Four Rivers Watershed Watch Scientific Study Plan Draft Version 3.0 February 25, 1999 12:00 PM EST Abstract: This document outlines water quality monitoring protocols to guide volunteers in their efforts to conduct field surveys of the watersheds in the lower Cumberland, Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River Basins. This is a draft document still under revision. I. Monitoring objectives include assessments of: A. General watershed health. B. Impacts of municipal and industrial discharges. C. Impacts of agricultural operations. D. Impacts of unsewered development. E. Health safety for recreational activities. II. Water Resources Being Studied: The Four Rivers Watershed Watch will be equipping volunteers to survey a wide variety of waters. In particular: A. Flowing water "headwater" streams such as East Fork of Clarks River, Little River, Livingston Creek, Red River and others. B. Large lake environments for Barkley and Kentucky Lakes. C. Wetland ecosystems including open water wetlands and bottom land hardwood forests. D. Large rivers. NOTE: New data collection on the Lower Cumberland, Tennessee Ohio and Mississippi rivers will me limited. This study intends to utilize existing data on these resources for its evaluations. III. Assessment tools Volunteers will be involved in seasonal data collection efforts. Where appropriate timing of these measurements will be governed by both climatic, stream-flow and water level conditions. A) May-June visual/photographic Field Surveys: 1. Stream Habitat Assessment (US EPA Protocol) Survey Items: -Riparian zone, instream Features, bank stability -Riparian and aquatic vegetation, vegetative zone width -Sediment substrate components odors, oils and deposits -Riffle quality, embeddedness, sediment deposition -Flow, Velocity depth combinations. -Discharge calculations -Photo documentation of riparian conditions 2. Lake shore Surveys -Bank stability -shoreline vegetation -Buffer zones -Water Clarity (Secchi disk depth) -Photo documentation of lake shore conditions 3. Wetland Area Surveys (Late Summer) -Indicator Plant Species -Plant community structure (Does the plant community have well developed strata?) -buffer or lack of buffer -Presence of hydromodifications -Water levels -Wetland size/coverage -presence of fill material -evidence of discharges or dumping -Photo documentation of habitat conditions (reference: http://www.epa.gov/volunteer/spring98/pg17.html http://www.wes.army.mil/el/wetlands/hgmhp.html ) 4. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure (Flowing streams) Level I (group level field identification) by lay volunteers 5. Freshwater clam survey, (Mid Summer) estimations and photography of presence of mussel shells and living populations (no collection) with voucher collections of empty shells (with permit). 6. Field Chemistry (all sites) a. Dissolved Oxygen b. pH C. TDS field Meeters c. Temp (Cole Palmer TDSTSTR3 P-19800-20 0-2000 10 $55.50) Note: Field Surveys will be initiated at a May 16 "Kickoff" but may be continued throughout the monitoring program. Groups will be encouraged to visit as many sites as time and transportation will allow. B) Water quality "lab" Parameters 1)Herbicide/Pesticide Sampling (flowing streams) June 12-13 1999 Teams will conduct water sampling for agricultural chemicals. These samples are for laboratory analysis (Immunoassay) of the more common herbicides applied at that time. These herbicides (and other relevant parameters) are listed below. Samples will be preserved by ice for transport to the lab with no more than a seven day holding time a. 2,4-D (amine) Pastures and Lawn chemicals b. Chlorpyrifos (Dursban, replacing Diazinon) c. Metolachlor (used on Soybeans) d. Alachlor (used on soybean cultivation) e. Triazine (used as pre-emergent for corn) 2)Chlorophyll a (Lake Sites) June 12-13 1999 Chlorophyll a is the green photosynthetic pigment found in the cells of all algae. By taking a measured sample of lake water and extracting the chlorophyll a from the algae cells contained in that sample, monitors can get a good indication of the density of the algal population. Chlorophyll a is analyzed in a laboratory from a sample collected by a volunteer. The simplest protocol is to ship the water sample to the laboratory for analysis. http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/monitoring/volunteer/lake/chapter3.html#3a 3) Microbiological testing (Flowing Streams and Lake Sites) August 3, 1999 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM Teams will be recruited to conduct microbiological sampling of Fecal Coliform (colonies/100 ml) and Fecal Strep during prime recreation season. Samples will be collected using EPA standard methods with no more than six hour holding time from sample collection to lab