<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consumptive use-that part of water withdrawn that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.
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