Basic Search
Use the form provided to specify your search criteria.  Results are returned in tabular (list) format with options to view metadata, plot data locations to a map, conduct an Advanced Search, or download a dataset, etc.

1. From the "Search Database" page, choose one of three primary categories under which to search EIM - by Study, Location, or Results. There are three to four sub-options under each category.  For example, under Study you can search by specifying a keyword or words from a Study Name or Purpose, picking from a list of Studies, or specifying a User Study ID, if you know it.
2. Use the form to specify your search criteria.
3. Click "Search."
4. A list of results meeting your search criteria will be returned.
5. Click on the appropriate hyperlink to view metadata, conduct an Advanced Search, or download, a dataset, etc.

Map Search
Navigate a map of Washington to pick an area or specific locations from which data is desired, using interactive map tools.  The locations and associated results can then be transformed into tabular format for viewing and downloading the data.

1. From the "Search Database" page, choose "Location - Search by Map."
2. Refer to "Help" on the map page for a detailed overview and information on how to use the map tools and data layers.

Advanced Search
There are two types of Advanced Search: Study and Parameter.

Study Advanced Search
Within a particular Study, Advanced Search allows you to filter data unique to that Study.  An example of when this might be useful is looking at data for a particular cleanup site.

1. From a list of Studies (such as one would generate under the example in Basic Search), choose "Advanced Search" from the Study in which you are interested.
2. This will open a form in which you can specify any of the following criteria specific to that Study: Field Activity Minimum and Maximum Dates, Parameters from a list or group, Sample Matrix and Source, Study Locations, Location Status, and Field Activity Data Originator.
3. Click "Search."
4. A list of results meeting your search criteria will be returned.
5. Click on the appropriate hyperlink to view metadata, conduct a Parameter Advanced Search, or download a dataset, etc.

Example of Study Advanced Search form.

Parameter Advanced Search
For a particular Parameter, Advanced Search allows you to filter the data by specifying the Sample Matrix and the Unit of Measure (UOM) in which you want the Results displayed.  In this process, EIM converts dissimilar UOMs to the UOM of choice.  Advanced Search also allows you to specify a Result Reported Value range.  This is useful if you want to see which Results exceed or are within a specific regulatory limit, etc.  A variation of Parameter Advanced Search is Study/Parameter Advanced Search, which allows further filtering of Parameter data within a particular Study.

1. From a list of Parameters (such as that generated under the example in Study Advanced Search), choose "Advanced Search" for the Parameter of interest.
2. This will open a form in which you can specify the Sample Matrix/Unit of Measure (UOM) and Result Reported Value range for that parameter.
3. Click "Search."
4. A list of results meeting your search criteria will be returned.

Example of Parameter Advanced Search form.

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Ready-made downloads
Ready-made datasets are available for download without the need to conduct a search. Go to the Downloads page to choose and download your datasets.  They are updated every weekend.  They include:

• WRIA Downloads - Monitoring results for entire Water Resource Inventory Areas (major watersheds).
• County Downloads - Monitoring results for entire Washington State counties.

Search and download
When Basic, Map, or Advanced Search results are returned, there is an option to download the data in the list.  Clicking "Download" will export the data to a ZIP file containing a CSV (comma separated variable) file or files suitable for importing into a spreadsheet (like MS Excel) or a database (like MS Access).  Study downloads include Study, Location, Result data files for the chosen Study.  If applicable, a Sample Method file will be included.  If the Study has Well Locations, the ZIP file will also include Well Location, Well Interval, Well Log, Well Pump, and Well Measuring Point files, if applicable.  Location downloads include a Result data file.  Result downloads include a Result data file for a specific Parameter.

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Metadata provides detail about data
Metadata is "data about data." EIM refers to metadata as "detail," containing this information for Studies (purpose, QA level, bibliographic link, etc.), Locations (type, geographic detail, etc.), Field Activities (start date, data originator, sample matrix, etc.), Parameters (CAS number/lab ID, etc.), and Methods (category, description, etc.).  Well data is included under Locations and includes details about well construction, use, and intervals, etc.

How to access metadata
Metadata is accessible from search lists by clicking the inline text.  For example, to view Study metadata, click on a Study Name in a list of Studies.  This will open a page displaying Study detail.  Likewise, clicking on User Study ID, Study Status, Study Start Date, and Study QA Level will open the same page.  You will notice that these columns are grouped together in the search list.  Metadata is also incorporated into the downloadable files, as explained above in How do I download data from EIM? - Search and Download.

Example of a Location metadata page.

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Data is refreshed every weekend
Data on this site is refreshed from Ecology's internal EIM database once per week, normally on the weekend.  This date is posted on the upper right-hand portion of the Search Database pages and on the Downloads page. (Ex. EIM data last updated on Sunday, January 5, 2006).

EIM Reference Tables are always current.

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Field names and column headings for data
The data dictionary contains descriptions of field names and column headings for the EIM Import Module and Database Search.  Throughout the user interface, you can click on any field name or column heading to open an interactive help window with the description.  We have also provided a downloadable, printable list of field names and column headings in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).  It is available below and is also included with all downloads.  Opening it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, free software that allows you to view and print PDF files.

•   Download printable EIM data dictionary (in packet with data submittal documents).

All the terms in the EIM Data Dictionary can also be accessed through the online EIM Help System.  Just type a term in the search box and a list from which you can pick will be displayed.

•   Go to searchable EIM data dictionary

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Valid values for parameters, methods, units of measure, labs, taxon, and tissue types
Reference tables, also known as lookup tables, contain valid values for EIM parameters, methods, units of measure, labs, taxon, and tissue types. 

You can download the reference tables in CSV format by going to Reference Tables on the Downloads page.  The parameter and taxon reference tables also contain synonyms and common names, respectively.  The downloadable reference tables contain values that are about a week old.

•   Download EIM reference tables

You can also access the "live" reference tables through our Submit Data page.  You need to make an account and login to see them.  You can search and download the reference tables there.

To see changes (additions, deletions, modifications) that have been made to the reference tables from 2005 forward, please see the following document.  It's an Excel document that you can filter and sort by date, reference table, etc.

•   See reference table changes

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Information on specific topics, primarily for data submittal
Information on topics like non-detects, petroleum hydrocarbon data, EIM method coding scheme, etc.

•   Go to EIM focused help docs

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Refer to the Submit Data page for detailed information.

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Refer to the About EIM page for detailed information.

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Refer to the About EIM page for this information.