In Reply Refer To: November 27, 1981 EGS-Mail Stop 412 QUALITY OF WATER BRANCH TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 82.03 Subject: PROGRAMS AND PLANS--National Water-Quality Networks; FY 1982 Protocol for the National Stream-Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) and the Hydrologic Benchmark Network in FY 1982 are outlined in this memorandum. Budget cuts and recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee convened to evaluate the NASQAN program have resulted in major changes in the parameter list and sampling frequency in the program. The Benchmark program was also evaluated by a special Ad Hoc Committee and recommendations for modifications in the program were made. No changes will be made in the program, however, until FY 1983. Copies of this memorandum should be distributed to all personnel responsible for collecting field samples for these national networks. For their convenience, all appropriate laboratory schedules are listed in Appendix E. We apologize for the delay in releasing this memorandum. Because of recent changes in funding for the networks, however, it was unavoidable. Districts are reminded that all national-network samples (excluding suspended-sediment samples) are to be sent to central laboratories with appropriate unique numbers. Documentation and the necessary JCL to retrieve unique numbers are given in Quality of Water Branch Technical Memorandum 79.15. New unique numbers are established at the beginning of each fiscal year, and are to be used until September 30 of each fiscal year. Personnel collecting national-network samples should therefore be using the FY 1982 unique numbers, and should keep a current listing of the unique numbers in their field folder. Any national- network sample processed by either central laboratory without a unique number will result in the analytical costs being billed to the default district account instead of the appropriate national-network account. Correcting such billing errors after they occur requires a memorandum to the Coordinator, National Water-Quality Networks. It is to the benefit of each district, therefore, to be sure that the proper unique numbers are being used, and to periodically make retrievals of the unique numbers. In addition, although the unique number, date, and time are all that are required on the lab-log inventory sheet, other information such as station name, special sampling conditions, national-network program (NASQAN, Benchmark) etc., are helpful both to central laboratory personnel and district personnel processing the analytical results. NASQAN NASQAN Station List NASQAN stations are listed in Appendix A. Ten stations have been discontinued in NASQAN because of budget limitations and on the recommendation of District and Regional QW specialists who determined that these sites were not producing the kind of data required to meet NASQAN objectlves. The sites dropped are as follows: - 04095300 Trail Creek at Michigan City (Indiana) - 07381325 Houma Navigation Canal of Houma (Louisiana) - 08212400 Los Olmus Creek near Falfurrias (Texas) - 09424190 Colorado River Aqueduct near San Jacinto (California) - 09474000 Gila River at Kelvin (Arizona) - 09489000 Santa Cruz River near Laveen (Arizona) - 09537500 Whitewater Draw near Douglas (Arizona) - 11250000 Friant-Kern Canal at Friant (California) - 15744500 Kobuk River near Kiana (Alaska) - 15880000 Colville River near Nooiksut (Alaska) NASQAN Parameter List The following changes in the NASQAN parameters are implemented in FY 1982. A. Discontinue all specific conductance and temperature monitors with three or more years of record. A. Discontinue all daily sampling of field parameters, regardless of the length of record. C. Discontinue phytoplankton determinations. D. Discontinue all (total, dissolved, and suspended) organic carbon determinations. E. Modify the nutrient schedule (new schedule number 86) by dropping some - nitrogen species and adding ortho phosphorus. NASQAN Sampling Schedule for FY 1982 The sampling frequency for all NASQAN stations is changed to bimonthly. The first sample would thus be collected during the period of October-November, the second sample collected during the period December-January, etc. Districts are encouraged to coordinate NASQAN sampling trips with other district activities to minimize field costs. A fixed-sampling time within each 2-month interval should, however, be the goal where feasible so that the original concept of a fixed station, fixed-sampling interval monitoring network is maintained and to the degree possible, random samples collected. Exceptions to this rule can be made when conditions permit samples to be taken at high or low flows where the number of samples is limited. The sampling schedule for all NASQAN stations is as follows: 6 per year - Field measurements Instantaneous discharge Specific conductance Temperature, !C pH Dissolved oxygen Fecal coliform bacteria Fecal streptococcal bacteria 6 per year - Suspended sediment Concentration in mg/L % finer than 0.062 mm 6 per year - Nutrients, lab schedule 86 4 per year - Minor elements, common constituents, lab schedule 337 2 per year - Common constituents, lab schedule 1904 (Not used when quarterly samples are taken) Cross-section surveys of temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen should be done at the sampling location during various seasons and surface-water discharges to document the general cross-sectional variation of water quality. Such information aids in the determination of how many samples in the cross-section are necessary to ensure a representative composite sample. NASQAN RADIOCHEMICAL SUBNETWORK Radiochemical subnetwork stations for FY 1982 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 - Radiochemicals, lab schedule 1703 NASQAN PESTICIDE SUBNETWORK Stations in the Pesticides Subnetwork are listed in Appendix C and are the same as in FY 1981. However, the USGS/EPA Pesticide Subnetwork is no longer a cooperative program with EPA. Funding for analysis of the pesticide samples has been assumed by the U.S. Geological Survey and all samples will be analyzed in the Central Laboratories either in Atlanta or Denver. The laboratory schedules to be used for the pesticide analyses are the same ones used in the Benchmark program, i.e., 1325 and 1474. These schedules are only slightly different from the schedules used by the EPA Toxic Analysis Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Because the Geological Survey Central Laboratories will be analyzing NASQAN