delivery. Samples will be held at 4 degrees centegrade in wet ice. Labs will use Membrane filtration method with test volumes of 1 ml and 10 ml from the 500 ml sample. For Fecal Strep Labs would use 10 ML and 100 ML sample. from one 500 ML sample. (Standard Boston Round) 5) Low Flow Grab Sample Collection (Flowing streams, Lakes) September 11-12 1999 (Noon Saturday to Noon Sunday) Teams will conduct water sampling during low flow periods for laboratory analysis of a wide range of water quality parameters. Parameters may vary depending on the site and the land use activity in the watershed. Watershed Parameter EPA Method # ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Alkalinity 310.1 (Conductivity) 120.1 Hardness, total 130.2 Bromide 300.0 Chloride 300.0 Fluoride 300.0 Nitrate 300.0 Nitrite 300.0 Phosphorus, ortho 300.0 Sulfate 300.0 Total suspended solids 160.1 Total organic carbon 415.2 Ammonia-nitrogen 350.1 Total Kjeldhal nitrogen 351.2 Phosphorus, total 365.2 Aluminum 200.7 Antimony 200.7 Arsenic 200.9 Barium 200.7 Beryllium 200.7 Cadmium 200.9 Calcium 200.7 Chromium 200.9 Cobalt 200.7 Copper 200.9 Iron 200.7 Lead 200.9 Magnesium 200.7 Manganese 200.7 Mercury 245.1 Molybdenum 200.7 Nickel 200.7 Potassium 200.7 Selenium 200.9 Silver 200.7 Sodium 200.7 Strontium 200.7 Tin 200.7 Vanadium 200.7 Zinc 200.7 Field Dissolved Oxygen (Before 6:00 am) Field pH Field Temp Field Conductivity 6) Discharge measurements in Cubic Feet per Second will be assessed at each time of sampling. 7) Standard Methods of Collection and Analysis: Samples are to be gathered using (EPA) Standard Methods of collection, preservation and analysis under full chain-of-custody using scientifically trained volunteers. Sample analysis will performed by a laboratory using standard methods of analysis. Sample splits may be provided to the State Division of Environmental Services Lab. 8) Resampling will be conducted on 10% of collection sites for Habitat and Biological Monitoring. A random selection of sites will be revisited by volunteers to check comparability of results. C) Sampling Site Selection Parameters: 1. Habitat Assessment/Biological Monitoring Volunteers will be asked to seek out riffle areas and or highest quality habitat for biological screening sites. We request them to locate sites below any significant discharges or land use features. 2. Grab Sample Sites "Monitoring Stations" 50 sites will be distributed as evenly as possible among the 11 digit hydrologic units in the watershed. Before a site can be considered, the volunteer group must submit a Site Characterization Form describing the area. (This is part of the spring habitat assessments) Once a sample site is selected it will be given a unique "Monitoring Station Code" (f01-f99) that will be used to identify all samples taken at that location. E) Selecting Labs: Bids will be requested from laboratories in the area. These labs will be asked to provide the sample containers and instructions on collection, preservation, and transport. FRWW* Volunteers will be responsible for transport of samples to labs in a coordinated fashion and in compliance with the preservation method and maximum-allowable holding times specified for each type of analysis. !!!(Please let us know any other labs willing to entertain bids on work for this project)!!! Environmental Analytical Services 175 Park Road Paducah, Kentucky 502-898-4857 McCoy and McCoy Paducah, KY Hankock Biological Station 561 Emma Drive Murray, KY 42071 Murray State University ASPU Center for Field Biology 601 College Street Clarksville, Chem Services Murray State University David Owen 502-753-5551 Kentucky Geological Survey Labs (At UK) Dr. Henry Francis, 606-257-5500 228 Mining and Mineral Resources Bldg University of Kentucky Lexington, KY40506-0107 University of Louisville Dept. of Biological Sciences. Jan Stevensen, 502-852-5938 Center for Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292. Kentucky Division of Environmental Services Bill Davis, 502-564-6120 East West Connector Frankfort, KY 40601 (for QAQC, split samples and unknowns) E) Reporting: Volunteers will be asked to mail their reports on habitat assessment, stream bank stability measurements, land use verification, and biological surveys to the Four Rivers Watershed Watch immediately after completion. The water-sample analysis laboratories will submit a copy of their results to Four Rivers Watershed watch staff who will then distribute it to the participants as described below. ============================================================ III.) Data Management: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A) Observational data Reports from the stream surveys shall be compiled in flat-record file in MS Excel 97 with photographs referenced by site code. Key photographs may