Quality Assurance/Quality Control Project Plan

Table of Contents

Section	Section Title	Page
1	Title and Approval………………………………………………………	i
2	Table of Contents……………………………………………………….	1
3	Distribution List…………………………………………………………	2
4	Project/Task Organization………………………………………………	2
5	Objective/Problem Definition…………………………………………..	5
6	Project/Task Description………………………………………………..	6
7	Data Quality Objectives for Data……………………………………….	9
8	Training Requirements/Certification……………………………………	11
9	Documentation and Records……………………………….……………	12
10	Sampling Process Design……………………………………………….	12
11	Sampling Methods Requirements………………………….……………	13
12	Sample Handling and Custody Requirements…………………………..	14
13	Analytical Methods Requirements………………………………………	15
14	Quality Control Requirements…………………………………………..	16
15	Instrument/Equipment Testing, Inspection, and Maintenance Records...	17
16	Instrument Calibration and Frequency………………………………….	18
17	Inspection and Acceptance Requirements for Supplies…………………	18
18	Data Acquisition Requirements…………………………………………	19
19	Data Management……………………………………………………….	19
20	Assessments and Response Actions…………………………………….	20
21	Reports………………………………………………………………….	20
22	Data Review, Validation, and Verification Requirements……………...	20
23	Validation and Verification Methods…………………………………...	21
24	Reconciliation with Data Objectives……………………………………	21
	References……………………………………………………………….	22

Distribution List

Distribution List

A draft copy of this Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Project Plan will be given to all members of the Project Watershed Central New York/Save Our Streams (CNY/SOS) Board of Directors.  The QA/QC Project Plan will also be given to representatives from the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Consortium.  Copies of the formalized QA/QC Project Plan will be made available to any interested individuals or groups by requesting a copy from Les Monostory (see address listed in Section 4, page 3).

Project/Task Organization

Project/Task Organization

The core of Project Watershed CNY/SOS is its Board of Directors.  The members of the Board are each associated with various educational, environmental, industrial, and governmental institutions.  Currently, there are nine members on the Board of Directors.  The Board meets on a bimonthly basis to discuss past activities, the program progress, and future endeavors.

The responsibilities of the Board of Directors include:

· collaborating with organizations sponsoring water resource education programs;

· informing teachers and students in Central New York about Project Watershed CNY/SOS;

· obtaining and maintaining water quality monitoring equipment and supplies through grant writing;

· conducting workshops and forums for interested volunteers to educate them about water resource issues;

· training volunteers in stream monitoring procedures;

· maintaining the web site and database for communicating stream survey data;

· publishing and distributing articles discussing the program’s progress;

· assisting the Director with communicating with school groups, scheduling and supervising stream monitoring activities, and managing monitoring equipment;

· orienting student participants toward environmental careers; and

· periodically reviewing and revising the By-laws.

Contact information for the Board of Directors can be found on the following page.

 

 

1999-2000 Project Watershed Central New York/Save Our Streams Board of Directors

1999-2000 Project Watershed Central New York/Save Our Streams Board of
Directors

William N. Legg, Director 2563 Webb Road LaFayette, NY 13084 (315) 677-5194 leggbill@dreamscape.com	Don Gates The Living SchoolBook Syracuse University School of Education 230 Huntington Hall Syracuse, NY 13244 degates@lsb.syr.edu
Les Monostory, Data Manager Onondaga County Health Department Environmental Health Division 4894 Onondaga Road P.O. Box 190 Syracuse, NY 13215-0190 (315) 435-6600 hllmono@health.co.onondaga.ny.us	Brian Fisher SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Office of Continuing Education 218 Bray Hall 1 Forestry Drive Syracuse, NY 13210 (315) 470-6979 blfisher@syr.edu
Patty Weisse, Coordinator Centers for Nature Education P.O. Box 133 Marcellus, NY 13108 (315) 673-1350 pweisse@worldnet.att.net	Tom Lacko Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District 2571 U.S. Route 11 LaFayette, NY 13084 (315) 677-3851 tlacko1@juno.com
Heidi Busa Marcellus High School Mustang Hill Road Marcellus, NY 13108 (315) 673-0296 hbusa@mcs.cnyric.org Phil Bonn 107 Kittell Road Fayetteville, NY 13066 (315) 437-0301 pabonn@prodigy.net	Sheila Myers Cornell Cooperative Extension 220 Herald Place, 2nd Floor Syracuse, NY 13202-1045 (315) 424-9485 smm24@cornell.edu

 

 

The Director has the greatest amount of involvement with the project.  The
responsibilities of the Director include:

· informing teacher and students about Project Watershed CNY/SOS’s
mission and activities;

· maintaining communications between Project Watershed CNY/SOS
participants;

· planning and scheduling stream survey teams with teachers;

· orienting students to Save Our Streams (SOS) monitoring procedures;

· coordinating with teachers to provide a safe monitoring experience
for students;

· transporting SOS equipment and supplies to the stream site;

· providing teachers with procedural and support materials;

· procuring adult volunteers to assist students with monitoring
activities;

· performing follow-up water quality tests and report results
to teachers;

· arranging training experiences for Project Watershed CNY/SOS
teachers and adult groups;

· collecting stream survey data and preparing it for upload on
the database;

· assisting with updating the project web site and database;

· conducting stream surveys with adult stream team trained in
SOS procedures;

· maintaining the DREL/2000 and Bacteriological M/F portable
laboratories;

· conducting periodic inventories and processing orders for supplies
and equipment;

· preparing bimonthly financial reports on project expenses and
contributions;

· writing and/or reviewing grant proposals;

· directing bimonthly Board meetings; and

· promoting the Project Watershed CNY/SOS model with environmentally
oriented groups.

