Glossary List

abiotic factors noun • non-living characteristics of a habitat or ecosystem that affect organisms' life processes.

adaptation ( ad·ap·ta·tion /ˌadapˈtāSH(ə)n ) noun • a behavior or physical trait that evolved by natural selection and increases an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce in a specific environment.

aeration ( aer·a·tion / eˈrāSH(ə)n ) noun • The process of exposing water to air, allowing air and water to mix and water to absorb the gasses in air.

aerobic ( aer·o·bic / əˈrōbik,eˈrōbik ) noun • with air, oxygen.

algae ( al·ga / ˈalɡə ) noun • a simple, nonflowering, and typically aquatic plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms.

anadromous ( a·nad·ro·mous / əˈnadrəməs ) adjective • fish that live their adult lives in the ocean but move into freshwater streams to reproduce or spawn.

anerobic ( an·aer·o·bic /ˌanəˈrōbik ) noun • without air, no oxygen.

anthropogenic ( an·thro·po·gen·ic /ˌanTHrəpōˈjenik ) noun • arising from human activity.

backshore noun • That part of the beach that is usually dry, being reached only by the highest tides, and by extension, a narrow strip of relatively flat coast bordering the sea.

• The area of a shore that lies between the average high tide mark and the vegetation.

baffle box noun • An underground stormwater management device that uses barriers (or baffles) to slow the flow of untreated stormwater, allowing particulates to settle in the box before the stormwater is released into the environment.

bank ( baNGk ) noun • Edge of a cut or fill; the margin of the watercourse; an elevation of the seafloor located on a continental shelf or an island shelf and over which the depth of water is relatively shallow but sufficient for safe surface navigation (reefs or shoals, dangerous to surface navigation may arise above the general depths of a bank).

bar-built estuary noun • areas where sandbars form parallel to the shore, partly enclosing the water behind them as the sandbars become islands.

barrier island noun • A long, narrow, sandy island that is above high tide and parallel to the shore that commonly has dunes, vegetated zones, and swampy terrains extending lagoonward from the beach.

bathymetry ( ba·thym·e·try / bəˈTHimətrē ) noun • Science of measuring water depths (usually in the ocean) in order to determine bottom topography.

• Bathymetry is the study of the "beds" or "floors" of water bodies, including the ocean, rivers, streams, and lakes.

beach ( bēCH ) noun • Zone of unconsolidated material that extends landward from the low water line to the place where there is marked changes in material or physiographic form, or to the line of permanent vegetation (usually the effective limit of storm waves). A beach includes foreshore and backshore.

beach berm noun • Nearly horizontal portion of the beach or backshore formed by the deposit of materials by wave action. Some beaches have no berms, others have one or several.

benthos ( ben·thos / ˈbenTHäs ) noun • bottom-dwelling flora and fauna; from tiniest microbenthos (bacteria) to medium-sized meiobenthos (nematode worms) to the highly visible macrobenthos (clams, polychaete worms).

berm ( bərm ) noun • Nearly horizontal portion of a beach or backshore having an abrupt fall and formed by wave deposition of material and marking the limit of ordinary high tides.

biodiversity ( bi·o·di·ver·si·ty /ˌbīōdiˈvərsədē,ˌbīōˌdīˈvərsədē ) noun • the number and variety of living things in an environment.

biofilter noun • living material or an organism that captures and biologically degrades pollutants.

biogeochemical ( bi·o·ge·o·chem·i·cal /ˌbīōˌjēōˈkemək(ə)l ) adjective • relating to or denoting the cycle in which chemical elements and simple substances are transferred between living systems and the environment.

biosphere ( bi·o·sphere / ˈbīəˌsfir ) noun • the part of the world in which life can exist; living organisms and their environment.

biota ( bi·o·ta / bīˈōdə ) noun • the animal and plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.

biotic ( bi·ot·ic / bīˈädik ) adjective • of or having to do with life or living organisms; organic.

boat ( bōt ) noun • A boat is any vessel or conveyance that floats on or operates on the water and is under 197 feet (60 meters) length overall (LOA). A boat may be used for pleasure, commercial, or residential purposes. Boat is synonymous with small craft in marine use.

brackish ( brack·ish / ˈbrakiSH ) noun • brackish water occurs in areas, usually estuaries and lagoons, where salt water oceans and fresh water rivers mix together.

causeway ( cause·way / ˈkôzˌwā ) noun • a raised road or track across low or wet ground.

centralized wastewater treatment system noun • A managed system consisting of collection sewers and a single treatment plant used to collect and treat wastewater from an entire service area. Traditionally, such a system has been called a publicly owned treatment works

channel ( chan·nel / ˈCHanl ) noun • a dredged passageway within a coastal bay that allows maritime navigation.

