Parameter Code Dictionary - New Parameter Codes


In Reply Refer To:                            June 17, 1988 
WGS-Mail Stop 412



Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 88.06

Subject: Parameter Code Dictionary - New Parameter Codes

The Parameter Code Dictionary (PCD) released with Version 
88.1 of the NWIS Water-Quality Data-Processing System 
contains 1059 new parameter codes.  A few of these codes are 
implementations of existing EPA codes, but the vast majority 
represent new codes requested by the USGS to meet a variety 
of program and project needs.  Also included are ten 90000 
level codes preassigned by the NWIS Program Office in a 
generic format that can be edited and used by the District 
offices for District-specific purposes.

Atmospheric Deposition - The Office of Atmospheric Deposition 
Analysis requested 504 new codes for use in storing 
atmospheric deposition data.  Included in the list of codes 
are codes for wet deposition and bulk deposition (bulk 
deposition consists of both and dry components of atmospheric 
deposition).  The constituents represented include the major 
inorganics, nutrients, metals, temperature, pH, specific
conductance, acidity and alkalinity.  These codes can be 
found in the PCD between 82000 and 84000.

Organics - Two hundred sixty-two codes were requested for 
organic substances, mostly for the Air Force Installation 
Restoration Program (IRP).  One hundred ninety-six codes are 
for organic substances in soil with an analytical qualifier 
of "recoverable."   The remaining 66 codes are for "whole
water" samples, also with an analytical qualifier of 
"recoverable."


Radiochemical - The 176 new codes in this category are, for 
the most part, in pairs, one code representing the actual 
sample measurement in picocuries per liter (PCI/L) and a 
second code for the "counting error" of the measurement, also 
in PCI/L.


Metals - Forty-three codes were requested for metals in 
suspended sediment or soil.  The analytical qualifier for 
suspended sediment codes is "total," while the qualifier for 
the soil codes is "recoverable."

Alkalinity/Carbonate Species/Hydroxide - Twenty-five codes 
for alkalinity, the carbonate species (HCO3, CO3), and 
hydroxide were requested to fill out the parameter code 
matrix needed for these constituents.  The matrix covers
whole water and dissolved samples, field and laboratory 
determinations, and method specifications (fixed endpoint, 
incremental titration, Grans titration).

Others - Forty-nine other codes were requested for bacteria, 
EPA toxicity tests, NAWQA fixed values, and other 
miscellaneous constituents.

User Defined Codes - Parameter codes with numbers greater 
than 90000 are not recognized by the EPA STORET system and 
can therefore be used by agencies for internal purposes.  Up 
until now each of these codes had to be specifically defined 
and assigned by headquarters, even though it was not 
necessary to make formal application to EPA.  With the 
release of the latest version of the Parameter Code 
Dictionary, each District will now have the capability to 
define for its own purposes up to 10 specifically assigned
codes that have been entered into the PCD for such purposes.  
Parameter codes 99900 - 99909 have been entered into the PCD 
with certain key fields--long name, short name, units, and 
column heading--precoded with generic information that can be 
edited by the Districts to,meet specific needs.  Five of the 
codes (99900 - 99004) are preassigned precision defaults
of two decimal places and two significant figures, while 
codes 99905 - 99909 are preassigned precision defaults of 
three decimal places and three significant figures.  All 
Districts will use the same 10 code numbers, but each 
District may define them uniquely.  There will be no conflict 
in the AMDAHL data base because the data will be District 
specified and not transferred to STORET.  Retrievals of data 
stored under these codes from the AMDAHL would be meaningless 
to everybody except the originating District because the 
AMDAHL Parameter Code Dictionary reflects the generic 
parameter code description, as follows:


                     GENERIC FORMAT


     LONG NAME      - - DISTRICT SPECIAL 99900 
     SHORT NAME     - - DISTRICT SPEC 99900
     UNITS          - - 99900
     COLUMN HEADING - - 9990001
                    - - 9990002
                    - - 9990003
                    - - 9990004
                    - - 9990005
                    - - 9990006 
                    - - 9990007

The new parameter codes in this release of the PCD represent 
all requests for new codes made to the Office of Water 
Quality or the NWIS Program Office as of June 1, 1988.  
Requests for new codes can be made by using the parameter 
code request form supplied with the QW system documentation 
or by logging into the QVARSC Prime in Headquaters and giving 
the command "RPCODE."  This will activate an INFO program 
that will prompt you for informaton about each code you want 
to request.  Additional information on obtaining new 
parameter codes or making updates to old codes, precision,
etc. can be obtained by contacting Jim Schornick in the 
Office of Water Quality (FTS 959-6867 or JCSCHORNICK via 
EDOC) or Dave Maddy in - the NWIS Program Office 
(FTS 9S9-5689 or DVMADDY via EDOC).





                           David A. Rickert

WRD Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO

Key Words: parameter codes, water quality, data base, NWIS