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.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Biological characteristics, age | years |
Biological characteristics, diet | species composition by volume |
Biological characteristics, gender | male/female/unknown |
Biological characteristics, length | mm |
Biological characteristics, maturity | category |
Biological characteristics, weight | g |
Relative abundance, catch per unit effort | count/time and sample gear characteristics |
Species presence/absence | binary |
Parameter class
Invertebrates: The collection, counting, and identification of macroinvertebrates to determine species occurrence and/or population density.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Benthic invertebrate composition | species type |
Benthic invertebrate density | count |
Benthic invertebrate presence/absence | binary |
Parameter class
Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
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).
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Original static water level below ground surface | m |
Water level below top of casing | m |
Water level, gauge or piezometric reading | m |
Parameter class
Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Average velocity | m/s |
Bankfull-wetted depth | cm |
Channel depth, average | cm |
Channel depth, maximum | cm |
Channel width, bankful | m |
Channel width, wetted | m |
Date of ice break-up | day-of-year |
Gradient over 30 degrees | % |
Ice thickness | m |
Instantaneous velocity | m/s |
Maximum velocity | m/s |
Slope | m/m |
Parameter class
Streamflow discharge: The per unit time volume of water flow.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Instantaneous discharge | m^3/s |
Parameter class
Surface water level: An arbitrary water level relative to a benchmark elevation.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Water level above a geodetic datum | m |
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.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Daily maximum relative humidity | % |
Daily minimum relative humidity | % |
Hourly relative humidity | % |
Parameter class
Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Barometric pressure | mb |
Direct short radiation | W/m^2 |
Hourly station pressure | kPa |
Hourly visibility | km |
Net radiation | W/m^2 |
Reflected short radiation | W/m^2 |
Soil heat flux | W/m^2 |
Soil moisture | WC |
Parameter class
Precipitation: Rain or snowfall amount recorded in liquid water equivalent.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
24 hour rainfall at noon PST | mm |
Daily total precipitation | mm |
Daily total rain | mm |
Daily total snow | cm |
One hour rainfall | mm |
Parameter class
Temperature: An index of radiation input – relative class of heating or cooling.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Air-snow interface temperature | C |
Daily maximum temperature | C |
Daily mean temperature | C |
Daily minimum temperature | C |
Hourly air temperature | C |
Hourly dew point temperature | C |
Soil temperature | C |
Surface temperature | C |
Parameter class
Wind: Measurements of wind direction and speed.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
10-min mean wind speed | km/h |
Daily direction of maximum gust | Degrees true |
Daily speed of maximum gust | km/h |
Hourly maximum wind speed | km/h |
Hourly wind direction | Degrees true |
Hourly wind speed | km/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.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Coliform, Eschericia | cfu/100mL |
Coliform, fecal | cfu/100mL |
Coliform, fecal, MPN technique | MPN/100mL |
Coliforms, Eschericia, MPN technique | MPN/100mL |
Coliforms, total | cfu/100mL |
Coliforms, total, MPN technique | MPN/100mL |
Giardia, string wound filter sent for analysis | count/100L |
Giardia, water sample sent for analysis | count/L |
Heterotrophic plate count | cfu/1mL |
Heterotrophic plate count, luminescent technique | MPN/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.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Cyanide, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Sulphur, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Parameter class
Metals: Measurements of dissolved, extractable or total metals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, gold, iron, lead, mercury, selenium, zinc, and more.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Aluminum, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Antimony, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Arsenic, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Barium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Beryllilum, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Bismuth, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Boron, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Cadmium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Calcium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Chromium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Cobalt, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Copper, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Gold, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Iron, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Lead, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Magnesium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Manganese, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Mercury, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Metals, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Molybdenum, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Nickel, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Potassium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Selenium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Silver, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Sodium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Strontium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Thallium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Tin, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Titanium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Vanadium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Zinc, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Zirconium, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Parameter class
Nutrients: Analyses for phosphorous and nitrogen based compounds.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Nitrogen, total in sediment | mg/kg |
Phosphorus, total phosphate in sediment, as P | mg/kg |
Phosphorus, total reacitve phosphate in sediment | mg/kg |
Parameter class
Organics: Analyses for aggregate organic constituents and indvidual organic compounds including biochemical oxygen demand, phenols, oil & grease, and benzene.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Carbon, total organic in sediment | mg/kg |
Hydrocarbons | mg/kg |
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) | mg/kg |
Parameter class
Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Dominant substrate type | category |
Dominant sustrate size | mm |
Mean particle size | µm |
Moisture Content | % |
Particle size fraction analysis | % by weight |
Solids, fixed | mg/kg |
Solids, volatile | mg/kg |
Substrate embeddedness | category |
Sample type
Snowpack: Snow measurements including snow depth and snow water equivalent.
