Our fundamental problem, how to design a system which would encompass future studies for which the data criteria were unknown, kept surfacing. Meetings with both ERDA/NV and REECo Environmental Sciences Department personnel were held to resolve this problem. After much deliberation, the efforts to create a common data base were abandoned in favor of a compatible data base. This approach was suggested by D. L. Wireman, coordinated with M. G. White of NAEG management, and it defined the data base as a series of elements with the capability for numerous studies within each element. The elements included were soil, vegetation, small animal, large animal, microorganism, and air data. This approach was defined in more detail and coordinated with the appropriate personnel. Programming Effort in the PIDP and NAEG Data Base The initial programming effort was strictly in support of the PIDP element. Programs were written to create a data base from manually prepared input. Programs were later written to interface the counting laboratory, computer- generated (DEC PDP11) analytical results with the PIDP data base. This elimi- nated the manual effort of entering that data. However, the header and aliquot information is still manually coded and keypunched for entry into the data base. Programs have been written to prepare the Distribution and Inventory report (see Attachment 1) and to create card or magnetic tape data files when requested by NAEG management. Since this early PIDP support, the’ programming effort has been directed toward creating the NAEG data base. This effort went into developing conversion programs to input vegetation, small animal, and other soil data. Programming also has been initiated to accomplish data verification. However, the responsibility for the review and validation of the computer data remained within the Environmental Sciences Department, and personnel of that department performed the majority of the effort manually verifying the data contained within the data base. Current Status of the NAEG System Presently, the NAEG data base contains data from the Soil, Vegetation, and Small Animal studies. The data elements and samples contained therein are as follows: Element Samples Soil 7,675 Vegetation 1,439 Small Animal 506 These data are stored on magnetic tape in coded form, and totals approxima tely 92,000 card image records. The NAEG Sample Results Report (See Attachment 2) documents each isotope measurement, as well as relevant background informati on for the reported sample. 308