1 Water Quality Monitoring on Pleasant Grove and Curry Creeks: What the data is telling us Presented by: Edmund Sullivan – Placer County Planning Department, David Baker – Dry Creek Conservancy, and Christian Carleton – Foothill Associates

2 Presentation Outline Introduction (Edmund Sullivan) Introduction (Edmund Sullivan) Monitoring Program Overview (David Baker) Monitoring Program Overview (David Baker) Biological (Christian Carleton) Biological (Christian Carleton) Habitat Habitat Benthic Macroinvertebrates Benthic Macroinvertebrates Basic Water Quality Parameters (David Baker) Basic Water Quality Parameters (David Baker) Field Tests Field Tests Nutrients & Other Lab Parameters Nutrients & Other Lab Parameters Extended Water Quality Parameters (Christian Carleton) Extended Water Quality Parameters (Christian Carleton) Metals Metals Organics Organics What is Next? What is Next? Questions & Answers Questions & Answers

3 Purpose of Water Quality Monitoring Program Ecosystem Restoration Plan (ERP) Ecosystem Restoration Plan (ERP) Collect Baseline Stream Data Collect Baseline Stream Data Preliminary Watershed Assessment Preliminary Watershed Assessment by Edmund Sullivan

4 Monitoring Program Overview Selection of Monitoring Sites Selection of Monitoring Sites Steps to a Reliable Monitoring Steps to a Reliable Monitoring Monitoring Equipment Issues Monitoring Equipment Issues Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) Field Parameters Field Parameters Lab Parameters Lab Parameters by David Baker

5 Selection of Monitoring Sites Historical or current land use (agriculture, municipal, industrial, mining, recreational, etc.) with potential WQ impairment? Historical or current land use (agriculture, municipal, industrial, mining, recreational, etc.) with potential WQ impairment? Is there previous WQ data that could be used? Is there previous WQ data that could be used? Is access safe? Is access safe? Is permission to cross private property granted? Is permission to cross private property granted? Is the sample representative of the water body of interest? Is the sample representative of the water body of interest?

Map of PG/CC Monitoring Sites

7 Steps to Reliable Monitoring Data Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) Standard Operating Procedures Standard Operating Procedures Implement Appropriate Data Management Implement Appropriate Data Management Independent QA/QC Review Independent QA/QC Review Routine Back-Up of All Monitoring Data Routine Back-Up of All Monitoring Data Select/Develop Database Select/Develop Database DATAMON (Excel on Steroids) DATAMON (Excel on Steroids) SWAMP Database (Being Adapted for Watershed Groups) SWAMP Database (Being Adapted for Watershed Groups) Develop Calibration Forms & Field Sheets Develop Calibration Forms & Field Sheets

8 Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) The QAPP is not only about doing a good analytical job but also being able to prove it The QAPP is not only about doing a good analytical job but also being able to prove it With a qualified staff, watershed groups can produce data on par with professionals With a qualified staff, watershed groups can produce data on par with professionals Provide adequate training for all monitoring personnel and have them work under direct supervision of a qualified technical specialist Provide adequate training for all monitoring personnel and have them work under direct supervision of a qualified technical specialist Specialize work, such as initial equipment calibrations and data review, are best done by the technical staff or trained interns Specialize work, such as initial equipment calibrations and data review, are best done by the technical staff or trained interns

9 Monitoring Equipment HydroLab multi-sensor probe HydroLab multi-sensor probe Velocity Meter Velocity Meter GPS GPS Camera Camera Field Data Sheets Field Data Sheets Sample Collection Bottles Sample Collection Bottles

10 Monitoring Equipment Issues Hydro Lab Probe Purchase Was Delayed Hydro Lab Probe Purchase Was Delayed Used Dry Creek Conservancys Meters for Initial Monitoring Used Dry Creek Conservancys Meters for Initial Monitoring New Equipment Successful for Second Round New Equipment Successful for Second Round

11 Laboratory Sample Analyses PG/CC Program Recognizes Analytical QA/QC Requirements Met by State Laboratory Certification Process PG/CC Program Recognizes Analytical QA/QC Requirements Met by State Laboratory Certification Process Select Methods with the Appropriate Quantitation Limits for WQ Parameters Select Methods with the Appropriate Quantitation Limits for WQ Parameters Coordinate with Analytical Laboratory Staff for Timely Processing of Samples Coordinate with Analytical Laboratory Staff for Timely Processing of Samples Use Laboratory Containers, Chain-of- Custody Forms and Sampling Instructions Use Laboratory Containers, Chain-of- Custody Forms and Sampling Instructions

12 Field Parameters pH pH Electrical Conductivity (E.C.) Electrical Conductivity (E.C.) Turbidity Turbidity Temperature Temperature Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.) Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.)

