Glossary

Acre-feet (AF) – The volume of water necessary to cover one acre to a depth of one foot.  Conversion to gallons- 1 acre-foot = 325,851 gallons.

Alluvial — (1) Pertaining to processes or materials associated with transportation or deposition by running water. (2)Pertaining to or composed of alluvium, or deposited by a stream or running water. (3) An adjective referring to soil or earth material which has been deposited by running water, as in a riverbed, flood plain, or delta.

Alluvium — (1) A general term for deposits of clay, silt, sand, gravel, or other particulate material that has been deposited by a stream or other body of running water in a streambed, on a flood plain, on a delta, or at the base of a mountain. (2) A general term for such unconsolidated detrital material deposited during comparatively recent geologic time by a stream or other body of running water as a sorted or semi-sorted sediment in the bed of the stream or its flood plain or delta, or as a cone or fan at the base of a mountain slope; especially such a deposit of fine-grained texture (silt or silty clay) deposited during time of flood.

Appropriation right – a right, acquired under the provisions of article 7 of chapter 82a of the Kansas Statutes Annotated and amendments thereto, to divert from a definite water supply a specific quantity of water at a specific rate of diversion, provided such water is available in excess of the requirements of all vested rights that relate to such supply and all appropriation rights of earlier date that relate to such supply, and to apply such water to a specific beneficial use or uses in preference to all appropriations right of later date.

Aquifer – A geologic formation, group of formations, or part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs.

Aquitard — A saturated, but poorly permeable bed that impedes groundwater movement and does not yield water freely to wells, but which may transmit appreciable water to or from adjacent aquifers and, where sufficiently thick, may constitute an important ground-water storage unit. Aquitards are characterized by values of leakance that may range from relatively low to relatively high. Aerially extensive aquitards of relatively low leakance may function regionally as boundaries of aquifer flow systems.

Base Flow — (1) The flow that a perennially flowing stream reduces to during the dry season. It is supported by groundwater seepage into the channel. (2) The fair-weather or sustained flow of streams; that part of stream discharge not attributable to direct runoff from precipitation, snowmelt, or a spring. Discharge entering streams channels as effluent from the groundwater reservoir. (3) The volume of flow in a stream channel that is not derived from surface run-off. Base flow is characterized by flow regime (frequency, magnitude, and duration daily, seasonally, and yearly), by minimum low flow events and in context of the size and complexity of the stream and its channel.

Bedrock — (Geology) The solid rock beneath the soil (Zone of Aeration or Zone of Saturation) and superficial rock.  A general term for solid rock that lies beneath soil, loose sediments, or other unconsolidated material.

Brine — (1) Water saturated with or containing large amounts of a salt, especially of sodium chloride. According to U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) classification, water classified as brine contains more than 35,000 ppm (parts per million) total dissolved solids (TDS) of salt; (2a) The water of a sea or an ocean; (2b) A large body of salt water. (3) The wastewater resulting from desalting. It is higher in dissolved solid content than feedwater or product water.

Confining Unit — A hydrogeologic unit of relatively impermeable material, bounding one or more aquifers.

Evapotranspiration (ET) — (1) The process by which plants take in water through their roots and then give it off through the leaves as a by-product of respiration; the loss of water to the atmosphere from the earth’s surface by evaporation and by transpiration through plants. (2) The quantity of water transpired (given off), retained in plant tissues, and evaporated from plant tissues and surrounding soil surfaces. (3) The sum of Evaporation and Transpiration from a unit land area. (4) The combined processes by which water is transferred from the earth surface to the atmosphere; evaporation of liquid or solid water plus transpiration from plants. (5) The combined evaporative-type processes, including evaporation, interception, and transpiration, usually applied to biological systems. Evapotranspiration occurs through evaporation of water from the surface, evaporation from the capillary fringe of the groundwater table, and the transpiration of groundwater by plants (Phreatophytes) whose roots tap the capillary fringe of the groundwater table. The sum of evaporation plus transpiration.

Gaining Stream — A stream or reach of a stream, the flow of which is being increased by the inflow of ground water seepage or from springs in, or alongside, the channel. Also referred to as an Effluent Stream.

Groundwater – Water below the surface of the earth.

Groundwater Model - A groundwater model is a computer model of groundwater flow systems, used by hydrogeologists. Groundwater models are used to simulate and predict aquifer conditions. Groundwater modeling is also referred to as hydrologic modeling. For more information on groundwater modeling visit: http://www.ksda.gov/subbasin/content/317

Hydraulic Conductivity (Ê) — Simply, a coefficient of proportionality describing the rate at which water can move through an aquifer or other permeable medium. The density and kinematic viscosity of the water must be considered in determining hydraulic conductivity. More specifically, the volume of water at the existing kinematic viscosity that will move, in unit time, under a unit Hydraulic Gradient through a unit area measured at right angles to the direction of flow, assuming the medium is isotropic and the fluid is homogeneous. In the Standard International System, the units are cubic meters per day per square meter of medium (m3/day/m2) or m/day (for unit measures).

Hydrogeology - A branch of geology concerned with the occurrence, use, and functions of surface water and groundwater.