samples for pesticide residues instead of the EPA laboratory in Bay St. Louis, some clarification is necessary regarding sampling and bottle requirements for pesticide samples: (l) The sampling procedures and bottle requirements for Benchmark Stations have not been changed. Benchmark samples to be analyzed for laboratory schedule 1474 are to be sent to either central laboratory in one-liter narrow-mouth glass bottles supplied by the Survey. Benchmark samples to be analyzed for laboratory schedule 1325 are to be sent to elther central laboratory in a one-liter wide-mouth glass bottle supplied by the Survey central laboratories. (2) The 1982 Water Quality Laboratory Services Catalog (p.3-5 and 5-3) incorrectly specifies a l-pint glass bottle for bottom-material pesticides (sample designation - BGC). The correct bottle is a l-quart wide-mouth bottle. In addition, narrow-mouth glass bottles are required for laboratory schedule 1474, bottle designation GCC (please note errors on p. 2-6 and 5-3 of the 1982 Water Quality Laboratory Services Catalog). (3) Whole-water pesticide samples collected for the NASQAN program are to be collected and sent to either central laboratory in l-pint "KONTES' glass bottles. These are the same bottles used in the past for the Pesticide Subnetwork, and must be fired at 350 degrees C after each use. These bottles can be used with any suspended-sediment sampler which utilizes pint-size bottles. The EDI depth-integrating sampling procedure is preferred because an approximately equal volume of water sample can be collected in each bottle. For sites where 3 cross-section verticals are sufficient to obtain a representative composite volume, collect 2 samples in each of 3 cross-section verticals for a total of 6 bottles. The 6 bottles will be divided into 2 sets by the central laboratories; one set will be analyzed for organochlorine insecticides, and the other set will be analyzed for chlorophenoxy acid herbicides. The minimum volume required by the central laboratories for either set is 800 ml. If the EWI (ETR) depth-integrating sampling procedure is used, be sure that both sets of cross-section verticals each have a minimum total volume of approximately 800 ml. Extra KONTES bottles are available from either central laboratory for sites which require more than 3 cross-section verticals to obtain a representative total sample volume. If more than 3 cross-section verticals are sampled, the total volume of either set cannot exceed 1600 ml i.e., the total sample volume for either the determination of organochlorine insecticides or chlorophenoxy acid herbicides for schedule 1474 cannot exceed 1600 ml. This prevents compositing with extra glassware by field or laboratory personnel which might contaminate or not properly composite the water-sediment mixture. Use the drums supplied with the KONTES bottles to send NASOAN pesticide samples to elther central laboratory; the laboratories will return the drums and bottles with labels to the districts. Add ice to the drum to maintain the whole water pesticide sample bottles at 4 degrees C. Pesticide Sampling Schedule Sampling for NASQAN water-phase pesticide samples occur during the February-March sampling, the April-May sampling, and the August-September sampling. Bottom-material samples will be collected during the October-November sampling and the April-May sampling. 3 per year - whole-water pesticides, lab schedule l474; 2 per year - bed-material pesticides, lab schedule 1325; The Quality of Water Branch's Organic Chemistry Task Group has more recommendations for modifications to the Pesticide Subnetwork and the sampling procedures. These changes will probably be implemented in FY 83. HYDROLOGIC BENCHMARK NETWORK Hydrologic Benchmark stations for FY 1982 are listed in Appendix D. As stated earlier, no changes in the program were implemented for FY 1982. The sampling schedules are given below. Hydrologic Benchmark Sampling Schedule (Monthly Stations) 12 per year - Field measurements Instantaneous discharge Specific conductance Temperature, degrees C pH Dissolved oxygen Fecal coliform bacteria Fecal streptococcal bacteria 12 per year - Suspended sediment concentration in mg|L % finer than 0.062 mm 10 per year - Common constituents, lab schedule 1923 (Not used when semiannual samples are taken) 10 per year - Nutrients and TOC, lab schedule 104 (Not used when semiannual samples are taken) 2 per year - Minor elements, common constituents, lab schedule 1924 2 per year - Nutrients, DOC, and SOC, lab schedule 686 1 per year - Pesticides, lab schedule 1474 (whole water); 1 per year - Pesticides, lab schedule 1325 (bed material) (Note--see main text regarding sampling and bottle requirements for pesticides.) 1 per year - Radiochemicals, lab schedule 1703 Cross-section surveys of temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen--same as NASQAN. Hydrologic Benchmark Sampling Schedule (Bimonthly Stations) 6 per year - Field measurements (same as monthly) 6 per year - Suspended sediment (same as monthly) 4 per year - Common constituents, lab schedule 1923 (Not used when semiannual samples are taken) 4 per year - Nutrients and TOC, lab schedule 104 (Not used when semiannual samples are taken) 2 per year - Minor elements, common constituents, lab schedule 1924 2 per year - Nutrients, DOC and SOC, lab schedule 686 1 per year - Pesticides, lab schedule 1474 (whole water), 1 per year - Pesticides, lab schedule 1325 (bed material); (Note--see main text regarding sampling and bottle requirements for pesticides.) 1 per year - Radiochemicals, lab schedule 1703 Cross-section surveys of temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen--same as NASQAN. Hydrologic Benchmark Sampling Schedule (Quarterly Stations) 4 per year - Field measurements (same as monthly) 4 per year - Common constituents, lab schedule 1923 4 per year - Nutrients and TOC, lab schedule 104 Cross-section surveys of temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen--same as NASQAN. Should there be any questions concerning the operation of the networks, please contact Mike Yurewicz of my staff. R. J. Pickering Attachments Appendixes: A. List of NASQAN stations B. List of NASQAN Radiochemical Subnetwork stations C. List of NASQAN Pesticide Subnetwork stations D. List of Hydrologic Benchmark water-quality stations E. Laboratory schedules Key Words: water quality, networks, project activities, sampling, NASQAN, Benchmark, FY 1982 This memorandum does not supersede any previous memorandum. WRD Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO