Physical observations include measurement of attributes such as
specific conductance and pH level.

A semi-volatile organic compound is an organic compound that has
a boiling point higher than water and which may vaporize when
exposed to temperatures above room temperature. Examples of
semi-volatile organic compounds include phenols and polynuclear
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).

Volatile organics compounds (VOCs) are carbon-containing
chemicals that have high enough vapor pressures under normal
conditions to vaporize into the atmosphere. Common VOCs include
paint thinners, dry cleaning solvents and some constituents of
petroleum fuels.

The MPCA oversees the clean up of many types of chemical spills
and accidents. More information about programs involved with
these issues is available on the MPCA's <a
href="http://www.pca.state.mn.us/cleanup/index.html">Cleanup page</a>.

Minnesota disposes of some if its waste or garbage in <a
href="http://www.pca.state.mn.us/cleanup/landfills.html">Landfills</a&gt; Landfills are permitted by the MPCA. Currently operating landfills must monitor the ground water underneath the facility to determine if contaminants are leaching out.
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Ground water underneath some old landfills that are now closed is carefully monitored, too.

This refers to the "quality" of the data used in the assessment
and refers to the number and extent of observations available
for the assessment. The terms used were derived from USEPA
guidance but actual classifications were developed by MPCA as
follows: Poor - < 4 TP observations; Fair - 4 <= TP< 8, some
chlorophyll-a and Secchi; Good - 8 < TP < 10, some chlorophyll-
a and Secchi; and Excellent - 10 or more TP, chlorophyll-a and
Secchi observations.

Sometimes accidents happen, and spills occur. Or we learn that
commonly used materials are hazardous, such as asbestos. The
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) identifies, regulates
and cleans up <a
href=

Ambient monitoring has two primary objectives. These are 1) to
determine the status of the ground water resources, and 2) to
identify trends in water quality over time. Between 1989 and
2001, the MPCA conducted ambient monitoring through the Ground
Water Monitoring and Assessment Program (GWMAP). In 2003, the
MPCA re-established an ambient monitoring effort.

Text used by MPCA staff to describe a well. It can be an ID
number, incorporate the name of the site where it is located, or
there may no station name. The naming convention for stations
varies by program.
<br><br>
Private wells that are a part of the ambient groundwater
monitoring program sometimes use the name of the well owner.
These well names were removed from the Environmental Data Access
due to the transient nature of the well owner name.

An alphanumeric code used by MPCA staff to identify a specific
well or geoprobe location.