Protocols for Collection of Water-Quality Data for Ground-Water Studies

To: "A  - Division Chief and Staff",
        "B  - Branch Chiefs and Offices",
        "S  - Special Distribution for Research",
        "FO - State, District, Subdistrict and other Field Offices",
        "PO - Project Offices",
        "AH - Area Hydrologists"
cc: " , WRD Archive File, Reston, VA ",
        "Iris M Collies, Writer-Editor, Reston, VA ",
        "Nana L Frye, Secretary (OA), Reston, VA "
Subject: Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 97.07
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 1997 15:12:13 -0400
From: "Iris M Collies, Writer-Editor, Reston, VA "


In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 412                                   July 31, 1997


OFFICE OF WATER QUALITY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 97.07

Subject:  Protocols for Collection of Water-Quality Data for
          Ground-Water Studies

The purpose of this Technical Memorandum is to announce publication of 
"Guidelines and Standard Procedures for Studies of Ground-Water Quality: 
Selection and Installation of Wells, and Supporting Documentation" 
(Water-Resources Investigations (WRI) report 96-4233) and provide 
guidance on implementation of the protocols described in this report.

                             Background

Examination and development of procedures used to collect ground-water-
quality data are part of the Office of Water Quality's (OWQ) larger 
program to identify, prioritize, and address water-quality field methods 
for which guidance and technical support are needed. The OWQ, in 
collaboration with the Office of Ground Water and the National Water 
Quality Assessment Program, has been examining, developing, and testing 
some of the procedures needed to ensure the quality of data collected for 
our ground-water-quality studies. 

                            Implementation

Documentation of the policies and transfer of the information that have 
resulted from this activity are being released as reports, the first of 
which (WRI 96-4233) has recently been distributed. WRI report 96-4233 
includes pertinent information on U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) policies 
for selecting and installing wells for studies of ground-water quality. 
The protocols presented (requirements and recommendations, as well as 
standard procedures and guidelines) should be implemented immediately as 
appropriate for new and existing studies to help ensure consistent 
application of sound technical principles and national comparability of 
ground-water data collected by the USGS.


                                David A. Rickert
                                Chief, Office of Water Quality

This memorandum does not supersede any other OWQ Technical Memorandum.

Key Words: guidelines, ground-water quality, WRI 96-4233

Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO, AH