[link or image removed] indicates that a reference has been removed from this document in order to prevent the exposure of internal resources.
WMA 2019.03: Procedure update and clarification for Update on Guidance for Preparation, Approval, and Archiving of Aquifer-test Results
Distribution: GS-W All
From: Donald W. Cline
Associate Director for Water Resources
WATER MISSION AREA TECHNICAL PROCEDURE MEMORANDUM 2019.03
Subject: Procedure update and clarification for Update on Guidance for Preparation, Approval, and Archiving of Aquifer-test Results
Purpose: This technical procedure supersedes existing U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Resources Mission Area (WMA) memoranda Office of Groundwater (OGW) 2009.01 [link or image removed] and [link or image removed] OGW 94.02 [link or image removed] describing guidance for the “Preparation, Approval, and Release of Aquifer-Test Results.” Modification of the processes outlined in those memoranda is needed because aquifer-test results are considered interpretive, according to USGS [link or image removed]Fundamental Science Practices [link or image removed] (FSP). The purpose of this procedure is to present the elements describing the tests that should be included in the interpretive information product (IP) and the associated data release IP describing the aquifer test. The procedure also updates guidance for aquifer test packages to include recent requirements for data releases via the USGS Public Access Plan and to remove the WMA headquarters approval requirement.
Background: Aquifer-test data and interpretive results are important to quantification of the hydraulic characteristics of a specific aquifer or aquifer system, and important to conclusions published in many USGS reports. The WMA has required internal archiving of single- and multiple-well aquifer-test data and their associated analyses since 1994 (OGW 94.02 [link or image removed]; more recently updated in OGW 2009.01 [link or image removed]). Clarification of the procedures outlined in these memoranda is needed as a result of requirements of the recent USGS Public Access Plan [link or image removed] that federally-funded studies and data associated with aquifer tests be released to the public, and a reference in the existing policies to former WMA organizational structure.
Aquifer-test data typically are analyzed to estimate hydraulic properties of the groundwater system, such as transmissivity or storage coefficient. These analyses are considered interpretive and thereby must follow USGS Fundamental Science Practices [link or image removed] (FSP) for the public release of interpretive information products [link or image removed]. The IP for aquifer-tests also requires a companion data-release if (a) the data are not included in the interpretive product, or (b) the data/metadata are not available for public viewing on NWISWeb, as per the USGS Public Access Plan [link or image removed].
Estimates of aquifer-hydraulic characteristics obtained from "textbook" or published values for various lithologies or estimates of transmissivity determined from specific-capacity measurements are not considered calculations of aquifer characteristics.
What problem is solved/addressed? This procedure is needed to conform with recent Bureau requirements and replace outdated WMA organizational responsibilities.
Scope: This procedure applies to all scientists within the USGS Water Enterprise (WMA Divisions and Science Centers) collecting, interpreting, releasing, and publishing aquifer test data and associated hydraulic interpretations. These procedures become effective upon the date of release. The Office of Quality Assurance will discuss these data and interpretations during future on-site technical reviews and may compile results during more frequent database retrievals.
Procedures:
c.) The Interpretive and data release IPs must be entered into the Information Product Data System (IPDS). As defined by FSP, data releases may be approved at the Center level by the Center Director (or equivalent manager). Interpretive IPs are approved by the Bureau Approving Officials in the Office of Science Quality and Integrity. References to the digital repository where the data are available (e.g., ScienceBase, NWISWeb, or Aquifer Test Locator (see appendix)) must be identified in the interpretive IP. Under the Bibliodata tab in IPDS for the interpretive product, the location of the supporting data must be identified by the associated digital object identifier (DOI) or NWISWeb URL.
d.) After the two IPs are approved, all associated interpreted hydraulic parameters should be entered into the USGS Ground-Water Site-Inventory System within the GW_TEST, GW_RESULT, and GW_RESULT_SITES Components tables [link or image removed], and the IPs can then be released.
a.) Metadata: Federal agencies must conform to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) endorsed metadata standards. The metadata record should include a brief description of the aquifer test, including dates, well names, and numbers (including NWIS site identification numbers), and data-collection intervals for each well. This information may be added to the metadata record in the abstract (<abstract>) or method description (<methdesc>) fields. If the raw data for the aquifer test are available through NWISWeb, the metadata information needs to be recorded in a publicly available location (for example in the SITE DESCRIPTION field). The FGDC-compliant metadata record must be added to the USGS Science Data Catalog [link or image removed] as required by OMB M-13-13 [link or image removed].
