FAQs A)) Users may provide domain value definition and descriptions. B)) Users may request/suggest characteristic group assignments (based on Subject Matter Expertise). - WQX manages all (?) parameters and characteristic group list for the Water Quality Portal - Characteristic groups are not OFFICIAL List. However groups allow querying large characteristic list without individual entry C)) FTP Site (DomainValueTemplate.xlsx) - To Request a new Domain Value provide the following applicable elements in the worksheet - ftp://newftp.epa.gov/storet/wqx/DomainValuesTemplateNew.xlsx D)) Result Qualifier Codes have been mapped from group to individual qualifier codes - ftp://newftp.epa.gov/storet/wqx/domain_alerts/DRAFT_Result_Measure_Qualifier_Codes_mappings_DEPRECATED.docx E)) Comparable and/or Equivalent Elements: Event Log: View all validation errors and warnings Message Type Inconsistent Data Resolution Resolve in Import File Note: For any Activity ID all activity elements must match. Activity elements may not be different on rows assigned the same Activity ID. Activity Location (lat/long) - optional vs Monitoring Location Geospatial (lat/long) - mandatory LatitudeMeasure LatitudeMeasure LongitudeMeasure LongitudeMeasure SourceMapScale SourceMapScale HorizontalAccuracyMeasure HorizontalAccuracyMeasure HorizontalCollectionMethodName HorizontalCollectionMethodName HorizontalCoordinateReferenceSystemDatumName HorizontalCoordinateReferenceSystemDatumName ActivityLocationDescriptionText MonitoringLocationDescriptionText Activity Location (lat/long) - optional vs Result sampling Point - optional LatitudeMeasure ResultSamplingPointName LongitudeMeasure ResultSamplingPointType (Belt Transect, Line Transect, Point Transect, Strip Transect) SourceMapScale ResultSamplingPointPlaceInSeries (replaced v2.0 activity element ActivitySamplingComponentPlaceInSeries) HorizontalAccuracyMeasure HorizontalCollectionMethodName HorizontalCoordinateReferenceSystemDatumName ActivityLocationDescriptionText ResultSamplingPointCommentText ActivityDepthHeightMeasure (Value/Unit) - optional vs ResultDepthHeightMeasure (Value/Unit) - optional ActivityDepthAltitudeReferencePointText - optional vs ResultDepthAltitudeReferencePointText - optional ActivityIdentifier (CHILD/SUBSET) vs ActivityIdentifierUserSupplied (PARENT/WHOLE) CharacteristicName vs CharacteristicNameUserSupplied - optional SubjectTaxonomicName vs SubjectTaxonomicNameUserSupplied - optional ActivityCommentText vs ResultCommentText CollectionDescriptionText LaboratoryCommentText SampleCollectionEquipmentCommentText SampleTransporationStorageDescription ActivityStart / ActivityEnd vs AnalysisStart / AnalysisEnd - optional ActivityStartDate / ActivityEndDate AnalysisStartDate / AnalysisEndDate ActivityStartTime / ActivityEndTime AnalysisStartTime / AnalysisEndTime LabSamplePreparation (0 or more) PreparationStartDate / PreparationEndDate PreparationStartTime / PreparationEndTime F)) Data owners may find the template and domain value services helpful when preparing their data sets. Download the Data Exchange Template (excel file) - data directory and element definition. - ftp://newftp.epa.gov/storet/wqx/draft/schemav3/WQX_Data_Exchange_Template_v3.0.xls Download the WQX Flow Configuration document - data validation rules, services and schema. - https://www.epa.gov/waterdata/wqx-flow-configuration-30 The principle document which captures the detailed data exchange processing rules governing WQX using narrative text, diagrams and examples. WQX Domain Values tables provide data elements to assist data owners and users in conforming to a consistent nomenclature and can be queried to determine the EPA-supplied values. G)) Import Configuration Water Quality Portal Site data Water Quality Portal Sample results (Biological metadata) Custom Import Configurations vs PUBLIC/Shared Import Configurations - Custom support translations which transform data to registered WQX domain value - Domain Value Resolution options: - Correct the value in this dataset only - Add a translation to auto-correct future datasets - Custom order of elements G)) WQX Web Glossary (navigation page) - https://cdx.epa.gov/WQXWeb/StaticPages/GlossaryWqx.htm Step #1. Add missing Sample Collection Methods for organization ID = BVR for collection methods Step #2. Add missing Analytical Methods for organization ID = BVR for combination methods, national method with modification, inhouse/local result analysis methods - conditionally required based on activity type contains the word "Sample" () * Rule #41, Removed (v3.0) Sample Collection Method is required when Activity Type Code contains the word "Sample" * Rule #16 ResultAnalyticalMethod may be required depending on the value provided for ActivityTypeCode. See the domain value list for ActivityTypeCode for more information. a. However, ResultAnalyticalMethod is never required if BiologicalIntentName is "Individual", "Population Census", "Frequency Class", or "Group Summary" * Rule #18 ResultAnalyticalMethod’s MethodIdentifierContext must either match a value from the AnalyticalMethodContext domain list or it must be the same as the value for the OrganizationIdentifier