1. (1) The record keeping requirements for entities that conduct or support field activities and field measurements are specified in the DEP SOPs contained in the following collections: Standard Operating Procedures for Field Activities, DEP-SOP-001/01, incorporated by reference in paragraph 62-160.800(1)(a), F.A.C., and Standard Operating Procedures for Selected Bioassessment Activities, DEP-SOP-003/11, incorporated by reference in paragraph 62-160.800(1)(c), F.A.C. The specified records shall contain sufficient information to allow independent reconstruction of all activities related to generating data that are submitted to the Department. These records shall be kept by the generator of the records for a minimum of five years after the date of generation or completion of the records unless otherwise specified in a Department contract, order, permit or Title 62 rules.

2. (2) Electronic records shall be acceptable as documentation and shall be considered as equivalent in status and function to paper records or documents, unless otherwise specified in a Department contract, order, permit or Title 62 rules.

   1. (a) All documentation requirements in this chapter shall apply equally to paper and electronic records.
   2. (b) Electronic copies intended to replace original records shall contain the same information as the original records, regardless of whether the electronic copies are designated as master or duplicate records.

3. (3) When requested by the Department, the following field sampling information shall be provided to the Department for each site, facility, or sampling location, as applicable:

   1. (a) Project information including:

      1. Project and/or program identification or name; and,

      2. Site and/or facility name, address and phone number.

   2. (b) Site or facility locational information to include:

      1. Latitude measure in degrees-minutes-seconds (seconds may contain up to four decimal places),

      2. Longitude measure in degrees-minutes-seconds (seconds may contain up to four decimal places),

      3. Datum – the horizontal reference for measuring locations on the Earth’s surface, and

      4. Geolocational collection information:

      a. Collection method – the method or mechanism used to derive the measurements,

      b. Collector name – name of individual who collected the locational data,

      c. Collector affiliation – collector’s agency or entity affiliation,

      d. Collection date – date locational data were collected,

      e. Coordinate accuracy level – the measured, estimated or deduced degree of correctness of the measurement; and,

      f. Verification information including name of the person verifying the measurement, the date and the time when verification was performed.

   3. (c) Information about the collected samples:

      1. Name(s) and affiliation of individual(s) collecting samples,

      2. Sampling method(s) used,

      3. Sample description such as sample type, sample matrix, and sample treatments (preservation, filtration, etc.),

      4. Client or field identification number for each sample,

      5. Date and time of sample collection, including date and time sample collection ended (if collecting a composite sample),

      6. Sample collection depth,

      7. Unambiguous identification of all field-generated quality control samples such as field or equipment blanks, replicate samples or split samples; and,

      8. Any additional information from the field documentation records specified in the DEP SOPs contained in the collections Standard Operating Procedures for Field Activities, DEP-SOP-001/01, and Standard Operating Procedures for Selected Bioassessment Activities, DEP-SOP-003/11, incorporated by reference in paragraphs 62-160.800(1)(a) and 62-160.800(1)(c), F.A.C., respectively.

   4. (d) Information about field measurement activities:

      1. Method(s) used to make field measurement,

      2. Name of field parameter,

      3. Result, result units and associated data qualifier code(s); and,

      4. Any additional information from the field documentation records specified in the DEP SOPs contained in the collection Standard Operating Procedures for Field Activities, DEP-SOP-001/01, incorporated by reference in paragraph 62-160.800(1)(a), F.A.C.

   5. (e) Information about site conditions:

      1. Weather,

      2. Flow (including units); and,

      3. Any additional information from the field documentation records specified in the DEP SOPs contained in the collection Standard Operating Procedures for Field Activities, DEP-SOP-001/01, incorporated by reference in paragraph 62-160.800(1)(a), F.A.C.

   6. (f) Any additional information specified by the Department in contracts, orders, permits, title 62 rules or Department-approved planning documents such as quality assurance plans, sampling and analysis plans, and monitoring plans.
   7. (g) All documentation for new or alternative field procedures as required in Rule 62-160.220, F.A.C.
4. (4) Field sampling data issued to a client(s) for Department-related work or directly to the Department shall be provided to the Department in an electronic format consistent with requirements for importing into Department databases, as specified by the Department in applicable contracts, orders, permits or Title 62 rules. In addition, certain Department programs specify the submission of paper reports. Field sampling information may be incorporated into laboratory reports specified in Rule 62-160.340, F.A.C. Specific electronic and paper report format requirements shall be as specified by the Department in the applicable contract, order, permit or Title 62 rules.
5. (5) When data are provided to the Department in a report that is a summary, a re-published format, or in a reduced form (e.g., report, table, report form), the report shall not change the original data, or delete any data qualifiers reported by the originating field organization unless specified by Department contract, order, permit, or Title 62 rules. Copies (electronic or paper) of the original field report(s) shall be submitted with all such reports unless directed to do otherwise by the Department.
6. (6) When data qualifiers are added through a validation or review process that is independent of the field reporting process, the reason for the addition, the date of the addition, and the person adding the qualifier(s) shall be included. These qualifiers shall be included in any documents that are summaries or re-published formats, as described in subsection (5) above.

Rulemaking Authority 403.061, 403.0623 FS. Law Implemented 373.026, 373.309, 373.409, 373.413, 373.414, 373.416, 373.4592, 376.303, 376.305, 376.3071, 403.0623, 403.0625, 403.087, 403.088, 403.0881, 403.504, 403.704, 403.707, 403.722, 403.853 FS. History–New 4-9-02, Amended 6-8-04, 12-3-08, 7-30-14, 5-20-26.