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