United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory
Las Vegas IW 891 14
Research and Development
EPA 600 S8-87 019 June 198
&EPA Project Summary
National Surface Water Survey,
National Stream Survey,
Pilot Survey—Field
Operations Report
C M Knapp, C L. Mayer, D V Peck, J R Baker, and G J Filbm
The National Stream Survey (NSS)
is one of the programs within the
National Surface Water Survey of the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The proposed research plan for Phase
I of the NSS was evaluated during a
pilot survey conducted in the spring and
summer of 1985. A base of operations
that included a mobile laboratory was
established at Sylva, NC. Selected
locations of 61 streams in the southern
Blue Ridge region of the United States
were sampled four times during a 57-
day period. This report chronicles the
activities required to plan and conduct
the field operations of the NSS pilot
survey.
Preparatory activities for the NSS
pilot survey are described, including the
personnel training program and site
reconnaissance activities. The equip-
ment and protocols (including quality
assurance measures) used to collect
water samples and to conduct field
measurements of pH, conductivity, and
dissolved oxygen are presented. Field
laboratory activities are summarized,
including a protocol for preparing a
fraction for analysis of organically-
complexed monomeric aluminum spe-
cies. The fractionation procedure used
was feasible, but alternative methodol-
ogies should be investigated. Certain
protocols for collecting samples or
conducting field measurements were
compared against possible alterna-
tives. Filtering samples during collec-
tion was determined to be unfeasible.
Use of a peristaltic pump to collect
samples was found to be more suitable
than collecting discrete grab samples.
Measurements of pH could be con-
ducted at streamside without concern
for effects of CO; degassing.
Experiments investigating the holding
time of unpreserved water samples are
presented in two appendices to this
report. The results of these experiments
indicate that sample holding times
could be extended without compro-
mising the accuracy or quality of the
data.
The NSS pilot survey was completed
on schedule and demonstrated that a
large-scale synoptic survey of streams
was logistically feasible. The NSS also
confirmed that the basic research
design, quality assurance plan, and
data analysis plan of the NSS would
provide the necessary information to
meet the objectives of the NSS. Per-
tinent cost information and specific
recommendations regarding various
aspects of field operations are provided
for those planning similar projects
This Project Summary was devel-
oped by EPA 's Environmental Monitor-
ing Systems Laboratory. Las Vegas,
NV. to announce key findings of the
research project that is fully docu-
mented in a separate report of the same
title (see Project Report ordering
information at back)
Introduction
The National Surface Water Survey
(NSWS) is a three-phase program
designed and implemented by the U S
Environmental Protection Agency This
large-scale survey is a part of the
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1
National Acid Precipitation Assessment
Program A primary objective of the
NSWS is to provide quantitative regional-
scale assessments of the present chem-
ical status of surface waters potentially
.-31 risk from acidic deposition. The NSWS
s composed of two major component
orojects the National Lake Survey (NLS)
and the National Stream Survey (NSS).
In preparation for Phase I of the NSS,
a pilot survey of 61 streams was con-
ducted in the southern Blue Ridge area
of the eastern U S during the spring and
summer of 1984 The pilot survey served
to evaluate all aspects of the proposed
NSS Phase I research plan, including
data quality objectives, sampling design,
sampling and analytical methodologies,
equipment, field logistics, and the data
analysis plan This report documents and
evaluates those activities that were
related to planning and conducting the
field operations of the NSS pilot survey
The Environmental Monitoring Systems
Laboratory of the EPA in Las Vegas,
Nevada (EMSL-Las Vegas), was respon-
sible for planning and conducting the
pilot survey field operations Support for
this effort and field personnel were
provided by Lockheed Engineering and
Management Services Company, Inc
Planning and Preparation for
Field Operations
Protocols for collecting water samples
from streams and for measuring certain
chemical and physical parameters in the
field were developed by considering
recommended methodologies, quality
assurance requirements, and available
equipment Protocols to be used in a field
laboratory trailer to measure conductivity
and to prepare a fraction for analysis of
organic monomeric aluminum were also
developed
Potential sites for the location of the
pilot survey field station were evaluated,
and a field laboratory trailer designed for
use in NSWS studies was transported to
Southwest Technical College in Sylva,
NC Personnel who had previous expe-
rience in NSWS projects were recruited
as field samplers or field laboratory
analysts Each group was trained over
.? 5-day period to become familiar with
orotocols and other aspects of field
operations Additional training was
:onducted at the field station before the
start of sampling activities
A total of 61 stream reaches (i e , a
ength of stream between two points of.
confluence with tributaries) were tar-
geted for sampling Fifty-six of these
reaches (termed "reqular" reaches) were
selected according to the statistical
design set forth in the NSS research plan.