chlorophyll ( chlo·ro·phyll / ˈklôrəˌfil ) noun • a green pigment found in algae, plants and other organisms that carry on photosynthesis; enables plants to absorb energy from light.

coast ( kōst ) noun • General region of indefinite width that extends from the sea inland to the first major change in terrain features

coastal zone noun • coastal waters and adjacent shorelands including islands, inter-tidal areas, salt marshes, wetlands, and beaches.

coliform bacteria noun • A group of bacteria predominantly inhabiting the intestines of humans or other warm-blooded animals, but also occasionally found elsewhere. Used as an indicator of human fecal contamination.

commercial fishing noun • fishing for a commercial purpose, i.e. to sell the catch

condensation ( con·den·sa·tion / känˌdenˈsāSH(ə)n ) noun • the process in which water vapor changes into liquid water (such as dew, fog, or cloud droplets).

conservation ( con·ser·va·tion / ˌkänsərˈvāSH(ə)n ) noun • careful preservation and protection of ecological processes and biodiversity of the environment.

contamination ( con·tam·i·na·tion / kənˌtaməˈnāSH(ə)n ) noun • an undesirable element, impure or unclean, something that is not supposed to be there (such as oil or insecticides in water).

cove ( kōv ) noun • A small, narrow sheltered bay or recess in an estuary, often inside a larger embayment

craft ( kraft ) noun • Craft are any vessel or conveyance that operate in a fluid medium or a vacuum. Thus, boats are craft; aircraft are craft; and spaceships, spacecraft, and space capsules are craft. When applied to vessels or conveyances that float on the water, a craft is any boat or ship of any size or type and of any use.

crustacean ( crus·ta·cean / krəˈstāSH(ə)n ) noun • anthropods having hard-shelled bodies and jointed ligaments such as crabs, shrimp and lobsters.

current ( cur·rent / ˈkərənt ) noun • large-scale circulation of water caused by thermodynamics and winds.

dam ( dam ) noun • a barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir used to generate electricity or as a water supply.

decompose ( de·com·pose /ˌdēkəmˈpōz ) verb • to decay or rot; to break down or separate into smaller or simpler components.

decomposer ( de·com·pos·er /ˌdēkəmˈpōzər ) noun • an organism that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter, thus making organic nutrients available to the ecosystem.

decomposition ( de·com·po·si·tion /dēˌkämpəˈziSH(ə)n ) noun • the process of decaying or rotting; breaking down or separating a substance into smaller or simpler components.

delta ( del·ta / ˈdeltə ) noun • a low-lying sediment deposit found at the mouth of a river.

desiccation ( des·ic·ca·tion /ˌdesəˈkāSHən ) noun • loss of water.

detritus ( de·tri·tus / dəˈtrīdəs ) noun • newly dead or decaying organic matter coated with bacteria.

diatom ( di·a·tom / ˈdīəˌtäm ) noun • one of most common groups of phytoplankton; single-celled organism that reproduces asexually.

dike ( dīk ) noun • an embankment for controlling or holding back the waters of the sea or a river:

• a ditch.
• a bank of earth formed of material being excavated.
• a causeway.

dinoflagellates ( din·o·flag·el·late /ˌdīnōˈflajəlit,-ˌlāt ) noun • common type of phytoplankton, most abundant in fall; responsible for “red tides” as well as bioluminescence.

diverse ( di·verse / dəˈvərs,dīˈvərs ) adjective • of different kinds, types, or species.

drain field noun • Shallow, covered, excavation made in unsaturated soil into which pretreated wastewater is discharged through distribution piping for application onto soil infiltration surfaces through porous media or manufactured (gravelless) components placed in the excavations. The soil accepts, treats, and disperses wastewater as it percolates through the soil, ultimately discharging to groundwater.

drawbridge ( draw·bridge / ˈdrôˌbrij ) noun • a bridge withspans that can be raised up, let down, or drawn aside so as to permit tall watercraft to pass

dredge ( drej ) verb • an excavation or digging activity carried out at least partly underwater in shallow water areas to move bottom materials from one place to another; often used to keep waterways deep enough for boat passage.

dredged channel noun • A roughly linear, deep water area formed by a dredging operation for navigation purposes

ebb ( eb ) noun • the falling tide when the water moves out to the sea and the water level lowers.

echolocation ( ech·o·lo·ca·tion /ˌekōlōˈkāSH(ə)n ) noun • biological sonar used by several kinds of animals where the animal makes sounds and listens to the echoes of those sounds that return from bouncing off objects near them. These echoes can be used to locate and identify prey and objects, and be used in navigating through their environment.

