Lagoon

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-015265",
  "term": "Lagoon",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. A shallow, artificial treatment pond where sunlight, bacterial action, and oxygen work to purify wastewater; a stabilization pond. An aerated lagoon is a treatment pond that uses oxygen to speed up the natural process of biological decomposition of organic wastes. A lagoon is regulated as a point source under the Clean Water Act if there is a direct surface water discharge. Some lagoons that discharge into ground water also are regulated if they have a direct hydrogeologic connection to surface water. In other areas, lagoons were historically used to dump various liquid, solid, and hazardous wastes from manufacturing or industrial processes. These wastes typically flooded and polluted surrounding environs or seeped underground. Such lagoons are now regulated under RCRA but some must be cleaned up under Superfund.\n\n2. Earthen storage structure with sufficient dilution water added to allow microorganisms to biodegrade and treat organic matter.\n\n3. A shallow pond where sunlight, bacterial action, and oxygen work to purify wastewater; also used for storage of wastewater or spent nuclear fuel rods.\n\n4. A shallow pond where sunlight, bacterial action, and oxygen work to purify wastewater; also used for storage of wastewater or spent nuclear fuel rods. Shallow body of water, often separated from the sea by coral reefs or sandbars.\n\n5. Shallow body of water, often separated from the sea by coral reefs or sandbars.\n\n6. A shallow coastal body of seawater that is separated from the open ocean by a barrier or coral reef; the term is commonly used to define the shore-parallel body of water behind a barrier island or barrier spit.\n\n7. Any large holding or detention pond, usually with earthen dikes, used to contain wastewater while sedimentation and biological treatment or stabilization occur.",
  "subject": "Policy and guidance",
  "references": [
    "Environmental Issues Terms & Acronyms; Pesticides Glossary",
    "Ag 101 Glossary of American Agriculture",
    "RCRA Glossary of Terms; Terms of Environment",
    "Aquatic Biodiversity Glossary",
    "Terms of Environment",
    "Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-level Rise Glossary and Acronyms",
    "AgSTAR Handbook Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/lagoon/"
}