Groundwater Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Technical Guide - DRAFT
Glossary
accuracy—The closeness of results of observations, computations or estimates to the true values or the
values accepted as being true (FGDC 1998a).
adit discharges— Water draining from an underground mine passage. (Oxford dictionary)
anoxia—Waters or soils with no dissolved oxygen. (Oxford dictionary)
aquifer—a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater. (Oxford dictionary)
artesian—An adjective referring to groundwater confined under hydrostatic pressure. (AGI 2013)
attribute—A defined characteristic of an entity type (e.g. composition) (FGDC 1998a).
base-flow stream—That part of stream discharge that is not attributable to direct runoff from
precipitation or melting snow. It is sustained by groundwater discharge. (AGI 2013)
best management practices—A practice, or combination of practices, that have been determined to be
most effective and practicable in preventing or reducing the amount of pollution generated by diffuse
sources to a level compatible with water quality goals. (40 CFR 130)
bog—A peat-accumulating wetland that has no significant inflows or outflows and supports acidophilic
mosses, particularly Sphagnum. In general, bogs are supported by precipitation. (Oxford dictionary)
boundary conditions— a mathematical statement specifying the dependent variable (e.g. hydraulic
head or concentration) at the boundaries of the modeled domain which contain the equations of the
mathematical model. Examples are Specified Head, Specified Concentration, Specified Flux (flow or mass
flux), or Mixed Boundaries. (Fetter 2001)
bryophytes—A small, nonvascular plant that may have stemlike, leaflike, and rootlike structures. Some
plants form flattened, green, ribbonlike organisms on the soil surface. Liverworts, hornworts, and
mosses are bryophytes. (AGI 2013)
business needs—Ongoing tasks related to a particular business or project and the information and other
support contributing to the completion of these tasks. (Winthers et al. 2005)
business requirements—A business need identified as necessary for successful achievement of business
goals/objectives, (including strategic, tactical, legal, or operational objectives). Business requirements
may be represented in a variety of contexts and are most often defined in response to establishing
requirements for processes, compliance to business direction, and to identification of information
technology functionality requirements (FSM 1940).
Carolina Bay—Any of various shallow, often oval or elliptical, generally marshy, closed depressions in
the Atlantic coastal plain (from southern New Jersey to NE Florida, esp. developed in the Carolinas).
They range from about 100 m to many kilometers in length, are rich in humus, and contain trees and
shrubs different from those of the surrounding areas. They are characterized by the approximate
parallel orientation of their long axes. Their origin is much debated and has been attributed to
meteorites, upwelling springs, eddy currents, and solution. (AGI 2013)
Glossary (v1.0) 12/21/13
DRAFT
1
Groundwater Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Technical Guide - DRAFT
cave—A natural underground open space; it generally has a connection to the surface, is large enough
for a person to enter, and extends into darkness. The most common type of cave is formed in limestone
by dissolution. (AGI 2013)
crenobiontic—Organisms that live only in springs. (Kovar 1998)
Darcy’s Law— The general form of Darcy’s Law is: Q=-KiA, where Q is the groundwater discharge across
a cross-sectional area A, K is the hydraulic conductivity, and i is hydraulic head gradient (change in head
between two points divided by distance between those two points. Definition will be finalized.
exposure spring (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—
Groundwater is exposed at the land surface but does not have surface inflow or outflow. Exposure
springs occur in karst (sinkholes) and psuedokarst (lava flows) but could form in other types of vertical
conduits into an aquifer.
fen—In general, wetlands that develop where a relatively constant supply of groundwater to the plant
rooting zone maintains saturated conditions most of the time and the water chemistry reflects the
mineralogy of the surrounding and underlying soils and geological materials. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (1999) uses two criteria to classify a wetland as a fen: (1) the wetland is primarily supported by
groundwater and (2) the wetland has organic soils meeting the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural
Resources Conservation Service (2010) definition of a histosol or a histic epipedon in at least some part
of the contiguous wetland.
fibric—Organic soil material that contains 3/4 or more recognizable fibers (after rubbing between
fingers) of undecomposed plant remains. Bulk density is usually very low and water holding capacity
very high. (SSSA 2008)
forb—A noncultivated dicotyledonous herbaceous plant; a herb other than grass. (AGI 2013)
fountain spring (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—Cool,
artesian springs that are forced above the land surface by artesian or gas pressure.
geographic information system (GIS)—The term frequently applied to geographically oriented
computer technology. In its broadest sense, GIS is a system for capturing, storing, checking,
manipulating, analyzing, and displaying data that are spatially referenced to the Earth (Lachowski et al.