ecosystem ( ec·o·sys·tem / ˈēkōˌsistəm ) noun • the biotic community and its abiotic environment.

ecotourism ( ec·o·tour·ism /ˌekōˈto͝orizəm,ˈēkōˌto͝orizəm,ˈekōˌto͝orizəm ) noun • travel undertaken to witness sites or regions of unique natural or ecologic quality. Often it is environmentally responsible travel that benefits nature and local communities.

effluent ( ef·flu·ent / ˈeflo͞oənt ) noun • Sewage, water, or other liquid, partially or completely treated or in its natural state, flowing out of a septic tank, subsurface wastewater infiltration system, aerobic treatment unit, or other treatment system or system component.

elasmobranch ( e·las·mo·branch / əˈlazməˌbraNGk ) noun • approximately 400 species of fish, including sharks and rays that have skeletons made of cartilage.

epibenthos ( ep·i·ben·thos /ˌepəˈbenTHäs ) noun • organisms that live on the bottom, rather than burrowed into, of an aquatic system.

erode ( e·rode / əˈrōd ) verb • the wearing away of the land by the action of water, ice or wind.

erosion ( e·ro·sion / əˈrōZHən ) noun • Transportation of weathered (decomposed) rock material or soil by natural forces.

estuarine ( es·​tu·​a·​rine / ˈes-chə-(wə-)ˌrīn ) adjective • of, relating to, or formed in an estuary

estuarine habitat noun • habitats associated with estuaries.

estuary ( ˈesCHəˌwerē ) noun • Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are bodies of water usually found where rivers meet the sea. Estuaries are home to unique plant and animal communities that have adapted to brackish water—a mixture of fresh water draining from the land and salty seawater.

euryhaline ( eu·ry·ha·line / ˌyərəˈhālīn,-ˈhal- ) adjective • able to live at a variety of salinities.

eutrophication ( eu·troph·i·ca·tion / yo͞oˌträfəˈkāSH(ə)n ) noun • process by which large additions of nutrients causes an overgrowth of algae and subsequent depletion of oxygen.

exoskeleton ( ex·o·skel·e·ton / ˌeksəˈskelətn ) noun • a hard outer covering.

external loading noun • Pollutants originating from outside a waterbody that contribute to the pollutant load of the waterbody.

food chain noun • a representation of the flow of energy between producers, consumers, and decomposers.

foreshore ( fore·shore / ˈfôrSHôr ) noun • the area between mean low water and mean high water.

frontal dune noun • the dune closest to the water's edge.

fry ( frī ) noun • newly hatched fish.

gastropod ( gas·tro·pod / ˈɡastrəˌpäd ) noun • one of a class of mollusks that includes the snails and nudibranchs.

gill ( ɡil ) noun • the paired respiratory organ of fishes and some amphibians, by which oxygen is extracted from water flowing over surfaces within or attached to the walls of the pharynx.

graywater noun • Wastewater drained from sinks, tubs, showers, dishwashers, clothes washers, and other non-toilet sources.

groundwater ( ground·wa·ter / ˈɡroundˌwôdər ) noun • water contained below ground in soil and rock.

habitat ( hab·i·tat / ˈhabəˌtat ) noun • the natural environment in which an organism normally lives, including the surroundings and other physical conditions needed to sustain it.

halophyte ( hal·o·phyte / ˈhaləˌfīt ) noun • a plant that grows in waters of high salinity.

harmful algae bloom(HAB) noun • Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are the rapid growth of algae that can cause harm to animals, people, or the local ecology. A HAB can look like foam, scum, or mats on the surface of water and can be different colors. HABs can produce toxins that have caused a variety of illnesses in people and animals. HABs can occur in warm fresh, marine, or brackish waters with abundant nutrients and are becoming more frequent with climate change.

herbivore ( her·biv·ore / ˈ(h)ərbəˌvôr ) noun • an animal that eats plants.

high marsh noun • the area of the marsh flooded infrequently by the high tides associated with new and full moon.

high water mark noun • A line or mark left upon tide flats, beach, or along shore objects indicating the elevation of the intrusion of high water. The mark may be a line of oil or scum on along shore objects, or a more or less continuous deposit of fine shell or debris on the fore shore or berm. This mark is physical evidence of the general height reached by wave run up at recent high waters. It should not be confused with the mean high water line or mean higher high water line.

human impact noun • impacts arising from human activity; often referring to negative impacts on the environment.

hypoxic ( hy·pox·i·a / hīˈpäksēə ) noun • very low oxygen levels.

infauna ( in·fau·na / inˈfônə ) noun • organisms living between the grains of sand or mud.

inland waters noun • Waters landward of the baseline from which the marginal seas are measured and over which complete sovereignty is exercised.

inlet ( in·let / ˈinˌlet,ˈinˌlət ) noun • 1. A recess, such as a bay or cove, along a coast.

