Implementation of Joint District Reviews by the Office of Ground Water and the Office of Water Quality In Reply Refer To: June 2, 1994 Mail Stop 411 or Mail Stop 412 OFFICE OF GROUND WATER TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 94.03 OFFICE OF WATER QUALITY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 94.15 Subject: Implementation of Joint District Reviews by the Office of Ground Water and the Office of Water Quality Purpose of Memorandum The Office of Ground Water (OGW) and the Office of Water Quality (OWQ) have established a policy to conduct joint District reviews to the extent practicable. This memorandum sets the policy and describes the general approach the OGW and OWQ will use. Background During the past 18 months, OGW and OWQ have conducted a number of pilot joint District reviews. The intent was to determine the feasibility and desirability of conducting joint reviews on a permanent basis. Increasingly, ground-water projects involve an aspect of water quality. It is natural to review such projects with persons representing both disciplines. During fiscal year (FY) 1994, the two offices are conducting about half of the reviews jointly. We plan to increase this proportion in FY 1995. For each review, the ultimate decision of whether to conduct a joint or separate review will reside with the region. Scope of Joint OGW/OWQ Reviews The joint District reviews will focus on both data and projects. Reviewers will seek to develop a collegial atmosphere to (a) increase interchange, awareness, and understanding among personnel in District, regional, and technical offices; (b) enhance technology transfer; (c) identify and resolve technical problems; and (d) identify ways to enhance projects and create new projects. The intent of the two offices is to jointly review (a) all projects that have both ground-water-hydrology and ground-water-quality components; and (b) most projects that seemingly comprise just one discipline, especially if the projects are new or in the proposal stage. The intent in the latter circumstance is to determine if the technical soundness of the project would be improved by having components added from the other discipline. The reviews will decrease the time spent on projects near completion and devote more time to projects in their early or mid-term stages. Increased emphasis also will be placed on reviewing proposals for new projects. In conducting the review, the team will split into smaller groups to review the data-collection methods, laboratories, and data-base issues. The OWQ contingent may also decide to separately review selected issues and projects concerning surface-water quality. For each joint review, a lead reviewer will be selected from one of the two offices. During each fiscal year, the number of lead reviews will be split about equally between OGW and OWQ. The lead reviewer and the designee from the other office will read the previous review report(s) and meet to share ideas about the upcoming review. They also will discuss the District program and needs with the regional specialists and collectively select additional reviewers appropriate for the technical content, complexity, and size of the District program. For each joint review, a single report will be prepared. The team will attempt to complete a draft report within a couple weeks and to complete the final report for review by the Office Chiefs within 30 working days. Appendix 1 presents a recommended report outline that has been used successfully in the joint reviews conducted to date. William M. Alley David A. Rickert Chief, Office of Ground Water Chief, Office of Water Quality Attachment Key words: District reviews This memorandum does not supersede any previous Office of Ground Water or Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandums. Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO, AH APPENDIX 1 Recommended Outline for a Ground-Water/Water-Quality Discipline Review Report Executive Summary (Include major recommendations) I. Background II. Overview of the District (Include recommendations and highlights) A. Organization and management (includes personnel and discipline specialists) B. Ground-water and water-quality issues C. Cooperators D. Program development E. Relationship with universities and outside technical contacts F. Status of reports G. District library H. Quality-assurance plans I. Training J. Model archive K. Action on previous review comments III. Projects and Proposals (Include table at front listing all projects and funding level for current fiscal year) IV. Field and Laboratory Techniques A. Records and field measurements B. Data bases C. Field service unit D. Outside laboratories used by the district V. Recommendations and Questions from the District to Other Organizational Units