idah 2o master water stewards handbookauthor—ashley mcfarland is former university of idaho...

Bulletin 882MASTER WATER STEWARDS

IDAH2O MASTER WATER STEWARDS

HANDBOOK

IDAH2O Master Water Stewards Handbook

Ashley McFarland

University of Idaho Extension, Moscow, IdahoBulletin 882

MASTER WATER STEWARDS

Author—Ashley McFarland is former University of Idaho Extension Area Educatorin northern Idaho and founder of IDAH2O Master Water Stewards.

AcknowledgementsThis publication was adapted from IOWATER: Introductory Workshop Manual developed by the Iowa Department ofNatural Resources, which granted permission for use and modification of the material by IDAH2O. IDAH2O wouldlike to thank the IOWATER program for their generous support throughout the development of this publication. The following agencies and organizations provided support and technical guidance throughout the development of theIDAH2O program: University of Idaho Extension, University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Department of EnvironmentalQuality, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, and the City of Coeur d’Alene. Cover photo © Steven Martine.

For more information on IDAH2O, please contactUniversity of Idaho Extension1031 North Academic Way #242Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814Phone: 208-292-1287E-mail: [email protected]: www.uidaho.edu/cda/idah2o

© 2013 by the University of Idaho. All rights reserved.First edition published in 2013.

Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation withthe U.S. Department of Agriculture, Charlotte V. Eberlein, Director of University of Idaho Extension, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844.The University of Idaho provides equal opportunity in education and employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexualorientation, age, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, as required by state and federal laws.

1 INTRODUCTION AND POLICIES

Introduction ...................................................................1Funding ...........................................................................1IDAH2O history and founding principles .................1Getting involved ...........................................................2Benefits of being a Master Water Steward ..............2Expectations and opportunities.................................2Training workshops ......................................................3Publications ...................................................................3Testing equipment and supplies ................................3Public database.............................................................4IDAH2O code of ethics ...............................................4IDAH2O safety .............................................................4

2 WATER QUALITY IN IDAHO

Introduction ..................................................................5Pollution sources in Idaho ..........................................5Sediment........................................................................6Nutrients .......................................................................6Temperature ..................................................................7Bacteria ..........................................................................7

3 GETTING STARTED

The why—Your goals and objectives ........................9The what—Your monitoring parameters ...............10The where—Your monitoring sites ..........................11The how—Taking samples .........................................11The when—Monitoring frequency ...........................11The who—The monitoring team..............................12

4 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR WATERSHED

What is a watershed? ................................................13Hydrologic unit codes (HUCs) .................................13Driving tour of your watershed ...............................13Virtual tour of your watershed ...............................15Perennial and intermittent streams........................15

5 HABITAT ASSESSMENT

Introduction.................................................................17Stream transect and stream reach..........................17Stream habitat types .................................................17Streambed substrate .................................................19Embeddedness ...........................................................20Streambanks...............................................................20Channel shape.............................................................21Streambank condition ...............................................21Canopy cover ..............................................................21Riparian zone ..............................................................22Stream sinuosity ........................................................22Microhabitats .............................................................23Land use.......................................................................23Photographs................................................................23Habitat assessement field form ..............................25

6 PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT

Introduction................................................................29Weather .......................................................................29Water color...................................................................30Water odor .....................................................................30Water temperature......................................................31Transparency.................................................................31Stream width................................................................32Stream depth................................................................32Maximum stream depth ............................................33Stream velocity............................................................33Stream flow....................................................................34Physical/chemical assessment field form................35

7 CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT

Introduction ................................................................37pH..................................................................................37Dissolved oxygen.........................................................38Chloride .......................................................................39Nitrate-N.................................................................................40Phosphorus..............................................................................41

Contents

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8 BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

Introduction.............................................................................43Benthic macroinvertebrates................................................43Vertebrates ..............................................................................45Aquatic plants .........................................................................45Algae..........................................................................................45Bacteria.....................................................................................46Biological assessment field form .......................................47

9 STANDING WATER ASSESSMENT

Introduction.............................................................................51Site selection...........................................................................51Point sampling ........................................................................52Frequency of monitoring......................................................53Habitat assessment...............................................................53Physical assessment..............................................................53Chemical assessment............................................................55Biological assessment...........................................................56Standing water assessment field form.............................57

10 SUBMITTING AND INTERPRETING DATA

Monitor identification number...........................................59Registering a monitoring site..............................................59Entering data online ..............................................................59Assessment field forms online............................................59What is “typical”? ..................................................................59Unusual sampling results.....................................................60When to involve law enforcement or IDAH2O staff .................................................................60

Your credibility as a Master Water Steward..................61

GLOSSARY....................................................................................62

REFERENCES .................................................................66

APPENDIX I. Equipment request form...........................67

APPENDIX II. Calculating stream flow,average depth, and average velocity.................................68

APPENDIX III. Making and using anIDAH2O-approved sampling device .................................69

photo by Steven Martine

INTRODUCTION AND POLICIES 1

IntroductionWater quality is one of Idaho’s top environmentalconcerns. Maintaining a high level of water qualityis necessary to ensure safe water sources fordrinking, recreating, and supporting businesses,industries, and fisheries and wildlife. Yet a widerange of pollutants that could threaten these usesenter Idaho’s waterbodies each day.

IDAH2O provides a platform for peoplethroughout Idaho who are interested inmonitoring water quality and learning more aboutthe status of their local waterbodies. Workingwithin their selected watersheds, Master WaterSteward volunteers collect valuable data aboutlocal water quality, gain a better understanding ofour interactions with the land, and reinforce theconcept of public ownership of the environment.

The IDAH2O program supports this network ofvolunteers with on-site training workshops,standardized monitoring protocols, an onlinedatabase to store collected data, testingequipment, and tools for local advocacy onlocal water quality issues.

Although IDAH2O is primarily educational, data

collected by Master Water Stewards can helpresource managers identify patterns of concernthat lead to more detailed evaluations of waterquality. In an era of smaller, friendlier, andmore-efficient government programs, well-trainedcitizen volunteers can play an important role.

FundingIDAH2O is supported through Universityof Idaho Extension and external funding sources.

IDAH2O historyand founding principlesIDAH2O was first conceived in northern Idaho in2010 as a partnership between University of IdahoExtension and University of Idaho, Coeur d’Alene.It is based on successful volunteer monitoringprograms in other states, such as IOWATER(http://www.iowater.net), and on the highlyeffective “master” volunteer model used in otherextension programs such as the Idaho MasterGardener and Forest Stewards programs.

Three basic goals directed the development ofthe IDAH2O program:

• Increase citizen knowledge on water issues

• Promote volunteer monitoring of Idahostreams

• Promote watershed stewardship

“To promote the health of Idaho’s water throughvolunteer water quality monitoring.”

–IDAH2O mission statement

1 INTRODUCTION AND POLICIES

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2 CHAPTER ONE

Founding principles of the IDAH2Oprogram include:

• IDAH2O is a citizen-based program directedby citizen monitors within local communities.

• IDAH2O focuses on solutions, not ondocumenting problems.

• IDAH2O focuses on results, not on regulation.

• IDAH2O is flexible, allowing local groups andindividuals to design their own monitoring andaction plans.

• IDAH2O promotes partnership developmentand the sharing of information and resourcesthroughout all levels in both public andprivate sectors.

• IDAH2O utilizes trained adult volunteers whoin turn can mentor youth assistants.

• IDAH2O focuses on a watershed approach,integrating land use, stakeholders, and thewaterbodies involved.

• IDAH2O promotes K–12 educationpartnerships through teacher certificationand student monitoring.

Getting involvedTo become certified as an IDAH2O Master WaterSteward, you must complete the IDAH2O MasterWater Steward workshop. Upon completion of theworkshop, you can decide whether or not todevelop a monitoring plan and conduct assess-ments. All stewards, whether they are conductingmonitoring or not, are invited to participate inprogram activities and educational opportunities.

IDAH2O provides supervision, educationalsupport, and resources to facilitate the work ofthe stewards. The IDAH2O program also promotesand expects cooperation between volunteers andsupporting agencies and organizations.

Benefits of being aMaster Water StewardIDAH2O Master Water Stewards benefitin many ways:

• Improved understanding of the health andfunction of watershed ecosystems

• Increased skill in water quality monitoring

• Affiliation with an established monitoring effort

• Acquisition of resources to conduct waterquality monitoring

• Improved understanding of local waterquality concerns

• Opportunities to guide UI Extension waterquality programs and publications as wellas the direction of IDAH2O

Expectations and opportunitiesIDAH2O Master Water Stewards are not waterquality officials. Rather, they are volunteer waterquality monitors and educators. Certified MasterWater Stewards devote volunteer time to waterquality monitoring and to educational efforts toinform the public of local water quality issues.

Master Water Stewards who commit to monitoringare expected to conduct regular monitoring attheir chosen site(s), preferably wadable streams,although other waterbodies are also allowed. Tocontinue being supplied with monitoringequipment, stewards must complete fivemonitoring activities each year and report theirdata to the IDAH2O database.

Stewards are responsible for their own time andtravel to conduct monitoring and education;however, they are equipped with the tools theyneed to conduct monitoring.

Potential volunteer opportunities forMaster Water Stewards include:

•Water quality monitoring

• Assisting with total maximum daily load(TMDL) development by the Idaho Departmentof Environmental Quality by providing waterquality data

• Teaching K–12 educators about IDAH2O

•Assisting with youth involvement

•Marketing the program through outreach withother watershed groups

• Assisting with UI Extension programs,workshops, camps, and other educational events

• Coordinating with water quality managementagencies to educate the public

INTRODUCTION AND POLICIES 3

• Participating in research efforts

•Writing articles to educate the public

• Identifying and writing grants to assistin the sustainability of the program

•Organizing community service projects

Training workshopsIDAH2O certification workshops are 8 hourslong, with 4 hours in the indoor classroom and4 hours in the stream. At the workshop you willlearn how to develop a monitoring plan. You willalso be able to network with other people in yourarea who are concerned about water quality.

The workshop covers watershedinvestigations, the whys and how-tos ofmonitoring, water safety, and other topicsrelated to water quality monitoring andincludes hands-on field experience. Additionalworkshops may be available to help youcontinue developing your monitoring skills.

Workshops are scheduled in response torequests. To request a workshop, please [email protected] or contact the IDAH2Oproject coordinator. Workshops are alsoposted at the IDAH2O website:www.uidaho.edu/cda/idah2o/workshops

PublicationsIDAH2O supplies each trained monitor withthis handbook, which contains backgroundinformation about water quality andmonitoring as well as step-by-step instructionson how to do water quality assessments. Thehandbook also refers to other usefulresources, such as the Streamkeeper’s FieldGuide. For more information on this resource,or for information on how to obtain your owncopy, please contact IDAH2O. The quarterlyIDAH2O newsletter, WaterWatch, keepsvolunteers up-to-date on the most currentwater quality topics.