be scanned in JPEG format if resources permit. Fields for observational data should include: Collector's identification Hydrologic Unit Nature of Observation Observation Elements Comments Reference to external material (photo's, maps Etc...) B) Laboratory analysis results shall be compiled in electronic spread sheet Excel and exported to *.WK1 (lotus 123) or *.XLS (MS. Excel) for use by participants. C) Monitoring station results will be plotted and displayed in Arcview 3.1 for GIS applications. Copies of the maps will be made available on the World Wide Web. IV) Review of Literature A) Where possible, electronic copies of current professional research studies shall be obtained for inclusion in Four Rivers Watershed Watch Summary Reports. Executive Summary level information will be obtained where possible for all reports available. Reports shall be maintained in MS Word Format exported to Word Perfect 5.1 for distribution. B) Reports, data and information shall be made available to volunteer participants in hard copy, with electronic archives available via World Wide Web at this web address: http://water.nr.state.ky.us/watch/4.htm ============================================================ V.) Conclusions and Data Analysis: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A) Preliminary reports will simply include the raw data with sufficient background for interpretation. Users will be cautioned not to draw hasty conclusions from single data points that may lie outside the norm. Further review and discussion will be warranted before specific conclusions and calls for action are made. We do want the volunteers to have access to the raw data as soon as it is available. B) Roundtable meetings will allow for professionals and lay participants to discuss findings and conclusions. An effort to involve all the members of a community interested in water quality will be made. Including representatives from industry, the scientific community, agricultural businesses and local officials. The conclusions from these meetings will then be turned over to the agencies active in the basin, such as the Kentucky Division of Water, The United States Geological Survey, The United States Army Corps of Engineers, Tennessee Valley Authority. The United States Department of Agriculture, NRCS, The Kentucky agriculture Water Quality Authority and any other organization that offers to comment and respond to the reports. C) The raw data will be available to any party that wishes to review and comment on the information via the Web Site. ============================================================ VI.) Volunteer Organization: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ An effort will be made to involve volunteers throughout the basin in the process, including, stream side land owners, high school science groups, support agencies such as Agricultural Extension and the NRCS, municipal utilities, college level faculty and students, environmental groups, Industrial Environmental Engineers and other interested stakeholders willing to participate. A) Committee Structure: 1. The Steering Committee: consisting of volunteers and advisors for the program. 2. The Scientific Advisory Team is responsible for the development of the scientific study plan, quality assurance, quality control provisions. 3. The Volunteer Trainers are responsible for planning and conducting the training workshops in the watershed. 4. The Volunteer Support Coordinators are responsible for recruitment, coordinating, distributing sampling materials and coordinating delivery of collected samples to the labs. 5. Watershed Roundtables: Interested parties working to coordinate specific activities within a particular watershed. 6. Hydrologic Unit Monitoring Teams. Groups of about five folks responsible for conducting the field surveys, sample collection and other observations on the watershed B) Contacts: Dr. Joe Baust, Chair Center for Environmental Education. Murray State University Box 9 Murray, KY 42071 502-762-2747 joe.baust@coe.murraystate.edu Robert Johnson, Treasurer Jackson Purchase Foundation Inc. 201 East College Street Mayfield, Kentucky 42066 502.251.0061 rjohnson@apex.net Ken Cooke, Volunteer Support Advisor, KY Water Watch, DOW 800-928-0045 Ext. 473 (V) C) Scientific Advisory Team Members: Dr. David White, Director Hancock Biological Station Murray State University Murray, KY 42071 502-474-2272 David.white@murraystate.edu Dr. Mack T. Finley Biology Dept. Austin Peay State University P.O. Box 4718 6146 Bryant Rd. Adams TN 37010 Clarksville, TN 37044 931-648-7772 Office 615-696-2406 Evening Fax 931-648-5996 Dr. Mike Kemp Murray State University Environmental Engineering Technology Box 9 Murray, KY 42071 502-762-3657 mike.kemp@murraystate.edu Dr. Susan Hendricks Hankock