b.) A review of well names and other electronic content (for example, aquifer-test description, well name location information) for Personally Identifiable Information (PII). No PII may be included in the data-release IP. If PII need to be stored locally for future USGS use, it must be placed in a secure local file structure that file structure may consist of a complete copy of the Data Release plus the PII or simply the PII that refers to the Data Release.
c.) All water-level data must be in a machine-readable format, including original (raw) data and processed (adjusted for synchronized clock time, noise/background/detrend filtering) data.
d.) Data and metadata reviews of the information within the data-release IP and reconciliation of reviewer comments (see above). Data and metadata reviews that address both the data and associated metadata, and two peer reviews of the interpretive IP, are required to ensure that all of the information that describes the aquifer test is included in either the data-release or interpretive IP.
e.) Preparation of a means to provide public display and accessibility for the data and metadata. Outlets for public display and accessibility include USGS ScienceBase [link or image removed].
References
U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, Office of Science Quality and Integrity -- Fundamental Science Practices: Distinctions between new research or interpretive information products, previously published or noninterpretive information products, and scientific data, USGS web page. [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, Office of Science Quality and Integrity -- Public access to results of federally funded research at the U.S. Geological Survey, USGS web page. [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, Office of Science Quality and Integrity -- Fundamental Science Practices, USGS web page. [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 2009, Office of Groundwater Technical Memorandum 2009.01, Update on Guidance for the Preparation, Approval, and Archiving of Aquifer-Test Results [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 1996, Office of Ground Water Technical Memorandum 97.01, Clarification of policy for using non-U.S. Geological Survey computer programs in ground-water projects [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 1994, Office of Groundwater Technical Memorandum 94.02, Guidance for the preparation, approval, and archiving of aquifer-test results [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 1991, Office of Ground Water Technical Memorandum 91.04, Policy for documentation of non-U.S. Geological Survey computer programs used for analysis in ground-water projects [link or image removed]
Acknowledgements
The New York Water Science Center, Bureau Approving Officials, and peer reviewers contributed to this procedure memorandum.
Appendices
Appendix A: Items typically submitted for aquifer-test review: These elements assume an aquifer test comprising a pumping well and one or more observation wells and should be modified as appropriate for other types of tests, such as a single-well slug test. (Modified from OGW 94.02).
Appendix B: Example Brief OFR Template for Streamlined Aquifer-Test Interpretive Information Product
Google Docs version: [link or image removed]
Word Version [link or image removed]: (to download). (both versions are commented to guide the user as to where elements may be placed)
Final Report example from the New York Water Science Center [link or image removed] (OFR 2018-1015)
NOTE: Use of the OFR template is highly recommended to keep the costs of preparing the publication down. If the OFR template is used without too much modification, it is estimated that the USGS Scientific Publishing Network will charge 25-30 hours for processing the publication (as opposed to ~50 for the original publication). See the contents of the OFR in comparison to the data release components in Appendix C.
Appendix C: Data Release examples
Water-level displacement data (cvs file with two column string of watch or elapsed time and displacement)
Site ID Date Type
423345076211501_10232015_disp.cvs
Pumping rate data (cvs file with two column string of watch or elapsed time and rate)
Site ID Date Type
423345076211501_10232015_rate.cvs
Curve match (image file - Krissi is checking with her ScienceBase contact on preferred format).
Site ID Date Type
423345076211501_10232015_curv.xxx
A fourth file needs to be included that has the link to the associated report.
Site ID Date Type
423345076211501_10232015_rept.txt
Note for the same Site ID, there may be multiple tests with different test dates and(or) different tested depth intervals.
If a specific depth interval is tested within the open interval of the well.
423345076211501_10232015_25_50_disp.cvs
423345076211501_10232015_25_50_rate.cvs
423345076211501_10232015_25_50_curv.xxx
423345076211501_10232015_25_50_rept.xxx
Other data associated with the aquifer test can be included (this example just includes water-level and pumping data) such as barometric pressure, and rainfall data.
