In Reply Refer To: October 18, 1979 EGS-Mail Stop 412 QUALITY OF WATER BRANCH TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 80.01 Subject: PROGRAMS & PLANS--National Water-Quality Networks: Modification to NWQSS, NASQAN, and Benchmark programs and subsequent modifications to the assigned unique numbers Several important changes have been made in the NWQSS, NASQAN, and Benchmark programs for FY 1980. The following points are discussed in this memo: - Major changes made by EPA in the NWQSS program are impacting NASQAN and district programs. - The unique numbers for the National water-quality networks that were announced in Quality of Water Branch Technical Memorandum No. 79.15 have been modified in terms of both frequency and analytical schedules. Additional unique numbers have been assigned for all NASQAN stations. - New determinations have been added to the NASQAN program. - New determinations have been added to the Benchmark program. - Current station lists for the NASQAN and Benchmark programs are attached as well as listings of all common schedules used in the programs. GS/EPA Transfer Program EPA is revising its National Water-Quality Monitoring Program and, as part of that revision, is redefining the National Water Quality Surveillance System (NWQSS). These revisions have resulted in significant changes in the GS/EPA "Transfer Program". One such change is the addition of certain determinitions to NASQAN with the assistance of EPA funding. Another change is the dropping of EPA Headquarters support for a number of former NWQSS stations. WRD field offices should not assume that any particular NWQSS station will continue during FY 1980 unless this has been confirmed by the appropriate EPA regional representative, who in turn should have a commitment from EPA Headquarters for support of the station or have regional funds earmarked for its support. Unique Numbers Modifications have already been made in the unique numbers which were established for all NASQAN and Benchmark stations and announced in Quality of Water Branch Technical Memorandum No. 79.15. Modification was necessary because EPA's request for additional constituents to be determined at all NASQAN stations was made after that Technical Memorandum had been issued. New retrievals of unique numbers should be made by each district office. Specifically, EPA requested that four more samples be collected during the year and analyzed for total recoverable silver, in addition to the silver analyses presently scheduled for in the quarterly trace metal samples. This will require collection of samples at NASQAN stations for total recoverable silver eight times per year during FY 1980. EPA has also requested the addition of total recoverable nickel to the quarterly trace metal samples. To provide a balanced level of information, the NASQAN program will now also include a determination of dissolved nickel in each quarterly sample. The addition of dissolved and total recoverable nickel to the quarterly samples has changed one of the schedule numbers (1705 changed to 1909) but does not change the unique number. A complete list of analytical schedules appears in Appendix E. The four additional (non-quarterly) silver samples have resulted in a new schedule number 1910 which consists of common constituents plus silver. New unique numbers have been established for each NASQAN station at a four per year frequency using schedule 1910. The previously established unique number which included schedule 1904 has had the authorized use changed from eight to four. Table 1 shows an example of unique numbers established for a NASQAN station. In this example, the station is also included in the pesticide subnetwork and the radiochemical subnetwork. Table 2 is an example of a possible field schedule which could be established using the unique numbers given in table 1. Schedule numbers associated with a particular unique number should not be written on cards three or four of the Central Lab Log-Inv Information sheet accompanying the sample. For example, if the unique number 4905021N from Table 1 is used, schedule 1904 with which it is associated, should not be written on card three of the log-inv sheet. If 1904 is listed under schedule/catalog numbers on that card, both NASQAN and the district will be charged for the analysis. Additional schedules or lab codes not included with the unique number may be added on the log-inv sheet on cards three or four. These additions will be charged to a specific account if one is listed under project/account number. If the project/account space is left blank, the additions will be charged to the district default account. Table 1. Example of unique numbers established for a NASQAN station which is also in the pesticide and radiochemical subnetworks. AUTH USED ACCOUNTS UNIQUE # STATION ID TYPE SCHEDULE NUMBERS AND AMOUNTS 4905021N 09315000 NASQAN 4 0 1904 NASQAN = 89.50 SAMPLES: 4905022N 09315000 NASQAN 7 0 1706 NASQAN = 50.00 SAMPLES: 4905023N 09315000 NASQAN 4 0 1708 NASQAN = 32.00 SAMPLES: 4905024N 09315000 NASQAN 4 0 1704 1909 NASQAN =399.10 SAMPLES: 4905025N 09315000 NASQAN 2 0 1703 NASQAN =126.60 SAMPLES: 4905054N 09315000 NASQAN 4 0 1910 NASQAN =104.50 SAMPLES: Table 2. Field schedule which could be established using unique numbers from table 1. Month Unique Numbers Used Samples Included in Unique Numbers October 4905021N Common constituents November 1/ 4905024N 4905022N 4905023N Common constituents plus trace elements, phytoplankton, periphyton December 4905054N Common constituents plus total recoverable silver January 4905021N Common constituents February 1/ 4905024N Common constituents plus trace elements March 4905054N 4905022N 4905023N Common constituents plus total recoverable silver, phytoplankton, periphyton April 4905021N Common constituents May 1/ 4905024N 4905022N 4905023N Common constituents plus trace elements, 4905025N phytoplankton, periphyton, radiochemical June 4905054N 4905022N Common constituents plus total recoverable silver, phytoplankton July 4905021N 4905022N Common constituents, phytoplankton August 1/ 4905024N 4905022N 4905023N Common constituents plus trace elements, 4905025N phytoplankton, periphyton, radiochemical September 4905054N 4905022N Common constituents plus total recoverable silver, phytoplankton 1/ Pesticide samples sent to EPA lab at NSTL Station should be identified with the station number, not with a unique number. NASQAN Program Changes in the NASQAN program this year include the previously mentioned the addition of four total recoverable silver samples and the addition of total recoverable and dissolved nickel to the quarterly trace metal analyses. Dissolved ammonia and dissolved nitrite plus nitrate have also been added to all of the schedules which include nutrients, that is schedules 1704, 1904, and 1910. No change in sample handling in the field or in unique number designation is required in the case of the added nutrient determinations. A list of NASQAN stations is included in Appendix A. Sampling frequencies for all constituents and the lab schedules which are incorporated in the unique numbers for each station are: 12 per year - Field measurements Temperature, water, !C 1/ Specific conductance, micrmhos per cm at 25 !C 1/ Instantaneous discharge 2/ pH Dissolved oxygen Fecal coliform bacteria Fecal streptococci bacteria - Suspended sediment Concentration in mg/L % finer than 0.062 mm - Common constituents, including major nutrients. Included in lab schedules 1704, 1904, 1910. 3/ 8 per year - Total organic carbon. Included in lab schedules 1904 and 1910. Samples are taken during months when the trace element samples (including DOC and SOC) are not taken. 7 per year - Phytoplankton. Lab schedule 1706. Except for Hawaii and Puerto Rico, collect four samples in growing season months of June, July, August, and September and three samples in non- growing months of November, March, and May. Hawaii and Puerto Rico sites should have phytoplankton collected 12 times per year. 4 per year - Trace elements, DOC and SOC. Lab schedule 1909. Includes all constituents in schedule 1705 plus dissolved and total recoverable nickel. - Total recoverable silver. Included with schedule 1910. Taken in months when trace elements are not sampled. - Periphyton. Lab schedule 1708. 1/ Continuous or daily at many sites. Data from sites with continuous or daily observation records should be stored using statistics code 00003 or 00011. 2/ Enter instantaneous discharge at the time of sampling (either measured or from gage height) in the water-quality file using parameter code 00061. At sampling sites without gaging stations, mean flow (00060) calculated from other gaging stations may be entered. 3/ A complete listing of all lab schedules is given in Appendix E. NASQAN Radiochemical Subnetwork Radiochemical subnetwork stations are listed in Appendix B. No changes have been made in the subnetwork. Samples should be collected at high and low flow periods as before. 2 per year - Radiochemical. Lab schedule 1703. NASQAN Pesticides Subnetwork Stations in the subnetwork are listed in Appendix C and are the same as in the 1978 water year. Water samples are collected 4 times per year in November, February, May, and August. Bottom material samples are collected in November and May. Sample containers and sample analyses are provided by the EPA laboratory, NSTL Station, Mississippi. Data are entered into computer storage by WRD in Reston. Benchmark Water-Quality Program Dissolved minor elements and nutrients have been added to the Benchmark sampling schedules. Unique numbers previously assigned remain the same but the lab schedules associated with them have been changed to include the dissolved constituents. Appendix D lists the stations included in the water quality part of the Hydrologic Benchmark Network. The last column of the table indicates sampling frequencies, which are: Frequency M - Monthly - Field measurements Instantaneous discharge Specific conductance Temperature, !C pH Dissolved oxygen Total coliform bacteria Fecal coliform bacteria Fecal streptococci bacteria - Suspended sediment concentration - Common constituents. Included in lab schedules 1923 and 1924. 2 per year - Minor elements. Included in schedule 1924 which also includes common constituents. 1 per year - Pesticides, lab schedule 1702 - Radiochemical, lab schedule 1703 Frequency B - Bimonthly - Field measurements (same as frequency M) - Suspended sediment concentration - Common constituents. Included in lab schedules 1923 and 1924. 2 per year - Minor elements, lab schedule 1924 1 per year - Pesticides, lab schedule 1702 - Radiochemical, lab schedule 1703 Frequency Q - Quarterly - Field measurements (same as frequency M) - Common constituents, lab schedule 1923. If there are any questions about operation of the networks, please contact Art Ott or John Briggs of my staff. R. J. Pickering Chief, Quality of Water Branch Enclosures Apendixes: A. List of NASQAN stations B. List of NASQAN radiochemical subnetwork stations C. List of NASQAN pesticide subnetwork stations D. List of Benchmark water-quality stations E. Laboratory schedules WRD Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO