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Chapter 1 Minimum Flows and Levels - Southwest Florida Water ...

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Riffle – A relatively shallow reach of stream in which the water flows swiftly <strong>and</strong><br />

the water surface is broken into waves by obstructions that are completely or<br />

partially submersed. In this report riffle is synonymous with the term shoal.<br />

Riparian Vegetation – Vegetation that is dependent upon an excess of moisture<br />

during a portion of the growing season on a site that is perceptively moister than<br />

the surrounding areas.<br />

Riparian Zone – The transitional zone or area between a body of water <strong>and</strong> the<br />

adjacent upl<strong>and</strong> identified by soil characteristics <strong>and</strong> distinctive vegetation that<br />

requires an excess of water. It includes wetl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> those portions of<br />

floodplains that support riparian vegetation.<br />

Run – A portion of a stream with low surface turbulence that approximates<br />

uniform flow, <strong>and</strong> in which the slope of the water surface is roughly parallel to the<br />

overall gradient of the stream reach.<br />

Seasonal Blocks – Any one of three time periods where flow conditions among<br />

<strong>Southwest</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> rivers or streams exhibit similar frequency, duration <strong>and</strong><br />

magnitude in flow patterns that typically are linked to prevailing annual<br />

precipitation patterns. Currently differentiated into low (Block 1), medium (Block<br />

2) <strong>and</strong> high (Block 3) flows.<br />

Short-Term Compliance St<strong>and</strong>ard – Represents a block-specific flow<br />

prescription that can be utilized for evaluating minimum flows compliance on a<br />

short-term basis, for instance, based on measured daily flows. Short-term<br />

compliance st<strong>and</strong>ards are typically defined as a percent of the previous days<br />

natural flow.<br />

Snags – Dead or decaying woody debris material found lying along stream<br />

banks or in the channel <strong>and</strong> serve as structural habitats for instream biota.<br />

Stage – The distance of the water surface in a river above a known datum.<br />

Substrate – The material on the bottom of the stream channel, such as rock,<br />

s<strong>and</strong>, mud or vegetation.<br />

Thalweg – A longitudinal profile of the lowest elevations of a sequential series of<br />

cross-sections.<br />

Transect – A line on the ground along which observations are made at some<br />

interval.<br />

Tributary – A stream that feeds, joins or flows into a larger stream (at any point<br />

along its course or into a lake).<br />

7-6

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