to a habitat characterized by wet or moist conditions rather than Mesic (moderate moisture conditions) or Xeric (dry conditions). |
| glass | An amorphous (without crystal structure) igneous rock that forms from very rapid cooling of magma |
| fault | a break in the continuity of rock strata |
| global positioning system | A system which verifies latitude and longitude of a location on the ground through the use of a transmitter and a remote (satellite) vehicle. |
| capacitive deionization | A relatively simple and straight forward electrochemical reaction process made unique and highly efficient through the development of a highly-porous material called carbon aerogel that absorbs huge volumes of ions |
| self-employment | work as a freelancer or owner operator. |
| subhumid climate | Regions where moisture in normally less than under humid conditions but still sufficient for the production of many agricultural crops without irrigation or dryland farming |
| sporadic permafrost | where mean annual temperature is just below 0 |
| aerosol | non-gaseous substances, divided into solid particles or liquid droplets, held in suspension in the atmosphere. |
| liquid | The state of matter in which a substance flows freely and lacks crystal structure |
| water quality criteria | A specific level or range of levels of water quality necessary for the protection of a water use; levels of water quality expected to render a body of water suitable for its designated use |
| duct | An often enclosed passage or channel for conveying a substance, especially a liquid or gas. |
| sandur | see outwash plain. |
| waterborne | (1) Floating on or supported by water, as, for example, afloat |
| ground moraine | A blanket of glacier till deposited on all of the surfaces over which a glacier moves, typically by moving ice. |
| whole-effluent toxicity | the aggregate toxic effect of an effluent measured directly by a toxicity test. |
| detrital | 1 Pertaining to detritus |
| submergent plants | see aquatic plants. |
| spatter cone | A low, steep-sided volcanic cone built by accumulation of splashes and spatters of lava (usually basaltic) around a fissure or vent. |
| lava | molten rock flowing on the surface |
| cost-benefit analysis | Analysis technique which compares the cost of a project with the benefits derived from it |
| interior drainage | A system of streams that flow into a landlocked basin and evaporate. |
| meander amplitude | Distance between points of maximum curvature of successive meanders of opposite phase in a direction normal to the general course of the meander belt, measured between center lines of channels. |
| depletion | The withdrawal of water from a ground water source at a rate greater than its rate of recharge, usually over an extended period of several years. |
| tropics/tropical | The region of the earth located between the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.5 degrees North latitude, and the Tropic of Capricorn, at 23.5 degrees South latitude |
| throughfall | In a vegetated area, the precipitation that falls directly to the ground, or the rainwater or snowmelt that drops from twigs or leaves. |
| hydrograph | A graph that shows the change of a water-related variable over time |
| drainage divide | The line of highest elevations which separates adjoining drainage basins. |
| stress | Force applied to an object per its unit area |
| pebble | a smooth, rounded fragment of rock that is larger than gravel but smaller than a boulder, in the range of 10-100mm in diameter. |
| right-lateral fault | A fault with horizontal movement |
| pedogenic | The process of soil formation |
| controlled drainage | (Irrigation) Regulation of the water table to maintain the water level at a depth favorable for optimum crop growth. |
| corrosion | a generic term for chemical weathering. |
| sublimation | The change of a solid to a vapor (or the reverse) without the appearance of a liquid state, as in the changing of snow directly into water vapor without melting. |
| alluvial fan | A fan-shaped wedge of sediment that typically accumulates on land where a stream emerges from a steep canyon onto a flat area |
| nimbostratus | This cloud exhibits a combination of rain or snow, and sometimes the base of the cloud cannot be seen because of the heaviness of precipitation |
| submarine | (1) Beneath the surface of the water; undersea |
| microhabitat | zones of similar physical characteristics within a mesohabitat unit, differentiated by aspects such as substrate type, water velocity, and water depth. |
| continental slope | The slope that extends from a continental shelf down to the ocean deep |
| algal growth potential | The maximum algal dry weight biomass produced in a natural water sample under laboratory conditions |
| water availability model | a numerical surface water flow model used to determine the availability of surface water for water right permitting. |
| waterfall | a sudden vertical or near vertical fall of water where a river course is interrupted by a drop away in the land over which it is flowing. |
| biota | the plant (flora) and animal life (fauna) of a region or ecosystem. |
| council housing | in the UK, housing funded by local government with help from central government |
| off-piste | (Sports) Existing or taking place on snow that has not been compacted into tracks. |
| free water | free water is that portion of the pore water that is free to move between interconnected pores under the influence of gravity. |
| gtn-g | Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers |
| coriolis force | apparent force, due to the rotation of the earth, which acts normal to, and to the right of the velocity of a moving particle in the northern hemisphere, the movement of the particle being considered relative to that of the earth. |
| dip | The angle that a rock unit, fault or other rock structure makes with a horizontal plane |
| zeolite | A group of hydrous aluminosilicates that are similar to the feldspars |
| extrusive bedrock | (Geology) Those Igneous Rocks derived from volcanic lavas that cooled on the surface of the earth |
| repeatability | The ability of an instrument to reproduce the same output reading when the same input value is applied to it consecutively (measuring the same temperature) |
| hydrothermal vein | A deposit of minerals precipitated in a fracture by the actions of hot water or gases associated with a magmatic source. |
| axial flow | Fluid flow in the same direction as the axis of symmetry of the duct, vessel, or tank. |
| pressure altimeter | An barometer calibrated to indicate altitude in feet instead of units of pressure |
| pile | Elongated member, usually made of timber, concrete, or steel, that serves as a structural component of a river‑training structure. |
| empirical | (Statistics) Based on experience or observations, as opposed to theory or conjecture. |
| sediment trapping efficiency | the ratio of sediment retained within the reservoir to the sediment inflow to the reservoir. |
