DNR Groundwater Retrieval Network
Glossary of Terms and Definitions
C.A.S. #: A unique number assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service to every uniquely identifiable substance.
Enforcement Standard (ES): The standard for the concentration of a substance in groundwater as listed in ch. NR 140, Wis. Adm. Code. The enforcement standard serves as both a minimum cleanup standard and a maximum concentration allowed in groundwater before action must be taken.
FID: Facility identification number; the number of the facility or water system for the well.
Groundwater Extraction Well: A well installed for the purpose of pumping contaminated groundwater out of the ground or for pumping groundwater to lower the water table (also known as de-watering) to install a pipeline in a trench.
Limit of Detection: The lowest concentration of a substance that can be determined to be significantly different from zero.
Limit of Quantitation: The level above which a quantifiable concentration can be measured in a sample with a specific degree of confidence.
Monitoring Well: A well or drillhole constructed for the purpose of obtaining information on the physical, chemical, radiological, or biological characteristics of the groundwater.
Municipal Community (MC): An MC public system serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. These systems include cities, villages, and sanitary districts.
Non-potable Private: A non-public water system supplying water for purposes other than human consumption, sanitary use, or for the preparation of food or pharmaceutical products.
Non-transient Non-community (NN): An NN public water system is one that is not a community water system and regularly serves at least 25 of the sample people over six months per year. These include schools, day care centers, and factories.
Other Than Municipal Community (OC): An OC public water system is one that is not a municipal system and serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Thes include mobile home parks, apartment buildings, and condominium complexes.
Piezometer: A groundwater monitoring well, sealed below the water table, installed for the specific purpose of determining either the elevation of the potentiometric surface or the physical, chemical, biological, or radiological properties of groundwater at some point within the saturated zone, or both.
Preventive Action Limit (PAL): The limit for the concentration of a substance in groundwater as listed in ch. NR 140, Wis. Adm. Code. The PAL serves as a cleanup goal, as a means to inform agencies of potential groundwater contamination problems, and as a basis for facility design and management criteria to minimize and prevent groundwater contamination.
Private Potable: A non-public water system supplying water for human consumption, sanitary use, or for the preparation of food or pharmaceutical products.
Sample Analytical Data: Shows detailed information about the groundwater sample that was collected from a well. Groundwater samples are usually analyzed only for those substances that are of interest or concern to the person collecting or requesting the sample.
Sample Analytical Qualifier: A code or text that further describes a sample analytical result.
Sample Analytical Result: The concentration of a substance in a groundwater sample as measured by a laboratory or field instrument. The concentration is expressed as a unit of measure such as milligrams per liter (mg/L) or micrograms per liter (ug/L).
Sample Collection Date: Date on which the well sample was collected.
Sample ID: Identification number or code assigned by a lab to a sample for unique identification.
Static Water Level: The level of the surface of the water in a well or water pressure at the top of a well, when no water flows or is being pumped. For flowing wells with a positive water pressure at the top of a well, the static water elevation is determined by a stilling pipe or pressure guage. Water levels are referenced to the elevation of the top of the well or the established ground surface at the well.
Storet Parameter Code: Five character numeric code assigned by the U.S. EPA for each chemical compund.
Survey Range: Two digit range location. Ranges run north and south of the Principal Meridian, numbered to 20 West in Polk and Burnette counties and 30 East on the eastern half of Washington Island in Lake Michigan.
Survey Range Direction: One character direction indicator for east or west of the Principal Meridian in Wisconsin. The Principal Meridian vertical line starts at the junction of the current counties of Grant and Lafayette at the Illinois border and extends north going through the Outer Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. Valid entries are E or W.
Survey Section: Two digit section location. Sections are roughly one square mile. Thirty six sections make up a one township. Valid numbers are 1 - 36.
Survey Township: Two digit Public Land Survey Township number. Townships are in 53 bands running east and west across Wisconsin. Townships in Wisconsin are always measured north of the baseline.
Transient Non-community: A TN public water system is one that is not a community water system and serves at least 25 people at least 60 days of the year. These include motels, restaurants, parks, taverns, churches, and campgrounds.
WI Unique Well Number: A number assigned to new wells in Wisconsin since 1988. The number is used to keep track of groundwater quality in a specific well over time and is tied to well location and construction information. It is made up of two alphabetic characters followed by three numeric characters (e.g. AB123).
Unspecified Non-community: A public water system that is not a community water system. Examples include schools, waysides, and restaurants.
Watershed: A geographic unit delineated by surface water drainage.
Well Address: The street address of the well.
If you have questions or comments regarding GRN or this website please contact Amy Ihlenfeldt by phone (608) 266-2955 or e-mail amy.ihlenfeldt@dnr.state.wi.us.