Introduction
Since 1974, the Heidelberg College National
Center for Water Quality Research has collected more than 90,000 water samples
as part of its Ohio Tributary Monitoring Program. These samples have been
collected at U. S. Geological stream gaging stations and have been analyzed for
major nutrients and suspended solids. The sampling program has been designed to
provide accurate and long-term pollutant loading data for Ohio�s major
tributaries to Lake Erie and the Ohio River. The data also provide uniquely
detailed data sets on ambient water quality in the streams and support
investigations on pollutant sources and transport.
Through grants from the National
Machinery Foundation and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission�s Lake Erie Protection
Fund (SG 243-05), we are making these data sets available for public use in the
form of Excel files. In addition, we are providing a �users guide� for the data
sets along with an �analysis template� (also an Excel file) to help users
analyze the data with graphs and common calculations.
Financial support for the river monitoring included within the Ohio Tributary
Monitoring Program has come from many sources over the years. Major support in
recent years has come from the Division of Soil and Water Conservation of the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources. More details on the funding for the
program are provided in Sampling Stations and Methods.
This website contains two major
sections:
Part 1. User�s Guide to the River Data Sets
This section provides tutorials (pdf files) that (1) provide background information on the
Water Quality Laboratory�s Tributary Loading Program, (2) describe and offer
interpretations of the various graphs and the summary report produced by the
AnalysisTemplatev3 program, and (3) relate the data and information from the
Ohio Tributary Loading Program to various current scientific, sampling and
policy issues related to the assessment and management of Ohio�s water
resources.
Part 2. Access to RiverData files and the
AnalysisTemplatev3 file
This section provides access to
Excel files (RiverData files) containing data (flow
and concentration) for the period-of-record for each of 11 stations included in
the NCWQR�s 2005 water year tributary loading program. It also provides access
to the AnalysisTemplatev3 Excel file (compatible with Office 2003) or
the AnalysisTemplatev4 Excel file (compatible with Office 2007) that
provides a variety of graphical analyses of data from the river data files, as
well as summary report production options. A pdf
tutorial on the use of the AnalysisTemplatev3 file is also included in Part 2
(a tutorial for v4 is in development).
Important
Note for those who download data from this site:
It is intended that the Excel files
be downloaded to the user�s own computer where the data sets can be analyzed
and explored with the aid of the AnalysisTemplatevX.
Users are, of course, free to examine and utilize data in the RiverData files using their own analysis and graphing
programs. However, users are hereby advised that samples collected and
analyzed within the NCWQR�s tributary loading system utilize stratified
sampling techniques. The AnalysisTemplatevX
program takes into account this stratified sampling in all of its calculations.
If users ignore the stratified sampling, certain of the results and graphs will
likely be very misleading and will fail to reflect the �reality� our program
attempts to monitor.
Part 1. User�s Guide to the
River Data Sets
Important
notes on updates to Part 1
1. Background of the NCWQR�s
Tributary Loading Program
a. Program
Description � describes in more detail the goals and purposes of the
tributary loading program.
b. Sampling Stations and Methods - provides information on the
sampling stations, their watersheds, and the sampling methods.
c. Analytical
Methods � summarizes the analytical methods used for nutrients and
suspended sediments.
d. Data Set Description - describes
the format for the data in the Excel files.
2. Tutorials on graphical analyses
of the river data sets and on summary report calculations
a. Hydrographs, Sedigraphs
and Chemographs
b. Loading Calculations, Annual Loads, and Unit
Area Loads
c. Concentration Exceedency
Curves
d. Time-Weighted and Flow-Weighted Mean
Concentrations
e. Concentration-Flow Relationships
f. Two Parameter Comparisons (e.g.,
nutrient-sediment)
g. Relationships between Pollutant Loading and
Stream Discharge
h. Pollutant Concentration-Flow Duration Relationships
3. Tutorials on further use and
interpretation of the tributary loading data sets
a. Nonpoint contributions to total loads
b. Comparative Watershed Analysis
c. Watershed Scale Effects
d. Relationships to Synoptic Surveys
e. In-stream
Processing
f. Diurnal Variations in Inputs
Part 2. Access to RiverData Files and the AnalysisTemplatevX
File
Important notes on updates, platform
/software requirements and security for Part 2
1. A note on data quality control and screening
2. Directions
for downloading Excel files
3. Directions
for use of AnalysisTemplatev3
4. Download RiverData
files and AnalysisTemplatevX.
AnalysisTemplatev3.xls �(for use with Office 2003)
AnalysisTemplatev4.xlsx� (available
soon, for use with Office 2007)