 

 

The Project Coordinator is responsible for writing and archiving the minutes from Board meetings.  He/she assists the Director with preparing the agenda for Board of Directors meetings.  The Project Coordinator assists with writing and reviewing grant proposals, helps promote Project Watershed activities, and collaborates with individuals/organizations sponsoring water resource education programs.  The Project Coordinator also assists the Director with training volunteers at workshops and in the field.  Additionally, the Project Coordinator also assists with developing and maintaining the adult volunteer Select A Stream (SAS) program. 

 

 

The Data Manager(s) is responsible for uploading all volunteer stream survey information onto the Project Watershed CNY/SOS database.  He/she reviews the information provided on the survey forms after the Director reviews them.  The Data Manager(s) is responsible for making sure the database is maintained and operating properly. 

 

 

Project Watershed Central New York/Save Our Streams is a multi-organization program, a Consortium.  The members of the Consortium seek to connect participating teachers and their students, and recently adult volunteers, with regional professionals, whose organizations sponsor successful water quality programs.  Current organizations represented in the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Consortium include the:

· State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-CESF)

· Central New York Chapter Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA)

· Onondaga County Council on Environmental Health (CEH)

· Niagara Mohawk Power Cooperation (NIMO)

· Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District (OCSWCD)

· Central Section, Science Teachers’ Association of New York State (STANYS)

· Centers for Nature Education (CNE)

· Trout Unlimited (TU)

· Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES)

· The Living SchoolBook (LSB), Syracuse University School of Education

The primary data users are the Onondaga County Council on Environmental Health and regional high school teachers and students.  Teachers can use the data to develop scientific curricular.   In previous years, the data have been utilized by private environmental firms for the preparation of environmental impact assessments (EIAs). 

Problem Definition/Background

Problem Definition/Background

 

There are four major watersheds in Onondaga County: Seneca, Oneida, Chenango, and Oswego.  There are also eight subwatersheds, including the Oswego River Basin, Lower Seneca River Basin, Oneida River Basin, Onondaga Lake Basin, Owasco Lake Basin, Skaneateles Creek Basin, Chittenango Creek Basin, and Tioughnioga River Basin.

 

Streams in Central New York (Onondaga County) range in nature from fairly pristine to severely disturbed systems.  Many of theses streams flow through urban or agricultural watersheds and must deal with significant inputs of nonpoint pollution.  Nonpoint sources include stream bank erosion, stormwater runoff, runoff from roads and parking lots (including salts), residential use of fertilizers and pesticides, runoff from construction sites, and agricultural runoff.  Streams are further impacted by point source pollution via discharges from wastewater treatment plants, combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and various industrial, commercial, and municipal entities. Highest priority watershed concerns are those that affect Skaneateles and Otisco Lakes.  These two lakes serve as drinking water sources for over half of Onondaga County’s residents (1999 Water Quality Strategy Report).  The Priority Waterbodies List for Onondaga County can be found in the county Water Quality Strategy Report.  Copies of this document can be obtained through the Onondaga County Council on Environmental Health or the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District. 

 

In order to address the problems associated with nonpoint source pollution, education is necessary.  Nonpoint source pollution is a serious problem in Central New York.  Data need to be collected to assess and evaluate the progress of best management practices (BMPs) and other control/prevention programs that have been implemented.  Water quality data can provide insight into the effectiveness and/or success of such practices.  Volunteer stream monitoring programs, such as Project Watershed CNY/SOS, can collect and analyze valuable data for stream sites that are not currently monitored by local or state water quality management agencies.  This information can help to fill in the gaps and supplement existing databases.  Volunteer stream monitoring efforts can help identify potential water quality problems and bring them to the attention of the appropriate authorities. 

 

Mission of Project Watershed CNY/SOS

Mission of Project Watershed CNY/SOS

 

Project Watershed CNY/SOS is dedicated to facilitating water resource education in Central New York by providing access to programs, equipment, training, and a growing volunteer-acquired database on the Internet.  The Project helps to promote a citizenry that is:

-more aware of potential threats to water quality and how to reduce them;

-more aware of the process and importance of water monitoring; and

-motivated to support efforts to achieve optimal water quality in the region’s watersheds.

Project Goals

Project Goals

 

The goals of the Project Watershed CNY/SOS volunteer monitoring are:

· recruiting and organizing both student and adult volunteers from around Central New York;

· educating volunteers about water resources, water quality, the watershed concept, nonpoint source pollution, and stream monitoring;

· providing training workshops on stream monitoring procedures;

· collecting student and adult-acquired stream survey data and facilitating the distribution of this information among participating school groups and agencies responsible for water quality;

· evaluating water quality in streams;

· identifying stream stretches with obvious physical, chemical, an/or biological impairment;

· providing data through a publicly accessible database;

· adding support to water quality management programs; and

· developing and increasing a commitment to sensible stewardship of water resources in the communities of student and adult volunteers.

 

The collected data is stored on the Project’s on-line database.  Teachers and students can use the data to compare the water quality in their local streams with other streams in the Central New York region.  The data can also be used to see how water quality in a stream may be changing on an annual basis.  Additionally, the data are being utilized by the Onondaga County Council on Environmental Health in the county’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program and the Water Quality Strategy Report.

 

Baseline data collected by Project Watershed CNY/SOS volunteers will help to show trends in water quality over time and provide insight into the types of land use impacts that may be affecting a stream system. 

Project/Task Description

Project/Task Description

 

Project Watershed CNY/SOS volunteers monitor water quality in several streams in Central New York, primarily Onondaga County.  Sampling started in 1990 in conjunction with the Central New York Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America Save Our Streams (SOS) program.  At this time, volunteers focused solely on biological monitoring and then eventually infused physical and chemical procedures into the SOS program. 

