| A | B |
|---|
| irrigation | The process of supplying water to areas of land to make them suitable for growing crops |
| water vapor | The invisible gaseous phase of water |
| photosynthesis | The process by which plants use water, carbon dioxide and energy from the sun to make food |
| groundwater | Water that fills the cracks and pores in underground soil and rock layers |
| habitat | The place where an organism lives and that provides the things it needs to survive |
| dam | A barrier built, usually across a watercourse, for impounding or diverting the flow of water. |
| drainage area | An area that drains naturally to a particular point on a stream. |
| inflow | The movement of water into a reservior behind a dam. |
| drawdown | The lowering of a reservoir's water surface elevation due to release of water. |
| fill dams | Any dam constructed of excavated natural materials or industrial waste materials. |
| fertilizers | Chemicals and other substances added to soil to increase plant growth |
| water pollution | The addition of any substance that has a negative effect on the water or the living things that depend on the water |
| floodplain | A broad flat valley created by and through which a river flows |
| urbanization | Changing a natural or rural (farming / agriculture ) area into an urban area |
| erosion | The process by which fragments of soil and rock are broken off from the ground surface and carried away |
| surface water | Water in rivers and lakes |
| imported water | Water that originates in one area and delivered to a different area some distance away |
| reclaimed water | Recycled used wastewater that has been treated to make it safe for certain uses |
| desalination | The process of removing salt from seawater |
| overdrafting | When more water is pumped out or drawn from a water source than is replaced by rainfall and runoff |
| sewage | General term for any water coming from indoor plumbing (human wastes, shower, sinks etc) |
| graywater | Any water that has been used in the home, except water from toilets |
| graywater systems | Reuse of water drained from baths, showers, washing machines, and sinks (household wastewater excluding toilet wastes) for irrigation of plants (excluding those for direct human consumptions) |
| black or brown water | Wastewater containing fecal matter and urine |
| septic tank | An underground tank containing bacteria that treats wastewater as it passes through |
