WATER TERMS

term	description
NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL)	EPA's list of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term remedial action under Superfund. A site must be on the NPL to receive money from the Trust Fund (Superfund) for remedial action. The list is based primarily on the score a site receives from the Hazard Ranking System. EPA is required to update the NPL at least once a year.
NATURAL FLOW	The rate of water movement past a specified point on a natural stream. The flow comes from a drainage area in which there has been no stream diversion caused by storage, import, export, return flow, or change in consumptive use caused by man-controlled modifications to land use. Natural flow rarely occurs in a developed country.
NIMBUS CLOUDS	Storm clouds that are usually dark in color.
NITROGEN OXIDE(N0)	A colorless, poisonous gas. It is a by-product of gas combustion.
NlMBOSTRATUS CLOUDS	Rain clouds in layers that are generally spread across the sky.
NON-CONSUMPTIVE USE	Using water in a way that does not reduce the supply. Examples include hunting, fishing, boating, water-skiing, swimming, and some power production.
NONPOROUS	Something which does not allow water to pass through it.
NUCLEAR WASTE	The radioactivity by-products and contaminated materials produced in nuclear powered electric generating facilities. There is no proven method for safely disposing of these wastes, some of which can be toxic for thousands of years.
N	Nitrogen.
NATURAL LINOLEUM	Cork is the primary material in natural linoleum. cork is from the bark of the cork tree and is harvested without destroying the trees.
NITROGEN	A nutrient present in ammonia, nitrate or nitrite or elemental form in water due possibly to nonpoint source pollution or improperly operating wastewater treatment plants.
NONCONTACT RECREATION	Recreational pursuits not involving a significant risk of water ingestion, including fishing, commercial and recreational boating, and limited body contact incidental to shoreline activity.
NONPOINT SOURCE (NPS) POLLUTION	Forms of pollution caused by sediment, nutrients, organic and toxic substances originating from land use activities, which are carried to lakes and streams by surface runoff. Nonpoint source pollution occurs when the rate of materials entering these waterbodies exceeds natural levels.

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