VDEQ Spring SITESThe VDEQ Spring SITES database contains data describing the geographic locations and site attributes of natural springs throughout the commonwealth. This data coverage continues to evolve and contains only spring locations known to exist with a reasonable degree of certainty on the date of publication. The dataset does not replace site specific inventorying or receptor surveys but can be used as a starting point. VDEQ's initial geospatial dataset of approximately 325 springs was formed in 2008 by digitizing historical spring information sheets created by State Water Control Board geologists in the 1970s through early 1990s. Additional data has been consolidated from the EPA STORET database, the U.S. Geological Survey's Ground Water Site Inventory (GWSI) and Geographic Names Inventory System (GNIS), the Virginia Department of Health SDWIS database, the Virginia DEQ Virginia Water Use Data Set (VWUDS), the Commonwealth of Virginia Division of Water Resources and Power Bulletin No. 1: "Springs of Virginia" by Collins et al., 1930 as well as several VDWR&P Surface Water Supply bulletins from the 1940's - 1950's. A 1992 Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries / Virginia Tech sponsored study by Helfrich et al. titled "Evaluation of the Natural Springs of Virginia: Fisheries Management Implications", a 2004 Rockbridge County groundwater resources report written by Frits van der Leeden, and several smaller datasets from consultants and citizens were evaluated and added to the database when confidence in locational accuracy was high or could be verified with aerial or LIDAR imagery. Significant contributions have been made throughout the years by VDEQ Groundwater Characterization staff site visits as well as other geologists working in the region including: Matt Heller at Virginia Division of Geology and Mineral Resources (VDMME), Wil Orndorff at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Karst Program (VDCR), and David Nelms and Dan Doctor of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Substantial effort has been made to improve locational accuracy and remove duplication present between data sources. Hundreds of spring locations that were originally obtained using topographic maps or unknown methods were updated to sub-meter locational accuracy using post-processed differential GPS (PPGPS) and through the use of several generations of aerial imagery (2002-2017) obtained from Virginia's Geographic Information Network (VGIN) and 1-meter LIDAR, where available. Scores of new spring locations were also obtained by systematic quadrangle by quadrangle analysis in areas of the Shenandoah Valley where 1-meter LIDAR datasets where obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey. Future improvements to the dataset will result when statewide 1-meter LIDAR datasets becomes available and through continued field work by DEQ staff and other contributors working in the region. Please do not hesitate to contact the author to correct mistakes or to contribute to the database.VDEQ_Springs_FIELD_MEASUREMENTSThe VDEQ Spring FIELD MEASUREMENTS database contains data describing field derived physio-chemical properties of spring discharges measured throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Field visits compiled in this dataset were performed from 1928 to 2019 by geologists with the State Water Control Board, the Virginia Division of Water and Power, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Geological Survey with contributions from other sources as noted. Values of -9999 indicate that measurements were not performed for the referenced parameter. Please do not hesitate to contact the author to add data to the database or correct errors.VDEQ_Springs_WQThe VDEQ_Spring_WQ database is a geodatabase containing groundwater sample information collected from springs throughout Virginia. Sample specific information include: location and site information, measured field parameters, and lab verified quantifications of major ionic concentrations, trace element concentrations, nutrient concentrations, and radiological data. The VDEQ_Spring_WQ database is a subset of the VDEQ GWCHEM database which is a flat-file geodatabase containing groundwater sample information from groundwater wells and springs throughout Virginia. Sample information has been correlated via DEQ Well # and projected using coordinates in VDEQ_Spring_SITES database. The GWCHEM database is comprised of historic groundwater sample data originally archived in the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Storage and Retrieval (STORET) data warehouse. Archived STORET data originated as groundwater sample data collected and uploaded by Virginia State Water Control Board Personnel. While groundwater sample data in the STORET data warehouse are static, new groundwater sample data are periodically uploaded to NWIS and spring laboratory WQ data reflect NWIS downloaded on 9/30/2019. Recent groundwater sample data collected by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) personnel as part of the Ambient Groundwater Sampling Program are entered into the database as lab results are made available by the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS). When possible, charge balances were calculated for samples with reported values for major ions including (at a minimum) calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. Reported values for Nitrate as N, carbonate, and fluoride were included in the charge balance calculation when available. Field determined values for bicarbonate and carbonate were used in the charge balance calculation when available. For much of the legacy DEQ groundwater sample data, bicarbonate values were derived from lab reported values of alkalinity (as mg/CaCO3) under the assumption that there was no contribution by carbonate to the reported alkalinity value. Charge balance values are reported in the "Charge Balance" column of the GWCHEM geodatabase. The closer the charge balance value is to unity (1), the lower the assumed charge balance error.In order to preserve the numerical capabilities of the database, non- numeric lab qualifiers were given the following numeric identifiers:- (minus sign) = less than the concentration specified to the right of the sign-11110 = estimated-22220 = presence verified but not quantified-33330 = radchem non-detect, below sslc-4440 = analyzed for but not detected-55550 = greater than the concentration to the right of the zero-66660 = sample held beyond normal holding time-77770 = quality control failure. Data not valid.-88880 = sample held beyond normal holding time. Sample analyzed for but not detected. Value stored is limit of detection for proces in use.-11120 = Value reported is less than the criteria of detection.-9999 = no data (parameter not quantified)A more in depth descprition and hydrogeologic analysis of the database can be found hereAn in Depth data fact sheet can be found here