Section 2 - Question Set 5 Flashcards
xeric
(of an environment or habitat) containing little moisture; very dry:
xeric conditions
hydric
Hydric soil means a soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part. This definition includes soils that developed under anaerobic condition
mesic
(of an environment or habitat) containing a moderate amount of moisture:
mesic tundras
how much does water pressure increase per vertical foot?
.433psi/vertical foot
Comprehensive Planning
involves a broad range of choices relating to all the functions of an area
Environmental planning
The initiation and operation of activities to manage the acquisition, transformation, distribution, and disposal of resources in amanner capable of sustaining human activities with a minimum distribution of physical, ecological and social processes
Stream Order
small streams joining larger streams that then join even larger streams.
- 1st order= smallest
- 2nd order= where two 1st order streams unite
Composite Wetland
a wetland fed by local streams and lakes
Riparian Wetland
fed mainly by streams
Groundwater Depressional Wetland
- fed mainly by a high water table
* can form from seasonal precipitation excess and surface runoff and can either discharge or maintain water.
Surface flow wetland
- Uses a clay liner near the soil surface to allow water to flow through the wetland exposed to the atmosphere
- fed by runoff
9 types of wetland communities:
1) Coastal/Salt marshes
2) Bogs
3) Pocosins
4) Everglades
5) Cypress swamps
6) Mangrove swamps
7) Playa lakes
8) Prairie potholes
9) Fens
lacustrine wetland
- wetland associated with standing water bodies such as ponds lakes and reservoirs. - low salt content
- plant cover less than 30%
Riparian wetland
- Adjacent to rivers
- Periodic and often have short inundation
- Common in braided rivers
- dominated by plant material
Estuarine wetland
- tidal wetlands, low-wave energy environments
- 0.5-30 ppt salinity
- persistant emergent vegetation
Palustrine wetland
Palustrine comes from the Latin word palus or marsh . Wetlands within this category include inland marshes and swamps as well as bogs , fens , tundra and floodplains . Palustrine systems include any inland wetland which lacks flowing water, contains ocean-derived salts in concentrations of less than 0.05%, and is non- tidal .
palustrine wetland
- relating to a system of inland, non tidal wetlands characterized by the presence of trees, shrubs, and emergent vegetation (rooted below water but growing above surface)
- range from permanently saturated or flooded land (as in marshes, swamps, and lake shores) to land that is wet only seasonally (as in vernal pools)
Palustrine
Wetlands dominated by vegetation (marsh, swamp, bog, fen, prairie wetlands)
Lacustrine
Of or related to lakes
fen
- groundwater fed, dominated by peat moss, rich in mineral salts, alkaline
- low land covered wholly or partially with water; marsh; boggy land
bog
- wet, spongy ground with soil composed mainly of decayed vegetable matter
- same as fen but acidic
salt marsh
transitional intertidal habitats that occupy the interface between land and either brackish or slaty water sediment
magrove swamps
- roots submerged in water
* saltwater or brackish
brackish
- made up of a mixture of fresh water and seawater
2. having an unpleasant taste
meadow
- field primarily vegetated with grasses
* wet only part of the year
Urban sprawl
follows a linear path from city to suburbs usually popping up off one main linear highway
Traffic Calming Measures
- speed bumps
- chicanes
- narrowing of the road
- small corner radii
- related street elements like lighting/traffic circles
traffic calming
create an environment that signals (consciously and subconsciously) drivers to slow down and drive as if they are in downtown/pedestrian walkways
planting strip
- area of the streets cape that provides ped/car buffer
- beautifies street
- allows for utility corridor
Noise Mitigation
- Vegetation
- Solid barriers (walls, builings, earth berms, hills)
- Land use controls (most effective)
nuisance
- interferes w/ ones right to quiet enjoyment
* may include airports, lots of billboards, power lines, water towers
angle of incidence
angle at which the suns rays strike the earth
Azimuth
Direction around the horizon from due north, measured clockwise in degrees. For example, the azimuth of due north is 0 degrees, due east is 90 degrees, due south is 180 degrees, and due west is 270 degrees
Albedo
- a measurement used to determine the reflectivity of an objects surface; it states how much solar energy is reflected from the object back into space.
- n. the proportion of incident radiation reflected by a surface
bioretention pond
- structural stormwater control designed to filter pollutants from water using vegetation
- only allow for overflow water to drain into pipes
- best for smaller sites with a gentle slope and a low water table to prevent contamination
prevailing winter winds
north west
Macroclimate
large scale weather, Phoenix vs Milwaukee
microclimate
local variations of the climate within a given area
rough grade
slope of the land before final products such as planting and hardscape are installed
finish grade
- a.k.a. construction grade
* the elevation of the ground after the completion of work
Retention Pond
- constructed to treat and store stormwater runoff.
- permanent pools of standing water
- eventually empty into a receiving water body.
- Water is treated through sedimentation and nutrient uptake.
Detention Pond
- A low-lying area designed to temporarily hold a set amount of water while slowly draining to another location
- flood mitigation