| flashy stream | Stream characterized by rapidly rising and falling stages, as indicated by a sharply peaked hydrograph |
| capillary fringe | (1) The zone at the bottom of the Zone of Aeration (Vadose Zone) where ground water is drawn upward by capillary force |
| root pressure | Pressure exerted in the roots of plants as the result of Osmosis, causing exudation from cut stems and Guttation of water from leaves. |
| cf | Cubic Feet (or Foot). |
| flat-water | Of or on a level or slow-moving watercourse. |
| wind erosion | the removal of particles from the surface by wind, and the degrading processes caused when these particles are thrown against rock. |
| tundra | A type of Ecosystem or Biome dominated by lichens, mosses, grasses, and woody plants |
| mean lower low water | The average height of the lower of two unequal daily low tides over 19 years |
| truncated spur | the top point of a triangular facet |
| simulation analysis | (Statistics) A procedure or process by which an Econometric Model (Regression Analysis) is designed to test the effects on outputs of various changes (simulations) of inputs |
| storm beach | the highest part of a beach, created by a strong storm, which rests above the usual high water mark. |
| ichthyology | The study of fishes. |
| correlation | the degree of association between two sets of data either positive -as one increases so does the other -or negative -as one increases the other decreases |
| rock flour ** | Pulverized rock of the smaller size sediment classes (silts and clays) produced by glacial milling can give outwash streams a milky appearance. |
| wetland | an area of land that is permanently saturated up to or very near to the surface. |
| sand dune | a mound of sand deposited by wind in desert areas and along shore lines. |
| thermometer | An instrument used for measuring temperature |
| passive solar water heater | A water heating system that does not require mechanical pumps or controls to create hot water for domestic use. |
| packed tower aeration | (Water Quality) A process for the removal of organic contaminants from groundwater |
| semipermeable membrane | A barrier, usually thin, that permits passage of particles up to a certain size or of a special nature |
| concentrate | To make a solution or mixture less dilute, as by removing water from a solution. |
| stratification | (Statistics) The subdivision of a Population into groups or strata, each of which is more homogeneous in respect to the variable being measured than the population as a whole |
| batholith | A mass of Igneous rock that forms intrusively and can rise to the surface. |
| tidal range | the difference in height between low tide and high tide. |
| friction slope | The energy loss per unit of length of open or closed conduit due to friction. |
| ice edge | the boundary at any given time between open water and sea, river or lake ice of any kind, whether drifting or fast; may be termed compacted when it is clear-cut, or open when it forms the indefinite edge of an area of dispersed ice. |
| irrigation depletion | The amount of diverted water consumptively used, beneficially and nonbeneficially, in serving a cropped area |
| agronomy | Field of science that studies phenomena related to agriculture. |
| environmental assessment | An environmental analysis prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that presents the first thorough examination of alternative plans to positively demonstrate that the environmental and social consequences of an applicable project or action were considered |
| aquifer | An aquifer that is bounded above and below by impermeable rock or sediment layers |
| scuttlebutt | (1) A cask on shipboard to contain fresh water for a day's use |
| refraction | the tendency for waves to become more parallel to the coastline as they approach it |
| tilth | (1) The general physical condition of soil as it relates to agriculture use |
| surge wave | A Translatory Wave in an open channel resulting from a sudden change in flow of water, such as that caused by opening or closing a gate. |
| flash flood | when flooding is very sudden and high volume compared to the channel involved. |
| extinction | (Biology) The complete disappearance of a species because of failure to adapt to environmental change |
| thermocouple | The sensor of a thermoelectric thermometer, consisting of electrically conducting circuit elements of two different thermoelectric characteristics joined at a junction. |
| glaciofluvial deposits | Material moved by glaciers and subsequently sorted and deposited by streams flowing from the melting ice |
| cross connection | A physical connection through which a supply of potable water could become contaminated |
| land application | The reuse of reclaimed water or the utilization or disposal of effluents on, above, or into the surface of the ground through spray fields or other methods. |
| methane | a naturally occurring gas which is associated with decomposition and with oil deposits |
| runway capacity | The maximum number of operations that can be handled on a particular runway. |
| clouds | visible masses of water droplets and/or ice crystals formed by condensation in the atmosphere. |
| in-situ flushing | introduction of large volumes of water, at times supplemented with cleaning compounds, into soil, waste, or groundwater to flush hazardous contaminants from a site. |
| pore spaces | the space between particles in a rock or soil, usually filled with air or water. |
| polynya | The open seawater between pack-ice and the land or the edge of a glacier. |
| buoyancy | The tendency of a body to float or rise when submerged in a fluid. |
| accumulation area or zone | Where snow falls on a glacier, commonly on a snowfield or cirque. |
| robinson projection | (Geography) A compromise map projection showing the poles as lines rather than points and more accurately portraying high latitude lands and water to land ratio. |
| floodgate | (1) A gate used to control the flow of a body of water |
| bathythermograph | An instrument designed to record water temperature as a function of depth. |
| acid rain | Rain with a pH less than 5.6 |
| blowing dust | Dust that is raised by the wind to heights of six feet or greater |
| valley fill | Alluvium or other material occupying areas below mountain slopes. |
| june solstice | Date during the year when the declination of the Sun is at 23.5° North of the equator |
| delta | A deposit of sediment that forms where a stream enters a standing body of water such as a lake or ocean |
| convection plume | the upwelling part of a convection cycle in the mantle. |
| kame-terrace | Flat-topped ridges built of stratified sand and gravel deposed by a melt water stream between an ablating glacier or a stagnant ice lobe and a higher wall or lateral moraine |
| available water | Portion of the capillary water that is available for plant root uptake. |
| fluvial environment | The sedimentary environment of river systems. |