Testing equipment and suppliesIDAH2O provides Master Water Stewards andgroups of stewards with the testing equipmentand supplies necessary to do monitoring so

long as they are actively monitoring andfunding permits. Stewards who are no longermonitoring must return their equipment andsupplies to the IDAH2O program.

IDAH2O also resupplies existing stewardsthroughout their involvement with the programso long as they meet program requirements andfunding permits. See the appendix forIDAH2O’s resupply request form.

The IDAH2O resupply policy aims to ensurethe continued availability of monitoringmaterials and to provide justification forprogram expenditures. The IDAH2O criteriafor receiving additional monitoring equipmentand supplies are as follows:

1 To receive additional consumableIDAH2O monitoring supplies (CHEMetsdissolved oxygen replacement supplies, HachpH test strips, or Hach chloride titrators), youmust at a minimum submit yearly to theIDAH2O database:

• One IDAH2O habitat assessment

• One IDAH2O biological assessment

• Three IDAH2O chemical/physicalassessments

These data submittals will be calculated onthe basis of one monitoring season, January 1to December 31 of a given calendar year.Consumable monitoring supplies will also beprovided upon request to replace expiredsupplies or to replenish supplies depletedduring the course of the monitoring season.

2 To receive additional nonconsumablesupplies due to breakage, loss, or expansionof a monitoring program, you must meet theabove criteria and send a resupply form(see appendix) to the IDAH2O program.Items may include transparency tubes,fiberglass tape measures, aquaticthermometers, and other items.

All supply requests will be handled underthe sole discretion of IDAH2O staff, andfulfilling your request may be contingentupon the availability of requested materials.The IDAH2O program may discontinuethis policy at any time, especially due tofinancial constraints.

4 CHAPTER ONE

Public databaseOnly Master Water Stewards can submit watermonitoring data to the online database:www.uidaho.edu/cda/idah2o/waterqualitydatabase.Anyone can access and use the data.

IDAH2O code of ethicsIDAH2O Master Water Stewards carry outmonitoring with integrity.

•Master Water Stewards use proper scientificmethodology.

•Master Water Stewards fully documenttechnical observations.

•Master Water Stewards accept theresponsibility to report data.

•Master Water Stewards truthfully answerquestions about sampling techniques,frequency, and location.

•Master Water Stewards make a good faitheffort to include individuals with as manydifferent interests and perspectives as possiblein their monitoring program.

IDAH2O Master Water Stewards develop goodrelations with private landowners:

•Master Water Stewards request writtenpermission from the landowner if access toprivate property is necessary in themonitoring plan.

•When contacting the landowner, Master WaterStewards explain who they are, the purpose oftheir project, and the intended use of the datathey collect.

• After receiving written permission,Master Water Stewards contact thelandowners in advance to let them knowthe exact date(s) of sampling.

•Master Water Stewards do not harmprivate property.

•Master Water Stewards take completeresponsibility for their personal safety whileon private property.

•Master Water Stewards share their samplingdata with landowners after review by theIDAH2O coordinator.

IDAH2O safetyThe golden rule of water safety is to use commonsense and ALWAYS consider your well-being asyour first priority. Here are a few safety pointers:

• Always conduct monitoring with a “buddy” orteam member, never alone.

• Always let someone know where you are goingand how long you will be gone.

• Use caution when entering a stream, makingsure you can get out, the current is not toostrong, and the bottom will support you safely.

• Do not attempt to enter water if stream flow istoo high. As a general rule, above your knees isprobably too high.

• Always conduct monitoring during daylighthours.

•Wear waders or “river shoes” (old tennisshoes) to avoid cutting your feet on submergedglass, metal, or sharp rocks.

• Be aware of possible dangers, such aspoisonous plants, unstable banks, wildlife,and livestock.

• Dress appropriately for the weather. Knowhow to recognize the signs and symptoms ofboth heat stroke and hypothermia and how totreat them. Most importantly, know how toprevent them.

•Wash up thoroughly with hot water and soapwhen you get home.

• If you are monitoring in areas with potentialcontamination, such as the Coeur d’AleneBasin, you may want to participate inadditional safety training before getting intothe stream.

Extensive safety training will be provided duringthe IDAH2O Master Water Steward workshops.

WATER QUALITY IN IDAHO 5

IntroductionIdaho’s surface water is a vital component ofthe state’s heritage and economy. Water is usedfor recreating, drinking, irrigation, industrialprocessing, livestock watering, and providingaquatic habitat for plants and animals. Althoughthousands of people come to the state each year toenjoy Idaho’s clear, cold-water streams, our streamsare not without problems. Land-use practices overthe last two centuries have dramatically changedthe landscape and in turn have had an effect onsurface water and the beneficial uses it serves.Citizen-based water quality monitoring can helpboth to identify those concerns and to formulatelocal solutions.

Water quality standards in the state of Idaho arebased on the “designated beneficial use(s)” thata waterbody is intended to support. When awaterbody no longer supports its beneficial uses,it is determined to be impaired. Idaho’s surfacewaters may have any combination of the followingbeneficial uses: aquatic life, recreation, watersupply, wildlife habitat, and aesthetics.

A list of waterbodies that fail to fully support theirbeneficial uses or that exceed numeric water qualitystandards can be found in Idaho’s IntegratedReport. This biennial report lists all impaired waters(Clean Water Act 303(d) list) and the status of thosewaters (Clean Water Act 305(b) list). The most

recent report can be found on the IdahoDepartment of Environmental Quality’s website.

Pollution sources in IdahoThe most significant threat to Idaho’s surfacewater today is nonpoint source pollution. Thispollution does not come from a single point suchas a factory; rather, it comes from diffuse sourcesthroughout the watershed. Runoff fromagricultural and natural resource land usescontributes sediment, nutrients, and pesticides toIdaho’s surface waters. Runoff from constructionsites, lawns, parking lots, and streets cancontribute a smorgasbord of pollutants, includingbacteria, heavy metals, nutrients, organic matter,pesticides, and silt. Sewage from combinedsanitary and stormwater sewers plagues somecommunities that have outdated sewer lines orwastewater treatment plants.

Other land uses that affect water quality inIdaho include logging, forest roads, and mining.Logging, if not conducted using best managementpractices, can leave soil exposed and vulnerableto surface runoff. Mining has historically leftbehind an accumulation of heavy metals thathas polluted both the soil and the water. Majorclean-up efforts are underway to alleviate theseeffects; however, heavy metals continue to be amajor concern in surface water.

2 WATER QUALITYIN IDAHO

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SedimentSoil erosion carries fine particles of dirt, calledsediment, to our streams during runoff events(heavy rains or spring snow melts). Sediment alsoenters our streams from eroding streambanks.The rate of streambank erosion has increased inmany streams as a result of land-use changes inthe watershed. A reduction in vegetation increasessoil erosion and water runoff, which increasessediment levels and stream flow. This in turnincreases the speed of the water, and withminimal plant cover to retain the streambank soil,the streambed erodes even more. A stream that iseroding more sediment than it is depositing iscalled a degrading stream.

Sediment is carried by water until it settles tothe bottom of a stream or lake (sedimentation).A stream that is depositing more sediment than itis eroding is called an aggrading stream. A smallamount of sedimentation is natural; it has alwayshappened, and always will. However, too muchsediment is harmful to our lakes and streams.

As sediment settles out of the water column, itcovers up stream and lake bottoms and harms theaquatic communities that live there. Many animalscannot feed and reproduce successfully becausesediment clogs their gills, smothers their eggs,and destroys their food supplies and habitat.

Soil suspended in the water reduces lightpenetration, thereby reducing photosynthesisand slowing the growth of aquatic plants.This means less food and oxygen are availablefor aquatic wildlife.

Another way that sediment pollution can harmstreams is by changing the types of habitatavailable. When sediment builds up in the bottomof streams it fills in pools, riffles, and runs andchanges the shape of the streambed. Habitat islost as sediment fills in the spaces between rocksand other streambed substrates, increasingsubstrate embeddedness. As these streams getshallower, they tend to widen, warm, and slowdown. This results in lower dissolved oxygenlevels (warm water holds less oxygen than coolwater) and more streambank erosion.

NutrientsNutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus areessential to plant growth. On agricultural fields,they are necessary elements for crop production.In our waters, however, excessive nutrientscontribute to overproduction of algae, which cangive the water a greenish hue and sometimes afoul odor.

Nutrient enrichment can start a chain of eventsduring which the algal population explodes (calledan algal bloom). When the algae die, the bacteriathat decompose them deplete the water of oxygen,causing a condition called hypoxia (low oxygen).This can cause severe problems for fish and otheraquatic animals and even kill them. Hypoxia, tosome extent, occurs every year within many of ourmedium-sized lakes and slow-moving rivers.

Runoff of sediment, nutrients, and other nonpointpollutants can be reduced throughimplementation of best management practices(BMPs). These practices include the constructionof conservation buffers between agricultural fieldsand streams.

In urban areas, water runs off lawns, golf courses,streets, and parking lots. Many people believe thatthis runoff water is treated in a sewage treatmentplant before entering a stream. To the contrary,however, most of this runoff empties directly intostreams without undergoing any water treatmentwhatsoever. Overuse of fertilizers, dumping ofcontaminants, and even excessive grass clippingscan contribute to water quality problems.

6 CHAPTER TWO

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WATER QUALITY IN IDAHO 7

TemperatureWater temperature has a profound effect onorganisms that live or reproduce in the water. Thisis particularly true of Idaho’s native coldwater fishsuch as salmon, bull trout, westslope cutthroattrout, steelhead, and some amphibians (frogs andsalamanders). When water temperature becomestoo high, salmon and trout suffer a variety of illeffects ranging from decreased spawning success,to increased susceptibility to disease and toxins,to death. Water temperature also affects thetoxicity of ammonia and perhaps other toxicsubstances.

Temperature increases often occur in systems thathave had substantial removal of natural riparianvegetation—the vegetation along and adjacent tothe waterbody. Without the shading of trees,stream and river channel temperatures can rise todangerous levels through exposure to the solarradiation of the sun. Higher temperatureseffectively reduce oxygen levels. Re-establishingriparian vegetation will ensure streamtemperatures maintain habitable levels.