From: Donald W. Cline
Associate Director for Water Resources
WATER MISSION AREA TECHNICAL PROCEDURE MEMORANDUM 2019.03
Subject: Procedure update and clarification for Update on Guidance for Preparation, Approval, and Archiving of Aquifer-test Results
Purpose: This technical procedure supersedes existing U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Resources Mission Area (WMA) memoranda Office of Groundwater (OGW) 2009.01 [link or image removed] and [link or image removed] OGW 94.02 [link or image removed] describing guidance for the “Preparation, Approval, and Release of Aquifer-Test Results.” Modification of the processes outlined in those memoranda is needed because aquifer-test results are considered interpretive, according to USGS [link or image removed]Fundamental Science Practices [link or image removed] (FSP). The purpose of this procedure is to present the elements describing the tests that should be included in the interpretive information product (IP) and the associated data release IP describing the aquifer test. The procedure also updates guidance for aquifer test packages to include recent requirements for data releases via the USGS Public Access Plan and to remove the WMA headquarters approval requirement.
Background: Aquifer-test data and interpretive results are important to quantification of the hydraulic characteristics of a specific aquifer or aquifer system, and important to conclusions published in many USGS reports. The WMA has required internal archiving of single- and multiple-well aquifer-test data and their associated analyses since 1994 (OGW 94.02 [link or image removed]; more recently updated in OGW 2009.01 [link or image removed]). Clarification of the procedures outlined in these memoranda is needed as a result of requirements of the recent USGS Public Access Plan [link or image removed] that federally-funded studies and data associated with aquifer tests be released to the public, and a reference in the existing policies to former WMA organizational structure.
Aquifer-test data typically are analyzed to estimate hydraulic properties of the groundwater system, such as transmissivity or storage coefficient. These analyses are considered interpretive and thereby must follow USGS Fundamental Science Practices [link or image removed] (FSP) for the public release of interpretive information products [link or image removed]. The IP for aquifer-tests also requires a companion data-release if (a) the data are not included in the interpretive product, or (b) the data/metadata are not available for public viewing on NWISWeb, as per the USGS Public Access Plan [link or image removed].
Estimates of aquifer-hydraulic characteristics obtained from "textbook" or published values for various lithologies or estimates of transmissivity determined from specific-capacity measurements are not considered calculations of aquifer characteristics.
What problem is solved/addressed? This procedure is needed to conform with recent Bureau requirements and replace outdated WMA organizational responsibilities.
Scope: This procedure applies to all scientists within the USGS Water Enterprise (WMA Divisions and Science Centers) collecting, interpreting, releasing, and publishing aquifer test data and associated hydraulic interpretations. These procedures become effective upon the date of release. The Office of Quality Assurance will discuss these data and interpretations during future on-site technical reviews and may compile results during more frequent database retrievals.
Procedures:
- Documentation, Approval and Public Release of Aquifer-test Data and Interpretive Results: OGW memorandum 94.02 [link or image removed] lists 8 items that were required to be submitted for review of an aquifer-test package (see Appendix A below). Some of these items are considered interpretive and must be part of the interpretive IP (for example, 1, 2, 4, and 7) and many (for example, 3, 5, 6, and 8) can be included in the companion data release for the IP if the data are not stored in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) and released to the public as approved data on the NWISWeb interface. All of these items must be included collectively in the interpretive IP and data release IP describing the aquifer tests to ensure there is enough information in these products to replicate the analyses and results. The interpretive IP can contain example diagrams, figures, and tables that lead the public to the data release for additional data and information. Interpretive aspects of the aquifer test can be published as part of a more comprehensive information product such as a Scientific Investigations Report or standalone brief Open-File Report (OFR). To assist the Water Enterprise Science Centers and WMA Divisions, an interpretive OFR “template” for a standalone interpretive aquifer-test product has been prepared (Appendix B). The hyperlink to a recent (2018) report that was the basis for this template is also in Appendix B.
- Workflow for Aquifer Test Information Product Preparation, Review and Approval, and Release: a.) An aquifer-test interpretive IP and any associated companion data-release IP are prepared (a data release is required if the data associated with the test are not publicly available from another source, such as NWISWeb or within the interpretive IP).
-
-
- The aquifer-test interpretive IP must contain information on the methods used for analysis, as well as example plots of curves showing the match between measured data and modeled data.
- The data-release IP must contain all of the data associated with the aquifer test, including all of the curve-match plots, as well as metadata that describe the tests.
