Welcome to the State Water Resources Control Board Welcome to the California Environmental Protection Agency

SWAMP - Clean Water Team Citizen Monitoring Program

Clean Water Team Logo GUIDANCE COMPENDIUM FOR WATERSHED MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

 

Note: Monitoring Methods & Protocols described below have not been endorsed specifically nor generally by the State Water Board or the SWAMP Program.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Section 1.0 Introduction and Overview
  Section 2.0 Field Procedures (e.g., sample collection)
  Section 3.0 "Grab" Samples - Measurements Taken at One Point
      in a Water Body or in a Container (including Water Quality Fact Sheets)
  Section 4.0 Stream Measurements (e.g., flow)
  Section 5.0 Measurements Taken in a Watershed (e.g., rain)
  Section 6.0 Geographic Information for Watershed Use (GIS & GPS)
  Section 7.0 Programmatic Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA, QC & QAPP)
  Section 8.0 Data Quality Management (DQM)
  Section 9.0 Volunteer & Staff Role-Specific DQM Materials
  Appendices Glossary
  Notes About the Contents

SECTION 1.0 - INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW
1.1. Introduction
  1.1.1. How to Use the Compendium (Information Paper about this set of 'how-to' manuals)
  1.1.2. Regulatory Framework: Water and Environmental Legislation
  1.1.3. The Universe of Citizen Monitoring
    1.1.3.1. A Volunteer Monitoring Code of Ethics
  1.1.4. Introduction to Data Quality
    1.1.4.1. What are Good Data?
    1.1.4.2. The Clean Water Team (CWT) Data Quality Management System
 
1.2. Making Citizen Monitoring Happen
  1.2.1. Infrastructure
    — Starting a Monitoring Group
    — Designing Your Monitoring Strategy: Basic Questions & Resources to Help Guide You
       - CSREES, 2003 (Cooperative State Research, Extension and Education Service)
    — Riparian Station How-To Manual - San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) 1996
 
1.3. Securing a Monitoring Project
  1.3.1. Safety First
    1.3.1.1. Assuring Health, Safety and Access

SECTION 2.0 - FIELD PROCEDURES

2.1. Sample Collection
  2.1.1. Collection of Water Samples (Information Paper)
    2.1.1.2. Collection of Water Samples with Water Displacement and Water Trapping Devices
for Dissolved Oxygen Measurements
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP); step-by-step instructions
    2.1.1.3. Construction and Use of a Syringe Pump Apparatus for Water Sampling (SOP)
 
2.2 Shipping and Custody
    2.2.1.1. Chain-of-Custody Evaluation Form (SOP)
    2.2.1.2. Use of the 'Chain-of-Custody Evaluation Form' (SOP)
 
2.3. Field Work Considerations
  2.3.1. Assembling a Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring (Information Paper)
    2.3.1.1. Assembling a Field Kit for Water Quality Monitoring (SOP)

SECTION 3.0 - 'GRAB SAMPLES'
- Measurements Taken at One Point in a Water Body or in a Container (including Water Quality Fact Sheets)
3.1. Vital Signs:  The Basic 5 Water Quality Parameters
  3.1.0.

Introduction to Vital Signs
  3.1.1. Dissolved Oxygen Measurement Principles and Methods (Information Paper)
    3.1.1.0. Fact Sheet: Dissolved Oxygen [English] [Spanish]
    3.1.1.1. Dissolved Oxygen Measured with a Colorimetric Ampoule
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP); step-by-step instructions
    3.1.1.2. Measurements of Dissolved Oxygen with the Modified Winkler Titration (SOP)
    3.1.1.3. Measurements of Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.) with an Electrode (SOP)
  3.1.2. Temperature Measurements Principles and Methods (Information Paper)
    3.1.2.0. Temperature Fact Sheet   [English]   [Spanish]
    3.1.2.1. Measurements of Temperature with Bulb and -Min-Max Thermometers (SOP)
    3.1.2.2. Measuring Temperature with a Thermister Thermometer (SOP)
  3.1.3. Conductivity/Salinity Measurement Principles and Methods (Information Paper)
    3.1.3.0. Electrical Conductivity/Salinity Fact Sheet   [English]   [Spanish]
    3.1.3.1. Measurement of Electrical Conductivity Using a Pocket Meter (SOP)
    3.1.3.2. Measuring Salinity with a Hydrometer (SOP)
    3.1.3.3. Measuring Salinity with a Refractometer (SOP)
  3.1.4. Acidity (pH) Measurement Principles and Methods (Information Paper)
    3.1.4.0. pH Fact Sheet   [English]   [Spanish]
    3.1.4.1. Measurement of pH with a Liquid Indicator Kit (SOP)
    3.1.4.2. Measurement of pH with Non-Bleeding pH Strips (SOP)
    3.1.4.3. Measurement of pH with a Pocket Meter (SOP)
  3.1.5. Measuring Suspended Solids and Water Column Turbidity (Information Paper)
    3.1.5.0. Turbidity Fact Sheet   [English]    [Spanish]
    3.1.5.1. Water Clarity (Transparency) and Color Using a Secchi Disc (SOP)
    3.1.5.2. Water Clarity (Transparency) Using a Transparency Tube (SOP)
    3.1.5.3. Turbidity Measurement Using the Dual Cylinder Method (SOP)
    3.1.5.4. Turbidity Using a Nephelometer ("Turbidimeter") (SOP)
      — Murky Waters (Schloss 1998)
 
