FINAL REPORT - International Joint Commission

GLOSSARY OF TERMS
WATERFOWL – Birds that are ecologically dependant on wetlands for their food, shelter and reproduction.
WATERSHED; BASIN – The region or area of which the surface waters and groundwater ultimately drain
into a particular course or body of water.
WAVE – An oscillatory movement in a body of water which results in an alternate rise and fall of the surfaces.
WAVE CREST – The highest part of a wave.
WAVE DIRECTION – The direction from which a wave approaches.
WAVE PERIOD – The time for two successive wave crests to pass a fixed point.
WEATHER – The meteorological condition of the atmosphere defined by the measurement of the six main
meteorological elements: air temperature, barometric pressure, wind velocity, humidity, clouds,
and precipitation.
WEIGHTED SUITABLE AREA (WSA) – The aggregate sum of the areas within a region, or larger area, that
have been weighted by habitat suitabilities (see Habitat Suitability Index).
WETLAND – An area characterized by wet soil and high biologically productivity, providing an important
habitat for waterfowl, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
WETLAND OBLIGATE BIRD SPECIES – Birds that require wetland habitats for breeding purposes
(such as nesting and/or food sources).
WETLANDS – (marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens) – lands where the water table is at, near or above the
land surface long enough each year to support the formation of hydric soils and to support the growth
of hydrophytes, as long as other environmental variables are favorable.
WILLINGNESS TO PAY (WTP) – The maximum amount that a consumer will pay for a given item or
service.
YACHT CLUB – A member-owned facility allowing access to docks or mooring to recreational boaters,
and often offering complementary services.
262 Options for Managing Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River Water Levels and Flows