DutchGlossary

Dutch to English Glossary

Dutch	English	Explanation
Alluviale afzettingen	Alluvial deposits	Sediments deposited by modern rivers and streams
Alluviale rivier	Alluvial river	River with a bed consisting of sediments deposited by this river and still actively remolded by erosion and sedimentation
Alluvium	Alluvium	Sediment deposits
Vertakte rivier	Anabranched river	River consisting of a network of channels separated by large islands that are usually vegetated
Anadroom	Anadromous	Adjective indicating fish that spawn in fresh water after spending most of their lives and becoming mature in the sea. See also
Aquifer	Aquifer	Water-bearing layer of porous subsurface material that can yield usable quantities of water
Kommen, Moerassen achter oeverwallen	Backswamps	Wetlands in the lowest areas of the valley floor away from the main channel, storing fine-grained suspended-load sediments
Stuweffect	Backwater effect	Influence from downstream conditions on water levels and flow velocities
Oever	Bank	Lateral channel boundary
Geulvullende afvoer, Zomerbedvullende afvoer	Bankfull discharge	Discharge at which water levels reach the top of the river banks
Bank	Bar	Submerged or emerged bedform of sand, gravel, or other unconsolidated material, built in shallow water and much longer than the water depth
Basisafvoer	Base flow	Sustained low flow in a stream, mostly fed by groundwater discharge
Bathymetrie	Bathymetry	Spatial distribution of water depths below an agreed plane of reference water levels. As this plane has a slope in rivers, bathymetry should not be confused with
Bodemhoogte	Bed level	Elevation of bottom of river or stream above a horizontal datum
Bodemtransport	Bedload	Sediment transported by rolling, sliding or jumping over the bed
Transport van bodemmateriaal	Bed-material load	Transport of sediment that is also found in the river bed. It can be transported as both and
Vast gesteente	Bedrock	Consolidated subsurface material that underlies soils or other unconsolidated material
Bodemschuifspanning	Bed shear stress	Tangential forces per unit bed area exerted by the flow on the river bed, as a measure of flow strength. See also and
Bodemtopografie	Bed topography	Spatial distribution of bed elevations with respect to a horizontal datum, not to be confused with
Oeverbank	Bench	Sediment deposition unit along a bank face. Also
Benthisch	Benthic	Living at or in the bottom of a fresh or salty body of water. Opposed to
Benthos	Benthos	Plants and animals that live in, on or attached to the bottom of water bodies
Oeverbank	Berm	Sediment deposition unit along a bank face. Also
Biogeografische regio	Biogeographical region	Relatively large area that contains characteristic assemblages of natural communities and species that are the product of broad environmental influences and common evolutionary and immigration history. See
Bivalve	Bivalve	A mollusk with two shells, for instance a clam or a mussel
Keien, Rotsblokken	Boulders	Rock fragments larger than 200 mm in diameter
Vlechtende rivier	Braided river	River consisting of a network of smaller channels separated by small and often temporary non-vegetated islands called braid bars
Bufferstrook	Buffer strip	Vegetation along a stream left intact after logging or land clearing, preventing fine sediment from entering into the stream
Cascade	Cascade	Stream bed covered with disorganized boulders in steep confined channels
Katadroom	Catadromous	Adjective indicating fish that spawn in the open sea after spending their lives and becoming mature in fresh water. See also
Stroomgebied	Catchment	Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. Also or . Catchment is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms
Kortsluitgeul door kronkelwaard	Chute channel	Channel across a bar or floodplain, shortcutting the flow in the main channel
Lutum (grain size), Klei (soil type)	Clay	Mineral soil particle smaller than 0.002 mm in diameter
Stenen, Keien	Cobbles	Rock fragments between 63 mm and 200 mm in diameter
Krenal	Crenal	Zone of stream source in longitudinal habitat zonation, also . See also and
Breuk in oeverwal, Crevasse	Crevasse	Breach in natural levee
Crevasse-afzetting	Crevasse splay	Local accumulation of sand or gravel, deposited by water escaping from the channel through a
Bochtovergang	Crossing	Relatively shallow zone between two consecutive bends in navigable rivers. Also
Bochtovergang	Cross-over	Relatively shallow zone between two consecutive bends in navigable rivers. Also
Schaaldier	Crustacean	Invertebrate animal (without backbone) with a hard exoskeleton (external support or protection of the body) and at least five pairs of jointed legs on the thorax
Stroming	Current	Movement of water in a water body
Referentievlak	Datum	Reference elevation level, for instance mean sea level
Degradatie	Degradation	In hydromorphology: Lowering of bed elevation by erosion or removal of sediment. In ecology: Damaged condition of habitat
Afvoer, Debiet	Discharge	Volume of water that flows through a section per unit of time
Stroomgebied	Drainage basin	Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. Also or . is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms
Duin	Dune	Bedform with a height in the order of tens of percent of the water depth. Two-dimensional dunes have long crests perpendicular to the flow. Three-dimensional dunes have short crests.
