| CDP | Comprehensive Drainage Plan is an engineering analysis that contains information on existing storm sewer infrastructure and identifies locations for future improvement in the City's Capital Improvement Plan |
| CRS | Community Rating System is a program created by the National Flood Insurance Program to encourage communities to establish floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum federal standards required for NFIP participation |
| Floodplain | the normally dry area, usually low land, adjacent to a stream, river, lake, watercourse, or bayou that is inundated on a periodic basis with flood waters |
| NPDES | National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit is a federal program that regulates storm water discharge into these types of waterways |
| SWMP | Houston’s Storm Water Management Program that designs and constructs capital improvement projects in order to provide increased levels of flood protection for Houston and its citizens |
| Watershed | a land area that ultimately drains rainfall runoff to a common outlet point - typically a body of water |
The following links provide extensive glossaries of hydrologic and water related terms: