Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title: Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites
Abstract:
The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, in cooperation with the NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, developed the GIS data set, Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites data to enhance planning, siting, and impact analysis in areas directly affecting water quality. This file identifies locations in North Carolina where water quality data are collected on a routine basis and analyzed for presence of various chemicals.
Supplemental_Information:
system filename : uvawqms file size = 0.1 mb

Revisions and updates to this layer include:

3) filename: ams0900 In September 2000, CGIA received from DWQ an EXCEL spreadsheet that listed active ambient water quality monitoring stations. This database contained corrections to many of the sites from the original database. Additionally, many stations were moved, discontinued, or added since the original database. This Sept 2000 change also includes a name change and the addition of several attributes.

2.) filename: uvawqms1298 The December 1998 update to this layer

consisted of projecting the data from NAD27 datum, State Plane

projection, units of measure feet TO: NAD83 DATUM, State Plane

PROJECTION, UNITS OF MEASURE METERS. This was

done to comply with the NC Geographic Information Coordinating Council's

"Statement of Direction for North Carolina Corporate Geographic Database

Horizontal Reference, Datum and Unit of Measure". This reprojecting was

done in various ways depending on the data type and content. Vector

data was projected using the 'project' command in ESRI's Arc software

and topology was cleaned and built based on coverage needs. Raster

data was projected using ESRI's Grid module and various steps as

applicable.

1.) uvawqms794 - This July 11, 1994 version represents the original

version of this data. There was a file from March of 1991 which

contained a point improperly placed. This 7/11/94 version corrected

that location and the old version was deleted. This file is

considered unverified (UV).

  1. How should this data set be cited?

    NC DENR Div of Water Quality (D, Water Quality Section, 200012, Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites: NC DENR Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section, Raleigh, North Carolina.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: NCCGIA distributes this dataset

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -84.5
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -75.25
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 36.75
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.75

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: Mar-1991
    Ending_Date: Sep-2000
    Currentness_Reference: Data creation and revision dates

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Map

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      Indirect_Spatial_Reference: Location, primary station location description
      This is a Point data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Entity Point (399)

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: State Plane Coordinate System 1983
      State_Plane_Coordinate_System:
      SPCS_Zone_Identifier: 3200
      Lambert_Conformal_Conic:
      Standard_Parallel: 34.333
      Standard_Parallel: 36.167
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: 79.000
      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 33.750
      False_Easting: 609601.22
      False_Northing: 0.000

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 1
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 1
      Planar coordinates are specified in meters

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 1980.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Ambient water quality monitoring sites
    Sites where routine tests on chemical content are performed (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    AREA
    Total area in coverage units (Source: software computed)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Range of values
    Minimum:0.000
    Maximum:0.000
    Units:meters
    Resolution:.001

    PERIMETER
    Total perimeter in coverage units (Source: Software computed)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Range of values
    Minimum:0.000
    Maximum:0.000
    Units:meters
    Resolution:0.001

    UVAWQMS#
    Polygon internal identification number (Source: Software computed)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:399

    UVAWQMS-ID
    Polygon internal identification number (Source: Software computed)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:399

    STORET
    STORET primary station identifier (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Values are 8 digit alphanumeric codes.

    STATION DESCRIPTION
    Description of station location (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Station descriptions are variable in length and number of words.

    COUNTY
    County names (Source: State of North Carolina)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    County names are variable in length.

    REGION
    Abbreviation of DWQ Regional Office or program names (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Region abbreviations are variable in letters.

    BASIN
    Abbreviation for name of River Basin (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    River Basin abbreviations may vary among DWQ programs.

    SUBBASIN
    River Basin abbreviation plus reference number of subbasin within the river basin (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Subbasin nomenclature may vary among DWQ programs.

    USGS SITE
    Reference to USGS station number if one exits in the same location (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    USGS station numbers are variable in number of characters

    HUC
    7-digit hydrologic unit code (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Range of values
    Minimum:3010102

    INDEX
    A reference to DWQ stream index number for the section of stream in which the station is located (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Range of values
    Minimum:1-(43.7)

    STREAM CLASS
    A reference to DWQ stream classification for the section of stream in which the station is located (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Formal codeset

    LATITUDE
    Measurement of the angle from the Earth's center to a point on the Earth's surface in a north-south direction (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Range of values
    Minimum:33.88168

    LONGITUDE
    Measurement of the angle from the Earth's center to a point on the Earth's surface in an east-west direction (Source: NC DENR-Div of Water Quality, Water Quality Section)

    Frequency of measurement: None planned

    Range of values
    Minimum:-76.00978

    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    A point coverage identifying locations where water quality data are collected and analyzed for presence of various chemicals. The point attribute table (PAT) has attribute data including total area in coverage units (square meters), total perimeter (linear meters), two point internal identification numbers, the STORET primary station identifying number, and a brief description of the monitoring station site.

    UVAWQMS.PAT Polygon Attribute Table

    COLUMN ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE DEC DESCRIPTION

    1 AREA 4 12 F 3 Total area in meters

    5 PERIMETER 4 12 F 3 Total perimeter in meters

    9 UV.NC.AMBIENT# 4 5 B - Point internal id number

    13 UV.NC.AMBIENT-ID 4 5 B - Point internal id number

    17 STATION# 8 8 C - STORET primary station

    identifier

    25 LOCATION 35 35 C - Description of station

    This data is considered unverified. This data also exists in the STORET water quality database at EPA.

