6. Mussel Shell Inventories
Photographic records of mussel shells found in gravel bars along Stream segments in the region.
Shells will not be collected, but catagorized and the best example of each category photographed
on site and cataloged. Photographs will be provided to the KY Nature Preserves Commission
for review.
 

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.

1. Habitat Assessment/Biological Monitoring

Volunteers will be asked to seek out the highest quality
habitat for biological screening sites. We request them
to also 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" (u01-u99) that will be used to
identify all samples taken at that location.
 

G) Sampling Schedule: (All dates tentative)

1. Field Surveys, Habitat Assessments: Start May
2. Herbicide Pesticide samples: May
3. Mussel Inventories June 30 through Oct 15
4. Fecal Coliform / Fecal Strep July
5. Fall Low Flow October

Volunteers will be asked to mail their reports on habitat
assessment, stream bank stability measurements, land use
verification, and biological surveys to the Uper Cumberland River
Watershed Watch immediately after completion. The
water-sample analysis laboratories will submit a copy of their
results to UCWW* staff who will then distribute it to the
participants as described below the laboratory.

II.)Volunteer Training:
 
A) Team leaders materials
1. Printed materials and training videos.
2. An initial six hour in field workshop* will be provided to
volunteers in the project.
3. Follow up training for will be conducted for teams conducting
sample collection in June and October.
4. Field guide to streams and rivers
5. Sample parameters list and description
6. Map and basin description
7. Guidance document on habitat assessment
8. US-EPA Video on habitat assessment (one per watershed)
9. Survey instructions benthic macroinvertebrate collection
Instructions for field testing equipment
B) Volunteer Equipment
1.One Lamotte Field dissolved oxygen and pH testing kit per watershed
EDO modified Winkler titration method Color metric wide-range indicator for pH.
2. Sample containers for advanced teams, (provided by labs)
3. #10 Softnet Collection net, Advanced biological survey teams
will use 1/16" mesh 1 meter square kick seines.
4. Coolers for sample preservation and transport will be provided by
the volunteers
5. Reporting Forms for Watershed Survey, Habitat Assessment,
Chain of Custody Record for sample Collection.
 
============================================================
 

III.) Data Management:
 

Volunteer teams will develop a considerable amount of geo-referenced data. NREPC staff, PRIDE staff and PRIDE consultants do not have the time or resources to process the information being generated, therefore it is essential that local management of the data collected be initiated. Tasks will include integration of lab reports, field reports and existing data coverages into a compatible ARC/INFO project that can be accessed by resource management agencies, PRIDE and other organizations with GIS capability.
 
Also, the GIS resources will be used in volunteer coordination and training. Data sets being developed by PRIDE consultants on open dumps, on site sewage systems and other pollution impacts can be combined with existing land use and environmental coverages for developing maps for use by the volunteer groups in the field. These maps can be distributed at low cost using adobe PDF Format documents that allow scanning and zooming of maps on a home PC. Map outputs and result will ultimately be published on the project web site at /watch/uc.htm. for use by cooperators in the project.
 
B) Laboratory analysis results shall be requested in electronic spread sheet format from participating labs.
 

1. 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.
2. 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:
   /watch/UC.htm

1. 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. Though we do want the volunteers
   to have access to the raw data as soon as it is available.
2. 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.
3. The raw data will be available to any party that wishes
   to review and comment on the information via the Web Site.
   ============================================================

Loris Sherman , Chair
Somerset Community College
808 Monticello Rd.
Somerset, KY 42501
lesher0@pop.uky.edu
606-679-8501