Some commonly-used terms and
acronyms and their definitions:
303d 303 d refers to a section in
the federal Clean Water Act requiring all states to submit, biennially to the
EPA, a list of waterways not meeting assigned water quality standards. The 303 d is a list of the known impaired
waters in a state or on tribal lands.
319 grant Section 319 of the Clean
Water Act authorizes the awarding of EPA funds for Nonpoint Source Grants that
promote the development and implementation of watershed-based plans and NPS
pollution reduction. The grants are administered in
604b grant Section 604b of the
federal Clean Water Act authorizes the awarding of EPA funds for water quality
assessment and management planning grants. The grants are administered in
8T&B
ACEC Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern are places in
Agricultural Protection Restrictions Similar
to a conservation restriction, Chapter 132A § 31 allows the state to purchase
an Agricultural Preservation Restriction on farmlands, restricting use of the
land to agricultural activities.
Aquifer An underground geologic formation
capable of holding large quantities of water in the (interstial) spaces between
rocks, sand and soil. Aquifers may serve
as a source of drinking water.
Bacteria Microscopic one-celled
organisms found everywhere. Some
bacteria have the potential to be a public health threat. In
Bacterial Contamination Water with
levels of indicator bacteria exceeding state or federal standards. Indicator
bacteria are used as a proxy for the presence of pathogens that may pose a
public health threat because of their relative simple and cost effective
testing methods.
Basin A topographic designation
based on drainage patterns. The water
flowing within a basin (or watershed) eventually flows to one common
point. The state has been divided into
27 major basins under the Watershed Initiative.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) Techniques
which may be nonstructural, structural or managerial capable of effectively and
economically reducing nonpoint sources of pollution.
Biomonitoring Examining the
biological (living) communities in a given body of water (or other habitat) to
determine the complexity, diversity, and species composition in the water
body. This information helps assess the
overall health of the habitat.
Board of Health (BOH) In
Buffer An area of no or limited
activity along a water way functioning as a filter of pollutants contained in
runoff, a wildlife corridor, flood plain, and several other benefits.
Bylaws Local regulations passed by
a community.
Chapter 61 A manner by which lands
can be classified as Forest Lands in a process overseen by the MA Department of
Environmental Management. Lands certified as Forest Lands are taxed, at a
special rate, according to provisions established in Chapter 61. Chapter 61A is
the section of Chapter 61 applicable to agricultural and horticultural lands
and 61B is the section dealing with recreational lands eligible for special tax
assessments.
Class A, B, C water quality standards Under
the Federal Clean Water Act, each state must establish specific water quality
classifications with defined water quality criteria. In
Class B water A waterway
classified by the state as being capable of meeting the following water quality
level, suitable habitat for fish, other aquatic life and wildlife, and primary
and secondary contact recreation. Can be used, when so designated, as drinking
water with proper treatment and for agriculture and industry and good and
consistent aesthetic value.
Clean Water Act (CWA) A federal
law establishing comprehensive national policies for water quality management. The essence of the CWA is to have all
Cluster zoning A relatively new
development method that places buildings in close proximity to each other, (a
cluster) while maximizing the amount of contiguous open space and preserving
the most sensitive natural habitats. Cluster zoning requires a variance in most
communities.
Community Preservation Act In
2000, the Community Preservation Act (CPA) was passed in
Conservation agent An individual
hired by a community to administer the wishes and rulings of the Conservation
Commission, assist proponents with aspects of the Wetland and Rivers Protection
Acts, oversee and enforce projects falling under jurisdiction of the ConComm,
and serve as a liaison to other community boards.
Conservation Commission (ConComm) A volunteer board within
a
Cultural Eutrophication When the
natural process of eutrophication, growth and decay in an aquatic ecosystem, is
accelerated by an increase of nutrients derived from societal sources such as
lawns, roads, wastewater, and stormwater runoff.
CZM the federal Coastal Zone
Management Act (or CZMA), administered by the National Oceanic and Atmosph
DCR the Massachusetts Department of Conservation
and Recreation, the state agency responsible for managing parks and
recreational areas. (Merged MDC and DEM).
DEM the old Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Management, the old name for the Massachusetts
Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). DEM was merged in 2003 with
the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) to form the new DCR.
DEP the Massachusetts Department
of Environmental Protection, the state agency responsible for enforcing
environmental regulations, and for administering EPA 319 and 604b grants.
DFA the old Massachusetts
Department of Food and Agriculture, now the Massachusetts Department of
Agricultural Resources (MDAR).