BacteriaBacteria are measured to determine the relativerisk of swimming in a waterbody (“contactrecreation”). These bacteria originate in thewastes of warm-blooded animals. Their presenceindicates that pathogens from these wastes maybe reaching the body of water from inadequatelytreated sewage, improperly managed livestockwaste, pets in urban areas, aquatic birds andmammals, or failing septic systems.

Although some bacteria from wildlife that inhabitthe riparian corridor are naturally occurring,excessive loads from livestock and human wasteare often what cause high spikes in bacteriacounts and make the surface water unusable forcontact recreation. Minimizing human-inducedloads (septic or livestock) to the stream is the bestway to reduce this risk.

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GETTING STARTED 9

The why—Your goals and objectivesSo you’ve attended an IDAH2O workshop andknow how to gather, record, and report data aboutwater quality. Now, how do you go about settingup and maintaining a water monitoring plan?

Monitoring is a long-term commitment. To besuccessful, it requires forethought and planning.First, you need to ask yourself some questions:

• Why do I want to monitor water?

• What do I plan to do with the informationI gather?

• Who should I involve in the review of mygoals and objectives?

Your answers to these questions can help youestablish your overall goals. The major steps youneed to take to accomplish each goal are yourobjectives. Objectives must be measurable andcapable of being accomplished within a giventime period. Think these out carefully becausethey will determine the entire setup of yourmonitoring program.

Example #1

Goal: I want to monitor the creek behind myhouse to make sure it’s safe for my children toplay in. I plan to watch the trends from mymonitoring to see if my creek is getting worse,better, or staying the same. I’m also going to

report my data to the IDAH2O database tocontribute to the health of the environment.

Objectives:

1 I plan to do a habitat assessment oncea year, in June.

2 I plan to do two biological assessmentsa year, once in May and once in August.

3 I plan to do a physical/chemical assessmentaround the 1st of each month.

4 I’m going to watch trends in my data as I dothe monitoring and graph my yearly data tocompare it with the previous year’s data.I’ll do this sometime in October when thingsslow down around here a little bit.

5 I plan on entering my data into the IDAH2Odatabase right after each assessment.

Example #2

Goal: I am concerned that some land-usepractices upstream of my favorite fishing spoton Jack Creek are hurting the fish. I want tomake sure the water quality remains high, and Iplan to pay special attention to dissolved oxygen,which the fish need to survive. I plan to submitmy data to the IDAH2O database and report anyunusually low dissolved oxygen levels to the localIdaho Department of Fish and Game office andask their advice.

3 GETTING STARTED

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10 CHAPTER THREE

Objectives:

1 I’m going to do a habitat assessment as soonas ice-out in the spring and again during theyear if there is a major land use changeupstream.

2 I’m going to do three biological assessmentsper year: one as soon as ice-out in the spring,one about mid-summer, and one in the fall.

3 I plan to do a complete chemical/physicalassessment the same time I do the biologicalassessment. I also plan to test for dissolvedoxygen about every time I go out fishing(which hopefully will be about once every 2weeks).

4 I plan to submit all my data to the IDAH2Odatabase in the fall. If I have spare time duringthe “season,” I’ll be fishing!

5 I plan to graph my dissolved oxygen data witha few other parameters and see if I can seeany trends in the data.

Example #3

Goal: As a teacher, my goal is to educatestudents about the basic procedures used togather information about water quality andcompare two watersheds (the land area thatdrains to a waterbody). I plan to have thestudents analyze land-use practices within thetwo watersheds and make inferences aboutdifferences in water quality data from theseanalyses.

Objectives:

1 Locate two watersheds of different size,topography, and/or land use.

2 Locate monitoring sites along two similarstreams within these watersheds.

3 Map land use in each of the two watersheds.

4 Conduct habitat, biological, andchemical/physical assessments once in thefall and once in the spring of each year.

5 Enter data into a database and generatesummary statistics and graphs of the data theweek following each monitoring session.

6 Have students input all data into theIDAH2O database.

7 Work with our communications class toincorporate annual findings into a localnews release.

Be sure to review and refine your program goalsand objectives over time! A program can easilystagnate or even die if you meet your originalgoals and objectives and establish no new ones.

The what—Your monitoringparametersWhat do you want to monitor? Based on yourgoals and objectives, you now need to decidewhich water quality parameters you will includein your monitoring plan. The following chaptersdescribe the parameters the IDAH2O programuses and the information each one provides.The IDAH2O program chose these parametersbased on:

• Scientific value

• Ease of doing tests in the field

• Low cost

• Safety

• Relevance to local water quality issues

IDAH2O groups parameters into threeassessments: habitat, biological, andchemical/physical, each with an associated dataform for use in the field. You can collect most ofthe data for these assessments in the field, butsome parameters require laboratory analysis.

Parameters requiring laboratory analysis includenitrate-nitrogen, total phosphorus, and bacteria.Because of the high cost of these analyses, watersampling for these parameters will occur onlyduring scheduled “snapshot” events. A snapshotevent ensures timely and efficient processing ofyour water samples. You will be notified and giventhe correct sampling equipment when a snapshotevent occurs.

GETTING STARTED 11

The where—Your monitoring sitesYou are encouraged to choose your own monitoringsites. It is best to select a site close to home that youwill be able to access readily. You may also want tomonitor a site that has personal meaning to you,such as your favorite kayaking stream or fishinghole. Try avoiding a site that requires a lot ofdriving or is difficult for you to access becauseof its physical conditions. A convenient site is amonitored site.

Once you have determined the site(s) you will bemonitoring, you need to submit coordinates of thelocations to the IDAH2O program so the data canbe tracked spatially. If you need assistancelocating a monitoring site that will bestaccomplish your goals and objectives, contactIDAH2O for guidance. For information onchoosing a monitoring site in a lake or pond site,contact IDAH2O staff.

Follow these monitoring site selection guidelines:

• Before monitoring on private land, obtainwritten permission and keep the landownerinformed.

• Choose a monitoring site that is representativeof your stream. In other words, do your best tolocate a monitoring site that best representsthe characteristics of your stream.

• If possible, establish your site away frommanmade structures such as bridges, whichcan provide 100% canopy cover all of the timeand are not representative of the stream. Ifyou are restricted to the right-of-way, however,monitoring at a bridge would be adequate.

• If you are monitoring at a bridge crossing,IDAH2O recommends that you sample fromthe upstream side of the bridge. If safety issuesand/or landowner considerations exist on theupstream side, err on the side of safety, respectprivate lands, and monitor on the downstreamside of the bridge.

• Always monitor from the stream, if possible. Ifsafety, weather, stream discharge, accessibilityissues, time constraints, or other such conditionsprevent you from obtaining water samplesdirectly from the stream or lake itself, youmay collect water samples using an IDAH2O-approved sampling device (see appendix III).

• Perennial streams may dry up in exceptionallydry years, leaving little to no water or flow andin some cases only pools of water. Likewise,intermittent streams may dry up every year yetretain enough water to maintain perenniallypooled conditions. If your transect is dry, youcan monitor the nearest pool (for chemicalassessment) or all the pools in the streamreach (for biological assessment), but pleasenote the conditions in the notes section of yourfield forms and take a photograph, if possible.

The how—Taking samplesFor instructions on using the IDAH2O equipmentand for sampling methodologies for specificparameters, refer to the appropriate chaptersin this handbook.

The when—Monitoring frequencyWhen and how often are you going to monitor?Monitoring once represents a snapshot in time.To truly “know” a waterbody, you will need tomonitor several times over the course of severalyears. Some things to consider:

• Time of year—Will you test all year or duringa “season” (planting, fishing, summer whenchildren are playing in the stream, etc.)?

• Frequency—Do you need to monitor weekly,monthly, quarterly, etc.?

• Time of day—Try to monitor the same timeeach day, preferably midday, although this mayvary. For example, the lowest dissolvedoxygen levels occur at dawn. Therefore, ifdissolved oxygen levels are a concern, perhapsyou need to sample early in the morning.

•Weather conditions—Rain can dramaticallyaffect water quality. Perhaps you need this“snapshot” in time for your monitoring plan.On the other hand, rain causes increasedstreamflow, making monitoring physicallydangerous. Never put yourself in danger tomonitor water. Rather than monitorimmediately after a rain, monitor a day or solater, or sample from a bridge or streambankfor safety.

12 CHAPTER THREE

Suggested sampling schedule:

• Habitat assessment—Yearly unless significantchanges occur

• Physical/Chemical assessment—Monthly whenyou are able and safe conditions exist

• Biological assessment—Low-flow conditions

• Bacteria—Seasonal snapshot (spring and fall)

• Nutrients (nitrate-N and total phosphorus)—Seasonal snapshot (spring and fall)

The who—The monitoring teamWho will do what? People come to an IDAH2Oworkshop with different ideas of their “team.”Some come to IDAH2O as individuals, some infamilies, some as part of an establishedmonitoring group, and some in hopes of startinga monitoring team. Monitoring as an individualor family is fine, although there are some definiteadvantages to working as part of a larger group.For this reason, IDAH2O targets establishedwatershed groups. Having more people involvedincreases the credibility of your data, lessens themonitoring load, is safer (IDAH2O alwaysrecommends at least two people go outmonitoring), and you’ll have more fun!

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR WATERSHED 13

What is a watershed?Before highways, post office boxes, and counties,people didn’t have mailing addresses; they had“watershed addresses.” A watershed, literallydefined, is the area of land that drains into abody of water such as a lake, river, or stream(figure 4.1). To truly know your waterway, and todiscover how to plan your monitoring, you need tolearn your own watershed address.

Water quality is a direct reflection of thesurrounding watershed. Our actions on the landare directly reflected in our streams, rivers, andlakes. If we manage our watersheds wisely, wecan protect, preserve, and enjoy our aquaticresources forever.

Hydrologic unit codes (HUCs)Scientists use watershed identification numbers,called hydrologic unit codes (HUCs), to describethe different scales of watersheds and identifyspecific watersheds. HUCs are the contemporaryform of the watershed address and can be usefulin identifying which watershed you want toconsider as you plan your monitoring.

Within the HUC system, the United States isdivided and subdivided into successively smallerwatersheds or basins. As the watersheds getsmaller, the descriptive and unique HUC numbers

get larger. Idaho can be divided into 8-digit HUC,10-digit HUC, and 12-digit HUC basins (figure 4.2).The focus of most of IDAH2O stream monitoringsites is typically at the 12-digit HUC, termed thesubwatershed level.

Driving tour of your watershedWith your watershed map in hand, you are readyto “hit the road.” Taking the time to familiarizeyourself with your watershed will be time wellspent as you begin your monitoring program.Doing this at the onset of your project will giveyou a firm sense of what factors in yourwatershed may impact water quality.

