U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Water-Quality Water-Quality Monitoring: Monitoring:

Data Collection and Data Collection and Analysis StrategiesAnalysis Strategies

for Designing Programfor Designing Program

Measuring the Measuring the Success of Best Success of Best Management Management Practices (BMP) Practices (BMP) ImplementationImplementation

Missouri Water Science CenterMissouri Water Science CenterRolla, MissouriRolla, Missouri

presented by Miya N. Barrpresented by Miya N. BarrHydrologist/Water-Quality Data Base AdministratorHydrologist/Water-Quality Data Base Administrator

(573) 308-3552(573) 308-3552 mnbarr@usgs.govmnbarr@usgs.gov

BMP Project GoalBMP Project Goal

• The most common goal is to The most common goal is to improve the water resources improve the water resources in the watershedin the watershed

• How can project success or How can project success or failure be measured?failure be measured?

Watershed Natural Watershed Natural Resource IssuesResource Issues

• Ecological, physical, and chemical Ecological, physical, and chemical variablesvariables

• Social, economic, and ethical Social, economic, and ethical issuesissues

Involves a mix of:Involves a mix of:

Evaluation StrategyEvaluation Strategy

Involves systematic collection Involves systematic collection of information about:of information about:

• The needs the project should The needs the project should addressaddress

• The most effective ways to meet The most effective ways to meet those needsthose needs

• The extent to which the project met The extent to which the project met those needs and project goalsthose needs and project goals

Ways to Measure Ways to Measure Project SuccessProject Success

• Water-quality monitoring to detect Water-quality monitoring to detect changes in water qualitychanges in water quality

• Evaluate change in the human Evaluate change in the human dimension, i.e., the application of the dimension, i.e., the application of the project and the impact of the project project and the impact of the project on peopleon people

Evaluation strategy should include Evaluation strategy should include physical and social aspects physical and social aspects

of project impactsof project impacts

Barriers to BMP Barriers to BMP Project Project EvaluationEvaluation• Poor planningPoor planning

• Failure to collect baseline data to Failure to collect baseline data to measure change againstmeasure change against

• Selection of ineffective evaluation Selection of ineffective evaluation methodsmethods

• Reliance on single evaluation Reliance on single evaluation methodmethod

Barriers to BMP Barriers to BMP Project Evaluation, Project Evaluation, cont’dcont’d

• Failure to consider both physical Failure to consider both physical water-quality parameters and water-quality parameters and social/human indicators of changesocial/human indicators of change

• Insufficient time, financial resources, Insufficient time, financial resources, and staff expertiseand staff expertise

• Overlooking the obvious, i.e., Overlooking the obvious, i.e., existing dataexisting data

Physical Indicators of Physical Indicators of Water-Quality ChangesWater-Quality Changes

• Water chemistry Water chemistry

• MacroinvertebratesMacroinvertebrates

• AlgaeAlgae

• Fish populationFish population

• Habitat measuresHabitat measures

Water-Quality Monitoring:Water-Quality Monitoring:

Water-Quality Water-Quality MonitoringMonitoring Water chemistry:Water chemistry:

• Early planning essential Early planning essential

• Target constituents (nutrients, suspended Target constituents (nutrients, suspended sediment, indicator bacteria, etc.)sediment, indicator bacteria, etc.)

• Importance of baseline data collectionImportance of baseline data collection

• Long-term (5-10 years) monitoring may be Long-term (5-10 years) monitoring may be necessarynecessary

• Monitoring can be costlyMonitoring can be costly

• Complicated process; consult the expertsComplicated process; consult the experts

U.S. Geological U.S. Geological Survey MissionSurvey Mission

The USGS provides the The USGS provides the Nation with reliable, Nation with reliable,

impartial information to impartial information to describe and understand describe and understand

the Earththe Earth

Purpose of the USGS Purpose of the USGS Water-Quality ProgramWater-Quality Program

To provide a long-To provide a long-term data base so term data base so that the general that the general

water quality of the water quality of the hydrologic system hydrologic system is known to allow is known to allow

for proper planning for proper planning and management of and management of potential concerns potential concerns

in the Statein the State

Ambient Water-Quality Ambient Water-Quality Monitoring Network Stations: Monitoring Network Stations:

USGS/MODNR (USGS/MODNR (Missouri Department of Natural Resources)Missouri Department of Natural Resources)

National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN)

U.S. Forest Service

Federal Program Federal Program Water-Quality StationsWater-Quality Stations

St. Louis: USGS/MSD St. Louis: USGS/MSD (Metropolitan Sewer District)(Metropolitan Sewer District)

Special Studies: Water-Quality Special Studies: Water-Quality Monitoring of the East Fork of Monitoring of the East Fork of the Black River and the Black the Black River and the Black

River (Taum Sauk project)River (Taum Sauk project)

Sample Sample CollectionCollectionMonthly to biannually by Monthly to biannually by

hydrologic technicianshydrologic technicians

Typical Typical Constituents Constituents MeasuredMeasured

• Field parametersField parameters

• NutrientsNutrients

• Major ionsMajor ions

• Trace elementsTrace elements

• PesticidesPesticides

• Indicator bacteria (Fecal coliform and Indicator bacteria (Fecal coliform and E. Coli)E. Coli)

Sampling Sampling GoalsGoals

• Obtain a representative sampleObtain a representative sample

• Use “clean” sampling and processing Use “clean” sampling and processing techniquestechniques

• Measure unstable physical properties Measure unstable physical properties and chemical constituents at siteand chemical constituents at site

• Determine streamflow at time of Determine streamflow at time of sample collectionsample collection

• Quality-assurance practicesQuality-assurance practices

What is a What is a representative water-representative water-

quality sample?quality sample?

