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@inletkeeper.org Last modified 01 December 1999

VOLUNTEER

TRAINING MANUAL

APPROVALS:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ook Inlet Keeper thanks the many people and organizations that helped make the Keeper's environmental monitoring program a reality. Special thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation for their support in establishing the Keeper's Citizens Environmental Monitoring Program. The Keeper also recognizes the Members of its Technical Advisory Committee and its Citizen Advisory Panel for their efforts in helping shape and refine the Keeper's monitoring program. And of course we cannot forget the most important resource of all - our volunteer monitors - who have endured cold winds and waters to help us understand the complexities of Cook Inlet.

The Keeper adapted much of the information in this manual from the Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Manual of Friends of Casco Bay (Maine), and the Volunteer Environmental Monitoring Manual of Texas Watch. Keeper offers special thanks to the staff of Texas Watch and to Casco Baykeeper Joe Payne and his able staff. Information from this manual can be used freely if properly credited. Copies of this manual are available at $10.00 each, including shipping and handling, by contacting:

e-mail: keeper@inletkeeper.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION.………………………………………………………………….1
2. ABOUT COOK INLET KEEPER...……………………………………………...1
3. WHY DO WE MONITOR WATER QUALITY?…………….………….………2

1. The Need for Monitoring…………………………………………………….2
2. The Watershed Concept……………………………………………………..3

4. SAFETY & ACCESS ISSUES……………………………………………………4

1. Prepare for the Elements……………………………………………………..4
2. Protect Yourself and Your Equipment……….…………………...…………5
3. Accessing the Sampling Station……………………………..………………6
4. At the Monitoring Station……………………………………………………7

4. MONITORING OVERVIEW…………………………………………….………7

1. Some Types of Water Quality Monitoring…….…………………………….7
2. Water Quality Test Methods…………………………………………………7
3. Sampling Schedule…………………………………………………………..8
4. Keeper Test Parameters and Why……………………………………………9
5. Surface Water Quality Monitoring Kits……………………………………..27
6. Monitor Data Sheets…………………………………………………………28

4. MONITORING PROCEDURES…………………………………………………28

1. Field Procedure Checklist……………………………………………………28
2. When You Get Home………………………………………………………..29
3. Field Observations…………………………………………………………..30
4. Collecting the Water Sample………………………………………………..32
5. Testing Procedures…………………………………………………………..32
6. Sample Custody……………………………………………………………..46
7. Completing & Submitting Data Sheets……………………………………...47

4. EQUIPMENT CARE & WASTE DISPOSAL……………………..…………….48

1. Before Sampling Begins…………………………………………………….48
2. When You’re Done Testing…………………………………………………48

4. DATA MANAGEMENT & REPORTING………………………………………49

1. Verifying Accuracy………………………………………………………….49
2. Data Analysis & Reporting………………………………………………….50
3. What It All Means……………………………………………………………50

4. QUALITY CONTROL……………………………………………..……………...51

 

5. APPENDICES

1. Glossary of Terms
2. Monitoring Policy Statement
3. References & Further Reading
4. List of TAC & CAP Members
5. Liability Release Form
6. Materials Safety Data Sheets
7. Property Access Form
8. Beaufort Scale
9. Monitor Data Sheets
10. Hydrometer Conversion Chart
11. Tidal Stage Guide
12. Odor Identification Chart
13. Sample Custody Form
14. Pollution Response System

I. INTRODUCTION

he purpose of this Manual is to provide Cook Inlet Keeper volunteers with the information needed to monitor water quality in the Cook Inlet watershed. As human activities in the region continue to expand, it is increasingly important for us to understand the effects of such activities on Cook Inlet's spectacular resources. This Manual will help achieve that goal by giving citizens the tools they need to sample and test water quality.

This Manual provides specific step by step instructions for all monitoring procedures currently included in Keeper’s Citizens’ Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP). It outlines the Keeper monitoring program, and describes the importance of water quality monitoring in general. Safety and access issues are addressed as well as basic water quality monitoring strategies. The Appendices include a statement of our monitoring policy, a glossary of terms, a list of references for those who may want to learn more and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for some of the reagents used, plus a variety of charts and tables to assist you in collecting data. Appendix N includes information on how to report pollution and habitat degradation.

The material in this manual was developed specifically for use by the Cook Inlet Keeper Citizens Environmental Monitoring Program. The Monitoring Coordinator for this program is Steve Hackett. He can be reached at:

We welcome your comments, suggestions and participation, and we thank everyone who has volunteered their time, expertise and support. In these times of shrinking federal and state budgets, volunteer monitoring plays an increasingly important role in collecting the data needed to make intelligent decisions about the future of Cook Inlet. The data we collect can be used by federal and state agencies, local governments, schools and businesses. Everyone involved in the Keeper's Citizens Environmental Monitoring Program is making a real contribution toward protecting the Cook Inlet watershed and its spectacular resources.

II. ABOUT COOK INLET KEEPER

ook Inlet Keeper is a 501(3)(c) non-profit, member-based organization dedicated to protecting the Cook Inlet watershed and the life it sustains. Keeper received start-up funding in fall 1995 from the settlement of a Clean Water Act lawsuit, and proceeded to implement the first comprehensive, volunteer monitoring program in Alaska.

To assist with developing and refining its Citizens Environmental Monitoring Program, Keeper convened a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), comprised of water quality experts from across Alaska and beyond. To translate the recommendations of the TAC into workable implementation strategies, the Keeper convened a Citizens Advisory Panel (CAP), comprised of residents of the Lower Kenai Peninsula concerned about water quality. See Appendix D for lists of TAC and CAP members. Together, the TAC and the CAP have provided Keeper with invaluable input on shaping and implementing its monitoring program.

Keeper's initial efforts to implement volunteer monitoring in Cook Inlet have focused on surface water monitoring in Kachemak Bay. After refining this pilot program, Keeper will expand its efforts to include water column, sediment and bioassessment testing throughout the entire 39,000 square mile Cook Inlet watershed, to gain a more complete picture of the "health" of this remarkable ecosystem.

In addition to water quality monitoring, Keeper engages in a variety of education, computer mapping, and advocacy activities designed to protect Cook Inlet. For more information, visit Keeper’s homepage at: www.xyz.net/~keeper, stop by the Keeper office in Homer's Lakeside Mall or contact us at: ph: (907) 235-4068; fx: (907) 235-4069; e-mail: keeper@inletkeeper.org.

A. The Need for Monitoring

The federal Clean Water Act of 1972 states that "it is the national goal that the discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters be eliminated by 1985." Despite substantial progress in the past three decades, we clearly have yet to meet this important goal. In Cook Inlet, industries, municipalities and individuals continue to discharge great quantities of pollution each year. Some of these pollutants can be highly toxic to people and marine life, while other pollutants are less immediately harmful but nonetheless can cause long term damage to the sensitive resources of Cook Inlet.

The single largest factor limiting our ability to make intelligent policy decisions on issues affecting Cook Inlet water quality is that we do not have sufficient information (i.e. hard data). Although numerous organizations – including state and federal agencies, citizens groups, universities and private industry – have conducted a variety of tests and studies in Cook Inlet, there remains a significant gap in our understanding of water quality in this watershed. The reason for this gap is that no one to date has implemented a comprehensive, continuous water quality monitoring program.

Alaska’s 1996 Water Quality Assessment (305(b) Report), which is submitted every two years to Congress, states:

are presumed to be in relatively pristine condition…" (emphasis added).

This sweeping presumption is based partly on the fact that Alaska traditionally has witnessed small populations of people and industry relative to its expansive size. For much of Alaska’s history, this presumption may not have been far off base. But in recent years, Alaska in general, and Cook Inlet in particular, has experienced a dramatic growth in population and its associated pressures on water quality and natural resources. The Cook Inlet watershed is currently home to nearly 2/3 of Alaska’s human population, and population in the area increased from just over 14,000 in 1950 to over 400,000 at present. We need only look at any other water body in the Lower 48 to know that increasing populations can correlate closely with water quality degradation. Yet despite the remarkable population increases in the Cook Inlet watershed, there has been no comprehensive ongoing program to gather the information needed to understand the human impacts on the region’s spectacular resources.

Due, in part, to continuing budget cuts, the federal and state agencies charged with monitoring and protecting water quality have found it increasingly difficult to fulfill their mandates. More and more agencies have come to value the contributions of citizen based programs. That is why your efforts as volunteer monitors are so important. We are beginning to collect the information needed to chart an intelligent and sustainable course for the future of Cook Inlet. Gathering this data will not occur overnight; rather, it will take several years to accumulate enough information to be able to identify the trends that will help us shape management decisions. But the effort will be worthwhile, because we have the opportunity to maintain the quality of life which is so important to those who live and visit here.

B. The Watershed Concept

Watershed-based water quality management is just taking hold in Alaska. Cook Inlet resource managers and citizen groups are quickly moving toward innovative ways to look at water quality policy. In short, watershed-based directives take a step back from looking at pollution sources and impacts in immediately local areas, and strive instead to look at the complex ecological, chemical and physical interactions of water quality dynamics from a broader, more holistic perspective. This means we must consider the larger geographic area which drains potentially polluting waters into Cook Inlet. For example, a watershed perspective will consider not only the industrial discharge which goes directly into Cook Inlet, but also the septic tanks and other potential pollution sources in the uplands of the Susitna Valley.

IV. SAFETY & ACCESS ISSUES

f paramount importance to the Keeper monitoring program is to ensure the safety of its volunteers. Assuring reasonable and legal access to sampling stations is another important concern. Please read this section carefully and make sure you understand all the safeguards and practices for protecting yourself and others during monitoring activities. See Appendix E for the Keeper's mandatory liability release form.

A. Prepare for the Elements

Although there are hundreds of volunteer monitoring programs across the country, few if any, must contend with the severe weather and rough water that make Cook Inlet unique. As a result, CEMP volunteers must be prepared for cold, dark and wet conditions during the winter months, and wind, rain and extended sun during the summer months. Regardless of the season, water temperatures around Cook Inlet rarely exceed 50° F, making it necessary to always take care around the sampling station. Here are a few rules which all volunteers must follow:

• ALWAYS LEAVE WORD with a reliable source as to where and when you will be sampling.

• ALWAYS SAMPLE WITH A QUALIFIED PARTNER. Volunteers are assigned to monitoring teams and should strive to sample in groups of two or more. You will be given the names and phone numbers of each member of your team as well a list of alternate monitors. If your teammates are not available for a particular sampling event they are responsible for helping you locate a qualified alternate. If no trained alternate is available, please contact the Monitoring Coordinator for assistance.

B. Protect Yourself and Your Equipment

The Keeper's water quality monitoring kits include a number of chemical reagents which can be harmful if improperly handled or disposed. Please follow these important rules when sampling and testing:

• Read all instructions to re-familiarize yourself with the test procedures before you begin, and note all precautions.

• In the event of a chemical accident or suspected poisoning, immediately contact the Poison Information Center (1-800-478-3193) and be prepared to provide the name and identification number of the relevant chemical. This information is located on the reagent container.

3. Accessing the Sampling Station

1. Entering Private Property

2. Safe & Sound Site Access

• If driving, park your vehicle off roads and out of the way of traffic. Always watch for traffic.

• Take appropriate precautions around domestic and wild animals.

4. At the Monitoring Station

Prior to sampling, monitors should check their kits and reagents to ensure they have all the chemicals and equipment needed to monitor the full spectrum of parameters. When you arrive at the sampling station, try to find a place to set out your equipment and chemicals where they will not be sitting in strong, direct sunlight. On windy days, beware of small containers being blown into the water. And of course, follow all the safety and access rules outlined in this section.

V. MONITORING OVERVIEW

his section provides a general overview of the tests and procedures you will use to obtain accurate and useful data, and discusses how these tests will help us better understand the health of the Cook Inlet watershed.

1. Some Types of Water Quality Monitoring

1. Baseline Monitoring

Baseline monitoring involves the collection of various types of data to gain an understanding of "normal" conditions in a particular waterbody. Without such information, we are unable to know what changes human and other impacts are having on our aquatic systems. For example, during the Exxon Valdez disaster, biologists were poorly equipped when asked about the ecological impact of the spill. Although they knew that birds and marine mammals were dying, they did not have enough information to make knowledgeable comparisons between the pre- and post-spill environments. This body of knowledge is critical if we hope to understand the complex effects of human activities on ecological health.

2. Compliance and Enforcement Monitoring

Compliance and enforcement monitoring, as the name suggests, tests whether a certain discharge or effluent is meeting limits imposed by law. For example, under the Clean Water Act’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), anyone who discharges a pollutant into the waters of the United States must obtain an NPDES permit and monitor the discharge to ensure compliance with that permit. In an enforcement scenario, an agency or other organization may take samples to demonstrate that a violation of a permit or standard has occurred.

2. Water Quality Test Methods

Below are descriptions of general water quality testing methods, to help clarify how each one works in Keeper's monitoring program. Always follow the specific instructions provided in Section VI of this manual.

1. Titrimetric

2. Colorimetric

3. Electronic Meters

3. Sampling Schedule

Samples are to be taken on the second and last Sundays of each month during the months of May, June, July and August and on the last Sunday of each month during the remainder of the year (i.e. September through April) for a total of 16 times per year. If monitoring cannot be done on a designated Sunday because of weather, illness, vacations or for other reasons, it should be scheduled during the two days just before or just after the designated date (i.e. Friday through Tuesday). Please do not complete part of a session one day and finish it up the next. If you need to break off a session (due to weather, injury, etc.), all procedures should be repeated on the next attempt. We are trying to get a data "snapshot" of the conditions at your site at a particular date and time.