You should have at least two people in the car—one to drive safely and one to mark your map andtake notes. It is helpful to go during a time of daywhen there is not a lot of traffic. Take your tour indaylight, so you don’t miss structures that may notbe visible at night.

What should you be looking for and jotting down?The answer is ANYTHING that may affect yourwaterbody. Here’s a list of a few things to payattention to:

• Livestock—How many buildings housinglivestock? What kind of livestock? How manyanimals? Do you see any drainage ditches orwaste lagoons?

4 GETTING TO KNOWYOUR WATERSHED

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14 CHAPTER FOUR

•Golf courses—How large are they? Do theyhave streams or drainage ditches? Are therebuffers along these waterways? Any ponds?

• City, county, or state parks—How muchmowed area is there? Are there areas of heavypet use near waterways?

• Row crops—Is there evidence of goodconservation practices such as grassedwaterways, terraces, contour cropping, orothers? Are streams lined with conservationbuffers or is the crop growing to the water’sedge?

• Residential areas—Can you pinpoint wherestorm sewers enter streams? Do you seeconstruction sites? Do construction sites haveerosion control measures in place? Are treesbeing planted along waterways? Where doesthe sewer district discharge, or are mosthouses on private septic systems?

• Retail or industrial areas—Does drainage fromparking areas enter a stream or a storm sewersystem that connects to a stream? Where doesthe sewer district discharge? Are power plants

or factories discharging warm water from theircooling systems? Do you see piles of“unidentified” barrels or waste tires?

• Other types of land use—What potentialimpacts do they pose? Are there anyconservation practices in place?

• Roads—Do you see stream crossings orculverts? How close to streams are the roads?Culverts can prevent fish passage orcontribute to the overall sediment load ifimproperly installed. Check above and belowthe culvert for eroding areas. Some culvertsthat look properly installed can be velocitybarriers to fish because of their slope.

This list is not complete by any means. Also, youneed not answer every question. The questionsare meant only to start you down the road toconsidering what is in your watershed and whatmay impact its water quality.

The information collected during your driving touris for your use only. Collecting this information isespecially important at the beginning of yourmonitoring effort. Annual updates may be useful.

Figure 4.1. Understanding local water qualitybegins with understanding your watershed.

illustration by

Noa

h Kroe

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR WATERSHED 15

Virtual tour of your watershedYou can learn a lot about your watershed withoutever leaving home. Check out these websites formore information on your watershed:

•www.epa.gov

•www.usgs.gov

•www.noaa.gov

•www.deq.idaho.gov

•www.idwr.idaho.gov

•Websites of local watershed groups/coalitions

Perennial and intermittent streamsIdaho has many waterbodies, ranging from largerivers, lakes, and wetlands to a vast network ofsmall streams. Waterbodies do not need to belarge to support aquatic life, nor do streams needflowing water throughout the year to supportplants and animals.

Stream segments are classified as either“perennial” or “intermittent” based primarily ontheir flow regimes. Perennial streams have water

nearly all of the time, while intermittent streamstend to dry up on an annual basis.

A perennial stream can be defined as a body ofwater flowing in a natural or human-made channelyear-round, except during periods of drought.Lakes and ponds that form the source of aperennial stream or through which a perennialstream flows are all characteristics of the stream.Generally, the water table is located above thestreambed of perennial streams for most of theyear and groundwater is the primary source ofwater for stream flow.

In the absence of pollution or other humandisturbances, a perennial stream is capable ofsupporting a variety of aquatic life. A streamthat contains normal flow during the dry periodis likely to be a perennial stream assuming normalprecipitation conditions.

Intermittent streams contain flowing water foronly part of the year. During the dry season andperiods of drought, streamflow ceases and thestreambed may be completely dry.

The flow of intermittent streams is influencedby many factors, both natural and human-made.

Figure 4.2. Idaho watersheds canbe delineated at various levels,described by 8-digit and 12-digithydrologic unit codes (HUCs).

12-digit HUCs2,577 subwatersheds

8-digit HUCs86 basins

16 CHAPTER FOUR

The stream may be located above the water tableand therefore lack the continuous presence ofgroundwater that provides flow within perennialstreams. Human modifications to the streamchannel or the watershed may also disrupt flow.Intermittent streams normally contain a lowdiversity of aquatic organisms, and those presentcan tolerate the constantly fluctuating conditions.

The dry season, July through September, is theideal time to observe low-flow conditions. Astream that has no flow during the dry season islikely to be an intermittent stream sectionassuming that there was normal rainfallthroughout the year.

Intermittent streams may be particularlyimportant as nursery areas for fish andamphibians because they support fewer predatorsthan perennial streams. Some species may bereared in the intermittent channels and thenmove downstream when they grow large enoughto protect themselves. Because intermittentchannels form a high proportion of the streamsin a watershed, they can strongly influencedownstream ecosystems through the input ofsediment, water, woody debris, and nutrients.

One of the problems that we face as a state is alack of data on many of our stream miles. Datagathered by Master Water Stewards help fill thegaps. With more and better information on thesesmaller, headwater, and oftentimes intermittentstreams, the state can more accurately assess thestatus of our waters and move forward with fieldmethodologies and protocols that will help ensurehealthy aquatic systems well into the future.

HABITAT ASSESSMENT 17

IntroductionMaking a habitat assessment is an important step intracking changes within a stream over time. Habitatassessments take inventory of the availability andcondition of both stream and riparian habitats foraquatic and terrestrial organisms. A healthy streamshould support life in and around the channel.

Changes that take place slowly have a way ofescaping our attention until the changes aredramatic in scope. How many of us remember ourgrandparents or other elders saying, “I rememberwhat this stream looked like when I was a kid”?Even though these accounts are useful andentertaining, proper management of naturalresources takes solid data and observations todocument what’s going on within a natural system.Even with this documentation, it’s still difficult todetermine cause and effect within a complexnatural system.

Habitat assessments need to be conducted justonce a year, unless there is some significant changein land use that may affect stream characteristics ina very short period of time. Examples might bestream channelization, a large industrial or housingdevelopment that gets built in a short period oftime, or a catastrophic natural event such as aflood. In such cases, a second habitat assessmentwould be valuable. Biological impairment usuallystems from poor habitat conditions.

When conducting your assessment, use the habitatassessment field form located at the end of thischapter and online at the IDAH2O website. Thischapter describes the various kinds of data you’llcollect while performing the habitat assessment.

Stream transect and stream reachIDAH2O habitat assessments are conducted at twophysical locations within the stream, the streamtransect and the stream reach. A stream transect isthe exact cross-section of the stream where you aregoing to monitor (figure 5.1). This is the locationyou want your site coordinates to pinpoint.

A stream reach is defined as one set of pool, riffle,and run habitats (figure 5.2). However, pool, riffle,and run habitats may not be present at allmonitoring sites. In this case, you should defineyour stream reach as a set distance (e.g., 25 metersupstream and 25 meters downstream) from yourtransect. The level at which you make observationsor measurements is outlined in the reportingtechnique section for each parameter.

Stream habitat typesA variety of habitats within a stream usuallyenhances the diversity of aquatic life that you findthere. Stream habitats are divided into four maintypes: pools, riffles, runs, and glides (figure 5.3).

5 HABITATASSESSMENT

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18 CHAPTER FIVE

Healthy streams show alternating pools and riffles,while lower-quality streams generally consist of long,continuous runs.

A pool has a relatively slow current and is usually foundat stream channel bends, upstream of riffles, and on thedownstream sides of obstructions such as boulders orfallen trees. The stream bottom in a pool is oftenbowl-shaped and serves as excellent habitat for fish.

A riffle is an area of the stream that has a swift current andwater that is normally “bubbling” due to a rocky streambed.The water in this habitat type has relatively high dissolvedoxygen levels from tumbling over and around the rocks.Riffles typically have high numbers of invertebrates andthe small fish that feed on them.

A run has a moderate current, medium depth, andsmooth water surface. Runs can have diverse mixtures ofaquatic life, depending on the quality and quantity of thein-stream habitat (boulders, logs, root wads, etc.).

A glide has smooth, “laminar” flow. It is similar to a poolbut shallower and with slightly greater stream velocity.The water surface gradient is near zero. Glides are oftenfound in stream reaches without any pools.

9 REPORTING TECHNIQUE

Stream habitat typeCheck the habitat type that best describes your streamtransect.

Figure 5.2. Some IDAH2O assessments occur along your stream reach—a pool, riffle,run sequence near your stream transect. If you do not have these habitat types nearyour transect, establish a set distance upstream and downstream from your transectthat you will monitor as your reach.

Figure 5.1. Many IDAH2Oassessments occur at yourstream transect, or theimaginary line that runsacross your stream fromleft bank to right bank andthat includes the channels,stream bottom, and banks.

illustration by

Noa

h Kroe

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Noa

h Kroe

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Streambed substrateThe characteristics of the stream bottom arevery important to habitat quality and the typeof aquatic life you find there. In general, ashifting sand or silt streambed will not supportas diverse a population as more stablestreambeds consisting of gravel, cobble,boulders, or fallen trees.

What a streambed is made up of is called thesubstrate. IDAH2O uses the Wolman pebblecount technique to assess substrate (figure 5.4).Although natural geology is responsible for theoriginal substrate of Idaho streams, humanactivities in the watershed, such as those thatincrease soil erosion rates, can produce sand orsilt that cover the existing substrate.


Figure 5.3. Diversity in stream habitat types is very important inhealthy stream systems. Habitat types consist of pools, riffles, runs,and possibly glides.


Wolman pebble countAt your stream transect, perform a Wolman pebble count:

1. At your transect, start at the edge of your left bankand take one step into the water perpendicular to theflow and, while averting your eyes, pick up the first pebbletouching your index finger next to your big toe. In thiscontext, “pebble” means any rocky material from siltand clay particles to large boulders.

2.Measure and record the B-axis (figure 5.4) with theWolmanator Ruler. Make certain to record your counts inthe “in wetted” or “out wetted” columns, depending onif the pebble was in the water or out of the water,respectively. For embedded pebbles or those that are toolarge to move, measure the shortest axis visible.

3. Discard the pebble downstream so that it is notcounted again.

4.Moving across the transect step by step, repeat steps 1–3until you reach the edge of the right bank.

5. Establish a new transect just upstream from your lastand begin the process over again. If your stream reach isrelatively narrow (< 2 m), you can modify the method bywalking upstream in a zigzag pattern instead ofperpendicular to flow. In general, you will need tocollect 50 measurements in order to accurately quantifypebble distributions, however, always finish any transectyou start.

