Sample Types

Sample types and parameter classes are used to categorize water monitoring sites in the Water Data Catalogue. A listing of parameters included in each parameter class is provided to aid parameter-based searches. Sample type

Aquatic organisms: Measurements of species occurrence and population density of aquatic organisms.

Parameter class

Fish: The collection, counting, and identification of fish species to determine species occurrence and/or population density.

ParametersUnits
Biological characteristics, ageyears
Biological characteristics, dietspecies composition by volume
Biological characteristics, gendermale/female/unknown
Biological characteristics, lengthmm
Biological characteristics, maturitycategory
Biological characteristics, weightg
Relative abundance, catch per unit effortcount/time and sample gear characteristics
Species presence/absencebinary

Parameter class

Invertebrates: The collection, counting, and identification of macroinvertebrates to determine species occurrence and/or population density.

ParametersUnits
Benthic invertebrate compositionspecies type
Benthic invertebrate densitycount
Benthic invertebrate presence/absencebinary

Parameter class

Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.

ParametersUnits
Canopy coverage%
Habitat types (pools, rapids, riffles, straight runs)category
Macrophyte coverage%
Riparian zone (coniferous, deciduous, grasses/ferns, shrubs)category

Sample type

Hydrological: Hydrological measurements including streamflow, surface and groundwater level.

Parameter class

Depth to groundwater: The distance from the surface of the ground (or top of well casing) to the top surface of the water under the ground (in a borehole).

ParametersUnits
Original static water level below ground surfacem
Water level below top of casingm
Water level, gauge or piezometric readingm

Parameter class

Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.

ParametersUnits
Average velocitym/s
Bankfull-wetted depthcm
Channel depth, averagecm
Channel depth, maximumcm
Channel width, bankfulm
Channel width, wettedm
Date of ice break-upday-of-year
Gradient over 30 degrees%
Ice thicknessm
Instantaneous velocitym/s
Maximum velocitym/s
Slopem/m

Parameter class

Streamflow discharge: The per unit time volume of water flow.

ParametersUnits
Instantaneous dischargem^3/s

Parameter class

Surface water level: An arbitrary water level relative to a benchmark elevation.

ParametersUnits
Water level above a geodetic datumm

Sample type

Meteorological: Meteorological measurements including temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, and other climate-related parameters.

Parameter class

Humidity: Measurements of humidity, the quantity of water vapour in a given volume of surrounding air.

ParametersUnits
Daily maximum relative humidity%
Daily minimum relative humidity%
Hourly relative humidity%

Parameter class

Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.

ParametersUnits
Barometric pressuremb
Direct short radiationW/m^2
Hourly station pressurekPa
Hourly visibilitykm
Net radiationW/m^2
Reflected short radiationW/m^2
Soil heat fluxW/m^2
Soil moistureWC

Parameter class

Precipitation: Rain or snowfall amount recorded in liquid water equivalent.

ParametersUnits
24 hour rainfall at noon PSTmm
Daily total precipitationmm
Daily total rainmm
Daily total snowcm
One hour rainfallmm

Parameter class

Temperature: An index of radiation input – relative class of heating or cooling.

ParametersUnits
Air-snow interface temperatureC
Daily maximum temperatureC
Daily mean temperatureC
Daily minimum temperatureC
Hourly air temperatureC
Hourly dew point temperatureC
Soil temperatureC
Surface temperatureC

Parameter class

Wind: Measurements of wind direction and speed.

ParametersUnits
10-min mean wind speedkm/h
Daily direction of maximum gustDegrees true
Daily speed of maximum gustkm/h
Hourly maximum wind speedkm/h
Hourly wind directionDegrees true
Hourly wind speedkm/h

Sample type

Microbiological: Microbiological examinations of water samples to determine sanitary quality.

Parameter class

Microbiological: Microbiological tests for the detection and enumeration of indicator organisms and pathogens.

