Water — page 27 of 31

3,083 terms

Water terms

  1. Sluicing A method of compacting soil where the soil is washed into placed with a high velocity stream of water.
  2. Slurry Watery mixture of insoluble matter which is pumped beneath a dam to form an impervious barrier. Cement grout.
  3. Slurry trench A narrow excavation whose sides are supported by a mud slurry filling the excavation. Sometimes used incorrectly to describe the cutoff itself.
  4. Small power producer (SPP) Under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), a small power production facility (or small power producer) generates electricity using waste…
  5. Small Stream Flooding Flooding of small creeks, streams, or runs.
  6. Smolts Adolescent salmon 3 to 7 inches long.
  7. Snow Precipitation that consists of frozen flakes formed when water vapor accumulates on ice crystals, going directly to the ice phase.
  8. Snow Accumulation and Ablation Model A model which simulates snow pack accumulation, heat exchange at the air-snow interface, areal extent of snow cover, heat storage within the snow pack…
  9. Snow Core A sample of either freshly fallen snow, or the combined old and new snow on the ground.
  10. Snow Density The mass of snow per unit volume which is equal to the water content of the snow divided by its depth.
  11. Snow Depth The combined total depth of both the old and new snow on the ground.
  12. Snow Pillow An instrument used to measure snow water equivalents. Snow pillows typically have flat stainless steel surface areas.
  13. Snow Stake A 1-3/4 inch square, semi-permanent stake, marked in inch increments to measure snow depth.
  14. Snow Stick A portable rod used to measure snow depth.
  15. SNOw TELemetry (SNOTEL) (SNOTEL) An automated network of snowpack data collection sites. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly the Soil Conservation Service (SCS)…
  16. Snow Water Equivalent The water content obtained from melting accumulated snow.
  17. Snowboard A flat, solid, white material, such as painted plywood, approximately two feet square, which is laid on the ground, or snow surface by weather observers…
  18. Snowmelt Flooding Flooding caused primarily by the melting of snow.
  19. Snowpack The total snow and ice on the ground, including the new snow, the previous snow and ice which has not melted.
  20. Social Science The branch of science that studies society and the relationships of individuals within a society.
  21. Social value (psychological value) Concept that the existence of wilderness provides a condition that could allow an individual to achieve control over stressful conditions, thus…
  22. Sodic soil Contains sufficient exchangeable sodium to interfere with the growth of most crop plants.
  23. Sodicity The exchangeable-sodium content of the soil. High sodium content.
  24. Soil Sediments or other unconsolidated accumulations of solid particles produced by the physical and chemical disintegration of rocks, and which may or may not…
  25. Soil cement A mixture of water, cement, and natural soil, usually processed in a tumble and mixed to a specific consistency, then placed in lifts and rolled to…
  26. Soil classification Systematic arrangement of soils into classes of one or more categories or levels of classification for a specific objective.
  27. Soil conservation Protection of soil against physical loss by erosion and chemical deterioration by the application of management and land-use methods that safeguard the…
  28. Soil Conservation Service The former name of a branch of the United States Department of Agriculture, renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
  29. Soil Conservation Service (SCS) (SCS) The Soil Conservation Service, now known as the NRCS (National Resources Conservation Services).
  30. Soil Moisture Water stored in soils.
  31. Soil subsidence The lowering of the normal level of the ground, usually due to overpumping of water from wells.
  32. Soil-cement bedding A mixture of soil, portland cement, and water placed for pipe bedding.
  33. Solid head buttress dam A buttress dam in which the upstream end of each buttress is enlarged to span the gap between buttresses.
  34. Spacing In blasting, the distance between holes in a row. Apparent spacing is the spacing as outlined by the delay pattern.
  35. Spalling (spall) The loss of surface concrete usually caused by impact, abrasion, or compression. To break off from a surface in sheets or pieces.
  36. Spatial concentration The dry weight of sediment per unit volume of water-sediment mixture in place, or the ratio of the dry weight of sediment to the total weight of…
  37. Spawn The location or process of monsters (or items) appearing when they are created in the world.
  38. Spawning beds Places in which eggs of aquatic animals lodge or are placed during or after fertilization.
  39. Special examination A field review performed on a high- or significant-hazard dam to address an identified visible dam safety deficiency or to investigate significant changes…
  40. Special features Area containing ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.
  41. Special populations Those individuals or groups that may be institutionalized and have needs that require special consideration in emergencies.
  42. Species Organisms in the same genus that have similar characteristics.
  43. Specific Gravity The ratio of the mass of a body to an equal volume of water.
  44. Specific weight The weight per unit volume.
  45. Specific Yield The ratio of the water which will drain freely from the material to the total volume of the aquifer formation.
  46. Spectrum intensity The integral of the pseudo-velocity response spectrum taken over the range of significant structural vibration periods of the structure being analyzed.
  47. Spigot The plain end of a cast-iron pipe. The spigot is inserted into the bell end of the next pipe to make a water tight joint.
  48. Spile (forepole) A plank driven ahead of a tunnel face for roof support.
  49. Spills Water releases that cannot be put to use for project purposes (includes floodflows).
  50. Spillway A passage for surplus water to flow over or around a dam.
  51. Spillway channel An open channel or conduit conveying water from the spillway inlet downstream.
  52. Spillway chute A steeply sloping spillway channel that conveys discharges at super-critical velocities.
  53. Spillway Crest The lowest level at which water can flow over or through a spillway.
