Water Resources  Database
(WRDB)
The Water Resources Database (WRDB) is a comprehensive
data storage system capable of handling a vast amount of data,
accommodating a wide variety of data types and diverse in-
formation, and presenting data conveniently and efficiently.
WRDB was originally developed by the Georgia Environmen-
tal Protection Division (EPD) in association with EPA Region
4 to address the imposing data management challenges pre-
sented by the Chattahoochee River Modeling Project. Since its
inception, WRDB has been enhanced a number of times and
applied to numerous projects in Region 4. A main goal of the
system has been to provide data management and analysis tools
to users possessing an assortment of professional specialties
and a variety of software  skill levels.

Key WRDB Features
The following features help make WRDB an outstanding tool
for water quality data analysis and modeling:
  • Database structures allow a thorough description of col-
    lected environmental data.
  • Databases  that use  the industry-standard Paradox file
    format providing very fast access to large databases on
    IBM-compatible personal computers; large tables may also
    be  stored on SQL database servers such as Oracle, MS
    SQL Server, and MySQL, and WRDB's administrative
    functions used to control access.
  • The user interface was developed using the Paradox Ap-
    plication Language (PAL), taking full advantage of the
    Microsoft Windows graphical user interface.
  Databases can be imported and exported to a wide va-
  riety of alternative spreadsheet, database, and text file
  formats.
  All associated  databases can be  created,  edited, and
  printed using spreadsheet-type on-screen data forms.
  Data entry and validation are done in batches, maintain-
  ing strict quality control.
  Data can be entered manually, using user-defined data
  entry forms, or electronically,  using an intelligent data
  conversion program developed specifically for this soft-
  ware.
• Subsets of data can be extracted with an easy-to-use filter-
  ing form, or advanced queries can be used to capitalize
  on the strength of the underlying Paradox engine.
• Report-quality tables, graphs, and pictures can be gener-
  ated on-screen for instantaneous review and analysis or
  printed on any standard device or to a disk file.
• Data analysis includes a variety of regression, frequency
  analysis, and curve fitting tools.
• A GIS tool is included which can display AutoCAD and
  Arc View data with thematic mapping of water resources
  data.
• Data security is enhanced by password-protection of
  selected program functions.
• An on-line help system provides context-sensitive infor-
  mation to the user, supplementing the User's Manual.
                                                                                   United States
                                                                                   Environmental Protection
                                                                                   Agency

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Water resources data are stored in one or more tables that are
linked to Project Support tables that include information for
Stations, Station Groups, Branches, Parameter Codes (PCodes),
PCode Groups, Compositing Codes (CCodes), Quality Codes
(QCodes), and Data Batch Tracking.

Program-specific Features
In addition to WRDB's water resources data storage and analy-
sis capabilities, an additional module is available to perform
305 (b) reporting and TMDL tracking. This module has the
following features:
  •  Forms for editing twelve relational tables that comprise
    the 305(b) database
Analysis of observed data to determine compliance with
water quality criteria
Data selection using SQL queries on any of the linked
tables
Ability to print detail and summary reports
GIS tool to display and query reach information interac-
tively.
                                                                             Visit the
                                                             Watershed & Water Quality Modeling
                                                               Technical Support Center Website
                                                         http://www.epa.gov/athens/wwqtsc/index.html
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                                                                                   United States
                                                                                   Environmental Protection
                                                                                   Agency

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