spsurvey: Spatial survey design and analysis (version 5.0)

spsurvey is an R package used for spatial probability survey design and analysis. Thespsurvey package implements the Generalized Random Tesselation Stratified (GRTS) algorithm to select spatially balanced probability samples via the grts() function. The grts() function flexibly accomodates other sampling design features, including stratification, varying inclusion probabilities, legacy (or historical) sites, minimum distances between sites, and two options for replacement sites. spsurvey also implements population paraemter estimation using a suite of analysis approaches, including categorical variable analysis (cat_analysis()), continuous variable analysis (cont_analysis()), relative risk analysis (relrisk_analysis()), attributable risk analysis (attrisk_analysis()), risk difference anlysis (diffrisk_analysis()), change analysis (change_analysis()), and trend analysis (trend_analysis()).

Impact/Purpose

The spsurvey R package is used to design and analyze monitoring surveys. spsurvey let the user implement complicated statistical approaches in an easy-to-use framework, leading to better sampling plans and analysis approaches. To date, the spsurvey R package has been downloaded nearly 80,000 times by researchers inside of and outside of EPA. Notably, spsurvey is used to design and analyze the National Acquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) at EPA. The newest update to spsurvey is version 5.0, which provides several new features and quality of life upgrades to spsurvey. 

Citation

Dumelle, M., Tom Kincaid, Tony Olsen, AND M. Weber. spsurvey: Spatial survey design and analysis (version 5.0). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 2021.

• https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/spsurvey/index.html