WATER TERMS

term	description
ICEBERG	A large piece of ice that breaks off and floats away from a glacier.
IMPERVIOUS	A term denoting the resistance to penetration by water or plant roots.
IMPORT	Water piped or channeled into an area.
IMPOUNDMENT	A body of water or sludge confined by a dam, dike, floodgate, or other barrier.
INCHOATE WATER RIGHT	An unperfected water right.
INDIGENOUS STONE	Stone from the Austin region such as limestone and granite.
INFILTRATION	The gradual downward flow of water from the surface into soil material.
INORGANIC CHEMICALS/COMPOUNDS	Chemical substances of mineral origin, not of basically carbon structure. These include metals such as lead and cadmium.
IN-SITU BIODEGRADATION	Treatment of soil in place to encourage contaminants to breakdown. It involves aerating the soil and adding nutrients to promote growth of microorganisms.
IN-SITU VITRIFICATION	A technology used to treat hazardous waste in soils. This process electrically melts the waste media at extremely high temperatures then allows it to cool, creating an extremely stable, insoluble, glasslike solid. The contaminants are destroyed or immobilized and the total volume of material is reduced.
INTENSIVE SURVEY	An analysis of loadings to a stream segment.
INTERMITTENT STREAM	A stream which has a period of zero flow for at least one week during most years. Where flow records are available, a stream with a 7Q2 flow of less than 0.1 cubic feet per second is considered intermittent.
INTERSTlCES	The void portion of rock or soil occupied by air or water.
IRRIGATION	The controlled application of water for cultural purposes through man-made systems to supply water requirements not satisfied by rainfall.
IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY	The percentage of water applied, and which can be accounted for, in the soil moisture increase for consumptive use.
IRRIGATION RETURN FLOW	The applied irrigation , water which is not consumptively used by plants and returns to a surface or ground water supply. Under conditions of water right litigation, the definition may restricted to measurable water returning to the stream from which it was diverted.
IRRIGATION WATER	Water which is applied to assist crops in areas where rainfall is inadequate.
ICE	A solid form of water.
IMPOUNDMENT	A body of water such as a pond, confined by a dam, dike, floodgate or other barrier. It is used to collect and store water for future use.
INFLUENT SEEPAGE	The movement of gravity water in the zone of aeration from the ground surface toward the water table.
INTERSTATE WATER	According to law, waters are defined as (1) rivers, lakes and other waters that flow across or form a part of state or international boundaries; (2) waters of the Great Lakes; (3) coastal waters whose scope has been defined to include ocean waters seaward to the territorial limits and waters along the coastline (including inland streams) influenced by the tide.

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