• a stream or bay leading inland, as from the ocean; an estuary.
• a narrow passage of water, as between two islands.

inshore ( ˈinˌSHôr ) adjective • In beach terminology, the zone of variable width between the shoreface and the seaward limit of the breaker zone.

intertidal zone ( in·ter·ti·dal / ˌin(t)ərˈtīd(ə)l ) adjective • The coastal environment between mean low tide and mean high tide that alternates between subaerial and subaqueous depending on the tidal cycle.

• The zone between the mean higher high water and mean lower low water lines.

invasive species noun • non-native species of plants or animals that out-compete native species in a specific habitat.

invertebrate ( in·ver·te·brate / inˈvərdəbrət,inˈvərdəbrāt ) ) noun • an animal that does not have a backbone; such as snails, worms, and insects.

island ( is·land / ˈīlənd ) noun • An area of land completely surrounded by water.

isopods ( i·so·pod / ˈīsəˌpäd ) noun • aquatic crustaceans with flat, oval body and seven pairs of legs.

lagoon ( la·goon / ləˈɡo͞on ) noun • Lagoons are separated from larger bodies of water by sandbars, barrier reefs, coral reefs, or other natural barriers. The word "lagoon" derives from the Italian word laguna, which means "pond" or "lake."

• A shallow stretch of salt or brackish water, partly or completely separated from a sea or lake by an offshore reef, barrier island, sandbank or spit

lagoonal deposit noun • Sand, silt or clay-sized sediments transported and deposited by wind, currents, and storm runoff in the relatively low-energy, brackish to saline, shallow waters of a lagoon.

latitude ( lat·i·tude / ˈladəˌt(y)o͞od ) noun • The angular distance between a terrestrial position and the equator measured northward or southward from the equator along a meridian of longitude.

levee ( lev·ee / ˈlevē ) noun • Artificial bank confining a stream channel or limiting adjacent areas subject to flooding; an embankment bordering a submarine canyon or channel, usually occurring along the outer edge of a curve.

living shorelines noun • A shoreline management practice that provides erosion control benefits; protects, restores, or enhances natural shoreline habitat; and maintains coastal processes through the strategic placement of plants, stone, sand fill, and other structural organic materials.

loading ( ˈlōdiNG ) noun • The total quantity of pollutants in stormwater runoff that contributes to the water quality impairment.

longitude ( lon·gi·tude / ˈlänjiˌt(y)o͞od ) noun • Longitude is a measurement of distance on the earth’s surface, east or west of the Greenwich, England (0° Longitude) meridian, expressed in angular measurements of degrees or hours from 180° West (or -180°) to 180° East. Degrees of longitude are imaginary lines drawn 60 minutes apart from North Pole to South Pole around the Earth. Each minute of longitude can be further divided into 60 seconds.

macroalgae noun • large multicellular algae (green red and brown varieties).

mangrove ( man·grove / ˈmaNGɡrōv ) noun • tree species that grow in non-freezing estuaries. There are about 12 species though the black, red, and white are most common.

• a tree or shrub that grows in chiefly tropical coastal swamps that are flooded at high tide. Mangroves typically have numerous tangled roots above ground and form dense thickets.

maritime forest noun • forest dominated by pitch pine and located on the mainland side of a barrier beach or island.

marsh ( märSH ) noun • soft wet land usually characterized by grasses.

• an area of low-lying land which is flooded in wet seasons or at high tide, and typically remains waterlogged at all times.

mean low tide noun • The mean average of all the low tides (high low tides and low low tides) occurring over a certain period of time, usually 18.6 years (one lunar epoch).

mesohaline noun • intermediate levels of salinity, about 15ppt.

