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Glossary beginning with B

terms for which definitions are available

bankfull

the channel at the top-of-bank or point from where water begins to overflow onto a floodplain

baseflow

flow in a stream that is not directly influenced by precipitation and is derived from groundwater; the sustained discharge that does not result from direct runoff or from water diversions, reservoir releases, piped discharges, or other human activities

benthic

used to describe aquatic organisms living at the bottom of a body of water

benthic macroinvertebrates

aquatic insect larvae that live on stream bottom; because of a short lifespan and relative immobility, they reflect the chemical and physical characteristics of a stream and chronic sources of pollution

bioretention

a stormwater retention area that utilizes woody and herbaceous plants and soils to remove pollutants before infiltration occurs

BMP

Best Management Practice; a technique, measure, or structural control that addresses one or more objectives (e.g., a detention basin that gets built, an ordinance that gets passed, and an educational program that gets implemented)

buffer

the area of land immediately adjacent to any stream, measured perpendicular to and horizontally from the top-of-bank on both sides of a stream