3.2. Other "Conventional" Water Quality Parameters
  3.2.0. Beyond Vital Signs: Introduction to Other Parameters
  3.2.1. Alkalinity
    3.2.1.1. Measuring Alkalinity 
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP); step-by-step instructions
 
3.3. Nutrients
  3.3.1. Ammonia
    3.3.1.0. Ammonia Fact Sheet   [English]   [Spanish]
    3.3.1.2. Ammonia Salicylate Kits (SOP)
  3.3.2. Oxidized Nitrogen - Nitrate (NO3) and Nitrite (NO2)
    3.3.2.1. Measuring Nitrate and Nitrite (SOP)
  3.3.3 Phosphorous
    3.3.3.1. Measuring Orthophosphate (SOP)
 
3.4. Bacteria (Pathogen Indicators)
  3.4.1. Escherichia Coli and Other Coliforms
    3.4.1.1. E.Coli and Total Coliform Counts Using the Enzyme Substrate Colilert Reagents with QuantiTrays (SOP)
  3.4.2. Entercoccus
    3.4.2.1. Entercoccus Counts Using Enterolert (SOP)
 
3.5. Biological Communities Indicators
  3.5.1. The California Streamside Biosurvey
An Introduction to Using Aquatic Invertebrates as Water Quality Indicators
(Protocol, Method and Data Sheets)
    3.5.1.a. Cover Page
    3.5.1.b. Spreadsheet for Streamside Biosurvey Invertebrate Collection Data
    3.5.1.c. California Stream BioAssessment Protocol Laboratories
    3.5.1.d. Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Identification Key
    3.5.1.e. California Benthic Macro Invertebrate Visual Library (coming soon!)
    3.5.1.f. Bioassessment Manual; Including Sample Design
 
3.6. Physical Attributes, Including Sediment
  3.6.1. Methods for Particle Size Distribution Analyses (Information Paper)
    3.6.1.0. Sediment Fact Sheet
    3.6.1.1. Protocol (method) for Sorting Beach Sand
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP); step-by-step instructions
  3.6.2. Sediment Information Paper
 
3.7. Toxicity
3.7.1. Water ToxicityTests
  3.7.1.1. Simplified Acute Toxicity Testing Ceriodaphnia Protocol
      - Method (including appendices; lab & field data sheets, and a culture log format sheet)
      - Sample Toxicity Test Results (an example filled out data sheet or template)

SECTION 4.0 - STREAM MEAUREMENTS  
4.1. Flow Discharge
  4.1.1. Methods to Observe, Estimate, or Measure Flow (Information Paper)
    4.1.1.0. Flow Fact Sheet
    4.1.1.2. Low Flow Channel Profile
    4.1.1.3. Measuring Flow Using the Float Method
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP); step-by-step instructions
    4.1.1.4. Measuring Flow Discharge with Velocity Meters (SOP)
    — Flow Measurement (WOW TAC 2001)
  4.1.2. Flow Information Paper (with graphics and photos)
 
4.2. Visual Observations
  4.2.1. Visual Observations in Streams and Shorelines (Information Paper)
    4.2.1.0. Visual Observations Fact Sheets
    4.2.1.2. Physical/Habitat Quality Forms (SOP)
    4.2.1.3. Stream Walk (SOP)
    4.2.1.4. Stream and Shoreline Photo Documentation  (SOP)
    4.2.1.9 Visual Observation (WOW TAC 2001)
       
4.3. Trash, Litter and Garbage
  4.3.1. Trash Assessment
    4.3.1.1. Rapid Trash Assessment & Worksheet
    4.3.1.2. The Problem with Marine Debris
    4.3.1.3. National Marine Debris Monitoring Program (NMDMP)
      — The Ocean Conservancy's NMDM Program
      — NMDMP California Survey Sites
    4.3.1.4. Small Floating Plastic Protocol (Method)
 
4.4. Wildlife
 

4.4.1.

