Publication Summary

QA procedures for ground water sample collection, analysis, and reporting are presented in this document. Many of these procedures are presented as guidelines rather than absolute requirements, recognizing the differences in ground water quality problems, monitoring goals, and priorities for problem resolution amount the various GWMA′s. The goals of this document are: To ensure that high-quality, verifiable data are collected. To encourage cost-effective use of resources. To ensure that data are usable by Ecology and other state and local agencies.

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) will administer and oversee grants to Ground Water Management Areas (GWMA) designated under Chapter 173-100 WAC with funds appropriated under Sections 4 and 9, Chapter 3, Title 70, Laws of 1986. Existing ground water quality must be characterized during development of a Ground Water Management Program, and in many areas, ground water sampling will be carried out. An ongoing ground water monitoring system may also be part of each program′s implementation plan. A comprehensive, well-documented Quality Assurance (QA) Project Plan is necessary to ensure that new data are of adequate quality for the purposes of the Ground Water Management Areas as well as for use by the Department of Ecology and other agencies.