standard operating procedure wwsop02000 effective date: 04/01/2013

Standard Operating ProcedureWWSOP02000

Effective Date: 04/01/2013

KENTUCKY WATERSHED WATCH STREAM GRAB SAMPLE COLLECTION

This presentation is based on the “Kentucky Watershed Watch Stream Grab Sample Collection Standard Operating Procedure WWSOP02000”and is available fromwwky.org

Grab Sample SOP

•Stream safety•Sample site location•Pre-sampling information•Collection procedures•Preservation

Stream Grab Sample

CollectionProcedures

•Recordkeeping•Transportation•Results

Site Coordinates and Photos• GPS (decimal degrees – 5 decimal places)

OR Digital map (KGS WW Site - http://kgs.uky.edu/kgsmap/krww/viewer.asp or Google Earth)

• Take photos upstream and downstream of sampling point – with recognizable landmarks; should be taken annually during Summer sampling event

• Label photos: “Site#upstream” and “Site#downstream”

• Submit information to Water Watch office Email: OllieTheOtter@ky.gov

Phone: 1-800-928-0045

Sample Site Location

• You will receive materials from program coordinators or by mail

• Read instructions upon receipt! (Critical info on sample times and delivery included)

• Inspect all sample and preservative containers upon receipt for damage or breakage

You will receive for sampling:• Instructions• Transport information• Chain of Custody Records• Gloves (disposable)• Sample containers• Preservative (if required)

Pre-sampling Information

Sample containers vary for the job at hand

Pre-sampling Information

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

The sampling containers are pre-marked with a unique Site Number

The Site Number should match the number on the “Chain of Custody Record”

Pre-sampling Information

I received a bottle with a site number I don’t recognize!Check the documents in your packet, you may have been

randomly assigned to collect a blank or a duplicate

Pre-sampling information

Blank - A sample bottle filled while at the stream site with distilled water• Serves as a check for

possible contamination during sample handling or processing at the lab

• DO NOT indicate that the sample is a blank – the lab should not know

Pre-sampling Information

Duplicate - A sample bottle filled with stream water at your site at the same time as your regular sample• Serves as a check for

variability among samples that should yield approximately the same lab results

• DO NOT indicate that the sample is a duplicate – the lab should not know

Pre-sampling Information

Proper attire for handling samples• Gloves (disposable)

• Eye protection

Pre-sampling Information

Basic equipment needed

Collection Procedures

Selecting your sample collection locationCollection Procedures

On your first visit to your site, select an area of the stream where the flow is concentratedand where you can completely submerge and fill the bottlewithout touching the bottom

NOTE: It is important that you collect your sample at the same location each time

Concentrated Flow

Location

Collection Procedures

SampleCollectionLocation

High Gradient

Collection Procedures

SampleCollectionLocation

Low Gradient

Collection Procedures

Grab SampleCollection

• Enter stream at a downstream location • Walk upstream to avoid disturbing bottom • Collect sample at the same location each time in the middle of your concentrated flow location and at mid-depth of stream

Collection Procedures

Grab Sample CollectionCollection Procedures

0 = Dry1 = Ponded2 = Low3 = Normal4 = Bank Full5 = FLOOD!

Do not sampleduring these flow conditions

Flow Rate

• Put on disposable gloves• DO NOT RINSE BOTTLE• Point mouth of bottle directly over surface of water, dip and scoop bottle upstream beneath water surface, and through water column in one swift motion to fill above line marked on bottle• If preservative is in bottle, take caution to angle mouth so as not to spill any while collecting sample• Cap container, leaving at least a small airspace at top to allow lab mixing• Place in wet ice immediately

For E. coli grab sample collection:

Collection Procedures

• Put on disposable gloves• Rinse bottle with stream water three times

(fill bottle ¼ full of stream water, cap, shake, and discarddownstream)• Point mouth of bottle upstream (against the flow), submerge entire bottle to mid-depth of stream, scoop and fill• Rinse cap in stream and cap bottle• Add preservative (if necessary) and place in wet ice

Collection Procedures

For grab sample collection other than E. coli:

What to do if you get a chemical on you

•For emergency first aid in the field, flush affected area with large amounts of water and seek medical attention immediately

•Follow the first aid procedures found on the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

EquipmentChemical Safety

• Samples must be kept immersed in wet ice(but not frozen) until received by laboratory

• Some samples may require other preservatives(check your sample event packet)

Preservation

Like containers, preservation methods vary(You don’t have to memorize these)

Preservation

Preservation

Sample Holding Time:

• length of time a preserved sample can be stored after collection and before it is analyzed without significantly affecting the results• from the minute you collect a sample, the clock starts ticking on the holding time• varies for different types of analysis• established by the US Environmental Protection Agency

E. coli = 6 hours maximum

Other than E. coli = Follow holding time instructionsreceived in your samplingevent packet

PreservationSample Holding Times

• document and record the transfer of the samples from the stream to the laboratory

