1 Web Services USGS/EPA Collaboration November 27, 2007 Dwane Young, U.S. EPA Nate Booth, USGS

2 USGS NWIS* & STORET Over Time 1999: Modern STORET 2003: USGS / EPA Agreement 2007: Water- Quality Data Exchange 1960s: NWPCA (WATSTORE) NWIS* Legacy STORET Data copied from NWIS to STORET 1972 EPA created * USGS National Water Information System

3 Why Now?  Business: Water-quality data standards (NWQMC) Water-quality data standards (NWQMC) Move towards monitoring network partnerships Move towards monitoring network partnerships  Technical: Industry move towards data and process sharing Industry move towards data and process sharing Technology standards Technology standards

4 Overview  EPA and USGS are working together to develop a commons suite of web services  These services will allow for sharing of water monitoring data via a common format and common terminology  The initial project is underway, and the new web services are now available, some work remains to accommodate WQX 2.0 and to ensure final compatibility

5 What is a Web Service? USGS EPA Internet (XML) Computer-to-computer Uses Input parameters and outputs XML Can be used in multiple ways by many applications

6 A common web service example Input Parameter: Zip Code Weather Network Returns XML Weatherbug translates XML into information for the task bar Weatherbug is an example that many are familiar with This is all done via a Web Service

7 An example using Monitoring Data

8 NWIS Water-Quality Web Services

9 XML XML

10 XML XLS

11 XML Google Earth (KML)

12 What Web Services are planned?  Four core services are being developed: Stations service – provides specific station information Stations service – provides specific station information Results service – provides results for modeling, analysis, and decision making Results service – provides results for modeling, analysis, and decision making Watershed/Station Catalog service – provides summary information on what data are available Watershed/Station Catalog service – provides summary information on what data are available Project Catalog service – provides summary information by projects based on an input of min/max latitude/longitude Project Catalog service – provides summary information by projects based on an input of min/max latitude/longitude

13 So What?  Web Services allow for more accessibility to the data. You are no longer limited to EPA or USGS interfaces for interacting with the data.  Web Services makes a STORET/NWIS collaboration possible.

14 So What? (cont’d)  Web services can: potentially serve as feeds for other state reporting or analysis databases potentially serve as feeds for other state reporting or analysis databases provide a commonly formatted dataset for data analysis and modeling provide a commonly formatted dataset for data analysis and modeling serve as the backbone for project data applications (mashups) serve as the backbone for project data applications (mashups)

15 A Theoretical Application A user zooms into an area of interest The Stations Web Service returns the list of stations with lat/longs for that area of interest The Application draws the stations on the map and then calls the catalog web service to get summary information The Application also calls the Projects catalog web service so that it can display project summary information The user can then interact with the data, retrieving data by: Station Date Range Chemical Name etc.

16 STORET/NWIS Collaboration  A USGS/EPA workgroup has been formed to work through collaboration issues: Mapping the Parameter Codes to EPA’s Substance Registry System Mapping the Parameter Codes to EPA’s Substance Registry System Defining common site characteristics and sample media Defining common site characteristics and sample media Identifying a common schema (based on WQX) Identifying a common schema (based on WQX) Developing common web services with common input parameters Developing common web services with common input parameters

17 Schedule  EPA services are now available and USGS services are in testing  Some final work needs to be done to ensure final compatibility  Expect full implementation by early next year

18 What’s Next?  A common portal for interacting with these services will need to be developed  Expanding the net: These methodologies could grow beyond the current collaboration, and potentially include: These methodologies could grow beyond the current collaboration, and potentially include: Sharing data with other countries (Canada, Mexico)Sharing data with other countries (Canada, Mexico) NOAANOAA Army Corps of EngineersArmy Corps of Engineers National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation Other EPA offices running monitoring operations (Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay)Other EPA offices running monitoring operations (Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay)

19 What’s Next? (cont’d)  Define a common spatial framework: Streams: NHD Streams: NHD Groundwater: Aquifer Groundwater: Aquifer  Choose a common methods dictionary (NEMI)  Expand schema to better describe suspended sediment and groundwater data  Deal with duplicated data  USGS considering Exchange Network node (2.0)  USGS “closing loop” with faster data refresh  Other USGS web services: Daily, Unit values

20 Q&A