ParametersUnits
Coliform, Eschericiacfu/100mL
Coliform, fecalcfu/100mL
Coliform, fecal, MPN techniqueMPN/100mL
Coliforms, Eschericia, MPN techniqueMPN/100mL
Coliforms, totalcfu/100mL
Coliforms, total, MPN techniqueMPN/100mL
Giardia, string wound filter sent for analysiscount/100L
Giardia, water sample sent for analysiscount/L
Heterotrophic plate countcfu/1mL
Heterotrophic plate count, luminescent techniqueMPN/mL

Sample type

Sediment chemistry: Analyses for organic, inorganic, nutrient and metal compounds in sediments.

Parameter class

Inorganics: Analyses for inorganic nonmetallic constituents, including sulphate, fluoride, cyanide, chlorine, bromine, pH, and dissolved oxygen.

ParametersUnits
Cyanide, total in sedimentmg/kg
Sulphur, total in sedimentmg/kg

Parameter class

Metals: Measurements of dissolved, extractable or total metals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, gold, iron, lead, mercury, selenium, zinc, and more.

ParametersUnits
Aluminum, total in sedimentmg/kg
Antimony, total in sedimentmg/kg
Arsenic, total in sedimentmg/kg
Barium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Beryllilum, total in sedimentmg/kg
Bismuth, total in sedimentmg/kg
Boron, total in sedimentmg/kg
Cadmium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Calcium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Chromium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Cobalt, total in sedimentmg/kg
Copper, total in sedimentmg/kg
Gold, total in sedimentmg/kg
Iron, total in sedimentmg/kg
Lead, total in sedimentmg/kg
Magnesium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Manganese, total in sedimentmg/kg
Mercury, total in sedimentmg/kg
Metals, total in sedimentmg/kg
Molybdenum, total in sedimentmg/kg
Nickel, total in sedimentmg/kg
Potassium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Selenium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Silver, total in sedimentmg/kg
Sodium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Strontium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Thallium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Tin, total in sedimentmg/kg
Titanium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Vanadium, total in sedimentmg/kg
Zinc, total in sedimentmg/kg
Zirconium, total in sedimentmg/kg

Parameter class

Nutrients: Analyses for phosphorous and nitrogen based compounds.

ParametersUnits
Nitrogen, total in sedimentmg/kg
Phosphorus, total phosphate in sediment, as Pmg/kg
Phosphorus, total reacitve phosphate in sedimentmg/kg

Parameter class

Organics: Analyses for aggregate organic constituents and indvidual organic compounds including biochemical oxygen demand, phenols, oil & grease, and benzene.

ParametersUnits
Carbon, total organic in sedimentmg/kg
Hydrocarbonsmg/kg
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)mg/kg

Parameter class

Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.

ParametersUnits
Dominant substrate typecategory
Dominant sustrate sizemm
Mean particle sizeµm
Moisture Content%
Particle size fraction analysis% by weight
Solids, fixedmg/kg
Solids, volatilemg/kg
Substrate embeddednesscategory

Sample type

Snowpack: Snow measurements including snow depth and snow water equivalent.

Parameter class

Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.

ParametersUnits
Snow density%

Parameter class

Snow depth: The distance from the top surface of the snow to the surface of the ground.

ParametersUnits
Snow depthcm

Parameter class

Snow water equivalent: The depth of liquid water contained in the snowpack, if the snowpack was melted.

ParametersUnits
Snow water equivalentmm

Sample type

Water chemistry: Measurements of physical properties of water; analyses for organic, inorganic, nutrient and metal compounds; as well as biological and toxicity testing.

Parameter class

Inorganics: Analyses for inorganic nonmetallic constituents, including sulphate, fluoride, cyanide, chlorine, bromine, pH, and dissolved oxygen.

