In Reply Refer To: November 12, 1980 EGS-Mail Stop 412 QUALITY OF WATER BRANCH TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM N0.81.04 Subject: WATER QUALITY--Assignment of parameter codes for pH, alkalinity, specific conductance and hydroxide/carbonate/bicarbonate data As of December 15, 1980, field specific conductance and field alkalinity will be recorded in WATSTORE under parameter codes 00095 and 00410. Laboratory values will be recorded under codes 90095 and 90410. This change from the policy announced in Quality of Water Branch Technical Memorandum 80.27 was necessitated by new information regarding EPA's policy on parameter names. Data entered into WATSTORE since October 1, 1980 for specific conductance under codes OO094 and 00095 and alkalinity under codes 00410 and 00431 will be reassigned to the correct codes by the headquarters ADS staff. The change will be made on January 5, 1981. Districts having special water-quality files should provide headquarters ADS staff with data set names and locations (disc-pak number) so that corresponding changes can be made in these files as well. In addition, parameter codes unavailable for Memo 80.27 have been assigned. Table 1 supersedes the list of codes in Memo 80.27. Please consult 80.27 for the style of the parameter name. As announced in Memo 80.27, the hydroxide/carbonate/ bicarbonate (OH/C03/HC03) determination by fixed-pH endpoint titration is no longer an approved method. However, reports from the field indicate that some projects for comparability purposes may be committed to the fixed-pH endpoint titration. Entry of data from such projects will be considered upon written request to the Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Research and Technical Coordination through the Regional Hydrologist. A set of 99-thousand class codes have been assigned temporarily for OH/CO3/HCO3 determinations by incremental titration in the field. The 90- and 95-thousand class codes have been assigned to create spaces in which to store laboratory data in the reassignment of the historical data to be described in a forthcoming memorandum. R.J. Pickering Enclosure Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO Key Words: water quality, data handling Superseded memoranda: Portion of QW Technical Memo 80.27 Table l--New Parameter Code List l/ Field Lab pH 00400 00403 Specific Conductance 00095 90095 Alkalinity (Titration to pH 4.5 00410 90410 INCREMENTAL TITRATION Hydroxide 99830 90830 Carbonate 99445 90445 Bicarbonate 99440 90440 Carbonate Alkalinity 99430 90430 FIXED-pH ENDPOINT TITRATION 2/ Hydroxide 7l830 95830 Carbonate 00445 95445 Bicarbonate 00440 95440 Carbonate Alkalinity 00430 95430 l/ Al1 90000-class codes used temporarily for new data and to hold data from reassignment described in a subsequent memorandum. These data will not be transferred to STORET until new parameter codes with qualifiers are assigned. 2/ After October 1, 1980, the fixed-pH endpoint method is no longer an approved method. Data may be entered under these codes only by permission in special circumstances (see text).