  54. Spinning reserves Available capacity of generating facilities synchronized to the interconnected electric system where it can be called upon for immediate use in response…
  55. Splitter wall A wall or pier parallel to the direction of flow in a channel that separates flows released from different sources as a means of energy dissipation.
  56. Spoil Dirt or rock which has been removed from its original location. Excavated material.
  57. Spring The point at which the water table meets Earth's surface, causing water to flow from the ground.
  58. Springline An imaginary horizontal reference line located at midheight, or halfway point, of a circular conduit, pipe, tunnel, or the point at which the side walls…
  59. Sprinkler irrigation A method of irrigation in which the water is sprayed, or sprinkled, through the air to the ground surface.
  60. stability Tendency of systems, especially ecosystems, to persist, relatively unchanged, through time; also, persistence of a component of a system.
  61. Staff Gage A vertical staff graduated in appropriate units which is placed so that a portion of the gage is in the water at all times.
  62. Staff gauge A graduated scale on a plank or metal plate used to indicate the height of the water in a canal.
  63. Stage The extent of a cancer in the body. Staging is usually based on the size of the tumor, whether lymph nodes contain cancer, and whether the cancer has…
  64. Stage I Precipitation Processing The first level of precipitation processing, occurring within the WSR-88D computer and performed for each volume scan of the radar.
  65. Stage II Precipitation Processing The second level of precipitation processing, occurring within the WFO Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) and performed on an hourly…
  66. Stage III Precipitation Processing The third level of precipitation processing, performed interactively at RFCs. Stage II precipitation estimates from multiple radars are mosaiced into an…
  67. Stage IV Precipitation Processing The fourth level of precipitation processing, performed automatically and/or interactively at NCEP.
  68. Stair Stepping The process of continually updating river forecasts for the purpose of incorporating the effects rain that has fallen since the previous forecast was…
  69. Stakeholder A person or group of people who are involved in a project and feel ownership.
  70. Standard Hydrologic Exchange Format (SHEF) (SHEF) A documented set of rules for coding data for operational day-to-day use in a form for both visual and computer recognition.
  71. Standby reserves Unused capacity in an electric system in machines that are not in operation but that are available for immediate use if required.
  72. Standing Operating Procedures (SOP) A comprehensive single-source document covering all aspects of dam and reservoir operation and maintenance and emergency procedures.
  73. Standpipe Pipe or tank connected to a closed conduit and extending to or above the hydraulic grade line of the conduit to afford relief from surges of pressure in…
  74. State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) Appointed by the governor of each state for the designation of emergency planning districts, appoint LEPC's, supervise and coordinate their activities…
  75. State organization The State government agency or office having the principal or lead role in emergency planning and preparedness.
  76. Static head The difference in elevation between the pumping source and the point of delivery. The vertical distance between two points in a fluid.
  77. Station Any one of a series of stakes or points indicating distance from a point of beginning or reference.
  78. Station use Energy used in a generating plant as necessary in production of electricity. Includes energy consumed for plant light, power, and auxiliaries regardless…
  79. Stationary white noise Random energy with statistical characteristics that do not vary with time.
  80. Stator That portion of a machine which contains the stationary (non-moving) parts that surround the moving parts (rotor).
  81. Stator windings The armature or stationary winding of a synchronous generator.
  82. Steady flow Flow in an open channel is said to be steady if the depth of flow does not change over a given time interval. No change occurs with repect to time.
  83. Steady state condition When model input values are nearly constant for a defined period of time.
  84. Steam Water in vapor form; used as the working fluid in steam turbines and heating systems.
  85. Stemming Crushed stone, soil, sand, or drill cuttings used to plug the unloaded portion of a drill hole.
  86. Stewardship Careful and responsible management to ensure that goals and objectives are being achieved for the benefit of current and future generations.
  87. Sticky limit The lowest moisture content at which a soil will stick to a metal blade drawn across the surface of the soil mass.
  88. Stilling Basin Concrete portion downstream from conduit, tunnel, or control structure. A pool, usually lined with reinforced concrete, located below a spillway, gate, or…
  89. Stilling pool A pool located below a spillway, gate, or valve into which the discharge dissipates energy to avoid downstream channel degradation.
  90. Stockpile A storage pile of materials.
  91. Stone A concretion of earthy or mineral matter; rock.
  92. Stoney gate The fundamental difference between Stoney and fixed-wheel gates is that a moving train of rollers is substituted for the fixed wheels.
  93. Stoping An upward erosion/piping action into an embankment or foundation (possibly leading to a breach).
  94. Stoplogs Large logs, planks, cut timbers, steel or concrete beams placed on top of each other with their ends held in guides between walls or piers to close an…
  95. Storage The retention of water or delay of runoff either by planned operation, as in a reservoir, or by temporary filling of overflow areas, as in the progression…
  96. Storage Equation The equation for the conservation of mass.
  97. Storm Hydrograph A hydrograph representing the total flow or discharge past a point.
  98. Stormwater Discharge Precipitation that does not infiltrate into the ground or evaporate due to impervious land surfaces but instead flows onto adjacent land or water areas…
  99. Strain A genetic variant within a species.
  100. Strata (stratum) Distinct layers of stratified rock. A layer of sedimentary rock, visually separable from other layers above and below. Layers of rock.

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