Limno Team Data and Protocols - from the field to the database

Field Protocols

  • Limno Manual (PDF) - Important document outlining all field protocols for Limno Team members.
  • Field Data Ops: Jade Lawrence

Sample Chain Of Custody

  • During the season, all information for the Limno Runs are submitted using the Limno Run Coc Form. This provides the Analytical Team in the field and the data manager with information on all the samples being submitted as well as in-situ measurements being made.
  • Infomation from the COC forms is then uploaded into the database and provides a permanent record of all the information gathered from each Limno Run. This program was started during the 2006-2007 season. 
  • Someone will use this database to determine the appropriate sample names (Limno Run and Depth), and which data will ulitimately be submitted to the database. Therefore, it is very important that the COCs are filled out accurately and completely.

Submitting Data

First, read the MCM File Format Protocols document for general guidelines on how to correctly format data for submission

In order to ensure the database operates correctly, certain constraints are put on the values that can be entered into tables.

  1. Before submitting any data, you must submit information for all the Limno Runs for the season. This information includes the name of the Limno Run, location name, location code, starting date, ending date, and Lat/Long of the sample hole and is entered into the database table called LIMNO_RUN_CODING. Every data table contains a constraint that won’t allow data input unless the corresponding Limno Run is entered into this LIMNO_RUN_CODING table.
    • Raw Limno Run Data - click this link to view all the data in the LIMNO_RUN_CODING table. Please format your submission to look like these existing data
    • Limno Run Query Page - click this link to see how the information from the LIMNO_RUN_CODING table is used for web applications
  2. Any value you enter in the "Location Code" column must be one of these case sensitive codes.
    • FRX,VANLT1,TROLT1,MIELT1,JOYLT1,CHAD-N,CHADLT1,DJPond,
      VIDALT1,HORLT1,FRXLT1,BRNWTH,BONW20,BONE30,GARLT1
  3. Any value you enter in the "Location Name" column must match one of the name below. These are case sensitive:
    • Lake Vanda, Lake Trough, Lake Miers, Lake Joyce, Lake Hoare, 
      Lake Fryxell,  Lake Brownworth, West Lake Bonney, East Lake Bonney, 
      Don Juan Pond,  Lake Garwood, Lake Chad at Narrows, Lake Bonney, 
      Lake House, Lake Vida, Lake Chad

The design of the database tables is fairly consistent. All tables contain the following columns. It is very important that the columns be filled in exactly as speficied - the database is case sensitive.

  • DATASET_CODE – this is the same as the Oracle table name, it is the unique identifier for that table
  • LIMNO_RUN – the name of the limno run during which the sample was taken. This value must exactly match the one entered into the LIMNO_RUN_CODING table
  • LOCATION_NAME – the name of the lake at which the sample was collected. This value must exactly match a value of the location names above.
  • LOCATION_CODE – the location code at which the sample was collected. This value must exactly match a value of the codes above
  • DATE_TIME – the date/time should be in the format ‘MM/DD/YYYY’ for date only, or ‘MM/DD/YYYY HH24:MI’ for date and time. The date must be within the START_DATE and END_DATE in the LIMNO_RUN_CODING table.
  • DEPTH (m) - never submit QC samples. There should only be one sample per depth per Limno Run. This is very important because tables are joined based on the unique combination of Limno Run and Depth - if there are multiple depths, there is no unique identifier for the sample.
  • FILE_NAME – the name of the file you’re submitting. This column is useful to locate the original file.

All data must be submitted in the same format as the database.  After your data submission file is correctly formatted, email it to the data manager in a comma delimited format (.csv) or excel (.xls, .xlsx). The file should be named using a combination of the table name and season - for example, CTD data for the 2016-2017 season would be called LIMNO_CTD_1617.csv

If you have any questions, please contact the data manager before you put too much work into something that will ultimately need to be redone!