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Hydrologic Monitoring Data and Metadata
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Hydrologic Monitoring Data and Metadata
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Recommended vocabulary
Guidance: The Reporting Format recommends using the column headers listed below to name the variable and parameter columns in your data files. The definitions can be copy and pasted directly from this file into your data dictionary file(s) after replacing words in brackets and removing the brackets. Units can be pasted directly into your data dictionary file(s) and in the required metadata header rows of your data files. If your needed units are not listed here, you can find more units at http://vocabulary.odm2.org/units/ and http://qudt.org/2.1/vocab/unit. The recommended format for units is to write out the full unit and replace any spaces with underscores. See the Reporting Format Instructions document for a graphic illustrating most water level terms listed here. See http://vocabulary.odm2.org/variablename/ for more variable names. If you use terms from the ODM2 vocabulary, the Reporting Format recommends using underscores for spaces instead of camel case.

Recommended Column Headers

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Depth_To_Water

Recommended_Column_Header
Depth_To_Water
Definition
Vertical distance from [the chosen datum or reference point out of the water body] down to the water surface.
Unit
meters or centimeters
Notes
Replace the bracketed text to specify the chosen reference point and remove brackets. A use case for this measurement is lowering a sensor from the top of a well casing down to the water surface. In this use case, the definition would be "Vertical distance from the top of well casing down to the water surface."

Gage_Height

Recommended_Column_Header
Gage_Height
Definition
Vertical distance from [the chosen datum or reference point in the water body] up to the water surface.
Unit
meters or centimeters
Notes
Replace the bracketed text to specify the chosen reference point if known and remove brackets. A common reference point is the streambed. Gage height is the preferred term over gauge height and stage height. Water level and stage are ambiguous and should be avoided.

Sensor_Depth

Recommended_Column_Header
Sensor_Depth
Definition
Vertical distance from the sensor up to [the chosen datum or reference point above the sensor].
Unit
meters or centimeters
Notes
Replace the bracketed text to specify the reference point (e.g., water surface, top of well casing) and remove brackets. A use case for this measurement is lowering a sensor from a lake surface down to specific water depths to capture stratification. In this use case, the definition would be "Vertical distance from the sensor up to the water surface."

Sensor_Elevation

Recommended_Column_Header
Sensor_Elevation
Definition
Elevation at which the sensor records a measurement.
Unit
meters_above_mean_sea_level_NAVD88
Notes
Note that this is elevation of the sensor not the water. The vertical datum must be defined in the data dictionary file's Unit field. NAVD88 is preferred. A use case for this measurement is lowering a sensor from a lake surface down to specific water depths to capture stratification.

Sensor_Pressure_Unvented

Recommended_Column_Header
Sensor_Pressure_Unvented
Definition
Absolute pressure exerted by the water column and atmosphere above the sensor.
Unit
kilopascals or meters_of_H2O
Notes
An unvented pressure sensor that has not been corrected for barometric pressure measures total or absolute pressure. Suggest noting the sensor is unvented in the Instrument_Summary field of the required metadata header rows in the data file(s).

Sensor_Pressure_Vented

Recommended_Column_Header
Sensor_Pressure_Vented
Definition
Pressure exerted by the water column above the sensor relative to atmospheric or ambient pressure.
Unit
kilopascals or meters_of_H2O
Notes
A vented pressure sensor measures only the pressure exerted from the water column and does not need to be corrected for barometric pressure. Suggest noting the sensor is vented in the Instrument_Summary field of the required metadata header rows in the data file(s).

Water_Depth

Recommended_Column_Header
Water_Depth
Definition
Vertical distance between the water surface and the bottom of the water body at a specific location.
Unit
meters or centimeters
Notes
This measurement refers to the full water column height at a given location.

Water_Surface_Elevation

Recommended_Column_Header
Water_Surface_Elevation
Definition
Elevation of the surface of the water body.
Unit
meters_above_mean_sea_level_NAVD88
Notes
This measurement refers to the elevation of the surface of any type of water body, including groundwater wells etc. The vertical datum must be defined in the data dictionary file's Unit field. NAVD88 is preferred.

Electrical_Conductivity

Recommended_Column_Header
Electrical_Conductivity
Definition
Electrical conductivity.
Unit
microsiemens_per_centimeter or millisiemens_per_centimeter
Notes
It is recommended to describe the location the measurement was taken (e.g., 50 percent water column depth) in the InstallationMethod_Description field in the Installation Methods file.

Specific_Conductance

Recommended_Column_Header
Specific_Conductance
Definition
Specific conductance. Electrical conductivity at 25 degrees celsius.
Unit
microsiemens_per_centimeter or millisiemens_per_centimeter
Notes
It is recommended to describe the location the measurement was taken (e.g., 50 percent water column depth) in the InstallationMethod_Description field in the Installation Methods file.

Dissolved_Oxygen

Recommended_Column_Header
Dissolved_Oxygen
Definition
Dissolved oxygen.
Unit
milligrams_per_liter
Notes
It is recommended to describe the location the measurement was taken (e.g., 50 percent water column depth) in the InstallationMethod_Description field in the Installation Methods file.

Dissolved_Oxygen_Saturation

Recommended_Column_Header
Dissolved_Oxygen_Saturation
Definition
Dissolved oxygen.
Unit
percent_saturation
Notes
It is recommended to describe the location the measurement was taken (e.g., 50 percent water column depth) in the InstallationMethod_Description field in the Installation Methods file.

pH

Recommended_Column_Header
pH
Definition
pH.
Unit
pH
Notes
It is recommended to describe the location the measurement was taken (e.g., 50 percent water column depth) in the InstallationMethod_Description field in the Installation Methods file.

Water_Temperature

Recommended_Column_Header
Water_Temperature
Definition
Water temperature.
Unit
degree_celsius
Notes
If the measurement site was variably inundated, "Temperature" may be more appropriate than "Water_Temperature". It is recommended to describe the location the measurement was taken (e.g., 50 percent water column depth) in the InstallationMethod_Description field in the Installation Methods file.
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Contents
Recommended Column Headers
Depth_To_Water
Gage_Height
Sensor_Depth
Sensor_Elevation
Sensor_Pressure_Unvented
Sensor_Pressure_Vented
Water_Depth
Water_Surface_Elevation
Electrical_Conductivity
Specific_Conductance
Dissolved_Oxygen
Dissolved_Oxygen_Saturation
pH
Water_Temperature