The unique Washington State Department of Ecology Well Tag ID, consisting of three letters and three numbers (e.g. ABC123).

a monitoring well or other well if available

Format: ABC123

Leave blank If you don’t have a valid well tag ID and it isn’t practical to get one.

• AAB489
• BFR225

Must be the unique number off the Ecology well tag attached to a well. The ID is stamped on an aluminum tag and typically affixed to the well by the driller at the time of construction or later by Ecology staff. The ID is also included on the well log submitted by the driller. See Ecology’s Well Report Viewer to find Well Tag IDs.

If a well isn’t tagged, you can get one from Ecology.

Because the Well Tag ID is unique in Washington, you can use it as the EIM Location ID and Location Name.

Indicates the fraction (total, dissolved, or suspended) of an aqueous sample that was analyzed.

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

Samples with Sample Matrix of “Water,” unless Sample Source is “Freshwater Taxonomy” or “Salt/Marine Taxonomy.”

Also required if you analyzed sediments which were suspended in a water column or for lab leachates.

Download help for Fraction Analyzed.

Don’t fill this out for Measurements.

If Lab Leachate, Sample Preparation Method (AB) is required.

Download help for Entering TCLP/SPLP Data.

The organization name of the well owner.

Free text

• City of Olympia

This information isn’t made public.

Indicates if a sample was filtered in the field (not the lab).

Fraction Analyzed is Dissolved

If “Yes,” enter the filtration method in the Sample Preparation Method field (Column AB).

Important for groundwater samples.

Physical state in which the analyte concentration was reported - either as the sample was received by the lab (wet weight) or adjusted to remove moisture (dry weight).

Sediment, Soil and Tissue chemistry data or if this information was reported by the lab

Result Basis is sometimes concatenated with units in lab reports, like “mg/kg-dry.” EIM stores Result Basis and units separately.

Don’t populate Result Basis for Measurements or Water Samples - leave it blank.

Download help for Result (Weight) Basis.

The last name of the well owner.

Free text

• Jones

This information isn’t made public.

The first name of the well owner.

Free text

• John

This information isn’t made public.

Indicates the degree of digestion or breakdown performed on a solid sample prior to analysis.

EIM no longer takes this info

Historical Valid Values:

• Total - solid sample digested with acid to free up analyte prior to analysis; includes total recoverable
• Complete - similar to Total, but completely dissolves solids. Often uses HF acid.

Previously required for metals in soil and sediment unless Fraction Analyzed is “Lab Leachate”

The primary use or type of well or monitoring location.

Download help for EIWs (Temporary Environmental Investigation Wells) and Air, Vapor, and Soil Gas Data.

Estimated accuracy of a well water measurement or a vertical hydraulic gradient measurement.

well water level and vertical hydraulic gradient measurements.

Procedure, method or instrument technology used to obtain a result. Includes lab (analysis), and field (measurement) methods.

Field Collection Type is Sample, Measurement, or QC Blank

Must be valid EIM Method Code.

• SW8260B
• GWLMT

Download help for learning About EIM Methods.

Need a method added to EIM? Contact us online or ask your data coordinator.

The depth of the completed well below land surface. In feet or meters.

except for EIWs with groundwater chemistry data only

• 48.84
• 20.00

Usually found on the well log.

Units in which a Well Completion Depth is expressed.

except for EIWs with groundwater chemistry data only

Comments about the Result Value.

results qualified with EST

Free text

• Result was qualified due to metal contamination during sampling and analysis
• Sample exceeded the 48 hour hold time as outlined in the QAPP

If you qualified your data because it exceeded holding time, say that in the comment.

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

The type of completion or nature of the openings that allow water to enter the well.

except for EIWs with groundwater chemistry data only

Does your well have a screen? Use “Cased, Open Interval.”

If “Other,” explain the Completion Type in the Well Construction Comment (column BJ).

Additional comments about the Result Value.

Free text

For chemistry data from WHM or related SAM studies, enter the DCE (data collection event) information here.

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

Distance from land surface to the top of the Well Open Interval. Includes screens, perforations, etc. In feet or meters.

except for EIWs with groundwater chemistry data only

• 20

Usually, depth to top of well screen. To include more information about this, use Well Construction Comment.

For open-ended wells, repeat Well Completion Depth (column AZ) in both Well Open Interval Upper Depth and Lower Depth.

Additional ID for lab replicate samples with the same primary Sample ID.

lab replicates with same Sample ID

Free text / preferred format

• 1, 2
• LR1, LR2
• REX1, REX2
• DIL1, DIL2

Lab (analytical) replicates are separate analyses of sub-samples created in the lab from a single field sample. They are used to assess error associated with sample heterogeneity, sample treatment, and analytical procedures - or variability of organism responses to toxicity tests.

Download help for Lab Dilutions and Re-Extractions.

Name of lab that analyzed the sample.

Field Collection Type is Sample

Must be valid EIM Lab Name.

• ALS Lab Group, Kelso WA
• EcoAnalysts Inc, Port Gamble WA

Don’t fill this out for Measurements.

Some labs have new names due to mergers. Use the name the lab was under when your samples were analyzed.

Need a lab added to EIM? Contact us online or ask your data coordinator.

Distance from land surface to the bottom of the well open interval. Includes screens, perforations, etc. In feet or meters.

except for EIWs with groundwater chemistry data only

• 23

Usually depth to bottom of well screen. To include more information about this, use Well Construction Comment.