| lithia water | Mineral water containing lithium salts. |
| submerge | To place under water, or to cover with water as inundate. |
| interstate water | according to law, interstate waters are defined as (1) rivers, lakes and other waters that flow across or form a part of state or international boundaries; (2) waters of the Great Lakes; (3) coastal waters whose scope has been defined to include ocean waters seaward to the territorial limits and waters along the coastline (including inland streams) influenced by the tide. |
| erosion | A general term applied to the wearing away and movement of earth materials by gravity, wind, water and ice. |
| mangrove swamp | a type of wetland forest made up of salt-adapted trees found in the inter-tidal zone of tropical coast areas |
| sea breeze | A diurnal coastal breeze that blows onshore, from the sea to the land |
| drainage flooding | Ponding of water at or near the point where it fell due to improper or limited drainage. |
| humus | A brown or black organic substance consisting of partially or wholly decayed vegetable or animal matter that provides nutrients for plants and increases the ability of soil to retain water. |
| illinoian | (Geology) Of or relating to one of the glacial stages of the Pleistocene epoch which occurred in North America, which consisted of the Nebraskan (first stage), Kansan (second stage), Illinoian (third stage), and Wisconsin (fourth stage). |
| lysimeter | A field-situated tank or container filled with soil and planted to a crop |
| flatboat | A boat with a flat bottom and square ends used for transportation of bulky freight, especially used in shallow waters. |
| solifluction | Turbulent movement of saturated soil or surficial debris. |
| streamflow depletion | The amount of water that annually flows into a valley or onto a particular land area minus the amount that flows out of the valley or away from the particular land area |
| nadir | Refers to a low or the lowest point, as the lowest point of a lake or other body of water attained of a certain period of time (period of record). |
| stream | river or lake that is covered by water during a flood, land next to a river that becomes covered by water when the river overflows its banks. |
| hydraulic loading | (Water Quality) For a sand filter wastewater treatment unit, the volume of wastewater applied to the surface of the filtering medium per time period |
| commercial water use | Water for motels, hotels, restaurants, office buildings, and other commercial facilities and institutions, both civilian and military |
| septic tank | A tank used to detain domestic wastes to allow the settling of solids prior to distribution to a leach field for soil absorption |
| molecule | A group of atoms held together by chemical bonds |
| bar screen | in wastewater treatment, a device used to remove large solids from the incoming wastewater stream. |
| field diversion | An interception channel near the contour to carry runoff to a waterway |
| pascal's law | When an external pressure is applied to any confined fluid at rest, the pressure is increased at every point in the fluid by the amount of external pressure applied |
| waterless | (1) Lacking water; dry |
| temperature | The degree of hotness or coldness |
| demineralized water | Water which has been passed through a mixed-bed ion exchanger to remove soluble ionic impurities |
| formation | (Geology) A body of rock or soil of considerable thickness that has characteristics making it distinguishable from adjacent geologic structures. |
| reservoir | A subsurface rock unit that is porous and permeable, and that contains an accumulation of oil and/or natural gas. |
| aneroid barometer | Barometer that measures atmospheric pressure via the expansion and contraction of a sealed hollow cell which is partially depleted of air. |
| jetteau | a jet of water. |
| obsidian | A glassy igneous rock with a composition equivalent to that of granite. |
| river | a natural stream of water of considerable volume. |
| gulf stream | (Geography) The warm ocean current of the North Atlantic |
| static pressure | The pressure exerted by a still liquid or gas, especially water or air. |
| land use | the dominant activity taking place on an area of land. |
| sludge digester | A tank in which complex organic substances like sewage sludges are biologically dredged |
| contour strip farming | A kind of contour farming in which row crops are planted in strips, between alternating strips of close-growing, erosion-resistant forage crops. |
| nws | National Weather Service |
| saturated solution | is a solution that contains the maximum amount of solute at a given temperature. |
| dissoluble | That can be dissolved, e.g., dissoluble airborne pollutants brought back to the earth as rain. |
| slope | The side of a hill or mountain, the inclined face of a cutting, canal or embankment or an inclination from the horizontal |
| cwm | see corrie |
| evapotranspiration | The total amount of water that is transferred from the earth's surface to the atmosphere |
| clay | (1a) A fine-grained, firm earth material that is plastic when wet and hardens when heated, consisting primarily of hydrated silicates of aluminum and widely used in making bricks, tiles, and pottery; (1b) A hardening or non-hardening material having a consistency similar to clay and used for modeling |
| aquifer | an underground layer of soil, rock or gravel able to hold and transmit water. |
| uniformitarianism | The principle that applies to geology our assumption that the laws of nature are constant |
| economic growth | the growth of gross national product over time |
| washing | is a process to remove small amounts of byproducts or a catalyst from a reaction mixture. |
| carbonate rock | A rock consisting primarily of a carbonate mineral such as calcite or dolomite, the chief minerals in limestone and dolostone, respectively. |
| apex | The highest point on an Alluvial Fan or similar landform below which the flow path of the major stream that formed the fan becomes unpredictable and Alluvial Fan Flooding can occur. |
| calcium carbonate | (CaCO3) The principal hardness and scale-causing compound in water |
| ltar | See Long-Term Acceptance Rate (of Soils). |
| siltation | the deposition of finely divided soil and rock particles upon the bottom of stream and river beds and reservoirs. |
| thermometer | An instrument used to measure temperature. |
| iron ore | A chemical sedimentary rock that forms when iron and oxygen (and sometimes other substances) combine in solution and deposit as a sediment |
| gendarmes | Ice towers such as seracs and penitantes. |
| dry valley | valley, usually found in upland areas of limestone or chalk, demonstrating the characteristics of a typical upper course river, but containing no river. |
| centigrade | A temperature scale based on 100 degrees of difference between the freezing and boiling points of water |
| peat | An accumulation of unconsolidated plant debris that if buried and preserved could become coal |