• Pertaining to brackish water with a salinity between 3 and 10 parts per thousand.

migration ( mi·gra·tion / mīˈɡrāSH(ə)n ) noun • the movement of living organisms from one biome to another, commonly with changing seasons.

mobile epibenthos noun • bottom-dwelling animals that move on top of sediments: crabs, shrimp, snails, amphipods, isopods.

mollusks ( mol·lusk / ˈmäləsk ) noun • soft bodied, shelled animals such as clams, oysters, nudibraches and octopi (the latter two have either small remnant shell within their bodies or an embryonic shell).

monitoring noun • sampling of environment (air, water, soil, vegetation, animals) that is compared with baseline samples to see if any changes have occurred.

monitoring station noun • an instrument that makes in situ measurements in the environment.

muck ( mək ) noun • Muck is the black ooze accumulating on the bottom of the lagoon. Silt, sediment, and other fine particles carried in by tributaries, canals, and storm drains accumulate and break down on the bottom, forming the thick black ooze.

mudflat ( mud·flat / ˈmədˌflat ) noun • part of benthic (bottom) zone exposed at low tide and comprised of extremely fine sediments.

mutualism ( mu·tu·al·ism / ˈmyo͞oCHo͞oəˌlizəm ) noun • form of relationship in which both species involved gain from the interaction.

navigable waters noun • Waters that are either tidally influenced or navigable in fact.

neap tide noun • Tides of decreased range or tidal currents of decreased speed occurring semimonthly as the result of the Moon being in quadrature. The neap range (Np) of the tide is the average range occurring at the time of neap tides and is most conveniently computed from the harmonic constants. It is smaller than the mean range where the type of tide is either semi diurnal or mixed and is of no practical significance where the type of tide is predominantly diurnal. The average height of the high waters of the neap tide is called neap high water or high water neaps (MHWN) and the average height of the corresponding low waters is called neap low water or low water neaps (MLWN).

no-take zones noun • aquatic or coastal areas in which all extractive activities (such as fishing) are prohibited.

non-point source noun • Diffuse runoff without a single point of origin that flows over the surface of the ground by stormwater and is then introduced to surface or ground water.

nursery ( nurs·er·y / ˈnərs(ə)rē ) noun • term used colloquially to refer to estuaries. Many fish species are dependent on estuaries for part of their lives.

nutrient ( nu·tri·ent / ˈn(y)o͞otrēənt ) noun • a substance required by organisms in order to grow and survive such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

oligohaline noun • low salinity areas

omnivore ( om·ni·vore / ˈämnəˌvôr ) noun • animals that feed at several levels of food web; diet includes a mix of living and/or dead plants and animals.

onsite sewage treatment and disposal system(OSTDS) noun • Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS), commonly referred to as septic systems, can contain any one or more of the following components: septic tank; subsurface drainfield; aerobic treatment unit; graywater tank; laundry wastewater tank; grease interceptor; pump tank; waterless, incinerating or organic waste-composing toilet; and sanitary pit privy. An OSTDS must provide for subsurface effluent disposal and must not have any open tanks or open treatment units.

onsite wastewater treatment system noun • A system relying on natural processes and/or mechanical components to collect, treat, and disperse or reclaim wastewater from a single dwelling or building.

organic matter noun • materials and debris that originated as living plants or animals.

organism ( or·gan·ism / ˈôrɡəˌnizəm ) noun • a living thing, such as animal, plant or micro-organism, that is capable of reproduction, growth and maintenance.

oxygen content noun • often referring to the oxygen content of water. The amount of oxygen dissolved in a given volume of water at a particular temperature and pressure.

panne ( ( /pan/ ) ) noun • small pond or pool in the salt marsh.

parasitism ( par·a·sit·ism / ˈperəsəˌtizəm,ˈperəˌsīˌtizəm ) noun • similar to predation in that one species benefits from the relationship and the other is harmed; differs from predation in that parasitism generally not fatal to adversely affected organism.

pathogenic ( path·o·gen·ic / ˌpaTHəˈjenik ) noun • Causing disease; commonly applied to microorganisms that cause infectious diseases.

periphyton ( pe·riph·y·ton / pəˈrifəˌtän ) noun • a complex mixture of algae, detritus, bacteria, and microbes that are attached to submerged objects in most aquatic ecosystems.

personal watercraft noun • Personal watercraft (PWC) are small vessels or conveyances that float on the water and are powered by engines, commonly propelled by jet drives to achieve fairly high speeds, usually in excess of 20 knots. PWC have no interior and are ridden by sitting on top of and astride them as one rides a motorcycle.

Personal water craft (PWC) are generally not considered boats. PWC are usually under 15 feet (4.6 meters) LOA.