provided in the submission file. a. If the MethodIdentifierContext matches a value from the domain list, then the MethodIdentifier must also match a value from the AnalyticalMethod domain list (for that Context). Furthermore, MethodName, MethodQualifierTypeName, and MethodDescriptionText are not required and will be ignored (since only the Identifier and IdentifierContext are needed to uniquely identify the Analytical Method). b. If the MethodIdentifierContext matches your OrganizationIdentifier (indicating your own method), then MethodIdentifier and MethodName are both required, but do not need to match a value from the domain list (since they are your own). Additionally, MethodQualifierTypeName and MethodDescriptionText can be provided, but are optional, to further describe the Analytical Method used. * Rule #46 ResultAnalyticalMethod may be required depending on the value provided for CharacteristicName. See the domain value list for CharacteristicName for more information H)) What is the difference between the well depth and the well hole depth? There are many entries in the system where well depth and well hole depth have different values. ​ ​ Monitoring Location elements:​ Well Hole Depth is the depth of the outer casing of a well ;​ Well Depth is the depth of the inner casing of a well ;​ INDUSTRIAL wells may have >1 foot thick casing​ Most private wells the inner and outer casing difference is minimal (1" to 4") or none​ (feet) ​ Casing (definition)​ A Casing is the tubular structure that is placed in the drilled well to maintain the well opening. Along with grout, the casing also confines the ground water to its zone underground and prevents contaminants from mixing with the water. Some states or local governing agencies have laws that require minimum lengths for casing.​ Casing Liners for Large-Diameter Water Wells: An Approach ...​ URL: https://www.roscoemoss.com/wp-content/uploads/​ A relined well consists of an inner casing that extends from ground level (with an appropriate stick-up, if needed) to the bottom of the existing well casing. Generally, the outside diameter (OD) of the liner is on the order of 3 to 4 inches smaller than the inside diameter (ID) of the existing casing.​ ​ Here are a few examples where they (well depth and well hole depth) are different: ​ ​ AR008-344659091293701 - 11/28/2018 - 130 ft for "WellDepthMeasure/MeasureValue" and 142 for "WellHoleDepthMeasure/MeasureValue"​ ​ another example: ​ ​ USGS-443330101003401 -- 6/25/1980 -- 2386 ft for "WellDepthMeasure/MeasureValue" and 2405 for "WellHoleDepthMeasure/MeasureValue". ​ I)) Schema v3.0 Element Relationship Diagram ftp://newftp.epa.gov/storet/wqx/WQX_Schema_v3.0ElementRelationshipDiagram.pdf Note that the XML schema tags must conform to the order published in the WQX 3.0 Flow Configuration Document (FCD) Please be-aware that the XML file with tags out of order may not pass schema validation. Refer to the FCD (page 17) for the order and tag names (including 3.0). Flow Configuration Document You can also reference the 3.0 schema on the STORET/WQX FTP Site: ftp://newftp.epa.gov/storet/wqx/WQX_Schema_v3.0ElementRelationshipDiagram.pdf Question: How do you add or remove result records to existing Activity IDs? Each result in WQX, must be part of an Activity. Unlike most other entities in WQX, Results do not have a Unique ID. Because of this, there is no way to add, update, or delete an individual Result via an import file. You must always import an entire Activity and all of its Results. Example: You collect five Results from your multi-parameter probe at a site. You import and then submit these Results to CDX as part of a single Activity. You then discover a correction that needs to be made to one of the Results. To avoid any data being dropped from WQX, you need to import and resubmit the entire Activity including all five Results, rather than just the one result that changed. Question: What is EPA's recommended (Best Practice) way to store profile data? The webinar mentioned that we could use Result Depth to store depth profile data and use the Analysis Start Time to record the time of the actual measurement. This will minimize mapping multiple activity ids for a single sampling activity. Raw Continuous monitoring data should only be stored in WQX as an Attached Object or an uploaded document at the Activity Level for set period of operation. EPA still recommends storing summary information (min, max, every 4 hour event intervals, etc.) as discrete measurements. EPA recommends a new data exchange standard for time series data and continuous monitoring data which currently is still in development. However, a temporary solution for dataowners today maybe storing continuous data as discrete summary information (min, max, actual measurements every 4 hour event intervals, etc.). Correct, It would be good to formalize some of these recommendations in a guidance document. The challenge is not all data submission align with published guidance documents. EPA agrees end users may need a roadmap to know where to look for the information in the downloads from the WQP (new Water Quality Portal download reports may address this issue).