| astronomy | Field of knowledge that studies the nature, motion, origin, and constitution of celestial bodies. |
| bergschrund | crevasse that separates flowing ice from stagnant ice at the head of a glacier. |
| rain | water drops which fall to the earth from the air. |
| flow model | (1) A digital computer model that calculates a hydraulic head field for the modeling domain using numerical methods to arrive at an approximate solution to the differential equation of ground-water flow |
| superfund site | A hazardous waste landfill on the National Priorities List (NPL) (also referred to as the Superfund List) being cleaned up by the responsible parties or using proceeds from the Hazardous Substances Superfund. |
| shut in | A well that is capable of production but which is temporarily closed for repair, cleaning or inaccessibility to a market. |
| humidity | the water vapour content of the atmosphere |
| watershed protection approach | A type of pollution management program supported by the U.S |
| employment structure | the percentage of people employed in each of the four major employment sectors. |
| emergent plants | see aquatic plants. |
| zoned crystal | A crystal that grew while temperatures were changing or while the composition of the parent solution was changing |
| melting point | The temperature at which a solid changes to a liquid |
| columnar jointing | A system of fractures that splits a rock body into long prisms, or columns |
| point discharge | The instantaneous rate of discharge, in contrast to the mean rate for an interval of time. |
| creek | A small stream of water which serves as the natural drainage course for a drainage basin; a flowing rivulet or stream of water normally smaller than a river and larger than a brook |
| moisture | (1) Diffuse wetness that can be felt as vapor in the atmosphere or condensed liquid on the surface of objects; dampness |
| ice sheet | A broad, mound-like mass of glacier ice that usually spreads radially outward from a central zone. |
| recycled water | Water that is used more than one time before it passes back into the natural hydrologic system |
| anaerobic | lit |
| brew | To prepare (as tea) by infusion in hot water. |
| channel diversion | Removal of flows by natural or artificial means from a natural length of channel. |
| infiltration capacity | The maximum rate at which the soil, when in a given condition, can absorb falling rain or melting snow. |
| water hammer | (1) Very rapid pressure wave in a conduit due to a sudden change in flow; the potentially damaging slam, bang, or shudder that occurs in a pipe when a sudden change in water velocity (usually as a result of too-rapidly starting a pump or operating a valve) creates a great change in water pressure |
| methylene chloride | =dichloromethane |
| pillar | A landform shaped like a pillar. |
| floating dock | (1) A structure that can be submerged to permit the entry and docking of a ship and then raised to lift the ship from the water for repairs |
| injection well | A well that is used to force a fluid into the ground |
| rift valley | a valley created by the subsidence of land between two parallel faults undergoing tensile forces which pull them apart. |
| load | Amount of sediment being moved by a stream. |
| sample | (Statistics) The sample consists of a number of randomly-selected, representative observations about an economic phenomenon; a part of a population taken to estimate a parameter of the whole population |
| barothermograph | An instrument which records simultaneous barometric pressure and temperature on the same chart. |
| quaking bog | A Bog formed of Peat, wholly or partially floating, so that it shakes when trodden upon |
| food processing | preserving food through canning, freezing, refrigeration, salting, smoking or vacuum packing |
| weep-holes | (Engineering) Openings left in retaining walls, aprons, linings, or foundations to permit drainage and reduce pressure |
| easterlies | Usually applied to the broad patterns of persistent winds with an easterly component, such as the easterly trade winds. |
| aquifer system | A body of permeable and relatively impermeable materials that functions regionally as a water-yielding unit |
| littoral | most properly the area at a coast between the highest and lowest tides |
| vortex | A revolving mass of water which forms a Whirlpool |
| chemical weathering | a weathering process in which the resultant material is chemically different to the original rock |
| dense fog advisory | Advisory issued when fog reduces visibility to 1/8 mile or less, creating possible hazardous conditions. |
| euphotic zone | surface layer of an ocean, lake, or other body of water through which light can penetrate |
| s-hydrograph | The direct surface discharge hydrograph resulting from a continuous succession of Unit Storms. |
| mascon | A concentration of mass in a local area beneath a lunar mare |
| intrusive | Igneous rocks that crystallize below Earth's surface. |
| food chain | A sequence of organisms, each of which uses the next, lower member of the sequence as a food source. |
| tropical depression | A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface winds are 38 miles per hour (33 knots) or less |
| island | A land mass, especially one smaller than a continent, entirely surrounded by water |
| flood-related erosion area management | The operation of an overall program of corrective and preventive measures for reducing flood-related erosion damage, including but not limited to emergency preparedness plans, flood-related erosion control works, and floodplain management regulations. |
| arroyo | A water-carved channel or gully in an arid country which is usually rather small with steep banks and is dry much of the time due to infrequent rainfall and the shallowness of the cut, which does not penetrate below the level of permanent ground water. |
| ·calving glacier | A glacier with a terminus that ends in a body of water (river, lake, ocean) into which it calves icebergs. |
| first world | old term for the Economically More Developed World. |
| nutrients | nitrates and phosphates, usually resulting in an increase in biomass and productivity, (see oligotrophic). |
| eratosthenian period | The period of lunar when large craters, the rays of which are no longer visible, such as Eratosthenes, were formed (from 3.1 billion to 0.8 billion years ago). |
| freeze | (1) To pass from the liquid to the solid state by loss of heat |
| water contamination | Impairment of water quality to a degree which reduces the usability of the water for ordinary purposes, or which creates a hazard to public health through poisoning or spread of disease. |
| pastoral farming | the rearing of animals for meat, milk, wool, skins etc. |
| drought | a water supply shortage for a certain use; a quantity or amount less than what is demanded |
| lap | (1) To wash or slap against with soft liquid sounds |
| dreg | The sediment in a liquid; lees |
