CRWN Water Quality Monitoring Manual - LCRA

Colorado River Watch Network Water Quality Monitoring

Manual Ninth Edition The Colorado River Watch Network is a program of the Lower Colorado River Authority

C o l o r a d o R i v e r Wa t c h N e t w o r k Wa t e r Q u a l i t y M o n i t o r i n g M a n u a l

List of Emergency Contacts

**Always inform your CRWN staff support person if an emergency has occurred.** (Austin local) 473-3200 (Toll-free) 1-800-776-5272

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY Dial 911 INGESTION OF CHEMICALS Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222

TO REPORT A WATER QUALITY CONCERN LCRA Pollution Hot Line (Toll-free) 1-800-776-5272, Ext. 6843 or; www.lcra.org/water/pollution_form.html

To report an environmental emergency, discharge, spill or air release, call: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Spill Reporting Hotline 1-800-832-8224 To make an environmental complaint contact TCEQ at 1-888-777-3186 or [email protected] Federal: National Response Center and Terrorist Threats 1-800-424-8802

TO REPORT A FISH OR WILDLIFE KILL Texas Parks and Wildlife Kills and Spills Team (512) 389-4848 If you notice a change in your monitoring site or water quality, detected either by using the chemical test or by observation, please call CRWN staff immediately. River Watch staff will contact the appropriate personnel or direct you to the proper authorities.

Emergency Contacts


Table of Contents Introduction to the Colorado River Watch Network........................................................................ 1

Lower Colorado River Basin Map................................................................................................ 2 Lake Buchanan Watershed Map................................................................................................... 3 Lake LBJ Watershed Map.............................................................................................................. 4 Lake Travis Watershed Map.......................................................................................................... 5 Austin Watershed Map................................................................................................................. 6 Lower Basin Watershed Map........................................................................................................ 7 Matagorda Bay Watershed Map................................................................................................... 8

Monitoring Basics........................................................................................................................ 1.

Water Quality Parameters Tested................................................................................................. 1 Data Uses....................................................................................................................................... 1 Site Selection................................................................................................................................. 1 Monitoring Requirements............................................................................................................ 2 Establishing Sampling Frequency............................................................................................... 2 Monitoring when there is no Flow, in Dry or Rainy Conditions............................................... 2

Safety and Equipment Management............................................................................................. 1

General Safety Precautions........................................................................................................... 1 Glove Donning and Doffing Procedure....................................................................................... 3 Protecting Your Equipment.......................................................................................................... 3. Proper Waste Disposal.................................................................................................................. 4 Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Alkaline Potassium Iodide Azide............................................................................................... 5 Coliscan Easygel......................................................................................................................... 6 Manganous Sulfate Solution..................................................................................................... 7 Nitrate CHEMet......................................................................................................................... 8 Nitrate #1 Tablet....................................................................................................................... 10. Nitrate #2 Testabs (CTA).......................................................................................................... 11. pH Buffer/Standard.................................................................................................................. 12. Sodium Chloride (Conductivity Standard)............................................................................ 13. Sodium Thiosulfate.................................................................................................................. 14. Starch Indicator Solution......................................................................................................... 15. Sulfuric Acid............................................................................................................................. 16. Wide Range Indicator............................................................................................................... 17

Preparing to Monitor................................................................................................................... 1

Field Equipment Checklist........................................................................................................... 1 Calibration of Meters.................................................................................................................... 2 Suggested Water Sampling Order................................................................................................ 2 Sample Collection......................................................................................................................... 3

Temperature ............................................................................................................................... 1

Celsius to Fahrenheit Conversion................................................................................................ 2 Thermometer Care....................................................................................................................... 3

Dissolved Oxygen....................................................................................................................... 1

Maximum Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations............................................................................ 2 Dissolved Oxygen Test Procedure - Winkler Titration Method................................................. 3 Collecting the Water Sample........................................................................................................ 3 Adding Fixing Reagents................................................................................................................ 3 Reading a meniscus and Titration............................................................................................... 5 Reading Results............................................................................................................................. 7. Dissolved Oxygen Percent Saturation.......................................................................................... 8 Percent Saturation Nomogram.................................................................................................... 9 Dissolved Oxygen Winkler Titration Chemical Reactions....................................................... 10

Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s

i


Specific Conductance................................................................................................................... 1

