USGS
 Environmental Geochemistry and Sediment Quality in Lake Pontchartrain

Table 4.  Sample of Data Dictionary

This sample demonstrates features of the "vertical" display of the Data Dictionary. It offers alternative
field lengths developed to meet specific database/GIS needs and a explanation of each parameter.

USGS Row # Short Field Name (10 characters long) Medium length Field Name (25 characters long) Full Length Field Name Description of Parameter and its Fields
1 LOCAL_ID Local row or ID No Local Row or local ID Number ID for use by user in maintaining sample order. This number can be changed by users.
2 UNIQUE_ID Unique Sample ID (US#) Unique Sample ID Identifier (US#) Database ID unique to this specific sample; assigned by USGS, this is the common parameter for joining all tables in this database
3 ORIGNL_ID Preceding database ID Preceding database sample ID If this data is taken from a previous data compilation, enter the unique ID NUMBER within the other database that refers to this data. The name of the preceding database is reported in ORIG_NAME.
3.1 ORIGL_FILE Preceding file name Preceding database file name Database file name from which this specific sample came.
4 REPLCT_NO Repl. # Replicate Number A number for a replicate where, for any parameter(s), more than one analysis have been made of the same sample. For the purpose of unambiguous joining of multiple tables, this number is incorporated in the Unique sample identification number
5 ST_PLANE_E State Plane E State Plane E Easting coordinate in the State Plane System for the datum shown in Datum, Position
6 ST_PLANE_N State Plane N State Plane N Northing coordinate in the State Plane System for the datum shown in Datum, Position
7 LATITUDE Latitude (Decimal) Latitude (decimal) Latitude in decimal-degrees (south latitudes are negative)
8 LAT_DEG_N Lat(Deg)N Latitude (degrees) N degrees of latitude in whole degrees
9 LAT_MIN_N Lat(Min)N Latitude (minutes) N minutes of latitude in whole or decimal units
10 LAT_SEC_N Lat(Sec)N Latitude (seconds) N seconds of latitude in whole or decimal units
11 LAT_ORIG Lat Orig. Position Format Latitude, original position format and precision format and precision of originally recorded latitude (indicate format and significant digits, e.g.. ddmmss.s; dd.dddd)
12 LONGITUDE Longitude (Dec.)(- = W) Longitude (decimal) (- = West long.) Longitude in decimal-degrees (West longitude is depicted by negative values.)
13 LON_DEG_W Lon(Deg)W Lonitude (degrees) W degrees of longitude (West) in whole degrees
14 LON_MIN_W Lon(Min)W Longitude (minutes) W minutes of longitude (West) in whole or decimal minutes
15 LON_SEC_W Lon(Sec)W Longitude (seconds) W seconds of longitude (west) in whole or decimal units
16 LON_ORIG Lon Orig. Position Format Longitude, original position format and precision format and precision of originally recorded longitude (west), eg. ddmmss.s; dd.dddd
17 ORIG_LOC Orig. Loctn. If Unusual Original location in original format, if unusual Original location if given in units other than latitude and longitude (e.g., State Plane or distance from a point)

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