ASTM D5254-92(2004)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation:D5254–92 (Reapproved 2004)
Standard Practice for
Minimum Set of Data Elements to Identify a Ground-Water
Site
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5254; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
standard. The inch-pound units given in parentheses are for
1.1 This practice covers what information should be ob-
information only.
tained for any individual ground-water site, also known as
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
monitoring location or sampling station. As used in this
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
practice, a site is meant to be a single point, not a geographic
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
area or property.Aground-water site is defined as any source,
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
location, or sampling station capable of producing water or
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
hydrologic data from a natural stratum from below the surface
1.5 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing
of the earth. A source or facility can include a well, spring or
one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace
seep, and drain or tunnel (nearly horizontal in orientation).
education or experience and should be used in conjunction
Other sources, such as excavations, driven devices, bore holes,
withprofessionaljudgment.Notallaspectsofthispracticemay
ponds, lakes, and sinkholes, that can be shown to be hydrau-
be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not
lically connected to the ground water, are appropriate for the
intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which
use intended (see 6.4.2.3).
the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged,
NOTE 1—There are many additional data elements that may be neces-
nor should this document be applied without consideration of
sary to identify a site, but are not included in the minimum set of data
a project’s many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the
elements.An agency or company may require additional data elements as
title of this document means only that the document has been
a part of their minimum set.
approved through the ASTM consensus process.
1.2 This practice includes those data elements that will
distinguish a site as to its geographical location on the surface
2. Referenced Documents
oftheearth,politicalregimes,sourceidentifiers,andindividual
2.1 ASTM Standards:
site characteristics. These elements apply to all ground-water
D653 Terminology Relating to Soil, Rock, and Contained
sites. Each category of site, such as a well or spring, may
Fluids
individually require additional data elements to be complete.
Many of the suggested components and representative codes
3. Terminology
for coded data elements are those established by the Water
3.1 Definitions:
Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey and used in
3.1.1 For definitions of terms applicable to this practice
the National Water Information Systems computerized data
refer to Terminology D653.
base (1).
4. Summary of Practice
NOTE 2—The data elements presented in this practice do not uniquely
4.1 This practice includes the following data elements to
imply a computer data base, but rather the minimum set of ground-water
dataelementsthatshouldbecollectedforentryintoanytypeofpermanent
identify a ground-water site:
file.
4.1.1 Geographic Location—Including latitude, longitude,
latitude-longitude coordinate accuracy, altitude, and altitude
accuracy.
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and
RockandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeD18.21onGroundWaterand
Vadose Zone Investigations.
CurrenteditionapprovedJuly1,2004.PublishedJuly2004.Originallyapproved
in 1992. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as D5254-92 (1998). DOI: For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
10.1520/D5254-92R04. contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
The boldface numbers given in parentheses refer to a list of references at the Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
end of the text. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D5254–92 (2004)
4.1.2 Political Regimes—Including state or country identi- the prime meridian (Greenwich, England) as the longitudinal
fication, and county or county equivalent. origin. Record the best available value for the longitude of the
4.1.3 Source Identifiers—Including owner’s name, source site, in degrees, minutes, seconds, and fractions of a second
agencyorcompanyandaddress,uniqueidentification,anddate (DDDMMSSss).Iflongitudeofthesiteismeasuredeastofthe
of first record for the ground-water site. Greenwich Meridian, precede the numbers with a minus sign
4.1.4 Individual Site Characteristics—Including hydrologic (−). The use of E or W is also appropriate (1-8).
unit,setting,typeofground-watersite,useofsite,useofwater
6.1.2.3 Latitude-Longitude Coordinate Accuracy—Record
from site, and reason for data collection.
the accuracy of the latitude and longitude values. Suggested
coordinate accuracy components and representative codes are
5. Significance and Use
as follows (1, 6, 7, 8):
5.1 Normally, the basic ground-water data are gathered by
H — The measurement is accurate to 60.01 s.
trained personnel during the field investigation phase of a U — The measurement is accurate to 60.1 s.
