WAC 173-157-040   What are the meanings of words and phrases used in this rule?  "Aquifer storage and recovery project," "ASR project," or "underground artificial storage and recovery project" means those projects where the intent is to artificially store water in an underground geological formation through injection, surface spreading and infiltration, or other department-approved method, and to make subsequent use of the stored water.

     "Artificial recharge" means either controlled subsurface addition of water directly to the aquifer or controlled application of water to the ground surface for the purpose of replenishing the aquifer.

     "Beneficial use" includes, among others, uses for domestic, stock watering, industrial, commercial, agricultural, irrigation, hydroelectric power production, mining, fish and wildlife maintenance and enhancement, recreational, thermal power production, municipal, and preservation of environmental and aesthetic values.

     "Confined aquifer" means an aquifer where the permeability of the beds above and below the aquifer is significantly lower than the aquifer itself.

     "Department" means the Washington department of ecology.

     "DOH" means the Washington department of health.

     "Hydraulic continuity" means the existence of some degree of interconnection between two or more sources of water, either surface water and groundwater or two groundwater sources.

     "Hydrogeology" means the study of the geologic aspects of subsurface waters.

     "Normative flow" means a flow that resembles the natural flow sufficiently enough to sustain all life stages of several species native to the state of Washington, including salmonid populations.

     "Permeability" means the ability for a fluid to be transmitted in porous rock, sediment, or soil.

     "Piezometric elevation" means the static level to which the water from a given aquifer will rise under its full head.

     "RCW" means the Revised Code of Washington.

     "Receiving aquifer" or "reservoir" means any portion of a naturally occurring underground geological formation in which the source water will be collected and stored for a future beneficial use as part of an ASR project.

     "Reservoir permit" means a permit to artificially store water in underground geological formations and subsequently recover it for beneficial use.

     "SEPA" means the State Environmental Policy Act, chapter 43.21C RCW.

     "Secondary permit" means a permit for the appropriation of groundwater which was artificially stored in underground geological formations for subsequent beneficial use.

     "Source water" means water that will be stored in a receiving aquifer.

     "Stored water" means water that has been stored in a receiving aquifer pursuant to a reservoir permit issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

     "Transmissivity" is a measure of the rate which water passes through the geologic material within an aquifer.

     "UIC" means the Underground Injection Control program, which was created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to federal legislation (the Safe Drinking Water Act) and is administered by the department's water quality program.

     "Vadose zone" means within the zone of aeration, i.e., water vapor above the saturation zone within an aquifer.

     "WAC" means Washington Administrative Code.

     "WDFW" means the Washington department of fish and wildlife.

     "You" and "I" means any firm, association, water users' association, corporation, irrigation district, municipal corporation, or anyone else that intends to obtain a reservoir permit to develop an underground artificial storage and recovery project pursuant to RCW 90.03.370.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 90.03.370 (2)(b) and 90.44.460. 03-03-081 (Order 02-06), § 173-157-040, filed 1/15/03, effective 2/15/03.]