Hydrologic — Of or pertaining to hydrology, that is the science dealing with water, its properties, phenomena, and distribution over the earth’s surface.

Impermeable — Unable to transmit water; not easily penetrated. The property of a material or soil that does not allow, or allows only with great difficulty, the movement or passage of water.

Infiltration — The flow of fluid into a substance through pores or small openings. The word is commonly used to denote the flow of water into soil.

Lithology — (Geology) (1) The scientific study of rocks, usually with the unaided eye or with little magnification. (2) Loosely, the structure and composition of a rock formation. (3) The description of rocks, especially sedimentary Clastics and especially in hand specimen and in outcrop, on the basis of such characteristics as color, structures, mineralogic composition, and grain size.

Losing Stream — A stream or reach of a stream that is losing water by seepage into the ground. Also referred to as an Influent Stream.

Minimum Desirable Streamflow – The specific amount of water required to support aquatic life, to minimize pollution, or for recreation. It is subject to the priority system and does not affect water rights established prior to its institution.

Moratorium – a temporary ban or suspension of an activity.

Permeability — The capacity of soil, sediment, or porous rock to transmit water; the property of soil or rock that allows passage of water through it.

Phreatophyte — (1) Literally, a water-loving plant, one that thrives in wet sites and/or has the ability to tap deep saturation zones. (2) A deep rooted plant that obtains its water from the water table. (3) A plant that habitually obtains its water supply from the Zone of Saturation, either directly or through the Capillary Fringe.

Pleistocene — (Geology) Of, belonging to, or designating the geologic time, rock series, and sedimentary deposits of the earlier of the two epochs of the Quaternary Period. This epoch was characterized by the alternate appearance and recession of northern glaciations and the appearance of the progenitors of human beings. Also commonly referred to as the Ice Age, the Pleistocene covered a period of time from about 2 million years ago to 10,000 years ago and immediately preceded the Holocene Epoch, or the period from 10,000 years ago to the present. The late Pleistocene is generally considered to be the Wisconsinan Age (North America), which extended from about 300,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago and the beginning of the Holocene.

Precipitation — (1) The downward movement of water in liquid or solid form from the atmosphere following condensation in the atmosphere due to cooling of the air below the dew point. Includes rain, snow, hail, and sleet. (2) As used in Hydrology, precipitation is the discharge of water, in liquid or solid state, from the atmosphere, generally onto a land or water surface. It is the common process by which atmospheric water becomes surface or subsurface water. The term “precipitation” is also commonly used to designate the quantity of water that is precipitated. Forms of precipitation include drizzle, rainfall, glaze, sleet, snow, graupel, small hail, and hail. Also, the process of separating mineral constituents from a solution by evaporation (halite, anhydrite) or from magma to form igneous rocks.

Recharge (Hydrologic) — (1) The downward movement of water through soil to groundwater. (2) The process by which water is added to the Zone of Saturation. (3) The introduction of surface or ground water to groundwater storage such as an aquifer. Recharge or replenishment of groundwater supplies consists of three (3) types: [1] Natural Recharge which consists of precipitation or other natural surface flows making their way into groundwater supplies; [2] Artificial or Induced Recharge which includes actions by man specifically designed to increase supplies in a groundwater reservoirs through various methods such as water spreading (flooding), ditches, and pumping techniques; and [3] Incidental Recharge which consists of actions, such as irrigation and water diversion, which add to groundwater supplies but are intended for other purposes.

Saturated Thickness (Aquifer) — The thickness of the portion of the aquifer in which all pores, or voids, are filled with water. In a Confined Aquifer, this is generally the aquifer thickness. In an Unconfined Aquifer, this is the distance between the water table and the base of the aquifer.

Semiconfined (Aquifer) — An aquifer that has a “leaky” confining unit and displays characteristics of both confined and unconfined aquifers, typically evidencing low permeability through which recharge and discharge can still occur.

Sustainability - Of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.

Tributary — (1) A stream which joins another stream or body of water. (2) A stream or other body of water, surface or underground, which contributes its water, even though intermittently and in small quantities, to another and larger stream or body of water.

Unconfined Aquifer — An aquifer containing water that is not under pressure; the water level in a well is the same as the water table outside the well. An unconfined aquifer made up of loose material, such as sand or gravel, that has not undergone lithification (settling). In an unconfined aquifer the upper boundary is the top of the Zone of Saturation (water table).

Vested right- the right of a person under common law or statutory claim to continue the use of water having actually been applied to any beneficial use, including domestic use, on or before June 28, 1945, to the extent of the maximum quantity and rate of diversion for the beneficial use made thereof, and shall include the right to take and use water for beneficial purposes where a person is engaged in the construction of works for the actual application of water to a beneficial use on June 28, 1945, provided such works shall be completed and water is actually applied to such use within a reasonable time thereafter by such person, his heirs, successors or assigns. Such a right does not include, however, those common law claims under which a person has not applied water to any beneficial use within the periods of time set out in this subsection.

Water Right – Any vested or appropriated right under which a person may lawfully divert and use water. It is a real property right appurtenant to and severable from the land on or in connection with which the water is used and such water right passes as an appurtenance with a conveyance of the land by deeds, lease, mortgage, will, or other voluntary disposal, or by inheritance.