National Water Data Exchange Research Articles

Storage and Retrieval of Ground‐Water Data at the U.S. Geological Survey

ABSTRACTThe U.S. Geological Survey maintains a computerized ground‐water site‐inventory (GWSI) file that contains information about wells and springs at sites from all States of the United States. This file contains data collected by U.S. Geological Survey personnel and personnel of cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies. The file is easily accessible to members or users of the National Water Data Exchange. Since the establishment of the GWSI file in 1974, the data base has grown 19 percent per year and contains information on about 770,000 sites as of February 1981.

NAWDEX: Focal Point for Water Data Information

The National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX) was established by the United States Geological Survey in 1976. NAWDEX serves as a national focal point for cataloging and indexing water data that are available throughout the nation, and it provides the necessary linkages between the collector and user communities. Available water data have been indexed for over 400 organizations. Additionally, information has been gathered on over 700 organizations that are collectors of water data or involved in water-related programs. Aid in indentifying and locating needed water data is provided by a network of assistance centers located in 45 states and Puerto Rico.

WATER DATA AND SERVICES AVAILABLE FROM PARTICIPANTS IN THE NATIONAL WATER DATA EXCHANGE1

ABSTRACT: ABSTRACT: The National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX) was implemented in January 1976 as an interagency program managed and coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey. The program is directed at improving access to existing water and water‐related data. Almost 150 organizations from the Federal, state‐governmental, local‐governmental, interstate, academic, private, and foreign sectors currently participate in the program. This article describes the NAWDEX program and contains descriptions of the types of data and services available from organizations participating in NAWDEX. A point of contact for obtaining data and services is provided for each organization.

The National Water Data Network: A case history

In 1964 the Bureau of the Budget (now the Office of Management and Budget) issued Circular A‐67 to coordinate water data acquisition activities by federal agencies. Under Circular A‐67 the Department of the Interior's Office of Water Data Coordination (OWDC) has the responsibility to (1) maintain a catalog of information on water data, (2) undertake a continuing review of water data requirements, (3) prepare a federal plan for efficient utilization of water data activities, and (4) design a national water data network. A concept of three levels of information was developed as the rationale for national network planning. The three levels are level I, a base level of information for national and regional planning and assessment; level II, data needs for subregional planning and assessment; and level III, data for operation and management at the local level. Several elements of level I of the national network have been totally or partially implemented, including (1) the streamflow and stream quality accounting elements, (2) the water use accounting element, (3) the water quality surveillance element, and (4) the flood surveillance element. The National Water Data Network is coordinated through an interagency process involving more than 30 federal agencies and numerous nonfederal organizations interested in water data acquisition. As part of this coordination process the Catalog of Information on Water Data is maintained and is used as the basis for planning and operation of the network. Through the National Water Data Exchange, established as an outgrowth of the coordination activity, the water data information base is being expanded continually.

National Water Information Network

The U.S. Geological Survey has established a new service, the National Water Data Exchange (Nawdex), which will provide local assistance to governmental agencies and the public in identifying, locating, and acquiring available water data.Centrally managed by a program office at the USGS National Center in Reston, Virginia, Nawdex now provides local services through a national network of 51 local assistance centers located in 45 states and Puerto Rico. These centers, linked by computer terminals, provide rapid access to information about the availability of more than 1 billion measurements of streamflow, groundwater levels, sediment discharges, and the quality of surface water and groundwater for thousands of stations operated by more than 300 organizations across the country.

A NATIONAL SYSTEM FOR EXCHANGE OF WATER DATA

ABSTRACT This paper describes a system proposed by a Federal Interagency Work Group for providing access to large quantities of hydrological data. The National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX) will be a confederation of data-acquisition organizations that are willing to make their data available to other data users. NAWDEX will take full advantage of on-going data handling activities and will provide the means to present data in a standard format. An ultimate goal of the system will be standardization and quality control of all of the data. Management of NAWDEX will be lodged in a Systems Central, which will assure that data are made available according to the time frame and the format required by the user. Access to the data will be through an index maintained by Systems Central. Full implementation of NAWDEX will require 4 to 5 years. A technical advisory group, consisting of members representing the Federal and non-Federal sectors, and topical work groups, established in response to specific needs, will pr...