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The ATTAINS system allows registered state or tribal users to create Assessment Units and upload assessment decisions about those Assessment Units for their organization. In addition, the ATTAINS system allows registered EPA users to provide comments about assessment decisions, and to review Clean Water Act Section 303(d) lists of impaired waters. Users may work directly with the web user interface, batch upload files within the user interface, or submit data via the Exchange Network data flow.

Jump to:

• ATTAINS Registration Information
• ATTAINS Exchange Network Tools
• ATTAINS User Interface Tools
  • Batch Upload Templates
  • Domain Values
• Tutorials and Training
  • General
  • Assessment Units module
  • Assessments module
  • Reports module
  • Actions module
  • Surveys module
  • Administration module

ATTAINS Registration Information

Registered users may access the ATTAINS User Interface here.

• The How to Register for ATTAINS Fact Sheet explains the steps needed to obtain a User ID and get setup in the system.
• The How to Sign in to ATTAINS Fact Sheet explains how different users access the system.
• Contacts - If you need assistance with ATTAINS, start with your regional Data Management Coordinator (DMC). They can set up an ATTAINS account for you, and can answer many of your system-related questions.

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ATTAINS Exchange Network Tools

Resources regarding submitting data through the Exchange Network - ATTAINS data flowExitare available on the Exchange Network page.

• The Flow Configuration Document provides information on service end points
• The Data Exchange Template provides information on the required versus optional fields in ATTAINS

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ATTAINS User Interface Tools

• Batch Upload Templates
  • Assessment Unit Batch Upload Template (83 K, 3/11/2020) - This Excel template can be used to upload new Assessment Units or update information about existing Assessment Units through batch upload capability in the ATTAINS User Interface. The file allows users to provide information such as Assessment Unit ID and Assessment Unit Name as well as Water Types, Locations and Monitoring Stations associated with the Assessment Unit.  After entering the information, save each tab of the file as a .CSV.  To upload this file, go to the Assessment Units tab and select "Upload Assessment Units" from the Menu button.
    • Bulk Rename Template(12 K, 09/20/2019)  - This template can be used to rename Assessment Unit IDs from an existing ID to a new ID.  This file is not for Splits or Merges because those can only be done in the User Interface.  After entering the information, save the file as a .CSV.  To Upload this file, go to the Assessment Units tab and select "Manage Assessment Units" from the Menu button.
    • Bulk Retire Template(12 K, 09/20/2019)  - This template can be used to retire Assessment Unit IDs.  Retired Assessment Units can be seen in ATTAINS, along with historical assessment decisions, but no new assessments may be associated with them.  After entering the information, save the file as a .CSV.  To upload this file, go to the Assessment Units tab and select "Manage Assessment Units" from the Menu button.  Note:  Retiring an Assessment Unit is permanent.

    • If you need to delete a series of Assessment Units such that they do not appear in ATTAINS at all, please contact your Data Management Coordinator for assistance.

  • Assessment Batch Upload Template(101 K, 10/28/2020)   - This Excel template can be used to upload Assessment decisions about Assessment Units. The file allows users to provide information on the last time the Assessment Unit was monitored and assessed. It also includes the Uses that apply to the Assessment Unit and the decisions about those Uses. It also includes the Parameters that were assessed and the decisions about the parameter (whether it was meeting criteria, a cause of impairment or an observed effect), and any Sources of impairment.    The file also includes a Seasons tab if the Organization applies different Assessment decisions for different seasons during the year.  After entering the information, save each tab of the file as a .CSV.  To upload this file, go to the Assessments tab and select "Upload Assessments" from the Menu button.
  • Associated Actions Upload Template(13 K, 3/11/2020) - This template can be used to associate existing Action IDs in ATTAINS to the Assessment decisions to help ATTAINS calculate waters into the appropriate EPA IR Category.  For example, if the state or region had entered an Action into ATTAINS between reporting cycles and the state would like to Associate that Action with the Assessment for the next Integrated Reporting cycle, this file can be used.  After entering the information, save the file as a .CSV.  To upload this file, go to the Assessments tab and select "Upload Assessments" from the Menu button.  If the Action ID has not been entered into ATTAINS yet, this Associated Actions Upload Template will not work.
  • TMDL Action Batch Upload Template(118 K, 3/26/2020)  - This excel template can be used to upload TDML Actions.  Only Draft Actions may be uploaded.  Any data entered for an Action ID will replace existing information about that Action ID.  After entering the information, save the file as a .CSV.  To upload this file, go to the Actions tab and select "Upload Actions" from the Menu button.
  • Non-TMDL Action Batch Upload Template(93 K, 3/11/2020)  - This Excel template can be used to upload Actions for 4B Restoration Approach, Alternative Restoration Approach, and Protection Approach Actions, as well as the Actions that do not require EPA approval.  (The TMDL Batch Upload is separate because it contains different required fields.)  After entering the information, save the file as a .CSV.  To upload this file, go to the Actions tab, and select “Upload Actions” from the Menu button.
• Domain Values – Allowed values for restricted value fields in ATTAINS
  • DOMAINS(3 MB, 1/12/2021)  – This file is connected to ATTAINS Services. It can be updated to the latest domain values by downloading the file, going to the Data tab in the Excel Ribbon and clicking on “Refresh All”. Note: In order to refresh the spreadsheet to the latest values,  you must have Office 2016 or later.
• Transitioning from ADB to ATTAINS
  • ​TN_ATTAINS_BATCH_from_ADB.zip(1 pg, 8 MB, 02/08/2018) – Tennessee developed some queries for the Assessment Database (ADB) that create Batch Upload queries to help populate ATTAINS.