ParametersUnits
Acidity or alkalinity, fieldpH
Acidity or alkalinity, laboratorypH
Brominemg/L
Carbon dioxide gasppm
Chloridemg/L
Chlorine, free residualmg/L
Chlorine, totalmg/L
Cyanatemg/L
Cyanide, freemg/L
Cyanide, strong acid dissociablemg/L
Cyanide, totalmg/L
Cyanide, weak acid dissociablemg/L
Fluoridemg/L
Fluorinemg/L
Oxygen, dissolved, fieldmg/L
Ratio of deuterium and oxygen isotopesratio
Simple cyanide, pyridine-barbituric acid methodmg/L
Sulphate, dissolvedmg/L
Sulphate, not specified as total or dissolvedmg/L
Sulphate, totalmg/L
Sulphidemg/L
Sulphite, dissolvedmg/L
Thiocyanatemg/L

Parameter class

Metals: Measurements of dissolved, extractable or total metals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, gold, iron, lead, mercury, selenium, zinc, and more.

ParametersUnits
Aluminum, dissolvedmg/L
Aluminum, extractablemg/L
Aluminum, totalmg/L
Antimony, dissolvedmg/L
Antimony, extractablemg/L
Antimony, totalmg/L
Arsenic, dissolvedmg/L
Arsenic, extractablemg/L
Arsenic, totalmg/L
Barium, dissolvedmg/L
Barium, extractablemg/L
Barium, totalmg/L
Beryllium, dissolvedmg/L
Beryllium, extractablemg/L
Beryllium, totalmg/L
Bismuth, dissolvedmg/L
Bismuth, extractablemg/L
Bismuth, totalmg/L
Boron, dissolvedmg/L
Boron, extractablemg/L
Boron, totalmg/L
Cadmium, dissolvedmg/L
Cadmium, extractablemg/L
Cadmium, totalmg/L
Calcium, dissolvedmg/L
Calcium, extractablemg/L
Calcium, totalmg/L
Chromium, dissolvedmg/L
Chromium, extractablemg/L
Chromium, totalmg/L
Cobalt, dissolvedmg/L
Cobalt, extractablemg/L
Cobalt, totalmg/L
Copper, dissolvedmg/L
Copper, extractablemg/L
Copper, totalmg/L
Iron, dissolvedmg/L
Iron, extractablemg/L
Iron, totalmg/L
Lanthanium, dissolvedmg/L
Lanthanium, extractablemg/L
Lanthanium, totalmg/L
Lead, dissolvedmg/L
Lead, extractablemg/L
Lead, totalmg/L
Lithium, dissolvedmg/L
Lithium, extractablemg/L
Lithium, totalmg/L
Magnesium, dissolvedmg/L
Magnesium, extractablemg/L
Magnesium, totalmg/L
Manganese, dissolvedmg/L
Manganese, extractablemg/L
Manganese, totalmg/L
Mercury, dissolvedmg/L
Mercury, extractablemg/L
Mercury, totalmg/L
Molybdenum, dissolvedmg/L
Molybdenum, extractablemg/L
Molybdenum, totalmg/L
Nickel, dissolvedmg/L
Nickel, extractablemg/L
Nickel, totalmg/L
Phosphorus, dissolved (not colourmetric)mg/L
Phosphorus, extractable (not colourmetric)mg/L
Phosphorus, total (not colourmetric)mg/L
Potassium, dissolvedmg/L
Potassium, extractablemg/L
Potassium, totalmg/L
Selenium, dissolvedmg/L
Selenium, extractablemg/L
Selenium, totalmg/L
Selenium, total by graphite furnace methodmg/L
Silicon, dissolvedmg/L
Silicon, extractablemg/L
Silicon, totalmg/L
Silver, dissolvedmg/L
Silver, extractablemg/L
Silver, totalmg/L
Sodium, dissolvedmg/L
Sodium, extractablemg/L
Sodium, totalmg/L
Strontium, dissolvedmg/L
Strontium, extractablemg/L
Strontium, totalmg/L
Sulphur, dissolvedmg/L
Sulphur, extractablemg/L
Sulphur, totalmg/L
Tellurium, dissolvedmg/L
Tellurium, extractablemg/L
Tellurium, totalmg/L
Thallium, dissolvedmg/L
Thallium, extractablemg/L
Thallium, totalmg/L
Thorium, dissolvedmg/L
Thorium, extractablemg/L
Thorium, totalmg/L
Tin, dissolvedmg/L
Tin, extractablemg/L
Tin, totalmg/L
Titanium, dissolvedmg/L
Titanium, extractablemg/L
Titanium, totalmg/L
Tungsten, dissolvedmg/L
Tungsten, extractablemg/L
Tungsten, totalmg/L
Uranium, dissolvedmg/L
Uranium, extractablemg/L
Uranium, totalmg/L
Vanadium, dissolvedmg/L
Vanadium, extractablemg/L
Vanadium, totalmg/L
Zinc, dissolvedmg/L
Zinc, extractablemg/L
Zinc, totalmg/L
Zirconium, dissolvedmg/L
Zirconium, extractablemg/L
Zirconium, totalmg/L