Ecoregio	Ecoregion	See and .
Moerasplant, Ondiepwaterplant	Emergent plant	Plant rooted in shallow water with much of the stem and most of the leaves above the water
Eurytoop, Niet kieskeurig	Eurytopic	Adjective for aquatic species that tolerate both stagnant and flowing water conditions. See also and
Uiterwaard, Overstromingsgebied	Floodplain	Land bordering a river or a stream, built up of sediments from overbank flows and subject to inundation at floods
Stromingsweerstand	Flow resistance	Forces opposing the discharge of water. A low flow resistance implies high flow velocities and small water depths. A high flow resistance implies low flow velocities and high water depths.
Stroomsnelheid	Flow velocity	Distance travelled by flowing water per unit time, as a measure of flow strength. See also and
Geomorfologische eenheid	Geomorphic unit	Area containing a landform created by erosion or deposition inside or outside the river channel. Also , or . Geomorphic unit is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms
Glijbaan, Glide	Glide	Zone of relatively shallow flow as an intermediate feature between shallower riffles and deeper pools, similar to the somewhat steeper
Grind	Gravel	Rock fragments between 2 and 63 mm in diameter
Habitat	Habitat	Place where a particular species or life stage lives and grows. Essentially, it is the (mostly physical) environment that surrounds a species population or age group
Hydraulische ruwheid	Hydraulic roughness	Parameter governing
Hydraulische eenheid	Hydraulic unit	Spatially distinct patch of relatively homogeneous surface-flow and substrate character. Hydraulic unit is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms
Afdamming, Opstuwing	Impoundment	Structure built to maintain a desired water level
Infauna	Infauna	Benthic animals that burrow into the substrate
Invertebraten	Invertebrates	Animals without a backbone
Eiland	Island	Landform surrounded by areas of the channel bed and emerged at bankfull stage
Krenal	Krenal	Zone of stream source in longitudinal habitat zonation, also . See also and
Landschapseenheid	Landscape unit	Portion of a catchment with similar landscape morphological characteristics. Also physiographic unit. Landscape unit is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms
Dijk, Kade	Levee	See . Levee can also refer to a man-made dike along the Loire river in France or along North-American rivers that belonged to French Louisiana between 1682 and 1803, such as the Mississippi river
Limnetisch	Limnetic	Related to the environment of lakes and ponds. Adjective for aquatic macroinvertebrates that prefer standing water
Limnofiel, Plantminnend	Limnophilic	Adjective for aquatic species that prefer stagnant water. See also and
Lotisch	Lotic	Related to fast-moving water, such as in most streams and rivers
Macroinvertebraten	Macroinvertebrates	Animals without backbones (“invertebrates”) that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye (“macro”, larger than 0.5 mm)
Macrofyt	Macrophyte	All aquatic higher plants, mosses and characean algae, but excluding single-celled phytoplankton and diatoms
Macrozoobenthos	Macrozoobenthos	Aquatic macroinvertebrates living at or in the bottom
Meanderende rivier	Meandering river	River with a single channel and a larger than 1.5
Maatregel	Measure	See and
Mesohabitat	Mesohabitat	Spatially distinct patch of relatively homogeneous patches serving species or life stages as . See
Microhabitat	Microhabitat	Spatially distinct patch of uniform substrate, plant cover or physical structure which is relevant for species, e.g. as spawning or feeding substrate
Mitigerende maatregel	Mitigation measure	Activity to reduce the impact of a pressure
Weekdieren	Mollusks	Unsegmented invertebrate animals (without a backbone) that possess an external or vestigial calcium carbonate shell
Morfologische eenheid	Morphological unit	See
Slib, Modder	Mud	Loose slushy fine sediment consisting of clay, silt, fine sand, and organic material. Often water-formed and deposited on the bottom of lakes, rivers and estuaries
Oeverwal	Natural levee	Elevated feature along river channel, composed of sediments deposited by overbank flows leaving the main channel
Hoefijzermeer	Oxbow lake	Lake formed when a river meander is cut off from the main channel
Grindsteen, kiezelsteen	Pebble	Gravel particle
Pelagisch	Pelagic	Living and feeding in the water column. Opposed to
Fysiografische eenheid	Physiographic unit	See
Fytoplankton	Phytoplankton	Microscopic plants that float or drift almost passively in water
Kronkelwaard, Kronkelwaardbank, Ondiepe binnenbocht	Point bar	Bar along the inner bank of a river bend
Diep deel van rivier	Pool	Relatively deep, still section in a river or stream. Pools alternate with or in gravel-bed rivers and with or in navigable rivers
Potamal	Potamal	Zone of lowland rivers in longitudinal habitat zonation. See also or and
Kolkgat	Pothole	Deep circular hole scoured in bedrock as a result of abrasion by transported particles trapped in the hole
Druk	Pressure	In hydromorphology: Force per unit area exerted on a surface by the weight of the water above that surface. In the Water Framework Directive: Direct environmental effect of a driver such as agriculture, industry, hydropower generation or navigation
Stroomversnellingen	Rapids	Stream bed with boulders organized in irregular transverse lines (ribs), in steep confined channels
Traject	Reach	Section of river along which boundary conditions are sufficiently uniform for the river to maintain a near-constant internal set of process-form interactions. Reach is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms
Regio	Region	Relatively large area underleying similar broad influences of climate, relief, tectonic processes, etc. Also or . Region is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms. It typically contains characteristic assemblages of natural communities and species.
