Ecoregions are geographic areas defined by distinct physical geographic characteristics. These areas can be used to organize ecology and climate information expected in a specific region. Washington State boundaries enclose or overlap nine defined Level III Ecoregions.

Searching by one or more of these regions will return all sites that fall within the selected region(s) and fall within Washington State.

Valid Values:

• Coast Range (1)
• Puget Lowland (2)
• Willamette Valley (3)
• Cascades (4)
• Eastern Cascade Slope and Foothills (9)
• Columbia Plateau (10)
• Blue Mountains (11)
• Northern Rockies (15)
• North Cascades (77)

See a map and list Washington State Level III and IV Ecoregions here: http://ecologicalregions.info/data/wa/wa_eco.pdf

Ecoregions are geographic areas defined by distinct physical geographic characteristics. These areas can be used to organize ecology and climate information expected in a specific region. Washington State intersects ninety-nine defined Level IV Ecoregions.

Searching by one or more of these regions will return all sites that fall within the selected region(s). Level IV Ecoregions are subdivisions of Level III Ecoregions.

Ex. "Coastal Lowlands" (1a)

See a map and list Washington State Level III and IV Ecoregions here: http://ecologicalregions.info/data/wa/wa_eco.pdf

Indicates if data loaded into EIM has undergone a documented review for accuracy and completeness of data entry. The review process varies by environmental program within Ecology.

This field differs from the QA Assessment Level, which is a rank of overall data quality according to Study-specific quality assurance procedures.

Valid Values:

Reviewed - Data loaded into EIM has undergone a documented review for accuracy and completeness of data entry.

Not Reviewed - Data loaded into EIM has NOT undergone a documented review for accuracy and completeness of data entry.

This field is for internal use only and is not available for external data submitters. All studies loaded to EIM by external partners default to "Not Reviewed." If the receiving program at Ecology has a documented EIM data review process, the EIM data coordinator who loads the study into EIM can set the Status to "Reviewed" if and when appropriate.

An Ecology program that does not have a documented EIM data entry review process should choose "Not Reviewed" when entering a study. A program that has a documented process should follow their guidance to determine when the study's EIM Data Entry Review Status should be set to "Reviewed."

Valid Values:

• Suspect
• Reject

Note: This is the elevation of the point specified in column AH (Elevation of).

Marine and freshwater sediment surface (or mudline) elevations are measured relative to a reference point like mean sea level (field AN).  They are often (but not always) negative values.  Ex. "-7.2"

Valid Values:

-9999999.999
           to
0000000.000
           to
9999999.999

Valid Values:

 1  ± 0.1 ft (0.03 m)
 2  ± 1 ft (0.3 m)
 3  ± 3 ft (1 m)
 4  ± 10 ft (3 m)
 5  ± 20 ft (6 m)
 6  ± 40 ft (12 m)
 7  ± 100 ft or greater (30 m)

Valid Values:

 2   Survey - conventional   
 4   GPS consumer unit or unknown (code phase)
13  GPS high-end consumer unit (DGPS or WAAS enabled)
 5   GPS survey-grade (carrier    phase)
 6   GPS real time survey-grade    (kinematic)
 3   Digital elevation model (DEM) - sourceunspecified
12  Digital elevation model (DEM) - lidar
 1   Bathymetric sounding
14  Meter wheel
 8   Paper map interpolation    

Valid Values:

1 - NAVD88 - N. American Vertical Datum of 1988

GPS unit = Check unit’s settings for datum.

Google Earth and EIM Map = NAVD88

Local datum = You must convert your elevation data to NAVD88 if you used another datum, including local datums.  Download help for “Converting Local Elevation Datums to NAVD88.”

For sediment elevations, leave this field blank. See Sediment Elevation Reference (Column AN)

Valid Values:

• Land Surface
• Top of Well Casing
• Well Water Level Measuring Point
• Sediment Surface

Tip: Use “Well Water Level Measuring Point” only if your measuring point is not the top of casing (like an access port).

Land surface elevation is determined for each location in Watershed Health Monitoring (WHM) during site selection.

Searching via a specific elevation range will only return sites that have elevations within your selected range.

For data entry, do not fill this out unless the location is a sediment location (marine or freshwater). All other elevations entered into EIM are auto-populated with 11, Standard Vertical Datum.

If you used a reference point not listed here, contact your Data Coordinator.

