# Presentation: 437686

## Introducing the New USGS Annual Water Data Report

**Larry R. Bohman, USGS**
**Slides by Gary T. Fisher, P.E. and Larry R. Bohman**
**2007 Annual Tri-Agency Coordination Meeting**
**Memphis, Tennessee**

**U.S. Department of the Interior**
**U.S. Geological Survey**

**Notes:**
Users of water resources data are very familiar with the data products of the U.S. Geological Survey, and have come to rely on them for planning, design, research, and education.

Beginning with Water Year 2006 (the year ending September 30, 2006), USGS will release its annual Water Data Report in a new format.

## Annual Water Data ReportThe “Old” Annual Report

**Annual Water Data Report****The “Old” Annual Report**

**Notes:**
HOLD UP A COPY OF AN “OLD” PAPER DATA REPORT. Endangered species

[CLICK]

The new annual report will not be printed and will not be organized as separate volumes by state.

## Slide 3

**Notes:**
The basic element of the new annual report is the Site Data Sheet.

Site Data Sheets look very much like the pages of the old annual report, with descriptive text, [CLICK] data tables, [CLICK] statistical summaries, and graphics.

Site Data Sheets are approved and posted individually, so data can be released as ready versus having to wait for the completion of an entire volume.

## Annual Water Data ReportThe Old Annual Report

**Some “plus’s”:**
**Improvement over 5-year series published as Water-Supply Papers until 1960.**
**Used from 1961-2005, established a familiar format **
**Some “minus’s”:**
**Multiple sources for annual water data**
**More than 100 data volumes**
**National guidelines but strong local influence resulted in inconsistent format and content**
**Production process manual ******** inconsistent with NWIS**
**No national electronic interface, large files or library**

**Notes:**
Why are we replacing the annual report format?
The old format worked well from 1961 through 2005. It was a good alternative to the prior practice of 5-year data reports in Water-Supply Papers.  It established a familiar format that is well known.
But with the old format:
Multiple sources were required for annual water data, with more than 100 separate data volumes.
There were national guidelines, but also a strong local influence that sometimes produced inconsistent format and content across boundaries.
The production process was mostly manual, and in some cases introduced small but notable inconsistencies with NWIS.
There was no national electronic interface to sites, requiring users to download large PDF files to get even a few pages.

## Annual Water Data ReportThe New Annual Report

**Succeeds all previous annual WDRs**
**Single source for annual water data**
**Distributes Site Data Sheets as they become available, versus volumes**
**National guidelines and control result in consistent format and content**
**Collateral or special reports can be tailored to geography, customers, and themes**
**Consistent with NWIS**
**Nationally supported and administered**
**Provides spatial and text interfaces**
**Familiar format**

**Notes:**
The new annual report is a successor to all previous annual water data reports, and there is historical continuity of published daily data. All previously published reports are still valid.

Features of the new annual report include:
All annual water data for the USA are available through one source.
Site Data Sheets provide access to data for individual sites as needed and quicker -- as records are approved.
National guidelines and control provide consistent format and content.
Collateral or special reports can be tailored to geography, customers, and themes.
Automated processes ensure consistency with NWIS, no human errors.
National support and administration take burden from local Water Science Centers and ensure stability.
Spatial and text interfaces are provided for data search and retrieval.
The familiar format is largely retained.

## Annual Water Data ReportNational Water Information System

**Notes:**
It is important to distinguish between the NWIS and the annual Water Data Report.  You might even ask why we still need an annual report when we can retrieve data directly from a data base.

NWIS provides access to all approved nonproprietary water-resources data collected by USGS, including surface-water, ground-water, and water-quality data. It also provides access to preliminary data, including instantaneous values of streamflow, water levels, and water-quality measurements. All data provided by NWIS are the values in the data base at the time of access. As data are reviewed or revised they will be updated in the data base. Although rare, previously published data can also be revised if later analyses reveal significant differences.

Unlike NWIS, the annual data report is a snapshot at a fixed interval. Data used for design or other decisions are documented for the year in which they are used. Potential revisions to data are documented in subsequent annual reports. The annual data report provides an archival, legal record.

## Annual Water Data ReportContents

**Yearly snapshot and archive**
**Daily continuous data**
**Discrete measurements**
**Streamflow extremes**
**Water-quality concentrations**
**Sediment concentrations and loads**
**Ecological data**
**Focus is basic data, not interpretive**
**Collateral data and interpretive reports published elsewhere**

**Notes:**
Contents of the annual report include:

Yearly snapshot and archive of daily continuous data, discrete measurements, streamflow extremes, water-quality concentrations, and sediment concentrations and loads.
The annual report includes ecological data, but its format is evolving with NWIS.

