567—61.12 (455B) Use of volunteer monitoring data. Data produced under an approved water quality monitoring plan will be considered credible data for the purposes listed in Iowa Code section 455B.194 if the following conditions are met.
	 61.12(1) Data submittal. A qualified volunteer monitor or qualified volunteer monitoring group must specifically request that data produced under an approved volunteer monitoring plan be considered credible data. A letter identifying the specific data must be submitted along with a certification from the volunteer or the person in responsible charge for volunteer groups that the data, to the best of the volunteer’s or responsible person’s knowledge, was produced in accordance with the approved volunteer monitoring plan. The department shall provide a standard format on the IOWATER Web site for submittal of qualified volunteer data and related information. The department encourages volunteers to enter monitoring data on the IOWATER volunteer monitoring database maintained by the department, but doing so does not constitute submittal to or acceptance of the data by the department for uses requiring credible data. Volunteer data shall be labeled as such in any departmental reports, Web sites, or databases.
	 61.12(2) Department review of submitted data. The department must review and approve the submitted data. The person submitting the data will be informed of the department’s decision either to accept or reject the data. The department will attempt to resolve any apparent inconsistencies or questionable values in the submitted data prior to making a final decision.