WSP04695

• File Number: 8141
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/3000
• Author: SEWCD
• Title: Brochure No. 4 - Glossary Of Common Water Resource Terms
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

distribution of rock formal ions, structural data, attitude and posi-
tion of geologic fo[mations underlying the are3, Outcropping of
ore bodies and orebearing fonnations, location of mines, quarries,
etc.

MAP, ISOHYETAL - 1\ map whIch shows the \'ananon and
distributIOn (If precipitatIOn occurnng over an area dunng a
given period through the use of isohyets.

l\fAP, \VATER TABLE - A contour map of the upper surface
of the zone saturation.

MEASUREMENT, DISCHARGE - (I) The derem,ination of
the quantity of water flowing per unit of time in a stream chan-
nel, conduit. or orifice at a given point by means of current
meters, rod floats, weirs, Pita! tubes, or other measuring devices
or methods. The operation includes not only the measurement
of velocity of water and the area of the cross section of the
stream of water. but also the necessary subsequent computations.
See gaging, stream. (2) The numerical results of a measure-
ment of discharge, expressed in appropriate units.

METHOD, ELECTRICAL-ANALOGY. A merhod by which
the phenomena pertaining to one physical system, such as flow
of water through porous media, are studied bv experiments in
another physical system, namely the now of electricity through
conductors. It is employed for the solution of problems in dif-
ferent fields such as stress analysis of dams or machine parts by
the photoelastic method, estimation of water levels in tidal ne.t-
works, piping and uplift in the design of structures on penneable
foundations, torsion of shafts, cavitation around streamlined
bodies as airships, torpedos, heat transfer in the design of Fur-
naces and internal combustion engines, etc.

MOUND, GROUND.WATER - A mound or ridge-shaped fea-
ture in a water table, usually produced by percolation of surface
water to the water table. Such features are often found under
irrigated areas where excessive application of irrigation water
over a limited area has resulted in heavy seepage and the build-
ing up of the water table. Also called ground-water hill.

OVER. DEVELOPMENT - In ground water; when the eco-
nomic yield of an aquifer is exceeded, that aquifer is said to be
o\'erdeveloped. If Ihe transmissibility of an aquifer is limited,
excessive withdraw3ls in a restricted area may cause sufficient
drawdown locally as to make it uneconumic to continue to
withdraw water at that rate, even though the physical yield
limit for the entire aquifer has not been reached. That condition
is called local over. development.

PARTS PER !\lILLION - Pans by weight of a substance in a
million parts of water.

PERJ\:lEABILITY - The property of a material which permits
appreciable movement of water through it when saturated and
actuated by hydrostatic pressure of the magnitude normally en-
countered in natur3l subsurface WOller. The rate of permeability
is measured by the quanlity of water passing through a unit
cross section, in a unit time when the gradient of the energy
head is unity. Previollsness is sometimes used in the SOl me sense
as permeability. See coefficient, permeability.

PHREATOPHYTE - A plant that habitually obtains irs water
supply from the zone of saturation, either directly or through the
capillary fringe.

POINT, \VIL TING . The minimum quantity of WOlter in a
given soil necessary to maintain plant growth. \Vhen the quanti-
ty of moisture falls below this, the leaves begin to droop and
shrivel Up. In any given soil the quantity is practically constant
for all pbnts, but it increases with a declease in the siz.e of soll
particles. The moisture content of a gh'en soil at which the
force holding water to the soil particles equals the maximum
water.absorbing force of the plant roots.

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POROSITY - (1) The state of being porous or containing in-
terstices. (2) An index of the void characteristics of a soil or
stratum as penaining to percolation; degree of rerviousne~s. (3)
The ratio, usually e.xpressed as a percentage, 0 (a) the volume
of the interstices in a given quantity of mOlteriOl1, to (b) the
total volume of soil or rock.
PRECIPITATION - (1) The total measurable supply of water
of all forms of falling moisrure, including dew, rain, mist, snow,
hail. and sleet; usually expressed as depth of liquid water on a
horiz.ontal surface in a dar' month, or year, and designated as
daily. monthly, or annua precipitation. (2) The process by
which atmospheric moisture in liquid or solid state is discharged
onto a land or \.\'ater surface. (3) The phenomenon which oc-
curs when a substance held in solution in a liquid passes Out
of solution into solid fonn.
PUMP, DEEP-WELL - A pump used for lifting water from
deep wells, the pumping mechanism usuOl1ly being installed
within the well at a considerable distance below the surface.
The pump may be of the reciprocating or rotating type.
REQUIREMENT, LEACHING - The fraction of the water
(irrigation) entering the soil that must pass through the root
zone in order to prevent soil salinitr from exceeding a specified
\.'alue.
REQUIREMENT. WATER - The Iota I quantity of water, re-
gardless of its source, required by crops for their normal growth
under field conditions. It ma)' include water applied in irriga-
tion, precipitation, and ground warer available to the crops.
RESERVOIR, GROUND-WATER - (I) A ,"servoir in which
ground-water is stored for future extraction and use. The water
may be placed in the resen'oir by artificial means (spreading,
etc.) or. by natural means (seepage, infiltration, etc,). (2) See
acquifer.
RESERVOIR, MUL TIPLE.lISE . A reser\'oir constructed and
equipped 10 provide storage and release of water for two or more
purposes, such as flood control, power de\'e1opment, navigation,
irrigation, pollution abatement, and domestic water supply.
RESERVOIR, REREGULATING - A reservoir used for ,he
purpose of regulating the outflow recei\'ed from another reser-
voir or hrdroelectric plant. .
RIGHT(S), VV ATER - The right(s), acquired under the law,
to use the water occurring in surface or ground waters, for a
specified purpose and in a_ given manner and usually within the
Iimils of a given period. While sllch right(s) may include the
use of a body of water for navigation, fishing, and hunting, and
OIher recreational purposes, etc.. the term is usuaUy applied to
the right to divert or store water for some beneficial purpose or
use, such as irrigation, generation of hydroelectric power, domes-
tic or municipal water supply. In some states, a water right by
law becomes appurtenant to Ihe particular tract of land to which
the water is applied.
RIGHTS, WATER, ADJUDICATION OF - (I) The legal
procedure followed in determining the Quantities of water to
which persons claiming water rights in a Stream or other body of
water are entitled, and in the case of rights by appropriation, the
relalive priority of each such right. (2) The term is also applied
to a court decree or other agreement which sets forth such rights
and priorities.
RIGHTS, WATER, ADMINISTRATION OF - The proce-
dure im'olved in the creation of an orderly manner of handling
~he wa~er ~ghts existing in a stream or other body of water to
Insure Justlce and equity in the utilization of such water. Three
steps in the procedure are generally involved: (a) Creation by
s~at~lte of l.egaI procedure foc initi.ating wa.tec rights and estab-
l~shlIlg Ih.elr amount andlriority, (b) adjudication of existing
nghts which were initiate prior to the time when orderly pro-
cedure was established, and (c) supervision of the distribution of

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