To the extent possible, sampling is to be conducted at 2:00 PM. When this is not possible sampling should be done between the hours of 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Some of the parameters to be measured depend on the amount of sunlight available and therefore vary throughout the day - for example, temperature in shallow areas or dissolved oxygen. The shorter days of the winter months pose particular challenges here. Essentially, we have specified a "sampling window" in order to collect comparable data.

The quality of the data collected by our program depends on regular and consistent monitoring. If you anticipate missing an event (for example, if you are going on vacation), it is your responsibility to make arrangements with a trained alternate. If the alternate is not on your monitoring team, make sure they know the exact location of the site. If no trained alternate is available, or in an emergency, please contact the Monitoring Coordinator at (907) 235-4068. It is mandatory that all monitoring be conducted by fully trained personnel. Please do not try to give a novice a quickie training session and then send them out on their own. (But feel free to bring them to our next "official" training session - we are always looking for new recruits!)

4. Keeper Test Parameters and Why

This section reviews the types of water quality data and other information to be collected and discusses why each is important to understanding the "health" of the Cook Inlet Watershed.

FIELD OBSERVATIONS

In addition to the water quality parameters you will monitor, there is other important information which will help draw a more complete picture of the environmental health of your sampling site and the Cook Inlet Watershed as a whole. Gathering this information involves using your senses to observe conditions at your site.

Recording basic observations about your site will put the data you collect into context. You will be producing a record of conditions over time, through changes in tide, weather and season as well as varying human and wildlife activity.

Air Temperature

Air temperature is a standard measurement taken by most environmental monitoring programs. Recording air temperatures helps to create a complete picture of conditions at the sampling site at the time of monitoring and to document climatic conditions over an extended period.

Wind & Weather

Weather conditions (whether raining or sunny, windy or calm) can have an impact on physical, chemical and biological activity in the water. Wind speed and direction can be an indication of the source of certain air borne pollutants. It can also affect turbidity, dissolved oxygen and surface water temperature. In the Keeper program you will reference the Beaufort Scale to estimate wind speed (see Appendix H).

Rainfall can affect the rate of run-off pollution from land as well as the temperature, pH and turbidity of surface water. Volunteers record current weather conditions and the number of consecutive days prior to sampling that have had similar weather. Monitors also record the type and amount of precipitation at each site for the past 24 hours. You can obtain a rain gauge from the Monitoring Coordinator or, if you live in the same watershed as your site, you may want to find out if a neighbor is already tracking rainfall and is willing to share the information.

Water Surface & Tidal Conditions

Whether calm, rippled, or with waves and white caps, surface water conditions indicate how much mixing is occurring in the top layer of the water body. When the surface is placid, very little wind-induced mixing occurs. Waves whipped up by wind, however, indicate substantial mixing and the introduction of oxygen to the water. If you are sampling in a stream segment where wind does not have a major impact on surface water conditions, it is still important to note whether your site is located in or near rapids, riffle, smooth flowing water, or a calm eddy. This information may assist in interpreting dissolved oxygen data.

The tidal stage can also have a significant impact on some of the parameters you will be testing. Cook Inlet experiences the second largest tidal shifts in the world (the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia is first). As the tide comes in, salinity will commonly increase at estuarine sampling sites and water temperature is likely to change, which will in turn affect dissolved oxygen levels. Recording the stage of the tidal cycle at the time of sampling helps account for some of these changes. The Monitor Data Sheet (Appendix I) includes a worksheet space for determining tidal stage based on the tide book provided in your kit and the tidal stage guide in Appendix K.

Comments & Observations

Despite being the least quantitative of the parameters, visual assessment of the monitoring site can provide valuable information and assist in interpretation of other physical, chemical and biological data. Visual assessment is simply observing the environmental conditions at the site and recording those that are noteworthy.

Visual information can also provide an account of events or conditions that may help explain the monitoring data collected. For example, if dead fish are floating on the water surface, they may signal a sudden drop in dissolved oxygen levels, the influx of some toxic substance, or a disease or infestation of the fish.

In addition to visual assessment you will also use your ears and your nose to monitor your site. Listen for birds and other wildlife as well as sounds of human activity such as engines. Check for unusual odors. Though quite subjective, water odor can reveal water quality problems that may not be visually apparent. Industrial and municipal effluents, rotting organic matter, and bacteria can all produce distinctive odors. Raw sewage, for example, has an unmistakable aroma.

Photos or Sketches

A picture should be taken prior to the first round of sampling at each site. Additionally, it is a good practice to take routine pictures of your site at least four times a year, in order to get a sense of its seasonal and other variations over time. If your site is subjected to either long term or sudden environmental impact your photos will help document the effects of these changes.

Regardless of your level of artistic ability, a rough sketch of your site can be a valuable tool for physically locating your observations during each sampling event.

Please do not underestimate the importance of this observational data; although it is less "hard" than the numbers and figures you will measure in your water testing, it nonetheless provides an important window into the ecology of your sampling area.

WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS

Keeper’s Citizens’ Environmental Monitoring Program includes testing for a wide range of water quality indicators. Selection of the parameters to be tested was based on a number of factors including how the collected data would contribute to understanding of water quality and overall watershed "health", the ease with which tests could be performed and the long term affordability of monitoring equipment and supplies.

Apparent Color

Apparent color of water results from dissolved substances and suspended matter, and provides general but useful information about the water's source and content. Metal ions, plankton, algae, pollution and other natural and human-induced materials may all produce color in water. Depending on the materials in it, water absorbs certain wavelengths of light, and reflects others. The reflected wavelengths are the ones we observe when determining apparent color.

Transparent water with a low accumulation of dissolved materials appears blue and indicates low productivity. Dissolved organic matter, such as humus, peat or decaying plant matter, can produce a yellow or brown color. Some algae or dinoflagellates produce reddish or deep yellow waters. Water rich in phytoplankton and other algae usually appears green. Soil runoff produces a variety of yellow, red, brown and gray.

Uniform color scales are used in determining apparent color to ensure that standardized color information can be shared and compared between researchers. Keeper has selected the Borger Color System, (BCS) which was originally devised to measure the color of flies for fishermen, but which is well-suited for water testing too.

Turbidity (Clarity)

Turbidity, or water clarity, is a measurement that pulls together many important features of an aquatic system. Turbidity is caused by suspended solid matter which scatters light passing through the water. Any material mixed and suspended in water will reduce its clarity and make the water turbid (i.e. muddy and cloudy). Such materials can come from many sources. In early spring, the water may become more turbid as silt is carried into the estuary with the spring thaw and run-off. At any time of year, silt-laden surface water can flow into the estuary from tributaries and storm drains during periods of heavy rain and associated runoff. In Cook Inlet, glacial silts are also a major cause of turbidity. In late spring through early fall, turbidity may be caused by plankton as they grow and multiply rapidly in warm, sunlit, nutrient-rich water.

In shallow areas, wind-generated waves and boat wakes can stir up sediments from the bottom. As waves generated by wind and passing boats break on the shore, they can also increase the turbidity. Upstream construction activities, land clearing, or any other activity which erodes the soil, may release sediment to tributaries of Cook Inlet and increase turbidity.

Turbidity affects fish and aquatic life in many ways:

• High turbidity levels interfere with the penetration of sunlight. Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) needs light for photosynthesis. If suspended particles block out light, lower rates of photosynthesis produce less oxygen. SAV, like the eelgrasses and kelp in many areas of Cook Inlet, provide important habitat for a diverse community of marine life. These are critical areas where many species including shellfish, waterfowl, and fish can find essential food and shelter. If light levels get too low, photosynthesis can stop all together and the vegetation will begin to die off.

• Large amounts of suspended matter can clog the gills of some species of fish, reducing oxygen transfer.

• Excessive amounts of suspended matter clog the feeding apparatus of bottom-dwelling animals (e.g. crabs, anemones or clams) and may even smother them completely.

• Suspended particles may provide a place for harmful bacteria and microorganisms to settle and grow. The particles can also carry pesticides, toxic metals and excess nutrients down tributaries or throughout the dynamic Cook Inlet estuary. Suspended particles near the water surface absorb additional heat from sunlight and can raise the surface water temperature.

There are several ways to test turbidity. One turbidity test involves an electronic instrument called a nephelometer, which uses scattered light to measure turbidity in Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs). Another involves the use of a Secchi Disk - a small (20 centimeters in diameter) disk divided into black and white quadrants which is lowered into a waterbody. The level where the disk disappears is recorded, and the measurement correlates to turbidity.

Keeper has elected to use the Secchi Disk method at sites where water depth is three meters (approximately 10 feet) or greater. In shallower areas Keeper monitors perform a comparative turbidity test, which uses a chemical reagent in a tube to measure turbidity in Jackson Turbidity Units (JTUs). (Note: JTUs correlate with NTUs).

Water Temperature

While temperature may be one of the easiest measurements to perform, it is also one of the most important parameters we test because it dramatically affects the rates of chemical and biological reactions within the water. Some of the most common biological, physical and chemical processes that are temperature dependent are listed below.

• The rates of photosynthesis and plant growth both increase in warmer water. Therefore, it is important to understand the connection between the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. In photosynthesis, plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to create the organic molecules they need to grow. In the process, the plants release oxygen. Respiration is the reverse of photosynthesis; when no light is available, plants respire (i.e. they take in oxygen and break down the stored organic molecules to get energy), releasing carbon dioxide. Thus, temperature changes can dramatically affect plant growth and the amount of oxygen in the water.

• An increase in plant growth and photosynthesis means that more oxygen is produced, but it also means that more oxygen is consumed through plant respiration. The balance between photosynthesis and respiration depends on the availability of sunlight. Especially in summer, when the days are longer, there is a net production of oxygen. Another factor is that when the plants die, oxygen is consumed in the process of bacterial decay.

• Individual organisms living in the water are healthiest when temperatures stay within their range of tolerance. The metabolic rates of organisms increase in warmer water and in many organisms, increased metabolism means increased oxygen demand. Even if there is enough dissolved oxygen to supply the greater demand, under extreme high or low temperature conditions marine organisms become stressed and are more vulnerable to toxic chemicals, diseases, and parasites. The requirements of any one organism change as it goes through different stages of life. For example, fish larvae and eggs usually have a narrower tolerance range than adult fish; conditions that would have been tolerable for the adults may kill off the larvae before they have a chance to reach adulthood

• Temperature affects the distribution of various types of organisms because different organisms have different temperature requirements and different ways of responding to changes in temperature. Motile organisms - those capable of moving on their own, such as fish - may be able to escape unfavorable temperature conditions by migrating elsewhere. Sessile (i.e. immobile) organisms such as algae and slow-moving organisms such as anemones remain to be weakened or even to die.

• Gases such as oxygen are more soluble in cool water than in warm water. In other words, cool water can hold more dissolved oxygen. Solids, on the other hand, are usually more soluble in warm water. For example, heavy metal compounds deposited in sediments at cooler temperatures can be released at warmer temperatures. First, the compounds already existing in the sediments become more soluble; second, as the concentration of oxygen decreases, the metals react chemically to form new and even more soluble compounds. Once the metals are released from the sediments into the water, they can be taken up by marine life.

• The rates of chemical reactions in fresh and brackish water generally increase with increasing temperature.
• The density of seawater decreases with increasing temperature. This variation of density with temperature affects inversions, mixing, and current movements.

• Because significant portions of Cook Inlet are naturally shallow, the capacity of these parts of the estuary to store heat for long time periods is relatively small. As a result, water temperatures fluctuate considerably over time and by location. In shallow areas, tides, currents, and wind tend to minimize temperature differences between surface and subsurface water.

• In deeper areas, the temperatures of surface and subsurface water often differ. Generally, deeper water is colder and therefore denser. The vertical temperature profile of the water column follows a fairly predictable annual cycle. In spring and summer months, the surface waters are warmed by the sun; the bottom waters remain much cooler. In the fall, the sun gets lower in the sky, the days get shorter, and the air gets cooler. The surface waters also cool, increasing in density. When the surface water is colder and denser than the bottom water, it begins to sink, and vertical mixing occurs. Wind speeds up the process. This annual turnover creates an upwelling of nutrients and minerals from the bottom that are newly available to the phytoplankton and other inhabitants of the surface waters. During the remaining winter, the water temperature becomes nearly constant from surface to bottom. Then, in early spring, the radiation of the sun again warms the surface waters. The top layer warms and the bottom remains cool, until the next fall when turnover and upwelling occur again.

Temperature is measured using a familiar instrument: a thermometer. Most liquids expand with increasing temperature. A thermometer consists of a reservoir of a known liquid in the bulb (in our case, alcohol mixed with dye) and a narrow-bore tube into which the liquid expands. Measuring the height to which the liquid has expanded in the tube gives the temperature.