6.Noting the shine of the substrate can help determine ifthe substrate moves during periods of bankful discharge.A dull substrate may indicate more bedload than thestream can move and process (aggradation) or show thatbankful flows were not reached.

Figure 5.4. In a Wolman pebble count you will always measure the B-axis ofpebbles, which is the mid-length axis.

illustration by

Noa

h Kroe

seillustration by N

oah Kroese

EmbeddednessEmbeddedness is the measure of how cementedthe streambed substrate has become through thesedimentation of fine particles within the gravel,cobble, boulders, and other substrate material.Embeddedness reduces biodiversity by destroyingaquatic habitat. Fish and invertebrates needspaces between rocks where they can hide frompredators, lay their eggs, and feed upon theirfavorite foods.


EmbeddednessAlong your stream transect, try manually to moveor shift the substrate. Record embeddedness as apercentage. An inability to move the substratecorresponds to 100% embeddedness. Substrate thatcontains free space between all particles would have0% embeddedness.

StreambanksYou can tell much about the stream’s long-termstability and about the aquatic life it can supportby looking at the shape and condition of its banks.Are the streambanks high, crumbling walls orgently sloping banks with grass, shrubs, and treesgrowing on them? All streams and rivers movewithin their floodplains, but a mature, stablestream will not move very rapidly. A stable bank isa sign of a stable stream.

Bank sloughing, cut banks (banks that are activelyeroding), and high-walled banks without trees orother soil-holding plants are signs of bankinstability and poor physical condition resulting inpoor biological condition. Streambanks are animportant source of sediment and nutrients, butwhen streambank erosion increases beyond thestream’s ability to assimilate the sediment,streambank erosion will result in negative impactsto aquatic life.

A sloping bank covered with vegetation is morestable and indicates a healthier watershed. Notonly do gently sloping banks offer better habitatsfor wildlife near the water’s edge, they work toslow and filter watershed runoff.

So what determines whether a stream’s bank isstable? Factors that can impact the stability ofstreambanks include:

• Channelization—Stream straightening meanswater moves faster so the stream can haveextremely high flow at certain times during theyear, often producing cut banks.

• Soil types—The type of soil that the streamchannel is cutting through will affect bankappearance. A stream cutting through softloamy soil tends to produce eroding cut banks.A more stable soil such as clay usually willresult in more stable slopes.

• Vegetation—A community of native wetlandplants such as willow thickets at the water’sedge will prevent or slow bank erosion,whereas growing row crops or harvestingtimber to the edge of a stream will increaseerosion.

• Livestock—Cattle are one of the most erosiveforces along streambanks, especially along“cow paths” or watering places.

• Road culverts or drainage tiles—Outlets cancause erosion if not properly positioned andinstalled.


Streambank characteristicsRecord the characteristics of both left and rightstreambanks as you face upstream at your site’sstream transect.

20 CHAPTER FIVE

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Channel shapeChannel shape is the angle formed by thedownward sloping streambank and the streamchannel bottom. Fish often congregate near thestreambank for the cover it provides. If the bankhas been cut away and moved back from thewater column, valuable rearing habitat has beenlost. Various land uses can change streammorphology.


Channel shapeAt your stream transect, record the channel shape ofboth left and right streambanks as you faceupstream. Choose from among trapezoidal /_\,rectangular |_|, and inverse trapezoidal \_/.

Streambank conditionStreambanks are the portions of the streamchannel that are the most susceptible to erosion.They are important transition zones betweenterrestrial and aquatic life. Banks in goodcondition are well vegetated, stabilized by deeproot systems, and provide excellent aquatichabitat. Eroding streambanks are likely to havevery little vegetation and easily fall to flow-relatederosion. Human disturbances in and around theriparian corridor heavily influence streambankcondition. Poor streambanks increase sedimentload to the channel and allow more solar radiationto reach the water.


Streambank conditionAt your stream transect, record the condition of bothleft and right streambanks. For each streambank,choose one of the following descriptions:

• covered, stable • uncovered, stable • covered, unstable • uncovered, unstable

Canopy coverCanopy cover influences the amount of light thatcan filter through overhead vegetation beforereaching the stream. It is the vegetation (treebranches, leaves, grasses, etc.) that hangs over thestream. Like clouds in the atmosphere, canopycover can help protect the stream from extremefluctuations in water temperature. Vegetation is alsoimportant for streambank stabilization and theaquatic food web.

If the canopy of vegetation over a stream isreduced or eliminated, the health of the streamsuffers. Elevated water temperatures resultingfrom solar heating may directly affect aquatic life.Warm water holds less dissolved oxygen than coldwater, and thus less oxygen is available in warmwater for fish and other aquatic life. Without agood canopy cover, a stream’s water temperaturecan fluctuate greatly and stress aquaticcommunities.


Canopy coverAt your stream transect, estimate what percentage ofthe area above the stream is covered by treebranches, leaves, and/or grasses. Make your bestestimate of canopy cover in 25% increments.

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Figure 5.5. A healthy riparian area will equate to a healthy stream. Diverse vegetation throughout this area helps stabilize soil, filter runoff,and shade the stream, which promotes cold-water aquatic life.

Riparian zoneThe stream’s riparian zone is the area of land directlyadjacent to the stream. A healthy riparian areaconsists of trees, shrubs, and/or grasses (figure 5.5).This zone is extremely important to the health andprotection of the stream. Trees help stabilize thebank during flood events and may provide habitatfor both aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Shrubs,grasses, and other plants can slow and filter runoffwater before it enters the stream.


Riparian zone width and plant coverMeasure each of the following at the stream transect:

• Riparian zone width—Facing upstream, estimate thewidth of the riparian zones along the left and rightbanks in increments of 0–5 meters, 5–25 meters, andmore than 25 meters. Utilize the vegetation to assistyou in determining the width of the riparian zone.

• Riparian zone plant cover—Facing upstream,estimate the percentage of plant cover (trees,shrubs, grass/low plants, other) in the left- andright-bank riparian zones. The percentages ofeach bank should add up to 100%.

Stream sinuositySinuosity is a measure of the stream channel’stendency to meander back and forth within thestream valley. Strictly speaking, sinuosity is theratio of the channel length between two points in achannel and the straight line distance between thesame two points. Describing the sinuosity of thestream reach as low, moderate, high, or braideddoes not necessarily mean that the entire streamhas that level of sinuosity but that the portion of thestream being monitored can be viewed in this way.

Stream channels with low sinuosity are relativelystraight with few bends or meanders. Streamchannels with moderate sinuosity have few bendsgreater than 90 degrees. A high sinuosity rating isfor streams with a significant number of bends andmeanders that make a greater than 90-degreecurve. Braided channels are divided into severalsmaller channels, typically due to an accumulationof deposits within the bankfull channel (figure 5.6).


Stream sinuosityRecord the sinuosity of your stream reach as low,moderate, high, or braided.

illustration by

Noa

h Kroe

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MicrohabitatsSmaller habitat areas, called microhabitats, existwithin the larger stream habitat types (pool, riffle,run, and glide). These microhabitats consist ofalgae mats, leaf packs, logjams, rock piles, rootwads, undercut banks, fallen trees, weed beds, andlarge rocks. Microhabitats ensure stream diversityby supporting a variety of aquatic life.


MicrohabitatsRecord all of the different types of microhabitats thatyou see in your stream reach. Describe them as wellas possible.

Land useThe land use adjacent to the stream and riparianzone is also very important to document. Feedlots,wastewater treatment facilities, or city stormsewers can be sources of nutrients to nearbywaters. Other important influences could includegolf courses, roadways, parking lots, constructionzones, dump sites, airports, and state or federallyprotected natural areas.

It is important to document any land use in thewatershed that might influence water quality,especially those that exist in close proximity to

your stream reach. Additionally, documentinghuman use, or even evidence of human use, canhelp illustrate our physical connections to ouraquatic resources.


Adjacent land use, human use, and evidenceof human useCheck all those that apply along the stream reach:

• Adjacent land-use—Check all land uses in thearea adjacent to the riparian zones. Record all otherland-use practices that could affect the stream.

• Human use activities—Check all activities you’veeither witnessed or participated in at this site.

• Evidence of human use—If there’s any evidence ofothers using the stream, check all uses that apply.

PhotographsAs the adage goes, a picture is worth a thousandwords. Photographic documentation of habitatconditions along your stream reach may prove tobe extremely useful for tracking changes overtime. Be sure to use landmarks to identify specificlocations so you can compare images from year toyear. The more pictures, the better!

Figure 5.6. Stream sinuosity is ameasurement of how curvy or sinuousthe stream channel is. It is the ratio ofthe actual length of the channel betweentwo points to the straight-line distancebetween those two points. For thisassessment, simply categorize your streamreach sinuosity as high, medium, low, orbraided—indicating multiple channels.

illustration by Noah Kroese

IDAH2O HABITAT ASSESSMENT FIELD FORM

Habitat AssessmentRecommended frequency—yearly Photographic documentation is recommended and strongly encouraged

Date _____________ Time __________ IDAH2O monitor # ____________ Site number ______________

# of adults (including you)___________ # under 18____________________

Other volunteers involved___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Site description ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Was the stream dry when it was monitored? ______Yes _____No

Stream habitat type (at transect; check one): _____Pool _____Riffle _____Run _____Glide

Wolman pebble count (at transect)Size class Dimension In wetted Out wetted

Silt/Clay 0—1 mm ____________ ____________

Sand 1.1—2.5 mm ____________ ____________

Very fine pebble 2.51—6 mm ____________ ____________

Pebble 6.1—15 mm ____________ ____________

Coarse pebble 15.1—31 mm ____________ ____________

Very coarse pebble 31.1—64 mm ____________ ____________

Small cobble 64.1—128 mm ____________ ____________

Large cobble 128.1—256 mm ____________ ____________

Small boulder 256.1—512 mm ____________ ____________

Medium boulder 512.1—1024 mm ____________ ____________

Large boulder 1024 mm and larger ____________ ____________

TOTAL ____________ ____________



Embeddedness (%):____________%

Streambank characteristics (facing upstream at transect; check all that apply)Left bank Right bank______ Cut bank—eroding _______ Cut bank—eroding______ Cut bank—vegetated _______ Cut bank—vegetated______ Sloping bank _______ Sloping bank ______ Sand/Gravel bar _______ Sand/Gravel bar______ Riprap _______ Riprap ______ Constructed bank (i.e., drainage ditch) _______ Constructed bank (i.e., drainage ditch) ______ Other: __________________________________ _______ Other: __________________________

Streambank condition (facing upstream at transect; check one for each bank)Left bank Right bank______Covered stable _______ Covered stable______Covered unstable _______ Covered unstable______Uncovered stable _______ Uncovered stable______Uncovered unstable _______ Uncovered unstable

Channel shape (facing upstream at transect; check one for each bank)Left bank Right bank______Trapezoidal /__\ _______ Trapezoidal /__\______Rectangular |__| _______ Rectangular |__|______Inverse trapezoidal \__/ _______ Inverse trapezoidal \__/

Canopy cover (over transect; check one): ____0–25% ____25–50% ____50–75% ___75–100%

Riparian zone width (facing upstream at transect; check one for each bank)Left bank Right bank

______0–5 meters _______0–5 meters______5–25 meters _______5–25 meters______Over 25 meters _______Over 25 meters

Riparian zone plant cover (at transect—estimate percentage of each)Left bank Right bank______% Trees _______% Trees______% Shrubs / Low trees _______% Shrubs / Low trees ______% Grass / Low plants _______% Grass / Low plants ______% Exposed soil _______% Exposed soil ______% Other (riprap, concrete, etc.) _______% Other (riprap, concrete, etc.)

