A draft R package (UNDER ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT) for retrieving ATTAINS data efficiently via Expert Query web services (https://www.epa.gov/waterdata/expert-query).
You must first have R and R Studio installed to use the rExpert Query (see instructions below if needed). rExpert Query is in active development, therefore we highly recommend that you update it and all of its dependency libraries each time you use the package.
You can install and/or update the rExpertQuery Package and all dependencies by running:
if(!"remotes"%in%installed.packages()){
install.packages("remotes")
}
remotes::install_github("USEPA/rExpertQuery", ref = "develop", dependencies = TRUE, force = TRUE)
There are ten exported functions in rExpertQuery. The first eight allow users to query ATTAINS data via Expert Query web services. These are:
- EQ_Actions() - queries and returns ATTAINS actions data
- EQ_ActionsDocuments() - queries and returns ATTAINS Actions Documents, including a keyword search
- EQ_Assessments() - queries and returns ATTAINS Assessments
- EQ_AssessmentUnits() - queries and returns ATTAINS Assessment Units (default is for Active AUs)
- EQ_AUsMLs() - queries and returns ATTAINS Assessment Units with Monitoring Location data
- EQ_CatchCorr() - queries and returns ATTAINS Catchment Correspondence data (memory intensive)
- EQ_Sources() - queries and returns ATTAINS Sources data
- EQ_TMDLs() - queries and returns ATTAINS TMDL data
An additional function allows users to download the Expert Query National Extracts of ATTAINS data (https://owapps.epa.gov/expertquery/national-downloads) which are updated weekly. This function should be used when national data are desired or when a query designed in one of the previous eight functions would exceed the Expert Query web services limit of one millions rows. This function is:
- EQ_NationalExtract() - returns national extract for Actions, Assessments, Assessment Units, Assessment Units with Monitoring Locations, Catchment Correspondence, Sources, or TMDLS based on user selection
The tenth function relies on ATTAINS web services to provide allowable domain values for some rExpertQuery parameters:
- EQ_DomainValues() - returns domain values for some rExpertQuery function params
For more information on query params and function examples see:
Effective August 8, 2016, the OMB Mandate: M-16-21; Federal Source Code Policy: Achieving Efficiency, Transparency, and Innovation through Reusable and Open Source Software applies to new custom-developed code created or procured by EPA consistent with the scope and applicability requirements of Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) Federal Source Code Policy. In general, it states that all new custom-developed code by Federal Agencies should be made available and reusable as open-source code.
The EPA specific implementation of OMB Mandate M-16-21 is addressed in the System Life Cycle Management Procedure. EPA has chosen to use GitHub as its version control system as well as its inventory of open-source code projects. EPA uses GitHub to inventory its custom-developed, open-source code and generate the necessary metadata file that is then posted to code.gov for broad reuse in compliance with OMB Mandate M-16-21.
If you have any questions or want to read more, check out the EPA Open Source Project Repo and EPA's Interim Open Source Software Policy.
All contributions to this project will be released under the CCO-1.0 license file dedication. By submitting a pull request or issue, you are agreeing to comply with this waiver of copyright interest.
This United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) GitHub project code is provided on an "as is" basis and the user assumes responsibility for its use. EPA has relinquished control of the information and no longer has responsibility to protect the integrity, confidentiality, or availability of the information. Any reference to specific commercial products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply their endorsement, recommendation or favoring by EPA. The EPA seal and logo shall not be used in any manner to imply endorsement of any commercial product or activity by EPA or the United States Government.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the ATTAINS Team at [email protected].