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Glossary of Water Resource Terms

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Glossary of Water Resource Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
abandoned water right
a water right which was not put to beneficial use for a number of years, generally five
to seven years.
abandoned well
a well which is no longer used. In many places, abandoned wells must be filled with
cement or concrete grout to prevent pollution of ground water bodies.
absorption
the uptake of water, other fluids, or dissolved chemicals by a cell or an organism (as
tree roots absorb dissolved nutrients in soil).
accretion
a gradual increase in land area adjacent to a river.
acid rain
the acidic rainfall which results when rain combines with sulfur oxides emissions from
combustion of fossil fuels.
acidic
the condition of water or soil that contains a sufficient amount of acid substances to
lower the pH below 7.0.
acre-foot
the amount of water required to cover one acre to a depth of one foot. An acre-foot
equals 325,851 gallons, or 43,560 cubic feet. A flow of 1 cubic feet per second
produces 1.98 acre-feet per day.
activated carbon adsorption
the process of pollutants moving out of water and attaching on to activated carbon.
adhesion
the molecular attraction asserted between the surfaces of bodies in contact. Compare
cohesion.
adjudication
a court proceeding to determine all rights to the use of water on a particular stream
system or ground water basin.
abandoned well
a well which is no longer used. In many places, abandoned wells must be filled with
cement or concrete grout to prevent pollution of ground water bodies.
administrative order
a legal document signed by U.S. EPA directing an individual, business, or other entity
to take corrective action or refrain from an activity. It describes the violations and
actions to be taken, and can be enforced in court. Such orders may be issued, for
example, as a result of an administrative complaint ordering the respondent to pay a
penalty for violations of the Clean Water Act.
administrative order on consent
a legal agreement signed by U.S. EPA and an individual, business, or other entity
through which the violator agrees to pay for correction of Clean Water Act violations,

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take the required corrective or cleanup actions, or refrain from an activity. It describes
the actions to be taken, may be subject to a comment period, applies to civil actions,
and can be enforced in court.
adsorption
the adhesion of a substance to the surface of a solid or liquid. Adsorption is often used
to extract pollutants by causing them to be attached to such adsorbents as activated
carbon or silica gel. Hydrophobic, or water-repulsing adsorbents, are used to extract oil
from waterways in oil spills.
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.
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.
aeration
the mixing or turbulent exposure of water to air and oxygen to dissipate volatile
contaminants and other pollutants into the air.
aeration tank
a chamber used to inject air into water.
aerobic treatment
process by which microbes decompose complex organic compounds in the presence of
oxygen and use the liberated energy for reproduction and growth. Such processes
include extended aeration, trickling filtration, and rotating biological contactors.
aerobic
life or processes that require, or are not destroyed by, the presence of oxygen.
aggressive water
water which is soft and acidic and can corrode plumbing, piping, and appliances.
algae
simple rootless plants that grow in sunlit waters in proportion to the amount of
available nutrients. They can affect water quality adversely by lowering the dissolved
oxygen in the water. They are food for fish and small aquatic animals.
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. Algae bloom is usually the result of urban runoff (of lawn
fertilizers, etc.). The potential tragedy is that of a "fish kill," where the stream life dies
in one mass extinction.
algicide
substance or chemical used specifically to kill or control algae.
alkaline
the condition of water or soil that contains a sufficient amount of alkali substance to
raise the pH above 7.0.
alkalinity

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Glossary of Water Resource Terms A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A abandoned water right a water right which was not put to beneficial use for a number of years, generally five to seven years. abandoned well a well which is no longer used. In many places, abandoned wells must be filled with cement or concrete grout to prevent pollution of ground water bodies. absorption the uptake of water, other fluids, or dissolved chemicals by a cell or an organism (as tree roots absorb dissolved nutrients in soil). accretion a gradual increase in land area adjacent to a river. acid rain the acidic rainfall which results when rain combines with sulfur oxides emissions from combustion of fossil fuels. acidic the condition of water or soil that contains a sufficient amount of acid substances to lower the pH below 7.0. acre-foot the amount of water required to cover one acre to a depth of one foot. An acre-foot equals 325,851 gallons, or 43,560 cubic feet. A flow of 1 cubic feet per second produces 1.98 acre-feet per day. activated carbon adsorption the process of pollutants moving out of water and attaching on to activated carbon. adhesion the molecular attraction asserted between the surfaces of bodies in contact. Compare cohesion. adjudication a court proceeding to determine all rights to the use of water on a particular stream system or ground water basin. abandoned well a well which is no longer used. In many places, abandoned wells must be filled with cement or c ...
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