&EPA
Classification No.

Approval Date:
                                           8L3-F-
                  7500.1A


                  10/29/92
                                           /
                                                  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
                       -
        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.
                                        -3-

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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).
                                 -4-

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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.
                               -6-

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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.


                                    -7-

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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
                                 -8-

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