Nutrients: Any substances assimilated by living things that 

 promote growth. The term is generally applied to nitrogen and 

 phosphorus in wastewater, but is also applied to other essential 

 and trace elements. 



Organic: 1 . Referring to or derived from living organisms. 2. In 

 chemistry, any compound containing carbon. 



Pathogens: Microorganisms that can cause disease in other or- 

 ganisms or in humans, animals, and plants. They may be bacteria, 

 viruses, or parasites and are found in sewage, in runoff from animal 

 farms or rural areas populated with domestic and/or wild animals, 

 and in water used for swimming. Fish and shellfish contaminated 

 by pathogens, or the contaminated water itself, can cause serious 

 illnesses. 



pH: A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a liquid or solid material. 



Phytoplankton: That portion of the plankton community comprised 

 of tiny plants. 



Plankton: Tiny plants and animals that live in water. 



Point source: A stationary location or fixed facility from which 

 pollutants are discharged or emitted. Also, any single identifiable 

 source of pollution, e.g., a pipe, ditch, ship, ore pit, factory smoke- 

 stack. 



Pollutant loading: The amount of any given pollutant entering a 

 body of water. 



Tidal flushing: The movement of water and associated suspended 

 or dissolved material from one location to another as a result of tidal 

 influence. 



Turbidity: 1 . Haziness in air caused by the presence of particles 

 and pollutants. 2. A similar cloudy condition in water due to 

 suspended silt or organic matter. 



Wasteload allocation: The maximum load of pollutants each 

 discharger of waste is allowed to release into a particular waterbody. 



Water quality management plan: A watershed management plan 

 under the Clean Water Act, Section 208. 



Watershed: The land area that drains into a waterbody. 



Watershed geomorphology: Physical geological characteristics 

 of a watershed. 



Zooplankton: That portion of the plankton community composed 

 of tiny aquatic animals. 



IV 