Water temperatures will be reported in degrees Celsius, the standard temperature unit for scientific data. On the Celsius scale, fresh water boils at 100°C and freezes at 0°C. Seawater, on the other hand, freezes at a somewhat lower temperature depending on its salinity. Because Americans still frequently rely on the Fahrenheit scale (where freshwater boils at 212°F and freezes at 32°F), it may help you to use the following formula to convert between the two scales:

To convert from °F to °C:

°C = (°F - 32) x (5/9) or °C = (°F - 32) ÷ 1.8

To convert from °C to °F:

°F = [(9/5) x °C] + 32 or °F = (1.8 x °C) + 32

pH

pH is the measure of how acidic or basic a solution is. Because a variety of chemical and biological processes depend on certain pH values, pH measurements provide important information about the state of water quality. As water travels through the watershed, a number of factors may affect its pH:

• Leaching of soil and rock outcrops, especially during periods of heavy rain or snowmelt.

• Human-generated wastes (e.g. industrial discharges, sewer overflows, lawn runoff).

• Aerosols, dusts and gases picked up from the air.

• Photosynthesis by aquatic plants, which consumes carbon dioxide and can raise the pH of surrounding water.

The pH of the fresh water flowing into Cook Inlet depends on where the water has been and what it is carrying. Once water reaches Cook Inlet, local variations tend to be homogenized, partly by the motion of currents and tides, but also due to the strong buffering of seawater. Local pH values can increase during intense phytoplankton blooms, as the phytoplankton consume carbon dioxide in photosynthesis.

The resistance of water to changes in pH is critical to aquatic life because it determines the range of pH that organisms have to adapt to in order to survive. Generally, the ability of aquatic organisms to complete a life cycle greatly diminishes as pH becomes more than 9.0 or less than 5.0. However, the ideal range for aquatic life in general - including both fresh water and salt water species - falls between 6.5 and 8.2. Marine organisms in the open ocean are usually exposed to an even narrower pH range of 8.1 to 8.3. When water with a low pH value comes in contact with certain chemicals and metals, the acidity of the water may cause these substances to become more soluble or more toxic than normal, increasing the effects of the pollutant load on Cook Inlet. Fish that can stand a slightly acidic pH may die at a more neutral pH if low concentrations of iron, aluminum, lead, or mercury are present. Phytoplankton blooms can play an interesting role here; as a bloom dies off, chunks of it sink to the bottom and decompose. The decomposition process produces organic acids which can lower the pH and react with the sediments to release metals and other toxins into the water.

Pure distilled water has a pH of 7.0 and is said to be neutral. The pH values of natural waters are controlled by the salts and gases dissolved in them. Seawater typically has a pH of 8.1 to 8.3. Because its pH is greater than 7.0, it is said to be basic or alkaline (the two terms are synonymous). The pH of seawater is fairly stable because it is highly buffered - that is, the water contains pairs of ions which react to damp down changes in pH.

The strong buffering and constant motion of seawater tend to minimize variations in pH. Short-lived, local variations may be caused by intense phytoplankton blooms, or at locations where industrial discharges and sewer outflows enter the ocean, or where there are large influxes of fresh water. Natural fresh water typically has a lower pH than seawater. Rain water and snow melt usually has a pH of 5.6 to 6.0. Because its pH is less than 7.0, even unpolluted rain water is said to be acidic. So-called "acid rain" has an even lower pH due to atmospheric pollutants.

pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ions; the higher the concentration, the lower the pH. In any given aqueous solution, a certain proportion of water molecules dissociate to form hydrogen (H⁺) and hydroxyl (OH¯) ions:

H₂O H⁺ + OH¯

In neutral solutions (pH = 7.0), the concentrations of hydrogen and hydroxyl ions are equal. Acidic solutions (pH < 7.0) contain more hydrogen than hydroxyl ions. Basic or alkaline solutions (pH > 7.0) contain more hydroxyl than hydrogen ions.

One of the easiest ways to measure pH is to use an indicator solution. Most indicators are organic molecules which have a hydrogen ion they can easily gain or lose and which happen to change color when this occurs (making the reaction easy to observe). Keeper has selected a "wide range" indicator, which can measure pH throughout most of the pH range.

Salinity

Salinity is an important factor affecting the physical and chemical make-up of Cook Inlet waters. It is defined as the concentration of dissolved salts in the water, usually expressed in parts of salt per thousand parts of water (ppt). Seawater averages 35ppt (3.5% by weight) in the open ocean and 27 to 33 ppt (2.7% to 3.3% by weight) in most coastal waters. Fresh water usually contains few salts (drinking water usually has a salinity of less than 0.5ppt). A liter of Cook Inlet water typically contains 28 to 34 grams of dissolved salts. In other words, a quart would contain about an ounce of salts.

The surface salinity levels within Cook Inlet, especially near the coast, vary with many factors, including the tides and the volume of fresh water flowing into the Inlet. Salinity tends to decrease in the spring when heavy rainfall, the release of groundwater, and melting snow combine to greatly increase the amount of fresh water flowing in. Some decreases in salinity may be attributed to human activities which reduce the water-holding capacity of the land (such as paving or removal of vegetation) or directly accelerate fresh water discharge (such as storm drains and sewers). On the other hand, excessive withdrawals of water from the fresh water portion of a tributary (for agricultural use, drinking water, etc.) can elevate salinity near the mouth of this tributary.

Salinity levels also vary vertically from top to bottom. In general, salinity increases with depth. The fresh water coming down river is less dense than the heavier seawater, so the entering fresh water tends to float on top of the seawater and may not mix immediately. The volume of entering fresh water is also the greatest closest to land. The net result is a wedge of lighter fresh water lying over the heavier seawater, with poorly defined edges that are continually mixed by wind, waves, and tides. In shallow waters, the mixing of top and bottom layers can obscure this "wedge" or "lens"completely.

Perhaps the most important aspect of the estuary's salinity gradient is its effect on the distribution and well-being of the biological population that inhabits the Inlet. Some species of fish, such as salmon, require the fresh water portion of the estuary to spawn, but live the rest of their lives in the marine portion. Some organisms are extremely tolerant of the changes in salinity and are found everywhere from the open sea to waters with only the slightest tinge of salt. Sessile (immobile) bottom-dwellers such as butter clams are tolerant of salinity variations, but salinity does affect their growth and spawning.

The solubility of heavy metals also increases with increasing salinity. In summer, higher temperatures can combine with higher salinity and lower dissolved oxygen levels to create conditions where heavy metals previously deposited in the sediments can be more readily released into the water. This is also the season when bottom-dwelling and burrowing organisms are at their most active in turning over sediments and exposing them to react with the water.

There are many ways to measure salinity. Most depend on measuring some other property which is directly related to salinity. In the Keeper program, we measure the specific gravity of water using a hydrometer and convert the specific gravity readings to salinity. The specific gravity of a substance is its density divided by the density of pure water at 4°C - easy enough to do, since the density of pure water at 4°C is 1 gram per milliliter. A hydrometer placed in a liquid will always displace its own weight of liquid, so the denser the liquid is, the less volume of liquid will be displaced and the higher the hydrometer will float. Measuring the point at which the hydrometer stem breaks the surface of the liquid gives the liquid's specific gravity.

The density of water changes with temperature. Pure water reaches its maximum density at 4°C. At temperatures above 4°C, the density of pure water decreases with increasing temperature. As salts are dissolved in water, the temperature at which it reaches its maximum density decreases from 4°C and approaches the freezing point. At 25ppt salinity water reaches its maximum density at its freezing point. For solutions with salinity above 25ppt, such as seawater (typically 35ppt), density always decreases with increasing temperature even when temperatures are below the freezing point.

Because of the dependence of specific gravity on temperature, a sample's temperature has to be measured at the same time as its specific gravity. A table can then be used to a) convert these measurements to the specific gravity the sample would have at a standard temperature of 15°C and b) convert these standardized specific gravities to salinities; the higher the specific gravity, the higher the salinity (see Appendix J for conversion table).

Hanna Meter

The Hanna meter is an electronic meter which measures the parameters temperature, pH, conductivity and oxidation-reduction potential. Although temperature and pH measurements duplicate those of previous tests, the meter provides an important check on data accuracy. By also recording conductivity and oxidation-reduction potential readings, the Hanna meter provides additional insight into water quality.

The Hanna meter relies on its sensitive electrodes housed in the meter's black base compartment. These electrodes are fragile and should not be handled. Always remember to rinse the electrodes with distilled/dionized water prior to and after testing.

Dissolved Oxygen

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is one of the most important indicators of water quality for aquatic life. It is essential for the basic metabolic processes of animals and plants inhabiting our coastal waters. Dissolved oxygen is measured in milligrams per liter (mg/l) which equates to parts per million (ppm). When oxygen levels fall below about 3 to 5mg/l, fish and many other marine organisms are stressed and some cannot survive. Dissolved oxygen is a particularly sensitive constituent because other chemicals present in the water, certain biological processes, and physical factors such as temperature and water clarity exert a major influence on its availability throughout the year.

The maximum amount of oxygen water can hold depends a great deal on its temperature and salinity. A DO test (using a meter or chemical kit) tells you how much oxygen is dissolved in the water, but it does not tell you how much oxygen the water is capable of holding at the temperature and salinity at which it was tested. Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen; as water approaches its boiling point, it can hold almost no oxygen. Dissolved oxygen also decreases with increasing salinity. When water holds all the dissolved oxygen that it can at a given temperature and salinity, it is said to be 100 percent saturated with oxygen. If water holds only half that amount of DO at the same temperature and salinity, it is said to be 50 percent saturated. The table below shows this relationship for various temperatures and salinities.

Potential dissolved oxygen levels in milligrams per liter (mg/l) at sea level

Consider some of the more shallow areas in Kachemak Bay on a hot August day. Except for in glacial streams, stream levels are relatively low at that time of year, so less fresh water is flowing into the Bay and the salinity is relatively high. The average water temperature in the Bay is also relatively high (by Alaska standards) and it gets higher locally as the tide comes in over a clam flat or beach that has been baking in the sun. Both the higher salinity and the higher temperature lower the water's ability to hold oxygen. Any events that increase the oxygen demand - e.g. a salmon run, or an influx of nutrients that causes a plankton bloom followed by a die-off - can push the local ecosystem over the edge and cause serious problems.

One of the largest sources of dissolved oxygen is oxygen transferred from the atmosphere into surface waters by the re-aerating action of wind and waves. A second major source is oxygen produced by aquatic plants (including phytoplankton) during photosynthesis. Photosynthesis requires sunlight, so it is limited by depth. In the open ocean, most photosynthetic activity occurs in the upper 80 meters (260 feet), with some activity continuing down to 600 meters (1,970 feet). In coastal areas, the depths at which photosynthesis can occur are more variable and more influenced by activities on land.

Once in the water, oxygen is consumed by marine organisms. Like land animals, fish and other marine species need oxygen for respiration. When no light is available, plants also need oxygen. Bacteria consume oxygen as they decompose dead plants and animals. Oxygen shortages occur when consumption outstrips the available oxygen resources. Oxygen levels may be reduced because the water is over-heated, as it might be near an industrial discharge or marine log storage area; warmer water simply cannot hold as much oxygen as cooler water. If water clarity decreases - that is, the water becomes turbid - due to an influx of glacial silt, organic matter, etc., less sunlight will reach the photosynthesizing plants, and they will be less able to produce oxygen.

Large amounts of organic matter in the water can not only decrease oxygen production, but also increase consumption as bacteria work on breaking down and decaying the matter. When run-off from the land or the addition of sewage effluents provides excessive amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen (in salt water near the coast) or phosphorus, a phytoplankton bloom can occur. The availability of extra nutrients allows the reproductive rate of these microalgae to zoom; the population of some species can double every twenty minutes. The phytoplankton bloom can block sunlight from reaching other types of plants. When the extra nutrients are gone, the bloom suddenly dies off, and huge amounts of oxygen are used up in its decay. A massive phytoplankton bloom can result in anoxic conditions (i.e. absence of oxygen) and can cause substantial die-offs of fish and shellfish in coastal waters.

For surface sampling, dissolved oxygen will be measured using a method called Winkler titration (named after Hungarian chemist Lajos Wilhelm Winkler). One of the immediate problems involved in measuring the concentration of oxygen dissolved in a water sample is to prevent any of the oxygen from escaping. To achieve this, two solutions are added to the sample. One contains manganous ions (Mn²⁺) and the other hydroxyl ions (OH^-). Because of its high concentration of hydroxyl ions, the second solution is described as "alkaline." Together, these ions react to form manganous hydroxide, which is fairly insoluble in water and forms a white, fluffy floculate (or floc). Immediately, the oxygen molecules in the water react with the floc to convert it from manganous hydroxide to hydroxides of various manganese ions with charges higher than ⁺2 (e.g., ⁺3, ⁺4, and ⁺7). These new hydroxides give a brownish color to the floc.

The next step is to add a strong acid to the sample to dissolve the hydroxides. As the manganese ions are freed from the floc, they react with the iodide ions (I^-) contained in the alkaline solution added earlier and form manganous ions (the same kind you started with) and iodine molecules (I²). Because of the iodine, the sample turns a yellow-brown color.

At this point, the oxygen molecules are no longer floating around in the water. Instead, they have been entirely used up in the conversion of the manganese ions. If you are sampling in messy weather or from an unstable surface, you can take the treated sample to some more convenient place to finish the procedure. Protect the sample from light and heat (sample temperature should remain between +4°C and +10°C), and finish the procedure within six hours.