Valid Values:

1  Mean Sea Level (MSL)
2  Mean High Water (MHW)
3  Columbia River datum (CRD)
4  Lake Washington Ship Canal Datum (LWSC)
5  Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)
6  Minimum Operating Pool (MOP)
14 Lake Washington Low Water (LWLW)

Valid Values:

FT  feet
M   meters

The area in which the collection of field data occurred.

For benthic macroinvertebrate (e.g. kick-net area) and periphyton (surface area of substrate scraped) count data.

Also for spatial composite samples.

Ex. "8.20"

Download help for “Periphyton Counts”

Download help for "Benthic Organism Counts - Freshwater"

Download help for "Benthic Organism Counts - Marine"

Valid values and descriptions:

ft2 - square feet

m2 - square meters

cm2 - square centimeters

Ex. "Cows in stream upgradient of sampling site"

You can enter only ONE Field Collection Comment per field collection event. Field collection event is defined as all Measurements collected at the same Location, from the same depth, on the same date, at the same time, with the same matrix and source OR all Samples collected at the same Location, from the same depth, on the same date, at the same time, with the same matrix and source, with the same Sample ID. In the case of Samples, this means you can only have one Field Collection Comment for each Sample ID. If you enter more than one Field Collection Comment per field collection event, EIM will only accept the first one loaded. All Results associated with a specific field collection event will have the same Field Collection Comment. If you want to comment about a particular result or group of results within a field collection event, enter it as a Result Comment or Result Additional Comment.

Download help for “How to Use EIM’s Comment fields.”

Valid values and descriptions:

D - Day
M - Month
W - Week
Y - Year

Most values should be “D.”

For some older water level measurements, the day was not logged. In those cases the accuracy of the date provided in Field Collection Start Date can be indicated here.

Valid values and descriptions:

cm - centimeters,
m - meters,
in - inches,
ft - feet

Ex. "06/23/1999"

Leave blank for discrete samples.

Only for data collection that took place over time, such as for temporal composites and other special cases.

Ex. "15:22:14"

Only for data collection took place over time, such as for temporal composites and other special cases.

Distance from Reference Point to lower boundary where field data was collected.

Positive values represent depths below reference point.

Negative values represent distance above reference point.

If a discrete sample is collected at one depth, Upper and Lower Depth are the same value.

Ex. Composite Sample: "7.5" if soil sample was taken between 5 and 7.5 feet below land surface. 

Ex. Discrete Sample: "5" if soil sample was taken 5 feet below land surface.

Download help for “Entering Field Collection Depth or Height.”

Things that do NOT go in this field:

• Elevation
• Well water level depth or elevation
• Well groundwater sample depth - except for Temporary Environmental Investigation Wells (download help)
  

Point from which the collection depth of the field data was measured.

Valid values:

Land Surface
Water Surface
Sediment Surface
Floor of Structure

Valid Values:

• Sample - discrete sample collected in the field that is sent to a lab for analysis.
• Measurement – discrete data collected in the field using an instrument (Ex. pH meter
• Observation - record of an unsuccessful measurement or sampling attempt.
• QC Blank - lab method blank data for uncorrected low-level PCB congeners by EPA1668C, B, or A and MEL730138 v1.0.
  

For Observations, enter a record only if a sample or measurement was planned or required but not obtained. Download help for "Entering Observations."

For Time-Series data, (deployed instrument that collected continuous measurements) use the Time-Series Template.

Download help for “Low-Level PCB Congener Data.”

Distance from Reference Point to upper boundary where field data was collected.

Positive values represent depths below reference point.

Negative values represent distance above reference point.

If a discrete sample is collected at one depth, Upper and Lower Depth are the same value.

Ex. Composite Sample:  "5" if soil sample was taken between 5 and 7.5 feet below land surface.

Ex. Discrete Sample: "5" if soil sample was taken 5 feet below land surface.

Must be a number.

Download help for “Entering Field Collection Depth or Height.”

Things that do NOT go in this field:

• Elevation
• Well water level depth or elevation
• Well groundwater sample depth - except for Temporary Environmental Investigation Wells (download help)
  

Valid values and descriptions

Business - Business, Trained Staff
ConsDistrict - Conservation District
Consultant - Consultant, Professional
Ecology - WA Dept of Ecology
GovFed - Government, Misc Federal
GovLocal - Government, Misc Local
GovState - Government, Misc State
GovTribal - Government, Tribal
HealthLocal - Health Dept, Local
HealthState - Health Dept, State
NGO - Non-Governmental Organization
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
UNIVERSITY - University
USACE - US Army Corps of Engineers
USEPA - US Environmental Protection Agency
USGS - US Geological Survey
USNPS - US National Parks Service
UtilityPrivate - Utility, Private
UtilityPublic - Utility, Public
Volunteer - Volunteer, Trained
WDFW - WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife
WDNR - WA Dept of Natural Resources
WellDriller - Well Driller
WellOwner - Well Owner

Valid Values:

• Y - Yes
• N - No
• U - Unknown

Document filtration method in Sample Preparation Method field (Column AB).

