Flood Chronology of the Carson River Basin, California and Nevada
Definition of Terms
- Alluvial Fans
- gently sloping fan-shaped landforms created over time by the deposition of eroded sediment.
- Anecdotal
- Based on or consisting of reports or observations of usually unscientific observers.
- Annual Peak Flow
- The maximum streamflow occurring in a water year, in cubic feet per second (cfs).
- Discharge Date
- Date the peak flow measurement was made.
- Discharge/Streamflow
- Both terms are used to describe the actual flow in streams.
- Drainage Area
- The area upstream from an outlet (often a gaging station site) from which runoff accumulates and drains to the outlet point.
- FEMA
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency is a Federal agency in the Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's mission is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. URL: http://www.fema.gov/
- FIRM
- Maps produced by FEMA that show areas subject to flooding. The flood risk information presented on the FIRM is based on historic, meteorological, hydrologic, and hydraulic data, as well as open-space conditions, flood control works, and development. URL: http://msc.fema.gov
- Flood Frequency
- A statistical method used to compute the average time, expressed in years, between extreme floods equal to or greater than a specified magnitude at a particular location.
- Headwaters
- The source of a stream or river.
- Measurement Type
- The method used to measure streamflow. Types of measurements listed in this web site include (a) water-stage recorders — electronic devices that continuously measure the river stage at 15-minute intervals, (b) crest-stage recorders — measure only the stage, or height of flow in the channel, and (c) indirect measurements — uses field evidence such as high-water marks and mathematical equations to estimate a peak flow after the peak flow for a flood event has occurred.
- NDWR
- The Nevada Division of Water Resources is one of the divisions of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The mission of NDWR is to conserve, protect, manage and enhance the State's water resources for Nevada's citizens through the appropriation and reallocation of the public waters. URL: http://water.nv.gov/
- NFIP
- The National Flood Insurance Program is a Federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding. This insurance is designed to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance to meet the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods. URL: http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/
- NOAA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. URL: http://www.noaa.gov
- NRCS
- Natural Resources Conservation Service. URL: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov
- NWISWeb
- U.S. Geological Survey’s Web-based National Water Information System. URL: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nv/nwis/nwis
- NWS
- National Weather Service. URL: http://www.weather.gov
- Period of Record
- The time period during which data was collected at a particular site.
- Piedmont
- Lying or formed at the base of mountains
- Return Period/Recurrence Interval
- These two terms are used interchangeably (with return period used more commonly) and refer to average interval of time, expressed in years, within which the given flood will be equaled or exceeded once at a particular location. A flood having a return period of 100 years has a 1 chance in 100, or a 1-percent probability of happening in any given year. Likewise, a flood having a 10-year return period or recurrence interval has a 10 percent chance or a 1 in 10 chance of happening in a given year. Refer to “What is a flood frequency?” for further discussion.
- Slurry
- A watery mixture.
- SNOTEL
- An acronym for SNOwpack TELemetry: a snowpack and related climate data collection system installed, operated, and maintained by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For more information, visit the SNOTEL web site at <http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/factpub/sntlfct1.html>.
- Stage
- The height of a water surface above an established point or datum.
- Terminus
- The water's final destination.
- Water Year
- Water year is the 12-month period beginning October 1 and ending September 30 and is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. For example, the water year from October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006 is designated as the 2006 water year.
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