Groundwater means all water, which is below the surface of the ground in the saturation zone and in direct contact with the ground or subsoil.
Water right means a legal authorization, such as a permit, claim, or other authorization, on record with or accepted by the department of ecology, authorizing the beneficial use of water in accordance with all applicable state laws.
Water Rights means: (1) with respect to any Person, all of such Person’s right, title and interest in and to any water stock, permits or entitlements and any other water rights related to or appurtenant to property owned or leased by such Person, and (2) with respect to any property, any water stock, permits or entitlements and any other water rights related to or appurtenant to such property.
Soil means all unconsolidated mineral and organic material of any origin.
Subsurface tracer study means the release of a substance tagged with radioactive material for the purpose of tracing the movement or position of the tagged substance in the well-bore or adjacent formation.
Subsurface Borings and Testing means borings, probings and subsurface explorations, laboratory tests and inspections of samples, materials and equipment; appropriate professional interpretations of all the foregoing.
Water surface elevation means the height, in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of 1929, the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) of 1988, or other datum, where specified, of floods of various magnitudes and frequencies in the floodplains of riverine areas.
Surface impoundment or "impoundment" means a facility or part of a facility which is a natural topographic depression, man-made excavation, or diked area formed primarily of earthen materials (although it may be lined with man-made materials), which is designed to hold an accumulation of liquid wastes or wastes containing free liquids, and which is not an injection well. Examples of surface impoundments are holding, storage, settling, and aeration pits, ponds, and lagoons.
Surface waters means all waters of the state as defined in G.S. 143-212 except underground waters
Water Surface Elevation (WSE means the height, in relation to NAVD 1988, of floods of various magnitudes and frequencies in the floodplains of riverine areas.
Surface water means all water which is open to the atmosphere and subject to surface runoff.
Impervious surface means a surface that has been covered with a layer of material so that it is highly resistant to infiltration by water.
Invasive plant species means species of plants not historically found in California that spread outside cultivated areas and can damage environmental or economic resources. Invasive species may be regulated by county agricultural agencies as noxious species. Lists of invasive plants are maintained at the California Invasive Plant Inventory and USDA invasive and noxious weeds database.
Wetlands or “wetland” means an area that is inundated or saturated by surface water or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances does support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, commonly known as hydrophytic vegetation.
Underground tank means a device meeting the definition of tank whose entire surface area is totally below the surface of and covered by the ground.
Water conservation means the preservation and careful management of water resources.
Water well means an excavation that is drilled, cored, bored, augered, washed, driven, dug, jetted, or otherwise constructed for the purpose of exploring for groundwater, monitoring groundwater, utilizing the geothermal properties of the ground, or extracting water from or injecting water into the aquifer. “Water well” does not include an open ditch or drain tiles or an excavation made for obtaining or prospecting for oil, natural gas, minerals, or products mined or quarried.
Pervious surface means an area that releases as runoff a small portion of the precipitation that falls on it. Lawns, gardens, parks, forests or other similar vegetated areas are examples of surfaces that typically are pervious.
Wildlife habitat means a surface water of the state used by plants and animals not considered as pathogens, vectors for pathogens or intermediate hosts for pathogens for humans or domesticated livestock and plants.
Aquifer means a geologic formation, group of formations, or part of a formation capable of yielding a significant amount of groundwater to wells or springs.
Underground storage tank or “UST” means any one or combination of tanks (including underground pipes connected thereto) that is used to contain an accumulation of regulated substances, and the volume of which (including the volume of underground pipes connected thereto) is 10 percent or more beneath the surface of the ground. This term does not include any:
Underground mining means all methods of mining other than surface mining.
Vegetation means trees, shrubs, nursery stock and other vegetation and includes the limbs or growth of any Vegetation.
Underground area means an underground room, such as a basement, cellar, shaft or vault, providing enough space for physical inspection of the exterior of the tank situated on or above the surface of the floor.
Contamination means the presence of, or Release on, under, from or to the environment of any Hazardous Substance, except the routine storage and use of Hazardous Substances from time to time in the ordinary course of business, in compliance with Environmental Laws and with good commercial practice.
Underground source of drinking water means an aquifer or its portion: