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Water year

In Geological Survey reports dealing with surface-water supply, the 12-month period, October 1 through September 30. The water year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends and which includes 9 of the 12 months. Thus, the year ended September 30, 1959, is called the "1959 water year."

Water yield (water crop or runout)

The runoff from the drainage basin, including ground-water outflow that appears in the stream plus ground-water outflow that bypasses the gaging station and leaves the basin underground. Water yield is the precipitation minus the evpotranspiration.

Watershed

The land area that directly drains to a common stream, river or lake, often considered synonymous with a drainage basin or catchment. Watershed (drainage basin) boundaries follow topographic highs. The term watershed is also defined as the divide separating one drainage basin from another.

Watershed and Flood Prevention Act of 1954

P.L. 83-566 (August 4, 1954) established USDA’s small watershed program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service; purposes of projects built under this authority include flood reduction, sediment and erosion control, and water conservation. Since its inception, over $4.2 billion has been appropriated to this program which has constructed more than 1,600 projects. Also known as the PL-566 program.

Watershed and flood prevention operations

A program area of the Natural Resources Conservation Service that includes Flood Prevention Operations (under the Flood Control Act of 1944, P.L. 78-534), Emergency Watershed Protection, and Small Watershed Operations (under the Watershed and Flood Prevention Act of 1954. These programs have built small watershed projects that reduce floods, protect watersheds, improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, improve water supply, and provide recreation. They involve strong partnerships with local interests.

Waterspout

A column of rotating air over a body of water (ie. a tornado over the water).

Waxes

Solid or semisolid materials derived from petroleum distillates or residues. Light-colored, more or less translucent crystalline masses, slightly greasy to the touch, consisting of a mixture of solid hydrocarbons in which the paraffin series predominates. Included are all marketable waxes, whether crude scale or fully refined. Used primarily as industrial coating for surface protection.

Wealth

The value of the existing stock of goods; those goods may be tangible or intangible.

Weather

Weather is the specific condition of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. It is measured in terms of such things as wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness, and precipitation. In most places, weather can change from hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate is the average of weather over time and space. A simple way of remembering the difference is that climate is what you expect (e.g. cold winters) and 'weather' is what you get (e.g. a blizzard). See climate.

Wellhead protection area

A surface and subsurface land area regulated to prevent contamination of a well or well-field supplying a public water system. This program, established under the Safe Drinking Water Act, is implemented through state governments.

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