&EPA
Classification No.
Approval Date:
8L3-F-
7500.1A
10/29/92
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Addressee
EPA ORDER - MINIMUM SET OF DATA ELEMENTS FOR GROUND WATER QUALITY
1. PURPOSE. This Transmittal issues EPA Order 7500.1A — Minimum
Set of Data Elements for Ground Water Quality.
2. EXPLANATION. EPA Order 7500.1A, Minimum Set of Data Elements
for Ground Water Quality, has been revised to provide definitions
of the data elements. * !
3. SUPERSESSION. EPA Order 7500.1, Minimum Set of Data Elements
for Ground Water. .
4. FILING INSTRUCTIONS. File the attached in a three-ring binder
established for the EPA Directives System.
tobert A. EnglisW, Chief
Agency Management Analysis Branch
Originator
EPA Form 1315-12 (5-881
Management and Organization Division
Office of Administration and Resources Management
Printed on Recycled Paper
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Classification No.:
Approval Date:
7500.1A
10/29/92
TNIMUM SET OF DATA ELEMENTS FOR GRQTTND WATER QUALITY
l PURPOSE. This policy statement establishes the minimum set of
data elSSnts for ground water quality (MSDE) to ^ collected and
managed by. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ««"»* S^S
con States, local governments, the regulated
community, EPA, and other Federal agencies.
s-
development and enforcement activities.
The collection of ground water data by EPA's delegated state
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program-specific policy arid guidance.
implementation of the MSDE is applicable under two basic
conditions:
when States, Federal agencies or other officials are
creating a new ground water quality data base; or
when officials want to modernize an existing data base
that contains ground water quality information.
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EPA ORDER
7500.3A
10/29/92
In 1987 EPA
Ground Water Data •
of a minimum set of data elements for ground
ground water data collection activities is a first
this process.
n
step in
The Agency has defined the minimum set of data f^ents as
related programs. The set is characterized by elements that.
are needed to communicate ground water data across
programs ;
facilitate accessing data from automated information
systems other than one's own; %*
provide to the users a road map for finding other related
data; and
provide a link between water quality and well location
information.
4. POLICY. It is EPA policy to
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EPA ORDER
7500.3A
10/29/92
-a standards. The Federal Information Processing Standards
are the ledera! government-wide standards which are adhered to in
the MSDE.
does not require modifications to existing
into accord with policy; however, the
during the reauthorization process for
regulations.
a The 21 data elements of the MSDE are listed here.
Definitions for each element are included in section 5 of this
Order.
1. Data Sources
2 Latitude
3. Longitude
4. Method Used to Determine Latitude, and
Longitude
5. Description of Entity
6. Accuracy of Latitude and Longitude
Measurement
7. Altitude
8. Method Used to Determine Altitude
9. State Federal Information Processing
Standard (FTPS) Code
10. County FIPS Code
11. Well Identifier
12. Well Use
13. Type of Log
14. Depth of Well at Completion
15. Screened/Open Interval
16. Sample Identifier
17. Depth to Water
18» Constituent or
Parameter Measured
19. Concentration/Value
20. Analytical Results Qualifier
21. Quality Assurance Indicators
Definitions for the data elements
elements are:
1 na-t-» sources. The names of the organizations to_whi°h
sample analyses.
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EPA ORDER 7500.3A
10/29/92
2. Latitude. A coordinate representation that indicates a
location'on the surface of the earth vising the earth's equator as
the latitudinal origin, reported in degrees, minutes, seconds, and
fractions of a second in decimal format (if fractions of a second
are available). A "+" (plus) symbol represents latitudes north of
the equator. A "-" (minus) symbol represents latitudes south of
the equator.
3. ' Longitude. A coordinate representation that indicates a
location on the surface of the earth using the prime meridian
(Greenwich, England) as the longitudinal origin, reported in
degrees, minutes, seconds, and fractions of a second in decimal
format (if fractions of a second are available). A "+" (plus)
symbol represents longitudes east of the prime meridian. A '•-"
(minus) symbol represents longitudes west of the prime meridian.
4. Method Used To Determine Latitude and Longitude. The
procedure used to determine the latitude and longitude coordinates
(Technology of Method Used), the standard used for three
dimensional and horizontal'positioning (Reference Datum), and the
date on which the coordinates were determined (Latitude/Longitude
Date).
•*
5. Description of Entity. A textual description of the
entity to which the latitude and longitude coordinate refers.
6. Accuracy of Latitude and Longitude Measurement. The
quantitative measurement of the amount of deviation from true value
present in a measurement (estimate of error). It describes ths
correctness of a measurement.