1995.
geospatial data— Information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or
constructed features and boundaries on the earth. This information may be derived from, among other
things, remote sensing, mapping, and surveying technologies (FGDC 1998a).
geyser (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—Geothermal
springs that emerge explosively and usually erratically. A geyser is a hot spring characterized by
intermittent discharges of water that are ejected turbulently by a vapor phase.
graminoid—True grasses (Poaceae) or grass-like plants, such as sedges (Cyperaceae) or rushes
(Juncaceae). (FGDC 1997)
Glossary (v1.0) 12/21/13
DRAFT
2
Groundwater Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Technical Guide - DRAFT
groundwater—All water below the ground surface, including water in the saturated and unsaturated
zone.
groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs)—Communities of plants, animals, and other organisms
whose extent and life processes are dependent on access to or discharge of groundwater.
groundwater vulnerability—"the tendency or likelihood for contaminants to reach a specified position
in the groundwater system after introduction at some location above the uppermost aquifer." (National
Research Council 1993)
gushet (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—Discrete sources
of flow pouring from cliff faces. Gushets typically emerge from perched, unconfined aquifers, often with
dissolution enhancement along fractures, exhibit thin sheets of water flowing over rock faces.
hanging garden or wet wall (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens
2009)—Springs that emerge along geologic contacts or fractures and seep, drip, or pour onto underlying
walls. Hanging gardens in the Southwestern United States typically emerge from perched, unconfined
aquifers in Aeolian sandstone units.
helocrene (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—Low-gradient
springs and/or wetlands; often indistinct or multiple sources of groundwater. Also called wet meadows
or cienegas.
hemic— Organic soil material at an intermediate degree of decomposition that contains 1/6 to 3/4
recognizable fibers (after rubbing) of undecomposed plant remains. Bulk density is usually very low, and
water holding capacity very high. (SSSA 2008)
herbaceous—Said of green, vascular plants of low stature, either annual or perennial. (AGI 2013)
hillslope (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—Springs and/or
wetlands on a hillslope (generally 20- to 60-degree slope), often with indistinct or multiple sources of
groundwater.
histic epipedon— A thin organic soil horizon that is saturated with water at some period of the year
unless artificially drained and that is at or near the surface of a mineral soil. The histic epipedon has a
maximum thickness depending on the kind of materials in the horizon and the lower limit of organic
carbon is the upper limit for the mollic epipedon. (SSSA 2008)
histosol—Histosols Organic soils that have organic soil materials in more than half of the upper 80 cm,
or that are of any thickness if overlying rock or fragmental materials that have interstices filled with
organic soil materials. (An order in the U.S. system of soil taxonomy.) See also peat. (SSSA 2008)
hydraulic conductivity (K)— The volume of water at the existing kinematic viscosity that will move in a
porous medium in unit time under a unit hydraulic gradient through a unit area measured at right angles
to the direction of flow. (AGI 2013)
hydric soil—A soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during
the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part. (SSSA 2008)
Glossary (v1.0) 12/21/13
DRAFT
3
Groundwater Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Technical Guide - DRAFT
hypocrene (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—A buried
spring where flow does not reach the surface. This term is common to the Southwestern United States.
