Water Quality Data Overview
BACKGROUND
Historically, water quality data has been kept on paper file,
microfile, and microfiche. Since most water quality staff consists of
only a few skilled technical professionals, the water quality data itself
has been personally managed. Since the advent of the personal computer,
some of this data has migrated to personal computer based software such
as flat ASCII text files, databases, and spreadsheets of various
manufacture.
PURPOSE:
The impetus for this project was a need to easily share water quality
data with others. In addition, a means to perform regression analysis and
present the results graphically was needed. A web-based solution was
determined to be the most flexible and cost effective means to meet these
requirements.
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS:
The following items were determined to be necessary components of this
web-based project.
- Spreadsheet-based data files could be used.
- ASCII text data files could be used.
- Output would be available in these formats:
- HTML for web browsers.
- Zipped text for downloading.
- CSV format for importing into various spreadsheets.
- Graphical; with and without regression analysis.
- Water Quality Technical Professional maintains the master data
file(s) on his/her personal computer or workstation, only a copy is
used on the web server.
- Data could be uploaded to a web server and processed without manual
intervention.
- An administrative tool for managing the data on the web
server.
- Program generated dynamic web pages.
- Selectable range of water depths.
- An option to perform a regression analysis on the data
selected.
- Security measures to prevent unauthorized tampering and data
corruption.
- A modular open source software package to allow others to install
the package on their web server or workstation with a minimum of
modifications.
WATER QUALITY DATA DESCRIPTION:
In order for the software to make sense of the water quality data, a
flexible system of uniform column headings was developed to uniquely
identify individual components of water quality data. Seven of these
components are required, the remainder are optional. The order in which
they appear in the data file is unimportant.
Detailed information on data file requirements are available only to
valid users and IP addresses on the host web server.
A minimum set of data components are identified below and are shown in
a screenshot. A
sample spreadsheet of
these minimum requirements is provided which may be modified to as
necessary.
- Site: The name of the lake or reservoir.
- Station: The location where the data samples are taken.
- Depth: The depth in meters of the sample.
- Sample Date: Year, month, and date in ISO format (YY.MM.DD).
- Analysis Parameter: What is being analyzed.
- Parameter Result: Results of the analysis.
- Units: Measurement units of the Analysis Parameter.
Optional data components are identified as follows:
- Lake ID: Agency identification number or name.
- Agency: Abbreviation for the agency/organization.
- Lat: Latitude in degrees, minutes, seconds or UTM coordinates.
- Long: Longitude in degrees, minutes, seconds or UTM
coordinates.
- Sample Time: Time the sample was taken (24 hour format).
- Sample Method: What method was used.
- Lab Name: Name of the laboratory conducting the analysis.
- Laboratory Sample Number: The lab's sample number.
- Digestion Date: Date of the laboratory digestion.
- Analysis Date: When the analysis was conducted.
- Batch Number: Laboratory batch number.
- Dilution Factors: Laboratory dilution values.
- Analytical Method: Laboratory method of analysis.
- Reporting Limit: Limit reported by laboratory.
- Limit of Detection: Method detection limit (LOD).
- Limit of Quantification: Laboratory reported LOQ value.
- Notes: Any notes deemed pertinent.
- FQ: Qualifier for results less than LOD or between LOD and
LOQ.
- FB: Blank flags.
- FH: Holding time and preservation flags.
- FM: Method flags.
MAJOR SOFTWARE COMPONENTS:
This package has been deployed on Sun Solaris and Linux using the
Apache web server software. As
such, the hardware platform may be configured as a web server accessible
to others or as a stand-alone techical workstation. The following open
sources software packages are used:
