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Using Standard Operating Procedures in the Field
2nd Annual Red River Basin Water Quality Monitoring Training – April 13th, 2005
What is a SOP Document?
Standard Operating ProceduresExplains methods for data collection
Water Quality (field meas. & sampling)Biological monitoringFlow measurements
Standard Operating Procedures for Water Quality Monitoring in the Red River Watershed – Revision 6 (Oct 2003)
Importance of Standard Operating Procedures
Safety
Proper use of equipment
Completeness
Consistency
Accuracy
Reliability
Representative
Comparability
Minimize contaminationFrom activities at sampling site
From sampling equipment and bottles
SOP ROC(k)S!ROC(k)S!
EN
SE
OM
MO
N
FUL
ES
Will this contaminate the water being sampled, sample bottle, etc?
How can I get the most representative sample?
Don’t take shortcuts that can negatively affect accuracy of sample results
Don’t risk life or limb for a sample
Using Common SenseIs this a good time to monitor this site?
Water Quality Sampling - General
Equipment ChecklistsPost in a useful, visible locationField measurement equipmentSampling EquipmentWadersSample storage and preservationData sheets, chain of custodyBoat
• Life vests• Integrated sampler• Anchor• Secchi disk• Oars!
Calibration SolutionsVendors
Cole Parmer – All are certified traceable
• YSI - Expensive• Myron L – Cheap – Bulk (32 oz)• Oakton – Cheap – Smaller bottles
(500 ml)
Look for an expiration dateWrite the date opened on the bottle
Calibration Methods
Current SOP includes lengthy methods for Hydrolab in Appendixes
Will create summarized Hydrolab methods (easier to read) for future revisions.
YSI methods by Wayne Goeken
Collecting Field Measurements
Sondes and Probes (pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen)
Make sure sondes and probes are calibrated• Dissolved Oxygen – Calibrated the day of sampling
using barometric pressure – change membranes monthly
• pH, Conductivity – at least monthly
Check probes for fouling, bubbles in DO membrane at each site
Collecting Field Measurements
Transparency TubesSee the pattern, read, record
See the screw, read, record
Average of these readings
Good methods = good correlation• Turbidity
Collecting Field Measurements Turbidity
Turbidimeters measure refracted lightRepresentativeness
• Rinse the vial 3 times with sample water prior to collecting sample
• Rinse with distilled water after analysis to remove contamination from the vial
Accuracy• Outside of vial should be clean and free of anything that
may refract light (smudges, scratches, lint, water, fingerprints)
• Kim Wipes• Oil and lint free cloth• Use cap to hold vial whenever possible
Collecting Samples (w/ Sampling Device)
Sample from benchmark
Place benchmark over thalweg (deepest part of stream) if possible
Preferably a location with a known elevation
Collecting Samples
Rinse the sampler with distilled water at least at the beginning of the sampling day and more often depending on the water being sampled
Rinse sampler 3 times with sample water prior to collecting a sample
Depth
6/10 of the total depth down from the surface.
Ideal Sampling Depth and Location
95
95.5
96
96.5
97
97.5
98
98.5
99
99.5
Distance
Elev
Water
Bed Profile
Sampling Point
-Total Depth = 3 feet-Sample at ~1.8 ft down from the surface
Dip samples
Sample directly with bottle
Sample method with lowest chance of contamination, if done correctly
Enter downstream of where sample is to be collected,
Walk upstream to sampling site
Sample upstream of where you’re standing
Collecting Samples
Handle bottles and lids carefullyDon’t use bottles that are missing caps, or have been separated from their caps for a whileOnly handle the outside of bottles and capsMake sure bottles are properly labeled
Preserve phosphorus samples as soon as possible
Sulfuric acid vials from laboratory
Collecting Quality Assurance Samples
Duplicate SamplesRLWD: w/ every 10th sampleKeep track in sample log
Blank SamplesDistilled (or deionized) waterUsing Sampling Equipment (measure contamination from equipment & bottles)Dip (Contamination from bottles only)RLWD alternates – compare techniques The RLWD collects a set of QA samples with every 10th sample
Blank sample results
Most are at or below the detection limitTotal Suspended Solid results for Kemmerer sampling vs. Dip sampling
for Field Blanks
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
8/28/99 3/15/00 10/1/00 4/19/01 11/5/01 5/24/02 12/10/02 6/28/03 1/14/04 8/1/04 2/17/05Date
TSS
(mg/
L)
Kemmerer Dip sampling
Pre-8/04
8/04 - present
Other Types of QA SamplesField Split Samples
Check consistency of a lab’s methods
Performance Evaluation Blind
• Lab knows of check, but doesn’t know conc.
Double Blind• Lab doesn’t know of the check and doesn’t know the concentration
MPCA has done performance evaluations on RMB and Minnesota Department of Health labs
Storage and Shipment of Samples
Cooler Different sizesPack securely
Ice PacksChain of CustodyUse packing tape on lidDeliver to lab or use overnight delivery service, especially if requesting time-sensitive analysis – (fecal coliform)
Lake Sampling
Rinsing Integrated Sampler (dust, mice)
Make sure Secchi disk is clean
Measuring Stage
Elevation of the water surface
Several MethodsStaff Gauges
Wire Weight Gauges
Float & Stilling Well Systems
Measure Down from a Benchmark
Using a Wire Weight Gauge
Most are locked – obtain key
Lower weight slowly
Measuring Down from a Benchmark
Use a lock as a weight on the end of the tapeMeasure how much length the lock adds to the tapeLower tape until bottom of lock skims the waterRead tapeCompensate for the lock (add to reading)
Measuring Flow
Goal: Create a rating curve so that flow can be estimated from stage
SG 130 Flow Rating Curve
y = 25.557x2 - 385.29x + 1476.5
R2 = 0.9945
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8Measure Down (feet)
Flo
w (
cfs
)
FlowMeasurementsPoly. (FlowMeasurements)
Measuring FlowGood methods = More accurate readingsMore sections = more accuracyAccuracy + Range = More reliable rating curvesSmaller sections in the swiftest section of the streamWhere you measure makes a difference
Biological Monitoring
EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocol
Collecting macroinvertebrates is the fun part, sorting and identification can be tedious
www.waterbugkey.vcsu.edu
Safety Issues
Bridges
Busy Roads
Swift currents, Deep Water
Chemicals
Mud
Poor water quality (bacteria, etc)
Weather
Safety (Footwear)
Whether you prefer boots or shoes, find footwear with good traction.
Fitness (Often Overlooked Aspect of Fieldwork Safety)
The End
http://www.redlakewatershed.org/waterquality/Entire%20SOP%20Document.pdfComing Soon: Standard Operating Procedures for Data Management and AnalysisRevision 7 of the SOP