United States Office of Water EPA 841-B-97-003 Environmental Protection 4503F November 1997 Agency Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods Manual View full version of document Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF documents. The most recent version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader is available as a free download. An Adobe Acrobat plug-in for assisted technologies is also available. Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Manual Organization Chapter 2 Elements of a Stream Study 2.1 Basic Concepts 2.2 Designing the Stream Study 2.3 Safety Considerations 2.4 Basic Equipment Chapter 3 Watershed Survey Methods 3.1 How to Conduct a Watershed Survey 3.2 The Visual Assessment ❍ Watershed Survey Visual Assessment (PDF, 15.4 KB) Chapter 4 Macroinvertebrates and Habitat 4.1 Stream Habitat Walk ❍ Stream Habitat Walk (PDF, 139.0 KB) 4.2 Streamside Biosurvey ❍ Streamside Biosurvey: Macroinvertebrates (PDF, 32.7 KB) ❍ Streamside Biosurvey: Habitat Walk (PDF, 24.6 KB) 4.3 Intensive Stream Biosurvey ❍ Selecting Metrics to Determine Stream Health ❍ Intensive Biosurvey: Macroinvertebrate Assessment (PDF, 92.7 KB) ❍ Intensive Biosurvey: Habitat Assessment (PDF, 82.8 KB) Chapter 5 Water Quality Conditions ❍ Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Quality Assessment Measures 5.1 Stream Flow ❍ Data Form for Calculating Flow (PDF, 9.7 KB) 5.2 Dissolved Oxygen and Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5.3 Temperature 5.4 pH 5.5 Turbidity 5.6 Phosphorus 5.7 Nitrates 5.8 Total Solids 5.9 Conductivity 5.10 Total Alkalinity 5.11 Fecal Bacteria ❍ Water Quality Sampling Field Data Sheet (PDF, 6.2 KB) Chapter 6 Managing and Presenting Monitoring Data 6.1 Managing Volunteer Data 6.2 Presenting the Data 6.3 Producing Reports Appendices A. Glossary B. Scientific Supply Houses C. Determining Latitude and Longitude ❍ Worksheet for Calculating Latitude and Longitude (PDF, 23.5 KB) Acknowledgments This draft manual was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through contract no. 68C30303 with Tetra Tech, Inc. and through cooperative agreement no. CT901837010 with the River Watch Network. The project manager was Alice Mayio, USEPA Offi ce of Wetlands Oceans and Watersheds. Principal authors include Eric Dohner, Abby Markowitz, Michael Barbour, and Jonathan Simpson of Tetra Tech, Inc.; Jack Byrne and Geoff Dates of River Watch Network; and Alice Mayio of USEPA. Illustrations are by Emily Faalasli, Tetra Tech, Inc. In addition, a workgroup of volunteer monitoring program coordinators contributed significantly to this product. The authors wish to thank, in particular; Carl Weber of the University of Maryland and Save Our Streams; Jay West and Karen Firehock of the Izaak Walton League of America; Anne Lyon of the Tennessee Valley Authority; and the many reviewers who provided constructive and insightful comments to early drafts of this document. This manual would not have been possible with out their invaluable advice and assistance. NOTICE: This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. < Previous · Table of Contents · Next > Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds Home Watershed Protection Home | Monitoring Water Quality Home EPA Home | Office of Water | Search | Comments Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 - Manual Organization As part of its commitment to volunteer monitoring, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has worked since 1990 to develop a series of guidance manuals for volunteer programs. Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods Manual, the third in the series, is designed as a companion document to Volunteer Water Monitoring: A Guide for State Managers. The guide describes the role of volunteer monitoring in state programs and discusses how managers can best organize, implement, and maintain volunteer programs. This document builds on the concepts discussed in the Guide for State Managers and applies them directly to streams and rivers. Streams and rivers are monitored by more volunteer programs than any other waterbody type. According to the fourth edition of the National Directory of Volunteer Environmental Monitoring Programs (January 1994), three-quarters of the more than 500 programs listed conduct some sort of stream assessment as part, or all, of their monitoring project. As the interest in monitoring streams grows, so too does the desire of groups to apply an integrated approach to the design and implementation of programs. More and more, volunteer monitors are interested in taking a combination of physical, chemical, and biological measurements and are beginning to understand how land uses in a watershed influence the health of its waterways. This document includes