Tradewater-Lower Green River Watershed Watch 2002 Scientific Study and Quality Assurance-Quality Control Plan Draft version 5.0 February 26, 2002 Abstract: In order to provide high quality, scientifically defensible water quality measurements, the following set of recommendations are made for our basin's scientific study plan. I.) Monitoring Objectives: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1. To provide current data on general water quality conditions to local stream based organizations working to protect their watershed. 2. To provide wide spread screening for potential water quality problems to resource management agencies. 3. To provide auxiliary information to assist resource management agencies in meeting specific operational and management objectives. 4. To identify specific impacts to water quality through targeted observations and measurements. 5. To develop a better understanding of stream science and water quality issues among participants II.)MONITORING PARAMETERS: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The following monitoring parameters are recommended: A)Field Measurements: 1. General Field Observations May-June visual/photographic Field Surveys conducted at all new sites: Stream Habitat Assessment for new sites (US EPA Protocol) Survey Items: -Latitude and Longitude for location sites. -Riparian zone, in stream 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. -Photo documentation of riparian conditions -Stage or water level information 2. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure (Flowing streams) Conducted at all monitoring sites Level I (group level field identification) by lay volunteers 3. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure Level II (Family Level lab identification) by advanced teams: A) Traveling Kick collection method where applicable B) Use of plate collectors as artificial habitat C) EPT Taxa Richness as a scoring metric. 4. Field Chemistry (all sites for all sampling events) A) Dissolved Oxygen (Lamotte Modified Winkler Method) B) pH (Lamotte colormetric wide range indicator) C) Temperature with Shielded Thermometer (Degrees C) 5. Discharge measurements, Stage information, or flow level. will be assessed at each time of sampling. B) Water quality "lab" Parameters 1. Herbicide/Pesticide Sampling (Recommended for Spring Event) 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) Triazine (used as pre-emergent for corn) B) Metolachlor (used on Soybeans) 2. Turbidity by Lab Neflometer (Recommended for Spring Event) Turbidity readings will be taken on lab samples for comparison of siltation between samples. 3. Bench Conductivity (Recommended for Fall Event) Conductivity for Fall Low Flow sampling will be taken for all sites. Sites with high conductivity (Excess of 800 UHMO) will be eligible for resampling for Sulfates and Chlorides. 4. Total Kjeldal Nitrogen or Total Nitrogen (Recommended for Fall Event) Nutrient analysis for Fall Low Flow sampling 5. Microbiological testing (Spring and Summer Events) Teams will be recruited to conduct microbiological sampling of *Fecal Coliform (colonies/100 ml) Where sites exceed a particular level we will retest for fecal coliform and fecal strep. The steering committee will decide what results level will trigger the retest after they have seen the numbers from the first test. 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 centigrade in wet ice. Labs will use Membrane filtration method 9222d. 6. Analysis for new stations New sites should be analyzed for the following parameters during the Fall Low Flow sampling event Watershed Parameter Suggested EPA Method # ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ *Total Kjeldhal or Total Nitrogen 351.2 *Turbidity (Lab Neflometer) *Conductivity (Lab) 120.1 *Chloride 300.0 *Sulfate 300.0 *Nitrate 300.0 *Phosphorus, total 365.2 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 trained and registered 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. Field blanks for Nutrient and Metal testing will be used. Sample Runners will carry one H2SO4 one liter container with DI water for a nutrient blank, and one Nitric acid one liter container with DI water for Metal Scans. The blanks will show if the lot number of the acid that the preservative, DI, and container lot # were free of contamination for the study. 9. 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) Focus Study Authorizations Should monitoring results indicate water quality conditions that warrant further investigation, A sampling team can request the Steering Committee to authorize a more detailed focus study on the resource. The requesting party should submit a sampling plan with following information to the Science Advisory Group Chair for review and submission to the steering committee for approval. 1. Name and contact information of the supervising sampler leading the project. 2. The specific monitoring objectives describing the impact/condition to be investigated. (include existing data) 3. Stream name and list of desired sampling locations. 4. List of analysis parameters desired. 5. Sampling time frame and number of samples desired. 6. Laboratories involved in analysis 7. Estimated cost for sampling. 8. Commitment to follow Watershed Watch sampling procedures and quality control measures as found in the scientific study plan. 9. Commitment to provide share the results of the monitoring with the Steering Committee and to provide copies of the lab reports and chain of custody records to the Steering Committee Data Manager. Science Advisors may assist with developing the focus study plan and recommend analysis parameters to meet the monitoring objectives of the focus study. Review and approval can take place via electronic mail. D) Sampling Site Selection Parameters: 1. Habitat Assessment/Biological Monitoring Volunteers will be asked to seek out the highest quality habitat for biological screening sites. They could also locate sites below any significant discharges or land use features for comparison purposes. Habitat assessments need only be completed once per site unless significant changes take place at the site. 2. Grab Sample Sites "Monitoring Stations" Sites should be distributed as evenly as possible among the 11 digit hydrologic units in the watershed. Before a site can be considered, the volunteer group should 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" in the Watershed Watch Database consisting of the River Basin Project and a number from 1-1000. T will be used to identify all samples taken in our basin. Should a site be retired from monitoring, that site's identification code will be retired as well. E) Sampling Schedule: 1. Herbicide/Pesticide, fecal coliform, Turbidity, May 3,4, 