Background Water Quality Monitoring Network

 

Before changes in ground water quality can be detected, background water quality must be determined. Background water quality refers to water quality in an area of the aquifer which is representative of the general ground water quality of the region. It is not designed to be associated with degradation from contamination sources.

The Background Network is designed to help define background water quality through a network of over 1700 wells that tap the three aquifer systems in the state. The first sampling of each well in the network involves the measurement of a comprehensive set of field and chemical parameters. These analyses, combined with historical data, can be used to estimate background ground water quality.

After the initial samples are collected and analyzed, background monitoring wells are periodically sampled for a standard list of aquifer characterizing parameters, as well as an extended group or series of parameters, that can act as indicators of contamination or degradation. These extended parameter groups are pesticides, trace metals, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) & base neutral acid extractables (BNAs).

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1994 - 1997 Sampling Results Report
 

This web report titled "Florida Ground Water Quality Monitoring Network Summary 1994-1997" presents the results of the complete sampling of the background water quality of Florida’s major potable aquifer systems.  The report statistically summarizes data from the sampling of the Florida Background Ground Water Quality Network, collected from October 1994 - September 1997.

The report includes:

• a description of the Background Network,
• a materials and methods chapter describing sampling and chemical procedures, and
• a table listing parameter specific information such as,
  • analytical method,
  • minimum detection levels (MDLs),
  • practical quantitation limits (PQLs), etc. 

Additionally, it contains tables which provide the following information for each of the parameters analyzed:

• number of grid cells sampled per study unit,
• number of sampled wells per study unit,
• the method detection limit,
• minimum value,
• lower quartile value,
• median,
• upper quartile value, and
• maximum value.