Glossary

aesthetically - relating to or dealing with the beautiful

alluvium - clay, silt, sand, gravel, or similar detrital material deposited by running water

aquifer - a water bearing stratum of permeable rock, sand, or gravel

argillaceous - of, relating to, or containing clay or clay minerals

berming - a strip of ground along a dike.  a narrow shelf, path, or ledge

calcareous - consisting of or containing calcium or calcium carbonate

denuded - to strip of all covering.  to lay bare by erosion

floodplain - level land that may be submerged by floodwaters

fords - a shallow part of a body of water that may be crossed by wading

friable - easily crumbled or pulverized

gable - the vertical triangular end of a building from a cornice or eaves to ridge

galvanized - to subject to the action of an electric current

geotechnical - a science of making the Earth more habitable

herbaceous - having little or no woddy tissue and persisting usually fro a single growing season

hydrologic - a science dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation of water on the surface of the land, in the soil and underlying rocks and in the atmosphere

inundation - to cover with a flood

Masonic - of, relating to, or characteristics of Freemasons or Freemasonry

residuum - what is left over, the reaminder

riparian - relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (as a stream or river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater

squatters - one that settles on land without right or title or payment of rent

tilth - cultivated soil

tract - an indefinite stretch of land

tributaries - a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake

Tuscan - of or relating one of the five classical orders of architecture that is of Roman origin and plain in style