Herstelmaatregel	Restoration measure	Activity to improve the status of degraded waters, be it by improving water quality or by changing hydromorphological conditions
Rheofiel, Stroomminnend	Rheophilic	Adjective for aquatic species that prefer flowing waters. See also and
Rhithral	Rhithral	Zone of streams in longitudinal habitat zonation, identical to the zone of trout and grayling. See also or and
Sikkelvormige rug in kronkelwaard	Ridge	Old incorporated in the floodplain as the channel migrated away
Dwarsbank, Riffle	Riffle	Zone of relatively shallow and rapid flow in gravel-bed rivers
In de oeverzone	Riparian	Related to zone adjacent to a stream or river with a high density, diversity, and productivity of plant and animal species compared to nearby uplands
Ribbel	Ripple	Small bedform of a few centimetres high, with a long crest perpendicular to the flow
Rivierelement	River element	Part of river environment including individuals and patches of sediment, plants, wood, etc. Also . River element is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms.
Riviersector	River sector	See
Riviersegment	River segment	Section of river subject to similar valley-scale influences and energy conditions. Also river sector. River segment is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms
Run	Run	Zone of relatively shallow flow as an intermediate feature between shallower riffles and deeper pools, similar to the somewhat flatter
Zand	Sand	Mineral soil particle between 0.063 mm and 2.0 mm in diameter
Ontgronding, Uitschuring	Scour	Local removal of sediment from the stream bed by flowing water
Sikkelvormige rug in kronkelwaard	Scroll bar	Elongated raised feature on top of a
Sediment	Sediment	Solid matter eroded, transported or deposited in rivers
Sedimentproductie	Sediment yield	Amount of sediment eroded per unit land area in a river catchment
Silt, Meelzand	Silt	Mineral soil particle between 0.002 mm and 0.063 mm in diameter
Kronkelfactor, Sinuositeit	Sinuosity	Ratio between the distance measured along the channel and the distance measured in the direction of the overall planimetric course or meander belt axis
Specifiek stroomvermogen	Specific stream power	per unit channel width, as a measure of flow strength
Stap	Step	Steep accumulation of boulders and cobbles across a channel, generally with a pool downstream that is scoured by flow plunging over the step
Stroomvermogen	Stream power	Rate of energy dissipation per unit downstream length, as a measure of flow strength. See also and
Stressor	Stressor	Pressure in the sense of a direct environmental effect of a driver
Subtraject	Subreach	See
Zwevend transport	Suspended load	Sediment transported in the water column, kept from settling by upward turbulent motions of the water. It can consist of both and
Sikkelvormige laagte in kronkelwaard	Swale	Depression between adjacent that are old
Terras	Terrace	Abandoned inactive floodplain perched above contemporary channel and floodplain
Thalweg	Thalweg	Line connecting the deepest points of consecutive cross-sections
Stroomdraad	Thread	Channel in river typologies. A single-thread river has only one channel in each cross-section. A multiple-thread has more than one channel in each cross-section
Rivier met plaatselijk meer dan een geul	Wandering river	River with a single channel that locally splits into two channels, as a transitional form between meandering rivers and braided rivers
Spoeltransport	Washload	Sediments much finer than those in the river bed, transported without dependence on flow strength
Waterlichaam	Water body	Distinct and significant volume of water
Waterdiepte	Water depth	Height of water column. Elevation difference between water level and bed level
Waterstand, Niveau van de waterspiegel	Water level	Elevation of water surface above a horizontal datum
Stroomgebied	Watershed	Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. Also or . is a spatial unit within the multi-scale of hydromorphological processes and forms