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<br />INTRODlICTION
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<br />This Brochure is one of J series prepared by the
<br />Board of Directors of the Southeastern Colorado \Vater
<br />Consen'a~cy District, with tne hope it. along with the
<br />others,. will help to partIn)' the absolute importance of
<br />water In the development of the Arkan5ds Valley served
<br />by the Conservancy District. .
<br />
<br />The members of the board are keenly aware of the
<br />fact tha~ people from all walks of life are becoming in-
<br />volved m the water problems in Our \\'orld. As new
<br />'water legislatio~ is studied, water programs developed,
<br />and water projects approved, additional exposure to
<br />water terms will be a daily process. It is the hope of the
<br />15 members of the board that this very brieF "Glossary
<br />of .\Vater ~errns" might enable morc people to take an
<br />actl\'e part In the fascin:lting programs involving water.
<br />The definitions quoted here are but a small part of the
<br />total "\~lJter Vocabubrv" used bv \vater aurhorities but
<br />t?ey are the ones most 'frequentl)' used in public di'scus'
<br />SIOn,
<br />
<br />Other broch~res in the series describe the Frying-
<br />pan-Arkansas Project. Colorado State Statutes Govern~
<br />ing the Sourhern Colorado Water ConservancY' District,
<br />Operating Principles and Contract Between the United
<br />States Government and [he District. and Excerpts from
<br />Current \Vater Publications.
<br />
<br />Yours, for better understanding of your most es-
<br />sential commodity - WATER
<br />
<br />A GLOSSARY OF COM~ION WATER RESOURCE TERMS
<br />
<br />AcnE-FOOT - A .term used In measuring the volume of water,
<br />~qual 10 the quantIty of water required to co...er ] acre ] font
<br />In depth. or 43,560 cubic feet.
<br />AEOLIAN - In geology. applied to rocks fOm1ed of windborne
<br />s<Jnd!>.
<br />~FFLUENT - A stre<lm or river flowing "into a brger river or
<br />mto a Idke: a Iributar)' system.
<br />AG.GRADf\TION - (I) The geologic process by means of
<br />whIch vanous (Jarts of the surbce of t~e earth are raised in
<br />ele\'ation Of built up by the deposilion of mateflal eroded from
<br />other secti.ons and transp,oned thereto by waler or wind. It is
<br />the opposite of degradatIOn. (2) The Increase or rise of bed
<br />lel'els at the speCific discharge of a ch,lnnel at a given site.
<br />ALK~LI - (1) C~rtain solubl~ s:Jlrs. prinCIpally of sodium.
<br />potassium. m~gneslUm. and CJlclUIll t~at occur in water or soils.
<br />(2) In chemIstry. any subst<lllce ~aving marked basic properties.
<br />ALKAL.INE - \Vater or soils which contain a :sufficient amount
<br />of alkali su.bstances present to. raIse the pH-nlue above 7.0 or
<br />to be hannful to t~e growth ,,~ crops.
<br />ALLUVIAL: - Referring to silt. sand, gravel or similar detrital
<br />mateual whIch has been deposited by running Wdter.
<br />~N~i\IAL Y - A de,'iation from a norm for which an explana-
<br />!lon IS not apparent on the baSIS of .wadable data.
<br />AQUEDUCT - A cl)llduit. usually of considewble size used to
<br />con\'\~y \\'alcr. The conduit n1<ly consist of one or mo;e of the
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<br />following: Canal. pipe line, tunnel. siphon, or so.callcd in-
<br />verted siphon."
<br />AQUIFER - A porous \....ater-bearing geolOgiC formation.
<br />AREA, CATCH!\.fENT - (1) The area tributary to a lake,
<br />stream, or drain. (2) The IIllake of an aquHer. and an areas t~at
<br />contribute surface waters to the intake area. (3) In tropIcal
<br />island zones, a hard surfaced area, upon which rain is collected
<br />and then conducted to a reservoir.