DFG
the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (formerly DFWELE).
DFWELE the old Massachusetts
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement, now the
Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG).
Diagnostic / Feasibility A method
used to assess the ecological health of lakes or ponds and specify management
and corrective actions.
Division of Conservation Services Self Help
Funds The Division of Conservations Services is within the Executive
Office of Environmental Affairs. The Self Help Funding program is charged with
helping communities acquire or protect, through conservation restrictions, land
for the protection of wildlife, habitat, and unique cultural, historic or
natural resources and for passive recreation. Lands may include forests, water
resources, and farmlands. Land purchased with the help of these funds must be
open to the public.
Ecoregion A geographic area with a
unique assemblage of ecological characteristic, (soil, climate, geology and
vegetation) making it distinct from another area.
Ecosystem integrity The ability of
a natural system to function suitably. An important component in its ability to
function as a viable ecosystem is the presence of native species in balanced
amounts and synergistic relationships between the individual components of the
ecosystem (plants, animals, physical parameters) as developed over eons of
co-existence.
Effluent Wastewater as it leaves a
treatment system. Examples are
discharges from sewage treatment facilities or water used in an industrial
cooling system.
EOEA the Massachusetts Executive
Office of Environmental Affairs, the state executive agency responsible for
promulgating and administering environmental regulations.
EPA the federal Environmental
Protection Agency, which is responsible for promulgating regulations and
enforcing the CWA, awarding grants under the Section 319 and 604b, and
administering the federal Watershed Initiative, among other tasks.
Erosion The accelerated removal of
soils and earth by storm flows, alteration of topography and/or drainage,
changes in flow patterns or mechanical disruptions (such as boat wakes). Signs
of erosion can include gullies, undercut banks, slumping, and higher turbidity
in adjacent waterways.
Eutrophic Pond A pond receiving an
excess of nutrients, especially phosphorus, from the surrounding watershed will
experience a greatly accelerated rate of plant growth. Plant growth and
decomposition is a naturally process but when the nutrients cause excessive
growth the natural system is overwhelmed. The result is often thick plant and
algae growth in a pond, loss of biodiversity, stressful conditions for aquatic
life and the potential for complete collapse of the natural ecosystem.
Eutrophication Eutrophication is
the natural process of nutrients entering a water body resulting in increased
biological activity. The natural processes may be accelerated and intensified
by human activities that cause excessive quantities of nutrients to flow into a
water body leading to unchecked growth of aquatic plants, subsequent depleted
oxygen levels and in some cases the collapse of the aquatic ecosystem and the
premature succession of the area a wetland or upland.
Executive Order 418 Governor Swift
instituted this Executive Order to promote the development of new housing in a
sustainable manner. The state provided $30,000 worth of services to communities
requesting help with the drafting of a comprehensive plan encompassing housing,
environmental issues, transportation needs and economic growth.
FOLQ Friends of
Geographical Information System (GIS) A
relatively new and useful computer-based system allowing the creation of data
layers that may be overlain to create customized maps with specific
information. Examples of data layers include open spaces, watershed boundaries,
topography and land use.
Habitat A space providing the
components a species needs to survive. For plants, habitat needs involve soil,
water, sunlight, and climate while animals need a habitat that also provides
shelter and food.
Hydrology The study or science of
water behavior (occurrence and movement) in the atmosphere, on the surface of
the planet and below the surface.
Impervious Surface A surface that
does not allow water to penetrate such as pavement.
Imperviousness The degree to which
water can seep through a surface.
Industrial discharge Discharges of wastewater (it may be treated
contact water or untreated non-contact process or cooling water) from an industrial facility into the waters
of the
Interbasin Transfer A transfer of
water from one basin/watershed into another.
These transfers are regulated in
Invasive species/plants These are
plants or animals able to quickly and easily populate an area or habitat. They
are usually very adaptable and can take advantage of and tolerate disturbed or
unstable conditions. The end result is typically a loss in natural diversity in
the area and diminished value as habitat for birds, animals and native
species.
Land use The activity occurring on
a given parcel or land. There is an existing system for characterizing land use
into categories such as open space, residential-single family Ό acre, or urban.
Associated with these land use categories are characteristic such as amount of
traffic generated or pollutant loads that can assist in planning and modeling .
Leachate Material, usually
liquids, leaking from a disposal area, underground storage unit or poorly
designed storage area. Leachate may or may not contain pollutants or hazardous
substances.
LWSC Lynn Water and Sewer
Commission.
