Availability of Guidance for Identifying and Correcting Small-Magnitude, Negative Values in the NWIS Water-Quality Databases

In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 412                                       February 13, 2002

Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 2002.10

Subject:  Availability of Guidance for Identifying and Correcting
          Small-Magnitude, Negative Values in the NWIS Water-Quality
          Databases

This memorandum announces the availability of guidance for identifying and
correcting small-magnitude, negative values in NWIS water-quality
databases.  The problem was described in the Office of Water Quality (OWQ)
Technical Memorandum 2002.04, issued November 27, 2001.  OWQ advises all
Districts to examine their NWIS water-quality databases and make any
necessary corrections using the guidance document located on the web at:


     http://ok.water.usgs.gov/nawqa/phoenix/training/guidancelfn.html


This guidance has been used and tested at the Baltimore, Boise, Cheyenne,
and Tampa offices to identify and correct incorrect data in NWIS.  At this
time, all other offices should follow these procedures and report
completion with an e-mail to Terry Schertz (tschertz).  Additional
information regarding how this problem occurred and was detected can be
found in the guidance document.





                              Stephen K. Sorenson /s/


                              Acting Chief, Office of Water Quality

This memorandum modifies Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum
2002.04.

Distribution:  All WRD Employees

*************************************
Stephen K. Sorenson
Acting Chief, Office of Water Quality
U.S. Geological Survey
412 National Center
Reston, VA  20192
703/648-6864
sorenson@usgs.gov