OAKTON TDSTestr 3™: Calibration:.......................................................................................... 2 Oakton ECTestr low™: Calibration:........................................................................................ 3 Oakton ECTestr 11™: Calibration................................................................................................ 4 Meter Troubleshooting and Maintenance................................................................................... 6 Conductivity test........................................................................................................................... 6

pH.............................................................................................................................................. 1

OAKTON pHTestr 2™: Conditioning and Calibration.............................................................. 2 pHTestr 2™ Troubleshooting and Maintenance........................................................................... 3. pHTestr 20™: Conditioning and Calibration:............................................................................. 4 pHTestr 20™ Troubleshooting and Maintenance ...................................................................... 5 pH Meter Test............................................................................................................................... 6 pH Color Comparator.................................................................................................................. 7

Transparency............................................................................................................................... 1

Secchi Disk.................................................................................................................................... 1 Bridge or Dock.............................................................................................................................. 2. Total Depth ................................................................................................................................... 2. Transparency Tube........................................................................................................................ 3 Reading Results............................................................................................................................. 3 Care of Transparency Tube........................................................................................................... 4

Nitrates....................................................................................................................................... 1

Sample Collection......................................................................................................................... 1 LaMotte Nitrate Test Procedure................................................................................................... 2 Nitrate CHEMets® Test........................................................................................................................3

Streamflow.................................................................................................................................. 1 Coastal Measurements................................................................................................................. 1

Salinity........................................................................................................................................... 1 Tide Stage...................................................................................................................................... 2 E. coli.......................................................................................................................................... 1

Sampling........................................................................................................................................ 1 Plating and Incubating................................................................................................................. 2 Colony counts............................................................................................................................... 3 Waste disposal............................................................................................................................... 4 Incubator tips................................................................................................................................ 4 Field Observations....................................................................................................................... 1

Flow Severity................................................................................................................................. 1 Color, clarity, surface, conditions, odor, rain days...................................................................... 2 Rainfall, comments....................................................................................................................... 3

Data Management....................................................................................................................... 1

Data management......................................................................................................................... 1 Online data entry.......................................................................................................................... 1 CRWN data sheet.......................................................................................................................... 4

Appendix.................................................................................................................................... 1

Glossary......................................................................................................................................... 1 References...................................................................................................................................... 2 Test Kit Sources............................................................................................................................. 3

ii

Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s


Introduction to the Colorado River Watch Network The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is charged with protecting the water resources of the Colorado River basin for current and future generations. The Colorado River Watch Network contributes to this goal as an integral part of LCRA’s Water Resource Protection branch. The Colorado River Watch Network (CRWN or River Watch) is an environmental education and data collection program consisting of students, teachers, partnering organizations and citizen volunteers who regularly monitor the water quality along the lower Colorado River basin. The network covers 660 miles of the Texas Colorado River from above the Highland Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. CRWN volunteers collect water samples from monitoring locations along the Highland Lakes, the Colorado River and numerous contributing tributaries. The data is used by LCRA to supplement its own professional monitoring efforts. In addition to providing valuable water quality information to LCRA staff, CRWN volunteers serve as educated monitors who can recognize potential pollution problems at their monitoring locations. CRWN’s mission is to support community-based environmental stewardship by providing volunteers with the information, resources and training necessary to monitor and protect the waterways of the lower Colorado River watershed. CRWN’s goals are: • Maintain a motivated volunteer monitoring network committed to preserving the integrity of the Colorado River watershed. • Provide water quality and environmental educational opportunities to the communities in the LCRA service area. • Complement and assist LCRA with its watershed protection strategies and act as an early warning system alerting LCRA to potential water quality threats. The program educates CRWN volunteers about the importance of water quality and encourages them to become involved in local environmental issues. River Watch volunteers act as stewards of their waterways while collecting and reporting valuable information. The program is dedicated to the collection of accurate and reliable water quality data. This manual is a guide to proper testing procedures and was designed to supplement a formal training in proper data collection techniques. For further information, please contact your CRWN staff support person at:

Lower Colorado River Authority Colorado River Watch Network P.O. Box 220 Austin, Texas 78767 (512) 473-3200 (local), 1-800-776-5272 http://www.lcra.org/water/quality/crwn

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This map has been produced by the Lower Colorado River Authority for its own use. Accordingly, certain information, features, or details may have been emphasized over others or may have been left out. LCRA does not warrant the accuracy of this map, either as to scale, accuracy or completeness.