Focus of the annual report is basic data. It is not an interpretive report and is not intended to be.
Collateral data and interpretive reports will be produced as needed or as required by cooperative agreements.

## Annual Water Data Report

**WDR Search ****(home page)**
- http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/

**Notes:**
How is the annual data report accessed?

An annual data report home page is a single point of access to all published sites.  Right now you can only view a handful of states that participated as BETA sites last year (MA, NY, GA, etc).

## Slide 9

**Notes:**
The home page provides a  TEXT-BASED SEARCH PAGE search for sites by state, county, hydrologic unit, or site number.
It also includes links to a spatial search and supporting documentation.

## Slide 10

**Notes:**
Searches return links to Site Data Sheets, which are downloaded individually as PDF. We also plan to provide downloads of multiple files and special (custom) station groups.

## Annual Water Data Report

**WDR Mapper**
**Geographic interface**

**Notes:**
In addition to the text-based search page you can also use a map interface called MAPPER.

## Slide 12

**Notes:**
The spatial interface, the Mapper, provides initial access by state, county, zip code, or hydrologic region. It also links to the text-based search on the home page.

## Slide 13

**Notes:**
Opening display for a state (Massachusetts in this case) MAPPER shows all published sites for USGS surface water, ground water, or climatological data.

This provides a general indication of the richness of data for the geographic area of interest.

Tools provide zoom, pan, and site identify functions.

## Slide 14

**Notes:**
Full extent shows display for the 50 states and Caribbean.  Note only the states done in 2005 show up now.

## Slide 15

**Notes:**
Zooming is by box or point select. 

Cartographic detail is scale dependent. As you zoom in more features and annotation will be displayed.

CLICK -- Richness of data for site types is indicated by open or filled symbols. Filled symbols indicate that data are available at a site in addition to basic streamflow, water level, and meteorological data. For example, a streamflow data site that also has water-quality data will be indicated by a filled black triangle.

## Slide 16

**Notes:**
Selecting a site with the Identify tool will create a popup window with basic metadata and a link to its Site Data Sheet.

## Slide 17

**Notes:**
Selecting the Site Data Sheet link will create a popup window with the data pages. These can be viewed on screen, be saved to a file, or printed.

## Slide 18

**Notes:**
Selecting List Sites Shown will list basic metadata and Site Data Sheet links for all sites showing in the map window. Site Data Sheets can be selected individually for display, saving, or printing.

## Slide 19

**Notes:**
Map display can be zoomed as needed to locate sites of interest.  Tags with station nos. can be turned on or off.

## Slide 20

**Notes:**
At any time, location can be changed to anywhere in the USA using the control panel’s GEOGRAPHIC AREA tab.

## Slide 21

**Notes:**
Control panel is also used for refining site searches. The default is to show all gages of all types (note all boxes are checked), but if you wanted to locate only surface-water sites with water-quality data, the SW with Water Quality checkbox would be checked and all other checkboxes would be left open.

## Annual Water Data Report

- APRIL 1st

**Notes:**
What’s next?
April 1 is our historic target date for completion of USGS annual water data reports for the previous Water Year. 
Now that Site Data Sheets will be posted as data are finalized, many sites will be available before April 1.
For 2006 data, no Site Data Sheets will be posted before December 1.
By April 1, most of about 50,000 data pages will be available to the public.
New tools and enhancements will be added as needed.

##    QUESTIONS?

**Don’t panic!!!**
**But give us some feedback**

**Notes:**
Questions?

## Slide 24

**Notes:**
EXTRA SLIDE

Detail varies with type of locality, but is sufficient for detailed locations.

## Annual Water Data ReportNew Format Benefits

**Single source for data across the USA**
**Basic data have consistent format across states and hydrologic boundaries**
**Consistency with NWIS**
**Automated process improves quality**
**Manuscripts can be produced quickly**
**No waiting for difficult sites or other delays in processing records**
**Publish sites when they are ready**
**Collateral or special reports can be tailored to geography, customers, and themes**

**Notes:**
Benefits of the new annual report process include:

Single source provides data across the USA
Basic data have consistent format across states and hydrologic boundaries
Site Data Sheets acquire metadata and data from NWIS
Automated process improves quality, eliminates most human error
Manuscripts can be produced quickly
No waiting for difficult sites or other delays in processing records
Publish sites when they are ready
Collateral or special reports can be tailored to geography, customers, and themes.