For open-ended wells, use Well Completion Depth (AZ) for both Well Open Interval Upper Depth and Lower Depth.

Units in which the Well Open Interval Upper and Lower Depth is expressed.

except for EIWs with groundwater chemistry data only

Third-party or independent expert data validation following the most updated versions of USEPA guidance and national functional guidelines.

Pre-August 2013 data follows older guidance.

samples analyzed by EPA1668A, EPA1668B, EPA1668C, EPA1613A, EPA1613B, EPA1614, EPA1699

OR for studies where data are validated by third-party or independent experts following USEPA guidance and national functional guidelines.

This may include certain Ecology Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) sediment studies, TCP federal studies, and TCP cleanup studies.

If the data were NOT validated by third-party or independent experts, leave this field blank and specify QA information ONLY at the Study level (Study QA Assessment Level).

If your data were externally validated by third-party or independent experts and you are using this field to indicate the EPA validation stage, set your Study QA Assessment Level to “See Results.”

The minimum data validation stage for Toxics Cleanup Program data is EPA2B.

Pre-August 2013 data only:

• QA1
• QA2

The inner diameter of the outermost permanent casing used to complete the well. In centimeters or inches.

• 2
• 2.00

Report the inner diameter of the well itself and not that of the outer protective casing.

Scientific or common name of the subject taxon. This is used if what you are reporting is an organism count. This is not used if an analysis was performed on animal or plant tissue.

macro-invertebrate, periphyton, vertebrate, shellfish or plant counts or other taxonomic data submitted as counts.

Must be valid EIM Taxon Name.

• Leptoceridae
• Achelia gracilipes

If your data are not counts, but rather results from an analysis performed on animal or plant tissue, fill out Sample Taxon Name instead.

Need a critter added to EIM? Contact us online or ask your data coordinator.

Units in which Well Maximum Casing Diameter is expressed.

Well Maximum Casing Diameter is populated

Integrated Taxon Identification System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN).

Must be valid EIM Taxon TSN.

• 116547
• 83584

Material from which the well casing is made.

Indicates that a subject taxon hasn’t been positively identified to the species level. The next highest taxonomic level (usually genus) is indicated in the Result Taxon Name field.

more than one unidentified species in the same sample is reported under the same parent taxon.

For unidentified taxa, roll the Result Taxon Name and TSN up to the next taxonomic level (usually genus).

Assign codes sequentially for each unidentified, rolled up species with the same parent taxon in a sample.

Download help for Entering Unidentified Species Data.

Describes life stage of an organism.

some macro-invertebrate taxonomic data and vertebrate and shellfish counts.

This field is used to separate counts, for example when there are both adults and larvae of the same taxon in an individual sample. For freshwater macroinvertebrates it is required if other than larvae. For marine macroinvertebrates it's required if other than adult.

Download help for Benthic Invertebrate Identification and Counts.

Date that well construction was completed.

Format: MM/DD/YYYY

• 01/01/2000"

The method used to create the borehole and construct the well.

Type of QC blank reported.

Currently, EIM accepts method blank data only for low-level PCB congener methods (EPA1668C, B, or A).

method blank data by EPA1668C, B, or A

For method blank data, also enter “QC Blank” in Field Collection Type (column D) to distinguish it from regular results.

EIM won’t save method blank data for any other methods besides EPA1668C, B, or A.

Currently, EIM doesn’t accept other types of blank data, like trip or transfer.

Download help for Low-Level PCB Congener Data.

Comments or other important information about the construction of a well.

Free text

• Well constructed by owner. Depth is unknown.

Blank-censor indicator or factor. QC blank data are multiplied by this number to get the detection limit threshold.

For uncensored low-level PCB congener data, EIM auto-calculates 1x, 3x, 5x, 8x, and 10x blank-censored results. The data are downloadable via EIM Search.

uncensored low-level PCB data by EPA1668C, B, or A

Leave this field blank if it doesn't apply to your data.

For uncensored low-level PCB congener data by EPA1668C, B, or A, enter “Uncensored.”

Note: You can submit ANY data (PCB or otherwise) that’s already blank-censored and qualified. Indicate the blank-censor factor here. If you don’t know the blank censor factor, use “Factor Unknown.”

Download help for Low-Level PCB Congener Data.

Historical Uncensored - Historical data that is known to be uncensored/blank corrected but lacks method blank info needed for auto-censoring.

ID given to all environmental and QC samples analyzed in the same batch. Also known as analytical batch ID.

uncensored low-level PCB data by EPA1668C, B, or A

Free text

EIM accepts whatever format a lab provides.

Note: This field was added for low-level PCB congener data. Do not use this field for any other data types.

Download help for Low-Level PCB Congener Data.

Indicates a well that is used to represent upgradient conditions at a particular facility or site, and is (known or assumed to be) unaffected by that site. Doesn’t necessarily reflect "pristine" or "natural" conditions.

EIM no longer takes this info

Aquifer or pumping test report is available for this well. Download from EIM Search, Well Location Data Summary page (Logs and Other Documents). Does not include short-term bailer or air-lift tests performed by the driller during well construction or development.

EIM no longer takes this info

ID of gas chromatography (GC) column used in the analysis.

uncensored low-level PCB data by EPA1668C, B, or A

This field was added for low-level PCB congener data, but you can enter this for any pertinent data.

Download help for Low-Level PCB Congener Data.

Indicates whether an uncapped well would naturally flow due to artesian pressure.

well is naturally flowing