diff --git a/R/checkWQPdates.r b/R/checkWQPdates.r
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+#' Date Check for Water Quality Portal
+#'
+#' Checks date format for inputs to the Water Quality Portal. Used in \code{readWQPqw} 
+#' and \code{readWQPdata}.
+#'
+#' @param values named list with arguments to send to the Water Quality Portal
+#' @return values named list with corrected arguments to send to the Water Quality Portal
+#' @export
+#' @examples
+#' values <- list(startDateLo="01-01-2002", characteristicName="Phosphorous", 
+#'           endDate=as.Date("2014-01-01"))
+#' values <- checkWQPdates(values)
+checkWQPdates <- function(values){
+  dateNames <- c("startDateLo","startDateHi","startDate","endDate")
+  
+  if(any(names(values) %in% dateNames)){
+    index <- which(names(values) %in% dateNames)
+    
+    if("" %in% values[index]){
+      values <- values[-index[values[index] == ""]]
+      index <- which(names(values) %in% dateNames)
+    }
+    
+    if(length(index) > 0){
+      # If a valid R date was put in, the format needs to be changed to mm-dd-yyyy for the WQP:
+      for(i in index){
+        dateInput <- as.character(values[[i]])
+        splitDates <- unlist(strsplit(dateInput, "-"))
+        if(length(splitDates) == 3){
+          if(nchar(splitDates[1]) == 4){ #R object
+            dates <- as.Date(dateInput, format="%Y-%m-%d")
+            dates <- format(as.Date(dates), format="%m-%d-%Y")
+            values[i] <- dates
+          } else if (nchar(splitDates[3]) != 4){ #The way WQP wants it == 4, so this is probably a 2 digit year or something
+            warning("Please check the date format for the arguments: ", 
+                    paste(names(values)[i],values[i], collapse=", "))
+          }          
+        } else { # Probably something wrong
+          warning("Please check the date format for the arguments: ", 
+                  paste(names(values)[i],values[i], collapse=", "))
+        }        
+      }
+      
+      names(values)[names(values) == 'startDate'] <- 'startDateLo'
+      names(values)[names(values) == 'endDate'] <- 'startDateHi'
+    }
+    
+  }
+  
+  return(values)
+}
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