Biological Station Murray State University Murray, KY 42071 502-474-2272 susan.hendricks@murraystate.edu Dr. Steven Hamilton Dept. of Biology Austin Peay State University P.O. Box 4718 Clarksville, TN 37044 931-648-7772 Office Hamiltonsw@apsu.edu Dr. Don C. Dailey Dept. of Biology Austin Peay State University P.O. Box 4718 Clarksville, TN 37044 931-648-7440 Office Daileyd@apsu.edu Bobby Lee Biology Dept. Paducah Community College P.O Box 7380 Paducah, KY 42002 502 554-9200, ext. 6118 (Bobby) blee2@pop.uky.edu Dr. Bill Spencer Murray State University Murray, KY 42071 502-762-6751 bill.spencer@murraystate.edu Jeff Grubbs Water Quality Certification Section KY Division of Water 14 Reilly Road Frankfort, KY 40601 grubbs@nrdep.nr.state.ky.us ============================================================ VII.)Volunteer Training: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A) Training Workshops An initial field workshop* will be provided to volunteers in the project. The content of that field workshop will focus on the particular resource being monitored. 1) Flowing Streams Assessment Workshop (6 hours): -Review of watershed conditions and issues -Conducting habitat assessments -Benthic Macroinvertebrate assessment procedures -Field chemistry procedures -Project organization and logistics -Site selection assignments -Equipment checkout 2)Lake Monitoring Workshop (4 hours): -Review of lake conditions and issues -Conducting shoreline surveys -Field chemistry procedures -Secchi Depth measurements -Chlorophyll a sample collection -Project organization and logistics -Site selection assignments -Equipment checkout 3)Wetland Monitoring Workshop ( Optional, To be held late summer) -Training in field survey methods (This component is still under development, more later) 4)Advanced Biological Monitoring (optional) -Lab workshop for identification of Benthic Macroinvertebrates to the family level. B). Volunteer Equipment 1. Volunteers will provide their own 35mm cameras and video cameras where used. 2. Lamotte Field dissolved oxygen and pH testing kits (many locally provided, some loaned by the project) -EDO modified Winkler titration method, -Color metric wide-range indicator for pH. 3. Sample containers for advanced teams, (provided by labs) 4. #10 Softnet Collection net 5. Coolers for sample preservation and transport will be provided by the volunteers 6. Reporting Forms for Watershed Surveys, Habitat Assessments, Discharge Surveys, Dump Surveys, Pristine Site Surveys, and Chain of Custody Records for sample Collection. D) Training Workshop Times and Places =================================== 1. Flowing Streams: Paducah Community College 4/17/99 9:00 2. Flowing Streams: Hopkinsville Library 4/24/99 9:00 3. Flowing Streams: Mayfield, PADD office 4/24/99 1:00 4. Flowing Streams: Clarksville, TN APSU 5/8/99 9:00 5. Lake Monitoring: Eddyville, KY 4/18/99 2:00 6. Lake Monitoring: Ken Lake SRP Arora, 4/25/99 2:00 7. Wetland Surveys: SITE TBA Summer 1999 E) Advanced Workshops: In addition to the standard workshop for all volunteers, advanced training will be made available in specific topics. 1. Level II Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring: Participants will be introduced to collection methods and identification procedures that allow identification to the family level. The day long course will also cover advanced statistical analysis of collection results. F) Volunteer Organization: 1. Each watershed will have a Volunteer for collection and transport of lab samples. 2. Lay volunteers will be involved in Habitat/biological surveys and field analysis of Dissolved Oxygen and pH (team size will vary) 3. Hydrologic Unit Monitoring Teams in selected 11 digit HUCs will include both advanced and lay members 4. Advanced Biological Assessment Teams. for conducting "Level II" Benthic Macroinvertebrate surveys. ============================================================ VIII.) Continuing Process ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A) Organization of Watershed Networks Volunteers that participate in this project will be encouraged to form community watershed networks or formal watershed councils or alliances. Assistance will be provided by the Kentucky Waterways Alliance and other groups on establishing these organizations. B) Continued Surveys and Lab Analysis. if funding can be sustained, additional field days and lab sample runs will take place on a quarterly basis throughout the basin. ============================================================ IX) Changes to this plan ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This is still a draft. Parameter list may be modified based on lab bids and cost. Send Comments Via E-mail to: kywwp@igc.org (Ken Cooke) +++ End Four Rivers Watershed Watch Study Plan (Version 3.0)