Data Integrity Workgroup (formerly AMQAW)
Upcoming Meetings
No upcoming meetings.
Scope and Purpose
The workgroup members are technical advisors to the monitoring and modeling workgroups of the Scientific, Technical Analysis and Reporting Team concerning field and analytical methodology and quality assurance issues related to collection, processing and assessment of water quality data. The workgroup provides a forum for exchange of technical information focused on the standardization of methods/use of comparable methods throughout the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program. Members of the workgroup participate in the Coordinated Split Sample, Blind Audit and Reference Sample Programs and use this information to evaluate the quality of the monitoring data and to identify areas that require further study.
Mission Statement
To provide professional direction and guidance on field and laboratory methods and QA/QC, resulting in accurate and comparable Chesapeake Bay and tributary water quality monitoring data.
Objective
- Implement the Coordinated Split Sample program to assess water quality data comparability.
- Participate in blind audit and reference sample programs to demonstrate data accuracy; Investigate potential analytical issues; Determine corrective actions to resolve data discrepancies; Improve efficiency of data collection and reporting procedures; Perform method comparability studies.
- Explore new technologies for water quality analyses; Standardize field and laboratory techniques among agencies; Prepare reports on the quality of nutrient, chlorophyll and sediment data.
- Evaluate the use of non-traditional partner monitoring data, including quality assurance of field and lab methods.
Publications
Methods and Quality Assurance for Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Monitoring Programs
Published on May 1, 2017The purpose of this document is to provide field and laboratory methods and associated quality control requirements for use in Chesapeake Bay water quality monitoring programs, which will result in the generation of known and comparable data quality. State agency staff or subcontractors will conduct field measurements and collect and analyze water and sediment samples for specific physical, chemical and biological parameters according to the procedures in this document.
Conformance with these procedures provides a solid foundation for a wide variety of scientific and management investigations, e.g., attainment of water quality standards, characterization of the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, evaluation of long-term trends, effectiveness of management actions, ecosystem processes and water quality model development and calibration.
View detailsData Analysis Issues Tracking System (DAITS)
As the Chesapeake Bay Program Mainstem Monitoring Program reached its fifth
anniversary, EPA initiated a systematic review of the program design and implementation.
In the process of this review, numerous questions were raised which required investigation.
To insure that all of these issues received appropriate attention and to provide thorough
documentation of this process for future users of this important database, a tracking system
was designed which is known as the Data Analysis Issues Tracking System (DAITS).
DAITS is a central collection point for the registry of all issues which are raised by
those involved in the management, operation and review of the Chesapeake Bay Program
(CBP) monitoring programs. The DAITS will encompass issues relating to any programs
contributing data to the CBP data base.
Split Sample Water Quality Results from Laboratories Participating in the Chesapeake Bay Program: 19
Published on July 25, 1989 in ReportThe Monitoring Subcommittee of the Chesapeake Bay Program decided to implement a Chesapeake Bay Coordinated Split Sample Program, using field split samples, that was to begin in May or June 1989. As part of the planning for that program, an analysis of the data from the past Chesapeake Bay split sample programs was undertaken. This report gives the results of the analysis.
View detailsMembers
Cindy Johnson (Chair), STAR Data Integrity Workgroup Chair, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Durga Ghosh (Coordinator), Quality Assurance Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
1750 Forest Drive Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Email: dghosh@chesapeakebay.net
Phone: (410) 267-5750
August Goldfischer (Staffer), Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting (STAR) Staffer, Chesapeake Research Consortium
Jay Armstrong, Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services
600 N. 5th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Email: jay.armstrong@dgs.virginia.gov
Phone: (804) 648-4480 x328
Becky Monahan, Maryland Department of the Environment
Carl Friedrichs, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
Mike Mallonee, Water Quality Data Manager, Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB)
1750 Forest Drive Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Email: mmallone@chesapeakebay.net
Phone: (410) 267-5785
Doug Chambers, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Betty Neilkirk, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
Dongmei Wang, Virginia Tech Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory (OWML)
9408 Prince William Street
Manassas, Virginia 20110
Email: dongmei@vt.edu
Phone: (703) 361-5606
Meg Maddox, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Kathy Knowles, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Alice Volpitta, Blue Water Baltimore
Roque Hernandez, District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE)
Matthew Stover, Maryland Department of the Environment
Michael Mueller, Fairfax County (VA)
12000 Government Center Pkwy
Fairfax, Virginia 22035
Email: Michael.Mueller@fairfaxcounty.gov
Liz Chudoba, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Dongmei Alvi, Virginia Tech Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory (OWML)
Kristen Heyer, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Evelyn Ragsdale, Fairfax County (VA)
12000 Government Center Pkwy
Fairfax, Virginia 22035
Email: Evelyn.Ragsdale@fairfaxcounty.gov
Betty Neikirk, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
Martina McGarvey, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Cynthia Stevenson, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Beth Wasden
Sally Bowen, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Suzanne Doughten, Old Dominion University (ODU)
5115 Hampton Boulevard
Norfolk, Virginia 23529
Email: sdoughten@odu.edu
Phone: (757) 683-3000
Alexandra Fries, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Carol Pollard, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
Breck Sullivan, Scientific, Technical Assessment & Reporting Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
1750 Forest Drive Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Email: bsullivan@chesapeakebay.net
Phone: (410) 267-5788
Ken Hyer, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Tammy Zimmerman, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Mark Nardi, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Mark Brickner, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Peter Tango, Monitoring Coordinator, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
1750 Forest Drive Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Email: ptango@chesapeakebay.net
Phone: (410) 267-9875
Julie Vastine, Dickinson College
Dickinson College
Post Office Box 1773
Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013
Email: vastine@dickinson.edu
Phone: (717) 245-1135
Matthew Kierce, Chesapeake Monitoring Outreach Coordinator, Izaak Walton League
Doug Moyer, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
James Shallenberger, Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC)
Pam Higgins, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
400 Market Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105
Email: pahiggins@pa.gov
Phone: (717) 346-8233
Jerry Frank, UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (CBL)
Post Office Box 38
One Williams Street
Solomons, Maryland 20688
Email: frank@umces.edu
Phone: (410) 326-7252