Learning Center

Data Infrastructure Assessment Tool

Internet of Water Instructional Videos

This series of short videos provides important information on how to use IoW tools!

BoundarySync

North Carolina Water Supply Dashboard

Frequently Asked Questions

What are FAIR data practices?

FAIR data is data that are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable.

The Future of Research Communication and e-Scholarship (FORCE11) are working towards facilitating knowledge creation and sharing. FORCE11 convened a 2014 workshop in the Netherlands that found that all research objects should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). For more information: Wilkinson, et al. 2016. The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship

Why are data standards important?

“Standards make it easier to create, share, and integrate data by making sure that there is a clear understanding of how the data are represented and that the data you receive are in a form that you expected. Data standards are the rules by which data are described and recorded. In order to share, exchange, and understand data, we must standardize the format as well as the meaning.” (USGS)

What is metadata and why is it important?

Metadata are data describing who collected data, about what parameters, for what purposes, over what time period(s), at what location, and with what collection and analytical methods. This information should be sufficient to enable a determination about reuse of the data. (ie, the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of the data).

What are cloud services and are they safe?

Cloud services refer to a wide range of services delivered on demand over the Internet. Cloud services are safe and do not rely on internal hardware or infrastructure and can be an affordable option for managing data infrastructure.

Guidance Documents

Data 101: A guidebook for water data users and decision-makers

To improve our nation’s water data infrastructure we must first address the knowledge gap that exists between traditional and modern data management practices. This guidebook provides foundational knowledge about water data infrastructure in clear and non-technical language.

The Internet of Water Data Standard Guidebook

This guidebook provides best practices and recommendations for water data standardization, focusing on enhancing data interoperability through linked data, categorizing water-related data, and recommending elements for various water data types to support effective water resource management.

Read the Guide

Valuing Data

The value of water data has not been well documented, quantified, or communicated. We need to invest in our data infrastructure to make data more discoverable, accessible, and usable to inform real-time decisions.

What are Data, Information, and Knowledge?

Data, information, and knowledge represent different stages of value creation

Why are Data Hard to Value?

This series of articles explores why data are difficult to value in economic, and other terms

Approaches to Valuing Data

This series of articles describe different methods to value data economically

Core Principles for Water Data

Internet of Water Principles help make public data easier to find, access, and use

Modernizing Your Water Data Infrastructure

Data Modernization Recommendations for Public Agencies

Data Infrastructure Modernization Recommendations

Recommendations for public agencies that are modernizing their water data infrastructure and a technology adoption roadmap.

Assessment of Federal and State Agreements

A guide to various types of agreements between federal and state agencies and data organizations. Use this text to navigate the agreement development process.

Pilot, Hub, and Use Case Metrics

A guide to help data producers evaluate their efforts to promote water data modernization through pilot projects, data hubs, and use cases. Use this text to create frameworks for evaluation and develop assessment metrics.

Are you interested in modernizing your water data infrastructure? Check out our Technology Adoption Program (TAP) to learn more about how to get started!

Technology Adoption Program

Data Infrastructure Assessment Tool

Water Data Assessment Tool

The Water Data Assessment Tool helps data producers improve their water data infrastructure through best practices to improve their data’s discoverability, accessiblity, and usability. To use this tool, select “Present” in the window and follow the steps to determine (1) where your organization fits on the spectrum of discoverability, accessbility, and usability, and (2) how you might improve your organization’s water data infrastructure.

Funding Opportunities

A searchable online database and pdf table of 30 federal and philanthropic opportunities for water data hubs and producers.

Funding Database