CATALOG DOCUMENTATION EMAP-GREAT LAKES PROGRAM LEVEL DATABASE 1994 LAKE MICHIGAN NEARSHORE TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS DATA TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. DATA SET IDENTIFICATION 2. INVESTIGATOR INFORMATION 3. DATA SET ABSTRACT 4. OBJECTIVES AND INTRODUCTION 5. DATA ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING METHODS 6. DATA MANIPULATIONS 7. DATA DESCRIPTION 8. GEOGRAPHIC AND SPATIAL INFORMATION 9. QUALITY CONTROL/QUALITY ASSURANCE 10. DATA ACCESS 11. REFERENCES 12. TABLE OF ACRONYMS 13. PERSONNEL INFORMATION 1. DATA SET IDENTIFICATION 1.1 Title of Catalog document EMAP-Great Lakes Program Level Database 1994 Lake Michigan Nearshore Total Suspended Solids Data 1.2 Authors of the Catalog entry Jenny Kysely, ILS 1.3 Catalog revision date 6 January 1997 1.4 Data set name LMSS94 1.5 Task Group Great Lakes 1.6 Data set identification code 503 ------- 1.7 Version 001 1.8 Requested Acknowledgment These data were produced as part of the U.S. EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). If you plan to publish these data in any way, EPA requires a standard statement for work it has supported: "Although the data described in this article has been funded wholly or in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through its EMAP-Great Lakes Program, it has not been subjected to Agency review, and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred." 2. INVESTIGATOR INFORMATION 2.1 Principal Investigator Tom Nalepa Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab NOAA Ann Arbor, Michigan 2.2 Investigation Participant - Sample Collection Tom Nalepa Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab NOAA Ann Arbor, Michigan 3. DATA SET ABSTRACT 3.1 Abstract of the Data Set The Lake Michigan Total Suspended Solids data set provides the total suspended solids values at thirty-nine sampling locations located within the nearshore region of Lake Michigan. Total suspended solids was analyzed from samples collected at the surface, approximately at the 1 meter depth. A one liter portion of the surface sample was filtered through a pre-weighed 1.0 glass fiber filter using a vacuum filtration apparatus. The filter was placed in a plastic petri dish and frozen. 3.2 Keywords for the Data Set Total suspended solids, composite sample, nearshore region, Lake Michigan 4. OBJECTIVES AND INTRODUCTION 4.1 Program Objective The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) was designed to periodically estimate the status and trends of the Nation's ecological resources on a regional basis. EMAP provides a strategy to identify and bound the extent, magnitude and location of environmental degradation and improvement on a regional scale based on station sites randomly located in the Great Lakes. Three-fold enhanced sampling sites from nearshore Lake Michigan are included in this data set. ------- 4.2 Data Set Objective The primary objective of the total suspended solids data set is to characterize the trophic status endpoint by providing estimates of the mass of suspended matter per unit volume of sample which can reduce light transmission, therefore, causing an effect on photosynthesis. Thus, it is a stressor indicator of water column optical characteristics. 4.3 Background Discussion Stressor indicators provide important information concerning changes that occur in the condition of an ecological resource, which are influenced by natural and anthropogenic causes. Total suspended solids is an important factor addressing the trophic status of an ecosystem. Total suspended solids is defined as the mass of suspended matter per unit volume of sample and it is expressed in units of mg per liter. It is also referred to as "residue" which is material left in a vessel after evaporation of a water sample. Turbidity in water is caused by suspended matter and it is an expression of the optical property of the water column which can effect light penetration and the trophogenic zone. Water column optical characteristics are important factors determining the condition and productivity of an aquatic system, thus, total suspended solids addresses the trophic status endpoint and it is a stressor indicator because it can elicit a change in photosynthesis (i.e. chlorophyll_a is a condition indicator). Other water chemistry parameters, and biotic and abiotic parameters were measured which will be helpful with total suspended solids data interpretation. 4.4 Summary of Data Set Parameters Total suspended solids values are reported for composite samples for each sampling station. 5. DATA ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING METHODS 5.1 Data Acqui si ti on 5.1.1 Sampling Objective To collect water samples from 39 sampling sites from the nearshore region of Lake Michigan. A 4 Liter Van Dorn water sampler was used to collect water samples from the surface, approximately at the 1 meter depth. 