    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: None

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources

    Div of Water Quality

    Water Quality Section

    Environmental Sciences Branch

    512 N. Salisbury Street

    Raleigh, NC 27604-1148

    Governor's Office

    Office of State Budget, Planning and Management

    North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

    301 North Wilmington Street, Suite 700

    Raleigh, NC 27601-2825

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Larry Ausley
    NC DENR Div of Water Quality
    1621 Mail Service Center
    Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1621
    U.S.A.

    (919) 733-9960 (voice)
    larry.ausley@ncmail.net

    Hours_of_Service: 8am to 5pm
    Contact_Instructions: Preferred contact is by phone or e-mail

Why was the data set created?

This data was created to assist governmental agencies and others in making resource management decisions through use of a Geographic Information System (GIS).

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    None (source 1 of 2)
    NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Water Quality Section, 19940711, Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites: NC DENR - Div. of Water Quality, Raleigh, North Carolina.

    Other_Citation_Details: Data is unverified
    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital
    Source_Contribution: Electronic spreadsheet

    None (source 2 of 2)
    NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, 19940711, Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites: NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, Raleigh, North Carolina.

    Other_Citation_Details: CGIA distributes the data
    Type_of_Source_Media: disc
    Source_Contribution: Conversion of tabular data to GIS coverage.

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: Mar-1991 (process 1 of 2)
    NC DENR-DWQ,WQS collected the monitoring sites data and locations in an internal SQL database. The point locations and attribute data in this file was exported into an EXCEL spreadsheet and transferred to CGIA via e-mail for conversion to an ARC/INFO coverage for use with GIS software.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Larry Ausely
    NC DENR Div of Water Quality
    1621 Mail Service Center
    Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1621
    U.S.A.

    (919) 733-9960 (voice)
    larry.ausley@ncmail.net

    Hours_of_Service: 8am to 5pm
    Contact_Instructions: Preferred contact is by mail or telephone.
    Date: 11-Jul-1994 (process 2 of 2)
    CGIA used the generate command in ARC/INFO to create a GIS coverage from the tabular data supplied by DWQ from the STORET database. In July of 1994, a point location had its coordinates corrected because it appeared outside of the state boundary.

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    The attributes contained in this data were supplied by the source agency as part of the digital file from their database. Data represents information as supplied. No additional background checks were performed. This data was created with the best information available at the time, and is considered unverified.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    The Ambient Monitoring Sites were manually mapped on 24k USGS paper topographic maps which meet National Map Accuracy Standards, using a best estimate with reference to surrounding features. Latitudes and longitudes were generated using a grid overlay and entered into an internal SQL database. DWQ then converted the data from to an EXCEL spreadsheet for conversion to a GIS coverage. Points were checked for accuracy against NC Corportae GIS Data layers. Refinement of the georeferencing occurred through the use of "Terrain Navigator" software which generates latitude and longitude values at the location of the cursor.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    This data represents information as supplied from an internal SQL database located at DWQ.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    Using ESRI's ARC/INFO GIS software, the dataset was built for point topology using the "build" command. The data set was then cleaned using the "clean" command. Topology has not been edited since the last build or clean.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
Acknowledgement of products derived from this data set should cite the following: The source of the Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites data is the North Carolina Corporate Geographic Database. Earlier versions of this dataset may exist. The user must be sure to use the appropriate data set for the time period of interest. While efforts have been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the state of the art, CGIA cannot assume liability for any damages or misrepresentation caused by any inaccuracies in the data or as a result of changes to the data caused by system transfers.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis
    Production Services
    301 North Wilmington Street, Suite 700
    Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2825
    USA

    (919) 733-2090 (voice)
    (919) 715-0725 (FAX)
    dataq@cgia.state.nc.us

    Hours_of_Service: 8:30AM - 5:30PM
    Contact_Instructions:
    Phone and electronic mail preferred For current price information use a web browser: COST INFORMATION - <http://www.cgia.state.nc.us/cost.html>
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Sites

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    NCCGIA is charged with the development and maintenance of the State's corporate geographic database and, in cooperation with other mapping organizations, is committed to offering its users accurate, useful, and current information about the state. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, errors and conditions originating from physical sources used to develop the corporate database may be reflected in the data supplied. The client must be aware of data conditions and bear responsibility for the appropriate use of the information with respect to possible errors, original map scale, collection methodology, currency of data, and other conditions specific to certain data. NCCGIA does not support secondary distribution of this data. The use of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the NCCGIA or North Carolina State Government.

  4. How can I download or order the data?

  5. Is there some other way to get the data?

    Data creation and large data analysis jobs contact Database Administration P:(919)733-2090. All data is available through standard ordering procedures on a cost recovery basis.

  6. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?

    All formats supplied are created using ARC/INFO GIS software on Unix workstations. Other formats are available. Format compatibility is the user's responsibility. For more information on formats and media, use a web browser: FORMAT/MEDIA INFORMATION - <http://www.cgia.state.nc.us/cost.html>

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: Dec-2000
Metadata author:
North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis
Database Management
301 North Wilmington Street, Suite 700
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2825
USA

(919) 733-2090 (voice)
(919) 715-0725 (FAX)
dataq@cgia.state.nc.us

Hours_of_Service: 8:30AM - 5:30PM
Contact_Instructions: Phone and electronic mail preferred
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Generated by mp version 2.8.11 on Thu Apr 15 11:06:24 2004