Standard Operating Procedures for the Collection and Analysis of Benthic Macroinvertebrates February 2016 (Version 5.0)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Standard Operating Procedures for the Collection and Analysis of Benthic Macroinvertebrates February 2016 (Version 5.0) Prepared by: NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Division of Water Resources Water Sciences Section Biological Assessment Branch This report--- has been approved for release by: Eric D. Fleek, Supervisor, Biological Assessment Branch Date Date Recommended Citation: NC Department of Environmental Quality. 2016. Standard Operating Procedures for the Collection and Analysis of Benthic Macroinvertebrates. Division of Water Resources. Raleigh, North Carolina. February 2016. REVISION LOG Date Version Edited Editor Edited Section Edited Changes/updates Steven Kroeger & Hannah May 2015 Headrick Ver. 4.0 Entire Document Minor edits, and document formatting Changed “Environmental Sciences Section” to “Water Sciences Section.” Clarified that the safety committee applicable to BAB is restricted to the 4401 Reedy Creek Rd building within WSS. Added PRE-FIELD PREPARATION hydration and sunblock use as needs to prevent 15 May Michael AND CONSIDERATIONS: illness and injury during field outings. Added link 2015 Walters Ver. 4.0 Health and Safety to department instructions for reporting injuries. Under Standard Qualitative (now Full Scale) Method, added a line indicating that unionid mussels are photographed and returned to the stream. SAMPLING PROCEDURE: 15 May Michael Sample Collection Removed sentence under Swamp Method stating 2015 Walters Ver. 4.0 Methods that each sweep should be emptied into a tub. Changed the mesh size for the triangle frame sweep net (subsection Sampling Equipment) from 1000 micron to 800-900 micron after consulting the Wildlife Supply Company (our supplier for the Michael PRE-FIELD PREPARATION nets) website for specifications. Also within the 15 May Walters, Eric AND CONSIDERATIONS: subsection, put all equipment photos on a single 2015 Fleek Ver. 4.0 Equipment and Supplies page. LABORATORY Michael TECHNIQUES AND DATA 15 May Walters, Eric INTERPRETATION: Midge Significant rewrites for clarification. Citations for 2015 Fleek Ver. 4.0 Deformity Analysis published references added. Added text to clarify the need to calibrate and check meters each day when performing fieldwork. 15 May Michael Replaced last paragraph regarding the scoring of 2015 Walters Ver. 4.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE taxonomic QAs with updated version. Added several references regarding midge 15 May Michael deformities in the presence of environmental 2015 Walters Ver. 4.0 REFERENCES stressors. 15 May Michael 2015 Walters Ver. 4.0 Appendices Reworked and updated. i Date Version Edited Editor Edited Section Edited Changes/updates Reorganization, document template and styles, October rewriting major sections, added sections. Updated 2015 Jen Schmitz Ver. 5.0 Entire document taxonomic lists and tolerance values. November Michael 2015 Walters Ver. 5.0 Entire document Minor formatting and grammatical changes. February 2016 Jen Schmitz Ver. 5.0 Entire document Final formatting and resolution. ii 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE ....................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 PRE-FIELD PREPARATION AND CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................................................... 2 2.1 HEALTH AND SAFETY ............................................................................................................................................... 2 2.2 PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................................... 3 2.3 EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES ...................................................................................................................................... 3 2.3.1 Calibration and Standardization ................................................................................................................... 4 3.0 SAMPLING PROCEDURE .................................................................................................................................. 6 3.1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 3.2 PRE-SAMPLING SITE ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................. 6 3.2.1 Conditions and Flow...................................................................................................................................... 6 3.2.2 Habitat Assessment ...................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2.3 Physicochemical measurements ................................................................................................................... 8 3.3 SAMPLE METHODS ................................................................................................................................................. 8 3.3.1 Full Scale Method ......................................................................................................................................... 9 3.3.2 EPT Method .................................................................................................................................................. 9 3.3.3 Qual 4 Method ............................................................................................................................................ 10 3.3.4 Swamp Method........................................................................................................................................... 10 3.4 WADEABLE STREAM COLLECTION METHODS ............................................................................................................. 10 3.4.1 Riffle-kick Collection .................................................................................................................................... 10 3.4.2 Sweep Collection ......................................................................................................................................... 12 3.4.3 Leaf-pack Collection .................................................................................................................................... 12 3.4.4 Rock- and Log-wash Collection ................................................................................................................... 13 3.4.5 Sand Collection ........................................................................................................................................... 14 3.4.6 Visuals ......................................................................................................................................................... 14 3.5 BOAT SAMPLE METHOD ........................................................................................................................................ 15 3.6 POST-COLLECTION PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................................. 17 3.6.1 Chain of Custody ......................................................................................................................................... 17 3.6.2 Other tasks .................................................................................................................................................. 17 4.0 LABORATORY TECHNIQUES AND DATA INTERPRETATION ............................................................................. 18 4.1 SITE IDENTIFIERS .................................................................................................................................................. 18 4.2 LABORATORY SAMPLE PROCESSING ......................................................................................................................... 18 4.3 BIOCLASSIFICATIONS (RATINGS) .............................................................................................................................. 18 4.4 TOLERANCE VALUES ............................................................................................................................................. 19 4.5 NORTH CAROLINA BIOTIC INDEX ............................................................................................................................. 19 4.6 CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING BIOCLASSIFICATIONS ...................................................................................................... 19 4.6.1 EPT Criteria ................................................................................................................................................. 21 4.6.2 Full Scale criteria ......................................................................................................................................... 22 4.6.3 Triassic Basin sites ...................................................................................................................................... 24 4.6.4 Small Stream Criteria .................................................................................................................................. 24 4.6.5 High-Quality Small Mountain Stream criteria ............................................................................................ 25 4.6.6 Unrated Small Streams ..............................................................................................................................