two eyes and a wiggle n.— «In an act of both optimism and desire, millions of shad fry—so young and tiny they are often referred to as “two eyes and a wiggle”—have been released upstream on many area waterways where dams are...
sweeper n.— «Trees reaching out over the flow—”sweepers” in river parlance—are the dread of all whitewater paddlers, whether in a canoe, a kayak or a raft.» —“The river is wet and wild, yet safety is canoe club’s No. 1...
green tag n.— «Those renewable electrons flow onto the grid, and Green Mountain gives FPL what’s known as a “green tag”—a certificate that shows part of its electricity has been offset by alternative energy.» —“Green...
schmutzdecke n.— «This system, introduced into the U.S. in 1872, uses low water flow rates (0.05 gpm/sq ft) and relies on the formation of a “schmutzdecke” (a fine, mud-like layer) in the top surface of the fine sand (specific...
gravy plane n.— «You’ve heard of the “gravy train?”…Well, my book reveals the “gravy plane”—it is to my knowledge the first definitive work in the United States on the massive subsidies that flow from various federal...
freeleap n.— «It turns out that waterfall ranking is, well, rancorous. Waterfall people—who are a lot like train people and lighthouse people—are burning up the discussion boards, debating Gocta’s place on the charts with fierce...