A carefully measured portion of the treated sample is "titrated" with thiosulfate ions (S₂O₃^2-) - that is, sodium thiosulfate solution is added drop by drop to determine the exact amount necessary to consume all of the iodine in a reaction that produces iodide and tetrathionate ions (S₄O₆^2-). In order to make it easier to see the exact point at which all the iodine is consumed, a starch indicator is added to the titration sample. Starch turns dark blue in the presence of iodine. As the last of the iodine vanishes, so does the dark blue color.

The whole point of this procedure is that all of the oxygen molecules are consumed in the conversion of the manganese ions, but all of the manganese ions are converted back to manganous ions by the iodide ions. The net result is that two iodine molecules are produced for each of the oxygen molecules you started with. Each iodine molecule then converts two thiosulfate ions into one tetrathionate ion.

The titration procedure measures the molar volume of a sodium thiosulfate solution of known concentration needed to consume all of the iodine in a titration sample of known volume. Multiplying the molar volume of thiosulfate solution used by its concentration gives the number of thiosulfate ions that were consumed. The number of iodine molecules involved is one half of this, and the number of oxygen molecules originally dissolved in the titration sample is one half of this again. Dividing the number of oxygen molecules by the volume of the sample gives the dissolved oxygen concentration. In the procedure we're following, a syringe holding 1 milliliter of sodium thiosulfate solution and divided along its length into ten units is used to titrate a 20 milliliter water sample. The concentration of the thiosulfate solution is chosen so that every 1 milliliter used in the titration indicates a DO concentration of 10 mg/l. In other words, each unit marked on the syringe corresponds to 1 mg/l dissolved oxygen in the sample.

Nutrients

Phosphorus and nitrogen are both nutrients that occur naturally in water. They appear to be the most important nutrients in the eutrophication process and can often become detrimental by accelerating eutrophication, which is the natural aging process of a body of water such as a bay or lake.

Nutrients are also contained in stream sediments. If these are suspended they can maintain eutrophic (increased plant growth) conditions for many years. Many factors influence how much nutrient in a waterway is dissolved (soluble) and how much is attached to particles (particulate). These factors include:

• Environmental factors

• Catchment characteristics

• Management practices

Coliform Bacteria

The coliform group of bacteria live by fermenting lactose (milk sugar) and are native to the intestinal tracts of mammals and birds. Although most coliform species can also exist as free-living organisms, species of the genus Escherichia cannot. The term "fecal coliform" refers primarily to the species Escherichia coli or E. coli (and occasionally to Klebsiella species as well).

Coliform bacteria are generally pretty harmless alone. In fact, water may contain coliforms from a variety of sources besides sewage. However, the presence of high levels of coliform bacteria and, in particular, of fecal coliforms (which can't live free) suggests that sewage is being discharged into the water. Sewage discharges raise the level of nutrients in the water and can cause phytoplankton blooms. Worse, sewage contains organisms that cause disease: pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and parasites. For example, certain species of pathogenic bacteria can cause typhoid fever, dysentery, and cholera.

You might be wondering why we are looking at the relatively "harmless" fecal coliforms. It is because pathogenic bacteria are difficult to culture in the lab, and intestinal parasites and viruses can be even harder to analyze. Furthermore, if you were going to try to detect the disease-causing species directly, you would need to use a different test for each one. By contrast, fecal coliforms are relatively easy to detect and analyze. For these reasons, the fecal coliform group of bacteria is used by the Food and Drug Administration as a microbiological indicator of sewage pollution. In other words, when the FDA closes a shellfish flat, they are doing so on the basis of the fecal coliform count. The species E. coli is also used by the EPA to test the quality of fresh water for swimming. (In salt water a non-coliform type of bacteria called enterococci is used).

Traditional tests for coliforms and fecal coliforms require the inoculation of media containing lactose, incubation under carefully controlled temperatures, and examination for the presence of gas from lactose fermentation. Additional special media must then be inoculated and incubated at elevated, carefully controlled temperatures to confirm the presence of fecal coliforms (E. coli). All these require extra equipment and careful regulation of time and temperature. This approach is not only expensive and time consuming, but can be less than precise in indicating the numbers of specific organisms present.

As a result of the difficulties and lack of precision inherent in the older technology, new approaches have been developed and are being used very successfully. One of the best approaches is based on the fact that in order for coliforms to ferment lactose, they must produce certain enzymes which can be identified and used to verify the presence of the coliforms. General coliforms produce the enzyme galactosidase in lactose fermentation and fecal coliforms produce the enzyme glucoronidase in addition to galactosidase.

The "Coliscan" method used in the Keeper program takes advantage of these facts. It provides a simple, accurate and quantitative way to identify and differentiate coliforms and fecal coliforms from other bacteria. This method incorporates two special chromogenic substrates which are acted upon by the presence of the enzymes galactosidase and glucuronidase to produce pigments of contrasting colors. All that is needed to identify the presence and numbers of coliforms and fecal coliforms is to add a test sample to the medium, pour it into a petri dish and incubate it at room temperature or at a higher controlled temperature. General coliforms will produce the enzyme galactosidase and the colonies that grow in the medium will be a pink color. Fecal coliforms (E. coli) will produce both galactosidase and glucuronidase and will therefore grow as purple colonies in the medium. It is simple to count the purple colonies (E. coli) which indicate the number of fecal coliforms per sample. The pink colonies indicate the number of general coliforms per sample. The combined general coliform and fecal coliform number equals the total coliform number. Any non-colored colonies which grow in the medium are not coliforms, but may be members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Since the Coliscan contains inhibitors, most other bacterial types will not grow.

5. Surface Water Quality Monitoring Kits

Keeper has adopted the LaMotte tidal water monitoring kit, (with several adaptations) to monitor the marine, estuarine and freshwater sources in the Cook Inlet watershed. Each kit should contain the following materials:

6. Monitor Data Sheets

All data should be recorded on the standardized data sheets provided by the Monitoring Coordinator (Appendix I). Please keep an ample supply of these sheets on hand and use a fresh one for each sampling event at each site. If you are running low, call (907) 235-4068.

Data should be entered using a fine-point "Sharpie" or other indelible marker. If the data sheet is wet and the Sharpie won't write, use a #2 pencil and go over it with a Sharpie when the sheet dries. If you make a mistake, draw one line through the characters in question, enter the new characters to the immediate right of the lined-out entries, and initial the change immediately after the new characters.

It may not always be easy under field conditions, but try to write as legibly as possible, especially when entering numbers. All numeric data should be entered in the appropriate spaces, using the decimal places provided on the form. When entering temperatures, please remember to specify if they are negative. All letters and words should be printed. Record all of your observations and test results as you go along; don't rely on memory!

The first data you record on your data sheet should be the printed names of the monitors, the name and number of the station, the date, and the time. When entering the time be sure to circle either AM or PM. Next, record the latitude, longitude and elevation of your site and indicate whether you used a GPS or a topographical map to determine this information. (If you are returning to your regular monitoring site you may copy this information from previous data sheets).

Finally, do not forget to have all monitors sign the data sheet when testing is complete!

6. MONITORING PROCEDURES

his section provides a step-by-step guide to the proper field and laboratory techniques needed to successfully obtain credible water quality data.

1. Field Procedure Checklist

Below is the recommended order in which to conduct your tests. This order tends to maximize your efficiency, and should keep your sampling activities to under one hour.

• Put on safety gear (rubber gloves & eye protection).

• Collect the water sample according to the procedure described later in this section.

• Fill the black compartment of the Hanna Meter with distilled/de-ionized water. (This will need to stand for at least five minutes in order to dissolve any salts that may have accumulated on the base of the meter and presoak the electrodes).

• Place air thermometer in shaded area near sample bucket to allow it to stabilize.

• Hang water thermometer inside sample bucket.

• Perform steps 1 through 8 of the dissolved oxygen testing procedure as described later in this section. Set sample bottles aside to allow the floc to settle out.

• Fill out page one of the data sheet: monitor names, site name, site number, date, time, site location, air temperature, wind and weather conditions, water surface condition, tidal stage, observations, sketches or photos.

• Compare and record the apparent color of the sample water.

• Measure and record clarity of the sample water.

• Read the water temperature and record it on the data sheet.

• Measure and record the pH of the sample water.

• Measure the specific gravity and record the salinity of the sample water.

• Conduct Hanna Meter tests and record results.

• Complete steps 9 through 17 of the dissolved oxygen test procedures and record the results. (Steps 10 through 17 can be performed up to six hours after fixing as long as sample temperature is maintained between +4°C to +10°C).

• Measure and record Phosphate & Nitrate (freshwater only) content of water in sample bucket. (Phosphate & Nitrate tests may be performed up to six hours after sample collection as long as sample temperature is maintained between +4°C to +10°C).

• Measure 1ml, 3ml and 5ml quantities of sample water into pre-labeled coliscan sample bottles for plating when you get home. (Plating should be performed within six hours and sample temperature must be maintained between +4°C to +10°C until plating occurs).

• Check for completeness and legibility and have all team members sign the data sheet!

2. When You Get Home

• Plate coliscan samples and incubate them. Results should be taken and recorded on 24 to 48 hours after plating.

• Measure and record Phosphate & Nitrate content of sample water if this was not completed in the field.

• Titrate the dissolved oxygen samples and record the results if this was not completed in the field.

• Follow the instructions under "When You’re Done Testing" in the next section of this manual to clean and stow your equipment and take care of wastes.

• Make sure children and pets cannot get at the equipment and reagents.

• If you're running low on any reagents, or if any of them are changing in color or consistency, contact the Monitoring Coordinator at (907) 235-4068 for a fresh supply. Also contact the Monitoring Coordinator if any of your equipment has been acting oddly.

3. Field Observations

When you arrive at your sampling site, first put on your safety gear, then collect your water sample following the procedures described below. Fill the black compartment of your Hanna Meter with distilled water and set it aside. Remove the plastic sheathe from your water thermometer, (green filled Celsius thermometer) hang it inside your sample bucket and hang your air thermometer (red filled Fahrenheit thermometer) nearby. Perform the first 7 steps of the dissolved oxygen test, then begin collecting and recording data.

Air Temperature

The air thermometer should be hung somewhere where it's not leaning against any solid object and where it's protected as much as possible from direct wind and sunlight.

The thermometer will take at least five minutes to equilibrate. It might take longer if it has to adjust for large changes in temperature - for example, if you've been carrying it in a warm car on a cold day. If you've waited the five minutes but the reading looks warmer or cooler than you expected, wait another minute and see if the reading changes. Keep checking at one-minute intervals until the reading comes up the same twice in a row - it shouldn't take longer than ten minutes for this to happen. Once the thermometer has equilibrated, read the air temperature to the nearest 1°F and record it on your data sheet.

While you're waiting for the thermometer to equilibrate, you can fill in the first page of your data sheet, beginning with monitor names, site name, number and location, date and time.

Wind and Weather

In light, unsteady winds, you may have trouble judging wind direction - try tying a piece of ribbon or yarn to a pole or other upright object at your site. Record the wind direction as N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, or NW. Determine the wind speed using the Beaufort Wind Scale (Appendix H) and record the range you observe at your site in mph. Also note whether the wind is gusty, steady or variable.

Use the list of adjectives in the "Weather" box to describe overall weather conditions and estimate the inches of precipitation during the past 24 hours to the best of your ability. As previously mentioned, you can obtain a rain gauge from the Monitoring Coordinator to track rainfall or find a neighbor who is already tracking rainfall and will share the information with you. Report the type of precipitation that has fallen and record the number of consecutive days these weather conditions have persisted, including the day of sampling.

Water Surface & Tidal Conditions

Use the list of adjectives provided to describe the surface of the water at your site. A tide table for the current-year is included in your kit. Use it and the worksheet in this section to determine and plot the stage of the tide at the time of sampling. Begin by recording the district from which you are reading your tides – this is located at the top of each page of tide charts. You should choose the district closest to your site (in the case of Kachemak Bay, this will be the Seldovia District). Next, go to the back of your tide book to find and record your location within the district. Then look to the right of your location and find and record the tidal corrections as they are shown (time corrections in minutes, first for high tide, then for low followed by height corrections in feet, first high, then low). Using these corrections record the time and height of the four most recent tide cycles. From this information you can determine where you are at in the present tide cycle. Use the Guide to Tidal Stages (Appendix K) in reporting the tide stage. Once you have recorded the tidal stage, plot it on the Tidal Chart.

The data sheet also includes space to record a recent tide or bank mark description. The first time you sample at your site you should locate a stationary object (large rock, bridge piling, partially submerged tree, etc.) and use it to reference the water level. Each time you return you should make a comparative measure of the tidal stage or stream level based on this reference.

Comments & Observations

Now take a moment to exercise your senses. Look around your sampling site. Note how humans, livestock and wildlife are using the water. Look for tracks and other signs of visitors. Listen for birds and other wildlife as well as for the sounds of human activity that might affect water quality.

Be aware of any odors in the area and smell the water itself. The human nose can accurately detect a wide variety of smells, making it an effective odor-testing device. Use your hand to wave the air above your water sample toward you. If you detect an odor, use the list in Appendix L to describe it.

Record all your observations, including: abnormal color, oil slicks, foam on the water, algae blooms, unusual odors, fish kills or other dead plants or animals, sightings of live fish or other animals including humans, signs of erosion, trash or debris.

The comments and observations section should also be used to report any problems you have with sampling procedures or equipment (including the data sheet itself). Suggestions for improvement are always welcome.