Parameter class
Other: Other measurements not classified in given categories.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Snow density | % |
Parameter class
Snow depth: The distance from the top surface of the snow to the surface of the ground.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Snow depth | cm |
Parameter class
Snow water equivalent: The depth of liquid water contained in the snowpack, if the snowpack was melted.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Snow water equivalent | mm |
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.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Acidity or alkalinity, field | pH |
Acidity or alkalinity, laboratory | pH |
Bromine | mg/L |
Carbon dioxide gas | ppm |
Chloride | mg/L |
Chlorine, free residual | mg/L |
Chlorine, total | mg/L |
Cyanate | mg/L |
Cyanide, free | mg/L |
Cyanide, strong acid dissociable | mg/L |
Cyanide, total | mg/L |
Cyanide, weak acid dissociable | mg/L |
Fluoride | mg/L |
Fluorine | mg/L |
Oxygen, dissolved, field | mg/L |
Ratio of deuterium and oxygen isotopes | ratio |
Simple cyanide, pyridine-barbituric acid method | mg/L |
Sulphate, dissolved | mg/L |
Sulphate, not specified as total or dissolved | mg/L |
Sulphate, total | mg/L |
Sulphide | mg/L |
Sulphite, dissolved | mg/L |
Thiocyanate | mg/L |
Parameter class
Metals: Measurements of dissolved, extractable or total metals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, gold, iron, lead, mercury, selenium, zinc, and more.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Aluminum, dissolved | mg/L |
Aluminum, extractable | mg/L |
Aluminum, total | mg/L |
Antimony, dissolved | mg/L |
Antimony, extractable | mg/L |
Antimony, total | mg/L |
Arsenic, dissolved | mg/L |
Arsenic, extractable | mg/L |
Arsenic, total | mg/L |
Barium, dissolved | mg/L |
Barium, extractable | mg/L |
Barium, total | mg/L |
Beryllium, dissolved | mg/L |
Beryllium, extractable | mg/L |
Beryllium, total | mg/L |
Bismuth, dissolved | mg/L |
Bismuth, extractable | mg/L |
Bismuth, total | mg/L |
Boron, dissolved | mg/L |
Boron, extractable | mg/L |
Boron, total | mg/L |
Cadmium, dissolved | mg/L |
Cadmium, extractable | mg/L |
Cadmium, total | mg/L |
Calcium, dissolved | mg/L |
Calcium, extractable | mg/L |
Calcium, total | mg/L |
Chromium, dissolved | mg/L |
Chromium, extractable | mg/L |
Chromium, total | mg/L |
Cobalt, dissolved | mg/L |
Cobalt, extractable | mg/L |
Cobalt, total | mg/L |
Copper, dissolved | mg/L |
Copper, extractable | mg/L |
Copper, total | mg/L |
Iron, dissolved | mg/L |
Iron, extractable | mg/L |
Iron, total | mg/L |
Lanthanium, dissolved | mg/L |
Lanthanium, extractable | mg/L |
Lanthanium, total | mg/L |
Lead, dissolved | mg/L |
Lead, extractable | mg/L |
Lead, total | mg/L |
Lithium, dissolved | mg/L |
Lithium, extractable | mg/L |
Lithium, total | mg/L |
Magnesium, dissolved | mg/L |
Magnesium, extractable | mg/L |
Magnesium, total | mg/L |
Manganese, dissolved | mg/L |
Manganese, extractable | mg/L |
Manganese, total | mg/L |
Mercury, dissolved | mg/L |
Mercury, extractable | mg/L |
Mercury, total | mg/L |
Molybdenum, dissolved | mg/L |
Molybdenum, extractable | mg/L |
Molybdenum, total | mg/L |
Nickel, dissolved | mg/L |
Nickel, extractable | mg/L |
Nickel, total | mg/L |
Phosphorus, dissolved (not colourmetric) | mg/L |
Phosphorus, extractable (not colourmetric) | mg/L |
Phosphorus, total (not colourmetric) | mg/L |
Potassium, dissolved | mg/L |
Potassium, extractable | mg/L |
Potassium, total | mg/L |
Selenium, dissolved | mg/L |
Selenium, extractable | mg/L |
Selenium, total | mg/L |
Selenium, total by graphite furnace method | mg/L |
Silicon, dissolved | mg/L |
Silicon, extractable | mg/L |
Silicon, total | mg/L |
Silver, dissolved | mg/L |
Silver, extractable | mg/L |
Silver, total | mg/L |
Sodium, dissolved | mg/L |
Sodium, extractable | mg/L |
Sodium, total | mg/L |
