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Refining the WQG list
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What is the alternative to 'Reported as mg/L NO3-N (nitrate-N)'? #75

Closed joethorley closed 4 years ago

atillmanns commented 4 years ago

@HeatherGranger - suggestions?

joethorley commented 4 years ago

Just to clarify I mean what is the N03-N being reported in contrast to?

HeatherGranger commented 4 years ago

I don't quite understand. The nitrate guideline for drinking water has two guideline values: 45 mg/L nitrate and 10 mg/L NO3-N (this is the nitrogen component of the nitrate). The nitrite guideline also has two guideline values. @joethorley are you looking for another way of writing the nitrate-N unit?

joethorley commented 4 years ago

Thanks @HeatherGranger. I'm just trying to understand. Based on what you've said I'm thinking it makes sense to set the component to be Total - Nitrogen for those where we are dealing with NO3-N. Thoughts?

HeatherGranger commented 4 years ago

Ya this is a tricky one for machine readability. The guideline is represented as the total nitrogen component of nitrate. There isn't an equivalent variable in EMS that matches with that; it's a one-off. If we say Total - Nitrogen, then were not specifically referring to the nitrate portion.

joethorley commented 4 years ago

I think we are because the Variable name is still Nitrate.

atillmanns commented 4 years ago

I went back and looked at the technical documents. The aquatic life guidelines are all reported as mg/L N, (same as NO3-N), so I will change the units to mg/L N for those guidelines that are reported in nitrogen and leave it as mg/L for the recreation and drinking water guidelines that report as nitrate. Sound good @HeatherGranger ? (Note: the conversion factor is: nitrate multiplied by 0.2258 equals nitrate as N)

atillmanns commented 4 years ago

Changed all the units and took the notes out of the limit notes so this should be easier for machines and people.