INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF DATA FILE:

§         Complete and submit separate data files for each sampling year and sampling protocol.  For example, do not submit a data file containing both sediment data and chla data, instead divide the data into two files and include the appropriate documentation file to describe each.

§         Data files should be in excel format or tab-delimited format saved as a .txt file.

§         Do not include headings or additional information at the top of your data spreadsheet.  Use the first row for column headings and include any other descriptive information in the documentation file.

§         Submitted data files should include only the final result of any calculations.  Any calculations used to reach values should be described in the documentation file under the heading “calculations”.

§         All data files must contain the following variables and these variables must be described in the variables table of the documentation file

o       Date (DD-MMM-YYYY, i.e. 05-Jul-2003)

o       Time (hhmm, i.e. 1350)

o       Abbreviated Creek (i.e. SW, CL, NE, WE)

o       Branch (R, L, or C)

o       Transect (1, 2, or 3)

o       Habitat (MF, FA, TSA, SP, SSA)

o       Comments (last column in file, maximum 250 characters)

§         Additional questions??  Contact TIDE data manager.