S — The measurement is accurate to 61s.
study. Each agency or company has its own methods of
F — The measurement is accurate to 65s.
obtaining, recording, and storing the information. Usually,
T — The measurement is accurate to 610 s.
thesedataarerecordedontoformsthatservebothinorganizing M — The measurement is accurate to 61 min.
the information in the field and the office, and many times as
NOTE 4—Components and corresponding codes listed under data ele-
entryformsforacomputerdatabase.Forground-waterdatato
ments,suchaslatitude-longitudecoordinateaccuracyandsetting,areonly
be of maximum value to the current project and any future
suggestions.Anagencyorcompanymayrequireadditionalcomponentsto
studies, it is essential that a minimum set of key data elements fully describe their ground-water sites. Also, having the data element
components written out, for example, “accurate to within 1 s” for the
be recorded for each site. The data elements presented in this
latitude-longitude accuracy, may be preferred to the use of codes. The
practicedonotuniquelyimplyacomputerdatabase,butrather
important factor is that each data element in the “minimum set of data
the minimum set of ground-water data elements that should be
elements” be included with every ground-water site.
collected for entry into any type of permanent file.
5.2 When obtaining basic data concerning a ground-water 6.1.2.4 Altitude—Record the altitude of land surface or
site, it is necessary to identify thoroughly that site so that it measuring point. Altitude of the land surface is the vertical
may be readily field located again with minimal uncertainty distance in feet (or metres) either above or below a reference
and that it may be accurately plotted and interpreted for data datum surface. The reference datum surface must be noted.
parameters in relationship to other sites. For example, infor-
NOTE 5—In the United States, this reference surface should be the
mation can be presented on scientific maps and in summary
North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) of 1988 or National Geodetic
tables.
Vertical Datum (NGVD) of 1929. If another vertical reference datum is
used to determine the altitude, describe the system. Altitudes below the
6. Documentation
reference datum must be preceded by a minus sign (−) (1, 2, 4, 7, 8).
6.1 Geographic Location:
NOTE 6—The measuring point is usually a clearly defined mark or
6.1.1 Introduction—The universally accepted coordinates permanentlyfixedobjectataground-watersitethatisusedforconducting
repeated evaluations, such as water levels in a monitoring well.
defining the absolute two-dimensional location of a site on the
Earth’s surface are latitude and longitude. The coordinates are
6.1.2.5 Altitude Accuracy—Record the accuracy of the alti-
determined by careful measurement from an accurate map or
tude.Asanexample,record1.0foranaccuracyof 61mor0.1
bysurvey.Thethird-dimensionofthelocationisestablishedby
for 60.1“th” m to denote the judged error of the measurement
determining the altitude at the site, usually from topographic
(1, 3).
maps or by surveying techniques (2).
6.2 Political Regimes:
NOTE 3—If sites are located by plane coordinates, plant location grids,
6.2.1 Introduction—Theplacementoftheground-watersite
or referenced to recoverable benchmarks, they may be recorded if the
intoapoliticaljurisdictionassistsintheproperidentificationof
position is converted to absolute location coordinates by an acceptable
the site.
method.
6.2.2 Documentation Procedures:
6.1.2 Documentation Procedures:
6.2.2.1 State or Country Identification—Recordthestateor
6.1.2.1 Latitude—Latitude is a coordinate representation
country in which the site is physically located. The common
that indicates locations on the surface of the earth using the
systems for identifying states and countries are the Federal
earth’s equator as the respective latitudinal origin. Record the
Information Processing Standard code (FIPS), a two-digit
best available value for the latitude of the site in degrees,
numeric code or theAmerican National Standard abbreviation
minutes, seconds, and fractions of a second (DDMMSSss). If
two-letter code. The country codes are a two-character and a
latitudeofthesiteissouthoftheEquator,precedethenumbers
set of three-character alphabetic codes (1, 3, 9, 10, 11).
with a minus sign (−). The use of N or S is also appropriate
(1-8).
NOTE 7—The publications (9, 10, 12) containing the codes for coun-
6.1.2.2 Longitude—Longitude is a coordinate representa-
tries, states, and counties are available from the National Technical
tion that indicates locations on the surface of the Earth using Information Service.