Elsewhere, these features may be equivalent to shallow groundwater areas, including fens.
hyporheic zone—Area of a stream bed and bank where surface and ground waters mix. A similar area,
the hypolentic zone, exists in lakes and ponds. (Hauer and Lamberti 2007)
insurgence—The sinking of a stream underground in a karst area. (AGI 2013)
jurisdictional wetlands—Those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water
(hydrology) at a frequency and duration sufficient to support and that, under normal circumstances, do
support a prevalence of vegetation (hydrophytes) typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions
(hydric soils). Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas (40 Code of Federal
Regulations 232.2(r)).
karst—Topography with sinkholes, caves, and underground drainage that is formed in limestone,
gypsum, or other rocks by dissolution. (SSSA 2008)
LiDAR (light detection and ranging) - A method and instrument that measure distance to a reflecting
object by emitting timed pulses of light and measuring the time between emission and reception of
reflected pulses. The measured time interval is converted to distance. (AGI 2013)
limnocrene (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—Groundwater
emerging in one or more pools.
litho-facies—A lateral, mappable subdivision of a designated stratigraphic unit, distinguished from
adjacent subdivisions on the basis of lithology, including all mineralogic and petrographic characters and
those paleontologic characters that influence the appearance, composition, or texture of the rock. (AGI
2013)
Lithostratigraphic unit—A defined body of sedimentary, extrusive igneous, metasedimentary, or
metavolcanic strata that is distinguished and delimited on the basis of lithic characteristics and
stratigraphic position. (AGI 2013)
marsh—A wet area, periodically inundated with standing or slow moving water, that has grassy or
herbaceous vegetation and often little peat accumulation; the water may be salt, brackish or fresh.
Sometimes called wet prairies. See also swamp, tidal flats, and wetland. (SSSA 2008)
metamorphic grade—The intensity or rank of metamorphism, measured by the amount or degree of
difference between the original parent rock and the metamorphic rock. For example, conversion of
shale to slate or phyllite would be low-grade metamorphism, whereas its continued alteration to a
garnet-sillimanite schist would be high-grade metamorphism. (AGI 2013)
mineralized mounds - (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)
Spring that emerges from a mineralized mound (usually carbonate), frequently at magmatic or fault
systems. May also include springs issuing from peat mounds.
Glossary (v1.0) 12/21/13
DRAFT
4
Groundwater Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Technical Guide - DRAFT
minerogenous peatland — Wetland whose water is originally derived from mineral soils or rocks. Also
called minerotrophic. (AGI 2013)
muck—Organic soil material in which the original plant parts are not recognizable. Contains more
mineral matter and is usually darker in color than peat. See also muck soil, peat, peat soil, and sapric
material. (SSSA 2008)
mucky peat—Organic soil material in which a significant part of the original plant parts are recognizable
and a significant part is not. See also peat and muck. (SSSA 2008)
National Resource Manager (NRM)-Automated Lands Program (ALP) database—The Forest Service
national ALP is an information management system that contains all land status data for Forest Service
managed land, including land survey, ownership, use restrictions, and boundaries.
NRM-Infrastructure (INFRA) database—NRM-INFRA is a Forest Service data management system that
includes a collection of Web-based data entry forms, reporting tools, and Geographic Information
System tools that enable forests to manage and report accurate information about their inventory of
constructed features and land units as well as permits sold to the general public and to partners.
NRM-Natural Resource Information System (NRIS) Water Rights and Uses database—The NRIS is a set
of Forest Service corporate databases and computer applications that contain basic natural resource
data. The Water Rights and Uses database tracks core information about State and federally recognized
water rights and uses. It also tracks related information about beneficiaries, purpose, quantity, and
periods of water use.
Ombrogenous peatland - Wetland that receives essentially all of its moisture from precipitation. It is
rich in cellulose and low in plant nutrients, mineral matter, and nitrogen. Ombrogenous peat is highly
acidic and is generally well preserved. Also called ombrotrophic. (AGI 2013)
organic soil—A soil in which the sum of the thicknesses of layers containing organic soil materials is
generally greater than the sum of the thicknesses of mineral layers. (SSSA 2008)
peat—Organic soil material which is the least decomposed. See fibric soil material. (SSSA 2008)
peatland—A generic term for any wetland that accumulates partially decayed plant matter (peat). (SSSA
2008)
phreatophyte—A plant that obtains its water supply from the saturated zone or through the capillary
fringe and is characterized by a deep root system. (AGI 2013)
piezometer—An instrument for measuring pressure head in soil. It usually consists of a small pipe. (AGI
2013)
piezometric surface— A surface representing the total head of groundwater and defined by the levels to
which water will rise in tightly cased wells. The water table is a particular piezometric surface. A less
preferred synonym for potentiometric surface. (AGI 2013)
pocosin—A swamp, usually containing organic soil, and partly or completely enclosed by a sandy rim.