• function as a field measurement form

• provide a place for field observations

Recordkeeping

The Chain of Custody Record (COC) serves to:

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

• Site #

• Location description

• Sample collector nameand contact info

Correct any preprinted information if necessary

Recordkeeping Chain of Custody Record

prepopulated information

Watershed Watch Chain of Custody Record

• Date and Time of sample collection

• Field Observations and Measurements

• Date and time of sample Relinquished/Received

must be identical

Recordkeeping Volunteer entries on the Chain of Custody

Cross through any mistakes and initial – do not erase

Transportation

1. Make delivery arrangements before the sampling event

2. Take your sample and COC to the designated drop-off location

3. Double-check your recordkeeping paperwork

4. Make sure to sign your COC

Sample Delivery

Runner LAB

Sampler

Drop Off

Sampler

Sampler

Sampler Sampler 6 hrs(E. coli)

Collection7:00-10:00 AM

Runners9:00-1:00 PM

Transportation

Results Professional labs analyze samples

Results Bacteria Analysis (Older Method)

Colony Forming Units (CFU)

• Lab processes your stream sample and applies it to a special plate

• Plate is kept warm for a specified period of time

• Colonies of microscopic bacteria that have formed are counted

• Results are recorded in CFU

ResultsE. coli Analysis (Newer Method)

Add Colilert to sample

and dissolve

Pour sample into

Quanti-Tray

Seal tray and keep warm for 24 hours

Count fluorescent wells and convert

RESULTS

Results will be posted on the Kentucky Geological Survey

website after the basin data manager andKY Watershed Watch have

reviewed for errorshttp://kgs.uky.edu/kgsmap/krww/viewer.asp

Interpretation E. coli

Enlarged photo of E. coli bacteria

• shortened form of Escherichia coli

• microscopic bacteria that live in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and are passed in fecal material

• used as an indicator of the possible presence of pathogens that may cause infection or illness

Interpretation

Sources of E. coli in Streams

Interpretation Surface Water Quality Standards

forE. coli

• Swimming Standard of 240 cfu/100 ml (single grab sample)

• Standards apply during Recreation Season from May 1 to October 31

Interpretation Nutrients

• generally refers to forms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)

• excess nutrients in streams can cause overgrowth of algae and plants, which disrupts healthy natural processes

• this can lead to large decreases in dissolved oxygen, a condition called eutrophication

Interpretation Nutrients

Excess of nutrients (N & P)

Abundant growth of algae

Algae die

Decomposition of algae by bacteria consumes oxygen

Low dissolved oxygen levels can lead to fish kills

EUTROPHICATION

Interpretation

Sources of Nutrients in Streams

Interpretation Surface Water Quality Standards

forNutrients

• Kentucky does not have numeric surface water standards in regulation for all nutrients of concern (including

Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus)

• Surface water standards in Kentucky regulations include:

• Ammonia (un-ionized) 0.05 mg/l (parts per million)• Nitrate (NO3) 10 mg/l • Sulfate (SO4) 250 mg/l

Interpretation Metals

• elemental substances that are good conductors of heat and electricity

• naturally occurring in rock and soil, and can be weathered and carried to streams when exposed

• can be harmful to humans or aquatic life

at low levels over a long time (chronic) or at higher levels for a short time (acute)

Heavy Metal

Interpretation

Sources of Metals in Streams

Interpretation Surface Water Quality Standards

for Metals• Aluminum• Antimony• Arsenic• Barium• Beryllium• Boron• Cadmium• Calcium• Chromium• Cobalt

• Copper• Gold• Iron• Lead• Lithium• Magnesium• Manganese• Nickel• Phosphorus• Potassium

• Selenium• Silicon• Silver• Sodium• Strontium• Sulfur• Thallium• Tin• Vanadium• Zinc

Underlined metals are ones for which Kentucky has numeric water quality standards, which can be found in 401 KAR 10:031 Section 6.

Interpretation Metals

A fish consumption advisory is in effect statewide

• All Kentucky waters are under advisory for mercury. Women of childbearing age and children 6 years of age or younger should eat no more than one meal per week of freshwater fish. Adult men and other women are not included in the consumption notice.

• This is not an emergency as organic mercury can occur naturally in the environment and does not affect swimmers, skiers or boaters. Fish can accumulate these low levels of mercury by eating plankton and other small aquatic creatures.

Interpretation Pesticides

• chemicals used to kill undesirable plants or insects

• improper timing of application and overuse can lead to runoff into streams

• can be harmful to humans or aquatic life

at low levels over a long time (chronic) or at higher levels for a short time (acute)

Interpretation

Sources of Pesticides in Streams

Interpretation Surface Water Quality Standards

forPesticides

• Kentucky does not have numeric water quality standards for all pesticides (including atrazine)

• Surface water standards in Kentucky regulations include:

• 2,4-D 0.1 mg/l (parts per million)

PathogensE. coli

0

1 - 150

151 - 500

501 - 1000

1001 - 5000

(CFU)

At the creek

Practicegrab sample

collection