 

In 1995, Project Watershed CNY/SOS was officially established after receiving a generous gift to purchase a Hach DREL/2000 Portable Water Quality Laboratory and a Hach Portable Bacteriological Membrane/Filtration (M/F) Laboratory.  The program is geared primarily toward high school students.  However, in 1998, the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Fund awarded Project Watershed CNY/SOS with a grant in order to develop an adult volunteer stream monitoring program, the Select A Stream (SAS) program.  The goal of the SAS program is to monitor streams that were not included in the existing program and have been recognized as having long-term problems related to point and nonpoint source pollution. 

 

Both student and adult volunteers employ several physical and chemical indicators of water quality as well as conduct a benthic macroinvertebrate survey assessment.  Procedures were adopted from the SOS program and Mitchell and Stapp’s text Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring.  A complete, detailed breakdown of all of the physical, chemical, and biological monitoring and analytical procedures can be found in the  “Project Watershed Central New York/Save Our Streams Study Design: Standard Operating Procedures�?.  A copy of this document can be obtained by contacting a member of the Board of Directors (see contact information on page 3).

 

Physical monitoring involves measuring stream dimensions (width and depth) and stream flow as well as observing general stream characteristics such as water appearance, odor, streambed composition, stream stability, algae color-texture-amount, and stream bank cover.

 

Currently, Project Watershed CNY/SOS monitors nine chemical water quality parameters including:

· Dissolved oxygen (DO)

· Fecal coliform

· pH

· Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

· Reactive phosphate (PO4)-3

· Nitrate (NO3)-

· Chloride (Cl)-

· Turbidity

· Total dissolved solids (TDS)

 

These parameters were chosen and adapted from the nine tests outlined in the Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring (Mitchell and Stapp, 1997) in order to develop an overall Water Quality Index (WQI).  However, there are three exceptions.  Project Watershed tests for reactive rather than total phosphate, tests for total dissolved solids rather then total solids, and tests for chloride levels in place of monitoring temperature change as discussed in Mitchell and Stapp’s text.  Fecal coliform testing is also included in the chemical parameters for matters of convenience and to develop a complete WQI. 

 

Project Watershed CNY/SOS uses biological monitoring methodologies developed by the Izaak Walton League of America Save Our Streams Program.  Volunteers follow the methods outlined in the “Quality Survey Instructions�? section of the Save Our Streams Monitor’s Guide to Aquatic Macroinvertebrates (Kellogg, 1994).

 

The following table provides the stream names and corresponding sampling locations where volunteer teachers, students, and adults conduct monitoring activities. These sites are monitored twice a year.  See the map of stream monitoring sites included in the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Study Design: SOPs.

 

Volunteer and County Stream Monitoring Stations

 

Volunteer and County Stream Monitoring Stations

 

Stream Name	Location	Station Code	UTM /LL Coordinates**
Tanner Brook	Baldwinsville, E. Oneida Street	TA1	**
Friendship Woods	NYS Route 57	FR1	**
Skaneateles Creek	Mill Street	SK1	N4300.643/W7627.794"
Nine Mile Creek	State Fair Blvd.	10*	N4304.724/W7613.663"
Nine Mile Creek	Martisco Bridge	NM1	**
Nine Mile Creek	Marcellus STP	NM2	03810/47623"
Geddes Brook	Horan Road	GE1	03994/47679"
Geddes Brook	Shove Park	GE2	03980/47660"
Harbor Brook	Hiawatha Blvd.	11*	**
Harbor Brook	Velasko Road	12*	**
Harbor Brook	Grand Ave.	HA1	04018/47650"
Onondaga Creek	Kirkpatrick Street	13*	**
Onondaga Creek	Dorwin Ave.	14*	**
West Branch, Onondaga Creek	NYS Route 80	ON1	N42 53.301/W 76 9.351" 04055/47490"
Ley Creek	Park Street	15*	N43.05.160/W76.09.716" 04054/47710"
Beartrap Creek - A	Northern Lights - East	BE1	N43.06.759/W76.08.516" 47740/04071"
Beartrap Creek - M	Northern Lights - West	BE2	**
Butternut Creek	Fremont Road	BU1	**
Butternut Creek	Kirkville Road	BU2	**
Butternut Creek	Jamesville Road/481	BU3	04184/47726"
Limestone Creek	Kirkville Road	LM1	**
Limestone Creek	NYS Route 5 Bridge	LM2	**
Limestone Creek	Mill Run Park	LM3	**
Fabius Brook	Rowley Hill Bridge	FA1	04191/47416"
Trout Brook (Cortland)	Bennett Hill Bridge	TR1	04055/47712"
Furnace Brook	Corcoran High School/Glenwood Ave.		**
Chittenango Creek	Russel Street Bridge		**
Chittenango Creek (Madison)	NYS Route 20 Bridge	CH1	04307/47534"

(*) County Stream Monitoring Stations

(**) Site locations in process of being determined

 

The adult stream teams monitor sites along Beartrap Creek, Ley Creek, Onondaga
Creek, Nine Mile Creek, and Skaneateles Creek.  Adult volunteers monitor on
a bimonthly basis; currently surveys are scheduled for April, June, August,
and October. 

 

At each site, physical, chemical, and biological parameters are measured
and the results are recorded on survey forms.  The number of sites that are
monitored each year change due to variations in the level of participation
from local high schools and adult stream teams.

 

Major Task Categories

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Volunteer Recruitment and Training

X

X

X

X

X

Physical and Chemical Monitoring

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Biological Assessment/Monitoring

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Lab Analysis

X

X

Data Processing, Analysis, and Reporting

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

Data Quality Objectives for Measurement Data

Data Quality Objectives for Measurement Data

 

This section will discuss how accurate, precise, complete, comparable, and representative the project’s data are.  Data quality objectives were adapted from other volunteer monitoring organizations’ QA/QC plans (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Southern California, Dutchess County Wappinger Creek Program, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, River Watch Network). 

