Glossary

• Title: Glossary of CDSS Terms
• Description: Glossary of terms used throughout the CDSS documentation.
• Decision Support - Doc Type: Report
• Date: 7/5/2005
• DSS: All
• Basin: Statewide
• Prepared By: CWCB

1. An instrument used to measure magnitude or position; gages may be used to measure
the elevation of water surface, the velocity of flowing water, the pressure of water, the
amount of intensity of precipitation, the depth of snowfall, and so on.
2. The act or operation of registering or measuring magnitude or position.
3. The operation, including both field and office work, of measuring the discharge of a
stream of water in a waterway.
(Rice (1991))
Gage Height
The height of the water surface above the gage datum. Gage height is often used interchangeably with
the more general term, stage, although gage height is more appropriate when used with a gage
reading. (Rice (1991))
Gaging Station
A particular site on a stream, canal, lake, or reservoir where systematic observations of gage height or
discharge are made. (Rice (1991))
Geoloc Number
A unique number that uniquely identifies a geographical feature (stream, structure, etc.) in the CDSS
database, including the relational and spatial databases.
GIS -Geographical Information System
A software system that allows geographical information to be displayed using maps. Such information
consists of raster data (bitmaps) and vector data (line drawings). Information can be displayed as
separate layers (overlays or coverages). Raster data can be used to perform analyses. GIS data is
usually stored using a relational database.
GRASS -Geographical Resources Analysis Support System
GRASS is a public domain GIS program for image processing and spatial analysis. GRASS was
developed by United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USACERL). For
more information, see [USACERL (1993)] for a bibliographic reference.
Growing Season
That portion of the year, usually May through October, that the plants are consuming water and
nutrients. (Rice (1991))
GUI -Graphical User Interface
A graphical user interface is a "point and click" interface to a program, composed of menus, dialog
windows, push-buttons, etc. Such an interface allows a user with little or no experience to "operate" an
application. The GUI is designed in a way that guides the user in the right direction while trying to
avoid problems or confusion. The user selects appropriate items with a mouse or other pointing
device.
Headgate
A physical structure on a stream through which water is diverted into a ditch. (Rice (1991))
Historic Use
The documented diversion and use of water by a water right holder in a ditch over a period of years.
(Rice (1991))
Historical Data
Data that are collected over time and which reflect the most accurate values given collection and
processing errors.
Home Page
A term used with on-line documentation available on the WWW and refers the the introductory page
for an on-line document.
HTML - HyperText Markup Language
The document-formatting language used to create on-line hypertext documents that can be read by
web browsers.
Hypertext
A method of organizing on-line documentation such that certain phrases or objects appear highlighted,
and, when selected, result in appropriate documentation being displayed.
IDS -Integrated Decision Support Group