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acre foot
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the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land one foot deep (about 326,000 gallons). One acre-foot of water provides, on average, two families with water for one year
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adhesion
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the attraction between molecules that causes matter to cling to or stick to other matter
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aquifer
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an underground layer of rock, sediment or soil that is filled or saturated with water
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aqueduct
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man-made canal or pipeline used to transport water
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basin
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a groundwater reservoir defined by the overlying land surface and underlying aquifers that contain water stored in the reservoir
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brackish
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a mixture of freshwater and salt water
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brine
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water saturated with or containing a high concentration of salts, usually in excess of 36,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L)
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catch basin
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an open basin that serves as a collection point for stormwater runoff
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conservation
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saving; not wasting; using water wisely
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cubic foot of water
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the amount of water needed to fill a cube that is one foot on all sides; about 7.5 gallons
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desalination
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the process of removing salt from seawater or brackish water
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drought
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a prolonged period of below average precipitation
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effluent
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water that has been used once and may be treated so that it can be used again
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Environmental Impact Report
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a state-mandated written summary of the positive and negative effects on the environment caused by the construction and operation of a project.
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estuary
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a body of water where freshwater and salt water meet and mix
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fresh water
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water containing less than 1,000 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved solids of any type
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grey water
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wastewater from clothes washing machines, showers, bathtubs, handwashing, lavatories and sinks that are not used for disposal of chemical or chemical-biological ingredients.
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groundwater
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water under ground, such as in wells, springs and aquifers
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habitat
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the place or type of site where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows
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imported water
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water brought into an area from a distant source, such as from one part of a state to another via an aqueduct
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percolation
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water soaking into the ground
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permeable
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the ability of a material to allow liquids to pass through it
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plume
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the area taken up by contaminants in an aquifer
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potable
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drinkable; safe to drink
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ppb
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parts per billion number of parts of a chemical found in one billion parts of a solid liquid or gaseous mixture. Equivalent to micrograms per liter
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ppm
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parts per million number of parts of a chemical found in one million parts of a solid liquid or gaseous mixture. Equivalent to milligrams per liter
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recharge
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the process of water seeping into the ground and refilling the aquifer
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recharge area
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a place where water is able to seep into the ground and refill an aquifer because no confining later is present
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reclaimed water
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water that has been used and then treated or cleansed so that it is safe to be used again
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reservoir
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a natural or man-made basin where water is collected and stored
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runoff
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the sum of all water flowing out of a region over the surface of the earth
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salinity
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saltiness
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surface water
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water found on the surface of the ground (rivers, lakes, streams, ponds)
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wastewater
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water that has been used and is no longer clean
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water conservation
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the act of using only as much water as is needed; the protection and wise use of water
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watershed
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an area of land that drains surface water runoff into a waterbody
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wetlands
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land where the soil is very wet or soaked with water most of the time; marshes or swamps
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