 

The data collected by Project Watershed CNY/SOS are primarily used by regional high school teachers and their students for educational purposes.  In some instances the data will be utilized by the Onondaga County Council on Environmental Health for inclusion in the county’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program and Water Quality Strategy Report. 

 

Chemical indicators have been adapted from the nine protocols outlined in the Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring (Mitchell and Stapp, 1997).  All benthic macroinvertebrate sampling/monitoring is done in accordance with the procedures outlined by the Izaak Walton League of America SOS program. 

 

 

Matrix	Parameter	Units	Precision	Accuracy	Completeness	Measurement Range
Water	Dissolved Oxygen	mg/L	±10%	±1.0 unit (digit)	90%	100-800 digits
Water	Fecal Coliform	col/100 ml	±10%	NA	90%	NA
Water	pH	pH units	±10%	±0.1	90%	0-14 units
Water	BOD	mg/L	±10%	±1.0 unit (digit)	90%	100-800 digits
Water	Reactive Phosphate	mg/L	±10%	±0.01 mg/L	90%	0-2.5 mg/L
Water	Nitrate	mg/L	±10%	±0.8 mg/L	90%	0-30 mg/L
Water	Chloride	mg/L	±10%	±1.0 unit (digit)	90%	100-800 digits
Water	Turbidity	NTU	±2%	±0.2 NTU	90%	0-1000 NTU
Water	Total Solids (TDS)	mg/L	±2%	±2 mg/L	90%	10-1990 mg/L

 

Source: Hach Chemical Company Lab Manuals

In 1998 and 1999, Project Watershed CNY/SOS conducted informal split sampling with the Onondaga County Health Department lab as part of an internal check process.  The accuracy of chemical measurements are also checked by performing tests on standards for quality control.  The standards are obtained through the Hach Company.  Currently, the Director conducts tests on standards on an average of every six months or when a new bulk shipment of chemicals is received.

 

Accuracy

 

Accuracy refers to the measure of how close test results are to a true or expected value.  Accuracy can be determined by comparing an analysis of a standard sample to the actual value (USEPA, 1996).  Project Watershed CNY/SOS conducted tests on standard solutions and makes adjustments as necessary. 

 

Precision

 

Precision is defined as the degree of agreement among repeated measurements of the same characteristic (USEPA, 1996). 

 

Completeness

 

According to the USEPA (1996), completeness refers to the comparison between the amount of data a program plans to collect and how much usable data were actually collected.  Project Watershed CNY/SOS estimates that approximately 90% of all measurements/tests are completed and the corresponding data usable.  Completeness is determined by comparing the number of valid measurements Project Watershed CNY/SOS volunteers actually collected versus the number of planned measurements.  Completeness takes into account incorrect analytical methods, equipment failure or breakage, adverse weather conditions, and safety issues.  All physical, chemical, and biological parameters will be measured/sampled during each monitoring event.  Student volunteers monitor their designated stream stretch twice a year; adult volunteers monitor bimonthly (April, June, August, October). 

 

Comparability

 

Comparability refers to the degree to which your program’s data can be compared to similar studies.  Project Watershed CNY/SOS ensures the comparability of its data by following protocols established in Mitchell and Stapp’s Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring and by the Izaak Walton League of America Save Our Streams Program. 

 

Representativeness

 

Representativeness refers to the degree to which measurements are relevant to the true environmental condition.  Representativeness will be ensured by conducting all sampling and analytical procedures outlined in this QA/QC Project Plan and the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Study Design: SOPs.  Water samples will be:

· taken from the midsection of the stream within the main current;

· taken in a stream reach that describes the area of interest;

· taken in flowing waters and not in stagnant backwater areas;

· taken at the same sampling station/site; and

· analyzed, when appropriate, immediately at the sampling site (BOD and fecal coliform testing require additional analysis time in a lab).

Training Requirements/Certification

In 1997 and 1998, Project Watershed CNY/SOS, in conjunction with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-CESF) provided teacher instructional, training sessions in stream monitoring.  The sessions were taught by members of the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Consortium.  In spring of 1999, an instructional training was conducted for adult volunteers as part of developing the SAS program.  Teachers and adult volunteers are encouraged to attend these sessions, when offered, to learn about Project Watershed CNY/SOS sampling/monitoring protocols, chemical analytical procedures, and benthic macroinvertebrate identification.  Ideally, all volunteers should be retrained annually if sessions are offered. 

 

Student volunteers are prepared by their teachers and will undergo a short orientation session with Project Watershed CNY/SOS personnel the day of a monitoring event.  An individual(s) with macroinvertebrate identification skills will accompany the group in the field. 

 

Volunteer performance is evaluated in the field during monitoring events by participating project members.  As part of the project’s long-range planning, Project Watershed CNY/SOS hopes to develop a training certification program in the future.  Ideally, approved project volunteers would begin to recruit and train volunteers over time.

Documentation and Records

All data and field results are recorded in the field or at the time of test completion.  Monitoring groups are provided with physical, chemical, and biological field data forms.  Group name, survey date, river basin, names of participants, teacher or adult contact information, site location, weather conditions, stream conditions, and air temperature are recorded on the field survey form.  Samples of the data sheets can be found in the appendices of the Study Design: SOPs.  The forms are completed and returned to the group leader/Director as soon as they are completed.  The Director takes a copy of the uncompleted data forms to ensure that no raw data are lost.  Teachers and adult volunteers are responsible for calculating WQI values for chemical parameters and determining Total Index Values for the Macroinvertebrate Water Quality Rating. (Please refer to the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Study Design: SOPs for more details).  All water samples that are taken back to a lab are labeled with the date and site location. 

