Data Tables and Maps of Selected Contaminants

The Contaminated Sediments Database is comprised of six separate data files, which are linked by the unique sample identification number (Unique ID#) for each sample. These assigned numbers aided in logical arrangement of the data sources as data was compiled, and later validated and edited. After validation, the Unique ID numbers were not always sequential. The database was originally designed as a flat file (spreadsheet format), which does not have the automatic linking capabilities of database management software. Consequently, every Unique ID# appears in all six files in order to provide a consistent horizontal link for all samples across the data tables, even if there is no associated data in a table. This allows the data to be universally accessible and places the data in a format that can be transferred by users to specialized data management software.

The presentation of the database on this web page is given in five sections that correspond to the data tables and parameters that are defined in the Data Dictionary. These sections are: Station, Inorganics, Organics, Texture, and References. Each data section contains important introductory information and graphical displays of the data. The plots and graphs in each section are followed by the data itself, which is available to download. Basic information about the location and type of data that is available for each sample is located in the Station Table. Columns at the end of the Station Table indicate the presence or absence of entries for each sample in the subsequent tables. A discussion on the changing methodology used for analysis of organic contaminants, and the impact that this has on integrating data from multiple sources, is presented in the organics section. Readers who are interested in organic contaminants are strongly encouraged to read that discussion before downloading and comparing data sets.

For a description of the data coverage and access to the data tables, please select one of the following categories:

Station  |  Inorganics | Organics | Texture |
Data Sources

Data tables are updated periodically; figures are not updated at the same frequency.