100% TOTAL 100% TOTAL


Note: the following parameters are conducted at the level of the stream reach

Stream sinuosity (along stream reach): ____Low _____Moderate _____ High _____Braided

Microhabitats (check all present in stream reach)______ Algae mats _______ Leaf packs______ Large organic debris _______ Rocks______ Root wads _______ Weed beds______ Fallen trees _______ Undercut banks______ Silt/Muck _______ Riprap______ Sand _______ Overhanging vegetation______Other: ___________________________________ _______ Junk (tires, etc.)

Adjacent land use (along stream reach; check all that apply)______ Row crop _______Boating accesses______ Pasture _______Nature trails______ Urban _______Fence______ Industrial _______Steep slopes______ Timber _______Stairs/Walkway______ Wetland _______Rural residential______ Prairie _______Conservation lands______ Park _______Animal feeding operations/lots______ Playground _______Campground______Other: __________________________________

Human use activities (along stream reach; check all that apply)Check activities you’ve participated in or witnessed at this site.______Swimming _______Boating______Tubing _______Wading______Water skiing _______Rafting______Wind surfing _______Hunting/Trapping______Canoeing/Kayaking _______Fishing______Other: ___________________________________ _______ Kids playing

Evidence of human use (along stream reach; check all that apply)Check evidence you’ve witnessed at this site.______Streamside roads _______Rope swings______Footprints or paths _______Camping sites______Dock/Platform _______Fire pit/Ring______Livestock watering _______Fishing Tackle______ATV/ORV tracks _______Evidence of play______Other: __________________________________


Record all other land-use practices that potentially could affect the stream.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are noxious weeds present? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT 29

6 PHYSICALASSESSMENT

IntroductionThe physical characteristics of a stream greatlyinfluence what type of aquatic life it can support.Within the theatre that is the stream, the physicalaspects make up the stage on which all lifeperforms. The stage backdrop—consisting ofstream width, depth, velocity, flow, and watertemperature—influences all of the chemical andbiological aspects of the stream.

When conducting your assessment, use thephysical/chemical assessment field form locatedat the end of this chapter and online at theIDAH2O website. Physical assessments shouldbe conducted monthly, if possible. This chapterdescribes the various kinds of data you’ll collectwhile performing the physical assessment.

WeatherWeather strongly influences the physicalcharacteristics of water. For example, a strong4-hour spring rain may result in most of thestream’s annual sediment and pollution load.Long-term weather conditions can also greatlyaffect our streams. Floods, droughts, or otherclimatic extremes can change the stream’sphysical and chemical characteristics quitedramatically (e.g., creating new stream channelsor drainage patterns).

Weather can also impact streams in other ways:

• Cloudy weather may result in lower dissolvedoxygen levels because of less plantphotosynthesis.

• Recent rains may dilute point source pollution.

• Recent rains may increase nonpoint sourcepollution by increasing surface water runoffand pollutant transport.

•Wind may raise dissolved oxygen levels byincreasing turbulence.

• Temperature affects many parameters, such asthe stream’s ability to retain dissolved oxygen.


WeatherReport the weather conditions at the time of yourstream assessment. Use the thermometer tomeasure air temperature before you use it for watertemperature. Use your own rain gauge or contacta local radio station or newspaper to find out theamount of precipitation during the previous24-hour period. Web-based resources forprecipitation information may also be available.

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30 CHAPTER SIX

Water colorThe water’s color can provide you immediate cluesas to a stream’s condition. Although clear water mayor may not be of high quality, other colors mayindicate certain conditions:

• Clear—Clear water doesn’t necessarily meanclean water, but it could indicate low levels ofdissolved or suspended substances.

• Brown—Brown water is usually due to heavysediment loads.

• Green—Green water is usually the result ofexcessive algae growth.

• Oily sheen—Oily sheens can be caused bypetroleum or chemical pollution, or they maybe natural by-products of decomposition. To tellthe difference between petroleum spills andnatural oil sheens, poke the sheen with a stick.If the sheen swirls back together immediately,it’s petroleum. If the sheen breaks apart anddoes not flow back together, it is from bacteriaor plant or animal decomposition.

• Reddish—Reddish or orange colors areusually due to iron oxides.

• Blackish—Blackish water is usually causedby natural processes of leaf decomposition.Pigments leached from decaying leaves cancause the water to appear murky.

•Milky—A milky appearance may be caused bysalts in the water.

• Gray—Gray water may be a result of naturalor human-induced activities. Surface foam iscommon and can be naturally occurring.Vegetation can produce surface-acting agents,or “surfactants,” which can cause surface foam.Human-induced surface foam may be anunnatural color (red, pink, blue, yellow, or orange)and have a fragrant smell. This foam is most likelygenerated by household detergents and may be asign of a failing septic drain field or discharge.


Water colorReport water color based on the categories listedabove.

Water odorWater odor, like water color, can provideimmediate clues about potential problemsin a stream:

• Sewage/Manure—These smells can becommon in Idaho’s air but should not bewhat our water smells like. It is importantto differentiate whether the odor is comingfrom the water or the air.

• Rotten egg—This odor can be caused byhydrogen sulfide gas, a by-product of anaerobicdecomposition (rotting without oxygen). Thisis a natural process that occurs in areas thathave large quantities of organic matter and lowlevels of dissolved oxygen. It may be caused byexcessive organic pollution.

• Petroleum—Any petroleum or chemicalsmells can indicate serious pollutionproblems from a direct source, such as afactory or parking lot/storm sewer runoff.

•Musky—Musky odors may result fromnatural or human-induced activities.


Water odorDetermine whether the water produces any of theodors described above.

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Water temperatureMany of the chemical, physical, and biologicalcharacteristics of a stream are directly affected bywater temperature. Some species, such as trout, arequite sensitive to temperature changes. Watertemperatures can fluctuate seasonally, daily, andeven hourly.

Human activities can adversely raise streamtemperatures in a variety of ways. Thermalpollution can be caused by:

•Warmed water entering a stream from industrydischarges or runoff from paved surfaces

• Removal of riparian corridors, whichincreases solar heating

• Soil erosion, resulting in darker water,which can absorb more sunlight

Water temperature affects the following:

• The amount of oxygen dissolved in water. Coolwater holds more oxygen than warm water

• The rate of photosynthesis by algae andaquatic plants, which increases withhigher temperatures

• The metabolic rates of aquatic animals,which increase with higher temperatures

• The sensitivity of organisms to diseases,parasites, and toxic wastes

Human impacts are most critical during the summer,when low flows and higher temperatures can causegreater stress on aquatic life. It is important to notethat the temperatures of some streams are naturallyhigher than others, depending on groundwater flowinto the stream, weather, and other factors.


Water temperatureAt your stream transect place the thermometerdirectly into the stream, holding it underwater inthe main flow of the stream (not in a pool) for atleast 2 minutes so the reading can stabilize.

TransparencyTransparency is a measure of water clarity and isaffected by the amount of material suspended inthe water. The more material in suspension, theless light can pass through, making the water lesstransparent. Suspended materials may include soil,algae, plankton, and microbes. Transparency ismeasured in centimeters using a transparency tube.

It is important to note that transparency differsfrom turbidity. Transparency is a measure of waterclarity in centimeters, while turbidity measureshow much light is scattered by suspended particlesin NTUs (nephelometric turbidity units).

Low transparency (high numbers of suspendedparticles) is rarely toxic to aquatic animals, but itindirectly harms them when solids settle out andclog gills, destroy habitat, and reduce theavailability of food. Furthermore, suspendedmaterials in streams promote solar heating, whichcan increase water temperatures (see WaterTemperature), and reduce light penetration, whichreduces photosynthesis, both of which contributeto lower levels of dissolved oxygen. Sedimentparticles also can carry attached chemicals, whichcan have harmful environmental effects.

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32 CHAPTER SIX

Sources of suspended particles include soil erosion,waste discharge, urban runoff, erodingstreambanks, bottom sediments disturbed bybottom-feeding fish (carp), and excess algal growth.


Transparency1. Make sure the finger clamp on the hose of yourtransparency tube is closed. Facing upstream in thearea along your transect with the greatest flow, fillthe transparency tube.

2. Hold the tube upright in the shade. Use your bodyto shade the tube if nothing else is available.

3.With your back to the sun, look directly into thetube from the open top and release water throughthe small hose, regulating the flow with the fingerclamp until you are able to distinguish the black andwhite pattern (Secchi pattern) on the bottom of thetube. Close the finger clamp.

4. Read the number on the outside of the tube that isclosest to the water line. Record your reading incentimeters (cm).

5. Rinse the tube after each use so that the bottomSecchi pattern does not become dirty and clouded.

Stream widthStream width is measured from the edge ofthe left bank to the edge of the right bank andrecorded in meters (figure 6.1). This may notbe the actual width of the water, but insteadrepresents the width of the stream channel.


Stream widthFacing upstream and starting from the left bank ofyour stream transect, measure the width of thestream in meters with the measuring tape. Make sureto measure the width at the same place each timeyou assess the stream! To make stream depth andvelocity measurements, you will need to either stakethe tape across the stream in this position or monitorwith others who can hold the tape across the streamtransect.

Stream depthWater depth is important for many fish. Mostfish require deeper water for overwintering.Shallow waters are important food productionand feeding areas.


Stream depthFacing upstream and starting from the left bank ofyour stream transect, measure and record the depthof the water, in meters, at 1-meter increments(figure 6.1). Remember to convert centimeters tometers. If your stream is less than 2 meters wide,measure one spot in the middle.

