Abstract:
The STORET data management system (short for STOrage and RETrieval) is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) database of environmental data relating to water quality. The database contains raw biological, chemical, and physical data on surface and ground water collected by federal, state and local agencies, Indian Tribes, volunteer groups, academics, and others. All 50 States, territories, and jurisdictions of the U.S. are represented in the system. Each sampling result in STORET is accompanied by information on where the sample was taken (latitude, longitude, state, county, Hydrologic Unit Code and a brief site identification), when the sample was gathered, the medium sampled (e.g., water, sediment, fish tissue), and the name of the organization that sponsored the monitoring. In addition, STORET contains information on why the data were gathered, sampling and analytical methods used, the laboratory used to analyze the samples, the quality control checks used, and the personnel responsible for the data. Data are contributed by a number of organizations including federal, state, and interstate agencies, universities, contractors, individuals and water laboratories. Each provider is responsible for the data it submits to STORET.
Purpose:
This dataset provides STORET data pertinent to the metropolitan area of New York and New Jersey. Water quality, air temperature, and sediment contaminant data were collected by the National Park Service, State of New York, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Water, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the Interstate Sanitation Commission between July 1972 and September 2005.