MA Scenic River Protection Act [Chapter
21A §2(28)] Administer by the MA Department of Environmental Management, the
Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act allows for the designation or rivers or
river sections as scenic and recreational rivers. Designated rivers have orders
put in place to preserve and promote public safety, health and welfare, protect
public and private property, wildlife, freshwater fisheries and irreplaceable
wild and scenic recreational river resources.
Macroinvertebrate (sampling or inventory) Macroinvertabrates
are small, but visible with the naked eye, animals without backbones (insects,
worms, larvae, etc.). Water bodies have communities of aquatic
macroinvertebrates. The species composition, species diversity and abundance of
the macroinvertebrates in a given water body can provide valuable information
on the relative health and water quality of a waterway.
MAPC Metropolitan Area Planning
Council, the regional planning council covering most of the NCW.
MCZM-NS -- Massachusetts Coastal
Zone Management Program's North Shore Region a federally-established program
administered by EOEA see CZMA.
MDAR the Massachusetts Department
of Agricultural Resources, formerly the Department of Food and Agriculture
(DFA).
MDC the old Metropolitan District
Commission, the old name for DCRs Division of Urban Parks and Recreation.
MGD Million Gallons per Day, a
measure of water flow.
Mixed use development A planning
philosophy that does not segregate uses, (residential, retail, commercial,
industrial) but opts for a complementary mix of uses. For example, this
approach would allow retail on a first floor, office space above and apartments
on the upper most floors.
MWI The
National Pollution Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) A federal program under the Clean Water Act created to
monitor, regulate and oversee discharges, such as sewage treatment plant
effluent, storm water and industrial discharges, into US waterways.
Natural resources/habitat inventory An
assessment and concerted examination of the natural communities, natural
amenities and ecosystems in a given area.
NCW the North Coastal Watersheds,
comprising the coastal area from
NGO Non-governmental organization
(also NPO, not-for-profit organization).
Nitrate A form of nitrogen readily
usable by vegetation. Excessive amounts
of nitrate can disrupt ecological balances in a natural system, particularly in
salt water and pose some public health threats.
Non native plants Plants from
another region or continent introduced to an area. Non native plants usually do
not have the same checks and balances in place, as is the case with native
species, and the result is often rampant invasion and excessive growth by the
non natives (hence the term invasive species). Areas dominated by these plants
may not be useful to native species for food, shelter or habitat and usually
displace the native plant community.
Noxious An undesirable element in
a natural system, often one that causes problems such as the spread of
diseases.
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System, a permitting program by EPA to control water pollution by
regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters. NPDES does not
apply to non-point source pollution, except for stormwater permits (which is an
NPS pollutant).
Nuisance species A plant or animal
prone to causing problems in ecosystem function or to the health, enjoyment, or
aesthetic value of an ecosystem.
Nutrients, (nitrates and phosphates) Nutrients
are essential for growth in both plants and animals with nitrogen and
phosphorus being significant for growth in plants. There are several common
forms of nitrogen including nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia. Nitrate is a form of
nitrogen easily absorbed and used by plants and is a byproduct of the oxidation
of ammonia. Phosphate usually occurs in low concentrations in water and plant
growth in fresh water is limited by the amount of phosphate present in the
water.
On-site Systems An individual
system for treating wastewater, commonly called a septic system.
Open Space and Recreation Plan A
short and/or long term plan compiled by a community identifying current open
space and parklands with a blue print for future acquisitions, changes and
enhancements based on an assessment of community needs, habitat and sensitive
resources. Up to date open space plans are often a requirement for a community
to access some state and federal self-help funds.
Phosphorus A nutrient often
serving as the limit to growth in freshwater systems. Excessive amount of phosphorus in a water
body can lead to a condition of unchecked plant growth known as eutrophication.
Rails to Trails The conversion of
inactive railroad beds and rights-of-way into trails for passive recreation and
passage.
Riparian zone or area This is the
land adjacent to and along a river or stream. When a riparian area has a
natural vegetative cover it serves a buffer between the upland and water
course.
River Protection Act (RPA) A n
augmentation to the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act creating a 200-foot
river resource area around most of the perennial rivers and streams in
Run-off The water flowing off
pavement, roofs, lawns and other surfaces during a storm event often
carrying pollutants washed from these
surfaces.
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) A
federal law passed in 1974 creating a federal program to monitor and increase
the safety of drinking water. Amended in
1986 to establish new enforcement responsibilities for EPA and changes in
nation-wide safeguards.