6.2.2.2 County and County Equivalent—Record the county
orcountyequivalentinwhichthesiteisphysicallylocated.The
Available from National Technical Information Service (NTIS), U.S. Depart-
ment of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161. commoncodesystemforidentifyingcountiesistheFIPScode,
D5254–92 (2004)
a three-digit numeric code. The documentation of political Network, and cataloging unit of the USGS’s “Catalog of
subdivisionswilldependonthesystemusedineachindividual Information on Water Data.”
country (1, 3, 7, 11).
NOTE 9—An explanation of a hydrologic unit code, for example Code
07080107, is the following; Region Code “07” is the Upper Mississippi
NOTE 8—In many cases, it is necessary to record a subdivision of the
River Basin above the confluence with the Ohio River; Subregion Code
local government to further identify the area where the ground-water site
“08” is the Mississippi River Basin below Lock and Dam 13 to the
is located. Some of the local subdivisions are a city, town, village,
confluence with the Des Moines River Basin, excluding the Rock River
municipality, township, or borough. Identify the local subdivision, for
Basins;Accounting Unit Code “01” is the Mississippi River Basin below
example “City of Rockville,” to clearly denote the unit.
Lock and Dam 13 to the confluence with the Des Moines River Basin,
6.3 Source Identifiers:
excluding the Iowa and Rock River Basins; and Catalog Unit Code “07”
6.3.1 Introduction—The ground-water site must be identi- is the Skunk River Basin of Iowa.
NOTE 10—State hydrologic unit maps delineating the hydrographic
fiedastotheowner,theagencyorcompanythatrecordeddata,
6 4
boundaries of these units are available (see Ref (13)).
and its distinctive classification.
6.3.2 Documentation Procedures: 6.4.2.2 Setting—Record the information that best describes
6.3.2.1 Owner’s Name—Record the name of the property the setting in which the site is located. Setting refers to the
owner of the ground-water site. The recommended format for topographic or geomorphic features in the vicinity of the site.
anindividual’snameis:lastname,firstname,middleinitial.If Suggested setting components and representative codes are as
acompany’snameislengthy,usemeaningfulabbreviations (1, follows (1, 8):
8).
A — Alluvial fan
B — Playa
6.3.2.2 Source Agency or Company and Address—Record
C — Stream channel
the name and address of the agency or company that collected
D — Local depression
the data for the ground-water site. This data element is
E — Dunes
F — Flat surface
necessary to determine the original source of the data for the
G — Flood plain
site. A coded list of agency and company names is available
H — Hilltop
through National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX); the list
I — Inland wetlands
J — River delta
has over 1200 organizations that actively collect and store
K — Sinkhole
water data throughout the United States (1, 3-6, 12).
L — Lake
6.3.2.3 Unique Identification—Record the unique naming M — Mangrove swamp or coastal wetlands
O — Offshore (estuary)
that the agency or company uses to identify the ground-water
P — Pediment
site.Thisidentificationiscalledbyseveraltermssuchas“local
S — Hillside (slope)
site number,” “site identification,” “well number,” etc. The T — Alluvial or marine terrace
U — Undulating
description is commonly a combination of letters and numbers
V — Valley flat (valleys of all sizes)
that could represent a land-net location or a sequential assign-
W — Upland draw
mentforasiteinacounty,city,orcompany.Thisidentification X — Unknown
Y — Wetlands
is very important to precisely differentiate a site in the records
Z — Other (describe)
of an agency or company (1, 5-8).
6.4.2.3 Type of Ground-Water Site—Thisdataelementhelps
6.3.2.4 Date of First Record for the Ground-Water Site—
to identify the physical type of ground-water site. Record the
Record the date that the first valid transaction occurred for any
type of site to which these data apply. Suggested site type
element of the specified site. This could be the date of permit
components and representative codes are as follows (1, 8):
application, start of construction, or first used as a monitoring
C — Collector (radial-collector) well
site. This eleme
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