Glossary

Agriculture—The practice of cultivating land to grow crops and raise livestock.

Aquifer—Any underground layer of rock, sand or gravel that holds water in it.

Beef—Another name for red meat that comes from a cow, heifer, bull or steer.

Biodegradable—When something is made of substances that will break down quickly, and harmlessly return to nature.

Condensation—The process where a vapor loses heat and changes into a liquid.

Conservation—The protection and preservation of natural resources

Contaminate—To make something impure, unclean or polluted.

Drought—An extended period of dry weather; a period of time when there is little rain, sleet or snow.

Drought Tolerant—A way to describe something like a plant that can survive extended periods of dry weather with little or no rain.

Evaporation—A process in which a liquid is changed into a vapor, usually by heating it.

Filter—A device such as a screen, or a substance like sand or charcoal through which a liquid, gas, or smoke is passed to remove impurities.

Food Chain—A group of different living things, each of which feeds on the one below. For instance, a cat will eat a mouse, which will eat grains and other plants.

Gallon—A standard unit in the U.S. for measuring liquid. Equals 8 pints or 16 cups.

Groundwater—Water stored underground in soil and rock crevices that supplies springs and wells.

Landscape—The way we design our yards and gardens using plants and trees, including grass.

Livestock—Animals raised for food or other products, such as pigs, poultry, meat and dairy cattle.

Low Flow—A term for plumbing (usually for sinks, showers and toilets) that reduces the amount of water flowing through the pipes and faucets.

Moisture—Wetness; droplets of liquid in a vapor.

Natural Resource—A naturally occurring material such as water, wood, or the sun, which can be used by people for their benefit.

Pesticide—A chemical used to kill insects. Often used when growing crops or plants.

Petroleum—Crude oil that comes from under the earth and is formed into a variety of things like gasoline and motor oil.

Preservation—The protection of something (e.g. natural resources); to keep from harm or injury.

Percolation—To make a liquid pass through a filter or porous substance.

Precipitation—The formation of rain, snow or hail from moisture in the air.

Porous—Permitting the movement of fluids or gases through it by way of a tiny opening.

Replenish—To refill or restock something that has been depleted or used up.

Reservoir—A large tank or natural or artificial lake used for collecting and storing water for human consumption or agricultural use.

Surface Run-Off—The flow of water over the surface of the ground when water is not absorbed into the soil.

Toxic—Poisonous

Transpiration—The giving off of moisture, as through the pores of the skin or parts of plants; the passage of water from the leaves of plants into the air.

Vapor—Moisture or some other matter visible in the air as mist, clouds, fumes or smoke.

Water Cycle—The circulation of the Earth’s moisture in all its stages; the cycle of water movement from the atmosphere to the Earth and back again through the following steps: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, percolation, runoff and storage.

Water Sources—The places where water comes from such as lakes, rivers, streams, aquifers and reservoirs.

Xeriscape—A type of landscaping that promotes water conservation by using plants that don’t need a lot of water. “Xeros” comes from the Greek word meaning “dry”.