This presentation will cover the essential issues for those involved in the groundwater sampling effort for the National Water Quality Network. Some field sampling issues will be discussed. However, the focus will be on the cycle of management and the importance of the steps needed to maintain the networks at optimal size, provide timely flow of data, and how the various forms and data provided by the sampling crews are used. The presentation will discuss these issues from the user's perspective so that the sampling crews have a better understanding of the essential steps to ensuring the health and longevity of the network to evaluate groundwater quality trends in the nation.