| plankton | microscopic floating plant and animal organisms of lakes, rivers, and oceans. |
| diluent | A substance used to dilute a solution or suspension. |
| schist | A medium-grained or coarse-grained metamorphic rock with strong foliation (schistosity) resulting from parallel orientation of platy minerals, such as mica, chlorite, and talc. |
| ·polar glacier | A glacier with a thermal or temperature regime in which ice temperatures always remain below the freezing point. |
| non-point source pollution | Pollution that does not originate at a single location |
| bp | Barometric Pressure. |
| anistropic aquifer | an aquifer in which permeability varies with direction of flow |
| regelation | (1) The fusion of two blocks of ice by pressure |
| matric potential | The work per unit quantity of pure water that has to be done to overcome the attractive forces of water molecules and the attraction of water to solid surfaces |
| conventional activated sludge | A process in which influent and recycled sludge enter at the head of the aeration tank. |
| littoral zone | area on or near the shore of a body of water. |
| cataphoresis | The migration of charged colloidal particles (Colloids) or Molecules through a solution under the influence of an applied electric field usually provided by immersed electrodes |
| quicksilver water | a solution of mercury nitrate used in gilding. |
| phreatic zone | the area in an aquifer in which relatively all pores and fractures are saturated with water |
| low | area of low pressure in the atmosphere. |
| basic | Describing a solution, sediment, or other material that has a pH greater than 7.0 |
| drainage | the removal of surface water from within a specific area |
| cut-off high | A warm high which has become displaced and is on the polarward side of the jet stream |
| mesoscale | The scale of meteorological phenomena that range in size from several kilometers to around 100 kilometers |
| spray tower scrubber | A device that sprays alkaline water into a chamber where acid gases are present to aid in the neutralizing of the gas. |
| principal spillway | Allows discharge of water from a reservoir when the water level exceeds the top of the spillway |
| total sediment load | The sum of the Bed Load and the Suspended Sediment Load (Discharge). |
| december solstice | Date during the year when the declination of the Sun is at 23.5° South of the equator |
| clammy | (1) Disagreeably moist, sticky, and cold to the touch |
| pangea | A supercontinent that existed from about 300 to 200 million years ago, and included most of thecontinental crust of the Earth. |
| scour | To remove or sweep away material. |
| pavement | A rock surface, often eroded or striated, which underlies glacial till and is exposed in sufficient quantity to resemble a sidewalk or open plaza. |
| statistical inference | (Statistics) The area of statistics that describes the procedures by which we use the observed data (the sample) to draw conclusions about the population from which the data came or about the process by which the data were generated |
| alluvial fan | Large fan shaped terrestrial deposit of alluvial sediment on which a braided stream flows over |
| cobble | Rock fragments 7.6 cm (3 inches) to 25.4 cm (10 inches) in diameter. |
| dual-distribution piping | A water distribution system that uses one set of pipes for the distribution of potable water and a separate set for the distribution of Reclaimed Water. |
| plastic flow | In glaciers, plastic flow in ice begins at 50 meters (165 feet) from the top of the ice surface. |
| continental accretion | The theory that the continents have grown by incorporation of deformed sediments along their margins. |
| makeup water | Water added to the flow of water used to cool condensers in electric power plants |
| ip rating | A measure of an instrument's protection against the ingress of dust, water and other substances into the equipment |
| puddling | The compaction of wet material, such as clay, in order to make a watertight paste. |
| feldspar | the generic name for a group of minerals made up of aluminium silicate along with calcium, potassium or sodium |
| glacier | a huge mass of land ice that consists of recrystallized snow and moves slowly downslope or outward. |
| bcp | Bioconcentration Potential. |
| damages prevented | The difference between the amount of damages without a particular water project and the damages with the project in place. |
| absorption tower | (Air Quality) An air pollution control device in which contaminated air is passed through a tower containing substances (packing) possessing large surface area |
| cucking stool | A chair formerly used for punishing offenders (as dishonest tradesmen) by public exposure or ducking in water. |
| watermaster | Often an employee of a court hired to administer a court decree |
| glacial action | The resultant effects caused by the movement of a Glacier |
| ground water runoff | A portion of runoff which has passed into the ground, has become ground water, and has been discharged into a stream channel as spring or seepage water. |
| treated effluent | Water that has received primary, secondary, or advanced treatment to reduce its pollution or health hazards and is subsequently released from a wastewater facility after treatment. |
| elastic-rebound theory | The theory that earthquakes result from energy released by faulting; the sudden release of stored strain creates earthquake waves. |
| rainmaker | One who is supposedly capable of producing rain. |
| inter-tidal zone | the land between the low tide mark and high tide mark |
| fluid | Having particles which easily move and change their relative position without a separation of the mass, and which easily yield to pressure; capable of flowing; liquid or gaseous. |
| grit | Dense inorganic matter, such as sand and gravel, present in water or sewage. |
| river basin development | A program to develop the use of the water and land resources of a river basin, so coordinated as to obtain a greater efficiency of use than would be possible if the resources were developed by uncoordinated, multiple-purpose projects. |
| wringer | One that wrings, especially a device in which laundry is pressed between rollers to extract water. |
| hygrometer | an instrument which measures the water vapor content in the atmosphere; there are several different means of transduction used in measuring this quantity and hence various types of hygrometers; these are: a) the psychrometer, which utilizes the thermodynamic method; b) the class of instruments which depends upon a change of physical dimension due to absorption of moisture (hair hygrometer, for example); c) those which depend upon condensation of moisture (dew point hygrometer); d) the class of instruments which depend upon the change of chemical or electrical properties due to absorption of moisture, and some others. |
| blm | Bureau of Land Management (USDI) |
| spreading axis | The imaginary axis through the earth about which a set of tectonic plates moves |
