v> EPA/ITAS
023
March 7, 1989
EPA SYSTEM PROFILE
DRAFT
STORET
Prepared for
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
NATIONAL DATA PROCESSING DIVISION
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ARCHITECTURAL SUPPORT
CONTRACT NO. 68-W8-0083
Prepared by the Viar Team
Viar and Company
300 North Lee Street
Suite 2OO
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
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EPA MAJOR SYSTEMS PROFILE
OUTLINE
1.0 System Overview
1.1 System Purpose
1.2 System Background
2.0 User Environment
2.1 User Support
2.2 User Training
3.0 Technical Overview
3 .1 Hardware/Software Environment
3 .2 Subsystem Environments
3.2.1 Data Entry
3.2.2 Data Edits
3.2.3 Updates
3.2.4 Data Retrieval
3.3 Data
3.3.1 System Data Base
3.3.2 Files
3.4 Hardware
3.4.1 Type
3.4.2 Peripherals
3.5 Software
3.5.1 Online
3.5.2 Batch
3.5.3 Communications
4.0 System Functions
4. l System Input
4.1.1 Data Input
4.1.2 Update
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4.2 System Output
4.2.1 Ad-Hoc Data Retrieval
4.2.2 Reports
5.0 System Maintenance
5.1 User Change Control Process
5.1.1 System Enhancements
5.1.2 System Problems
5.2 Technical Change Control Process
5.2.1 Change Control System Design
5.2.2 Change Control Documents
5.2.3 Change Control Activity
5.2.4 Change Control Testing
5.2.5 Change Control Implementation
6.0 Documentat ion
6.1 User Documentation
6.2 Technical Documentation
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1.0 System Overview
1.1 Purpose
The purpose of the Storage and Retrieval System (STORET)
is to serve as a repository and analysis tool for Federally,
locally and state supplied data relating to the quality of National
water ways, in support of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
Amendment of 1972. STORET is used to monitor and examine pollution
sources, water quality programs, the biological environment,
existing water quality, historical trends and lake water. Data
maintained in STORET includes information related to ; the
geographical location and other characteristics of sampling
stations, parametric data such as; physical characteristics and
chemical constituents of water, fish tissue or sediment, municipal
water sources and disposal systems, pollution caused fish kills and
daily system flow.
1.2 Background
The activities which influenced the development of STORET
as a full functioning computer system began as early as 1960.
Prior to the development of STORET, water quality data was
collected by local, state and Federal agencies without computer
support. Information was not shared throughout the user community
and retrievals were costly to produce. Therefore, a basic concept
for the storage and retrieval of water quality data was introduced
in August of 1961 by the Basic Data Branch, Division of Water
Supply and Pollution Control of the U.S. Public Health Service.
Initially, STORET data, which represented 140 sample
locations, was formatted and stored on the Public Health Service
Honeywell computer in 1964. However, as the number of sampling
locations expanded and as the jurisdiction for pollution control
moved from the Public Health Service to the Federal Water Pollution
Control Administration within the Department of Interior, the need
and opportunity arose to switch STORET form the Honeywell to the
IBM system maintained by the Department of the Interior.
The 1968 switch to the IBM computer enabled users to
communicate with STORET from the regional offices via a card
reading terminal. Further enhancements occurred to accommodate
growth. These included; improved retrieval capabilities, and the
addition of municipal waste, fish kill and contract awards data
elements.
2.0 User Environment
Any Federal, Interstate, State or local agency and
contractors employed thereof, can subscribe to STORET for a fee.
A payment plan between the subscribing agency and the EPA must be
established prior to the connection of STORET service. EPA
typically reimburses the subscriber a prearranged allotment
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allowance.
The primary STORE! user is an experienced Water Quality
Analyst. In order to accurately formulate retrieval requests and
analyze STORET output a high degree of technical and systen
knowledge is necessary.
2.1 User support
Each regional STORET representative is responsible for
establishing and implementing STORET policies for all users within
the region. The regional STORET representative is also responsible
for providing assistance to new users.
General user support is provided by Headquarters staff,
this includes; a STORET Hot-line, which is available form 8 to 5
weekdays, and questions to Headquarter staff via time sharing
STORET terminals.
User Representatives meet annually with Headquarters to
discuss STORET problems, enhancements and progress.
A quarterly periodical called STOR ET cetera keeps users
abreast of current enhancements.
STORET provides a mechanism for users to contact one
another by maintaining a accessible dataset list of all users ,
their addresses and phone numbers as veil as the data each user
site enters into STORET. The list can be requested by a JCL
runstream.
2.2 User Training
Headquarters offers Beginning and Advanced courses.
Beginning training, which assumes the user is inexperienced with
TSO, covers storage and retrieval techniques and access to online
datasets. Advanced training, which requires six months of STORET
experience and completion of the Beginning course, covers advanced
retrieval techniques and sophisticated ISO usage.
Training is provided by Headquarters on an annual or as
needed basis. An attendance requirement of 12 to 24 atter.dees is
necessary for a class to be scheduled, with the exception of
situations where training is crucial to the agency's program.
3.0 Technical Overvi.ev
3.1 Hardware/Software Environment
STORET resides c.i an IBM 3090 mainframe utilizing a
custom file system designed by EPA staff.
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3.2 Subsystem Environment
3.2.1 Data Entry
The STORET data entry system is based upon card image
entry through the TSO environment. Card image datasets are bundled
with canned JCL streams to perform the entry function. Each user
is responsible for entering their own data. Once the data entry
job stream is run the input data is written to a transaction file,
which is later read and edited as part of the weekly update
process.
An enhancement effort to add an interactive menu based
user interface is currently in progress.