 

The Director reviews all data sheets for any outliers, incomplete data, and/or nonsensical entries.  Once the Director has completed reviewing the data sheets and has computed the Water Quality Index (WQI) and the Total Index values, the forms are passed on to the Data Manager for further review.  The Data Manager uploads the volunteer stream survey data onto the on-line project database.  The Data Manager is responsible for making sure the database is maintained. 

 

The database software currently being utilized by Project Watershed CNY/SOS is File Maker Pro©.  This database type was chosen because it is a good introductory program that is user friendly.  The system is also easy to set up as well as maintain.  The database is checked on a daily basis to ensure the system is working properly.

 

Hard copies of all field data sheets are archived at the Onondaga County Health Department.  Electronic back-up copies of the data are also maintained. 

 

The Director keeps all other records, archives, schedules, finance records, and project -related documentation.  The Project Coordinator maintains all minutes from Board of Director meetings. 

Sampling Process Design

Students will monitor Project Watershed CNY/SOS stream sites twice a year.  Adult volunteers monitor on a bimonthly basis.  Volunteers monitor for dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, pH, biochemical oxygen demand, reactive phosphate (PO4)-3, nitrate (NO3)-, chloride, turbidity, and total dissolved solids (TDS).  Physical and biological assessments are also conducted. 

 

A list of monitoring sites and their corresponding locations can be found in Section 6: Project/Task Description.  A map of volunteer and county stream monitoring stations can be found in the Project Study Design: SOPs.  Monitoring sites are identified by a station code.  These sites have been chosen based on the following criteria:

· safe access

· close locale to participating high schools

· avoidance of private property; or permission has been obtained to access property

· water samples can be taken from the main current of the stream

· water samples are representative of stream of interest

· site represents an area that possesses habitat, recreational, and aesthetic values

· stream health may be compromised

· sites are surrounding by a diversity of land uses

 

The dates of the monitoring events are chosen by a teacher or adult team leader in coordination with the Director or Project Coordinator and will be dependent on volunteer availability.  Monitoring activities will be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.  Safety is the first priority.  Volunteers should not go into the field during thunderstorms, blizzards, or when there is extreme temperatures or excessive winds. Volunteers should exhibit caution when maneuvering on snow and ice-covered stream banks, in fast currents, or in high water.  Volunteers are required to wear safety goggles and vinyl gloves when conducted chemical analyses.  The Director also provides a pair of hip boots.  The Director always carries appropriate Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) with first aid instructions in case of emergencies.  The teacher and corresponding school district are responsible for student safety, behavior, and transportation to and from the stream site.

 

Student volunteers will be broken into three teams for physical, chemical, and biological monitoring.  The teacher will be primarily responsible for overseeing the physical and biological monitoring activities.  The Director will be responsible for overseeing the chemical testing.  Adult teams, made up of three to five individuals, will monitor the same physical, chemical, and biological parameters as the student volunteers.  In the event an adult volunteer cannot be present, the Director should be notified as soon as possible to remedy the situation. 

Sampling Methods Requirements

For a complete description and outline of the sampling and analytical procedures
utilized by Project Watershed CNY/SOS, please see the project’s Study Design:
SOPs. 

 

Project Watershed CNY/SOS utilizes a DREL/2000 Portable Water Quality Laboratory, designed by Hach Company, to conduct all analytical chemical testing procedures. Testing for fecal coliform bacteria is conducted with a Hach Bacteriological Membrane/Filtration Lab.  All equipment and glassware are cleaned following a monitoring event.

 

Sampling Methods Requirements

 

Sampling Matrix	Parameter	Testing Equipment	Test Container	Test Time	Preservative
Water	Dissolved Oxygen	Digital Titrator	60-ml BOD bottle	immediately	N/A
Water	Fecal Coliform	0.45 mm membrane filter unit and pump, Bacteriological Lab	Whirl Pack Bag	3 days	N/A
Water	pH	pH meter	Glass beaker	immediately	N/A
Water	Biochemical Oxygen Demand	Digital Titrator	60-ml BOD bottle	5 days	N/A
Water	Reactive Phosphate	DR/2000 Spec	25-ml sample cell	immediately	N/A
Water	Nitrate	DR/2000 Spec	25-ml sample cell	immediately	N/A
Water	Chloride	Digital Titrator	250-ml Erlenmeyer Flask	immediately	N/A
Water	Turbidity	Turbidimeter	10-ml sample cell	immediately	N/A
Water	Total Solids (TDS)	Conductivity Pocket Pal	Glass beaker	immediately	N/A
Water	Flow rate	Meter Stick and float	N/A	immediately	N/A
Substrate	Macro-invertebrates	3’x3’ 1/16" mesh kick seine/D-frame net	White pan	immediately	N/A *Optional

Adapted from the USEPA Volunteer Monitor’s Guide to QAPP, 1996.

 

*Macroinvertebrates may be preserved in 70% isopropyl alcohol, 90% ethyl
alcohol, or 70%-80% ethanol for future reference or quality control purposes. 
Qualified personnel trained in macroinvertebrate identification can identify
preserved organisms following monitoring activities to verify identification
techniques. 

Sample Handling and Custody Requirements

Sampling and Data Handling

 

In the field, all water samples are the responsibility of, and stay with, the Director or Stream Team Leader.  Water samples are tested/processed immediately in the field, with the exception of BOD and fecal coliform testing that require extended time for incubation and analysis.  Water samples for BOD and fecal coliform testing are labeled with the appropriate date and sampling location.  All data will be recorded on the field data survey sheets.  Two copies of the data forms are provided and filled out in order to prevent any loss of data.  The Director and supervising teacher should both have completed copies of the data forms at the end of the monitoring event. 

 

Custody Procedures

 

The water quality monitoring tests do not require specific custody procedures since they will, in almost all cases, be performed immediately in the field under the supervision of the Director.  Water samples for BOD and fecal coliform testing will be taken by the Director to his/her lab for analysis immediately following sampling.  Water samples for BOD testing will be transported in a closed box (in darkness) back to the lab. 