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Figure 6.1. Accurate measurementsalong your stream transect will allowyou to track changes in channelmigration and effects of sedimentationin your stream.

Maximum stream depthStream depth is important not only for aquatic life,but also for recreation. Recording maximumstream depth can help provide a more accurateassessment of streams.


Maximum stream depthFind the deepest spot in the stream along yourtransect and record the depth in meters.

Stream velocityA stream’s velocity is a measurement of how fastthe water is flowing. This information, along withthe stream’s depth and width, is needed tocalculate the flow (or stream discharge rate). Thisinformation can help us understand the effects ofother parameters.


Stream velocity1. Hold the tennis ball with its attached 1-meter stringwith one hand and the end of the string in the other.Hold both of these directly below the 1-meter markon the tape measure. Facing upstream, you should be1 meter out from the left bank. Use an outstretchedarm to make sure your body is not altering the streamflow in the vicinity of the tennis ball.

2. Have someone with a stopwatch say “go,” whileyou release the ball but continue to hold the stringat the 1-meter mark.

3.When the ball floats to the end of the string(1 meter), stop timing. Record in seconds the time ittook the tennis ball to travel the 1 meter.

4. Repeat the procedure for each 1-meter increment.If your stream is less than 2 meters wide, measureone spot in the middle.

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34 CHAPTER SIX

Stream flowAfter visiting your site a few times, or by lookingclosely for high water marks on the land or trees,you will be able to assess stream flow (i.e.,whether it’s high, normal, or low). Advanced flowmeasuring equipment may also be available;contact your IDAH2O coordinator for availability.


Stream flowUse these definitions to determine stream flow:

• High—Stream flow is higher than normal.

• Normal—Stream flow is normal.

• Low—Stream flow is lower than normal.

• Not sure—If normal stream flow is not known,stream flow cannot be estimated.

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IDAH2O PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT FIELD FORM

Physical/ Chemical AssessmentRecommended frequency—sample monthly at transectPhotographic documentation is recommended and strongly encouraged






Weather (check all that apply)___Sunny ___Partly sunny ___Cloudy ___Rain/Snow ___Windy ___Calm

Air temperature ______ °Fahrenheit Precipitation ______ inches over the last 24 hours

Water color (check all that apply)___Clear ____Brown ___Green ____Oily ___Reddish ___Blackish ___Milky ___Gray

Water odor (check all that apply)___None ___Sewage/Manure ___ Rotten eggs ___Petroleum ___Musky

Water temperature ______ °Fahrenheit

Transparency (record whole numbers only—no tenths) _______ centimeters


IDAH2O PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT FIELD FORM

pH Expiration date on bottom of bottle _______(check one) ___ 4 ___ 5 ___ 6 ___ 7 ___ 8 ___ 9

Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) Expiration date on back of color comparator _______(check one) ___ 1 ___ 2 ___ 3 ___ 4 ___ 5 ___ 6 ___ 8 ___ 10 ___ 12

Chloride (optional) Expiration date on bottom of bottle _________________ mg/L—Convert Quantab Units to mg/L using the chart provided on the bottle

Stream width ___.____ meters

Stream flow (along your transect) ______ high ______ normal ______ low ______ not sure

Stream depth (in meters) Stream velocity (in seconds)1st spot ___._____ ___._____2nd spot ___._____ ___._____3rd spot ___._____ ___._____4th spot ___._____ ___._____5th spot ___._____ ___._____6th spot ___._____ ___._____7th spot ___._____ ___._____8h spot ___._____ ___._____9th spot ___._____ ___._____10th spot ___._____ ___._____

Maximum stream depth (along your transect) ___._______ meters

Other observations and notes ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT 37

IntroductionStream water chemistry is perhaps the mostcomplicated and least understood characteristicof streams. While some chemicals are absolutelynecessary for life (such as nutrients), others canbe harmful (such as pesticides). Some chemicalsmay not directly impact human health, whileothers such as nitrate can have harmful effects inour drinking water.

As you explore your stream’s water chemistry, itis important to understand that water chemistryis very complex and that extreme natural variationin some chemicals is not unusual but actually thenorm. Some of these natural variations will beaddressed in the following sections in this chapter.

The following are just a few examples ofhow environmental conditions can influencewater chemistry:

• Season of year—In late spring, nitrate andphosphate levels in streams may rise inresponse to bare soil, heavy rains, increasedtilling of farm fields, and application ofchemicals to row crops and urban lawns.

• Time of day—Dissolved oxygen levels riseduring sunlight hours due to increasedphotosynthesis in aquatic plants and algae.They decrease overnight when photosynthesisis not occurring and plants and algae are usingup dissolved oxygen in respiration.

•Weather—Runoff from heavy rains cantransport pollutants to streams, thus havinga strong impact on nonpoint source pollution.

• Physical influences—Decreased canopy coverfrom riparian zone removal results in solarwarming of the water, which can decreasedissolved oxygen levels.

• Land use—Increased development throughouta watershed can result in more curb and gutterstormwater runoff. Land use changes can alsoincrease nonpoint sources of erosion thatincrease in-stream nutrient concentrations.

When conducting your assessment, use thephysical/chemical assessment field form locatedat the end of chapter 6 and online at the IDAH2Owebsite. Conduct chemical assessments monthly,if possible. This chapter describes the variouskinds of data you’ll collect while performing thechemical assessment and periodic sampling forsnapshot parameters.

pHpH is a measure of how acidic or basic water isand is measured in pH units on a scale of 0 to 14.A pH of seven 7 is neutral (distilled water), whilea pH greater than 7 is basic/alkaline and a pHless than 7 is acidic.

The pH of stream water is influenced by theconcentration of acids in rain and the types of

7 CHEMICALASSESSMENT

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38 CHAPTER SEVEN

soils and bedrock in the watershed. The typicalrainfall in the U.S. is slightly acidic, with a pHranging from 5.0 to 5.6. As rainwater falls, carbondioxide from the atmosphere dissolves into it,thus forming a weak carbonic acid and loweringthe pH of the precipitation.

Low pH levels (acidic water) can have a harmfulimpact on the health of aquatic communities.Very acidic water or acid rain can allow toxicsubstances such as ammonia and heavy metalsto leach from our soils and possibly be takenup by aquatic plants and animals in a processcalled bioaccumulation.

Most aquatic organisms require habitats with apH of 6.5 to 9.0. Extremely high or low pH valuesare quite rare in Idaho. Most values that exceed9.0 (basic) are caused by excessive algal growth,a sign of nutrient enrichment. Very low (acidic)pH readings are generally near point sourcesof pollution.


pHFor use with Hach pH test strips

Store test strips in the dark at room temperature.

1. Check the expiration date on the bottom of yourbottle of Hach pH test strips. If the expiration datehas passed, do not use them.

2. Facing upstream in the area along your transectwith the greatest flow, dip the test strip in thewater then remove it immediately. Hold the striplevel for 15 seconds. Do not shake excess waterfrom the test strip.

3. Estimate pH by comparing the color of your testpad with those in the color chart on the test stripbottle. Remove your sunglasses before reading thestrip. The pad will continue to change color, so makea determination immediately after 15 seconds.

4. Record your result on the physical/chemicalassessment field form.

5. Dispose of the test strip in a waste container,which can be emptied into your household trash.

Dissolved oxygenDissolved oxygen (DO) is necessary for nearlyall aquatic life to survive. Certain processes addoxygen to a stream, while others remove orconsume oxygen. Oxygen is added to a streamfrom the atmosphere through mixing in turbulentareas. Plants also contribute oxygen throughphotosynthesis. DO in streams can be affectedby the following:

•Water temperature—Cold water holds moreoxygen than warm water.

• Season—DO levels are higher in winter thanin summer.

• Time of day— On a sunny day, DO levels risefrom morning through the afternoon as a resultof photosynthesis, reach a maximum in lateafternoon, and steadily fall during the night,reaching their lowest point before dawn.

• Stream flow—DO varies with the volume andvelocity of water in a stream; faster-movingwater mixes readily with atmospheric oxygen,thus increasing DO.

• Aquatic plants—Plant photosynthesiscontributes oxygen to stream water by day,and plant respiration depletes it at night.

• Dissolved or suspended solids—Oxygendissolves more readily in water that does notcontain high amounts of salts, minerals, orother solids.

• Human impacts—Lower DO levels may resultfrom human impacts including organic enrich-ment, urban stormwater runoff, riparian corridorremoval, stream channelization, and dams.

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Dissolved oxygen is measured in milligramsper liter of water (mg/L). Idaho standards,which are set to protect aquatic life, call for aminimum of 6 mg/L of DO.

ChlorideChloride is a chemical found in salts, which tend todissolve easily in water. In natural waters,elevated levels of chloride may indicate inputs ofhuman or animal waste or inputs from fertilizers,many of which contain salts. During wintermonths, elevated chloride levels in streams mayoccur as a result of road salt runoff. Chloride canbe used as a “conservative” measure of watercontamination since other natural processes, suchas breakdown by bacteria, do not affect it.

The amount of chloride dissolved in water isexpressed in milligrams per liter of water (mg/L).Average chloride concentrations for Idahostreams range widely and are most often affectedby road de-icing efforts.

Testing for chloride is optional and occursonly when contamination is suspected.


Dissolved oxygenFor use with the Chemetrics dissolved oxygen test kit

Store the kit in the dark at room temperature. Keepthe color comparator and unused ampoules awayfrom direct sunlight, or they will turn blue and be nolonger usable.

1.Check the expiration dates on the color comparatorand on the ampoule box. If your equipment hasexpired, do not use it.

2. Remove the 25 ml sample cup from the kit and rinseit three timeswith stream water.

3. Facing upstream in the area along your transectwith the greatest flow, fill the sample cup to the 25 mlmark, mixing the water and air as little as possible. Todo so, first lower the sample cup down to wrist depthwhile holding it upside down. Turn the openingdownstream so that the cup backfills with water, thenturn the cup upstream and carefully remove it fromthe stream. Gently tip the sample cup to pour offexcess water.

4. Place the ampoule in the sample cup, tilting it sothe tip is wedged in one of the spaces along the side ofthe sample cup.

5. Snap off the tip of the ampoule by pressing itagainst the side of the cup, allowing it to fill withwater.

6. Remove the ampoule from the cup and mix thewater by inverting the ampoule several times. Becareful not to touch the broken end as it will be sharp.

7. 2 minutes after you break off the ampoule tip,compare the ampoule to the color standards providedin the kit. Read the ampoule right at 2 minutes as theampoule will continue to change color. Remove yoursunglasses before making a determination.

