Gaines·ville n.
The coolest city in north-central Florida. Home to Elvis the Otter (above), and a diverse population of gators.

N·P·D·E·S n.
Acronym for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. NPDES is a federal program created to assist communities in reaching the goals of the Clean Water Act.

T·M·D·L n.
Acronym for Total Maximum Daily Load. The TMDL program, also part of the Clean Water Act, determines pollutant thresholds for waters of the state. The program requires communities with designated "impaired" waterways to decrease pollutant loads to healthy levels.

B·M·A·P n.
Acronym for Basin Management Action Plan. A group made up of local governments, businesses and citizens has worked togehter to create a BMAP for the Orange Creek Basin to address pollutants in our watersheds. The BMAP presents management actions and options for addressing high bacteria levels in Hogtown Creek, Sweetwater Branch, and Tumblin Creek and too many nutrients in Alachua Sink, Orange Lake, Newnans Lake, and Lake Wauberg. The plan was developed to address pollutant loading targets (also called Total Maximum Daily Loads) developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for these waterbodies.

W.A.V. n.
Acronym for the Watershed Action Volunteers. These special people help to make our lives better by working for healthier watersheds, and have lots of fun in the process!!

W.a.t.e.r. W.a.t.c.h.e.r n.
Special Watershed Action Volunteers (WAVs are people who help to make our lives better by working for healthier watersheds, and have lots of fun in the process!!) - Water Watchers volunteer to monitor water quality in our local Alachua County waterways.

storm·wa·ter n.
Rain that runs off roads, roofs, gutters and yards into stormwater drains, retention basins, ponds or other drainage systems.

wa·ter·shed n.
The region of land draining into a river, river system,
or other body of water.

wet·lands n.
a lowland area, such as a marsh or swamp, that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife.