General Glossary

The Clean Water Act requires states to publish, every two
years, an updated list of streams and lakes that are not
meeting their designated uses because of excess pollutants. The
list, known as the 303(d) list, is based on violations of water
quality standards. For a list and maps of impaired waters in
MN go to the <a
href="http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/tmdl/index.html">TMDL</a&gt;
Web
page.

Photosynthetic pigment found in all green plants, and the main
pigment in algae. The concentration of chlorophyll a is used to
estimate the amount of algae (all phytoplankton in a given area)
in surface water. Measured in micrograms per liter
(&micro;g/L).
<br><br>
While it is normal to find algae in streams and lakes, high
levels of algae can lead to low levels of dissolved oxygen in a
water body.

The ability of a substance to conduct or transmit heat,
electricity, or sound. Relating to water quality, it is a
measure of dissolved minerals and/or ions in the water.
Typically measured in micromhos per centimeter (&micro;mhos/cm).
<br><br>
If baseline levels of conductivity are established for an area,
this measurement can be used to detect possible pollution
discharges that have a high ionic strength. This would include
manure directly from livestock in streams, land application, or

The sum of organic nitrogen and ammonia in a water body.
Measured in milligrams per liter (mg/L). High measurements of
TKN typically results from sewage and manure
discharges to water bodies.

State Superfund sites, also referred to as or Permanent List of
Priorities (PLP) sites, are those the state intends to
investigate and cleanup under the Minnesota Superfund Program.
Known or suspected environmental contamination threatens public
health, welfare or the environment at PLP sites. These sites
include those addressed by the MPCA, as well as sites with
agricultural chemical contamination which are addressed by the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture. For more information,
visit the <a

State Closed Landfill Program sites are closed municipal waste
landfills that were formerly permitted by the state. After a
binding agreement is negotiated between the MPCA and the site
owner/operator, the state takes responsibility for monitoring
and cleanup systems needed for long-term care.

Indicates the degree to which light is scattered in water by
suspended particulate material and soluble colored compounds.
It provides an estimate of the muddiness or cloudiness of the
water due to clay, silt, finely divided organic and inorganic
matter, soluble colored organic compounds, plankton, and
microscopic organisms. Measured in Nephelometric Turbidity
Units (NTU) or Formazin Turbidity Units (FTU).

Click the "Upload" button to browse your directory and choose
the file that contains the image taken of your stream site at
the time of sampling.

Write "Picture" in the "Comments" space each time a picture is
taken. Use this space to record anything unusual that you
observe during a sampling visit; note things like recent severe
weather, construction activities occurring upstream, changes in
adjacent land use, etc.

Each day that you sample, please record the one number that
best describes the appearance of stream water within one meter
of your sampling site.<br><br>