CIRCULATE: To move in a circle,
circuit or orbit' to flow without obstruction to follow a course that returns
to the starting point. Water can circulate in a variety of ways.
CONDENSATION: The changing of a gas or
vapor into a liquid. Water condenser.
CONSERVATION: To protect from loss and
waste. Conservation of water means to save or store water for later use.
CONTAMINATION (WATER): Damage to the
quality of water sources by sewage, industrial waste, or other matter.
DELTA: An alluvial deposit made of
rock particles (sediment, and debris) dropped by a stream as it enters a body
of water.
DESALINIZATION: The process of salt
removal from sea or brackish water.
DISCHARGE: In the simplest form,
discharge means outflow of water. The use of this term is not restricted as to
course or location and it can be applied to describe the flow of water from a
pipe or from a drainage basin.
DROUGHT: There is no universally
accepted quantitative definition of drought. Generally, the term is applied to
periods of less than average precipitation over a certain period of time;
nature's failure to fulfill the water wants and needs of man.
EVAPORATION: The process by which
water becomes a vapor at a temperature below the boiling point.
FILTRATION: The mechanical process
which removes particulate matter by separating water from solid material,
usually by passing it through sand.
FLOW: The rate of water discharged
from a source given in volume with respect to time, commonly measured in
Gallons Per Minute (GPM)
GROUND WATER: The supply of fresh
water found beneath the Earth's surface (usually in aquifers) which is often
used for supplying wells and springs. Because ground water is a major source
of drinking water, there is growing concern over areas where leaching
agricultural or industrial pollutants or substances from leaking underground
storage tanks are contaminating ground water.
HYDROGEN: A chemical substance found
in most fuels; by itself, a colorless gas that burns quickly. It is a major
component of water.
RAIN: Water drops which fall to the
earth from the air.
RESERVOIR: A pond, lake, tank, or
basin (natural or human made) where water is collected and used for storage.
Large bodies of ground water are called ground water reservoirs; water behind
a dam is also called a reservoir of water.
RUN OFF: Water from rainfall or
irrigation that is allowed to flow off the property. Run-off can be thought of
as a lost resource and a contributor to pollution.
SURFACE WATER: Water on the earth's
surface exposed to the atmosphere, e.g., rivers, lakes, streams, oceans,
ponds, reservoirs, etc.
WATER: The liquid that descends from
the clouds as rain; forms streams, lakes, and seas, and is a major constituent
of all living matter; is an odorless, tasteless, colorless, very slightly
compressible liquid.
WATER CYCLE: The process by which
water travels in a sequence from the air (condensation) to the earth
(precipitation) and returns to the atmosphere (evaporation). It is also
referred to as the hydrologic cycle.