3.2.2 Data Edits
The STORET data editing process is driven by parameter
codes. STORET card image records used for data entry contain
parameter codes which indicate what kinds of edits the data record
should activate.
For the most commonly used parameter codes each value on
the card is checked against a preestablished high/low range.
Values which exist outside the range are rejected unless otherwise
specified by an override code.
Individual agencies can customize edits by supplying
their own high/low ranges and edit checks on the parameter card.
3.2.3 Updates
Updates are applied to the STORET files on a weekly
basis. All updates must pass through the corresponding edit
process before being added to the system.
3.2.4 Retrieval
Data retrieved from STORET takes place via ad-hoc
requests through TSO. The requests are activated through JCL
runstreams that can be bundled with pre-established STORET
functions and SAS commands. This feature allows the user the
capability to alter and customize output.
3.3 Data
STORET data is primarily used as a decision making tool
for the water quality manager. Other ways STORET data is used
includes;
- To fulfill 305 (b) reporting requirements.
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- Update state and area wide water quality plans.
- Provide background information for research studies.
- Summarize compliance with standards and criteria.
- Access the availability of data on priority
pollutants.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the water pollution
control progran.
- Check NPDES permit conpliamce.
Users enter their own data in STORET and are responsible
for the quality of the data which they enter. Data contained in
STORET is available to all of the users, is often historical, and
is related to quality of water, identification of waste, treatment
plants, pollution related fish kills and progress of government
grants awarded to sewage treatmen* plants.
Water quality data incrudes station and parametric data.
Station data identifies where a sample is taken from, and the dace,
time, and depth of the sanple. Parametric data identifies the
parametered measured and the result of the measurement. Each time
a measurement is taken it is classified as an observation. STO5ET
presently serves as a repository for over 100 million observations.
Discrepancies in the STCRET data have been known to occur
when two or more differing interpretations have been submitted for
the same body of water.
3.3.1 System Data Base
There is no commercial DBMS rsed for STORET. Instead,
a file system was developed to accommodate the infcrmaticn, these
files are discussed below.
3.3.2 Files
STORET data is s~ored in a number of xtiin data files
designed by EPA staff.
These include;
Water Quality file vhich contains station and
parametric dara.
- Waste Facility file which contains ar. inventory of
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municipal and industrial waste treatment plants.
Fish Kill file which contains information related to
pollution related fish kills.
- Contract Awards file which tracks the progress of
government grants awarded to sewage treatment plants.
A series of HELP datasets or files are a component of
STORET which exist for user support functions.
3.4 Hardware
3.4.1 Type
IBM 3090
3.4.2 Peripherals
PCs are used at the subscriber sites.
3.5 Software
PL1, SAS, WYLBUR, COBOL
3.5.1 On-line
STORET does not provide a menu or screen interface system
for users, therefore, technically no on-line software exists.
3.5.2 Batch
Batch software used for STORET includes SAS, COBOL, PL1,
FORTRAN, and WYLBUR.
3.5.3 Communications
4.0 System Functions
The ability to enter, retrieve and analyze STORET data
is supported by a collection of related software and software
elements, which are activated by control cards.
4.1 System Input
4.1.1 Data Input
State, local and Federal agencies enter data into STORET
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via TSO environment command language. In order to submit the data.
to the system it must be entered into a dataset in card image
format with additional parameters to indicate type of edits to be
performed on the data. The dataset contained the data in
referenced by a JCL runstream which creates a data transaction file
used in the edit process.
4.1.2 Updates
Users edits are not immediately applied to the system.
They must wait for the weekly update process to run prior to
retrieving their updates.
4.2 System Output
Output fron STORET exists in a variety cf forms tc serve
a variety of purposes, these include;
- Listings of sampling station information.
- Statistical sizmmaries of parametric data.
Graphical plots of variations in parametric values
over tile or along a waterway.
Location maps which show sample station locations.
Summaries of parametric values whici. violate
standards.
- Various maps, such as; contour, area-shaded or trend,
which siiow variations in parametric values over a
geographical area.
- Linear regression plots and statistical calculation
depicting relationships amongst variables.
- Cards containing station codes and parametric data.
- Disk, nagnetic tap=, cards or microfilm containing
STORET data.
Users can route their job output to their cwn printers
or a remote printer. If the central printer at tie Nations!
Computer Center (NCC) is selected, the output will be mailed to ti-a
requesting user.
4.2.1 Ad-Hoc Data Retrieval
Ad-Hoc data retrieved is available vie. TSO environmezl
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command language.
4.2.2 Reports
Ad-Hoc and standard reports are requested through TSO
command language. STORET reports come in many forms , these
include; graphs, plots, statistical summaries.—etc. STORET
reports generally support modeling and analysis applications.
User can customize reports to support their analytical needs. For
instance the minimum and maximums allowable ranges for sample data
can be set for a report at the time the report is requested,
allowing the analyst to exclude nonessential sample data.
5.0 System Maintenance
6.0 Documentation
STORET User Guides
STORET/BIOS Field Survey Data base Users Guide
STORET Flow File Users' Glide
STORET Users Handbook
STORET Seminar Guide
Technical Documentation
A library of program documentation is available.
6.1 User Documentation
STORET provides users with documentation concerning each
main data file, overall STORET functions and execution of specific
programs. The documentation is offered in nanuals as veil as
through the TSO environment.
6.2 Program Documentation
The STORET technical decrementation is contained in tie
STORET library. The library documents the software and includes
a program overview, purpose, preliminary rotes, files accessed end
structure for each software program.
This documentation is was last revised scuetime in ziie
1970's.
6.3 Data Dictionary
No data dictionary exists for SIORET.
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