DATA SOURCE: Counties and roads derived from Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) 1:24000 digital data. Rivers from U.S. EPA 1:100,000 river reach digital data sets. City point features by LCRA GIS staff, rectified to 1:24,000 TXDOT roads. Watershed derived from U.S. EPA 1:250,000 HUC files. Sub-watersheds by LCRA Land & Environmental Staff.

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This map has been produced by the Lower Colorado River Authority for its own use. Accordingly, certain information, features, or details may have been emphasized over others. LCRA does not warrant the accuracy of this map, either as to scale, accuracy or completeness.


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to improve the quality of life in the Central Texas area. It receives no tax money and operates on revenues from wholesale electric and water sales and other services.

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DATA SOURCE: Counties and roads derived from Texas Departmentof Transportation (TXDOT) 1:24,000 digital data. Rivers from U.S. EPA 1:100,000 river reach digital data sets. City point features by LCRA GIS staff, rectified to 1:24,000 TXDOT Roads. Watersheds derived from US EPA 1:100000 HUC files. Sub-watersheds by LCRA Land & Environmental Staff. The Lower Colorado River Authority is a conservation and reclamation district created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 to improve the quality of life in the Central Texas area. It receives no tax money and operates on revenues from wholesale electric and water sales and other services. This map has been produced by the Lower Colorado River Authority for its own use. Accordingly, certain information, features, or details may have been emphasized over others. LCRA does not warrant the accuracy of this map, either as to scale, accuracy or completeness.


Monitoring Basics Why Monitor?

Reasons for conducting water quality monitoring vary depending on the individual monitor and the chosen site and its primary use. Typical reasons include the desire for the development of baseline data for a site, the ability to document water quality changes over time and the need to screen for potential water quality problems. Added benefits of participating in a water quality monitoring program include a heightened awareness of watershed functions and a commitment to environmental stewardship.

Water Quality Parameters Tested

The Colorado River Watch Network currently monitors four core parameters of water quality. They are dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH and specific conductance. Additional tests conducted at some sites are nitrates, E. coli bacteria, salinity, Secchi depth or transparency, watershed and stream surveys and macroinvertebrate assessments. Physical observations are also reported including water color, odor, significant rainfall, and algae abundance.

Using Your Data

The data submitted by monitors is stored in a database from which trend analyses can be generated. Selected monitoring data is used to compile monthly water quality reports for communities. To ensure that your data is of the highest quality, it is important that you follow the procedures in this manual. When working with students be sure to observe their techniques and, if necessary, run duplicates of the tests to ensure both precision and accuracy. See “Data Management” for information about online data entry.

Site Selection

The River Watch program strives to maintain a representative geographical distribution of monitoring locations throughout the lower Colorado River basin. Maintaining a long-term site data record is also a priority. CRWN staff will assist monitors with the selection of their monitoring location. The following are important considerations for site selection: •

How long is the volunteer able to commit to the program? (CRWN requires a twoyear commitment)

•

Is the site safe and accessible? Does it have public access?

•

Is there a specific concern in the area?

•

Is there an existing site established at the proposed location or has there been one in the past? (CRWN or other monitoring programs)

•

Does the site meet your monitoring goals while providing LCRA with meaningful water quality information?

Monitoring Basics

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Monitoring Consistency Requirements

As long as data is submitted regularly, supplies will be refreshed as needed. The monitor agreement requires a two year commitment of once monthly monitoring and data submittal. If extenuating circumstances prevent fulfilling the volunteer commitment, please contact your support staff. If a monitor does not submit data for 3 months, CRWN staff will initiate contact with the monitor. After 6 months or if annual expectations are not met, equipment may be retrieved.

Establish Sampling Frequency Once the commitment level of the potential monitor has been determined, it is important to establish a sampling protocol. It is necessary to collect water quality information for at least 12 consecutive months in order to witness the seasonal influence on water quality. CRWN requires each monitoring location to be tested at least once per month, preferably at regular intervals. It is important for each monitoring event to occur at approximately the same time of day. Water quality is dynamic and is influenced by changes in multiple factors. It is helpful if a standard collection time can be established. When collecting a water sample, it is necessary to follow all instructions each time a sample is collected. This helps to ensure the collection of reliable and accurate CRWN volunteer data. This includes providing prompt, complete data submittals after each monitoring event.