| sewage system | Pipelines or conduits, pumping stations, force mains, and all other structures, devices, and facilities used for collecting or conducting wastes to a point for treatment or disposal. |
| genetically modified crop | the placing of a gene from one organism into another so that the latter can take on a quality of the former that it doesn otherwise have |
| entrenched meander | A meander cut into the underlying rock as a result of regional uplift or lowering of the regional base level. |
| landscape impoundment | body of reclaimed water which is used for aesthetic enjoyment or which otherwise serves a function not intended to include contact recreation. |
| liter | The basic unit of measurement for volume in the Metric System equivalent to 0.001 cubic meters (10-3 m3); also equal to 61.025 cubic inches or 1.0567 liquid quarts. |
| ewmp | See Efficient Water Management Practices (EWMP). |
| appurtenant | (1) (Legal) A right, privilege, or property that is considered incident to the principal property for purposes such as passage of title, conveyance, or passage of title |
| tidal marsh | A low elevation marshy coastal area formed of mud and the root mat of Halophytic plants, regularly inundated during high tide. |
| seracs | Unstable ice pinnacles formed by intersecting crevasse planes, usually in areas of fast glacier movement. |
| theoretical oxygen demand | The amount of oxygen that theoretically is required to totally oxidize a substance. |
| runoff percentage | Runoff expressed as a percentage of the precipitation. |
| solute | chemical or pollutant in a specified volume or weight of solvent, air, water, soil or other medium, accumulating a level of some material over and above the level found in the ambient environment, generally applied to an organism. |
| sharp-crested weir | A device for measuring water, featuring a notch cut in a relatively thin plate and having a sharp edge on the upstream side of the crest. |
| effective porosity | the portion of pore space in saturated permeable material where the movement of water takes place. |
| yedoma | A type of Pleistocene-age (formed 1.8 million to 10,000 years before present) permafrost that contains a significant amount of organic material with ice content of 5090% by volume |
| hydraulic fracturing | Any technique involving the pumping of fluid under high pressure into an oil or gas formation to create fissures and openings in the reservoir rock and increase the flow of oil or gas. |
| altitude | The vertical distance of a level, a point, or an object considered as a point, measured from Mean Sea Level (MSL). |
| leaching requirement | (1) The amount of excess irrigation water passing through the Root Zone to reduce the salt concentration in the soil for reclamation purposes |
| parapet wall | A solid wall built along the top of a dam for ornament, for the safety of vehicles and pedestrians, or to prevent overtopping. |
| volcanism | The processes by which magma and gases are transferred from the earth's interior to the surface. |
| process geomorphology | See Geomorphology, Process. |
| recoverable ground water | The amount of water which may be physically and economically withdrawn from the ground water reservoir. |
| interrupted | Glacier that breaks off over a cliff and reconstitutes below. |
| granite | (Geology) A light-colored plutonic igneous rock made up of interlocking grains of glassy or milky quartz, white or pink feldspar, and specks of dark mica or hornblende |
| terrestrial | Living or growing on land rather than in water or air. |
| stream terrace | A surface representing remnants of a stream's channel or flood plain when the stream was flowing at a higher level |
| filamentous algae | Aggregations of one-celled plants that grow in long strings or mats in water and are either attached or free floating and tend to plug canals, weirs, and other structures, but also provide habitat of invertebrate animals. |
| pressure gage | An instrument, graduated in any units desired, for registering the pressure of solids, liquids, or gases. |
| core-periphery model | a model seeking to explain a spatial pattern of economic growth in which one centre or region in a country develops an economic advantage over the rest of the country |
| serac | (from the french) a tower of unstable ice that forms between crevasses, commonly in ice falls or other regions of accelerated glacier flow |
| colloidal suspension | Suspension in water of particles so finely divided that they will not settle under the action of gravity, but will diffuse, even in quiet water, under the random impulses of Brownian Movement |
| turbid | thick or opaque with matter in suspension |
| needle-leaved evergreen | Woody Gymnosperms with green, needle-shaped, or scale-like leaves that are retained by plants throughout the year; e.g., black spruce (Picea mariana). |
| water-resistant | Synonymous with Water-Repellent. |
| gaging station | A particular site on a stream, canal, lake, or reservoir where systematic observations of Gage Height or discharge are obtained. |
| land farming | A technique for the controlled biodegradation of organic waste that involves the mixture of waste sludges with soil |
| tor | blocks of granite which appear balanced on one another. |
| derelict | (Legal) Land left dry by a permanent recession of the water line. |
| ice storm | A storm in which snow or rain freezes on contact, forming a coat of ice on the surfaces it touches. |
| longwave radiation | heat radiation with wavelengths greater than 4 millimeters. |
| gpd | Gallons per day, a measure of the rate of flow or the rate of water withdrawal from a well |
| long wave trough | A wave in the prevailing westerly flow aloft which is characterized by a large length and amplitude |
| biotite | "Black mica." An important rock-forming ferromagnesian silicate with silicon-oxygen tetrahedra arranged in sheets. |
| ecosphere | The mantle of earth and troposphere inhabited by living organisms; the "bio-bubble" that contains life on earth, in surface waters, and in the air |
| data logger | An electronic device that records temperature data at a specific location at regular intervals over time with either a built-in sensor or through external sensors or probes |
| lithification | the cementing of sediments to form rock. |
| bod5 | The amount of dissolved oxygen consumed in five days by biological processes breaking down organic matter |
| pahoehoe | A Hawaiian term for a lava flow that has a surface flow structure appearance that looks like coiled rope or cord |
| neap tide | a low tidal range caused when the angle of a line drawn from the sun to the earth and then to the moon is 90- In this twice-monthly situation the gravitational pulls of sun and moon are in opposition thus the high tide is not so high and the corresponding low tide is not so low. |
| range | in human geography, the maximum distance that people are willing to travel to obtain a good or service |