The remaining six reaches were selected
as "special interest" sites because of (1)
the availability of historical water quality
data or because (2) they were sampling
sites of ongoing studies by other inves-
tigators Basic access information on
each reach was obtained from persons
familiar with the area before the start
of field operations A dossier was com-
piled for each sampling site that included
maps and other pertinent access infor-
mation Each site was visited just before
the start of sampling operations to verify
the access information, record site
characteristics, and to install hydrologic
staff gauges
Field Station Operations
Field operations were conducted
between March 1 and April 30, and
between June 26 and July 17, 1985. In
the spring sampling period, each stream
reach was sampled near its downstream
end three times at two-week intervals
During the third round of visits, 23
reaches were also sampled near their
upstream end During the summer
sampling period, all reaches were
sampled once at both downstream and
upstream ends Three two-man teams
used four-wheel drive vehicles to access
most sampling sites Access to a few
sites required additional travel by foot,
boat, or horseback Each team could
sample one to three streams per day
Water samples were collected at each
location by using a portable peristaltic
pump Stream pH was measured on two
different aliquots of stream water one
exposed to the atmosphere (open system
measurement), the other not exposed to
the atmosphere (closed system) Conduc-
tivity and dissolved oxygen were meas
ured in situ The specific procedures and
associated quality assurance and quality
control measures are described in the
report
Water samples were returned to the
field laboratory within 9 hours of collec-
tion Samples were organized into a
batch for analysis and processing Qual-
ity assurance samples were also
included m each batch At the field
laboratory, samples were analyzed for pH
and DIG (closed system measurements),
turbidity, and true color Bulk water
samples were also processed into eight
different aliquots and were preserved for
later analysis at a contract analytical
laboratory Two of these aliquots were
prepared for analysis of monomeric
aluminum species Preparation of these
aliquots involved an extraction procedure
using methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) In j
one aliquot, extraction was preceded by
passing the sample through an ion-
exchange column to remove inorganic
aluminum complexes The following day,
preserved aliquots were shipped to the
contract analytical laboratory via over-
night courier Field and field laboratory
data forms were shipped to the data
management center (Oak Ridge National
Laboratory) and to quality assurance
personnel (EMSL-Las Vegas)
The pilot survey was successfully
completed on schedule Fifty-seven days
of operation were required to complete
the required sampling A total of 759
samples were analyzed, including quality
assurance samples The field sampling
effort required almost 45,000 miles of
vehicletravelandS 14hours of field time
per day Each sampling team was out
fitted to collect samples and field data
at a cost of between $2,500 and $3,000
Observations and
Recommendations
A major objective of the pilot survey
was to evaluate the suitability of the
equipment and the protocols used to
collect and analyze stream water sani
pies All field protocols were evaluated
and alternative equipment or melhodol i
ogies were tested when possible
Selected field laboratory protocols were
also tested
The results of these evaluations mdi
cate that the equipment and protocols
used in the field to collect samples and
conduct field measurements satisfied the
requirements of the NSS The filtration
of stream water as it was being collected,
however, proved to be unfeasible Com
parison of the two strearnside pH meas
urements (open system vs closed sys
tern) indicated that there was no
apparent effect of CO, outgassmg. and
the open system measurement was
recommended for future use Measure
ment of conductivity at the field labor
atory proved feasible in terms of required
bench space and equipment The prep
aration of the two aluminum extracts was
very time consuming, however, and
alternative methodologies should be
investigated Two experiments were
conducted during or immediately follow
ing the pilot survey to determine the
length of time water samples could be
held unpreserved without a significant
change in chemical composition These
experiments, described in two append-
ices to the report, indicated that sealed .
syringes are impermeable to carbon \
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dioxide for at least 7 days if kept
refrigerated and that water held in
refrigerated plastic containers without
headspace did not show substantial
changes in chemical composition for at
least 84 hours after collection
Problems encountered and corrective
actions implemented during the pilot
survey are summarized for four major
areas field safety, planning activities,
field sampling operations, and field
laboratory operations Recommenda-
tions for future consideration are also
presented where appropriate
This report is submitted in partial
fulfillment of contract 68-03-3249 by
Lockheed Engineering and Management
Services Company, Inc , under the
sponsorship of the U S Environmental
Protection Agency This report covers a
period from January 1985 to July 1985
diid work was completed as of September
1986
C M Knapp, C L Mayer. D V Peck. J R Baker, and G J Filbin are with
Lockheed Engineering and Management Services Company. Inc Las Veuas
NV89119
Wesley L Kmney is the EPA Project Oflrcer Isee belowi
The complete report, entitled 'National Surface Water Survey. National Stream
Survey Pilot Survey Field Operations Report. /Order No PB 8/ 188
AS Cost $ 18 9bi will be available only from
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