General Glossary

Material that has been discarded
because it has worn out, is used
up, or is no longer needed.

The water surface in an unconfined aquifer at which the pore
water pressure is at equilibrium with atmospheric pressure.

Water is most dense at 39 degrees
Fahrenheit and expands (becomes
less dense) at both higher and
lower temperatures.

All streams, lakes, ponds,
watercourses, waterways, wells,
springs, reservoirs, aquifers,
irrigation systems, and all other
bodies or accumulations of water,
surface or underground, natural or
artificial, public or private.

The surrounding land area that
drains into a lake, river or river
system.

A lowland area, such as a marsh or
swamp, saturated with water.
Wetlands are crucial wildlife
habitat, and important for flood
control and maintaining the health
of surrounding ecosystems.

Microscopic animals.

Alkalinity is measured in mg/l as
calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It
represents a measure of a
solution's ability to buffer or
neutralize acids. Lakes located in
areas of
calcareous glacial till (common
throughout central and southern
Minnesota) will have higher
alkalinity than lakes formed on
non-calcareous bedrock (common in
northeastern Minnesota). Water with
alkalinity less than about 75 mg/L
could be considered soft, 76-150
moderately hard, 151-300 hard, and
greater than 300 very

A very nutrient-rich lake characterized by frequent and severe
nuisance algal blooms and low transparency.

The river than surrounding land drains to. Minnesota is
characterized by nine major River Basins.<BR>
<UL>
<LI>UMB = Upper Mississippi
<LI>LMB = Lower Mississippi
<LI>MNB = Minnesota River
<LI>RRB = Red River
<LI>RAB = Rainy River
<LI>LSB = Lake Superior
<LI>CDB = Cedar and Des Moines
<LI>MOB = Missouri
<LI>SCB = St. Croix
</UL>