| bedrock | The continuous solid rock that underlies the regolith everywhere and is exposed locally at the surface |
| nephelococcygia | A term applied when people find familiar objects within the shape of a cloud. |
| waste | the unwanted by-products of human activity |
| flowing well | A well that taps an aquifer that is under enough pressure to force water to the surface |
| recreational forest | forests maintained for recreation activities such as bird-watching, cycling, horse-riding, camping etc. |
| tarn | another name for a cirque lake |
| plugging | The act or process of stopping the flow of water, oil, or gas into or out of a formation through a borehole or well penetrating that formation. |
| unconformity | A discontinuity in the succession of rocks, containing a gap in the geologic record |
| anticyclone | An area of relatively high pressure in which, in the northern hemisphere, the winds tend to blow spirally outward in a clockwise direction. |
| basin and range [nevada] | A region of north-trending mountains ranges and valleys encompassing western Utah and essentially all of Nevada |
| laterite | A highly weathered red soil rich in iron and aluminum oxides |
| biogeochemical cycling | the flow of chemical substances to and from the major environmental reservoirs (atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere). |
| parts per million | The number of "parts" by weight of a substance per million parts of water |
| heat of vaporization | the amount of heat necessary to convert a liquid (water) into vapor. |
| pollution indicator organism | (Water Quality) A plant or animal species that is not normally present in an aquatic environment unless the body of water has been subjected to damage by pollution |
| indicator parameters | measurable physical or chemical characteristics or attributes of water or soil-pore moisture used to indicate the possible presence of waste constituents, or the effects of waste constituents on waters. |
| percent saturation | The amount of a substance that is dissolved in a solution compared to the amount that could be dissolved in it. |
| insolation | The amount of solar radiation received in a specific area |
| drought | A continuous and lengthy period during which no significant precipitation is recorded. |
| city action team | group of civil servants charged by 1980s and 1990s UK government with formulating solutions to inner city decay, particularly problems of unemployment and derelict land. |
| basalt | A dark colored extrusive igneous rock composed chiefly of calcium plagioclase and pyroxene |
| lithosphere | The rigid outer shell of the Earth |
| leisure | time free from work or other obligation |
| geothermal | Terrestrial heat, usually associated with water as around hot springs. |
| eratosthenian system | The system of lunar rocks formed during the Eratosthenian period |
| water reactive | Describing any substance that reacts spontaneously with water to release a flammable or toxic gas, such as sodium metal. |
| cryoconite | depression in a glacier formed when a rock on the surface is heated and melts the surrounding snow |
| leached layer | A soil layer or an entire soil profile from which the soluble materials (CaCO3 and MgCO3 and material more soluble) have been dissolved and washed away by percolating waters. |
| x-axis | Horizontal axis on a graph. |
| drinking water equivalent level | Protective level of exposure related to potentially non-carcinogenic effects of chemicals that are also known to cause cancer. |
| biotransformation | Conversion of a substance into other compounds by organisms |
| wet scrubbing | A process that removes particles, gases, or vapors from an exhaust gas by passing the exhaust through a shower of water or water that contains an agent to react with the material to be removed. |
| seepage lakes | Lakes whose ecology is determined primarily by ground water rather than surface water. |
| stratified drift | sorted sediment deposited by a glacier in water |
| striations | scratch marks or grooves found on a rock surface that has experienced glacial abrasion. |
| recording gage | A Gage which provides a continuous recording of the parameter being monitored |
| snowhedge | A planting of shrubs or other plants to intercept drifting snow |
| turbidimeter | A device used to measure the degree of turbidity, or the density of suspended solids in a sample. |
| kame terrace | a terrace of stratified sand and and gravel deposited by streams between a glacier and an adjacent valley wall. |
| physiographic divisions | (Geography) Broad land groupings based on the physical features of the landscape. |
| underflow | (1) (Surface and Groundwater) The downstream flow of water through the permeable deposits underlying a stream |
| a horizon | The topsoil layer in a soil profile. |
| transpiration | the cyclic transfer of water from the Earth's surface via evapotranspiration into the atmosphere, from the atmosphere via precipitation back to earth, and through runoff into streams, rivers, and lakes and ultimately into the oceans, (see water cycle). |
| toxicity | (1) The ability of a chemical substance to cause acute or chronic adverse health effects in animals, plants, or humans |
| spongy | (1) Porous; absorbent |
| chalk | A variety of limestone made up in part of biochemically derived calcite, in form of skeletons or skeletal fragments of microscopic oceanic plants and animals mixed with fine-grained calcite deposits of biochemical or inorganic-chemical origin. |
| soil erosion | The detachment and movement of soil from the land surface by wind or water. |
| water glass | An open tube or box having a glass bottom for making observations below the surface of the water. |
| precision | See resolution. |
| running water | Water distributed through pipes and fixtures as a house with hot and cold running water. |
| bead | A small, round object, especially a drop of moisture, as beads of sweat. |
| closed water loop | A process in which decontaminated wastewater is not discharged into a receiving stream but is reused |
| slate | A foliated metamorphic rock that is formed through the metamorphism of shale |
| tornado | a localized, anti-clockwise spiral of wind with extremely violent wind speed and uplift. |
| agua | This Spanish word for water is occasionally used in Southwestern U |
| sewage lagoon | A shallow pond where natural processes are employed to treat sanitary waste from households or public rest rooms |
| inselberg | lit |
| polychlorinated biphenyls | toxic industrial chemical compound substances that were used in the manufacture of plastics and as insulating fluids in electrical transformers and capacitors |
| ground water recharge | Inflow of water to a ground water reservoir (Zone of Saturation) from the surface |
| white squall | A sudden squall occurring in tropical or subtropical waters, characterized by the absence of a dark cloud and the presence of white-capped waves or broken water. |