Important for groundwater samples.

Indicates the fraction (total, dissolved, or suspended) of an aqueous sample that was analyzed, unless Sample Source is Plant Tissue, Freshwater Taxonomy or Salt/Marine Taxonomy.

Also includes analyses performed on lab-generated leachates derived from solid samples.

Valid Values:

• Dissolved
• Total
• Suspended
• Lab Leachate
  

Download help for "Temporary Environmental Investigation Wells"

Dewatering Well
Geothermal Well
In-Water Piezometer
Injection Well - ASR
Injection Well - Carbon    Sequestration
Injection Well - Remediation
Irrigation Well
Monitoring Well
Pumping Well - Remediation

Soil Gas Probe
Stockwater Well
Temporary Well - EIW
Water Supply Well - Domestic
Water Supply Well - Industrial
Water Supply Well - Public
Other

Valid Values:

• Y - Yes
• N - No

Denotes the database specifications for the help field, including format (alphanumeric, date, etc.), maximum field size, whether required or other, and valid values or other.

Valid Values:

1  ± 0.1 ft (0.03 m)
2  ± 1 ft (0.3 m)
3  ± 3 ft (1 m)
4  ± 10 ft (3 m)
5  ± 20 ft (6 m)
6  ± 40 ft (12 m)
7  ± 100 ft (30 m)
8  ± 180 ft (55 m)
9  ± 250 ft (76 m)
10  ± 500 ft (152 m)
11  ± 1000 ft or greater (300 m)

Valid Values:

8    Survey - conventional
13  Computer map (GIS-based, including EIM or Google Earth)
16  GPS consumer unit or unknown (code phase)
29  GPS high-end consumer unit (DGPS or WAAS enabled)
15  GPS survey-grade unit (carrier phase)
17  GPS real time survey-grade (kinematic)
19  Paper map interpolation

Valid Values:

24 Discrete monitoring point
25 Centroid of monitoring area
26 Stream segment, can include riparian zone
27 Transect, start point
28 Transect, center point

For coordinates that do not represent a discrete monitoring point (25-28), use the Location Description field (Column D) to describe the monitoring area, stream segment, or transect where data were collected.

26 applies to a length of stream segment. Only use it when you are collecting data from multiple points within a stream segment and you want all those data to be associated with a single EIM location. It is most commonly used for habitat data.

Valid Values:

2  NAD83 - N. American Datum of 1983
3  NAD83HARN - High Accuracy Reference Network
4  WGS84 - World Geodetic System of 1984

Common datums:

GPS Unit = Check unit’s settings for datum

EIM Map = NAD83HARN

Google Earth = WGS84

Locations using Washington State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS) should only use NAD83 or NAD83HARN.

Checking this box in the Search download will include data that are suspect or have been rejected based on periodic data quality reviews. These data are clearly flagged as either suspect or rejected and include reasons for being flagged:

• Fraction Analyzed/Parameter Mismatch: Sample Fraction Analyzed is inconsistent with the Parameter.
• Result Value Appears to be Code: The Result Value appears to be a coded value, not an actual Result Value.
• Range Low: Result Value is less than expected range for the Parameter.
• Range High: Result Value exceeds expected range for the Parameter.
• Units/Parameter Mismatch: Result Value Units are not valid for the Parameter.
• Method/Parameter Mismatch: Method is not valid for the Parameter.
• Method/Matrix or Source/Units Mismatch: Method is not valid for Matrix and/or Source or Result Value Units.
• Matrix or Source/Location Mismatch: Sample Matrix and/or Sample Source are incompatible with Location Setting.
• Matrix or Source/Parameter Mismatch: Sample Matrix and/or Sample Source are not valid for the Parameter.
• Location Metadata Inconsistent or Incorrect: Location metadata appears to be inconsistent or incorrect (ex. Location Coordinates and Location Description are incompatible, Location Setting does not match the map, NHD Reach Code and/or Measure do not match the map, etc.)
• Location Coordinates Suspect: Location coordinates appear to be incorrect.
• Field Collection Type Incorrect: Field Collection Type (sample, measurement, or observation) is suspected to be incorrect based on the Result Parameter and Result Method.