Manual for Real-Time Quality Control of Water Level Data: A Guide to Quality Control and Quality Assurance for Water Level Observations

Abstract

The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance to the U.S. IOOS and the WL community at large for the real-time QC of WL measurements using an agreed-upon, documented, and implemented standard process. This manual is also a deliverable to the U.S. IOOS Regional Associations and the ocean observing community and represents a contribution to a collection of core variable QC documents. WL observations covered by these test procedures are collected in oceans and lakes in real time or near-real time. These tests are based on guidance from QARTOD workshops (QARTOD 2003-2009) and draw from existing expertise in programs such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service (NOAA/NOS) National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) (Nault 2004), the University of Hawaii Sea Level Center, and the Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS). The Global Climate Observing System recognizes GLOSS as one of the international operational activities that provides essential sea level climate data. The GLOSS Global Core Network is comprised of 290 globally distributed sea level stations (23 in the U.S.) (GLOSS 2012). This manual differs from existing QC procedures for WL in that its focus is on real-time data. It presents a series of eleven tests that operators can incorporate into practices and procedures for QC of WL measurements. These tests apply only to the in-situ, real-time measurement of WL as observed by sensors deployed on fixed platforms and not to remotely sensed WL measurements (e.g., satellite observations).