Assuring Data Quality at U.S. Geological Survey Laboratories

The USGS operates some 250 laboratories across the country to analyze physical and biological samples, including water, sediment, rock, plants, invertebrates, fish, and wildlife. The data generated in the laboratories help answer pressing scientific and societal questions or support regulation, resource management, or commercial applications. Consequently, it is important to maintain public trust in USGS data. In 2016, an Inspector General report found scientific misconduct and data manipulation at a USGS laboratory in Colorado. Two laboratory analysts had adjusted values outside of protocols over two extended periods. To restore confidence in USGS data, the USGS began developing a quality management system (QMS) in 2016 and set an aggressive schedule for its implementation. A QMS is a structured system that establishes and documents the requirements for how work is to be managed, conducted, and monitored to assure data quality. This system is a paradigm shift for the USGS because all laboratories will be required to implement a centrally defined quality standard in a similar and consistent way.