2002 2. Fecal Coliform (July 12-13, 2002) 4. Fall "low flow" samples (October 4-5, 2002 ) 5. Field Surveys (April-May) F) Training Schedule: Wednesday April 10 2002, Owensboro, Kentucky Kentucky Wesleyan College 5:00 PM till 9:00 PM Henry Connor, Rob Kingsolver Saturday, April 27, 2002 Henderson Community College 9:30-3:00 (Brown Bag Lunch) Michele Morek, Lee Dew Pennyrile State Park April 27, 2002 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM Scott V. Rozenna Carr, John Lowbridge G) Selecting Labs: Labs used for the project should provide assurances of their ability to follow Standard Methods for Water and Wastewater Analysis. Their credibility is essential. Below is a list of labs used that would meet this criteria: Ogden Environmental Laboratory C/0 Rose Hullet Western Kentucky University 1 Big Red Way Bowling Green, KY 42101-3576 270-745-0111 SMR Environmental Services P. O Box 761 Central City Kentucky 42330 270-754-3737 Kentucky Geological Survey Labs (At UK) Dr. Henry Francis, 606-257-5500 228 Mining and Mineral Resources Bldg University of Kentucky Lexington, KY40506-0107 Envirodata Group (formerly Commonwealth Technology Inc) 2520 Regency Road Lexington, 40503 Att: Lisa Sexton 606-276-3506 Hankock Biological Station Murray State University 561 Emma Drive Murray, KY 42071 NOTE: This is a partial list of labs used in the past. This does not exclude any lab from consideration for bids on project work nor imply an endorsement of a lab listed. III.) VOLUNTEER TRAINING AND REGISTRATION ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A) Volunteer training and registration is an essentail component of the projects quality assurance. Volunteers for the project should complete training in the modules as part of their basic certification prior to sampling. Module 1. Watersheds and our connection to them: A)Watershed identification and definitions B)Basic concepts of stream ecology and hydrology C)Top water quality impacts that degrade stream health D)What we know about our watershed (Status report) Module 2. Project organization and process: A) Watershed Watch Project Mission and Goals B) Local support organization Communications C) Unified Sampling Event Logistics and Timetable D) Monitoring data use and interpretation. E) The role citizens play in protecting watersheds. Module 3. Basic Water Chemistry and Grab Sample Collection A) Documenting Site Information 1. Site descriptions 2. Mapping and geolocation 3. Completing standard Site Data Sheet 4. Photo Documentation B) Operating basic water tests 1. pH 2. Temperature 3. Dissolved Oxygen 4. Conductivity 5. Equipment care C) Grab Sample Collection 1. Completing Chain of Custody Records 2. Sample collection and preservation 3. Sample holding and transport Module 4. Habitat Assessments A)Background on stream systems and hydrology B)Review of assessment parameters C)Methods for conducting assessment evaluations D)Assessment adjustments for region and stream types. Module 5. Basic Biological collections and assessments. A)Collection methods and equipment use B)Field Identification of organisms C)Completing field tally sheets D)Preserving and storing collections These training modules can be completed in a single day-long workshop, or conducted in separate training meetings at the instructors discretion. B) Instructor Certification: The steering committee should designate a list of instructors qualified to deliver the listed training modules. D) Participant Agreement Forms: Project volunteers should complete a participant agreement form that lists the components of the project they are willing to participate in, the sampling sites they plan to monitor and a disclaimer on the risks involved in participating. Project volunteers should keep a copy for their records, a copy should be retained by the Steering Committee. C) Supervising Sampler's Registry: Volunteers that complete this training should be registered in the Kentucky Watershed Watch Volunteer Data Base along with their contact information, shipping address (for sample containers) sampling location and date training completed. IV.) DATA MANAGEMENT: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The Steering Committee will appoint a "Data Manager" to coordinate with other basins on compatibility of the table and field structure of project data. Each project is encouraged to adopt the data storage structure as called for in the Watershed Watch Data management System found at: http://kywater.org/watch/2000/ib_datasystem.txt 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. B) Lab Reports: Reports from contracted labs should be requested in electronic spread sheets containing the following fields: ID#, Watershed# Stream_Name, Site_Description, Sample_Time, Sample_Date, Sampler_Name, followed by the results. Standard templates will be provided to the lab by TGWW data managers. A hard copy of the lab report signed by the lab manager along with any chain of custody records, field reports or other documents submitted by the volunteers should be transmitted to the Treasurer along with the invoice for analysis. The treasurer shall then transmit the reports to the Steering Committee Data Manager for processing. C) Data Archiving: Monitoring station results will be incorporated in a relational data base(Microsoft Access) then imported into E.S.R.I. Arcview 3.X for GIS applications. Data will be made available on the World Wide Web. at http://kywater.org/watch/data/ D) Records Archiving: Hard copy records generated by the project will be archived at Kentucky Water Watch Offices, 14 Reilly Road, Frankfort, KY and made available to the public during regular business hours. Evening and weekend access by appointment. V) REVIEW OF LITERATURE ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A) Where possible, electronic copies of current professional research studies shall be obtained for inclusion in 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. 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://kywater.org/watch/tg.htm VI.) 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 but it must be marked "Provisional: Subject To Review". Each basin steering committee is responsible for approval and issuance of the official set of results or conclusionary statements from monitoring work in its area. A minority report is allowed should there be different interpretations of the data. VII.) ADOPTION OF THIS PLAN ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ a) The Tradewater-Lower Green Watershed Watch Steering Committee Scientific Advisory Group will present their plan to the steering committee at their February 2002 meeting for adoption. The plan will be reviewed before each season of study. END Draft Version 5.0 February 26, 2002 +++