Water Quality in the Albemarle-Pamlico Drainage Basin, North Carolina and Virginia, 1992-95

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GLOSSARY

The terms in this glossary were compiled from numerous sources. Some definitions have been modified and may not be the only valid ones for these terms.

Algae

Chlorophyll-bearing nonvascular, primarily aquatic species that have no true roots, stems, or leaves; most algae are microscopic, but some species can be as large as vascular plants.

Aquatic-life criteria

Water-quality guidelines for protection of aquatic life. Often refers to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water-quality criteria for protection of aquatic organisms. See also Water-quality guidelines, Water-quality criteria, and Freshwater chronic criteria.

Aquifer

A water-bearing layer of soil, sand, gravel, or rock that will yield usable quantities of water to a well.

Base flow

Sustained, low flow in a stream; ground-water discharge is the source of base flow in most places.

Basic Fixed Sites

Sites on streams at which streamflow is measured and samples are collected for temperature, salinity, suspended sediment, major ions and metals, nutrients, and organic carbon to assess the broad-scale spatial and temporal character and transport of inorganic constituents of streamwater in relation to hydrologic conditions and environmental settings.

Basin

See Drainage basin.

Bed sediment

The material that temporarily is stationary in the bottom of a stream or other watercourse.

Bioaccumulation

The biological sequestering of a substance at a higher concentration than that at which it occurs in the surrounding environment or medium. Also, the process whereby a substance enters organisms through the gills, epithelial tissues, dietary, or other sources.

Breakdown product

A compound derived by chemical, biological, or physical action upon a pesticide. The breakdown is a natural process which may result in a more toxic or a less toxic compound and a more persistent or less persistent compound.

Channelization

Modification of a stream, typically by straightening the channel, to provide more uniform flow; often done for flood control or for improved agricultural drainage or irrigation.

Community

In ecology, the species that interact in a common area.

Concentration

The amount or mass of a substance present in a given volume or mass of sample. Usually expressed as microgram per liter (water sample) or micrograms per kilogram (sediment or tissue sample).

Degradation products

Compounds resulting from transformation of an organic substance through chemical, photochemical, and(or) biochemical reactions.

Denitrification

A process by which oxidized forms of nitrogen such as nitrate (NO₃^-) are reduced to form nitrites, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, or free nitrogen: commonly brought about by the action of denitrifying bacteria and usually resulting in the escape of nitrogen to the air.

Discharge

Rate of fluid flow passing a given point at a given moment in time, expressed as volume per unit of time.

Dissolved solids

Amount of minerals, such as salt, that are dissolved in water; amount of dissolved solids is an indicator of salinity or hardness.

Drainage basin

The portion of the surface of the Earth that contributes water to a stream through overland runoff, including tributaries and impoundments.

Fertilizer

Any of a large number of natural or synthetic materials, including manure and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compounds, spread on or worked into soil to increase its fertility.

Fixed Sites

NAWQA's most comprehensive monitoring sites. See also Basic Fixed Sites and Intensive Fixed Sites.

Flow path

An underground route for ground-water movement, extending from a recharge (intake) zone to a discharge (output) zone such as a shallow stream.

Freshwater chronic criteria

The highest concentration of a contaminant that freshwater aquatic organisms can be exposed to for an extended period of time (4 days) without adverse effects. See also Water-quality criteria.

Ground water

In general, any water that exists beneath the land surface, but more commonly applied to water in fully saturated soils and geologic formations.

Habitat

The part of the physical environment where plants and animals live.

Herbicide

A chemical or other agent applied for the purpose of killing undesirable plants. See also Pesticide.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI)

An aggregated number, or index, based on several attributes or metrics of a fish community that provides an assessment of biological conditions.

Indicator sites

Stream sampling sites located at outlets of drainage basins with relatively homogeneous land use and physiographic conditions; most indicator-site basins have drainage areas ranging from 20 to 200 square miles.

Integrator or Mixed-use site

Stream sampling site located at an outlet of a drainage basin that contains multiple environmental settings. Most integrator sites are on major streams with relatively large drainage areas.