Photos or Sketch Illustrating Site/Observations

Space has been provided to attach photos or make to make a sketch showing the layout of your site and the locations of what you have described in your comments and observations. Do your best to make a scale drawing of the area surrounding your site during each sampling event and mark the location of each observation you have recorded.

As previously mentioned, you should photograph your site during your first sampling. Taking photos of your site periodically there after will help to get a sense of its seasonal and other variations. Take the time to photograph your site at least four times a year so that we can create a photo journal documenting changes over time.

4. Collecting the Water Sample

A few yards away (preferably downstream or down current) from your exact sampling site, rinse the plastic bucket three times with the water to be sampled. Now go over to your site, lower the bucket gently into the water, and fill it to a level about 2 inches from the lip of the bucket. If the water at your site is more than an arm's length away, your bucket should have a rope tied to the handle. After securing the other end of the rope to something solid, fill the bucket by turning it upside down and dropping it straight down into the water. This will help avoid the futility of having the empty bucket floating all over the surface and refusing to fill. If you are working in very shallow water, do not disturb the bottom while collecting the sample.

Be careful not to artificially increase the dissolved oxygen content of the water you're sampling. This can happen if you splash the water around too much before you sample it - that's why you should rinse your bucket a few yards away from your sampling site. Once you've got the sample, handle it gently. Avoid jostling the bucket or sloshing the water around.

4. Testing Procedures

Apparent Color

1. Compare the color of the water in your sampling bucket with the BCS numbers in the Borger Color System booklet (if deciding on one BCS number is too difficult, you may use up to 2 BCS numbers to describe apparent color).
2. Record a one or two word description of the apparent color of your sample as well as the corresponding BCS number on your data sheet.
3. Rinse a Turbidity Column three times with sample water then fill it to the 50ml line and again compare and record its apparent color and corresponding BCS number.

Turbidity (Clarity)

In water deeper than 3 meters you will test for turbidity using two methods. First use a Secchi disk to test both overall water depth and water clarity or turbidity.

1. Attach the end of the Secchi disk line to a stationary object and slowly lower the disk into the water until you feel it touch bottom.
2. Note where the line breaks the surface of the water. Slowly pull the line in, and as you do so keep one hand on the spot where it broke the water’s surface.
3. The Secchi disk line is marked in red at every meter and in black at the half meter, yellow tape marks every five meters. Count the marks from the waterline to the Secchi disk and record this to the nearest ½ meter as the bottom depth on your data sheet.
4. Slowly lower the disk into the water again until it disappears from sight.
5. Carefully raise the disk until you can just make it out in the water.
6. Note where the line breaks the water’s surface. Again, pull it in and count the marks to determine and record the Secchi depth of the water to the nearest ½ meter. (If you can see the disk when it is on the bottom your bottom depth and Secchi depth are the same).

In the case of shallow water sampling stations (less than 3 meters in depth) you will use only the second method for determining turbidity.

1. Use the Turbidity Column you have previously filled to the 50 ml line with sample water for the apparent color test. Stir the sample with the glass stirring rod in order to distribute turbidity particles. Look vertically through the tube. If the black dot on the bottom of the tube is not visible when looking through the column of liquid, pour out a sufficient amount of the test sample so that the tube is filled to the 25 ml line. If you still cannot see the dot, record the turbidity as "greater than (>) 200 JTU," otherwise, go to step 2.
2. Fill the second Turbidity Column with an amount of distilled water equal to the amount of sample being measured (e.g. 50 ml or 25 ml). This is the "clear water" tube.
3. Place the tubes side-by-side, and note the difference in clarity between the two. If the black dot is equally clear in both tubes, then the turbidity of the sample water is zero. If the water in the sample tube is less clear, go to step 4.
4. Shake the Standard Turbidity Reagent bottle vigorously. Add 0.5 ml to the clear water tube. Stir contents in both tubes to again distribute turbid particles. Check the amount of turbidity by looking down through the solution at the black dot. If the turbidity of the sample remains greater than the clear water tube, continue to add Standard Turbidity Reagent in 0.5 ml increments, stirring after each addition until the turbidity in each tube appears equal. Record the total amount of Standard Turbidity Reagent added.
5. Each 0.5 ml addition to the 50 ml size is equal to 5 Jackson Turbidity Units (JTUs). If a 25 ml sample is used, each 0.5 ml addition of Standard Turbidity Reagent is equal to 10 JTUs. Use the table below to record the turbidity reading in JTU’s on your data sheet. Rinse each tube carefully after each measurement.
6. It is also important to record the temperature of the water at the time of the turbidity reading following the instructions below.

Water Temperature

1. The water thermometer should be submerged in your 2 ½ gallon sample bucket for at least 1 ½ minutes prior to measurement.
2. Locate the bucket away from direct sunlight or wind (on particularly cold days, try to minimize the time the bucket is exposed to ambient air, because the cold air temperature may skew your water temperature reading).
3. Remember to hold the thermometer on the end that is opposite the bulb! Keep the tip of the thermometer submerged (do not lift thermometer from water to read!). Read the temperature while looking at the thermometer perpendicular to the stem.
4. Record the temperature to the nearest 0.5°C.

pH

1. Rinse two (2) small test tubes with sample water three times. Fill each tube to the 5ml line with sample water.
2. While holding the dropper vertically, add ten (10) drops of indicator solution (green, Wide Range Indicator Solution) to each test tube.
3. Cap, invert and shake each tube several times to mix.
4. Remove the caps and insert each tube into the Octet Comparator (Black Box) and match sample color to appropriate color standard. HINT: Hold the comparator up so that light enters through the special light-diffusing screen in the back, but avoid viewing the comparator against direct sunlight or an irregularly lighted background.
5. Read pH measurement to the nearest 0.5 value, compare both tubes for consistency, and take the average of the two measurements and record it as the final pH measurement. If there is a significant difference between the two measurements (i.e. 1.0 pH unit difference), then make a note and repeat the test.

Salinity

1. Rinse the 650 ml clear plastic hydrometer cylinder three times by pouring small amounts of water from the sample bucket. Then, fill the hydrometer cylinder to within 2 inches of the top with water poured from the bucket.
2. Hang the water thermometer in the cylinder so that it is totally immersed, and readable through the side of the cylinder.
3. Carefully remove the hydrometer from its padded case and insert it into the cylinder, until it begins to float then give it a slight twist to remove bubbles. Take care that the hydrometer does not hit the bottom hard (it might break), and that drops of water do not splash on to the hydrometer stem above water level. Allow the hydrometer to float freely. (If the hydrometer is resting on the bottom of the cylinder you need more water.)

 



4. Wait until 3 minutes have gone by since Step 2. Read the temperature of the water in the cylinder to the nearest 0.5°C and record it on your data sheet in the space below the specific gravity reading.
5. Read the specific gravity from the scale on the hydrometer stem to the nearest 0.0005 and record it on your data sheet. Be sure to take the reading:

• Without touching the hydrometer.

• With your eyes at the same level as the water surface in the hydrometer cylinder (viewing the scale up or down at an angle can give an incorrect reading).

• At the point where the flat water surface would cross the hydrometer stem. You will notice that the water curves up slightly next to the wall of the stem (the curve is a meniscus, and it is the same effect witnessed during the dissolved oxygen test). Make sure you measure your result from the bottom of the curve, not the top.

1. Re-check the water temperature reading you recorded earlier.
2. Use the hydrometer conversion chart (Appendix J) to convert your specific gravity reading to salinity in parts per thousand. Run horizontally across the table until you find the column for the temperature at which you took the reading. Then run down the column until you get to the row for the specific gravity you recorded. If the temperature at which you read the specific gravity falls between two of those listed in the table, split the difference, always rounding to the even number.

Hanna Meter

1. Record the number written on your meter.
2. Fill the black compartment at the base of the Hanna meter with distilled water and let it stand for five (5) minutes to allow any dissolved salts on the electrodes to dissipate and to pre-soak the electrodes. (You may have completed this step earlier – if so you do not need to repeat it).
3. Carefully flush out the black base compartment three (3) times with sample water. Do not immerse the meter above the maximum level indicated by a line on the base of the meter.
4. Fill the black base compartment with sample water, let it stabilize for 15 seconds, then record the initial Temperature.
5. Press the meter's Range Switch, wait 15 seconds, then record three (3) sequential readings for Conductivity at 15 second intervals.
6. Press the Range Switch again and wait 15 seconds. Record three (3) sequential pH readings at 15 second intervals.
7. Press Range Switch once more and wait 15 seconds. Record three (3) sequential Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) readings at 15 second intervals
8. Press the Range Switch and wait 15 seconds. Record the final Temperature reading.
9. Calculate an average for each parameter (i.e. add all readings for each parameter and divide by the total number of readings for that parameter) and record each parameter's average on your data sheet.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

When you begin the fixing process for DO (steps 1-9) start by recording the time and the current temperature of the water in your sample bucket in case it has changed since you first recorded it. As you work through the DO testing procedure, you'll notice the emphasis to avoid trapping any air bubbles in the sample or splashing it around too much. The point is to avoid changing the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water by contact with the oxygen in the air.

To assure more precise dissolved oxygen measurement, three 60 ml samples will be prepared for titration. You will begin by titrating a 20 ml portion of each of these samples. If the results from all three titrations fall within a range of less than 0.6 mg/l you will average these results and report this as your DO average. If the difference between any two titrations is 0.6 mg/l or greater, titrate another 20 ml portion of the 60 ml sample which reads outside of the range. If the result is still different from one or both of your other samples by 6 mg/l or more then average only the two closer readings and record this number as your DO average. If no two of your three original readings fall within a 0.6 mg/l range you will have to repeat the titration process on three new 20 ml portions of each 60 ml sample. Record the results of all titrations (even those you suspect are in error) and average only those which fall within the 0.6 mg/l range.

1. Mark the labels of three 60ml sample bottles with your site number and the letters "A", "B" and "C".
2. Rinse each bottle with small amounts of water from the bucket three times. Rinse the outsides of the bottles and the caps as well.
3. Tightly cap the mouth of the bottle marked "A". Holding the bottle sideways, submerge it to mid-depth in the sample bucket, and remove the cap to allow the bottle to fill.
4. Turn the submerged bottle slowly to a vertical position (mouth up) and tap the sides with the cap to dislodge any air bubbles clinging to the inside. Replace the cap while the bottle is still submerged.
5. Retrieve the bottle and examine it carefully to make sure that no air bubbles are trapped inside. Once a satisfactory (i.e. bubbleless) sample has been collected, repeat Steps 2 through 4 with bottles "B" and "C".
6. Uncap all three samples. Add 8 drops of manganous sulfate solution (pink reagent) to each sample.
7. Add 8 drops of alkaline potassium iodide azide (clear reagent) to each sample. Be sure to add the manganous sulfate first. Drop the solutions in gently to avoid splashing and mixing in air. Hold the reagent bottles vertically, and do not allow the dropper tips to touch the sample.
8. Cap each sample bottle carefully and mix by repeatedly tipping capped bottle back and forth in a gentle rocking motion for fifteen seconds. A fluffy, white to brownish precipitate will form. Set the bottles in their holes in the LaMotte monitoring kit; the styrofoam will help keep the samples at a constant temperature. Allow the precipitate to settle a third of the way down the bottles (past the neck and down to the shoulder of the bottle), so that it fills only the bottom two-thirds. Settling may take as long as an hour at cooler temperatures, but it will usually be faster.

 



After the samples have been gently mixed and allowed to settle, return to the DO procedure at this point:

9. Add 8 drops of sulfuric acid (clear solution) to the first sample bottle marked "A." Cap the bottle and mix by tipping gently as before until the precipitate has dissolved. Depending on the oxygen content of the sample, a clear yellow to brown-orange color will develop as the precipitate dissolves.

 



10. Rinse the titration vial (it is labeled "Code 0299" and has a flat lid with hole in the center) with a small amount of the solution from the sample bottle, then fill it to the 20-ml line. (You'll notice that the upper surface of the solution in the cylinder may curve up or down slightly; this curving upper surface is known as the meniscus. It's the bottom of the curve that should be level with the 20-ml mark, not the portion near the walls of the cylinder).
11. Depress the plunger of the direct-reading titrator (the small syringe) to expel air. Holding the plunger tightly down, insert the titrator into the plastic fitting of the bottle of sodium thiosulfate (titrator) solution. (This bottle is slightly larger than the others and does not have a dropper tip. The sodium thiosulfate solution is colorless.) Invert the bottle and withdraw the plunger slowly until the bottom of the plunger is about half an inch past the zero mark on the titrator scale.

As you start to withdraw the plunger, inspect the solution filling the syringe for air bubbles, especially at the tip of the plunger or in a silvery rim around the tip. If bubbles appear while you've only got a small amount of solution in the titrator, pump the solution back into the thiosulfate bottle, pressing the plunger down quickly and firmly. Bubbles tend to be a particular problem when the dry titrator is filled for the first titration of the day. It may be necessary to pump the solution back and forth several times to get the plunger surface wetted.

Once you've gotten a small amount of sodium thiosulfate solution into the titrator without bubbles, continue to inspect for bubbles as you slowly withdraw the plunger. If you spot a bubble when the titrator is nearly full, remove the titrator from the thiosulfate bottle, hold it over your wastewater bottle, and press the plunger down until the bubbles are expelled. Reattach the titrator to the thiosulfate bottle and continue filling to beyond the zero mark.



