[en] This report is the first in a series of three documents which address the role of uncertainty in the Rockwell Hanford Operations groundwater model development and application program at Hanford Site. Groundwater data collection activities at Hanford are reviewed as they relate to Rockwell groundwater modeling. Methods of applying statistical and probability theory in quantifying the propagation of uncertainty from field measurements to model predictions are discussed. It is shown that measures of model accuracy or uncertainty provided by a statistical analysis can be useful in guiding model development and sampling network design. Recommendations are presented in the areas of model input data needs, parameter estimation data needs, and model verification and variance estimation data needs. 8 figures