An enclosed body of water, usually but not necessarily fresh water, from which the sea is excluded. (Source: WHIT)

A biophysical parameter is a measurable characteristic that can help in defining a particular system. It can cover individual substances, groups of substances or be defined by its measurement method like turbidity or the mesurement of oxygen consumption like BOD5 or COD. It is generally expressed by a value and its unit.

Green cover (including cover crops or catch crops) refers to crops planted in late summer or autumn, usually on arable land, to protect the soil, which would otherwise lie bare during the winter, against wind and water erosion.ﾠ Green cover crops also improve the structure of the soil, diversify the cropping system, and mitigate the loss of soluble nutrients.
- Based on Stella definitions, adapted by NWRM project experts and validated by the European Commission

AGR stores large quantities of water in underground aquifers to increase the quantity of groundwater in times of shortage.ﾠ It results in a lowering of run-off from surrounding land, and in an enhanced natural condition of aquifers and water availability.ﾠ The natural cleaning process of water percolating through the soils when entering the AGR improves water quality. Mechanisms used to undertake the recharge should be highlighted. In this respect one can envisage:(i) surface structures to facilitate/augment recharge (such as soakways and infiltration basins);(ii) subsurface indirect recharge - artificial recharge is undertaken through wells drilled within the unsaturated zone;(iii) subsurface direct recharge - artificial recharge is undertaken through wells reaching the saturated zone. The regulatory approach to be adopted for each of the above three mechanisms could differ considerably, due to the fact that the level of natural protection to groundwater is vastly different for each of the mechanisms