Monitoring when there is no Flow, in Dry or Rainy Conditions If there is no flow at a stream site, and accessible, isolated pools remain in the stream bed, collect and report data as normal making sure to comment on the low to no flow condition of the stream. Pools may represent natural low-flow conditions in Texas streams, and the chemistry of these pools will reveal natural background conditions. Additionally, if your normal monitoring site is dry but there is a pool up or downstream from your usual monitoring location, you may monitor there IF IT IS SAFE and within 1/4 of a mile. If you are unable to collect other water quality parameters because the stream bed holds no water, submit date, time and the air temperature and indicate flow severity as dry. Samples may be collected immediately after or during a rain event as long as conditions are safe.

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Monitoring Basics


Safety and Equipment Management General Safety Precautions

Nothing is more important to the River Watch than the safety of its participants. Monitors should never put themselves at risk to collect water quality data. Common field hazards include fire ants, bees and wasps, spiders, snakes, poison ivy, steep, rocky or slick banks, and intense sun. Monitoring sites are sometimes located in remote areas, and the River Watch strongly encourages participants to monitor with a partner. If there is any question about the safety of a location, monitors should contact CRWN staff and discuss their concerns before proceeding to monitor. Always let someone else know where you are, when you intend to return, and what they should do if you don’t come back at the appointed time. If possible, carry a cell phone so you can call for help if you need it.

Try to monitor with at least one partner.

Have a first aid kit handy. Know any important medical conditions of team members (e.g., heart conditions, diabetes, or allergic reactions to bee stings) and bring along any doctorprescribed medications that might be needed. It is best if at least one team member has first aid/CPR training. Listen to weather reports.

occurs while at the site.

Never go sampling if severe weather is predicted or if a storm

The proper clothing and footwear can help you avoid hazards on both land and in the water. If you are monitoring from a bridge, be sure to wear bright colors that are readily visible to traffic.

Wear protective clothing.

If you drive, park in a safe location.

and that you don’t block traffic.

Be sure your car doesn’t pose a hazard to other drivers

such as a watertight bag you keep in a pouch strapped to your waist. Without proper precautions, wallet, keys and phone might end up downstream.

Put your wallet, keys and cell phone in a safe place,

Be wary of passing traffic if you are sampling from a bridge. Never lean over bridge rails unless you are firmly anchored to the ground or the bridge with good hand and foot holds. Do not walk on unstable stream banks. Disturbing these banks can accelerate erosion and might prove dangerous if a bank collapses. Disturb streamside vegetation as little as possible. Be very careful when walking in the stream itself. Rock-bottomed streams can be very slippery and can contain deep pools; muddy-bottomed streams also might prove treacherous in areas where mud, silt or sand has accumulated in sinkholes. If you must cross the stream, use a walking stick to steady yourself and to probe for deep water or muck. Never wade in swift or high water. Do not monitor if the stream is at flood stage.

Safety and Equipment Management

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Never cross private property without the permission of the landowner. Better yet, sample only at

public access points such as bridge or road crossings or public parks.

Watch for irate dogs, farm animals, wildlife (particularly snakes), and insects such as ticks, hornets, fire ants and wasps. Know what to do if you get bitten or stung, especially if you are allergic!

Wear boots and light-colored long pants and long-sleeved shirts to minimize your exposure to insects. Spray pant legs and sleeves with insect repellent, if necessary.

Know how to identify poison ivy, poison oak, sumac and other types of vegetation in your area that can cause rashes and irritation. Never drink the water in a stream.

from home.

Assume it is unsafe to drink, and bring your own water

or is posted against body-contact recreation. Take a picture of the problem, and contact your city, county or state department of environmental quality. (See contacts listed on inside cover.)

Do not monitor if the stream appears to be severely polluted

Keep all equipment and chemicals away from small children.

local poison control center to your sampling kit.

Tape the phone number of the

Avoid contact between chemical reagents and skin, eye, nose and mouth. Wear protective gloves

and goggles when performing the tests and handling wastes. Follow the procedure for donning and doffing gloves found on following page. Never use your fingers to stopper a sample bottle (e.g., when you are shaking a solution). Leave petri dish lids on when examining bacteria colonies. Dispose of gloves after use. Never reuse gloves! Wash your hands with antibacterial soap when sampling, testing and clean up is completed.