7. Altitude. The vertical distance from the National
Reference .Datum for Altitude to the land surface or other measuring
point in feet or meters. If the. measuring point is above the
National Reference Datum for Altitude a "*• (plus> sign shall
precede the reported altitude value. If the measuring point is
below the National Reference Datum for Altitude a "-" (minus) sign
shall precede, the reported altitude value.
8. Method Used to Determine Altitude. The method used to
determine the altitude value (Altitude Method), the National
Reference Datum, on which the altitude measurement is based
(National Reference Datum for Altitude), and the date the
measurement was taken (Altitude Date).
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EPA ORD~ER
10/29/92
9. State FJP
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19.' concentration/Value . The analytical results value, the
units of measure used (Analytical Concentration/ Value) , and the
lytical method applied (Analytical Method) to samples collected.
ana
20. Analytical Poults Qualifier. Qualifying information that
will assi.lt in the interpretation of the concentration/value, such
as whether the value is below the detectable limit or if the
cLstituents (or parameters) of interest are present but cannot be
quantified.
21. mntv Assu^nce indicator. The quality assurance of
21. m^v .
the field protocol plan and laboratory quality assurance/ quality
control (QA/QC) procedures.
6. RESPONSIBILITIES . _.
'JT
a Assistant Administrators and Associate Administrators
shall ensurl that Programs and activities under their direction are
S com^lllnce with t&s policy. EPA Program Offices and Regions
can add additional elements to the- minimum data to meet their
special program needs. t
b. RegionarAdmiriistrators shall assure that the Regional
Offices have an active program to foster and support the minimum
set of data elements for reporting groundwater data. ,
c The Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water's Ground
Water 'Protection Division, in cooperation with the Office of
information Resources Management, shall provide guidance and
technical assistance in helping other EPA organizations implement
the requirements of this policy.
d. The Procurement and Contracts Management Division shall
work with EPA Program Offices, Regional Offices and Lai Dories to
ensure that, where appropriate, the requirements of this policy are
incorporated into EPA contracts.
«. ^
7 PpngEPPRES & GUIDELINES. More detailed, information on the data
elements irtois Order can be found in n*f initio.ng for the tUnjmim
««fc Qf Data Blunts 7«V Ground Water QwlltY. Gj°£nd *****
Protection Division" Jul£ Vi992. ^f^ ^ ^ ^^^^"gg
the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, safe Drinking water
Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
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EPA ORDlR* 10/29/92
3. ADDITIONAL REFERENCES. The follow/ng references were used in
development of this Order: '•'
a U.S. Department of Commerce, Codes for the Identification
of the State, the District of Columbia and the Outlying Areas of
the United States and Associated Areas, Federal Information
Processing Standards (FTPS) Publication 5-2, National Bureau of
Standards, Washington, DC, May 28, 1987.
b U.S. Department of Commerce, Counties and Equivalent
Entities of the United States. Its Possessions and Associated
Areas" Federal^nforWion Processing Standards (FIPS) Publication
6-4, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S.
Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C., August 31,199O.
c U.S. EPA, Definitions for the Minimum Set of Data
Elements for Ground Water Quality, Ground Water Protection
Division, July, 1992.
f
d U.S. EPA, Ground Water Data Requirements Analysis, Office
of Ground Water Protection and Office of Information Resources
Management, May 1987.
e U.S. EPA, Protecting the Nation's Ground Water: EPA's
Strategy For The 1990s, Final Report of the EPA Ground Water Task
Force, July 1991.
f U.S. EPA, Information Resources Management Policy Manual
- Locational Data Policy, Office of Information Resources
Management, April 8, 1991.
a U.S. EPA, Locational Data Policy Implementation Guidance
- Guide To The Policy, Office of Administration and Resources
Management, EPA/220/B-92/008, March 1992.
h. "u.S. EPA, Locational Data Policy Implementation Guidance
- Guide To Selecting Latitude/Longitude Collection^Methods, Office
of Administration and Resources Management, EPA/220/B-92/009, March
1992.
i. U.S. EPA, Locational Data Policy Implementation Guidance
- Global Positioning Systems Technology And Its /PP1^**""*11
Environmental Programs, Office of Research and Development,
EPA/600/R-92/036, February 1992.
j. U.S. EPA, EPA Order 2180.3 - Facility Identification Data
Standard, Office of Information Resources Management, April y,
1990.
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EPA ORDER . 7lO/29/92
k. " U.S. EPA, Facility Identification Data Standard
implementation Plan, Office of Administration and Resources
Management, February. 1992.
Approved: / I ^gyc/i °7
v -Christian R. Holmes
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