5.1.2 Sample Collection Methods Summary The water samples were subsampled for total suspended solids measurements by obtaining a one liter portion from the surface sample. Each sample was filtered through a pre-weighed 1.0 glass fiber filter using a vacuum filtration apparatus. The filter was placed in a plastic dish and frozen until laboratory analysis. 5.1.3 Beginning Sampling Date 18 July 1994 5.1.4 Ending Sampling Date 5 August 1994 ------- 5.1.5 Platform Sampling was conducted from the R/V Shanahan. 5.1.6 Sampling Equipment A 4 Liter Van Dorn water sampler was used to collect water samples. A 2 Liter graduated cylinder was used for measuring the subsample volume for filtering. A filtering apparatus with a vacuum pump was used for filtering samples. Pre-weighed Millipore 1.0 type PFG5 glass fiber filters, were used for collecting total suspended solids. 5.1.7 Manufacturer of Instrument 5.1.8 Key Variables This data set contains surface water sample values. Four sites had duplicate field samples and are averaged for the surface depth. 5.1.9 Collection Method Calibration The sampling gear required no calibration. 5.1.10 Collection Quality Control Duplicate field samples at four sites (10% of sites) were taken. 5.1.11 Sample Collection Method Reference Strobel, C.J. and S.C. Schimmel, 1991. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Near Coastal. 1991 Virginian Province, Field Operations and Safety Manual. U.S. EPA, NHEERL-AED, Narragansett, RI. June 1991. 5.2 Data Processing and Sample Processing 5.2.1 Sample Processing Objective To process total suspended solids for the trophic status endpoint and evaluate as a stressor indicator. 5.2.2 Sample Processing Methods Summary Filters were pre-washed with 100 mL of distilled water using a vacuum apparatus. Filters were placed in aluminum weighing pans and dried to 103-105 deg C for approximately one hour in a drying oven. Filters were placed in a desiccator after drying. Filters were weighed after removal from desiccator. After collection, samples were stored as frozen filters in plastic petri dishes until laboratory analysis. Filters were dried for approximately one hour at 103-105 deg C. Samples were cooled in desiccator and weighed. 5.2.3 Sample Processing Method Calibration Total suspended solids concentration was calculated in mg/L with the following calculation: ((A-B) * 1000)/ (mL sample filtered) where A = weight of filter + sample in mg B = weight of filter in mg ------- 5.2.4 Sample Processing Quality Control 5.2.5 Sample Processing Method Reference APHA Standard Methods 1985; EPA Methods 160.2, 160.4 5.2.6 Sample Processing Method Deviations 6. DATA ANALYSIS AND MANIPULATIONS 6.1 Name of New or Modified Values 6.2 Data Manipulation Description 6.3 Data Manipulation Examples 7. DATA DESCRIPTION 7.1 Description of Parameters # Name Type Length Format Parameter Label 1 STA NAME Char 10 10. Station Name 2 DATE Num 6 YYMMDD6. Date sample collected 3 DEPTH C Char 3 3 . Depth category (S-Surface, AB 4 DEPTH Num 1 1. Depth (m) 4 TSS Num 4 4. Total suspended solids (mg/L) 7.1.1 Precision to which values are reported Values reported to two decimal places. 7.1.2 Minimum Value in Data Set TSS 0.13 7.1.3 Maximum Value in Data Set TSS 5.89 7.2 Data Record Example 7.2.1 Column Names for Example Records STA_NAME DATE DEPTH_C DEPTH TSS 7.2.2 Example Data Records STA_NAME DATE DEPTH_C DEPTH TSS LM94-73452 940725 S 1 1.25 LM94-73472 940725 S 1 1.19 LM94-73492 940726 S 1 0.73 8. GEOGRAPHIC AND SPATIAL INFORMATION 8.1 Minimum Longitude -87.922667 8.2 Maximum Longitude -85.025 ------- 8.3. Minimum Latitude 40.666667 8.4 Maximum Latitude 46.000667 8.5 Name of Area or Region Nearshore Lake Michigan Stations were located within the Nearshore resource class of Lake Michigan. The Nearshore sites were located within the 85 meter depth contour. 9. QUALITY CONTROL/QUALITY ASSURANCE 9.1 Measurement Quality Objectives 9.2. Data Quality Assurance Procedures 9.3 Actual Measurement Quality 10. DATA ACCESS 10.1 Data Access Procedures Data can be downloaded from the EMAP Website. 10.2 Data Access Restrictions Not applicable. 10.3 Data Access Contact Persons Stephen J. Lozano U.S. E.P.A. NHEERL-MED (218)529-5205 (218)529-5003 (FAX) lozano.stephen@epa.gov 10.4 Data Set Format Data from the Website are in ASCII fixed format. 10.5 Information Concerning Anonymous FTP Not accessible. 10.6 Information Concerning WWW Data can be downloaded from the EMAP Website. 10.7 EMAP CD-ROM Containing the Data Set Data are not available on CD-ROM. 11. REFERENCES Hedtke, S., A. Pilli, D. Dolan, G. McRae, B. Goodno, R. Kreis, G. Warren, D. Swackhamer, and M. Henry. 1992. Great Lakes Monitoring and Research Strategy: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program. USEPA, Office Research and Development, ERL-Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota. EPA/602/R-92/001 204 p. ------- 12. TABLE OF ACRONYMS 13. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Stephen J. Lozano U.S. Environmental Protection Agency NHEERL-MED 6201 Congdon Blvd Duluth, MN 55804 (218)529-5205 (218)529-5003 (FAX) lozano.stephen@epa.gov ------- |