Status of Water Quality Monitoring in Oklahoma: Water Monitoring Strategy Document 2019 - 2020 Acknowledgements This report was compiled and written by staff of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board with input and assistance from several agencies including the Oklahoma Conservation Commission; Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality; Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry; Grand River Dam Authority; United States Geological Survey; Oklahoma Corporation Commission; and Office of the Secretary of Environment. In addition to providing a synopsis of current statewide water monitoring, the report serves as a comprehensive and concise tool that can be utilized to assist with coordination of future monitoring activities. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................................................. 3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING WATER MONITORING IN OKLAHOMA ....................................... 3 RESOURCE NEEDS FOR OKLAHOMA SURFACE WATER MONITORING ...................................................... 5 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 OKLAHOMA WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMS ................................................................................................... 8 WATER QUALITY MONITORING AGENCIES .............................................................................................. 8 Oklahoma Water Resources Board ......................................................................................................................... 8 Oklahoma Conservation Commission ..................................................................................................................... 8 Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality ................................................................................................. 9 Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry ........................................................................................ 9 Oklahoma Corporation Commission ....................................................................................................................... 9 Grand River Dam Authority..................................................................................................................................... 9 United States Geological Survey ............................................................................................................................. 9 United States Army Corps of Engineers .................................................................................................................. 9 GENERAL WATER QUALITY MONITORING BACKGROUND INFORMATION ............................................. 10 OKLAHOMA MONITORING OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................. 10 STATE WATER MONITORING INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS .............................................................................................. 11 OKLAHOMA CONSERVATION COMMISSION .......................................................................................... 11 Rotating Basin Monitoring Program ..................................................................................................................... 14 Special Projects Monitoring .................................................................................................................................. 21 Volunteer Monitoring: Statewide Blue Thumb Program ...................................................................................... 25 Wetlands Program ................................................................................................................................................ 26 OKLAHOMA WATER RESOURCES BOARD............................................................................................... 28 Beneficial Use Monitoring Program (BUMP) ........................................................................................................ 28 Streams Probabilistic Monitoring Program .......................................................................................................... 34 Biocriteria Development: Biological Monitoring .................................................................................................. 37 Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) Monitoring .............................................................................................................. 39 Water Well Mass Measurement Program ............................................................................................................ 39 Special Projects ...................................................................................................................................................... 41 OWRB and United States Geological Survey (USGS) Cooperative Program ......................................................... 45 OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ................................................................... 49 Total Maximum Daily Loading (TMDL) Studies ..................................................................................................... 49 Mercury in Fish Program ....................................................................................................................................... 50 OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY ................................................... 56 Licensed Managed Feeding Operations Monitoring Well Program ..................................................................... 56 OKLAHOMA CORPORATION COMMISSION............................................................................................ 60 Types of Environmental Water Quality Monitoring: ............................................................................................ 60 GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY ............................................................................................................ 61 Lake Monitoring .................................................................................................................................................... 61 Scenic Rivers Partnerships and Monitoring .......................................................................................................... 61 Watershed Education and Outreach ..................................................................................................................... 62 USE SUPPORT ASSESSMENT PROTOCOLS ........................................................................................................................... 63 QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES .................................................................................................. 63 APPENDIX A – OKLAHOMA ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY STATUTORY AUTHORITIES ......................................................... 64 Status of Water Quality Monitoring in Oklahoma: Surface Water Monitoring Strategy Document 1 Table of Figures FIGURE 1. ANALYSIS OF IMPLEMENTATION MONITORING DATA SHOWING SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN E. COLI (OCC BEATY CREEK WATERSHED IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT). ............................................................................................................................................... 12 FIGURE 2. MEASURING WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS. ...................................................................................................................... 13 FIGURE 3. COLLECTING FISH BY SEINE. ............................................................................................................................................. 13 FIGURE 4. ROTATING BASIN PROGRAM BASIN SCHEDULE AND HISTORICAL DISTRIBUTION OF SITES SAMPLED ................................................. 15 FIGURE 5. FIELD SPECIALIST ACCESSING AUTOSAMPLER. ...................................................................................................................... 21 FIGURE 6. BT VOLUNTEERS COLLECTING FISH..................................................................................................................................... 25 FIGURE 7. BT VOLUNTEERS EDUCATE IN THEIR COMMUNITY ................................................................................................................. 25 FIGURE 8. STREAM SAMPLING FROM A BRIDGE .................................................................................................................................. 28 FIGURE 9. BUMP PERMANENT STREAM MONITORING SITES ................................................................................................................ 29 FIGURE 10. LAKES MONITORED BY THE BUMP ................................................................................................................................. 30 FIGURE 11. MAJOR BEDROCK AND ALLUVIUM AND TERRACE AQUIFERS IN OKLAHOMA ........................................................................... 31 FIGURE 12. GMAP IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE .............................................................................................................................. 32 FIGURE 13. OWRB STAFF COLLECTING STREAM BIOTA ....................................................................................................................... 35 FIGURE 14. OWRB STAFF ASSESSING PHYSICAL HABITAT ...................................................................................................................