Read Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). As a precaution, read these informative sheets found at the end of this section before using chemicals. Be familiar with the hazardous chemicals in the kits. Have water and paper towels available for cleansing and disposal. Wipe up any chemical spills

as soon as they occur.

Be familiar with the proper chemical disposal techniques (See Proper Waste Disposal on page 4

of this section.)

Remember: If at any time you feel uncomfortable about the condition of the stream or your surroundings, stop monitoring and leave the site at once. Your safety is more important than the data!

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Glove Donning and Doffing Procedure

1. After donning gloves, 2. When doffing gloves, grasp cuff of glove with roll a short section back thumb and finger and to create a cuff. pull. Do not contact skin with contaminated gloves.

3. Pull glove, but do not 4. With glove that is parcompletely remove. tially removed repeat steps 2 and 3 on other gloved hand.

5. Completely remove gloves. Contaminated portion of glove is now inside and non contaminated area is on the outside.

Note: All used gloves should be considered contaminated and not reused.

Protecting Your Equipment and Reagents Keep Equipment Clean

Thoroughly rinse test tubes, vials and bottles after each test with distilled water. Use a bottle brush for test tubes. If the pH comparator and nitrate tests are included in your tests, label 1 test tube for pH and one for NO3. Carefully follow the cleaning procedures included with each protocol. Remove debris and used materials from kit after each use.

Close All Containers

After use, tightly close all chemical containers. Do not switch the caps (this can contaminate the reagents). It may help to label the reagent caps to prevent confusion.

Avoid Extreme Temperatures

Do not expose chemicals to direct sunlight for long periods of time. Do not leave kits in the car. Protect all supplies from extreme temperatures by storing at room temperature.

Watch Expiration Dates

Expiration dates are marked on chemical reagents, calibration solutions and Coliscan Easygel™. Please become familiar with these dates and indicate with your data submittal a month or two before the expiration date that you need replacement reagents or solutions. If you find you have expired reagents, monitor and make that notation on your data sheet.


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Proper Waste Disposal Dissolved Oxygen, Calibration Standard Solutions, pH and LaMotte Nitrates: When running these tests, consolidate the waste into a single, clearly marked container with a lid. After completing the tests, the waste can be rinsed down a municipal waste system drain with plenty of water (a dilution of about five parts tap water to one part waste is advised to neutralize the acidic nature of the waste). This is not a hazardous waste, but one should take precautions when handling the liquid due to the caustic nature of the reagents. Monitors should NOT pour waste solutions on the ground or into the stream. River Watch advises participants NOT to empty waste into a septic system, as the chemicals may interfere with the biological decomposition processes. CHEMets Nitrate test disposal: If you conduct this optional test, mixing the waste products from the DO test with the CHEMets nitrate test may create gas products with an unpleasant odor and/or could potentially chemically react. CHEMets waste should be poured into a separate labelled waste bottle to be collected by CRWN staff at the annual site visit. Do not pour bottle contents down the drain. Thoroughly wrap glass ampoule in paper towel and place in a sealed plastic bag to discard in trash. E. coli bacteria:

Used Coliscan Easygel™ containers and; pipettes may be recycled, and Whirl Pak™ bags can be directly disposed of in any trash receptacle. Any used petri dishes with bacteria colonies should be disinfected with alcohol or bleach then sealed in plastic bags and placed in a trash bin. ALWAYS WASH HANDS THOROUGHLY AFTER SAMPLING, CONDUCTING THE CHEMICAL TESTS AND HANDLING PROCESSED PETRI DISHES.

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C o l o r a d o R i v e r Wa t c h N e t w o r k Wa t e r Q u a l i t y M o n i t o r i n g M a n u a l MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET LaMOTTE COMPANY PO BOX 329 - CHESTERTOWN - MARYLAND - 21620 TELEPHONE # FOR INFORMATION 410-778-3100

24 Hour Emergency Number (CHEM-TEL) 800-255-3924

1. PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

Code Nr.

Alkaline Potassium Iodide Azide

2. HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS NAME

•

7166 %

PEL

Potassium Hydroxide

1310-58-3

CAS #

TSCA #

60 - 70

C 2 mg/cubic m

TLV

Sodium Azide

26628-22-8