Though personal watercraft are not considered boats, they must obey the same rules of the road as any boat of the same size, according to applicable Federal and local law.

petroleum derivatives noun • toxic pollutants from crude oil products; mixture of hydrocarbons, which are organic solvents.

photosynthesis ( pho·to·syn·the·sis / ˌfōdōˈsinTHəsəs ) noun • process of using energy in sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen.

phytoplankton ( phy·to·plank·ton / ˌfīdōˈplaNGktən ) noun • floating plants or plant-like photosynthetic single cellular organisms

plankton ( plank·ton / ˈplaNGktən ) noun • free-floating organisms drifting in water, unable to swim against currents.

pleasure craft noun • Pleasure Craft, in a marine context, are all boats used for recreational not commercial purposes. Though craft applies to all sizes of vessels, by convention pleasure craft are boats, and most commonly are small to moderate sized boats, under approximately 80 feet (24.3 meters) LOA.

point source noun • An identifiable and confined discharge point for one or more water pollutants, such as a pipe, canal, channel, vessel, or ditch.

pollutant ( pol·lu·tant / pəˈlo͞otnt ) noun • Generally any substance, such as a chemical or waste product, introduced into the environment that adversely affects the usefulness of a resource.

pollution ( pol·lu·tion / pəˈlo͞oSH(ə)n ) noun • contamination of natural environment.

polyhaline adjective • high salinity about 30-335 ppt.

predation ( pre·da·tion / prəˈdāSH(ə)n ) noun • the killing and/or consumption of living organisms by other living organisms.

producer ( pro·duc·er / prəˈd(y)o͞osər ) noun • autotroph; organism that creates energy-rich compounds from sunlight (through photosynthesis) or certain chemicals (through chemosynthesis); first level in any food web; in estuarine systems, most abundant producers are phytoplankton.

productive ecosystem noun • a biological system that efficiently converts energy into growth and production.

protist ( pro·tist / ˈprōdəst ) noun • often unicellular but they can be multi-cellular or colonial the organisms in this Kingdom have characteristics of plants, animals and fungi and contains most algae.

reasonable assurance plan(RAP) noun • Reasonable Assurance Plans (RAP) provide an implementation schedule and resource commitments that there are, or will be, pollutant loading reductions that will result in the waterbody achieving water quality targets to attain and maintain the designated use.

recreational fishing noun • any fishing for which the primary motive is leisure rather than profit; fishing for pleasure.

reef ( rēf ) noun • A ridge-like or mound-like structure, layered or massive, built by sedentary calcareous organisms, especially corals, and consisting mostly of their remains; it is wave-resistant and stands above the surrounding contemporaneously deposited sediment. Reefs may also include a mass or ridge of rocks, especially coral and sometimes sand, gravel, or shells, rising above the surrounding estuary or sea bottom to or nearly to the surface.

• a line of rocks or sand just above or just below the surface of the sea

residuals ( re·sid·u·al / riˈzijo͞oəl ) noun • The solids generated or retained during the treatment of wastewater. They include trash, rags, grit, sediment, sludge, biosolids, septage, scum, and grease, as well as those portions of treatment systems that have served their useful life and require disposal, such as the sand or peat from a filter. Because of the different characteristics of residuals, management requirements can differ as stipulated by the appropriate federal regulations.

respiration noun • process that, using oxygen, releases stored chemical energy to power an organism’s life processes; opposite reaction of photosynthesis.

response ( re·sponse / rəˈspäns ) noun • ecological responses are behavioral and physical changes that happen during the lifetime of a single organism and increase individual’s chance of survival as opposed to evolutionary adaptation, which takes place over multiple generations and is a result of a change in the species genetic makeup.

restoration ( res·to·ra·tion /ˌrestəˈrāSH(ə)n ) noun • make physical changes in a destroyed or impaired habitat that returns a site to the type of habitat it was prior to human made impacts.

retention pond noun • A stormwater management structure whose primary purpose is to permanently store a given volume of stormwater runoff, releasing it by infiltration and /or evaporation.

riparian rights adjective • The rights of an owner of land bordering a river or the sea and relates to the water (its use), ownership of the shore, right of ingress and egress, accretions, etc.

runoff ( run·off / ˈrənäf ) noun • precipitation that drains into a water body from the surface of the surrounding land

salinity ( sa·lin·i·ty / səˈlinədē ) noun • the concentration of salts dissolved in salt water.

salt marsh noun • wetland flooded regularly by tidal, brackish water.

saltwater intrusion noun • the invasion of freshwater bodies by denser salt water.

sandflat noun • area of bottom of aquatic system that is exposed by low tides and composed of sand - particles of sediment larger than those of mud.

scientific method noun • the steps necessary for scientific investigation including 1) identify a problem you would like to solve, 2) formulate a hypothesis, 3) test the hypothesis, 4) collect and analyze the data, 5) make conclusions.

sea level rise noun • long-term increases in mean sea level. The expression is popularly applied to anticipated sea level changes due to the greenhouse effect and associated global warming.

sea surface temperature noun • the average temperatures at the uppermost layer of the ocean –only a few millimeters deep. Sea Surface Temperature, often referred to as SST, can be globally monitored through satellite remote sensing.

