Using Standard Operating Procedures in the Field 2 nd Annual Red River Basin Water Quality Monitoring Training – April 13 th, 2005

What is a SOP Document? Standard Operating Procedures Explains methods for data collection Water Quality (field meas. & sampling) Biological monitoring Flow 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 contamination From activities at sampling site From sampling equipment and bottles

ROC(k)S! SOP ROC(k)S! ENSE OMMON F ULES 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 Sense Is this a good time to monitor this site?

Water Quality Sampling - General Equipment Checklists Post in a useful, visible location Field measurement equipment Sampling Equipment Waders Sample storage and preservation Data sheets, chain of custody Boat Life vests Integrated sampler Anchor Secchi disk Oars!

Calibration Solutions Vendors Cole Parmer – All are certified traceable YSI - Expensive Myron L – Cheap – Bulk (32 oz) Oakton – Cheap – Smaller bottles (500 ml) Look for an expiration date Write 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 Tubes See 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 light Representativeness 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. -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 carefully Don’t use bottles that are missing caps, or have been separated from their caps for a while Only handle the outside of bottles and caps Make sure bottles are properly labeled Preserve phosphorus samples as soon as possible Sulfuric acid vials from laboratory

Collecting Quality Assurance Samples Duplicate Samples RLWD: w/ every 10 th sample Keep track in sample log Blank Samples Distilled (or deionized) water Using 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 10 th sample

Blank sample results Most are at or below the detection limit Pre-8/04 8/04 - present

Other Types of QA Samples Field 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 sizes Pack securely Ice Packs Chain of Custody Use packing tape on lid Deliver 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 Methods Staff 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 tape Measure how much length the lock adds to the tape Lower tape until bottom of lock skims the water Read tape Compensate for the lock (add to reading)

Measuring Flow Goal: Create a rating curve so that flow can be estimated from stage

Measuring Flow Good methods = More accurate readings More sections = more accuracy Accuracy + Range = More reliable rating curves Smaller sections in the swiftest section of the stream Where you measure makes a difference

Biological Monitoring EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocol Collecting macroinvertebrates is the fun part, sorting and identification can be tedious

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 rquality/Entire%20SOP%20Document. pdf Coming Soon: Standard Operating Procedures for Data Management and Analysis Revision 7 of the SOP