sections on conducting in-stream physical, chemical, and biological assessments as well as landuse or watershed assessments. The chemical and physical measurements described in this document can be applied to rivers or streams of any size. However, the biological components (macroinvertebrates and habitat) should be applied only to "wadable" streams (i.e., where streams are small in width and relatively shallow in depth, and where both banks are clearly visible). The purpose of this manual is not to mandate new methods or override methods currently being used by volunteer monitoring groups. Instead, it is intended to serve as a tool for program managers who want to launch a new stream monitoring program or enhance an existing program. Volunteer Stream Monitoring presents methods that have been adapted from those used successfully by existing volunteer programs. Further, it would be impossible to provide monitoring methods that are uniformly applicable to all stream watersheds or all volunteer programs throughout the Nation. Factors such as geographic region, program goals and objectives, and program resources will all influence the specific methods used by each group. This manual therefore urges volunteer program coordinators to work handinhand with state and local water quality professionals or other potential data users in developing and implementing a volunteer monitoring program. Through this partnership, volunteer programs gain improved credibility and access to professional expertise and data; agencies gain credible data that can be used in water quality planning. Bridges between citizens and water resource managers are also the foundation for an active, educated, articulate, and effective constituency of environmental stewards. This foundation is an essential component in the management and preservation of our water resources. EPA has developed two other methods manuals in this series. Volunteer Lake Monitoring: A Methods Manual was published in December 1991. Volunteer Estuary Monitoring: A Methods Manual was published in December 1993. To obtain any or all of these documents, contact: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds Volunteer Monitoring (4503F) 401 M Street, SW Washington, DC 20460 < Previous · Table of Contents · Next > Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds Home Watershed Protection Home | Monitoring Water Quality Home EPA Home | Office of Water | Search | Comments 1.1 Manual Organization Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods Manual is organized into six chapters. All chapters include references for further reading. Chapter One: Introduction The first chapter introduces the manual and outlines its organization. Chapter Two: Elements of a Stream Study Chapter 2 introduces the concept of the stream environment and presents information on the leading sources of pollution affecting streams in the United States. It then discusses in some detail 10 questions volunteer program coordinators must answer in designing a stream study, from knowing why monitoring is taking place to determining how the program will ensure the data collected are credible. The chapter includes a highlight on training volunteer monitors. The chapter concludes with safety and equipment considerations. Chapter Three: Watershed Survey Methods This chapter describes how to conduct a watershed survey (also known as a watershed inventory or visual survey), which can serve as a useful first step in developing a stream monitoring program. It provides hints on conducting a background investigation of a watershed and outlines steps for visually assessing the stream and its surrounding land uses. Chapter Four: Macroinvertebrates and Habitat In this chapter, three increasingly complex methods of monitoring the biology of streams are presented. The first is a simple stream survey that requires little training or preparation; the second is a widely used macroinvertebrate sampling and stream survey approach that yields a basic stream rating while monitors are still at the stream; and the third is a macroinvertebrate sampling and advanced habitat assessment approach that requires professional and laboratory support but can yield data on comparatively subtle stream impacts. Chapter Five: Water Quality and Physical Conditions Chapter 5 summarizes techniques for monitoring 10 different constituents of water: dissolved oxygen/biochemical oxygen demand, temperature, pH, turbidity, phosphorus, nitrates, total solids, conductivity, total alkalinity, and fecal bacteria. The chapter begins with a discussion on preparing sampling containers, highlights basic steps for collecting samples, and discusses taking stream flow measurements. This chapter discusses why each parameter is important, outlines sampling