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.
A&P
Agricultural and Pastoral
ACC
Accident Compensation Corporation
advert
advertisement
AEE
Assessment of Environmental Effects
AEJ
Alternative Environmental Justice
AEP
Annual Exceedence Probability
AIC
Amuri Irrigation Collective
AIS
Automatic Identification System
am
ante meridiem = morning (before noon)
AMF
ad medium filium
app
application
approx
approximately
Apr
April
ARI
Average Recurrence Interval
asl
above sea level
Aug
August
Ave
Avenue