Glossary

A guide to acronyms (and abbreviations), words and phrases used throughout the Environment Canterbury website. Look in the 'By Subject' tab to find groups of terms relevant to a specific topic.

Some terms might have definitions in addition to those in this glossary.

Use the online Māori Dictionary to help with translating words between Te Reo Māori/English.

Abatement notice: a formal written notice that the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) specifies can be issued only by a warranted enforcement officer, requiring certain actions to be taken or to cease within a specified time where that enforcement officer believes on reasonable grounds (on the balance of probabilities) that there is or is likely to be a contravention of the RMA or an adverse effect on the environment.

Abstraction: in relation to a water body, means the taking of water from that water body.

Affected parties: people who may experience an effect as a result of a proposal which is significantly greater than or different from the effect on the general public.

Air Plan: the Proposed Canterbury Air Regional Plan sets out how we are going to manage air pollution from home heating, industry and other sources like outdoor burning, dust and odour.

Ambient: in relation to air quality, means background air quality. Ambient conditions are those not modified by specific sources.

Amenity values: natural or physical qualities and characteristics of an area that contribute to people's appreciation of its pleasantness, aesthetic coherence, and cultural and recreational attributes.

Annual Exceedance Probability: the probability of a certain size of flood flow occurring in a single year.

Annual Volume: is the total amount of water authorised via a water permit over a one-year period.

Annual Volume calculator: is an Excel spreadsheet which is intended to enable calculation of an annual volume for a specific area of irrigated land.

Appurtenant structure: in relation to a dam, means a structure that is integral to the safe functioning of the dam as a structure for retaining water or other fluid.

Aquifer: an underground gravel channel through which groundwater flows.

Aruhe: edible fern root.

Assessment of Environmental Effects: a report provided with a resource consent application. It outlines the effects that the proposed activity might have on the environment.