Definitions
Alluvial Fan
Fan shaped terrestrial deposit of alluvial sediment, which forms as sediment load is deposited because of a reduction in the stream gradient.
Aquatic
With reference to water.
Aquifer
An underground formation that stores groundwater.
Basin (Watershed)
Land area from which water drains towards a common point.
Bathymetry
The measurement of the depth of bodies of water.
Bedrock
Rock at or near the Earth’s surface that is solid and relatively unweathered.
Cadastre
Property boundary.
Calibrate
To check, adjust, or determine by comparison that a computer model will produce results that meet or exceed some defined criteria within a specified degree of confidence.
Demand-Management
The modification of consumer demand for water through various methods, such as financial incentives or education.
Drip Irrigation / Drip Systems
A water-saving irrigation method that allows water to drip slowly to the roots of plants.
Drought Response Plan
A strategy that outlines the actions to be taken before, during, and immediately after a drought to reduce its impacts.
Ecosystem
A system in which populations of species group together into communities and interact with each other and the abiotic environment.
Evaporation
The process by which water changes from a liquid to atmospheric water vapour – an essential part of the water cycle.
Evapotranspiration
The combined processes of evaporation and transpiration.
Fracture-Flow System
A bedrock aquifer in which the flow takes place primarily within fractures in bedrock.
Groundwater
Water existing below the ground surface in aquifers.
Habitat
The area or natural environment in which an organism or population normally lives.
Hydraulic Conductivity
A measure of the ability of a soil or bedrock or unconsolidated aquifer to transmit a fluid such as water, that depends on properties of both the medium and the fluid.
Hydraulics
Hydraulics deals with the mechanical properties of liquids. Free surface hydraulics and open channel flow are branches of hydraulics used to describe the properties of free surface flow, such as the flow in rivers.
Hydrogeologic
Adjective of the noun hydrogeology.
Hydrogeology
The geology of groundwater, with particular emphasis on the chemistry and movement of water.
Hydrologic
Adjective of the noun hydrology.
Hydrology
The science dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation of water.
Hydrometric Network
A network of stations that measure water level and streamflow.
In-stream Use
Water use taking place within a stream channel, such as hydroelectric power generation, navigation, recreational activities, and fish propagation and use.
Instream Flow
Water flowing in a stream.
Instream Flow Management
Managing or maintaining minimum flows in rivers and streams to provide a certain level of environmental protection.
Instream Flow Needs
The flow of water in a natural watercourse required to support and sustain fish and other aquatic dependent species.
Irrigation Scheduling
The process used by irrigation system managers to determine the correct frequency and duration of watering.
L
Litre. There are 1,000 L in a cubic metre, and 1,000,000 L in a cubic decameter (dam3). 1,000,000 L = 1 ML
Limnological
Adjective of the noun limnology.
Limnology
Scientific study of physical, chemical, and biological conditions in lakes, ponds, and streams.
Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP)
A written record of a community’s decisions and plans for dealing with liquid wastes, including sewer discharges, storm-water runoff, sewer overflows, sewage treatment plant sludge, effluent, septic tanks, and more.
Metadata
A description of the data in a source, distinct from the actual data. An item of metadata may describe an individual datum, or content item, or a collection of data including multiple content.
ML
Megalitre. One ML = 1,000,000 litres, i.e. 1 dam3
Naturalized Flow
Flows that would have existed without human use or management.
Nodes
Locations at which surface water properties are reported, such as the mouths of tributaries.
Offstream Use
Water withdrawn or diverted from a ground- or surface-water source for use.
Outfall
The place where a sewer, drain or stream discharges.
Percolation
Vertical movement of water from the surface to the subsurface.
Recharge
Refers to water entering a groundwater aquifer through percolation from the surface or through lateral movement from an adjacent upslope aquifer.
Regional Growth Strategy (RGS)
A local government strategic plan to promote sustainable human settlement and efficient use of public facilities, land and other resources.
Reservoir
An artificial lake used to store water.
Salmonid
Of, belonging to, or characteristic of the family Salmonidae, which includes salmon, trout, and whitefish.
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity
The hydraulic conductivity that exists when the medium is saturated.
Stream-Flow
The flow of water in a river or stream channel.
Stream-Flow Naturalization
The process of estimating the stream-flow that would exist in the absence of human water management activities.
Surface Flows
Open channel flow, or the gravity-driven flow of water above the ground.
Surface Water
Water that flows in streams and rivers, and exists in natural lakes, wetlands, and in reservoirs.
Topography
The relief exhibited by a surface.
Transpiration
Loss of water vapour from plants.
Unconsolidated Aquifer
An aquifer that exists in an unconsolidated deposit.
Unconsolidated Deposit
Loosely arranged or unstratified sediment whose particles are not cemented together.
Water Balance
The flow of water in and out of a system.
Water Demand
Water use determined using an estimation approach, such as a model.
Water Licence
A licence issued by the B.C. government to store water, or to withdraw water from a surface water source for a particular purpose.
Water Use
Volume or rate of water diverted or withdrawn from a water body (eg a stream, lake, or groundwater aquifer) for use by humans on the land surface. Actual water useVolume or rate of water diverted or withdrawn from a water body (eg a stream, lake, or groundwater aquifer) for use by humans on the land surface. Actual water use is determined through direct measurement. Water demand is an estimate of actual water use. is determined through direct measurement. Water demand is an estimate of actual water use.
Water Use Area
An area of the land surface which obtains water from a common location or locations.
Watershed (Basin)
Land area from which water drains towards a common point.
Acronyms
AAFC
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
AF
Acre-foot. One acre-foot is equal to 1.233 dam3, i.e. 1.233 ML
BCIFN
BC Instream Flow Needs
Cfs
Cubic feet per second. The Imperial unit of streamflow. One cfs = 0.0283 m3/s.
CGCM2
Canadian General Circulation Model Version 2
CGCM2A2
Canadian General Circulation Model Version 2. A2 refers to a global CO2 emissions scenario
CO2
Carbon dioxide
dam3
Cubic decameter. One dam3 is a volume of 10 m by 10 m by 10 m, i.e. 1,000 m3 , i.e. 1,000,000 L, i.e. 1 ML.
EC
Environment Canada
ET
Evapotranspiration
GCM
General Circulation Model
GIS
Geographic Information System
GWBAT
Groundwater Balance Analysis Tool
ICI
Institutional, commercial, and industrial
IFN
Instream flow needs
L
Litre. There are 1,000 L in a cubic metre, and 1,000,000 L in a cubic decameter (dam3). 1,000,000 L = 1 ML
LAI
Leaf area index
m3/s
Cubic metres per second. The SI unit of streamflow. One m3/s = 35.3 cfs
MAL
Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
ML
Megalitre. One ML = 1,000,000 litres, i.e. 1 dam3
MOE
Ministry of Environment
MPB
Mountain pine beetle
OBHM
Okanagan Basin Hydrology Model
OBWAM
Okanagan Basin Water Accounting Model
OBWB
Okanagan Basin Water Board
OkWater Database
Okanagan Water Database
OWDM
Okanagan Water Demand Model
OWSC
Okanagan Water Stewardship Council
PET
Potential evapotranspiration
RD
Rooting depth
UFW
Unaccounted for water
UNA
User needs assessment
WTP
Wastewater treatment plant
References
Abraham D., and C. Alexander. 2009. The Okanagan Water Database Users Guide version 2.0. Prepared for the Okanagan Basin Water Board, Coldstream, BC. 21 pp.
Consultative Board. 1974. Main report of the Consultative Board (including Comprehensive Framework Plan). Prepared under the Okanagan Basin Agreement. March 1974. (8.2Mb PDF)
DHI. 2009. MIKE SHE User Manual Volume 2: Reference Guide.
Dobson, D., and D.B. Letvak. 2008. Hydrometric Network Requirements for the Okanagan Basin. Prepared for the Okanagan Basin Water Board and the Water Stewardship Division, B.C. Ministry of Environment. August 2008. (4.1Mb PDF)
ESSA Technologies Ltd. (ESSA). 2007. Okanagan Basin Water Supply and Demand Study II: User Needs Assessment, Final Report. Prepared for Okanagan Basin Water Board. July 30, 2007. (977 Kb PDF)
ESSA Technologies Ltd. (ESSA). 2009. Okanagan Water Database (OKWaterDB) v.1.0.000 – System Documentation. Prepared by ESSA Technologies Ltd., Kelowna, BC for the Okanagan Basin Water Board, 9848 Aberdeen Road, Coldstream, BC V1B 2K9. 116 pp.
Summit Environmental Consultants Ltd. (Summit). 2005. Okanagan Basin Water Supply and Demand Study: Phase 1. Report prepared for Land and Water B.C. Inc. May 2005. (1.3Mb PDF)
Trivett, N. 1984. Lake Okanagan Evaporation Study. Canadian Climate Centre Report No. 84-2. Atmospheric Environment Service, Downsview, Ontario. (1.9Mb PDF)
van der Gulik, T., D. Neilsen, and R. Fretwell. 2010. Agriculture Water Demand Model, Report for the Okanagan Basin. Funded by Canada-British Columbia Water Supply Expansion Program. (8.7Mb PDF)