Glossary

This glossary is copied from the Stormwater Manual of Western Australia Chapter 11: Further Information. References are available from this chapter.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

B

Bankfull flow: The dominant channel forming discharge (Water and Rivers Commission 2001). The flow rate at which a channel is filled from bank to bank. The frequency of bankfull conditions is commonly adopted as the criterion for maintaining the channel crosssection and freedom from sedimentation in the longer term. This frequency will vary according to climatic regions (ARMCANZ & ANZECC 2000), but usually occurs once every 1.5 years.

Bank stabilisation: See ’armouring or stabilisation’.

Baseflow: The underlying flow rate that cannot be directly attributed to storm events (ARMCANZ & ANZECC 2000). The part of the total flow in a water body derived from groundwater discharge (Department of Environment 2003).

Best management practices (BMPs): Devices, practices or methods for removing, reducing, retarding or preventing targeted stormwater runoff constituents, pollutants and contaminants from reaching receiving waters (Taylor & Wong 2002) and for reducing the volume of stormwater runoff.

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD): The oxygen consumption (respiration) resulting from bacterial breakdown of organic material, or as a result of some inorganic oxygen reducing species (ammonia) (ARMCANZ & ANZECC 2000).

Biodiversity: The variability among living organisms from all sources (including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part) and the diversity within and between species and of ecosystems (ARMCANZ & ANZECC 2000).

Biofilm: A gelatinous sheath of algae and micro-organisms, including benthic algae and bacteria, formed on surfaces such as gravel, sediment and plants (ARMCANZ & ANZECC 2000).

Bioretention: A stormwater management device that consists of an excavated basin or trench that is filled with porous media and planted with vegetation.

Bore: A narrow, lined hole drilled to withdraw or monitor groundwater.

Brownfield: Areas of land that have been developed into urban land uses.

Buffer strip: Areas of vegetation through which runoff passes while travelling to a discharge point and which are therefore aligned perpendicular to the direction of flow.

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