Turn the thiosulfate bottle upright and carefully remove the titrator. Hold the titrator over your wastewater bottle and press the plunger slowly downward until the lowermost tip of the black rubber plunger is opposite the zero mark. Inspect the titrator carefully for air bubbles.

12. Insert the titrator into the central hole of the titration vial cap until it snaps into place. Add 1 drop of sodium thiosulfate and swirl the tube (with the titrator still attached) to mix it. Continue this titration process one drop at a time until the yellow-brown solution in the tube just begins to fade or get lighter. The solution should be a pale yellow color - about the shade of pale straw.
13. Gently remove the titration vial cap with the titrator still attached. Be very careful not to change the position of the plunger or to shake any fluid loose from its tip. Add 8 drops of starch indicator solution to the titration tube. The sample solution should begin to turn from pale yellow to dark blue.

 



14. Replace the cap with the titrator carefully on the titration vial and swirl until the solution turns a uniform blue. Continue the titration process described in Step 10. Be sure to gently swirl after each drop. Continue the titration until the solution just turns from blue to clear - the first complete disappearance of the blue color is the endpoint of the titration. (If the solution turns blue again a moment later, ignore it.) Hold the solution against a sheet of white paper (for example, your data sheet) to check the color.

If your sample has a really high oxygen content, you may have to refill the titrator in order to reach the endpoint. Do not completely empty the titrator into the titration sample. The plunger should be lowered only far enough so that the lowermost tip of the black rubber plunger is level with the 10-unit mark on the scale. If you reach this point without hitting the endpoint of the titration, remove the titrator from the titration vial. Refill the titrator to the zero mark again as described in Step 10 and continue the titration.

15. Read the total number of units of sodium thiosulfate used in the titration from the scale opposite the lowermost tip of the black rubber plunger. The divisions are in 0.2 units, but you should be able to read the results to the nearest 0.1 units.

16. Carry out Steps 10 to 15 on the sample bottles marked "B" and "C". If all three titration values are within 0.6 mg/l of each other, average them together and record the result to the nearest 0.1 mg/l as the DO average. If any two titration readings differ by 0.6 mg/l or more, titrate another 20 ml sample from the bottle whose reading fell outside the 0.6 mg/l range. If the second titration still shows a value different from the others by 0.6 mg/l or more then average only the two which fall into the 0.6 mg/l range and record the result as the DO average. If no two of your three original readings fall within a 0.6 mg/l range, repeat steps 10 through 16 using three new 20 ml portions of each sample. Record the results of all titrations (even those you suspect are in error) and average only the two or three values which fall within the 0.6 mg/l range. Discard the contents of the sample bottles in your wastewater bottle.
17. Calculate the percent of saturation by finding the water temperature you recorded at the time of "fixing" on the chart below and comparing the DO average you recorded to the maximum dissolved oxygen concentration for water at that temperature. Divide your average DO measurement by the maximum measurement on the chart and multiply your results by 100. Record this as the percent of saturation for your sample.

Maximum Dissolved Oxygen Concentration

1DISSOLVED OXYGEN TITRATION TIPS

The DO titration is easily the most complicated field procedure you'll be doing. Here are a few tips to help you get through it more efficiently and accurately:

• Be sure your sample bottles are clean and rinsed 3 times with water from your sample bucket.

• After filling a sample bottle, check it carefully for bubbles - the oxygen trapped in the air bubbles will throw off your results.

• Hold the dropper bottles vertically when adding the manganous sulfate (reagent #1) and alkaline potassium iodide azide (reagent #2) solutions. Try to avoid splashing that may introduce air into the sample. Be sure to add the manganous sulfate first.

• Since the sample bottle is supposed to be completely filled, without any air space, some of the sample may overflow as you add the reagents. Don't worry about this.

• The manganous sulfate and alkaline potassium iodide azide solutions are added in excess. The precise number of drops is not critical as long you add enough manganese to bind up all the dissolved oxygen and enough iodide to mop up all the manganese. Try for 8 drops, but if you accidentally add 9 drops instead, that's okay. If you lose count and are not sure whether you've added 7 drops or 8, add an extra one.

• The manganous sulfate and alkaline potassium iodide azide solutions should be added to the samples as soon as possible after collection. Once these reagents and the sulfuric acid have been added and mixed, the samples can be held for up to 8 hours before finishing the analysis (we recommend completing titration within 6 hours if possible). They should be protected from light and kept at or near the temperature of the water they were collected from.

• Allow enough time for the fluffy, white to brownish precipitate (the floc) to settle a third of the way down the bottle (at least to the bottle’s shoulder) after mixings. Impatience may result in an incomplete reaction and false low results.

• The sulfuric acid (reagent #3) is also added in excess - try for 8 drops, but 9 are okay. Adding the acid should dissolve all of the fluffy or "gloppy" precipitate. If 8 drops don't do the trick, continue to add acid one drop at a time until the gloppy precipitate dissolves. You may find that your sample contains dark, solid-looking grains of organic material or sediment that do not dissolve. Ignore these; they will not affect the test results.

• It is critical that the amount of sample to be titrated is measured out carefully. The bottom of the meniscus (the curved surface of the liquid) should be level with the 20-ml mark on the titration bottle

• It is critical that the titration be performed carefully. Before starting, check that the syringe plunger moves smoothly. If it seems to be sticky, lubricate it with a bit of sodium thiosulfate solution. (Remember to rinse it with fresh water when you get home.) If the problem persists, report it to the Monitoring Coordinator.

• Check the titrator carefully for air bubbles after filling. The volume taken up by the bubbles will produce inaccurate readings of the volume of thiosulfate solution used in the titration. Do not proceed with the titration until your titrator is full and bubble free.

• Measurement of the amount of thiosulfate solution used in the titration is critical. At the start of the titration, the lowermost tip of the black rubber plunger should be level with the 0-unit mark on the top of the titrator scale. Handle the titrator carefully after filling it, taking special care not to move the plunger inadvertently. Moving the plunger accidentally downwards will expel solution; moving it upwards will draw air into the syringe.

• If your sample contains more than 10 mg/l dissolved oxygen, you will have to refill the titrator during the titration. This is especially likely to happen if you're sampling water that can hold more oxygen - i.e., cool water (less than 10°C or 50°F) or water with an unusually low salinity. One tip-off that you've got high oxygen levels is that when you add the sulfuric acid, the solution turns a brown-orange color as lots of iodine is created.

• As the plunger approaches the bottom of the titrator, be sure not to depress the lowermost tip of the black rubber plunger below the 10-unit mark on the titrator scale. If you depress the plunger further, you are adding an unknown volume of thiosulfate to your titration sample. When the lowermost tip reaches the 10-unit mark, remove the titrator from the titration tube and refill the titrator.

• Exactly when and how much of the starch indicator solution is added is not critical. The important thing is that the sample turns blue. If you have a sample with low oxygen levels, adding the sulfuric acid may cause it to turn a pale yellow or pale straw color before you've added any thiosulfate at all. In this case, you'll want to add the starch indicator before you start the titration. It's always better to add the starch solution a bit too early than too late.

• Once you've reached the pale-yellow color and added the starch indicator, proceed with the titration slowly and carefully so that you don't overshoot the endpoint.

• If the sample fails to turn blue when you add the starch, this means that you've already added too much thiosulfate and overshot the endpoint. If this happens, or if you overshoot after adding the starch, discard the results of this titration. Measure out a second titration sample from the same sample bottle and repeat the procedure.

• The first complete disappearance of the blue color is the endpoint. If you see the solution turn blue again a moment later, ignore it! The "re-bluing" effect is caused by the interference of other chemical compounds in the sample.

Nutrients

When feasible, nutrient testing should be performed on site; however, in inclement weather it is permissible to label the 250 ml sample bottles provided in your kit with the date and your site name and fill them with water from your sample bucket to be taken home for testing. If you do this, you must keep your samples cool (between 4°C and 10°C) and complete all testing within six hours of sampling.

Ortho-Phosphate

1. Rinse 3 test tube from your LaMotte Phosphate Test Kit three times with sample water and fill them to the 10ml line with water from your sample bucket.
2. Use the 1ml pipet to add 1ml of Phosphate Acid Reagent to one of the three sample tubes. Cap this test tube and mix by repeatedly inverting it for five seconds.
3. Use the 0.1g spoon to add one level measure of Phosphate Reducing Reagent. Cap the tube again and mix for another five seconds or until all powder is dissolved. Wait five minutes.
4. Place the Axial Reader on a flat surface with the label facing away from you.
5. Insert the Low Range color comparator into the Axial Reader with the labels and blue vials facing toward you.
6. Insert the ampule of distilled water into the square hole on the left side of the comparator.
7. When it has been five minutes, remove the cap from the sample test tube to which you have added the reagents and insert it into the slot in the Axial reader which is directly behind the distilled water ampule.
8. Insert the two test tubes of untreated sample water into the slots in the Axial Reader on either side of the sample tube.
9. Slide Axial Reader up until the top of the Reader is even with the top of the color comparator.
10. Place the comparator so that natural light (or strong fluorescent light) shines down through the test tubes.
11. Compare the color in the center (sample) test tube to the colors in the top left corner of the comparator. If the color of your sample is darker than these color standards move the Axial Reader down so the bottom is even with the bottom of the comparator and compare the center tube to the colors in the lower left hand corner of the comparator. If your sample is still darker than the color standards, move the ampule and all three test tubes to the right side of the comparator and Axial Reader and repeat the comparison process.
12. Once you have matched the color in the sample tube to a color standard, note the shade of blue (clear, faint, light, medium, dark) of the sample on the Monitor Data Sheet.
13. Record the number of the matching color standard as Ortho-Phosphate in ppm on your data sheet.

Nitrate/Nitrogen

1. Rinse one square test tube from your LaMotte Nitrate Nitrogen Tablet Kit three times with sample water and fill it to the 5ml line with water from your sample bucket.
2. Add one Nitrate #1 Tablet to the tube. Cap the test tube and mix by inverting repeatedly until the tablet dissolves completely.
3. Add one Nitrate #2 CTA Tablet to the test tube. Cap the tube again and mix until the tablet dissolves completely. Wait for 5 minutes.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 using the second test tube from your Nitrate Nitrogen Tablet Kit.
5. Insert the Nitrate-N color slide into the Octa-Slide viewer.
6. Insert the first test tube into the top of the slide viewer.
7. Note the shade of pink (clear, faint, light, medium, dark) of the sample on the data sheet.
8. Match the sample color to a cell of the color slide and record the number of that slide as Nitrate-Nitrogen in ppm on your data sheet.
9. Repeat steps 6 through 8 with the second test tube in order to verify your results.
10. Multiply the color slide number by 4.4 and record the result as Nitrate in ppm.

Coliform Bacteria

1. Use your sharpie to mark the lids of 3 bottles of Coliscan Easygel™ with the numbers 1, 3 and 5. Use the sterile pipet included in your kit to carefully draw a 1ml water sample from your sample bucket and deposit it into the Easygel™ bottle you have marked as 1. Next, carefully draw and deposit a 3mL water sample from your bucket into the bottle of Easygel™ marked with a 3. Repeat the process once more, this time drawing and depositing a 5mL sample into the bottle marked 5.

2. Mark the lids (the larger half) of three pretreated petri dishes with the date, the time, the name and number of your sampling site, and the amounts 1ml, 3ml and 5ml. (Keep your writing close to the edge of the lids). Match the bottles of Coliscan-water mixture to the petri dishes marked with the same number. One at a time, pour each bottle of Coliscan-water mixture into the bottom half (the smaller half) of its respective petri dish. Cover the dishes with the designated lids and gently swirl the liquid so that it covers the entire bottom of the dish.
3. Place the petri dishes containing the Coliscan-water mix in a warm place and incubate for 24 to 48 hours.

 



 

4. After about 30 to 40 minutes the Easygel™ will set into a gel form. Once this occurs turn each entire petri dish over and continue incubating.
5. After 24 hours have past, count the number of purple colonies that have formed in the petri dish. (Using the quadrant grid on your Coliscan Data Sheet will facilitate counting). This is the fecal coliform (E. coli) count for this sample. Next, count the number of pink or red colonies and add this to the fecal coliform count. This is the total coliform count for the sample. Record the fecal and total coliform counts for each sample (1ml, 3ml and 5ml) in the 24 hour incubation spaces on your Coliscan Data Sheet. Repeat this counting procedure after a total of 48 hours have past since plating and record the results on your Coliscan Data Sheet in the 48 hour incubation spaces and on your Monitor Data Sheet.

4. Sample Custody

Keeper monitoring and testing procedures are generally conducted in the field. If a sample is deemed to require laboratory testing, it should be handled using the following chain of custody procedure:

• Samples are to be labeled (see example below) and logged in a monitor notebook upon collection.
• In the field, samples are the responsibility of the monitor team leader and should remain in that person’s custody.
• Once samples have been collected they are to be brought to the Keeper office in a timely manner, where they are logged in for temporary storage.
• Samples are refrigerated to maintain a temperature between 4 C and 10 C.
• The Monitoring Coordinator is then responsible for transporting samples to an ADEC or EPA certified laboratory for analysis.
• Laboratory personnel will record the date and time the sample arrives at the lab.
• After samples are analyzed, laboratory information is added to the label.
• A Sample Custody Form (see Appendix M) will be used to record all transport and storage information.
• When samples are to be delivered to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), an official State of Alaska ADEC sample collection form will be used as the ‘chain of custody’ document.

