Aquatics Data Management
The Aquatics Research data analyst helps to maintain and develop Colorado Parks and Wildlife's aquatic databases.
Learn more about:
Aquatic Data Management System (ADAMAS)
In order to develop analyses of aquatic biological data that accurately describes and/or predicts the status of fish communities and/or the results of management actions on these communities, it was determined that a consistent method of collection and storage of field data was needed.
As a result, CPW developed the Aquatic Data Management System, a computer-based statewide aquatic data management system. ADAMAS serves to facilitate standardized entry of survey data across the state and access to information regarding all aspects of aquatic data. This includes stream and lake inventories performed by CPW biologists, as well as Scientific Collection (SCICOLL) reporting data from consultants and researchers outside of CPW.
ADAMAS contains information on the 13,000+ managed lakes, reservoirs, ponds, stream and river segments in the state, as well as associated sample data from 36,000 surveys performed at 11,000 sites, some as early as the late 1800's. It is comprised of a large SQL Server database housed in Denver, a proprietary database application that allows biologists from all over the state to interact with the database, and several custom Microsoft Access front-ends that allow various users to query the specific data from the database. Data is continually being updated and added to the database as CPW records for surveys from the last four decades are located and information from on-going surveys are entered.
Management activities cannot happen in a vacuum, so the data contained within ADAMAS is functionally linked to other databases within the agency to ensure that vital data is shared among all the units involved. Links to CPW Hatcheries database (Trans6) and the Aquatic Animal Health Lab (AAHL) are maintained within ADAMAS to ensure that the most recent stocking data and/or disease certifications are being worked with. Additional links to CPW's Creel Survey data (see below) and CPW's Riverwatch water chemistry database are currently in development.
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Creel Survey Analysis Program (CSAP)
Separate from the fisheries survey data contained within ADAMAS, CPW maintains a centralized database (Microsoft Access) of over 500 individual creel surveys that have been conducted on Colorado lakes, reservoirs, and streams since 1987. Creel surveys capture information about fishing pressure, target species, and actual harvest, providing vital information to manage Colorado's aquatic resources. This dataset continues to grow as new surveys are conducted each year and added to it.
Proprietary software, developed specifically for CPW's aquatic research unit, analyzes this data on a survey-by-survey basis. While individual creel surveys reside with each of the area biologists, the integrated database is currently only accessible to the data analyst. The long-term plan is for this data and application to be folded under the general aquatic data umbrella, in much the same way as links to hatcheries and the animal health lab are currently maintained. This would allow for statewide access to all of the data, while also expanding the functionality and statistical analyses capabilities at the same time.
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Data Requests
Increasingly, CPW is becoming the primary source for both current and historic aquatic data by academic institutions, federal agencies, water conservation groups and consulting companies.
While the general public is encouraged to use CPW's Fishing Atlas or contact their local CPW biologist with questions, other individuals, agencies or private organizations are encouraged to submit a CPW data request form to the Aquatic Research Data Analyst. Note that this process is not the same as a Colorado Open Records (CORA) request, but a free alternative.
Upon receipt, the request is forwarded to a data request review committee that reviews both the request and the data that it contains, often adding anecdotal information from local and regional biologists where applicable. Once approved, the requester is asked to sign a CPW data sharing agreement to ensure that the data is used as it is intended and not passed to a third party. This ensures that CPW is aware of how there data is being used and that all users of the data have the most up-to-date dataset available. A CORA request can be initiated at any time outside of this process; however, under CORA, the agency is entitled to recuperate any costs aggregating and delivering this data.
Access the Data Request Form
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Aquatic Scientific Collection Permits – Year-end Report Data
Scientific collection permit holders are required to provide their data to CPW within 30 days of the expiration date of their permit, using one the CPW approved forms.
Template Instructions & Downloads
Please click on the appropriate files below to download a template for submitting your data to CPW. Detailed instructions are listed within each downloadable file. Data should be submitted as one separate Excel file per survey/collecting trip using one of the templates below.
Data received by CPW is uploaded to its aquatic database using automated software, which is designed to only read data off the templates provided below. Data submission made in the old JakeOmatic or any other file format will NOT be accepted.
Note: If you are using Internet Explorer, you may be prompted to enter a login/password to download the files below. Please hit cancel and the file should download. Alternately, you can right click and choose Save link as.
For Windows 7 Users:
For Windows XP and Mac Users:
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Data Mining
Given the large amount of data contained within the database, covering a broad spatial and temporal spectrum, it is possible to extract valuable information from data that has already been collected. Working with other scientists within the research unit, the data analyst looks for patterns and conducts statistical analysis on fisheries survey data to see how species composition or abundances may change in response to events such as drought, flood, fire, and regulation changes.
Management activities (such as regulations and stocking) can often be evaluated by looking at existing data, without requiring additional efforts or survey work. Also, many changes in the fisheries community can only be detected by looking at long-term data sets. Finally, by looking at the dataset as a whole, we can identify where we are data deficient and prioritize survey work to fill in those gaps in our knowledge of fisheries populations in Colorado.
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Technical Assistance
The data analyst also provides technical assistance to researchers, field biologists, and staff on a variety of aquatic data analysis topics including creel survey, inventory survey, management categorization, GIS and Global Positioning Systems (GPS), software review, application development and other computer-related data analysis needs.