13 Laboratory Parameters Solids (TDS, TSS, Settleable Solids) Solids (TDS, TSS, Settleable Solids) Oil & Grease Oil & Grease Alkalinity (Titration Method) Alkalinity (Titration Method) Nutrients (Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia-N & Orthophosphate) Nutrients (Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia-N & Orthophosphate) Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) Metals, CAM 17 (ICP-MS Method) Metals, CAM 17 (ICP-MS Method) Pesticides (Organophosphorous, Organochlorine & Glyphosate) Pesticides (Organophosphorous, Organochlorine & Glyphosate) Bacteria (Total Coliform and E. coli) Bacteria (Total Coliform and E. coli)

14 Sampling Matrix

15 Biological Monitoring Benthic Macroinvertebrates (BMI) Benthic Macroinvertebrates (BMI) Habitat Assessment Habitat Assessment by Christian Carleton

16 Benthic Macroinvertebrates (Aquatic Insects & Other Critters) Surveyed upper and lower sections of PG/CC Watershed and selected sites to best reflect typical conditions throughout watershed Surveyed upper and lower sections of PG/CC Watershed and selected sites to best reflect typical conditions throughout watershed Access to private property problematic and finding suitable reaches with riffles difficult Access to private property problematic and finding suitable reaches with riffles difficult Timing of initial BMI sampling not quite optimal and previous selected sites in the lower watershed were dry Timing of initial BMI sampling not quite optimal and previous selected sites in the lower watershed were dry

17 Benthic Macroinvertebrates Continued… Standard CA Stream Bioassessment Procedure (CSBP) not really applicable to low gradient streams Standard CA Stream Bioassessment Procedure (CSBP) not really applicable to low gradient streams Our expert, Wayne Fields, helped adapt the current State sampling method Our expert, Wayne Fields, helped adapt the current State sampling method Planning an optimal BMI sampling in early spring Planning an optimal BMI sampling in early spring Some interesting critters found Some interesting critters found Review of preliminary data? Review of preliminary data?

18 Preliminary BMI Results SiteDiversityAbundance PG-1OKModerate PG-2ModerateModerate K-1PoorHigh C-1ModerateLow

Freshwater Clam

20 Habitat Assessment Part of the CSBP Part of the CSBP Method for placing a numerical value on stream habitat quality Method for placing a numerical value on stream habitat quality Qualitative assessment of 10 different stream habitat parameters Qualitative assessment of 10 different stream habitat parameters Completed by committee Completed by committee

Habitat Data

22 Basic Physical Water Quality Parameters Field Test Field Test Nutrients Nutrients Bacteria Bacteria Others Others by David Baker

23 Field Tests Basic physical and water quality parameters that can be easily measured with field instruments Basic physical and water quality parameters that can be easily measured with field instruments Temperature Temperature pH pH DO DO %DO %DO Specific Conductance Specific Conductance TDS TDS Turbidity Turbidity Velocity Velocity Depth Depth

Field Data

25 Nutrients & Other Basic Parameters Nutrients used by 1° producers (aquatic plants and algae) Nutrients used by 1° producers (aquatic plants and algae) Excess nutrients cause eutrophication Excess nutrients cause eutrophication Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a measure of the biologically available organic matter Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a measure of the biologically available organic matter Coliform (bacteria) present in the water Coliform (bacteria) present in the water

26 Some Laboratory Results Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Settleable Solids and E. coli were below detection limits in all samples analyzed to date Nitrate, Nitrite, Phosphate, Settleable Solids and E. coli were below detection limits in all samples analyzed to date

27 Extended Water Quality Parameters Metals Metals Organics (Herbicides & Pesticides) Organics (Herbicides & Pesticides) by Christian Carleton

28 Metals Used in various industrial processes Used in various industrial processes Present in some chemicals used as herbicides and pesticides Present in some chemicals used as herbicides and pesticides Will bioaccumulate Will bioaccumulate Can be toxic at low levels to certain organisms and people (e.g. mercury) Can be toxic at low levels to certain organisms and people (e.g. mercury)

29 Metals Results

30 Organics (Pesticides & Herbicides) Contain an organic chain within the molecule Contain an organic chain within the molecule Will adsorb to detritus (benthic organic matter) Will adsorb to detritus (benthic organic matter) Organochlorine Herbicides Organochlorine Herbicides Organophosphate Pesticides Organophosphate Pesticides Pesticides Pesticides Glyphosate (Round-Up) Glyphosate (Round-Up)

31 What is Next? Sampling in the Fall, First Flush, Winter Sampling in the Fall, First Flush, Winter BMI in Spring BMI in Spring Possible Sampling in Spring Possible Sampling in Spring Will be reviewing data and update monitoring plan as needed Will be reviewing data and update monitoring plan as needed

32 Questions & Answers