 

Chemical Storage

 

Currently all chemicals that are used in chemical analyses are stored in the Director’s home in a safe and suitable location.  All reagents are kept in a dry, dark, and cool room.  The Director is responsible for maintaining all necessary reagents.  Bacteriological media are kept refrigerated to prevent spoilage. 

 

Disposal

 

The Director must make sure that all samples are disposed of properly.  All analyzed samples and other liquid wastes will be collected in a plastic waste carboy for disposal purposes.  When the carboy is full, it is taken to the proper authorities for disposal.  This is especially important since the analytical procedure for measuring nitrate involves a cadmium reduction methodology (Method 8039, Hach Company).  Liquid waste from the nitrate test (cadmium reduction) must be disposed of appropriately.  [The USEPA considers cadmium a hazardous material.  The EPA MCL level for cadmium is 5.0 ppb.  Cadmium compounds bind to sediments in streams and can be easily bioaccumulated or re-dissolved when these sediments are disturbed.  Significant bioaccumulation of cadmium can occur in aquatic organisms (USEPA, 1998).]  Currently, Project Watershed CNY/SOS takes all liquid waste to the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) for disposal. 

Analytical Methods Requirements

Physical

 

Physical assessments (general stream characteristics of a stream) are conducted using protocols adapted from the Izaak Walton League of America Save Our Streams Program.  Stream flow measurements are conducted using procedures derived from the Syracuse Water Department.

 

Chemical

 

Chemical parameters monitored by Project Watershed CNY/SOS were chosen based on the tests documented in the Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring: An Environmental Education Program for Schools (Mitchell and Stapp, 1997).  Q-values and Water Quality Index (WQI) values are determined using procedures outlined in this text.  Project Watershed CNY/SOS follows the analytical testing procedures outlined in the Hach Company DREL/2000 Portable Water Quality Laboratory and Bacteriological M/F Lab manuals.  The Hach DREL/2000 unit includes a DR/2000 Spectrophotometer, Digital Titrator, pH meter, Turbidimeter, Conductivity Pocket Pal, glassware, and all reagents and apparatus needed for testing 21 chemical water quality parameters.  Testing for fecal coliform is conducted with the Hach Bacteriological M/F Lab. 

 

Parameter	Method	Reference
Dissolved Oxygen	Azide modification of Winkler Method Titrimetric (Sodium Thiosulfate)	Hach Digital Titrator Manual
Fecal coliform	MF Testing using m-FC, LT, and EC Broth	Hach Bacteriological Lab Manual
pH	Electrometric	Hach pH Manual
Biochemical Oxygen Demand	Azide modification of Winkler Method Titrimetric (Sodium Thiosulfate)	Hach Digital Titrator Manual
Reactive Phosphate	Ascorbic Acid	Hach DREL/2000 Spectrophotometer Manual
Nitrate	Cadmium Reduction	Hach DREL/2000 Spectrophotometer Manual
Chloride	Titrimetric (Silver Nitrate)	Hach Digital Titrator Manual
Turbidity	Nephelometric	Hach Turbidimeter Manual
Total Solids (TDS)	Electrometric	Hach Conductivity Meter Manual

 

Biological

 

Biological assessments are conducted using methods outlined by the Izaak Walton League of America Save Our Streams Program’s Monitor’s Guide to Aquatic Macroinvertebrates (Kellogg, 1994). 

**Please refer to the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Study Design: SOPs for a complete set of project procedures. 

Quality Control Requirements

Quality control samples are taken periodically to ensure valid data are collected.  In 1998 and 1999, Project Watershed CNY/SOS conducted informal split samples with the Onondaga County Health Department to confirm the accuracy of the testing equipment and corresponding chemical analyses. 

 

Currently, duplicate samples and spiked samples are not conducted in the field due to constraints on project resources and time. 

 

Each parameter test in the DREL/2000 Manual has an “accuracy check�? if interferences are suspected or if analytical technique needs to be verified.  Currently, the Director conducts tests on chemical standards whenever a new shipment of chemicals comes in or a test result is suspicious in nature.  The standardization tests will be run until the test result is more acceptable.  Project Watershed CNY/SOS follows the testing procedures outlined in the Hach Company DREL/2000 Manual.  Hach Company chemical standards have been certified by the USEPA for chemical analysis of water or wastewater.  Tests are conducted on standards for the dissolved oxygen, reactive phosphate, nitrate, and chloride parameters.  When necessary, all test results are adjusted accordingly.  For more information about these standardization tests, please refer to “Appendix 4: Chemical Tests Performed on Standard Solutions�? in the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Study Design: SOPs. 

 

Volunteers are encouraged to attend annual training sessions, when offered, to learn proper stream monitoring procedures and macroinvertebrate identification.  Volunteers that are already involved in the program should also attend these sessions to refresh their skills.  An individual with experience in benthic macroinvertebrate identification shall accompany the Director or Stream Leader on every monitoring event.  This individual shall assist and at times “shadow�? volunteers to ensure proper identification techniques are being implemented.

 

Data Quality Control

 

As previously stated, all data forms go through a series of reviewing before the data are uploaded on the project database and are archived at the County Health Department.  The data are first reviewed by the supervising teacher or adult stream leader.  The forms are then passed on to the Director for review.  Additionally, the Director checks previous monitoring results for the site in question to make sure that the data follow trend and that there are no major discrepancies or outlying results.  If any problems are found, the data in question will need to be either qualified or thrown out depending on the problem.  In certain instances, the Director will go back to the stream site and conduct another test/analysis to either verify or disregard the first result.  In the event that an unusually high test result is obtained at a site, the Director may call upon the services of the County Health Department or another local water quality agency to sample the site and either verify or disregard the result.  In some instances, attention may need to be called to the potential problem so that remedial action can be taken if necessary. 

