Getting Started
Glossary
Key terms used in H2OFlows — and how they map to technical internals.
User-facing terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Run | A defined section of river with a put-in and take-out. The central unit of H2OFlows. |
| Gauge | A streamflow measurement station (USGS, state agency, or custom). Reports CFS in near-real-time. |
| Flow band | A named CFS range for a run: Too Low / Minimum / Optimal / Pushy / Flood. |
| Dashboard | A saved collection of runs and gauges you want to monitor together. |
| Report | A paddler's trip note for a run — date, CFS, and conditions. |
Internal / API terms
The H2OFlows database and API use hydrology-standard terminology. If you're reading source code or API responses, these map to user-facing terms as follows:
| Internal term | User-facing term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
reach | run | Standard NHD hydrology term. All DB columns, Go types, and API paths use reach. |
reach_slug | run URL slug | The identifier in the URL: /runs/:slug |
flow_ranges | flow bands | Same concept, legacy table name |
trip_report | report | Legacy naming from early development |
When building on the API, expect reach_id, reach_slug, and /api/v1/reaches/* endpoints — these are stable and will not change when user-facing terminology evolves.