Scenic River Protection [Chapter
21A §2(28)] Administer by the MA Department
of Environmental Management, the Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act allows for
the designation or rivers or river sections as scenic and recreational rivers.
Designated rivers have orders put in place to preserve and promote public
safety, health and welfare, protect public and private property, wildlife,
freshwater fisheries and irreplaceable wild and scenic recreational river resources.
Sedimentation and siltation An
increase, above natural levels, in the amount of sand and silt carried to a water
course. This increase can lead to impairments including loss of habitat, loss
of spawning areas, decrease in light penetration, increase in scour and an
increase in bacterial and other pollutants.
Septic systems/ on-site systems These
are decentralized waste treatment systems usually installed for an individual
or cluster of houses. A septic system replaced the historic practice of direct
discharges of wastes to water bodies and provides an adequate level of
treatment and contributes to groundwater recharge when designed, installed and
maintained properly on suitable soils.
SRWC Saugus River Watershed
Council, a watershed group based in
SSCW Salem Sound Coastwatch
(formerly SS2000, Salem Sound 2000), a watershed group based in
State Revolving Fund (SRF) A fund
from which a community can apply for zero interest loans to assess or improve
wastewater or nonpoint source pollution problems in the community.
Storm water Phase 2 Requirements Storm
water controls are found in a section of the federal Clean Water Act regulating
pollutant discharges to waterways
(NPDES). Phase 2 is an effort to reduce the pollution sources entering
waters via storm water runoff from medium sized municipal areas. Areas meeting
the size or density requirements will have to develop and implement a storm
water management plan encompassing six minimum control measures under a general
permit issued under the auspices of the Clean Water Act.
Stream Team A group of volunteers
focusing effort and energy on a specific stream or reach of a river. Stream
teams may undertake one or more of a variety of initiatives such as shoreline
visual surveys, river cleanups or educational outreach.
Subdivision standards The ordinances
and requirements enacted by a community to govern proposed subdivisions.
Standards could involve density of development, road and sidewalk design, water
use, turf management, and more.
Surface and ground water Surface
water is all water at or above the grounds surface. Often the most concerned
lies with fresh water because of the worlds heavy reliance on surface water
for drinking and other uses. Ground water is the fresh water found beneath the
surface of the planet in the spaces between soil particles, bedrock
faults/cracks, etc. Ground water, particularly the water found in aquifers, is
also an important source of drinking water.
SWIM -- Safer Waters in
TIE/TRE Toxicity Identification
and Toxic Reduction Evaluation.
Title 5 The
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) A
section in the Federal Clean Water Act
requiring each state to identify water bodies that are not meeting their
assigned water quality standard, ascertain the cause(s) of impairment and
determine the maximum amount of that pollutant(s) a waterway can receive,
(total daily maximum load) yet still meet water quality standards. Using this
amount, a TMDL establishes the allowable pollutant loading from all
contributing sources so the total, including a margin of safety, falls at or
below the maximum daily allowable pollutant load.
Total Phosphorus Phosphorus is a
nutrient essential for the growth of most plants. Phosphorus can be found in
both the organic and inorganic forms. Total phosphorus is a measure of both
these forms.
Tributary A stream or river
flowing into a larger, mainstream river.
Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) These
are storage tanks buried beneath the surface of the ground. These tanks
frequently contain gasoline (such as those at service stations or airports),
home heating oil or other petroleum products. USTs are relatively inaccessible
and are difficult to monitor for leaks, (LUSTs or leaking underground storage
tanks) posing a threat to groundwater and surface waters.
Wastewater Water that is used for
some purpose then discharged or wasted.
Usually refers to the water used in households, business and industry.
Water Management Act (MGL Chapter
21 G) The intent of the WMA is to manage water uses, maintain safe yields, and
plan for future water needs and this is done through the issuance of permits to
withdraw set volumes of water from ground and surface supplies. The MA Dept. of
Environmental Management administer the WMA
based on decisions made by the Water Resources Commission.
Watershed An area of land
contributing runoff/drainage to a common point.
Large watershed may be divided into smaller sub-watersheds.
Wetland resource area An area of
land with saturated or nearly saturated soils most of the year serving as an
interface between land-based and water-based environments. Wetlands provide
many benefits including pollution attenuation, groundwater recharge, valuable
plant and animal habitat. Wetlands are protected under the Massachusetts
Wetland Protection Act as resource areas.
Glossary Prepared by the Riverways
Programs, MA Department of Fish and Game.
(First created 9/97, DFWELE River ways Program, revised 12/01 and 11/02, formatted and revised 01/04)