The Carolina Bays of the Southeastern USA. (SSSA 2008)
Glossary (v1.0) 12/21/13
DRAFT
5
Groundwater Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Technical Guide - DRAFT
porosity— The percentage of the bulk volume of a rock or soil that is occupied by interstices, whether
isolated or connected. (AGI 2013)
potentiometric surface— A surface representing the total head of groundwater and defined by the
levels to which water will rise in tightly cased wells. The water table is a particular potentiometric
surface. (AGI 2013)
potentiometric surface maps— are among the most basic and useful tools available for characterizing
groundwater flow systems. A potentiometric surface map depicts the pressure potentials of aquifers. A
water table map is a specific type of potentiometric surface map that depicts the hydraulic conditions of
the water table in an unconfined aquifer. In a confined aquifer, the potentiometric surface depicts the
pressure head at a position within the aquifer (e.g., the top of the hydrostratigraphic unit). In practice,
the terms potentiometric and piezometric are used interchangeably.
redoximorphic features—Redoximorphic concentrations , redoximorphic depletions, reduced matrices,
and other features indicating the chemical reduction and oxidation of iron and manganese compounds
resulting from saturation. (SSSA 2008)
remote sensing—(1) The gathering of data regarding an object or phenomenon by a recording device
(sensor) that is not in physical contact with the object or phenomenon under observation (Lachowski et
al. 1996). (2) The science and art of obtaining information about an object, area, or phenomenon
through the analysis of data acquired by a device that is not in contact with the object, area, or
phenomenon under investigation (Lillesand and Kiefer 1987).
rheocrene (one of the spheres of discharge, as described by Springer and Stevens 2009)—Flowing
springs that emerge directly into one or more stream channels.
riparian—Land adjacent to a body of water that is at least periodically influenced by flooding. See also
flood plain, tidal flats, and wetland. (SSSA 2008)
sapric—Organic soil material that contains less than 1/6 recognizable fibers (after rubbing) of
undecomposed plant remains. Bulk density is usually very low, and water holding capacity very high.
(SSSA 2008)
seep—An area, generally small, where water percolates slowly to the land surface. It may be considered
as a syn. of seepage spring, but it is used by some for flows too small to be considered as springs. (AGI
2013)
specific conductance—A rapid method of estimating the dissolved-solids content of a water supply. The
measurement indicates the capacity of a sample of water to carry an electrical current, which is related
to the concentration of ionized substances in the water. (USEPA)
specific storage (or storativity)—A measure of the amount of water a confined aquifer will give up for a
certain change in head.
spring—A place where groundwater flows naturally from a rock or the soil onto the land surface or into
a body of surface water. Its occurrence depends on the nature and relationship of rocks, esp. permeable
and impermeable strata, on the position of the water table, and on the topography. (AGI 2013)
Glossary (v1.0) 12/21/13
DRAFT
6
Groundwater Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Technical Guide - DRAFT
spring brook—Runout channel from a spring, which may become a stream at some distance from the
spring source.
spring source—The location where the spring emerges from the ground onto the land surface. Also
referred to as the spring orifice.