-
c.) The Interpretive and data release IPs must be entered into the Information Product Data System (IPDS). As defined by FSP, data releases may be approved at the Center level by the Center Director (or equivalent manager). Interpretive IPs are approved by the Bureau Approving Officials in the Office of Science Quality and Integrity. References to the digital repository where the data are available (e.g., ScienceBase, NWISWeb, or Aquifer Test Locator (see appendix)) must be identified in the interpretive IP. Under the Bibliodata tab in IPDS for the interpretive product, the location of the supporting data must be identified by the associated digital object identifier (DOI) or NWISWeb URL.
d.) After the two IPs are approved, all associated interpreted hydraulic parameters should be entered into the USGS Ground-Water Site-Inventory System within the GW_TEST, GW_RESULT, and GW_RESULT_SITES Components tables [link or image removed], and the IPs can then be released.
- Guidance for Public Data Releases and Example Outlets: In many cases, the data associated with the aquifer test (water levels, discharge, barometric pressure, and so forth) can be placed in the USGS NWIS and released to the public on NWISWeb (DOI --http://dx.doi.org/10.5066/F7P55KJN [link or image removed]). Note that the water-level data need to be identified as ‘test’ data and are not part of the normal ‘environmental’ time-series in NWIS. Limitations with display options in NWISWeb, particularly non-display of <1-minute frequency data, may preclude this option for releasing the aquifer-test data to the public. Archival and public display of metadata for the tests also may be limited in NWIS/NWISWeb. If any of the data cannot be archived/displayed in NWIS/NWISWeb, the user may decide that all the data should be located in one place for ease of use. A USGS data release on ScienceBase [link or image removed] is a viable option for public release and storage of aquifer-test data.
a.) Metadata: Federal agencies must conform to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) endorsed metadata standards. The metadata record should include a brief description of the aquifer test, including dates, well names, and numbers (including NWIS site identification numbers), and data-collection intervals for each well. This information may be added to the metadata record in the abstract (<abstract>) or method description (<methdesc>) fields. If the raw data for the aquifer test are available through NWISWeb, the metadata information needs to be recorded in a publicly available location (for example in the SITE DESCRIPTION field). The FGDC-compliant metadata record must be added to the USGS Science Data Catalog [link or image removed] as required by OMB M-13-13 [link or image removed].
b.) A review of well names and other electronic content (for example, aquifer-test description, well name location information) for Personally Identifiable Information (PII). No PII may be included in the data-release IP. If PII need to be stored locally for future USGS use, it must be placed in a secure local file structure that file structure may consist of a complete copy of the Data Release plus the PII or simply the PII that refers to the Data Release.
c.) All water-level data must be in a machine-readable format, including original (raw) data and processed (adjusted for synchronized clock time, noise/background/detrend filtering) data.
d.) Data and metadata reviews of the information within the data-release IP and reconciliation of reviewer comments (see above). Data and metadata reviews that address both the data and associated metadata, and two peer reviews of the interpretive IP, are required to ensure that all of the information that describes the aquifer test is included in either the data-release or interpretive IP.
e.) Preparation of a means to provide public display and accessibility for the data and metadata. Outlets for public display and accessibility include USGS ScienceBase [link or image removed].
- Software: If computer software is used in the aquifer-test analysis, the policy outlined in OGW Technical Memorandum 91.04 [link or image removed] and clarified in OGW [link or image removed] Technical Memorandum 97.01 [link or image removed] must be followed. This policy requires that the theoretical basis of the software be documented and that it be demonstrated that a test-data set can be analyzed correctly using the software.
- Summary: This memorandum describes the documentation, review and approval, and public release of aquifer-test results and data. Aquifer-test results are interpretive, and the interpreted results must be described in an interpretive information product and supporting data used to make the conclusions be available to the public. The interpretive information product must undergo technical peer review, and any associated data release that provides supporting data must undergo data and metadata review. Both must be approved by the appropriate approving official as defined by USGS Fundamental Science Practices. Descriptive information about the methods and the data must be sufficiently documented to enable users to visualize the physical system, evaluate the data, and verify the calculations to confirm that the methods and results are technically defensible.
