US EPA

The National Center for Environmental Assessment-Washington Office (NCEA-W) has prepared this glossary to serve as a technical guide for EPA's regional offices and the general public who need to read karst literature or interact with karst researchers. The glossary includes terminology common to the field of karst as well as many other terms that have some relationship to the field of environmental karst. It also includes many foreign terms because much karst research is conducted in foreign countries and published using local terminology. In may instances common environmental terms are defined in such a way as to specifically reference karstic phenomena. The purpose of this glossary is to remove much of the confusion surrounding many karst terms.

Field, M. S. A Lexicon Of Cave And Karst Terminology With Special Reference To Environmental Karst Hydrology (1999 Edition). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Washington Office, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-99/006, 1999.