A water-quality sample that A water-quality sample that represents the physical represents the physical

characteristics and characteristics and chemical composition of chemical composition of

the flow of a stream at the the flow of a stream at the sampling pointsampling point

Sampling Methods of the Sampling Methods of the USGSUSGS

Purpose: To obtain a sample that is Purpose: To obtain a sample that is representative of the stream cross sectionrepresentative of the stream cross section

• Weighted bottleWeighted bottle

• Equal-width incrementEqual-width increment

• Equal-discharge incrementEqual-discharge increment

Equal Width Equal Width IncrementIncrement

Stream Stream cross cross sectionsection

Sampling Sampling pointspoints

Sampled at equal widths in cross section; Sampled at equal widths in cross section; verticals will have different volumesverticals will have different volumes

Equal Discharge Equal Discharge IncrementIncrement

Stream Stream cross cross sectionsection

Sampling Sampling pointspoints

Sampled at equal discharge increments; each Sampled at equal discharge increments; each vertical will have equal volumevertical will have equal volume

Sampling EquipmentSampling Equipment““Isokinetic” and Isokinetic” and

“Clean”“Clean”

8-Liter Bag Sampler8-Liter Bag Sampler

““Clean” Clean” Sampling Sampling

TechniquesTechniques

““Clean” Clean” Processing Processing TechniquesTechniques

Why are some physical properties Why are some physical properties and chemical constituents and chemical constituents measured in the field?measured in the field?

• Unstable and change with timeUnstable and change with time

• Preservation is not feasiblePreservation is not feasible

• Change cannot be accurately Change cannot be accurately predictedpredicted

Field Field MeasurementsMeasurements

• TemperatureTemperature

• Specific conductanceSpecific conductance

• pHpH

• Dissolved oxygenDissolved oxygen

• AlkalinityAlkalinity

• Indicator bacteriaIndicator bacteria

Why is streamflow Why is streamflow important?important?

• To compute To compute constituent constituent transport loadstransport loads

• To understand To understand discharge-discharge-constituent constituent relationsrelations

Chemical constituent Chemical constituent concentration must be related to concentration must be related to

stream dischargestream discharge

Quality Quality Assurance Assurance PracticesPractices

• Instrument calibrationInstrument calibration

• Equipment blanksEquipment blanks

• Replicate samplesReplicate samples

• ““Clean” techniquesClean” techniques

• National Field Quality National Field Quality Assurance ProgramAssurance Program

After Sample After Sample CollectionCollection

• Measure field parametersMeasure field parameters

• Process sample for shipment Process sample for shipment to laboratory to laboratory

• Laboratory analysisLaboratory analysis

• Retrieve data and reviewRetrieve data and review

• Store in data baseStore in data base

Continuous/Real-Time Continuous/Real-Time Water-Quality MonitoringWater-Quality Monitoring

Use YSI brand equipmentUse YSI brand equipment Provide customers and public Provide customers and public

with web-based, real-time data with web-based, real-time data (http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov)(http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov)

Continuous collection of data for Continuous collection of data for up to five different parameters up to five different parameters simultaneouslysimultaneously

Data stored in USGS databaseData stored in USGS database

Real-time Real-time view of view of datadata

Data Data updated updated hourlyhourly

Continuous WQ Monitor Continuous WQ Monitor Quality AssuranceQuality Assurance

Standard guidelines set by USGS for Standard guidelines set by USGS for installing and calibrating monitors, as well installing and calibrating monitors, as well as reporting monitor dataas reporting monitor data

Monitor sites visited frequently and data Monitor sites visited frequently and data watched online daily to detect issueswatched online daily to detect issues

Calibrations are checked for each Calibrations are checked for each parameter and documentedparameter and documented

Must correct for monitor fouling and drift in Must correct for monitor fouling and drift in data setdata set

Continuous WQ Monitor Continuous WQ Monitor Fouling: Before and Fouling: Before and AfterAfter

Ancillary Ancillary ActivitiesActivities• Maintain a quality-assurance planMaintain a quality-assurance plan

• Review quality-assurance dataReview quality-assurance data

• Maintain data basesMaintain data bases

• Participate in National Water-Quality Participate in National Water-Quality Assurance programAssurance program

• Replace and repair sampling and Replace and repair sampling and measuring equipmentmeasuring equipment

• Continuing educationContinuing education

USGS Water-Data USGS Water-Data CollectionCollection

• Experts in the fieldExperts in the field

• Continuous methods developmentContinuous methods development

• Standardized sample collection, processing, Standardized sample collection, processing, and analysis protocolsand analysis protocols

• Centralized storage of data with links to Centralized storage of data with links to other data basesother data bases

• Not biased, non-regulatoryNot biased, non-regulatory

• Quality motivated, not profit motivatedQuality motivated, not profit motivated

ConclusionsConclusions

• Early planning essentialEarly planning essential

• Select effective evaluation methodsSelect effective evaluation methods

• Consider both physical water-quality Consider both physical water-quality parameters and social/ human indicators parameters and social/ human indicators of changeof change

• Allow sufficient time for monitoring; 5-10 Allow sufficient time for monitoring; 5-10 years may be necessary to detect changeyears may be necessary to detect change

Conclusions, cont’dConclusions, cont’d

• Collect baseline data to measure change Collect baseline data to measure change againstagainst

• Careful selection of target constituentsCareful selection of target constituents

• Be sure of financial resources; Be sure of financial resources; monitoring is not cheap!monitoring is not cheap!

• Monitoring is a complicated process; Monitoring is a complicated process; consult the experts!consult the experts!