Glossary
This comprehensive glossary provides definitions and explanations of key terms related to water conservation, management, and stewardship. It's designed to help you understand both common and complex terms you may encounter as you explore the Water Awareness Toolkit.
Use this resource to expand your knowledge and enhance your understanding of important concepts in the realm of water sustainability.
A
Aquifer An underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, silt) from which groundwater can be extracted using a water well.
Algal Bloom A rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system, often resulting in harmful effects on the ecosystem and water quality.
Aeration A process that promotes biological degradation of organic matter in water. It involves circulating air through water and can be used to treat environment-related pollutants.
B
Bioremediation The use of living organisms, like microbes and bacteria, to remove or neutralize contaminants, such as in polluted water or soil.
Backflow The undesirable reversal of flow of a liquid, gas, or suspended solid into the potable water supply; a significant risk to water safety.
Brackish Water Water that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. Typically results when seawater and freshwater mix, such as in estuaries.
C
Condensation The process by which water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water. Condensation is crucial to the water cycle because it is responsible for the formation of clouds.
Catchment Area The area from which rainfall flows into a river, lake, reservoir, or other body of water.
Capillary Action The ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, and in opposition to, external forces like gravity. It is essential in the soil water uptake by plant roots.
D
Dissolved Oxygen The amount of oxygen that is present in water. Oxygen is necessary for the survival of aquatic organisms.
Desalination The process of removing salts and other minerals from seawater or brackish water to produce fresh drinking water.
Detention Basin A low-lying area used to collect and store stormwater runoff to prevent flooding and manage erosion, slowly releasing water back into waterways.
E
Eutrophication A process where water bodies receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth, leading to the depletion of oxygen in the water and severe impacts on water quality and aquatic life.
Evaporation The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor. Evaporation is a primary pathway that water moves from the liquid state back into the water cycle as atmospheric water vapor.
Effluent Treated or untreated wastewater that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers to wastes discharged into surface waters.
F
Filtration The process of removing particles from water by passing it through a porous medium. Used in both water treatment and for reducing sediment and other impurities.
Floodplain Flat or nearly flat land adjacent to a stream or river that experiences occasional or periodic flooding.
Freshwater Water that has low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids, generally considered suitable for uses such as drinking, bathing, and cooking.
G
Groundwater Water that collects or flows beneath the Earth's surface, filling the porous spaces in soil, sediment, and rocks. Groundwater supplies drinking water for a significant portion of the world's population.
Greywater Wastewater generated from domestic activities such as laundry, dishwashing, and bathing, which can be recycled on-site for uses such as landscape irrigation and constructed wetlands.
Gully Erosion The removal of soil along drainage lines by surface water runoff. Once started, gullies will continue to move by headward erosion or by slumping of the sidewalls unless steps are taken to stabilize the disturbance area.
H
Hydrology The scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and environmental watershed sustainability.
Hydraulic Cycle Another term for the water cycle, it describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.
Hydroponics A method of growing plants without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent.
I
Infiltration The process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. It is crucial for recharging aquifers and maintaining river base flows.
Irrigation The artificial application of water to land to assist in the production of crops. Irrigation helps to grow agricultural crops, maintain landscapes, and revegetate disturbed soils in dry areas during periods of inadequate rainfall.
Impervious Surface Surfaces that do not allow water to penetrate, forcing it to run off. Examples include roads, driveways, parking lots, and rooftops.
J
Jet Stream A narrow, variable band of very strong, predominantly westerly air currents encircling the globe several miles above the earth. Jet streams are important because they contribute to worldwide weather patterns and their precipitation.
Joule Heating The process by which the passage of an electric current through a conductor produces heat. This can impact water temperatures in nearby bodies of water when used for cooling in industrial processes.
Jurisdictional Wetland Wetlands that meet certain regulatory criteria and are subject to protection by law because of their important ecological functions, including water filtration and habitat provision.
K
Karst A landscape underlain by limestone that has been eroded by dissolution, producing ridges, towers, fissures, sinkholes, and other characteristic landforms. Karst areas are important natural reservoirs for storing groundwater.
Kettle Lake A shallow, sediment-filled body of water formed by retreating glaciers or draining floodwaters.
Kinetic Energy The energy it possesses due to its motion. In water, this energy can be harnessed through hydropower.
L
Littoral Zone The part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal environments, this includes the tide's reach, and in lakes, the shallow sunlit waters to the depth at which rooted plants stop growing.
Limnology The study of inland aquatic ecosystems, focusing on the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of lakes and other bodies of fresh water.