Parameter class

Nutrients: Analyses for phosphorous and nitrogen based compounds.

ParametersUnits
Ammonium nitrogen (NH3, NH4+), as Nmg/L
Nitrate nitrogen, as Nmg/L
Nitrite and nitrate nitrogen, as Nmg/L
Nitrite nitrogen, as Nmg/L
Phosphorus, total dissolved phosphate, as Pmg/L
Phosphorus, total phosphate, as Pmg/L
Phosphorus, total reactive (ortho) phosphate, as Pmg/L
Total kjeldahl nitrogen (organic nitrogen), as Nmg/L

Parameter class

Organics: Analyses for aggregate organic constituents and indvidual organic compounds including biochemical oxygen demand, phenols, oil & grease, and benzene.

ParametersUnits
Benzeneug/L
Biochemical oxygen demand, 5-daymg/L
Caffeinemg/L
Carbon, dissolved organicmg/L
Carbon, total inorganicmg/L
Carbon, total organicmg/L
Chemical oxygen demandmg/L
Ethylbenzeneug/L
Extractable petroleum hydrocarbons, 10-19 rangeug/L
Extractable petroleum hydrocarbons, 19-32 rangeug/L
Methane gasppm
Mineral oil & grease aka total petroleum hydrocarbonmg/L
Oil & greasemg/L
Oil & grease, totalmg/L
Phenols, totalmg/L
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)ug/L
Styreneug/L
Surfactantsmg/L
Tolueneug/L
Trihalomethanesmg/L
Volatile Organic Compoundsug/L
Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons, 6-10 rangeug/L
Xylenes (meta and para)ug/L
Xylenes (ortho)ug/L
Xylenes, total (ortho, meta, and para)ug/L

Parameter class

Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.

ParametersUnits
Radium 226Bq/L

Parameter class

Physical: Measurements of physical and aggregate properties of water including colour, turbidity, odour, taste, acidity, alkalinity, hardness, conductivity, salinity, solids, and temperature.

ParametersUnits
Acidity to pH 8.3mgCaCO3/L
Alkalinity, bicarbonate HCO3mg/L
Alkalinity, carbonate CO3mg/L
Alkalinity, hydroxide OHmg/L
Alkalinity, phenolphthaleinmgCaCO3/L
Alkalinity, totalmgCaCO3/L
Calculated HardnessmgCaCO3/L
Colour, trueTCU
Conductivity, fielduS/cm
Conductivity, labuS/cm
Flow rate, volumetricL/s
Hardness, calcualted from total metal scanmgCaCO3/L
Hardness, calculated from dissolved metal scanmgCaCO3/L
Instantaneous suspended sediment concentrationmg/l
Oxidation, reduction potentialmV
Secchi disc depthm
Settleable solidsml/L
Suspended sediment single sampling verticalm
Temperature, fieldC
Total dissolved solidsmg/L
Total suspended solidsmg/L
TurbidityNTU

Parameter class

Toxicity: Toxicity tests to determine the relative sensitivity of aquatic organisms to an effluent or toxicant.

ParametersUnits
Daphnia magna, percent%
Daphnia magna, timeh
Lethal Concentration @ 50% Mortal Bioassay%
Lethal Time @ 50% Mortal Bioassay at 100% concentrationh
Sublethal toxicity (growth, reproduction, survival)Sublethal toxicity
(growth, reproduction, survival)