Guide to Water Quality Monitoring Data

Understanding Station IDs

The Water Quality Monitoring Database (WQMD) uses unique Station IDs to identify and organize water quality data for sites across Arkansas. Each Station ID is linked to a specific location and its associated information, such as latitude and longitude, site description, ecoregion, county, date opened, Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC 8), and water source.

Purpose of Station IDs: Station IDs act as unique addresses, allowing you to precisely locate and retrieve water quality data for specific monitoring sites.

Station ID Structure:

Most Station IDs follow a structured naming convention, but there are some exceptions:

  • Major River Basin Sites (e.g., ARK0001):
    • These sites are located on water bodies that eventually flow into a major river.
    • The prefix indicates the major river basin (e.g., "ARK" for the Arkansas River).
    • The suffix is a four-digit number, starting with 0001 (e.g., ARK0001).
  • Lake Sites (e.g., LARK001):
    • These sites are located on lakes.
    • The prefix starts with "L," followed by the major river basin prefix (e.g., "LARK").
    • The suffix is a three-digit number which can sometimes have a letter at the end
  • Special Project Sites (e.g., UWBYB03):
    • These sites were created for a special project. But now are currently used as a regular Station.
    • The prefix is "UW." Refers to a site that was historically unassessed
      • UW = Unassessed Water
    • The following three letters are derived from the water body name (e.g., "BYB" for Bayou Bartholomew).
    • The last two characters are numbers.
  • Buffalo River Sites (e.g., BUF followed by varied characters):
    • Sites located on the Buffalo River begin with "BUF".
    • The suffix of these ids varies.
      • BUFR = Buffalo River mainstem
      • BUFS, BUFES, & BUFC = Buffalo River spring
      • BUFT & BUFET: Buffalo River tributary
      • BUFP: Buffalo River piezometer
  • Groundwater: (e.g., MON103):
    • The three-letter prefix is the first three letters of the county of the monitoring station
    • The suffix is a three-digit number

Searching by Station ID

The most direct way to find specific water quality data is by using the Station ID. This unique identifier links all data associated with a particular monitoring site.

  • If you know the Station ID:
    • Simply enter it into the "Station ID" search box.
  • If you don't know the Station ID:
    • Click the blue "Find Station ID" button.
    • This feature allows you to search by:
      • Station ID: If you have a partial ID.
      • Description: This field typically includes the water body name, nearby street, and town (e.g., "Clearpoint Creek on Hoskyn Rd N of Stuttgart"). You can search by any part of this description.
      • GPS Coordinates: Clicking on the coordinates will display the station's location on a map.
  • Station Location Map:
    • Next to the "Find Station ID" button, you'll find the "Station Location Map" link.
    • This map displays all monitoring stations in the database.
    • Use it to visually explore station locations and find IDs in your area of interest.

You have significant control over your data searches. The database includes numerous filters based on parameters, locations, and timeframes, giving you the flexibility to customize your search and retrieve the most relevant results. Let’s look at them:

Station Type: Surface water is any waterbody on the surface. Groundwater is any water that is contained in an aquifer under the surface; wells, caves, and springs.

Water Source: This is used to narrow down the search between Lake, River (creeks, streams, rivers, tributaries), Spring, and Well.

Parameter: In the lab we would call this an Analyte. These are individual components of an Analysis (test). Example: Anions is made up of Fluoride, Bromide, Chloride, and Sulfate

Parameter Group: These are groups of parameters. This can give you a group of results from multiple parameters. Each group is defined by …

  • Bacteriological
    • E.coli and Fecal coliform
  • Biological
    • Chlorophyll A
  • Field
    • Water Temp, Dissolved Oxygen, pH
    • Field-Specific Conductance (Conductivity)
    • Field-Turbidity
  • Nutrients
    • Ammonia, Orthophosphate, Nitrate+Nitrite
    • Total Phosphorus, TKN, Total Nitrogen
  • Metals
    • Dissolved and Total
  • TSS and other Solids
    • TSS
  • Wet Chemistry
    • Alkalinity, Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
    • Turbidity, Specific Conductance (Conductivity)
    • 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Locations

State: We do have a few Stations that are outside of Arkansas. This could be used to find them

County: All the counties from every Station, even the Stations in other States than Arkansas.

HUC (Hydrologic Unit Code): This is HUC 8 only. This is a standardized system used to classify and organize watersheds.

Ecoregion: Arkansas has seven ecoregions. Ecoregions are areas where ecosystems, and the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources, are generally similar. Click the link to see a map of the Arkansas Ecoregions.

DEQ Planning Segments: These planning segments are used to divide Arkansas's waterways into manageable units for the purpose of water quality management. This division aids in assessing, monitoring, and regulating water quality throughout the state. Click the link to see them defined.

Date Range

This is simply used to select a date range of data.

Understanding Data Qualifiers (Flags)

To help you interpret the water quality data, the database uses "Data Qualifiers" or "Flags." These are codes that accompany numerical results, providing important context about the data's reliability and accuracy.

  • Accessing the Qualifiers:
    • A link labeled "Data Qualifiers or Flags" is located at the bottom of the page.
    • Clicking this link will display a comprehensive list of all ADEQ water lab qualifiers.
  • Purpose of Qualifiers:
    • Qualifiers act as flags, alerting you to potential issues or nuances related to the data.
    • They provide information about:
      • Data validity and limitations.
      • Deviations from standard analysis procedures.
      • Uncertainty or potential errors in the results.
      • Specific conditions during sample collection or analysis.
    • Why They Matter:
      • Understanding qualifiers is crucial for accurate interpretation of the lab data.
      • They give important context to the numbers displayed.

Exporting Data

Once you've searched for and displayed your data in the grid view, you can export it for further analysis.

  • Locating the Export Option:
    • In the bottom right corner of the grid view, you'll find an "Export …" button.
  • Export Options:
    • Clicking the "Export …" button will reveal three different data export formats.
  • Understanding Export Formats:
    • For details on each format, click the question mark (?) button located directly next to the "Export …" button.
    • This will present a description of how each export file is formatted.