<br />AREA, DEPRESSION, PUl\lPING - The surface are:1 over-
<br />lying the cOile of influePlce or pressure.relief COIle.
<br />AREA, DISCHARGE, GROUND,WATER, (1) An ".,
<br />wherein ground water i:i discharged t\''lIollgh springs. wetls, per.
<br />colation, etc.. evaporated from the soil, or trampired from "ege-
<br />lation. (2) The cross.sectional are3 of flo\\' of ground water :It
<br />any pOint below the surface.
<br />AREA. INFLUENCE - The surfJce area surrounding ;l well,
<br />or group of wells, durmg pumping, within .....~ich the water
<br />table or other piezometric surf3ce is lowered by withdrawal. of
<br />the ......,)Ier. The area varies in extent with the rate :.wJ durJtlOn
<br />of pumping.
<br />AREA. IRRIGABLE The pOrlinn of the ,IrOlble are,1 of an
<br />irrigation development which is subject to irrigated fann use.
<br />It excludes lands required for nOl1lJroducti\'e uses.
<br />ARID - (I)A term applied to regions where precipatation is Sl)
<br />deficient in qU<.lntlly, or occurs at such times that agriculture is
<br />impracticable without irrigation. (2) In climatology, a term
<br />appli.ed to climate" which have insufficient r<l.infall to:) SUP'Port
<br />\'egetation.
<br />ARROYO A stream channel or gully usually rather small with
<br />steep banks, and dry much of the time.
<br />ATMOl\lETER - An imtrument for measuring evaporation,
<br />also called ::In atmidometer or evaporimeter. Four main clJ.sses
<br />of almometers may be distinguished; (a) Lar~e evapordtion tanks
<br />sunk in the ground or flo,Hing on protected waters; (b) Small
<br />open evaporation pans; (c) Porous porcelain bodies, mainly used
<br />by plant physiologists in studying evapor.lTion from plants;
<br />(d) Atmometers .....ith .....et paper surfaces.
<br />:\. Ti\10SPHERE - The outer part of the earth surrounding the
<br />lrthosphere and hydrosphere, and conSlslmg predominantly of
<br />air. It contains other matter such as \....aler v:."lpor and dust
<br />particles.
<br />AVULSION - (1) The del perfoTllled by <J meam when 1l
<br />suddenly breaks through irs banks in an unexpected manner.
<br />and fonns <lnother ch..mnel e,r cuts off a lar~e quantity of land
<br />from ont' O\\'ner and adds it to another. (2) R3pid erosion of
<br />shordand from waves during a storm.
<br />BALANCE. SALT - The difference between the total dissolveJ
<br />solids brought to the bnd ,jnnuallv bv the irrigation water and
<br />the total so[id~ carried away annwilly' by the dmin:Jge water.
<br />BARRAGE - A dam provided with :J series of gates. erected
<br />acm5s :.l ri\'er 10 regulate the .....ater surface level and flow up-
<br />stream. II is distinguished from a weir in t~at it is g.Jtt"d over
<br />its entire WIdth and may not hJ\'e a rdised sill.
<br />BASIN, DRAINAGE - (I) An area (mm which surf:.!ce runoff
<br />is carried away bv a single drainage system. Also called catch-
<br />IIICl1t area, waters/led, and drnjllagc area (2) The brgest natural
<br />drainage i!.TCa subdIvision of a CQl1t~l1ent. The United Stales has
<br />been divided at one time or ,mot~er for \'JriOU5 administrati\'c
<br />purposes inro some 12 to 18 dr<linage basins.
<br />BEDDING (GEOLOGY) . (]) The depOSition of sedimentary
<br />material in lavers, due to the sortIng action of water from which
<br />the material was depo~ited. Also called slralificalioll, and in the
<br />case of finer sediments, lamination. (2) (pipe byjng) The e:."lnh
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