USGS Home Contact USGS Search USGS

Publications—Open-File Report

National Water Information System

User's Manual for the National Water Information System of the U.S. Geological Survey

Water-Quality System

Open-File Report 2005-1081 Version 4.3

This manual has been superseded by the National Water Information System of the U.S. Geological Survey, Water-Quality System (Open-File Report 2006-1145 Version 4.4). This manual can be accessed at the following URL: http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/ofr20061145.

INTRODUCTION

This user documentation is designed to be a reference for the Water-Quality System (QWDATA) within the National Water Information System (NWIS). For the new user, the “Introduction” and “Getting Started” sections are the recommended places to begin. The experienced user may want to go straight to the details provided in the program section (section 3). Code lists and some miscellaneous reference materials are provided in the Appendices. The last section, “Tip Sheets,” is a collection of suggestions for accomplishing selected tasks, some of which are basic and some of which are advanced. Where appropriate, these Tip Sheets are referenced in the main text of the documentation.

Helpful Tips for Using Links and Bookmarks in PDF Files (Please read this document before getting started!)

1. Introduction

• Description of Systems

2. Getting Started

• Terminology and Information

3. Programs

• Section 3.1 - 3.2 Login Samples and Modifying Samples and Results
• Section 3.3 Data Review Options
• Section 3.4 Data Output
• Section 3.5 Graphs
• Section 3.6 Support Files
• Section 3.7 Utilities
• Section 3.8 Batch Processing
• Section 3.9 Miscellaneous Programs

4. Appendices

• Appendix A. Codes Used in Water-Quality Processing System
• Appendix B. Fixed Value Codes
• Appendix C. Output Examples
• Appendix D. Calculated Parameters
• Appendix E. USEPA Drinking-Water Alert Limits
• Appendix F. Batch File Formats
• Appendix F. Sample Batch File Formats
• Appendix G. Input File Formats
• Appendix H. Parameters That Allow Negative Values
• Appendix I. Parameters That Can Be Recensored if Stored Value is Zero
• Appendix J. Time Related Codes

5. Tip Sheets

• Section 5.1 How do I move around on the screens?
• Section 5.2 How do I login samples and enter field data?
• Section 5.3 How do I design a field form and why would I want to?
• Section 5.4 How do I view my data in the database?
• Section 5.5 How do I edit data that is already in the database?
• Section 5.6 How do I table data in publication-style table format?
• Section 5.7 How do I make flat files to use data in programs outside of QWDATA?
• Section 5.8 How can I find a parameter code number or name?
• Section 5.9 How do I load data using batch processes?
• Section 5.10 How do I make large-scale updates to data?
• Section 5.11 How do I use null values?
• Section 5.12 How do I retrieve records for use in other QWDATA programs?
• Section 5.13 How do I enter reports into the problem-reporting system?
• Section 5.14 How do I make linear plots of my data?
• Section 5.15 How do I make boxplots of my data?

PDF Version of Entire GWSI 4.3 Documentation. This provides a method of printing the document in its entirety. **Warning: This is a very large file (8.7 MB) and it may take a long time to download. You may prefer to access each file separately.**

Document Accessibility: Adobe Systems Incorporated has information about PDFs and the visually impaired. This information provides tools to help make PDF files accessible. These tools convert Adobe PDF documents into HTML or ASCII text, which then can be read by a number of common screen-reading programs that synthesize text as audible speech. In addition, an accessible version of Acrobat Reader 5.0 for Windows (English only), which contains support for screen readers, is available. These tools and the accessible reader may be obtained free from Adobe at Adobe Access.

Address questions or comments to: Barbara Hoopes, 703-648-4894

AccessibilityFOIAPrivacyPolicies and Notices
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Persistent URL: http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/ofr20051081 Page Contact Information: Publications Team Last modified: Saturday, 12-Jan-2013 22:00:35 EST