Leachate Any liquid that, in the course of passing through matter, extracts soluble or suspended solids, or any other component of the material through which it has passed.
M
Mitigation The policy of constructing or creating man-made habitats at one site in compensation for the loss of similar habitats at another site due to water projects or other activities.
Meander A winding curve or bend in a river. Meanders form as a result of varying water flow velocity.
Mangrove Salt-tolerant trees that grow in intertidal zones in tropical and subtropical regions. They are crucial for coastal protection and habitat for diverse marine organisms.
N
Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) A measurement of the cloudiness of water, used to test water quality. It measures the amount of light that is scattered by suspended particles in the water.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Pollution resulting from diffuse sources that is not traceable to any single point of origin, an example being water runoff from agricultural fields carrying fertilizers and pesticides.
Nutrient Pollution Occurs when excess phosphorus and nitrogen are present in water, leading to over-nutrient enrichment that causes excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants.
O
Osmosis The movement of water molecules through a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration, a critical process in biological and environmental systems.
Outfall The place where a river, drain, or sewer discharges; the outlet into a larger body of water.
Oxbow Lake A crescent-shaped lake formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake.
P
Permeability The ability of rock or soil to allow water to flow through it, which affects the distribution of water and nutrients in the soil and subsoil.
Phytoplankton Microscopic marine algae that are foundational feeders in the aquatic food web, significant for oxygen production and carbon dioxide absorption in water bodies.
Potable Water Water that is safe to drink or to use for food preparation, meeting quality standards set by local authorities.
Q
Quarry Water Water found in an excavation site that was created by removing stone, often collecting significant amounts of water from groundwater or rain.
Qualitative Water Assessment The evaluation of water based on observational data, typically regarding its visual appearance, smell, or taste, rather than numerical data.
Quenching Flow Water used in manufacturing processes to cool or harden metal or other materials, often requiring treatment before being discharged or reused.
R
Riparian Rights The rights of landowners whose land adjoins a river or stream to make reasonable use of the water, which varies from place to place.
Recharge Area A region where water makes its way downward from surface water to groundwater.
Reservoir A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply.
S
Sedimentation The process by which sediment settles out of the water column; it plays a critical role in building up river deltas and altering the aquatic environment.
Spring A point at which water flows from an aquifer to the earth's surface, naturally emerging from the ground.
Salinity The concentration of salt in water, often measured to determine the quality of water for various uses, including drinking, irrigation, and industrial processes.
T
Transpiration The process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere.
Turbidity The cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air.
Tidal Power The energy obtained from the rise and fall of tides. Tidal power is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power - mainly electricity.
U
Upwelling A process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface. Upwelling is a significant factor in bringing nutrients to the surface, supporting large populations of phytoplankton.
Unsaturated Zone The layer of rocks and soil above the water table in which the pores contain air as well as water
Ultrafiltration A type of membrane filtration in which forces like pressure or concentration gradients lead to a separation through a semipermeable membrane.
V
Vadose Zone The part of Earth between the land surface and the top of the phreatic zone, the area also known as the unsaturated area where water is not stable.
Velocity Head The height that water will rise to due to its kinetic energy when flowing, used to measure the flow rate in streams or rivers.
Vernal Pool Seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals.
W
Watershed The land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean.
Water Table The level below which the ground is saturated with water.
Wetland An area of land that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, characterized by plants adapted to hydric soils.
X
Xeriscaping Landscaping and gardening that reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental water from irrigation.
Xylem The vascular tissue in plants that conducts water and dissolved nutrients upward from the root and also helps to form the woody element in the stem.
Xenobiotic A chemical substance found within an organism that is not naturally produced or expected to be present within.
Y
Yield The measure of the water output from an aquifer, reservoir, or watershed, crucial for determining water availability.
Younger Dryas A period of rapid cooling that occurred 12,900 to 11,700 years ago, showing significant historical evidence of climate change impacting water resources.
Yard Hydrant An outdoor faucet that provides easy access to the water supply for gardening and other maintenance purposes.
Z
Zooplankton Small floating or weakly swimming animals that inhabit especially freshwater and seawater and are usually the primary consumers in the aquatic food chain.
Zone of Saturation The area beneath the earth's surface where the pores and fractures of rocks are filled with water.
Zonal Flow A type of atmospheric circulation pattern in which the east-west component dominates over the north-south component.
This glossary will be continually updated as new concepts and practices emerge in the field of water conservation and management, ensuring it remains a current and valuable resource for everyone navigating this vital area of water stewardship.
Last updated