Instrument/Equipment Testing, Inspection, and Maintenance Requirements

As part of the project’s inspection and maintenance, Project Watershed CNY/SOS performs a variety of tests to ensure data quality.  The Director does conduct routine maintenance checks on all of the equipment.  The Director must ensure that the equipment batteries are properly charged and that the equipment is in good working order.  The Director routinely inspects all glassware and testing containers for any cracks or breaks.  The kick seine is also routinely checked for tears or holes.  A new seine is purchased if any holes or rips are found in the existing one.

 

All equipment and reagents are checked by the Director prior to every monitoring event.  If anything appears to be faulty it is replaced immediately (when possible).  The Director also keeps track of the chemical/reagent supply as well as all expiration dates.  Chemicals are replaced according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  The Director is responsible for ordering new chemicals. 

 

The Director keeps extra chemicals and spare parts on hand.  Several analytical filtering units are kept on hand for fecal coliform testing.  Additional glassware, particularly BOD bottles, is also kept on hand for when multiple monitoring activities occur in the same week. 

Instrument Calibration and Frequency

Project Watershed CNY/SOS’s pH meter, turbidimeter, and conductivity meter are precalibrated by the manufacturer and calibrated by the Director before each monitoring event.  The DR/2000 Spectrophotometer will also be calibrated using standards.  Calibration procedures for equipment can be found in the Project Watershed CNY/SOS Study Design: SOPs and the Hach Company DREL/2000 Lab Manuals. 

 

Parameter	Equipment Type	Calibration Frequency	Standard or Calibration Used
Dissolved Oxygen	Digital Titrator	Check on sodium thiosulfate annually or when reagent replaced	Titration Iodate-iodide standard 10.0 mg/L DO equivalent
BOD	Digital Titrator	Check on sodium thiosulfate annually or when reagent replaced	Titration Iodate-iodide standard 10.0 mg/L DO equivalent
pH	pH Meter	every monitoring survey	pH 4.0 and 7.0 buffers
Reactive Phosphate	DR/2000 Spectrophotometer	every monitoring survey	10.0 mg/L Phosphate standard
Nitrate	DR/2000 Spectrophotometer	every monitoring survey	10.0 mg/L Nitrate standard
Chloride	Digital Titrator	Check on silver nitrate annually or when reagent replaced	Titration 100.0 mg/L standard
Turbidity	Turbidimeter	every monitoring survey	Blank sample cell
Total Solids (TDS)	Conductivity Meter	every monitoring survey	1000.0 mg/L NaCl standard

Inspection and Acceptance Requirements for Supplies

All supplies and equipment are purchased under the direction of the Director.  Upon receipt, all chemical solutions, standards, and reagents will be inspected by the Director for leaks, punctured seals, or other problems.  The Director will also compare the expiration dates of each chemical and note the recommended shelf life.  All chemicals are replaced before their expiration dates.  Other sampling or testing equipment is also inspected by the Director for broken or missing parts.  Any chemical or physical equipment that is deemed faulty or damaged by the Director will be returned to the manufacturer for replacement. 

 

For monitoring chemical water quality parameters, Project Watershed CNY/SOS uses chemicals and supplies from Hach Chemical Company, LaMotte Chemical Products Company, and Millipore Corporation.  Project Watershed CNY/SOS uses a kick seine for biological monitoring (benthic macroinvertebrate assessment).  The seine is 3’ x 3’ with 1/16�? mesh attached to wooden poles.  The netting was purchased from Nichols Net and Twine Company.  The Director determines whether the seine meets the requirements (data quality objectives) of Project Watershed CNY/SOS. 

Data Acquisition Requirements

Analytical Data
 
For the Project Watershed CNY/SOS chemical analysis, nine chemical water quality parameters are tested.  These parameters were adapted from the nine testing protocols outlined in the Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring (Mitchell and Stapp, 1997) in order to develop an overall Water Quality Index (WQI).  There are three exceptions.  Project Watershed CNY/SOS tests for reactive instead of total phosphorus, total dissolved solids rather than total solids, and chloride levels in place of monitoring temperature change.  For the program’s biological assessment, pollution tolerance values assigned to macroinvertebrates are taken from the protocols developed and used by the Izaak Walton League of America Save Our Streams Program.  All volunteers follow methodologies documented in the “Quality Survey Instructions” from the Save Our Streams Monitor’s Guide to Aquatic Macroinvertebrates (Kellogg, 1994). 
 
Geographical Information/Mapping
 
USGS 7.5-minute topographic maps is used to verify landscape features, watershed boundaries, and stream systems.  The program utilizes a Garmin GPS 12 Receiver to determine the location of the stream sites.  The location is recorded in latitude/longitude or UTM coordinates so the site can be located on USGS maps.  Additionally, Project Watershed CNY/SOS uses land use, stream system, and historical information complied by the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District, Council on Environmental Health, and other local planning agencies. 

Data Management

The Director briefly inspects the field survey sheets for completeness and nonsensical entries before leaving the sampling site.  The teacher or adult team leader is responsible for completing the physical and biological data survey forms and providing a copy for the Director.  The Director is responsible for completing the chemical data survey form.  The Director reviews all of the forms and makes sure the entries are within correct ranges and there are no nonsensical readings (i.e. pH of 16).  The Director contacts the teacher or adult stream team leader if there are any significant data omissions or errors.  Once the Director has finished reviewing and completing the forms, they are forwarded to the Data Manager who also reviews the information on the forms.  The Data Manager then uploads the volunteer stream survey information onto the Project Watershed CNY/SOS database.  The Data Manager is responsible for making sure the database is maintained and operational.  Hard copies of all field data sheets are kept on file at the Onondaga County Health Department. 