 Birds
    — Various Bird Survey Protocols
    4.4.1.1. Bay Area Stream Inventory Program - Bird Count Instructions
  4.4.2. Amphibians
    4.4.2.1. Salamander Monitoring Protocols
    4.4.2.2. Simplified Steps for Salamander Monitoring
    4.4.2.3. North American Amphibian Monitoring Program
    4.4.2.4. Salamander Bibliography from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and UC Davis
    4.4.2.5. Frog and Toad Watch
 
4.5. Fish Assemblages
  4.5.1. Fish Observations and Estimates
    4.5.1.1. Observing Fish from the Bank
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP); step-by-step instructions
    4.5.1.2. Snorkeling Surveys (SOP)
    — Stream Inventory Project
 
4.6. Plant Communities
  4.6.1. Vegetation Resource Survey

SECTION 5.0 - MEASUREMENTS TAKEN in a WATERSHED  
5.1. Rainfall and Runoff
  5.1.1. Methods to Measure Rainfall
    5.1.1.1. Rainfall Monitoring 
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) containing step-by-step instructions
 
5.2. Sediment
  5.2.1. Sediment Sources and Transport Potential
    5.2.1.0. Sediment Sources, Transport and Impact (Fact Sheets)

SECTION 6.0 - GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION for WATERSHED USE (GIS & GPS)

6.1. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) & Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Support
  6.1.1. Topographic Maps
    6.1.1.1. How to Read a Topographic Map
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): step-by-step instructions
    6.1.1.2. How to Derive Coordinates from a Topographic Map (SOP)
  6.1.2. Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
    6.1.2.0. GPS Fact Sheet
    6.1.2.1. GLOBE GPS Measurement Protocol (SOP)
    6.1.2.2. Field Mapping GPS Using GARMIN GPS 12XL and ArcView (SOP)
    6.1.2.3. Use of Handheld PDA Units at DFG (SOP)
    — GPS Glossary

SECTION 7.0 - PROGRAMMATIC QUALITY ASSURANCE and QUALITY CONTROL

7.1. Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP)
  Please refer to our "Quality Assurance and Quality Control" web page for information and a template for Quality Assurance Project Plans.

SECTION 8.0 - DATA QUALITY MANAGEMENT (DQM)

8.1. The DQM System
  8.1.1. DQM Overview
    8.1.1.0. Data Quality Management (DQM) Fact Sheet
    8.1.1.1. How to Find the Guidance and Tools You Need
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) containing step-by-step instructions
 
8.2. DQM Contents
  8.2.1. Performance-Based Methodology (coming soon)
  8.2.2. Planning Environmental Monitoring
    — Tailoring Data Quality Objectives to Specific Questions
  8.2.3. Good Data Made Tangible (coming soon)
  8.2.4.  Representatives of Environmental Monitoring Data (coming soon)
  8.2.5.  Sampling Design Principles (coming soon)

SECTION 9.0 - STAFF and VOLUNTEER'S ROLE-SPECIFIC DQM MATERIALS

9.1. Role of the Member of the Public
    9.1.1.0. Data Quality Fact Sheet
 
9.2. Role of the Field Operators
    9.2.1.1. Use of the DQM Field Data Sheet for Water Quality Monitoring
Standard Operating Procedure (step-by-step instructions)
    9.2.1.2. Use of the DQM Calibration and Accuracy Checks Data Sheet
Standard Operating Procedure (step-by-step instructions)
 
9.3. Role of Trainer & QA Person
 

9.3.1.

  Role and Responsibilities of the Trainer (Information Paper)
 
9.4. Role of Technical Leader
  9.4.1. Project Planning; Lining Up Your Troops
    9.4.1.1. Use of the DQM Generic Monitoring Task List Template
Standard Operating Procedure (step-by-step instructions)

APPENDICES
A. Glossary for the Clean Water Team (CWT) Compendium
(how-to-manuals for watershed monitoring and assessment)

NOTES ABOUT THE CONTENTS

CWT Guidance documents, or 'how-to' manuals, include Fact Sheets (presenting ecological significance and regulatory benchmark), Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs; step by step instructions), and Information Paper (method “menus” and principles). They all have an identifier (number ID) that corresponds to the section number in the compendium. Essentially, items are numbered by Section (first digit), Group (second digit), Subject or Parameter (third digit) and specific instructions or facts (fourth digit). This numbering system allows for finding a desired guidance by subject matter. The structure is intended to maintain the same IP and SOP numbers for the long haul, and it also allows for addition of new items at the end of each level without disrupting the numbering system.

Please read section 1.1.1 (Introduction) for further information and advice on how to use the compendium.
 

( updated 8/20/07 )