A quality-assurance plan for district ground-water activities of the U.S. Geological Survey

Abstract

ABSTRACT As the Nation’s principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is depended upon to collect data of the highest quality. This document provides the framework for collecting, analyzing and reporting ground-water data that are quality assured and quality controlled. INTRODUCTION The Water Resources Division (WRD) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) performs a wide variety of ground-water data-collection programs and investigations to assess the status of the Nation’s ground-water resources. Results of these activities are used to aid the Nation in developing, managing, and maintaining its ground-water resources.As the Nation’s principal earth-science information agency, the USGS is depended upon to collect accurate data and produce factual and impartial interpretive reports. Methods for data collection and analysis that were developed by the USGS have become standard techniques used by numerous Federal, State, and local agencies and by private enterprises. Data collected by scientific organizations such as the USGS are being used increasingly by the public to define and examine a variety of natural-resource and environmental problems. Many of these problems are addressed through an open, public process. As a result, scientific organizations are being challenged to demonstrate the credibility of their data on the basis of objective evidence rather than on the organization’s history and reputation.To address these demands and expectations, the WRD has implemented a program designed to ensure that all scientific work done by or for the WRD is conducted in accordance with a quality- assurance (QA) program. The Office of Ground Water (OGW), in coordination with the Branch of Technical Development and Quality Systems, has the responsibility to develop, coordinate, and implement the quality-assurance program for District ground-water activities. As part of that program, the OGW has directed the preparation of a Ground-Water Quality-Assurance Plan (GWQAP) which covers all ground-water activities by District offices of the USGS. USGS Open-File Reports (OFR) 92-136 (Schroder and Shampine, 1992) and 92-162 (Shampine and others, 1992) outline the guidelines for preparing District quality-assurance plans and integrating the quality assurance into project work plans. Guidelines presented here are intended to supplement these two reports and provide more specific details related to ground-water activities.A quality-assurance plan (QAP) can be defined as a formal document that describes the management policies, objectives, principles, organizational authority, responsibilities, accountability, and implementation plan of a responsible organizational unit or group for ensuring quality in its products. The implementation of a GWQAP will enhance ground-water data collected by the USGS by providing for the following:• Consistency (across projects, subdistricts, WRD, and so forth);• Accountability (to client, scientific community, and regulatory agencies);• Comparability (yields results of known quality);