 

The database software currently being utilized by Project Watershed CNY/SOS is File Maker Pro.  This database type was chosen because it is a good introductory program that is user friendly.  The system is also easy to set up as well as maintain.  Currently, one of members of the Board of Directors who is involved with the Living SchoolBook (Syracuse University School of Education) program oversees the database and periodically reviews the data for obvious errors or omissions.  The database is checked on a daily basis to ensure the system is working properly.  The system has been set up on three servers so that in the event that one of the servers goes down, the data are still accessible. 

 

The Onondaga County Health Department laboratory reports their split sampling results to the Director.  The Director verifies the information and compares it to the volunteer collected data.  Other members of the Board of Directors also review these data. 

Assessments and Response Actions

Review of all field and data monitoring activities is the responsibility of the Director, with the assistance of the Project Coordinator and other Members of the Board of Directors.  The Director and assisting project members will accompany volunteers in the field during every monitoring event.  Volunteers are strongly encouraged to attend training sessions and workshops, when offered, to learn Project Watershed CNY/SOS stream monitoring procedures.  Student volunteers are trained on-site and assisted by the Director, supervising teacher, and assisting project members.  The Director and assisting project members will evaluate sampling and testing procedures in the field.  If errors in sampling techniques are identified regularly, retraining sessions may be scheduled more frequently. 

 

Following the monitoring event, the Director checks the integrity of the data and results.  The Director determines whether suspicious data should be qualified or thrown out.  In certain instances, the Director will go back to the stream site and retest a specific parameter for verification purposes.  In the event that an unusually test result is obtained again, the Director may call upon the services of the County Health Department or another local water quality agency to sample the site and either verify or disregard the result. 

 

All monitoring data and results may be reviewed by state and local agencies as requested. 

Reports

Currently, Project Watershed does not produce an annual written report.  The Board of Directors is in the process of developing a plan to produce some type of annual summary report.  The report would focus on water quality trends in Central New York, program status, volunteer work, and data analysis.  It would be distributed to members of the Consortium and other interested parties.  Project Watershed CNY/SOS writes articles for regional newspapers and newsletters to inform citizens about the status of the program and highlight the work and interest of its student and adult volunteers.  Periodic update articles are published in the Onondaga County Soil and Water Conservation District quarterly newsletter.  Additionally, all stream survey data can be accessed through the on-line Project Watershed database. 

Data Review, Validation, and Verification

Data sheets are reviewed by the Director and the Data Manager to determine if the data meet QA/QC Project Plan objectives.  They will identify any missing data, outliers, or spurious results and take action to correct the situation.  Whether the data meet QA/QC plan objectives will be formally decided on by the Board of Directors.  Additionally, professionals from the County Health Department and Council on Environmental Health will also review the data in order to use it in the county Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program and the Onondaga County Water Quality Strategy Report. 

Validation and Verification Methods

Project Watershed CNY/SOS has been collecting data since 1995.  However, the Consortium has included data that has been collected since 1991 by the Central New York Chapter of the IWLA SOS program in their database.  As part of the standard program protocols, any data that are considered out of the ordinary are reported to the Director.  The Director may take another water sample to verify the result.  The Director may seek external professional assistance to verify results.  Errors found in the database are reported to the Data Manager who maintains the system.  All volunteers are encouraged to attend training workshops or sessions, when offered, to learn proper stream monitoring procedures.  Veteran volunteers are also encouraged to attend such workshops to refresh their skills.

Reconciliation with Data Quality Objectives

The Board of Directors will review data periodically to determine if the project’s data quality objectives are being met.  The Director determines and ensures that the data have high quality (accuracy, precision, representativeness, comparability, and completeness).  The Board will decide if program protocols should be changed or updated as well as suggest corrective actions that might be taken.  The Board will also review sampling locations and determine if any should be changed and/or what new stream sites might be added.  The Board will decide if more data should be collected, different water quality indicators should be assessed, and/or different indices should be utilized.  The Board will review project goals, aims, direction, and purpose on an annual basis at one of its bimonthly meetings. 

References

Dates, G.  1995.  River Monitoring Study Design Workbook.  River Watch Network, Inc.

Dates, G.  1999.  Designing Your Monitoring Program: A Technical Handbook for Community-Based Monitoring in Pennsylvania (Draft).  Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. 

Dutchess County EMC.  1998.  Wappinger Creek Monitoring Program Quality Assurance Project Plan. 

Kellogg, L.L.  1994.  Save Our Streams: Monitor’s Guide to Aquatic Macroinvertebrates (2nd Edition).  Izaak Walton League of America. 

Legg, W.  1999.  Project Watershed Central New York Save Our Streams Program Hach Chemical Tests Performed on Standard Solutions.

Los Angeles Volunteer Monitoring Steering Committee.  1998.  Southern California Volunteer Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan.  State Water Resources Control Board.

Lovegreen, M.W.  Water Quality Monitoring of Pennsylvania Streams by Citizens: A Primer in Quality Assurance and Quality Control.  Bradford County Conservation District.

Mitchell, M.K. and W.B. Stapp.  1997.  Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring: An Environmental Education Program for Schools.  (11th edition). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

Onondaga County Water Quality Committee.  1999.  Onondaga County Water Quality Strategy. Onondaga County, New York.

Project Watershed CNY/SOS.  1999.  “Project Watershed Central New York Stream Survey Data.�?  .  Sponsored by the LivingSchoolBook Program in the Syracuse University School of Education. 

Project Watershed CNY/SOS.  1999.  “Welcome to the Project Watershed Web Site.�?.  Sponsored by SUNY-CESF.

United States Environmental Protection Agency.  1996.  The Volunteer Monitor’s Guide to Quality Assurance Project Plans.  Washington, D.C.  EPA 841-B-96-003.

United States Environmental Protection Agency.  1998.  “Drinking Water Health�?

  January 23, 1998.