SURFACE WATER QUALITY 



Data Compatibility 



The 1984 surface water quality data indicate that most of the analy- 

 tical and sampling procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey and 

 Environment Canada are generally compatible, although data indicate 

 significant differences in four parameters for one sampling period 

 (Table 3). Quality assurance sampling was conducted at the East 

 Poplar River at the International Boundary by the two agencies on 

 September 12, 1984 and provided triplicate samples for analysis by 

 each of the respective laboratories. 



Table 3. Incompatibility of Analytical Results of Four Parameters 

 from the East Poplar River at the International Boundary, 

 September 12, 1984 [units are reported in milligrams per 

 litre (mg/L) and micrograms per litre (yg/L)] 



Parameter \ Triplicates 



Environment 



Canada 

 1 2 3 



U.S. Geological 

 Survey 

 1 2 3 



Boron (mg/L) 



Iron - dissolved (ug/L) 



Lead - (yg/D* 



Zinc - (yg/L)* 



1.3 1.3 1. 

 80 80 100 

 < 1 < 1 < 1 

 2 2 2 



1.8 1.8 1. 



11 14 12 



1 5 7 



6 7 5 



*Note - U.S. Geological Survey reports dissolved. Environment Canada 

 reports total 



The most important analytical incompatibility was with boron where 

 concentrations differed by more than 30 percent. A comparison of 

 field to laboratory specific conductances suggests that field instru- 



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