Scribe Database Collection

The Scribe Database Collection includes 14 databases containing data from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Oil Spill Event Response Phase.  These databases are the work of federal agencies, state environmental management agencies and BP and its contractors, and the types of information include locations, descriptions, and analysis of water, sediment, oil, tar, dispersant, air and other environmental samples.

The versions of the databases included in this collection are the result of the second phase of a clean-up effort by the database owners and contributors to resolve inconsistencies in the initial databases and harmonize across the databases in order for the data to be comparable for reliable evaluation and reporting.  This effort was initiated in order to support requirements of the Unified Area Command.

Details of the process for the Phase II clean-up effort are provided in the accompanying documentation (SummaryOfScribePhaseII.docx).

The Scribe Database Collection contains a variety of files and file formats; and the outlined structure of the files being archived is provided in Appendix L of the Summary documentation.

The collection is organized into three folders: Documentation, Supporting Materials, and Databases

(1) Documentation  -  contains the SummaryOfScribePhaseII.pdf; an FGDC standard metadata record (.xml) describing the collection; and this readMe.txt file.

(2) Supporting Materials  - includes two subfolders containing Reference Files and Validation Code.  The Reference files are MS Excel and Word files of the Appendices in the SummaryOfScribePhaseII.pdf.  Three of these files were also converted into the included .csv files to more readily be used by consumers of these databases.  The Validation Code folder contains copies of the queries, an accompanying list of valid values, and instructions used for validating the databases.

(3) Databases - includes one folder for each of the 14 Scribe databases.  Each database folder includes a zipped copy of the MS Access database; a copy of the corresponding versioned valid values list used to finalize the validation; an annotated MS Excel file that provides the final validation report with any outstanding noted exceptions; and PDF files that summarize any noted exceptions or outstanding issues in the database.  Note the naming convention of the database folders includes the projectID, owner, and where applicable project name; each separated by underscores.