storage coefficient—The volume of water an aquifer releases from or takes into storage per unit surface
area of the aquifer per unit change in head. (AGI 2013)
string and flark microtopography—Slow groundwater movement through broad, gently sloped
peatlands- Applies to areas having peat-forming vegetation on peat and includes all peat originating
from that vegetation. (AGI 2013)
swamp—An area of low, waterlogged ground having shrubs and trees, with or without the formation of
peat. (AGI 2013)
Terrestrial Ecological Unit Inventory (TEUI)—The national program of ecological classification within the
Forest Service that was developed to classify ecological types and map ecological units to a consistent
standard across National Forest System lands. TEUI establishes terrestrial mapping units derived from a
combination of core datasets, which uniquely characterize a spatial region, including climate, geology,
geomorphology, soil regime, and vegetation. (Winthers et al 2005)
transmissivity—The rate at which water of the prevailing kinematic viscosity is transmitted through a
unit width of the aquifer under a unit hydraulic gradient. (AGI 2013)
upland— The default classification for regions that are not classified as wetlands or other aquatic
habitats. (FGDC 2009)
wetland - An area that is regularly wet or flooded and has a water table that stands at or above the land
surface for at least part of the year. The term has supplanted more colloquial terms such as swamp and
marsh. (AGI 2013)
wet meadow—Area that is saturated with water for much of the year but does not have standing water,
except for brief periods, during the growing season. (Ecology Dictionary)
wetland indicator status—A system of categorizing plant species in terms of their probability of
occurring in wetlands. The system was developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(http://plants.usda.gov/wetinfo.html). It has five general categories: obligate, facultative wetland,
facultative, facultative upland, and upland. Obligate species almost always occur in wetlands, whereas
upland species almost never occur in wetlands.
Glossary (v1.0) 12/21/13
DRAFT
7
Groundwater Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Technical Guide - DRAFT
Glossary References
Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). 1998a. Content standards for digital geospatial metadata.
FGDC-STD-001-1998. Version 2.0. Washington, DC: Federal Geographic Data Committee. 66 p. Available:
http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/csdgm/. (March 25, 2010).
Lachowski, H.; Maus, P.; Golden, M.; et al. 1995. Guidelines for the use of digital imagery for vegetation
mapping. EM-7140-25. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
Lillesand, T.M.; Kiefer, R.W. 1994. Remote sensing and image interpretation. New York: John Wiley &
Sons.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2010. Field Indicators of Hydric
Soils in the United States, Version 7.0. L.M. Vasilas, G.W. Hurt, and C.V. Noble (eds.). USDA, NRCS, in
cooperation with the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils. Available online at: ftp://ftpfc.sc.egov.usda.gov/NSSC/Hydric_Soils/FieldIndicators_v7.pdf
Soil Science Society of America, 2008, Glossary of Soil Science Terms, Soil Science Glossary Terms
Committee. https://www.soils.org/publications/soils-glossary/
American Geological Institute, online Glossary of Geology, accessed 2013.
http://glossary.agiweb.org/dbtw-wpd/glossary/search.htm
Winthers, E.1; Fallon, D.2; Haglund, J.3; DeMeo, T.4; Nowacki, G.5; Tart, D.6; Ferwerda, M.7; Robertson,
G.8; Gallegos, A.9; Rorick, A.10; Cleland, D. T.11; Robbie, W.12 2005. Terrestrial Ecological Unit
Inventory technical guide. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington
Office, Ecosystem Management Coordination Staff. 245 p.
Federal Geographic Data Committee, Wetlands Subcommittee, Wetlands Mapping Standard, FGDC
Document Number FGDC-STD-015-2009, July 2009.
Federal Geographic Data Committee--Vegetation Subcommittee FGDC-STD-005, National Vegetation
Classification Standard , June 1997.
USEPA Terms and Acronyms,
http://ofmpub.epa.gov/sor_internet/registry/termreg/searchandretrieve/termsandacronyms/search.do
Oxford dictionary online, http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/
Fetter, C.W., 2001, Applied Hydrogeology, Prentiss-Hall NJ.
Ecology Dictionary, http://www.ecologydictionary.org/
Kovar, K., 1998, Hydrology, Water Resources and Ecology in Headwaters, International Association of
Hydrological Sciences, No. 248.
Hauer, F.R., and G.A., Lamberti, 2007, Methods in Stream Ecology, Academic Press.
Glossary (v1.0) 12/21/13
DRAFT
8