| field capacity | water in the soil once gravitational water has fully drained out i.e |
| ce-qual-riv | Hydrodynamic and water quality model for streams. |
| acid neutralizing capacity | A measure of the ability of water or soil to resist changes in pH. |
| fresh:salt water interface | the region where fresh water and salt water meet |
| soil creep | The slow mass movement of soil materials down slopes primarily under the influence of gravity, but facilitated by saturation with water and/or by alternating freezing and thawing. |
| seif dune | A large sand dune that forms parallel to the direction of a strong wind that blows in a consistent direction throughout the year |
| calm | Atmospheric conditions devoid of wind or any other air motion |
| soil profile | A vertical section of soil showing the soil horizons and parent material. |
| exempt land | Irrigation land in a district to which the acreage limitation and pricing provisions of reclamation law do not apply |
| low latitudes | The latitude belt between 30 and 0 degrees North and South of the equator |
| chocolatta north | A West Indian gale that blows from the northwest. |
| metamorphic | Pertaining to the processes or products of metamorphism. |
| latent heat of vaporization | The amount of heat absorbed by a unit mass of substance, without change in temperature, while passing from the liquid to the vapor state. |
| river | A large stream of water that flows along a certain path. |
| instrument shelter | structure to protect certain instruments from insolation and weather while at the same time ensuring sufficient ventilation. |
| nationalisation | government policy which compels certain industries to transfer their ownership from private ownership to public ownership |
| skimming | using a machine to remove oil or scum from the surface of the water. |
| cation exchange capacity | The total of exchangeable cations that a soil can adsorb; expressed in milliequivalents per 100 grams (g) of soil. |
| jig | An apparatus for cleaning or separating crushed ore by agitation in water. |
| privatization | the change of ownership of a firm or industry sector from government to private hands. |
| wisconsinan | North American glaciation related to European Wurm glaciation. |
| water-resistant | A non-technical term used to describe instruments that are protected from the ingress of liquids |
| peaked stone dike | Riprap placed parallel to the toe of a streambank (at the natural angle of repose of the stone) to prevent erosion of the toe and induce sediment deposition behind the dike. |
| grease ice | Thin plates of organized ice crystals on the surface of water. |
| annual flood | The highest peak discharge of a stream in a Water Year. |
| lapse rate | the rate of change of any meteorological element with height. |
| refraction | The bending of a seismic wave as it enters a material of different density, or, the bending of a beam of light as it enters a material of different refractive index. |
| lined waterway or outlet | A waterway or outlet with an erosion-resistant lining of concrete, stone, or other permanent material |
| un | United Nations |
| orogeny | A compressive tectonic process that results in intense folding, reverse faulting, crustal thickening, uplift and deep plutonic activity |
| irrigation frequency | Time interval between irrigations. |
| hysteresis | A quality of a system such that the output is not only determined by the input but also by the internal state of the system, particularly as it is affected by previous measurements |
| toxicant | a substance or a mixture of substances within a short period of time, usually 96 hours or less, after exposure |
| stalagmite | A conical deposit of drips tone built up from a cave floor. |
| closet | A water closet; a toilet. |
| continent | A large landmass, from 20 to 60 km thick, composed mostly of granitic rock |
| dendrochronology | observation of a core or cross-section of a tree trunk shows a pattern of essentially concentric rings, each representing a year of growth |
| eldw | economically less developed world -collectively all the economically less developed countries (ELDCs). |
| asexual reproduction | Any process of reproduction that does not involve the fusion of gametes. |
| disposal well | A deep well used for the disposal of liquid wastes. |
| re-lift pump | the type of pump used to move surface water a short distance above its source or origin, i.e |
| velocity | Distance traveled per unit time. |
| firn | A permeable aggregate of small ice grains with densities greater than 0.55 up to 0.82 where begins glacial ice. |
| hydroplane | (Nautical) (1) A motorboat designed so that the prow and much of the hull lift out of the water and skim the surface at high speeds |
| cvp | Central Valley Project (State of California). |
| ph | A relative measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a water based upon a scale that ranges between 0 and 14 with 7 being neutral |
| streambank erosion control | Vegetative or mechanical control of erodible stream banks, including measures to prevent stream banks from caving or sloughing, such as jetties, revetments, riprap and plantings necessary for permanent protection. |
| arkose | A sedimentary rock formed by the cementation of sand-sized grains of feldspar and quartz. |
| water discharge | The amount of water and sediment flowing in a channel, expressed as volume per unit of time |
| mineral water | Naturally occurring or prepared water that contains dissolved mineral salts, elements, or gases, often used therapeutically |
| breccia | A clastic rock in which the gravel-sized particles are angular in shape and make up an appreciable volume of the rock. |
| secondary coast | A coast formed by marine processes or the growth of marine organisms. |
| residue | the dry solids remaining after the evaporation of a sample of water or sludge. |
| visual resource | The composite of basic terrain, geologic features, hydrologic features, vegetative patterns, and land use effects that typify a land unit and influence the visual appeal that the unit may have for visitors. |
| advance time | The time it takes for water to travel the length of an irrigation furrow. |
| nephelometric turbidity unit | A unit of measure for the turbidity of water resulting from the use of a Nephelometer and based on the amount of light that is reflected off the water |
| simple basin | Single accumulation area (Fig |
| alluvium | An unconsolidated accumulation of stream-deposited sediments, including sands, silts, clays or gravels. |
| salt pan | the dried out bed of a salt lake |
| self-sufficiency | the ability to survive without outside help. |
| polishing | (Water Quality) The removal of low concentrations of dissolved, recalcitrant organic compounds from either water intended for human consumption or wastewater that has been subjected to Primary and Secondary Wastewater Treatment |
| eldc | see economically less developed country. |
| ground water storage | The storage of water in ground water reservoirs. |