Intensive Fixed Sites

Basic Fixed Sites with increased sampling frequency during selected seasonal periods and analysis of dissolved pesticides for 1 year. Most NAWQA Study Units have one to two integrator Intensive Fixed Sites and one to four indicator Intensive Fixed Sites.

Load

General term that refers to a material or constituent in solution, in suspension, or in transport; usually expressed in terms of mass or volume.

Median

The middle or central value in a distribution of data ranked in order of magnitude. The median is also known as the 50th percentile.

Metabolite

A substance produced in or by biological processes.

Micrograms per liter (µg/L)

A unit expressing the concentration of constituents in solution as weight (micrograms) of solute per unit volume (liter) of water; equivalent to one part per billion in most streamwater and ground water. One thousand micrograms per liter equals 1 mg/L.

Milligrams per liter (mg/L)

A unit expressing the concentration of chemical constituents in solution as weight (milligrams) of solute per unit volume (liter) of water; equivalent to one part per million in most streamwater and ground water. One thousand micrograms per liter equals 1 mg/L.

Nonpoint source

A pollution source that cannot be defined as originating from discrete points such as pipe discharge. Areas of fertilizer and pesticide applications, atmospheric deposition, manure, and natural inputs from plants and trees are types of nonpoint-source pollution.

Pesticide

A chemical applied to crops, rights of way, lawns, or residences to control weeds, insects, fungi, nematodes, rodents, or other "pests."

Point source

A source at a discrete location such as a discharge pipe, drainage ditch, tunnel, well, concentrated livestock operation, or floating craft.

Point-source contaminant

Any substance that degrades water quality and originates from discrete locations such as discharge pipes, drainage ditches, wells, concentrated livestock operations, or floating craft.

Refugium

An area that has escaped ecological changes occurring elsewhere and so provides a suitable habitat for relict species.

Sediment

Particles, derived from rocks or biological materials, that have been transported by a fluid or other natural process, and are suspended or settled in water.

Sorption

General term for the interaction (binding or association) of a solute ion or molecule with a solid.

Species diversity

An ecological concept that incorporates both the number of species in a particular sampling area and the evenness with which individuals are distributed among the various species.

Species (taxa) richness

The number of species (taxa) present in a defined area or sampling unit.

Specific conductance

A measure of the ability of a liquid to conduct an electrical current.

Study Unit

A major hydrologic system of the United States in which NAWQA studies are focused. Study Units are geographically defined by a combination of ground- and surface-water features and generally encompass more than 4,000 square miles of land area.

Study-Unit Survey

Broad assessment of the water-quality conditions of the major aquifer systems of each Study Unit. The Study-Unit Survey relies primarily on sampling existing wells and, wherever possible, on existing data collected by other agencies and programs. Typically, 20 to 30 wells are sampled in each of three to five aquifer subunits.

Synoptic sites

Sites sampled during a short-term investigation of specific water-quality conditions during selected seasonal or hydrologic conditions to provide improved spatial resolution for critical water-quality conditions.

Tolerant species

Those species that are adaptable to (tolerant of) human alterations to the environment and often increase in number when human alterations occur.

Trace element

An element found in only minor amounts (concentrations less than 1.0 milligram per liter) in water or sediment; includes arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc.

Triazine herbicide

A class of herbicides containing a symmetrical triazine ring (a nitrogen-heterocyclic ring composed of three nitrogens and three carbons in an alternating sequence). Examples include atrazine, propazine, and simazine.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure relative to their water solubility. VOCs include components of gasoline, fuel oils, and lubricants, as well as organic solvents, fumigants, some inert ingredients in pesticides, and some by-products of chlorine disinfection.

Water-quality criteria

Specific levels of water quality which, if reached, are expected to render a body of water unsuitable for its designated use. Commonly refers to water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Water-quality criteria are based on specific levels of pollutants that would make the water harmful if used for drinking, swimming, farming, fish production, or industrial processes.

Water-quality guidelines

Specific levels of water quality which, if reached, may adversely affect human health or aquatic life. These are nonenforceable guidelines issued by a governmental agency or other institution.

Water-quality standards

State-adopted and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved ambient standards for water bodies. Standards include the use of the water body and the water-quality criteria that must be met to protect the designated use or uses.

U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1157

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