Water Terminologies

Water and Hydrology Terminologies

This is a quick reference for terms commonly used within the Water projects. This is not meant to be a comprehensive reading guide for hydrology.

Aquifer
An underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt)

bgl
Below ground level

btoc
Below top of (well) casing

Lithology
Composition and physical characteristics of the well. Typically describes the types of rocks found at specific heights/levels/layers in a drilled well.

Unconsolidated
Unconsolidated material, unconsolidated soil. Sediment that is loose and uncemented, typically referring to soil, gravel, silt, etc.