Strontium, dissolved | mg/L |
Strontium, extractable | mg/L |
Strontium, total | mg/L |
Sulphur, dissolved | mg/L |
Sulphur, extractable | mg/L |
Sulphur, total | mg/L |
Tellurium, dissolved | mg/L |
Tellurium, extractable | mg/L |
Tellurium, total | mg/L |
Thallium, dissolved | mg/L |
Thallium, extractable | mg/L |
Thallium, total | mg/L |
Thorium, dissolved | mg/L |
Thorium, extractable | mg/L |
Thorium, total | mg/L |
Tin, dissolved | mg/L |
Tin, extractable | mg/L |
Tin, total | mg/L |
Titanium, dissolved | mg/L |
Titanium, extractable | mg/L |
Titanium, total | mg/L |
Tungsten, dissolved | mg/L |
Tungsten, extractable | mg/L |
Tungsten, total | mg/L |
Uranium, dissolved | mg/L |
Uranium, extractable | mg/L |
Uranium, total | mg/L |
Vanadium, dissolved | mg/L |
Vanadium, extractable | mg/L |
Vanadium, total | mg/L |
Zinc, dissolved | mg/L |
Zinc, extractable | mg/L |
Zinc, total | mg/L |
Zirconium, dissolved | mg/L |
Zirconium, extractable | mg/L |
Zirconium, total | mg/L |
Parameter class
Nutrients: Analyses for phosphorous and nitrogen based compounds.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Ammonium nitrogen (NH3, NH4+), as N | mg/L |
Nitrate nitrogen, as N | mg/L |
Nitrite and nitrate nitrogen, as N | mg/L |
Nitrite nitrogen, as N | mg/L |
Phosphorus, total dissolved phosphate, as P | mg/L |
Phosphorus, total phosphate, as P | mg/L |
Phosphorus, total reactive (ortho) phosphate, as P | mg/L |
Total kjeldahl nitrogen (organic nitrogen), as N | mg/L |
Parameter class
Organics: Analyses for aggregate organic constituents and indvidual organic compounds including biochemical oxygen demand, phenols, oil & grease, and benzene.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Benzene | ug/L |
Biochemical oxygen demand, 5-day | mg/L |
Caffeine | mg/L |
Carbon, dissolved organic | mg/L |
Carbon, total inorganic | mg/L |
Carbon, total organic | mg/L |
Chemical oxygen demand | mg/L |
Ethylbenzene | ug/L |
Extractable petroleum hydrocarbons, 10-19 range | ug/L |
Extractable petroleum hydrocarbons, 19-32 range | ug/L |
Methane gas | ppm |
Mineral oil & grease aka total petroleum hydrocarbon | mg/L |
Oil & grease | mg/L |
Oil & grease, total | mg/L |
Phenols, total | mg/L |
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) | ug/L |
Styrene | ug/L |
Surfactants | mg/L |
Toluene | ug/L |
Trihalomethanes | mg/L |
Volatile Organic Compounds | ug/L |
Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons, 6-10 range | ug/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.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Radium 226 | Bq/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.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Acidity to pH 8.3 | mgCaCO3/L |
Alkalinity, bicarbonate HCO3 | mg/L |
Alkalinity, carbonate CO3 | mg/L |
Alkalinity, hydroxide OH | mg/L |
Alkalinity, phenolphthalein | mgCaCO3/L |
Alkalinity, total | mgCaCO3/L |
Calculated Hardness | mgCaCO3/L |
Colour, true | TCU |
Conductivity, field | uS/cm |
Conductivity, lab | uS/cm |
Flow rate, volumetric | L/s |
Hardness, calcualted from total metal scan | mgCaCO3/L |
Hardness, calculated from dissolved metal scan | mgCaCO3/L |
Instantaneous suspended sediment concentration | mg/l |
Oxidation, reduction potential | mV |
Secchi disc depth | m |
Settleable solids | ml/L |
Suspended sediment single sampling vertical | m |
Temperature, field | C |
Total dissolved solids | mg/L |
Total suspended solids | mg/L |
Turbidity | NTU |
Parameter class
Toxicity: Toxicity tests to determine the relative sensitivity of aquatic organisms to an effluent or toxicant.
Parameters | Units |
|---|---|
Daphnia magna, percent | % |
Daphnia magna, time | h |
Lethal Concentration @ 50% Mortal Bioassay | % |
Lethal Time @ 50% Mortal Bioassay at 100% concentration | h |
Sublethal toxicity (growth, reproduction, survival) | Sublethal toxicity (growth, reproduction, survival) |