seagrass ( sea·grass / ˈsēɡras ) noun • submerged rooted aquatic plants that tolerate salinity.

septage ( sep·tage / ˈseptij ) noun • The liquid and solid materials pumped from a septic tank during cleaning operations.

septic tank noun • A buried, watertight tank designed and constructed to receive and partially treat raw wastewater. The tank separates and retains settleable and floatable solids suspended in the wastewater and discharges the settled wastewater for further treatment and dispersal to the environment.

shellfish ( shell·fish / ˈSHelˌfiSH ) noun • aquatic invertebrates with exoskeletons used as food, including various species of mollusks and crustaceans, such as crabs, shrimp, clams, and oysters.

ship ( SHip ) noun • A ship is any vessel or conveyance that floats on or operates on the water and is equal to or larger than 197 feet (60 meters) length overall (LOA). A ship may be used for pleasure, commercial, or residential purposes.

shoal ( shoal / SHōl ) noun • A shoal is a submerged or partially-submerged long and narrow ridge, normally of sand, that form in rivers and oceans.

shore ( SHôr ) noun • The narrow strip of land immediately bordering any body of water, esp. the sea or a large lake; specifically the zone over which the ground is alternately exposed and covered by tides or waves, or the zone between high water and low water.

shoreline ( shore·line / ˈSHôrlīn ) noun • The intersection of the land with the water surface. The shoreline shown on charts represents the line of contact between the land and a selected water elevation. In areas affected by tidal fluctuations, this line of contact is the mean high water line. In confined coastal waters of diminished tidal influence, the mean water level line may be used.

silt noun • tiny specs of dirt, sized between sand and clay particles, that can be suspended in water or fall out of suspension to cover plants and the bottom of lakes or pool sections of rivers and streams.

slack water noun • The state of a tidal current when its speed is near zero, especially the moment when a reversing current changes direction and its speed is zero. The term also is applied to the entire period of low speed near the time of turning of the current when it is too weak to be of any practical importance in navigation. The relation of the time of slack water to the tidal phases varies in different localities. For a perfect standing tidal wave, slack water occurs at the time of high and of low water, while for a perfect progressive tidal wave, slack water occurs midway between high and low water. See slack; ebb begins and slack; flood begins.

small craft noun • Small craft, in a marine context, is any vessel or conveyance that floats on or operates on the water and is under 197 feet (60 meters) length overall (LOA). A small craft may be used for pleasure, commercial, or residential purposes. Small craft is synonymous with boat in marine use. Though the term craft applies to all vessels operating in a fluid medium, the term small craft is only used when applied to boats.

spawn verb • to deposit sperm or eggs into the water (fish reproduction).

species noun • a classification of related organisms that can freely interbreed.

spoil island noun • Spoil islands are manmade islands composed of rock, soil, and/or shell spoil material extracted and deposited while dredging and dumping navigation channels.

spring tide noun • Tides of increased range or tidal currents of increased speed occurring semimonthly as the result of the Moon being new or full. The spring range (Sg) of tide is the average range occurring at the time of spring tides and is most conveniently computed from the harmonic constants. It is larger than the mean range where the type of tide is either semi diurnal or mixed, and is of no practical significance where the type of tide is predominantly diurnal. The average height of the high waters of the spring tides is called spring high water or mean high water springs (MHWS) and the average height of the corresponding low waters is called spring low water or mean low water springs (MLWS).

stakeholder ( stake·hold·er /ˈstākˌhōldər ) noun • an individual, group of people, or organization that has an interest, concern, or will be affected by an action or issue.

stenohaline adjective • unable to tolerate a range of salinities.

storm surge noun • a rise in the height of ocean water associated with high storm winds pushing against the ocean water; flooding caused by high ocean waters in coastal areas.

subtidal noun • area usually flooded near edge of tidal waters.

succession noun • progressive replacement of populations in a habitat.

supratidal noun • occasionally flooded by very high or storm tides.

surface water noun • precipitation that runs off the land surface and is collected in ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and wetlands.

territorial sea noun • The offshore belt in which a coastal state has exclusive jurisdiction. The territorial sea may not extend more than 12 nautical miles from the coast line.

tidal flat noun • An extensive, nearly horizontal, barren or sparsely vegetated tract of land that is alternately covered and uncovered by the tide, and consists of unconsolidated sediment (mostly clays, silts and/or sand, and organic materials).

