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<br />GLOSSARY <br /> <br />Water-use terminology is continuing to expand in lhis series of water -use circulars prepared <br />at 5-year intervals. The term "water use" as initially used in 1950 in the U.S. Geological Survey's <br />water-use circulars meant withdrawals of water; in the report for 1960, lhe term was redefmed to <br />include consumptive use of water as well as withdrawals. Wilh the beginning of the Survey's <br />National Water-Use Information Program in 1978 the term was again redefined to include retum <br />flow and offstream and instream uses. In the report for 1985, the term was redefined to include <br />withdrawals plus deliveries. <br /> <br />TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT <br /> <br />acre~foot (acre-ft}--the volume of water required to <br />cover 1 acre of land (43,560 square feet) to a <br />depth of 1 foot. <br /> <br />animal specialties.--water use associated with the <br />production of fish in captivity except fish hatch- <br />eries, fur-bearing animals in captivity, horses, <br />rabbits, and pets, See al.so livestock water use. <br /> <br />aquaculture-farming of organisms that live in <br />water, such as fish, sheUfish, and algae. <br /> <br />aquifer-a geologic formation, group of fonna- <br />tions, or part of a fonnation that contains suffi- <br />cient saturated permeable material to yield <br />significant quantities of water to wells and <br />springs. <br /> <br />commercial water use-water for motels, hotels, <br />restaurants, office buildings, other commercial <br />facilities, and institutions. The water may be <br />obtained from a public supply or may be self <br />supplied. See also public supply and selfM sup- <br />plied water. <br /> <br />consumptive use-that part of water withdrawn that <br />is evaporated, transpired, incorporated into <br />products or crops, consumed by humans or live- <br />stock, or otherwise removed from the immediate <br />water environment. Also referred to as water <br />consumed. <br /> <br />conveyance loss-water that is lost in transit from a <br />pipe, canal, conduit, or ditch by leakage or <br />evaporation. Generally, the water is not avail- <br />able for further use; however, leakage from an <br />irrigation ditch, for example, may percolate to a <br />ground-water source and be available for further <br />use. <br /> <br />cooling water-water used for cooling purposes, <br />such as of condensers and nuclear reactors. <br /> <br />delivery/release-the amount of water delivered to <br />the point of use and the amount released after <br />use; the difference between these amounts is <br />usually the same as the consumptive use. See <br />also consumptive use. <br /> <br />domestic water use-water for household purposes, <br />such as drinking, food preparation, bathing, <br />washing clothes and dishes, flushing toilets, and <br />watering lawns and gardens. Also called resi- <br />dential water use. The water may be obtained <br />from a public supply or may be self supplied. <br />See also public supply and self-supplied water. <br /> <br />evaporation-process by which water is changed <br />from a liquid into a vapor. See also evapotranspi- <br />ration and transpiration. <br /> <br />evapotranspiration-a collective term that includes <br />water discharged to the atmosphere as a result of <br />evaporation from the soil and surface-water <br />bodies and as a result of plant transpiration. See <br />also evaporation and transpiration. <br /> <br />freshwater-water that contains less than 1,000 milli- <br />grams per liter (rng/L) of dissolved solids; gener- <br />ally, more than 500 mgIL of dissolved solids is <br />undesirable for drinking and many industrial uses. <br /> <br />ground water-generally all subsurface water as dis- <br />tinct from surface water; specifically, that part of <br />the subsurface water in the saturated zone (a zone <br />in which all voids are filled with water) where the <br />water is under pressure greater than atmospheric. <br /> <br />hydroelectric power water use-tl~ use of water in <br />the generation of electricity at plants where the <br />turbine generators are driven by falling water. <br />Hydroelectric water use is classified as an <br />instream use in this report. <br /> <br />in-channel use-see instream use. <br /> <br />industrial water use-water used for industrial pur- <br />poses such as fabrication, processing, washing, <br />and cooling, and includes such industries as steel, <br />chemical and allied products, paper and allied <br />products, mining, and petroleum refining. The <br />water may be obtained from a public supply or <br />may be self supplied. See also public supply and <br />self- supplied water. <br /> <br />instream use-water that is used, but not withdrawn, <br />from a ground- or swface-water source for such <br />purposes as hydroelectric power generation, <br />navigation, water-quality improvement, fish <br />propagation, and recreation. Sometimes called <br />nonwithdrawal use or in-channel use. <br /> <br />irrigation district-a cooperative, self-governing <br />public corporation set up as a subdivision of the <br />State government, with defInite geographic <br />boundaries, organized and having taxing power to <br />obtain and distribute water for irrigation of lands <br />within the district; created under the authority of a <br />State legislature with the consent of a designated <br />fraction of the landowners or citizens. <br /> <br />irrigation water use-artificial application of water <br />on lands to assist in the growing of crops and <br />pastures or to maintain vegetative growth in recre- <br />ationallands such as parks and golf courses. <br /> <br />~- ".~ <br /> <br />v <br /> <br />.ft- <br /> <br /><."~ <br />