Terminology

From Salish Sea Wiki
alluvium
gravel, sand and finer materials moved and sorted by rivers and streams
barrier-type embayment
an embayment formed in part by a barrier beach
barrier beach
a beach formed in the absence of a eroding bluff through transport
bluff-backed beach
a beach backed by a bluff, indicating opportunity for waves to recruit sediment
CFR
Code of Federal Regulation, published in the Federal Register Notice by executive agencies to implement law (sometimes called Administrative Law)
convergence zone
where beach sediment flowing in from two directions accumulates, frequently forming barrier beaches
delta process unit
a delta landform including surrounding shallow water, uplands and the extent of tidal influence, including the watershed providing freshwater inputs
dissolved oxygen
the level of oxygen gas present in water, indicating its ability to support aquatic life.
divergence zone
a beach facing winter storms such that beach sediment flow diverges in two direction--often containing eroding bluffs
drift cell;drift cells
a length of shoreline containing a single complete sediment transport system including eroding banks, beaches, and deposition areas, with sediment flowing in the direction of prevailing waves.
ecosystem site
a unit from the nearshore project or watershed characterization watersheds that defines a ecologically cohesive site for management
ELJ;Engineered Log Jams;ELJs
Log structures build in a river or floodplain to provide the pool forming and other geomorphic functions of naturally occurring log jams, but where natural wood budgets have been degraded and don't support natural jam formation.
fecal coliform
bacteria associated with feces that indicate the likelihood that drinking water will cause a bacterial infection.
inlet process unit
an embayment landform, commonly a drowned stream valley, and the watershed providing freshwater inputs
macroalgae
the precise term for seaweed including kelps.
MHW
mean high water
MHHW
mean higher high water
PAH
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon--a family of organic carbon compounds associated with crude oil products.
primary production
the capture of sun energy by plants, and the base of all food chains.
QAPP
A Quality Assurance Project Plan as required by EPA policy.
sediment
particles of clay, silt, sand, gravel, or cobble, transported by water, are called sediment.
shoreline process unit
a coastal watershed that encompasses a single contiguous beach system, following the Nearshore Project
smoltification
the process by which salmon transform their physiology to prepare for life in salt water
stream order
a method of describing the position of a stream in the watershed by considering the number of streams that have contributed to a given channel, with low order streams having fewer contributing streams
summer base flow;low flow;summer low flow
the flow in a stream during drought periods, when streams depend on groundwater.
TMDL;Total Maximum Daily Load
Total Maximum Daily Load is a Clean Water Act term that describes a regulatory target that attempts to set a limit to pollutant inputs at a level that will meet water quality standards.
treaty rights;tribal treaty rights
a term describing the obligations of the United States to Indian tribes in the treaties under which tribal lands were ceded to the United States
watershed management unit
a watershed containing the whole of a tributary to one of the large rivers, following State Ecology's Watershed Characterization Project
category:headwater
An ecosystem type used for content related to confined valleys with heavy snow
category:watershed
An ecosystem type used for content related to lowland watersheds
category:floodplain
An ecosystem type used for content related to the floodplains of rivers
category:river delta
An ecosystem type used for content related to our 16 large river deltas
category:embayment
An ecosystem type used for content related to barrier embayments and inlets
category:beach
An ecosystem type used for content related to drifting beach cells
category:headland
An ecosystem type used for content related to rocky shorelines
category:biology
A broad topic for content related to living organisms
category:salmon
A narrower topic for content related to salmonids
category:plants and soils
A narrower topic for content related to plants and soils, including revegetation
category:chemistry
A broad topic for content related to chemical flows and transformations in ecosystems, particularly around nutrients and toxics
category:climate change
A broad topic for contect concerning the anticipated effects of climage change
category:physical science
A broad topic covering physical processes in ecosystems, particularly geomorphology, hydrology,and hydraulics.
category:sediment dynamics
A narrower topic under physical science concerned with the transport of material by moving water
category:hydrodynamics
A narrower topic under physical science concerned with predicting the dynamics of tidal and alluvial flows
category:social science
A very broad topic concerned with the cultural, social and economic dynamics of human systems
category:ecosystem services
A topic under social science concerned with how people measure and value the services they get from ecosystems
category:development
A topic under social science concerned with the technologies by which humans intentionally alter natural landscapes
category:agriculture
A topic concerned with the ecological, economic, and social dynamics of agricultural systems
category:adaptive management
An effort which attempts to manage uncertainty by integrating scientific experiments into management practices
category:planning
An effort which tries to reach goals by making good decisions and the wise allocation of resources
category:protection
An effort which attempts to reduce the impacts of development on ecosystem functions
category:restoration
An effort which attempts to recover lost ecosystem functions
category:research
An effort which attempts to build an understanding of cause and effect in human and ecological systems
category:monitoring
A kind of research focussed on observing change over time, often following some other action
category:document
A page about a written product either published or unpublished
category:image
An uploaded digital image of something of interest
category:logo
An uploaded digital image specifically used to identify a workgroup
category:ecosystem map
An uploaded digital map specifically used to describe an ecosystem site or place
category:presentation
An uploaded digital file containing a version of a presentation (as opposed to a document)
category:coordinating
A workgroup that exists to encourage or require coordination among multiple workgroups, often a representative body
category:district
A workgroup, formed as a special district of the state for conservation, flood management, irrigation, diking or otherwise.
category:federal
A workgroup associated with a branch of the federal government
category:local
A workgroup that is part of a county or municipal government
category:NGO
A workgroup that is functions as a not-for-profit corporation
category:private
A workgroup that functions as a for-profit proprietorship or corporation
category:state
A workgroup associated with state government
category:tribal
A workgroup associated with the government of a tribal nation
category:funder
A workgroup which routinely distributes funding to efforts