Baseline Water Quality Data Inventory and Analysis

This document presents the results of surface-water-quality data retrievals for Niobrara National Scenic Riverway+ (NIOB) from six of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) national databases: (1) Storage and Retrieval (STORET) water quality database management system; (2) River Reach File (RF3); (3) Industrial Facilities Discharge (IFD); (4) Drinking Water Supplies (DRINKS); (5) Flow Gages (GAGES); and (6) Water Impoundments (DAMS). This document is one product resulting from a cooperative contractual endeavor between the National Park Service's Servicewide Inventory and Monitoring Program, the National Park Service's Water Resources Division (WRD), and Horizon Systems Corporation to retrieve, format, and analyze water quality data for all units of the National Park System containing significant water resources. The primary goal of the project is to provide descriptive water quality information in a manner and format that is both consistent with the goals of the Servicewide Inventory and Monitoring Program and useable by park resource managers. The document provides: (1) a complete inventory of all retrieved water quality parameter data, water quality stations, and the entities responsible for the data collection; (2) descriptive statistics and appropriate graphical plots of water quality data characterizing annual and seasonal central tendencies and trends; (3) a comparison of the park's water quality data to relevant EPA and WRD water quality screening criteria; and (4) an Inventory Data Evaluation and Analysis (IDEA) to determine what Servicewide Inventory and Monitoring Program "Level I" water quality parameters have been measured within the study area.