A Glossary of Watershed-Related Words

Please note that this is a partial glossary, work is still in progress. For more water-related words and definitions, visit Nevada's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Glossary and Wikipedia's entry for the Environmental Protection Agency.

aquifer

a formation, group of formations, or part of a formation containing sufficient saturated permeable material that could yield a sufficient quantity of water that may be extracted and applied to a beneficial use.

back to top

best management practice (BMP)

a practice or a combination of practices that is determined by a governmental agency after problem assessment, examination of alternative practices, and appropriate public participation, to be the most effective, practicable means of preventing or reducing the amount of pollution generated by nonpoint sources to a level compatible with quality goals.

back to top

biosolids

the accumulated residual product resulting from a domestic wastewater treatment works. Biosolids does not include grit or screenings from a wastewater treatment works, commercial or industrial sludges, sludge generated during treatment of drinking water, or domestic or industrial septage.

back to top

discharge

the discharge of pollutants to state waters and also includes land application of pollutants.

back to top

effluent limitation

means any restriction or prohibition on quantities, rates, and concentrations of chemical, physical, biological, and other constituents that are discharged from point sources into state waters, including schedules of compliance.

back to top

municipal separate storm sewer

a conveyance or system of conveyances owned or operated by a State, city, town, county, district, association, or other public body designed or used for collecting or conveying stormwater.

back to top

point source

any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, including, but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft, from which pollutants are or may be discharged. Point Source does not include irrigation return flow.

back to top

point source permit

a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or Colorado Discharge Elimination System permit for the discharge of pollutants to state waters permits.

back to top

pollutant

dredged spoil, dirt, slurry, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, sewage sludge, garbage, trash, chemical waste, biological nutrient, biological material, radioactive material, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, any industrial, municipal or agricultural waste.

back to top

pollution

man-made or man-induced, or natural alteration of the physical, chemical, biological, and radiological integrity of water.

back to top

process wastewater

any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into direct contact with or results from the production or use of any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct, or waste product.

back to top

public water system

a system for the provision of piped water, if such system has a minimum of 15 service connections or regularly serves an average of a minimum of 25 persons.

back to top

standard

a narrative and/or numeric restriction established by the Commission applied to state surface waters to protect one or more beneficial uses of such waters.

back to top

state waters

any and all surface and subsurface waters which are contained in or flow in or through Colorado, except waters in sewage systems, water in treatment works or disposal systems, waters in potable water distribution systems, and all water withdrawn for use until use and treatment have been completed.

back to top

stormwater

stormwater runoff, snowmelt runoff, and surface runoff and drainage.

back to top

water quality impairment or impacts

the effect of a discharge or disturbance upon state waters, including, but not limited to the exceedance of permit limitations and/or stream standards or ground water standards; the occurrence of fish or other aquatic organism kills; excessive growth of organisms that affects the taste and odor of a potable water supply source and/or aesthetic quality of a recreational area; and/or the occurrence of conditions which are detrimental to public health.

back to top

watershed

A watershed is a stream or river and the landscape through which it flows. Somewhat like a bowl or funnel, a watershed is rimmed by higher ground that directs water from various sources (snowmelt, rainfall, smaller tributaries, etc.) toward the river in the valley below. A watershed is also a place in which a community lives, works and plays. Wherever you are, you are in a watershed. Therefore the downward flow of water through a watershed carries with it the effects of nature and human activity. Because of this, concern for a river’s health must include concern for the health of the entire watershed.

back to top