Measured characteristics, indicators, and procedures
In order to be able to consistently describe water resource monitoring results to the public and other agencies, Clark County uses a standardized set of characteristics (or parameters) and indicators (calculated summary measures from characteristics) for stream conditions, lake conditions, and pollution source identification.
The characteristics and procedures to collect them form the basic environmental measurement tools for the stormwater program and watershed monitoring. Indicators are usually the primary data summary and reporting tool.
Parameters, indicators, and procedures to collect them were selected to be as comparable as possible to data collected by state and federal programs. This means that data collected by Water Resources can, in most cases, be pooled with data collected by Clark Public Utilities, the Washington Department of Ecology, ESA programs, and the US EPA.
By documenting these standardized measured characteristics and indicators, Clark County promotes coordinated data gathering. A good example of this coordinated approach is that Clark Public Utilities and Clark County monitor the same set of water quality, temperature, benthic macroinvertebrate, and stream-flow characteristics at their monitoring sites.
Water Resources data are used by a variety of agencies and the general public.
Uses include:
- the Washington Department of Ecology 303(d) listing of water bodies that do not meet water quality standards
- reports to the Clean Water Commission
- reports to the Clark County Board of County Commissioners
- watershed planning for salmon recovery by the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board.
Project Contact: Ron Wierenga
Water Quality Information Database
In 2005, Water Resources completed development of centralized database for the program’s environmental data.
The database is a storage and retrieval system modeled after the Washington Department of Ecology’s Environmental Information Management System (EIMS).
The system utilizes Microsoft SQL as the database and Microsoft Access as a ‘front-end’ for adding, editing, deleting, and reporting environmental data. Water Resources staff are currently entering data from ongoing projects. Historical data will also be added in upcoming months.
Project Contact: Ron Wierenga