The CEMP commitment includes the investigation of additional testing. If other tests are identified which require different sample custody procedures, they will be specifically developed and added to this manual.

Sample Container Label

4. Completing & Submitting Data Sheets

Please make sure that all monitors sign the Monitor Data Sheet next to their printed name. Send in data sheet(s) as soon as possible after sampling and testing is complete, or drop them off at the Keeper office in Homer's Lakeside Mall. This will help us keep our database up to date and alert the Monitoring Coordinator to the development of potential problems. Before mailing, please make a copy of the sheet for your own files. On a quarterly basis, Keeper will send you printouts of your data to check for errors, so you'll need copies of the original data sheets. The copies will also be lifesavers if the original sheets get lost in the mail. If you are bringing the sheet in yourself, you can make a copy on our office copier. Data sheets can be mailed in the stamped, pre-addressed envelopes provided or in any envelope addressed to:

Please write your return address on the envelope.

6. EQUIPMENT CARE & WASTE DISPOSAL

1. Before Sampling Begins

All equipment, meters, and monitoring kits are checked by the Monitoring Coordinator to ensure that they are operating within specifications before they are issued to Volunteer Monitors. Each reagent bottle is dated with the expiration date prior to being issued. A Kit Inspection Form including reagent expiration dates is kept on file at the Keeper office. This form is updated each time a kit receives new or replacement equipment or reagents.

Hanna "4-in-1" Water Test Meters should be brought to the Monitoring Coordinator four times a year for inspection and calibration check. Maintenance logs are kept on each meter.

Before each sampling event you will need to inspect all your sampling equipment. Thermometers (air and water), bottles and test tubes, color comparators, hydrometer, droppers, and other related testing equipment should be examined for cracks or breaks. Thermometers should also be checked to see that the column of indicator fluid is continuous and has not separated. Chemicals should be checked for expiration dates, sufficient quantities and any discoloration. All testing equipment should be clean and in good working order before it is used for monitoring.

The Monitoring Coordinator maintains a supply of replacement equipment and reagents at the Keeper office. If any equipment or chemical reagent is found to be defective in any way please contact the Monitoring Coordinator for immediate replacement.

The quantity of reagent and other chemicals needed for most tests is anticipated to assure that you receive replacements before your supplies become exhausted, usually every 3 to 4 months. The Monitoring Coordinator will rotate out chemical stocks every four to six months or according to manufacturer’s recommendation.

2. When You’re Done Testing

Liquid Wastes

In selecting the testing methods employed by the Keeper monitoring program efforts have been made to minimize the production of hazardous wastes. Still, it is important that you handle all your liquid wastes with care and see that they are disposed of properly. Your kit is supplied with two brown wastewater bottles. These are to be used to collect all wastes produced while monitoring. These wastes will not react together in a detrimental way when mixed. Thus, there should be no concern with respect to the formation of toxic gases or explosions. When you get home you can transfer your liquid waste to a plastic milk jug or other plastic container. When this becomes full bring it to the Keeper office for disposal.

 Equipment and Supplies

It is important to clean and properly stow all of your equipment and reagents after each monitoring event. Most of your equipment is re-usable and, if properly cared for, will serve you and other volunteer monitors for years to come. A few items, however, are designed to be disposed after one use. They include: any pipet which comes in a sealed plastic wrapper, the pre-treated petri dishes used in the Coliscan test and empty Coliscan Easygel® bottles.

The following pieces of equipment should be thoroughly rinsed with tap water before being stowed in your monitoring kit:

 Your tide book, color chart and other paper materials should be kept as dry as possible and stored in the zip-lock bags provided for them. All equipment should also be dried and properly stowed in the black plastic "suitcase" to protect them it excess exposure to light. Keep the suitcase in a dry place protected from extremes of heat and cold. Don't leave it in your car, which can get pretty hot in the summer and pretty cold in the winter. Chemicals may also freeze if kept in a garage or arctic entry.

Always keep all chemicals and equipment out reach of children and pets at all times.

VIII. DATA MANAGEMENT & REPORTING

1. Verifying Accuracy

Check your data sheets prior to sending them in to the Keeper office. Look to see that they are complete and that all figures are legible. Be sure that all monitors have signed next to their names. Take a final look at all the numbers to see if any seem anomalous. If you find illegible or incorrectly entered data do not attempt to erase them. Draw one line through the entry and write the correct information just to the right of it.

The Monitoring Coordinator and the Program Director will check each data sheet for missing or illegible information, errors in calculation and values outside of the expected range. If questions arise, you may be contacted for clarification, so it’s important to keep a copy of each data sheet for your records.

Data is then entered into the Keeper data system, which is designed to flag any values that fall outside of the expected range for each parameter. On a quarterly basis the Monitoring Coordinator will send you printouts of your data to check for errors against your original data sheets. Errors in data entry can then be corrected and inconsistencies can be flagged for further review.

2. Data Analysis & Reporting

Data will be presented annually using graph and report formats to document baseline water quality, identify trends and detect deficiencies in data collection or program design.

Annual reports will include discussion of any data quality problems. These reports will be provided to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Reports will also be available to other government agencies, to volunteer monitors, and to citizen groups. Members of the Citizens Advisory Panel and the Technical Advisory Committee will be asked to review annual reports and offer suggestions for improving the Citizens’ Environmental Monitoring Program. Suggestions from water quality monitors are welcome and encouraged at any time.

3. What It All Means

Although it is still relatively pristine, the Cook Inlet watershed is beginning to show the signs of environmental stress associated with increased population, development and urbanization. Currently the watershed is home to roughly two thirds of Alaska’s human population. Long-time residents have seen local declines in inter-tidal biological communities and species abundance in Cook Inlet waters, but no one can say for sure whether pollution and human impacts are directly harming the resources of Cook Inlet. While a number of studies have been done by government, universities, and industry, the fact remains that there is not enough baseline data available to determine the effects of point and non-point source pollution on the water quality of the Cook Inlet Watershed.

Cook Inlet waters support multi-million dollar sport and commercial fisheries, and provide important subsistence resources for native and other groups. Citizens, industry and resource managers need a comprehensive ongoing water quality monitoring program to understand the potential effects of water pollution on Cook Inlet in order to make economically and environmentally sound decisions.

Many state and federal agencies lack the resources to conduct continuous water quality monitoring projects at a representative number of sites throughout the basin. Cook Inlet Keeper’s Citizen’s Environmental Monitoring Program can collect accurate baseline data using trained volunteers in a cost effective manner. With your help we can build a greater understanding of what makes our watershed so abundant, and what might threaten its abundance.

9. QUALITY CONTROL

he Keeper has submitted a Quality Assurance Project Plan with the US EPA and the ADEC. In accordance with this plan the Monitoring Coordinator will make an effort to join 2 to 4 volunteer teams each month to assist with monitoring and ensure that all equipment is functioning properly and all protocols are being followed.

Two Quality Control / Re-training sessions are scheduled each year (one in the spring and one in the fall). All volunteers are asked to attend at least one of these day-long sessions each year to ensure the consistency and accuracy of our water quality monitoring efforts. These quality control sessions will include a laboratory and field practicum along with discussions of monitoring techniques and suggestions for improving the water quality monitoring program.

APPENDIX A

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Glossary of Terms

 Glossary of Terms

Acid - a substance with more hydrogen (H+) ions than hydroxide (OH-) ions (pH less than 7)

Algae(pl), alga - a collective term referring to several groups of simple photosynthetic plants, mostly microscopic, lacking roots, stems and leaves; they can be found in a variety of habitats; many species of algae exist as single cells, others form simple filaments or colonies and others exist as more complex structures like the larger seaweeds

Algal bloom - a particularly extensive growth of algae in a body of water; this is usually a result of increased nutrient content

Alkaline - a substance with more hydroxide (OH-) ions than hydrogen (H+) ions (pH greater than 7)

Ammonia (NH⁴) - a colorless gas consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms; it is the main substance used by organisms as a source of nitrogen

Ampule – sealed container of liquid

Bacteria - a group of essentially single-celled microscopic organisms lacking chlorophyll which break down material

Baseline Water Quality – a measure of naturally occurring water quality used for comparing water quality over time and identifying water quality trends

Basin - an area drained by a given river and its tributaries (see catchment)

Beaufort Wind Scale – an internationally agreed upon scale of wind force that has thirteen standardized categories and associated descriptions

Borger Color System – a standardized system of numbered color chips originally devised to measure the color of flies for fisherman now widely used for determining the apparent color of water

Catchment - the area of land that is drained by a river and its tributaries; the dividing line between catchments is physically defined by mountains, crests of hills or the ridge of high ground

Coliform bacteria - bacteria, found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, that aid in the digestion process; used as indicators of fecal contamination in water-quality analyses

Color Comparator – devise used in colorimetric testing

Conductivity - a measure of electronic resistance caused by organic and inorganic materials in water; conductivity can also be used to measure salinity

Dissolved oxygen - the amount of oxygen dissolved in water and available for living organisms to use for respiration

Distilled Water – water that has had most of its impurities removed

Ecosystem – biotic community (living organisms) and its abiotic (non-living) environment function as one system

Effluent - waste material (e.g., smoke, sewage etc.) discharged into the environment

Equilibrate – bring into equilibrium or balance

Erosion - the wearing away of the land by running water, rainfall, wind, ice or other geological agent or process including weathering, dissolution, abrasion and corrosion

E. coli (Escherichia coli) - one of the species of bacteria in the fecal coliform group; it is found in large numbers in the gastro-intestinal tract and feces of warm-blooded animals and humans; its presence in water is considered indicative of fecal contamination

Estuary - an open drainage depression adjacent to the sea, typically at the mouth of a river, into which the tide ebbs and flows; tide movements accentuate erosion and continually modify the drainage channels within the estuary

Eutrophic - waters enriched with plant nutrients, which may become deoxygenated

Eutrophication - the natural and artificial addition of nutrients to a waterbody, which may lead to depleted oxygen concentrations – eutrophication is a natural process that is frequently accelerated and intensified by human activities

Fecal - relating to animal, including human, excrement

Fecal Coliform – coliform bacteria of the species Escherichia coli (occasionally the Klebsiella species is included in this category as well)

Fertilizer - any substance, natural or manufactured, added to the soil to supply essential plant nutrients for plant growth

Field Observations – observational data collected on site

Heavy metals - any element with an 'atomic number' larger than 20 that can be precipitated by hydrogen sulfide in acid solution; e.g., copper, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury

Hydrometer – instrument used to measure the specific gravity of liquid

Ions - electrically charged molecules; often formed when an electrically neutral molecule is dissolved in water and disassociates

Jackson Turbidity Unit (JTU) – standard measure of turbidity produced by adding measured amounts of a reagent to clear distilled water until its clarity is reduced to match that of a water sample; JTUs can be directly equated to NTUs (Nephelometric Turbidity Units)

Leaching - the process by which water percolates through a particular solid, usually layers of soil; when water 'leaches' through the soil it often dissolves and then carries away many other substances

Macro-invertebrate - animals without a backbone and visible to the naked eye

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) – product safety information sheets prepared by manufacturers and marketers of products containing toxic chemicals

Motile - capable of motion, particularly locomotion

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) – standard measure of turbidity obtained using an electronic Nephelometer; NTUs can be directly equated to JTUs (Jackson Turbidity Units)

Nitrate (NO₃) - a compound of nitric acid and a given alkali

Nitrite (NO₂) – a salt or ester of nitrous acid

Nitrogen (N) – one of the major nutrients required for the growth of plants, present usually as organic nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate, and forms of nitrite; excess nitrogen can cause accelerated eutrophication in waterbodies

Non-point-source pollution - a source of pollution that cannot be pinpointed, because it comes from many individual places or a widespread area (e.g., urban and agricultural run-off);

NPDES Permit – the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System is the title of section 402 of the Clean Water Act. NPDES is used to describe all permits issued under this section which deals with point sources of pollution

Nutrient - derived from living matter and including elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur; nutrients are essential for plant growth but can adversely effect land and aquatic ecosystems if present at high levels

Orthophosphate – inorganic phosphate that is readily dissolved in water

Parts per million (ppm) - the number of parts by weight of a substance per million parts of liquid

Pathogenic bacteria – bacterial capable of causing disease

Percent of saturation – a comparison of the measure of dissolved oxygen in a liquid against the maximum dissolved oxygen concentration for that liquid at a given temperature and salinity

pH - a numerical measure of the hydrogen in concentration used to indicate the alkalinity or acidity of a substance – measured on a scale of 1.0 (acidic) to 14.0 (basic) where a value of 7 is neutral; as pH is a logarithmic scale, a pH of 3 is 10 times as acidic as a pH of 4 and 100 times as acidic as a pH of 5

Phosphate (PO₄) - a salt or ester of any phosphoric acid: it provides organisms with phosphorus in a useable form; often used in fertilizers and detergents

Phosphorus (P) - a non-metallic element that is an important nutrient for all organisms

Photosynthesis - the process by which plants produce organic matter from inorganic chemicals, using solar energy, with the liberation of oxygen

Pipet – an eye dropper-like instrument that can measure very small amounts of liquid

Plankton - small animals and plants which float or drift in the water body

Point-source pollution - a source of pollution that can be pinpointed

Pollution – when the level or concentration of any contaminant is high enough to have an adverse affect upon other elements of the ecosystem

Precipitate – a substance that is separated out from a solution as a solid by the action of chemical reagents, temperature, etc.

