MEMORANDUM
December 17, 2001
To: 2001 NAWQA Study Units
From: Timothy L. Miller, Chief, National Water-Quality Assessment Program
Subject: Management of Liquid Chromatography Acetamide Acid (LCAA) Data for 2001 Starts
Most of you are submitting water samples to the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) in Kansas for the analysis of acetamide herbicide degradates by method LCAA. It is critical that the analytical data for these samples be stored in the NWIS data base. This memo discusses plans and responsibilities for the management of LCAA data by Study Units. Please ensure that your data managers are aware of their responsibilities for managing the LCAA data and that your field crews are aware of the new bottle labeling requirements for LCAA samples.
Previous efforts to enter OGRL data into NWIS have followed a variety of Study-Unit-specific approaches and the level of success is variable. In consideration of the need for consistency in the NAWQA program and to verify that all appropriate data are stored, we are requesting that all Study Units follow the plan outlined in this memo to enter LCAA data into NWIS. Any questions or concerns about this plan or the procedures for updating NWIS should be directed to Jeff Martin (jdmartin).
Overview of the plan:
OGRL will create 1-and-star-card format data files of the LCAA analytical data. These data files will have valid method codes and will use some new sample identification information that must be included on the sample bottle label. Data files will be made quarterly beginning February 2002 and placed on the Kansas District server for retrieval by anonymous ftp. Study Unit data mangers will be notified by email that data files have been produced. Study Unit data managers will obtain the data files, review the data files, update the NWIS data base, and report on status to Jeff Martin. Jeff.s responsibility is to track entry of LCAA data into NWIS and to resolve data-management problems related to the transfer of data from OGRL to NWIS.
Details of the plan are available in: Full memo (Word) and Study Unit data managers and NWQL user codes (Excel)