• Tidal flat, level muddy surface bordering an estuary, alternately submerged and exposed to the air by changing tidal levels.

tidal height noun • difference between water level at high tide and mean sea level, the average height of the ocean.

tidal inlet noun • Any inlet through which water alternately floods landward with the rising tide and ebbs seaward with the falling tide.

tidal marsh ( tid·al ( /ˈtīdl/ ) marsh ( /märSH/ ) ) noun • An extensive, nearly level marsh bordering a coast (as in a shallow lagoon, sheltered bay, or estuary) and regularly inundated by high tides; formed mostly of unconsolidated sediments (e.g. clays, silts, and/or sands and organic materials), and the resistant root mat of salt tolerant plants, a marshy tidal flat.

tidal range noun • difference between high and low tide.

tide ( tīd ) noun • periodic rise and fall of ocean waters due to gravitational pull of sun and moon, and rotation of earth.

tide mark noun • High-water mark left by tidal water; the highest point reached by high tide; a mark placed to indicate the highest point reached by a high tide, or occasionally, any specified stage of tide

tidewater ( tide·wa·ter / ˈtīdwôtər ) noun • Water activated by the tide generating forces and/or water affected by the resulting tide, especially in coastal and estuarine areas. Also, a general term often applied to the land and water of estuarine areas formed by postglacial drowning of coastal plain rivers.

treatment system noun • Any technology or combination of technologies (treatment trains or unit processes) that discharges treated wastewater to surface waters, ground water, or the atmosphere.

tributary ( trib·u·tar·y / ˈtribyəˌterē ) noun • a stream that flows into a larger stream or other body of water.

trophic level noun • level in a food chain, e.g., producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer.

turbid ( tur·bid / ˈtərbəd ) noun • water that is so full of small particles, such as silt, that the water is no longer transparent but instead appears cloudy.

upland ( up·land / ˈəplənd,ˈəpˌland ) noun • Land above the mean high water line (shoreline) and subject to private ownership, as distinguished from tidelands, the ownership of which is prima facie in the state but also subject to divestment under state statutes.

vertebrate ( ver·te·brate / ˈvərdəbrət,ˈvərdəˌbrāt ) noun • animal having a backbone.

vertical stratification noun • laying of fresh water on top of salt water, also known as “salt wedge” effect; occurs when the fresh and salt water is not vigorously mixed together by turbulence.

vessel ( ves·sel / ˈvesəl ) noun • Every watercraft or other contrivance capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.

washover fan noun • A fan-like landform of sand washed over a barrier island or spit during a storm and deposited on the inland-side.

wastewater ( waste·wa·ter / ˈwāstwôdər,ˈwāstwädər ) noun • The combination of liquid and pollutants from residences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions, together with any ground water, surface runoff, or leachate that may be present.

wastewater treatment facility noun • a place that treats waste water from homes and businesses, such as toilet or sewage water.

water ( wa·ter / ˈwôdər,ˈwädər ) noun • a molecule-composed compound of hydrogen and oxygen.

water column noun • the area of water from the seafloor up to the water surface. The water column contains free swimming, or pelagic, organisms and plankton (tiny drifting and floating organisms). The water column is a part of all bays, sloughs, lagoons and coastal areas; and is therefore part of an estuary.

water cycle noun • the recycling of water between the earth and the atmosphere.

water quality criteria noun • A set of enforceable requirements under the Clean Water Act that establish measurable limits for specific pollutants based on the designated use(s) of the receiving water body. Water quality criteria can be expressed as numeric limits (e.g., pollutant concentrations or mass loads) or narrative descriptions of desired conditions (e.g., no visible scum, sludge, sheens, or odors).

watershed noun • Topographic area that contributes or may contribute runoff to specific surface waters or an area of recharge.

watershed management approach noun • The process of addressing water quality concerns within their natural boundaries, rather than political or regulatory boundaries. The process draws together all the participants and stakeholders in each basin to decide what problems affect the water quality in the basin, which are most important, and how they will be addressed.

wetland ( wet·land / ˈwetˌland,ˈwetˌlənd ) noun • areas inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support , and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.”

wrack line noun • a string of debris stranded by last high tide; cast ashore seaweeds, isolated sources of food and shade support an important community of isopods and amphipods as well as providing food for birds.

xeric ( xe·ric / ˈzerik ) adjective • Very dry environmental conditions.

yacht ( yät ) noun • A yacht is any moderately large vessel or conveyance that floats on the water which is used for pleasure, not for commercial purposes.

zonation ( zo·na·tion / zōˈnāSHən ) noun • distribution of plants or animals arranged in zones or bands, caused by gradations of abiotic and/or biotic factors.

zooplankton ( zo·o·plank·ton / ˈzōəˌplaNGktən ) noun • animal or animal-like protists, small or microscopic, that drift with the currents, may be either herbivores or carnivores.