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Tutorials and Training

• General
  • ATTAINSinfo Listserv – State, Tribal, and EPA partners can register for the ATTAINSinfo listserv to receive updates about the system. This document explains how to register for the listserv.
  • EPA Integrated Reporting (IR) Categories and How ATTAINS Calculates Them - This explains the data elements in ATTAINS that are used to calculate the EPA Integrated Reporting Category for Assessments.
  • How to See Your User Permissions - This explains how to view your role permissions for an organization. 
  • Roles and Permissions in ATTAINS - This explains the basic functionality available for the various Role Levels in ATTAINS.
• Assessments Units module
  • How to Upload Geospatial (GIS) Data in ATTAINS - This explains how to use the Upload GIS form.
  • How to Merge Assessment Units in ATTAINS - This explains how to merge a retired Assessment Unit with an Active Assessment Unit.
• Assessments module
  • How to Upload Cycle Documents and Promote a Cycle in ATTAINS - This explains how to attach documents to the Assessment Cycle before the Cycle is promoted to EPA review.
  • How to Apply an Action to Assessments - This explains how to apply an Action to an Assessment.  The example uses a TMDL Action, and applies it so that the Assessment Unit and Parameter combination calculates as EPA IR Category 4a.  The steps for applying other types of Actions are the same, but the EPA IR Category result may be different.
  • How to Calculate a Parameter as EPA IR Category 4B in ATTAINS - This explains how to create a 4B Restoration Approach Action (in the Actions tab) and associate it with an Assessment and Parameter (in the Assessments tab) to calculate them as EPA IR Category 4B. 
  • How to Rename a Parameter - This applies to cause parameter names that had been used in an earlier cycle that have since been retired.
  • How to Share a Cycle with EPA - This explains how an Organization's Assessment Administrator can choose to share a Draft or Working Copy (In Progress) Assessment cycle with EPA. 
  • How to Create a Combined Cycle in ATTAINS - This explains how to create a new Assessment cycle in ATTAINS that applies to more than one cycle. 
• Reports module
  • Features Available in ATTAINS Cycle Summary Reports - This explains some of the features available in the ATTAINS Summary Reports (Assessments, Uses, Parameters, Nutrient-Related, Sources and Delistings) as of the July 2020 release. 
  • Features Available in the ATTAINS Cycle Comparison Reports - This explains some of the features available in the ATTAINS Cycle Comparison Reports (at either the Assessment level or the Parameter level) as of the July 2020 release. 
  • Features Available in the ATTAINS Action Summary Reports - This explains some of the features available in the ATTAINS Action Summary Reports (TMDL and Actions) as of the July 2020 release.
  • Features Available in the EPA Reports - Assessment Cycle Status Report - This explains the selection options for the report that allows EPA to see the status of each Organization's Assessment Cycle.
  • How to Use ATTAINS Reports to Answer Questions - This explains how to answer some common questions using ATTAINS reports.  This document was developed for the May 2020 Data Management Workshop.  
• Actions module
  • How to Enter a TMDL Action - This explains how to create and enter a new TMDL Action in the ATTAINS User Interface.
  • Tips for Using the TMDL Actions Batch Upload Template - This provides tips to know when using the TMDL Actions Batch Upload Template.
  • How to Enter a Protection Action - This explains how to create and enter an Action that is part of a Protection Approach in the ATTAINS User Interface.
  • How to Unlock and Modify Actions - This explains how to unlock and modify previously finalized Actions in ATTAINS.
  • How to Change the Count This Action Towards Measures Flag - This explains how to change the "Count This Action Toward Measures" flag to NO, when appropriate.
• Surveys module
  • How to Enter State Survey Results - This explains how to enter state statistical (probability) survey results in the ATTAINS User Interface.
• Administration module
  • How to Enter State Metrics for How's My Waterway - This explains how to enter information for the metrics, URLs and the descriptive paragraph that appear on the top of the State tab of How’s My Waterway 2.0. Changes made in the Metrics area of ATTAINS will appear in the second release of How’s My Waterway 2.0.
• Training: If you are interested in training, contact your Data Management Coordinator to ask about upcoming training sessions.

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