Quality control – those activities performed during data collection to produce data of a desired quality in order to document that quality

Reagent – a substance or chemical used to indicate the presence of a chemical or to induce a chemical reaction to determine the chemical characteristics of a solution

Redox – see oxygen reduction potential

Riffle – shallow area in a stream where water flows swiftly over gravel and rock

Run-off - the portion of rainfall or irrigation (e.g., lawn sprinkler) water that flows across the land's surface, does not soak into the ground and eventually runs into a water body; it may pick up and carry a variety of pollutants

Salinity concentration of salts, measured in parts per thousand or grams per litre

Salts compounds that dissociate in water to yield a positively charged ion and a negatively charged acid radical ion

Saturated – inundated; filled to the point of capacity or beyond

Sediment - insoluble material suspended in water consisting mainly of particles derived from rocks, soil and organic materials; can be a major non-point-source pollutant to which other pollutants may attach

Sessile – permanently fixed; immobile

Sewage - household and commercial waste-water that contains human waste

Silt - fine particles of rock, soil or organic material that can be suspended in water

Specific Gravity – a measure of the density of a substance divided by the density of pure water at 4°C

Stewardship –caring for the land for both short and long term needs within the capacity of the environment to provide those needs

Surface water – precipitation which does not soak into the ground or return to that atmosphere by evaporation or transpiration; it is stored in streams, lakes wetlands, reservoirs and other depressions like puddles and ditches

Suspended solids – a mixture of fine particles dispersed in a liquid

Tidal Stage – a period in the tidal cycle, ie. high tide, high ebb, ebb, low ebb, low tide, low flood, flood, high flood

Topographical map - a map that shows (by means of color and contour lines) the ground surface features of a region

Toxic - being harmful, destructive or deadly to organisms

Tributary - an inflow of water from a smaller body into a larger one; natural examples include streams and creeks, while human-made examples include drains and sewerage pipes

Trophic – relative position in the food web in terms of securing nutrients

Turbidity – murkiness or cloudiness of water, indicating the presence of some suspended sediments, dissolved solids, natural or human-made chemicals, algae, etc.

Upwelling – a process in the sea whereby subsurface water is displaced toward the surface

Watershed – total land area that contributes runoff to a particular waterbody

APPENDIX B

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Monitoring Policy Statement

MONITORING POLICY

1. Each monitoring station or site will have one primary monitor or Team Leader and at least one alternate. If both primary and alternate monitors for any particular site are from the same household, a third person must be assigned as alternate to provide coverage for vacations, etc.
2. In order to maximize site coverage in the event of illnesses or vacations, efforts will be made to avoid assigning the same two monitors to any two sites.
3. All primary and alternate monitors will be at least 16 years old. People under 16 are welcome to attend training and quality control sessions and to assist monitors at the sites.
4. All monitors will complete phases I through III of training prior to monitoring and attend at least one of the two quality control sessions held each year.
5. Each monitoring team will have its own kit. Team Leaders will be responsible for maintaining their kits and for notifying the Monitoring Coordinator of any problems with their equipment. Team Leaders will bring their kits to all quality control sessions.
6. If a Team Leader is not able to monitor on a scheduled date it is their responsibility to locate an alternate monitor and provide them with their monitoring kit. If this is not possible the Team Leader should contact the Monitoring Coordinator to make arrangements, preferably in advance of the sampling session. Monitors are responsible for reporting equipment problems, reagent shortages, etc. to their team leaders or the Monitoring Coordinator.
7. All monitors will take part in monitoring at least once every four (4) months to maintain familiarity with equipment, procedures, and sites.
8. All monitors will have the option of joining an "alternate pool" in addition to their regular teams. The pool will provide coverage when regular monitors are not available at a given site. Only trained monitors may join this pool.
9. All monitors will be responsible for the quality and completeness of the data they themselves collect and for submitting this data to the Monitoring Coordinator on a timely basis. Monitors will also be responsible for maintaining an ample supply of standardized data.
10. The Monitoring Coordinator will be responsible for the overall quality of the data collected by the program. If problems arise with the data collected by any particular monitor, the Monitoring Coordinator will work with the monitor to resolve these problems.

APPENDIX C

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

References & Further Reading

Preparing This Manual Include:

Water Quality Monitoring Manual (1996)

Friends of Casco Bay

2 Fort Road

South Portland, ME 04106

Volunteer Environmental Monitoring Manual (1992)

Texas Watch

Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission

P.O. Box 13087

Austin, TX 78711-3087

Volunteer Manual (1992)

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network

P.O. Box 753

Lambertville, NJ 08530

Volunteer Stream Monitoring Methods Manual (1995)

Clean Water Initiative

Tennessee Valley Authority

1101 Market Street, CST 17D

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402-2801

The Monitor’s Handbook (1992)

LaMotte Company

P.O. Box 329

Chestertown, MD 21620

A Methods Manual (1993)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Water

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds

Oceans and Coastal Protection Division

401 M Street, SW (4504F)

Washington, DC 20460

 Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (19^th Edition, 1995)

American Public Health Association, et.al.

1015 Fifteenth Street, NW

Washington, DC 20005

A Methods Manual

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds

Volunteer Monitoring (4503F)

401 M Street, SW

Washington, DC 20460

Volunteer Monitors Include:

Streamkeeper’s Field Guide (5^th Edition, 1996)

Paul Murdoch & Martha Cheo

Adopt-A-Stream Foundation

600 – 128^th Street SE

Everett, WA 98208

Water Resource Handbook (1996)

Larry W. Mays, Editor-in-Chief

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona

A Methods Manual (1991)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Water

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds

Assessment & Watershed Protection Division

WH-553

401 M Street, SW

Washington, DC 20460

The Volunteer Monitor (Biannual Publication)

Eleanor Ely, Editor

The Volunteer Monitor

1318 Masonic Ave.

San Francisco, CA 94117

Field Manual for Water Quality Monitoring (1990)

Mark K. Mitchell & William B Stapp

2050 Delaware Ave.

Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Laboratory Manual for Marine Science Studies

(1993)

LaMotte Company

P.O. Box 329

Chestertown, MD 21620

Handbook of Hydrology (1993)

David R. Maidment, Editor-in-Chief

McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Princeton Road, S-1

Highstown, NJ 08520

An Introduction to Environmental Chemistry

(1996)

J.E. Andrews, P. Brimblecombe

T.D. Jickells and P.S. Liss

School of Environmental Science

University of East Anglia

Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK

Environmental Science (1992)

Gareth Jones, Alan Robertson

Jean Forbes, Graham Hollier

HarperCollins Publishers

10 East 53^rd Street

New York, NY 10022

and Environmental Engineering (1991)

Terence J. McGhee

McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Princeton Road, S-1

Highstown, NJ 08520

to the Nation’s Drinking Water (1997)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Water (4601)

Washington, DC 20460

Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (1977)

Sybil P. Parker, Editor-in-Chief

McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Princeton Road, S-1

Highstown, NJ 08520

APPENDIX D

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

MEMBER LIST

APPENDIX E

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Liability Release Form

LIABILITY

The Cook Inlet Keeper (Keeper) Citizens’ Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP) intends that volunteers participating in any Keeper activity are not acting on behalf of Cook Inlet Keeper or any Keeper partner in any capacity. As such, it is Cook Inlet Keeper’s intent that volunteers are not authorized to be considered agents, employees, or authorized representatives of Keeper or any Keeper partner for any purpose, and that volunteers are not entitled to the same benefits received by employees of Keeper or any Keeper partner.

Volunteers must recognize the potential for injuries to themselves and their real and personal property which may result from volunteer activities conducted with the Cook Inlet Keeper Citizens’ Environmental Monitoring Program or other activities sponsored or organized by the Keeper. Keeper and all Keeper partners intend that the volunteers expressly assume all risks and liability for any injuries to, or caused by, volunteers under this program.

Liability Release

In consideration of the foregoing, I, myself, my heirs, and executors do hereby release and discharge Cook Inlet Keeper and all Cook Inlet Keeper supporting organizations for all claims, damages, actions and whatever in any manner arising or growing out of my participation in said monitoring program or other activities sponsored or organized by Keeper.

Date ___________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________

Volunteer Printed Name Parent or Guardian Printed Name

___________________________________ ___________________________________

Volunteer Signature Parent or Guardian Signature

Address ______________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number ________________

EMERGENCY CONTACTS:

Name Relationship Telephone Number

Name Relationship Telephone Number

Special Instructions: ___________________________________________________________

APPENDIX F

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Materials Safety Data Sheets

APPENDIX G

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Property Access Form

Property Access Form

Monitoring Site Name: __________________________________ Site Number: ____________

Site Location: Latitude: ______________ Longitude: _____________ Elevation: _________

Site Description: ________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Description of Access Route to Site: ________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Property Ownership – Site: _______________________________________________________

Property Ownership – Access Route: _______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

If site or site access route is located on private property, the primary monitor must obtain signed authorization from the property owner before sampling can begin. The monitor should approach the property owner(s), explain the purpose of their monitoring activity and request permission to access property owner’s land. Each private property owner involved will need to grant permission and sign a Property Access Form before monitoring can begin. Monitors should respect private property and property owners at all times and make every effort to minimize impact to private lands.

Landowner Permission Form & Liability Waiver

I, (print name)___________________________ am the legal owner of property described above. I understand that, ____________________________, a volunteer water quality monitor for Cook Inlet Keeper (Keeper) will require access to this property, once monthly throughout winter months and twice monthly during summer months, in order to sample and test water quality at the water quality monitoring site designated above. I hereby grant my permission for said access to _________________________, or an alternate water quality monitor designate by Keeper for the sole purpose of water quality monitoring. I grant this permission on the condition that the Cook Inlet Keeper organization, and all its water quality monitors do hereby release me from any and all legal and other responsibilities and liabilities, including, but not limited to physical and other harms which might befall Keeper volunteers or staff while using this land for the purpose of monitoring water quality. It is also understood that said water quality monitors will not cause undue damage or negative impact on this property in the course of their monitoring activities.

________________________________ ______________________________

Signature of legal owner of property Signature of primary monitor for

described as: _____________________ Keeper monitoring site # ________

________________________________ ______________________________

Date signed: _____________________ Steve Hackett, Monitoring Coordinator

Cook Inlet Keeper

APPENDIX H

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

BEAUFORT WIND SCALE

APPENDIX I

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Monitor Data Sheet

APPENDIX J

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Hydrometer Conversion Chart

APPENDIX K

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Tidal Stage Guide

GUIDE TO TIDAL STAGES

For example, if high tide were at 14:00 (2:00 PM) and you were sampling two hours earlier at 12:00 noon, the tidal stage would be "flood." If you were sampling one hour earlier, the stage would be "high flood"; one hour later would be "high ebb" and two hours later would be simply "ebb." Only the period from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM would be considered "high."

APPENDIX L

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Odor Identification Chart

Odor Identification Chart

A system of qualitative descriptions helps monitors describe and record detected odors. The following classifications are included in the tenth edition of Standard Methods.

APPENDIX M

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Figure 2: Sample Chain of Custody Form

APPENDIX N

COOK INLET KEEPER

Volunteer Training Manual

Pollution Response System

Pollution Response System

In order to raise awareness about the impacts of human activities on Cook Inlet ecosystems and to ensure effective response to pollution events, Cook Inlet Keeper has initiated a Pollution Response System. Keeper is organizing citizens to be its "eyes and ears" to help identify and address pollution and habitat destruction in the vast Cook Inlet watershed.

Citizens are encouraged to take note of any environmentally harmful activities they observe. Keeper has published a Cook Inlet Watershed Directory listing all government agencies and other organizations involved with caring for Cook Inlet. When you call our Toll-free Hotline (1-888-MY INLET) between 9:00AM and 6:00PM, Monday through Friday a staff person will take your report and help direct you to the regulatory agency responsible for responding to your concern.

Keeper will record the information you provide about the nature and location of the pollution event and enter it into our database. Our computerized database will help track pollution throughout the watershed and allow us to follow agency response. If the relevant agency does not respond effectively and in a timely manner, Keeper may conduct an on-site investigation, advocate to governmental officials on your behalf or help you organize your neighbors to compel action.

The local, state and federal agencies charged with protecting our environment cannot possibly monitor every potentially harmful activity in an area as large as Cook Inlet watershed and recent budget cuts have made it ever more difficult for agencies to operate effectively. Alaska’s water resources belong to all its citizens. Keeping our water clean for future generations will require all Alaskan to become involved in pollution prevention.

APPENDIX NO. 4

TEST VALUES REQUIRING SPECIAL RESPONSE

Routine water monitoring at any one monitoring station will establish what parameter values are "normal" for that station and how these values change with the seasons and with periodic events such as storms. However, monitoring may also detect values which fall outside the established "norm." Such readings may signal episodic events or short-lived phenomena which are worthy of response or further analysis. On the other hand, oddball readings may indicate that there's something wrong with your equipment.

If you detect values in the ranges shown below, report the situation to the Monitoring Coordinator as soon as possible by calling (907) 235-4068. If you speak to a person, be sure to get their name. If you get the answering machine, please leave a message including a description of the problem you've found. Depending upon the circumstances, you may be directed to repeat a measurement, collect and forward a sample, or participate in a further investigation, perhaps offshore or upstream.

SPECIAL RESPONSE TABLE