References
U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, Office of Science Quality and Integrity -- Fundamental Science Practices: Distinctions between new research or interpretive information products, previously published or noninterpretive information products, and scientific data, USGS web page. [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, Office of Science Quality and Integrity -- Public access to results of federally funded research at the U.S. Geological Survey, USGS web page. [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, Office of Science Quality and Integrity -- Fundamental Science Practices, USGS web page. [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 2009, Office of Groundwater Technical Memorandum 2009.01, Update on Guidance for the Preparation, Approval, and Archiving of Aquifer-Test Results [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 1996, Office of Ground Water Technical Memorandum 97.01, Clarification of policy for using non-U.S. Geological Survey computer programs in ground-water projects [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 1994, Office of Groundwater Technical Memorandum 94.02, Guidance for the preparation, approval, and archiving of aquifer-test results [link or image removed]
U.S. Geological Survey, 1991, Office of Ground Water Technical Memorandum 91.04, Policy for documentation of non-U.S. Geological Survey computer programs used for analysis in ground-water projects [link or image removed]
Acknowledgements
The New York Water Science Center, Bureau Approving Officials, and peer reviewers contributed to this procedure memorandum.
Appendices
Appendix A: Items typically submitted for aquifer-test review: These elements assume an aquifer test comprising a pumping well and one or more observation wells and should be modified as appropriate for other types of tests, such as a single-well slug test. (Modified from OGW 94.02).
- A brief description of the test includes the purpose, date, test procedures, and methods of analysis of the results. Any unique or unusual features or problems related to the test or to the collection and analysis of test data should be described. A brief description of the assumptions used in analyzing the test results also should be included, as needed to clarify the test.
- A site map of the test site showing the distances from the pumped well to all observation wells and the location of any boundaries, streams, springs, ditches, pumping or flowing wells, or other features that possibly could influence test results.
- Description of test and observation well construction, including screened and open interval(s), casing and screen diameters, and location of filter pack and grouted intervals.
- A description of the site hydrogeologic characteristics, including sections that show the major water-bearing and confining zones or units. The intervals of the pumping and observation wells that are screened or open should be depicted on the logs or sections.
- Time-discharge records of the pumped well (all measurements, not just average discharge).
- Water-level records and hydrographs showing pre-test trends and water levels during the pumping and recovery phases.
- Description of methods and computations showing adjustments to drawdown for pre-test trends, adjustments of recovery for projected drawdown, or adjustments to account for extraneous effects not related to pumping or recovery, such as barometric and tidal effects or other interferences.
- All plots of observed or adjusted drawdown or recovery data used to determine hydraulic characteristics, showing match points, when used, and computations.
Appendix B: Example Brief OFR Template for Streamlined Aquifer-Test Interpretive Information Product
Google Docs version: [link or image removed]
Word Version [link or image removed]: (to download). (both versions are commented to guide the user as to where elements may be placed)
Final Report example from the New York Water Science Center [link or image removed] (OFR 2018-1015)
NOTE: Use of the OFR template is highly recommended to keep the costs of preparing the publication down. If the OFR template is used without too much modification, it is estimated that the USGS Scientific Publishing Network will charge 25-30 hours for processing the publication (as opposed to ~50 for the original publication). See the contents of the OFR in comparison to the data release components in Appendix C.
Appendix C: Data Release examples
- Example NWISweb data for New York report [link or image removed] (see Appendix B)
- Suggested file format for aquifer-test information (for Science Base)
Water-level displacement data (cvs file with two column string of watch or elapsed time and displacement)
Site ID Date Type
423345076211501_10232015_disp.cvs
Pumping rate data (cvs file with two column string of watch or elapsed time and rate)
Site ID Date Type
423345076211501_10232015_rate.cvs
Curve match (image file - Krissi is checking with her ScienceBase contact on preferred format).
Site ID Date Type
423345076211501_10232015_curv.xxx
A fourth file needs to be included that has the link to the associated report.
Site ID Date Type
423345076211501_10232015_rept.txt
Note for the same Site ID, there may be multiple tests with different test dates and(or) different tested depth intervals.
If a specific depth interval is tested within the open interval of the well.
423345076211501_10232015_25_50_disp.cvs
423345076211501_10232015_25_50_rate.cvs
423345076211501_10232015_25_50_curv.xxx
423345076211501_10232015_25_50_rept.xxx
Other data associated with the aquifer test can be included (this example just includes water-level and pumping data) such as barometric pressure, and rainfall data.
Changelog
| Person | Date | Notes (for documenting updates to References, Related Procedures, or Appendices) |