Glossary

The period of tide between high water and low water. A falling tide.

An ecological system; the interacting system of a biological community and its nonliving environment; a basic functional unit of nature comprising both organisms and their nonliving environment, intimately linked by a variety of biological, chemical, and physical processes.

Transitional zone between two (2) adjacent plant communities, such as a meadow and a forest.

A circular water movement that develops when the main flow becomes

The part of the soil next to the stream, lake r body of water where the soil elevation adjacent to the water is higher than the water level.

Sedges, rushes, cattails, and other such herbaceous plants that are rooted in substrate and protrude above the water’s surface.

Improvements to the existing conditions of the aquatic, terrestrial, and recreational resources.

Refers to the tendency of entrances to estuaries and coastal lakes to migrate along the shore, close up, reopen, form new entrances, etc. in response to wave and current action and freshwater flows.

The quantitative index of the vertical containment of rivers as determined by dividing the flood-prone area width by the bankfull width. (The flood-prone area width is measured at twice the maximum bankfull depth.)

The wearing away of land by the action of natural forces. On a beach, the carrying away of beach material by wave action, tidal currents, littoral currents, or wind.

The part of a river that is affected by tides. The region near a river mouth in which the freshwater of the river mixes with the saltwater of the sea.

A lake that has high level of nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen, and a high level of biological productivity; oxygen content may be extremely high during sunny days and very low at night and on overcast days due to a high level of photosynthetic action.

The natural or artificial process of nutrient enrichment often resulting in a water body becoming filled with algae and other aquatic plants.

A temporary excavated area around a storm drain drop inlet or curb inlet designed to trap sediment prior to discharge into the inlet.