Using Standard Operating Procedures in the Field

2nd Annual Red River Basin Water Quality Monitoring Training – April 13th, 2005

What is a SOP Document?

Standard Operating ProceduresExplains methods for data collection

Water Quality (field meas. & sampling)Biological monitoringFlow 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 contaminationFrom activities at sampling site

From sampling equipment and bottles

SOP ROC(k)S!ROC(k)S!

EN

SE

OM

MO

N

FUL

ES

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 SenseIs this a good time to monitor this site?

Water Quality Sampling - General

Equipment ChecklistsPost in a useful, visible locationField measurement equipmentSampling EquipmentWadersSample storage and preservationData sheets, chain of custodyBoat

• Life vests• Integrated sampler• Anchor• Secchi disk• Oars!

Calibration SolutionsVendors

Cole Parmer – All are certified traceable

• YSI - Expensive• Myron L – Cheap – Bulk (32 oz)• Oakton – Cheap – Smaller bottles

(500 ml)

Look for an expiration dateWrite 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 TubesSee 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 lightRepresentativeness

• 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.

Ideal Sampling Depth and Location

95

95.5

96

96.5

97

97.5

98

98.5

99

99.5

Distance

Elev

Water

Bed Profile

Sampling Point

-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 carefullyDon’t use bottles that are missing caps, or have been separated from their caps for a whileOnly handle the outside of bottles and capsMake sure bottles are properly labeled

Preserve phosphorus samples as soon as possible

Sulfuric acid vials from laboratory

Collecting Quality Assurance Samples

Duplicate SamplesRLWD: w/ every 10th sampleKeep track in sample log

Blank SamplesDistilled (or deionized) waterUsing 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 10th sample

Blank sample results

Most are at or below the detection limitTotal Suspended Solid results for Kemmerer sampling vs. Dip sampling

for Field Blanks

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

8/28/99 3/15/00 10/1/00 4/19/01 11/5/01 5/24/02 12/10/02 6/28/03 1/14/04 8/1/04 2/17/05Date

TSS

(mg/

L)

Kemmerer Dip sampling

Pre-8/04

8/04 - present

Other Types of QA SamplesField 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 sizesPack securely

Ice PacksChain of CustodyUse packing tape on lidDeliver 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 MethodsStaff 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 tapeMeasure how much length the lock adds to the tapeLower tape until bottom of lock skims the waterRead tapeCompensate for the lock (add to reading)

Measuring Flow

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

SG 130 Flow Rating Curve

y = 25.557x2 - 385.29x + 1476.5

R2 = 0.9945

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8Measure Down (feet)

Flo

w (

cfs

)

FlowMeasurementsPoly. (FlowMeasurements)

Measuring FlowGood methods = More accurate readingsMore sections = more accuracyAccuracy + Range = More reliable rating curvesSmaller sections in the swiftest section of the streamWhere you measure makes a difference

Biological Monitoring

EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocol

Collecting macroinvertebrates is the fun part, sorting and identification can be tedious

www.waterbugkey.vcsu.edu

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

http://www.redlakewatershed.org/waterquality/Entire%20SOP%20Document.pdfComing Soon: Standard Operating Procedures for Data Management and AnalysisRevision 7 of the SOP