Glossary
A B C D E F G H I M O P R S T U W
A
Aquaculture
The cultivation of aquatic produce such as aquatic plant, fish, and other aquatic animal
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aquaculture
Aquifer
An underground layer of water-bearing porous stone, earth, or gravel
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aquifer
B
Basin
An area of land that drain into a river or ocean
Boil-water-advisory
A public notice issued by a provincial or local health authority informing the users of a public water system that their drinking water is, or potentially is, unsafe microbiologically and that it should be boiled before use. To kill water pathogens, water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute, then allowed to cool (protected from further contamination) before consumption.
Source: http://waterwiki.net/index.php/Boil_water_advisory-order
C
Catchment area
See Watershed
Closed watershed
A watershed in which water does not drain into an ocean or another body of water, and can escape only by evaporating or seeping into the Earth
D
Dam
Structure placed across a flowing body of water to stop the flow
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dam
Delta
A triangular area of land at the mouth of a river where it empties into a body of water
Discharge
To flow out of a body of water or urban infrastructure
Divert
To alter the natural flow of a body of water
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/divert
Downstream
Lower down, in relation to the direction a river or stream flows
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/downstream
Drainage basin
See Watershed
Dredge
To make a channel deeper or wider using a dredge
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dredge
Drought
A prolonged period of below average rainfall, longer and more severe than a dry_spell
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/drought
E
Ecosystem
1. A system formed by an ecological community and its environment that function as a unit.
2. The interconnectedness of organisms (plants, animals, microbes) with each other and their environment.
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ecosystem
Effluent
Sewage water that has been (partially) treated, and is released into a natural body of water; a flow of any liquid waste
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/effluent
Endorheic
(Of a lake or basin) Internally drained; having no outlet
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/endorheic
Erosion
The act of wearing away or being eroded, as by a glacier on rock or the sea on a cliff face
Estuary
1. coastal water body where ocean tide and river water merge.
2. An ocean inlet also fed by fresh river water.
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/estuary
Evaporation
The process of a liquid converting to a gaseous state
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/evaporation
F
Flood
An overflow of water from a lake or other body_of_water due to excessive rainfall or other input of water
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/flood
Flow
1. The movement of a fluid
2. The amount of a fluid that moves or the rate of fluid movement
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/flow
Fresh water
water with a very low content of dissolved salt, as opposed to brackish water or salt_water
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fresh_water
G
Glacier
A large body of ice, which flows under its own mass, usually downhill
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/glacier
Groundwater
water that exists beneath the Earth's surface in underground stream and aquifer
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/groundwater
H
Headwater
The source, and the initial part, of a stream
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/headwater
Hydrocarbon
A compound consisting only of carbon and hydrogen atoms
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hydrocarbon
Hydroelectricity
Electricity produced from the energy of moving water
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hydroelectricity
Hydroelectric dam
Structure placed across a flowing body of water to stop the flow that contains hydroelectric generators
Hydrology
The science of the properties, distribution, and effect of water on a planet's surface, in the soil and underlying rock, and in the atmosphere
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hydrology
Hydrological cycle
Also known as the water cycle, the hydrologic cycle describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hydrological_cycle
Hydropower
See Hydroelectricity
I
Icefield
1. A network of interconnected glacier or ice streams having a common source
2. A large expanse of floating ice (several kilometres long)
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ice_field
Irrigation
The act or process of irrigating, or the state of being irrigated; especially, the operation of causing water to flow over lands, for nourishing plants
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/irrigation
M
Marine
Of, or pertaining to, the sea (marine biology, marine insurance)
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/marine
Meltwater
Water from melting ice or snow
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/meltwater
O
Ocean watershed
An area of land that drains into an ocean
Open watershed
A watershed in which water drains into an ocean or another body of water
P
Peatland
Land with peat soil, such as an active or former bog
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/peatland
R
Reservoir
A place where water is collected and kept for use when wanted, as to supply a fountain, a canal, or a city by means of aqueduct.
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reservoir
River basin
An extent of land where water from rain or snow melt drains downhill into a river or series of rivers.
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/river_basin
Runoff
That portion of precipitation or irrigation on an area which does not infiltrate or evaporate, but instead is discharged from the area.
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/runoff
S
Salt marsh
A marsh of saline water, found in the intertidal zone between land and sea, characterized by halophytic plants such as grass and sedge adapted to periodic flooding with salt water
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/salt_marsh
Seawater
The saltwater of a sea or ocean
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/seawater
Sediment
A collection of small particle, particularly dirt, that precipitate from a river or other body_of_water
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sediment
Seepage
The process by which a liquid leaks through a porous substance; the process of seep
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/seepage
Slough
1. A muddy or marshy area
2. A type of swamp or shallow lake system, typically formed as or by the backwater of a larger waterway, similar to a bayou with trees
3. A secondary channel of a river delta, usually flushed by the tide
Snowpack
An accumulation of pack snow, usually the seasonal amount
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/snowpack
Stewardship
The act of caring for or improving with time
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stewardship
Stormwater
Water that is not absorbed into soil and rapidly flows downstream, increasing the level of waterways
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stormwater
Surface flow
Water running above ground, on the Earth's surface.
Surface water
Water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, sea or ocean, as opposed to groundwater
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/surface_water
T
Tailings
The waste that remains after the mineral have been extracted from an ore-by-ore_dressing; slime
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tailings
Tailings pond
Area of mining tailings where the water borne waste material is pumped into a pond to allow the separation of solid particles from the water
Total flow
The sum of all water, below ground and on the surface, running in a river, stream or watershed
Tributary
A river that flows into a larger river or other body of water
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tributary
U
Upstream
In a direction against the flow of a current or stream; upriver
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/upstream
Urbanization
1. The process of the formation and growth of cities
2. The change in a country or region when its population migrate from rural to urban areas
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/urbanization
W
Wastewater
Any water that has been used by some human, domestic or industrial activity and, because of that, now contains waste products
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wastewater
Water cycle
See Hydrological cycle
Watershed
A region of land within which water flows down into a specified body, such as a river, lake, sea, or ocean; also called a drainage basin or catchment area
Source: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/watershed
Wetland
Land that is covered mostly with water, with marsh and soggy areas