Hold the comparator nearly flat while standing directlybeneath a bright source of light. Place your ampoulebetween the color standards, moving it from left toright until you find the best color match. Record yourresult on the physical/chemical assessment field form.

8.The ampoule and ampoule tip may be disposed of inyour household trash, but be careful of the brokenglass. Also avoid breaking the ampoule open, as thecontents may be mild skin and/or eye irritants.

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40 CHAPTER SEVEN

Nitrate-N Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient, but excessivenitrogen can cause water quality problems. Toomuch nitrogen and phosphorus in surface waterscauses nutrient enrichment, increasing aquatic plantgrowth and changing the types of plants and animalsthat live in a stream. This process of nutrientenrichment, called eutrophication, can also affectother water quality parameters such as temperatureand dissolved oxygen.

Nitrate and nitrite are two forms of nitrogen.Nitrate dissolves easily in water and is morecommon in streams than nitrite. Sources of nitrateinclude soil organic matter, animal wastes,


ChlorideFor use with Hach chloride titrators and sample cupfrom one of the Chemetrics test kits

Store Quantab titrators at temperatures not toexceed 86°F.

1. Check the expiration date on the bottom of thechloride bottle. If your equipment is expired,do not use it.

2. Rinse the 25 ml Chemetrics test kit sample cup threetimes with stream water.

3. Facing upstream in the area along your transect withthe greatest flow, fill the sample cup to the 25 ml markwith stream water.

4. Remove a titrator from the bottle and replace thecap immediately.

5. Insert the lower end of the titrator into the samplecup. Do not allow the yellow completion string locatedat the top of the titrator to become submerged in thewater sample.

6.Allow the water sample to completely saturate thewick of the titrator. There is no time limit for this test;the reaction is complete when the yellow string turnsdark (this will take a few minutes).

7.Note where the tip of the white chloride peak falls onthe numbered Quantab scale. This represents theQuantab unit value.

8. Refer to the table on the Quantab test strip bottleto convert the Quantab units into a chlorideconcentration and record the result on thephysical/chemical assessment field form. If theQuantab unit is below 1.0, report the chlorideconcentration as < (less than) the lowestconcentration listed on the test strip vial, which fordata submission purposes is 25 mg/L. Chlorideconcentrations may also exceed the upper limits of thistest, which can be recorded as > 600 mg/L.

9.Quantab test strips may be disposed of withhousehold trash. Sample water can be disposed of inthe field.

High-range chloride strips, with a range of300–6,000 mg/L, are available. Please contactIDAH2O to acquire them.

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decomposing plants, sewage, and fertilizers. Nitrateis more soluble in water than phosphorus and canmove more readily into streams.

Nitrite is rare in streams because it is quicklyconverted to nitrate or returned to the atmosphereas nitrogen gas. Due to its instability, detectablelevels of nitrite in streams and lakes areuncommon. Detectable nitrite levels in streamsmay indicate a relatively fresh source of ammonia.

The amount of nitrate or nitrite dissolved in wateris reported as nitrate-N (nitrate expressed as theelement nitrogen) or nitrite-N in milligrams perliter of water (mg/L). The U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency’s drinking water standard fornitrate is 10 mg/L as nitrate-N. Stream waternitrate levels may vary greatly depending onseason and rainfall, fertilizer application rates,tillage methods, land use practices, soil types,and drainage systems. Consistently high nitratereadings (over 10 mg/L) may be cause forconcern and warrant further investigation.

q SNAPSHOT SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Nitrate-N1.Obtain sample bottles from the IDAH2Ocoordinator.

2. Sample with clean hands and keep the lidand rim of the bottle clean.

3. Facing upstream, take your sample from the thalweg(area in channel with the most concentrated flow)with the provided sample bottle double rinsed withstream water from your site.

4. Keep the sample bottle cool during transport.

5. Return the sample by the time indicated.

Your sample will be analyzed by a lab designated bythe IDAH2O program. The nitrate test utilizes HACHTNT Chemistries—Spectrophotometer. Results willbe posted at the IDAH2O website no later than 2weeks after you submit the sample.

PhosphorusPhosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants andanimals and is found in natural waters. Plantgrowth in surface waters is generally limited bythe amount of phosphorus present. The amount oftotal phosphorus in water is expressed inmilligrams per liter of water (mg/L).

There are natural sources of phosphorus, such ascertain soils and rocks, but most elevated levels ofphosphorus are caused by human activities. Theseinclude human, animal, and industrial wastes aswell as runoff from fertilized lawns and cropland.Excessive phosphorus in water speeds up plantgrowth, causes algal blooms, and can result invery low levels of dissolved oxygen (hypoxicconditions) that can kill certain fish, invertebrates,and other aquatic animals.

q SNAPSHOT SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Phosphorus1.Obtain sample bottles from the IDAH2Ocoordinator.

2. Sample with clean hands and keep the lid and rimof the bottle clean.

3. Facing upstream, take your sample from thethalweg (area in channel with the most concentratedflow) with the provided sample bottle double rinsedwith stream water from your site.



Your sample will be analyzed by a lab designated bythe IDAH2O program. The phosphorus test utilizesHACH TNT Chemistries—Spectrophotometer. Resultswill be posted at the IDAH2O website no later than 2weeks after you submit the sample.

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT 43

IntroductionThere are many forms of life within a stream.From tiny mayfly larvae to the large white taileddeer that use the stream for water, life aboundswithin and around a healthy stream system.Certain species lend themselves especially well totelling us something about the health of a stream.Scientific studies of natural ecosystems often usethese indicator species as a type of“environmental thermometer.” Some plants andanimals are intolerant of pollutants or othernegative environmental conditions, and theirpresence can indicate a great deal about thehealth of the water they live in.

Biological assessments require little expense orlabor, involve relatively easy analysis, and allowyou to follow environmental conditions in yourstream over a number of years. Normally, youconduct a biological assessment during times oflow flow in the summer and fall.

This chapter describes the various kinds of datayou’ll collect when you do the biologicalassessment and the periodic sampling forbacteria, a snapshot parameter. When conductingyour biological assessment, use the biologicalassessment field form located at the end of thischapter and online at the IDAH2O website.

Benthic macroinvertebrates Scary phrase, but it’s not as difficult as it appears!“Benthic” means bottom or bottom dwelling,“macro” means large, and “invertebrate” refers toanimals without backbones. Therefore, benthicmacroinvertebrates are bottom-dwelling animalsthat do not have backbones and can be seen withthe naked eye. These include aquatic insects,clams, crustaceans, leeches, snails, and worms.

In order to effectively study living things,scientists had to develop a classification systemthat would enable them to not only nameorganisms (using scientific rather than commonnames) but also to show their relationships toother living things. This classification system,which was developed in 1757 by Swedish botanistCarl Linnaeus, classifies organisms into ahierarchy (kingdom, phylum, class, order, family,genus, species) based on similar characteristics.

You’ll identify most of the invertebrates you studythrough IDAH2O monitoring to the level of order.For example, stoneflies are in kingdom Animalia,phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, and orderPlecoptera. Stoneflies may be furtherdifferentiated from one another down toindividual species, but for the purposes ofIDAH2O monitoring, we’ll refer to them as onegroup.

8 BIOLOGICALASSESSMENT

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44 CHAPTER EIGHT

Benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring is the mostcommon method of assessing the biological healthof a stream. As water conditions change, thebenthic macroinvertebrate community that livesthere changes too. The number and kinds ofcritters you collect and identify are relatively goodindicators of stream health. Having an abundanceof different types of critters, or high biodiversity,is important.

IDAH2O assessment relies heavily on benthicmacroinvertebrate information. Benthicmacroinvertebrates are assessed because theyare stable in their range (they don’t travel longdistances), are easy to collect and identify, andmuch is known of their tolerance levels todifferent pollutants.

Remember, however, that finding a species fromthe pollution tolerant (low water quality) groupdoes not automatically indicate a dirty stream.Critters with a high tolerance for pollution canlive anywhere; therefore, we find them in areaswith high water quality as well as low waterquality. A benthic macroinvertebrate assessmentin a general way indicates high, medium, or lowwater quality in a stream.


Benthic macroinvertebrates and microhabitatsAttempt to collect as diverse a group of critters aspossible from your stream reach. You will find themliving under rocks, hanging on overhanging grassesand roots, on woody debris in the stream, in leafpacks, within gravelly riffles, and even in sand andsilt. It is very important to sample all microhabitats.Remember, you are only trying to find differentspecies. While there’s no need to turn over every rockor pull apart every leaf pack, it is important that yousearch all available (or accessible) microhabitats sothat you get a representative sample of what livesin the stream.

Using your benthic nets, collect critters from thestream and deposit them in the ice cube tray filledwith water. To sample where there is flow present inthe stream, hold the leading edge of the net alongthe stream bottom and “wash” the substrateupstream so critters are forced into your net.Riffles are the best places to target when collectingaquatic insects.

On the biological assessment field form record allthe microhabitats that are present in your streamreach and indicate which you were able to sample.After you have sampled your stream, bring the trayto shore and use the key to identify your catch.Record what you found on the biological assessmentfield form and return the critters to the stream.

The IDAH2O program recommends you do thisassessment no more than three times a year(summer and fall months). More frequent samplingmay impact the populations of critters you arecollecting. If you are monitoring a stream ofexceptionally high quality, try to limit yourcollecting to no more than 30 minutes.

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BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT 45

Vertebrates“Vertebrate” refers to animals with backbones.This includes amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds,and mammals. Although they may be the mostcaptivating members of a natural community,they are difficult to use as indicator speciesbecause of their ability to move great distances.

Fish are arguably the most recognized animals inour streams. Interest in sport fishing from salmonto trout leads hundreds of thousands of Idahoansto the water each year. Fish can be used inassessing stream health, although collecting andidentifying fish for this purpose can be difficult.


FishAt your stream transect, note any fish you see in thestream reach. Determine species and size if you can.Take note of any spawning activity or fry. A space isprovided on the biological assessment field form foryour comments.

Aquatic plantsAquatic plants include all those that grow in thewater or wet soils. Aquatic plant communities canbe dominated by a single species or by a varietyof species. Drawbacks to using plants asenvironmental indicators include the difficulty ofidentifying them and the scarcity of informationabout their tolerance to pollution. In general,aquatic plants are indicators of clear water andstable substrate. They provide habitat and stabilizesubstrate during high flow conditions. They alsoproduce oxygen and remove contaminants fromsediment via root absorption.

When plants become overabundant or excessivelyoutcompete other species, they can becomeinvasive, which inhibits natural plant diversity inthe system. Invasive plants, some of which arenon-native or “exotic,” can impair the stream’sability to fulfill its beneficial uses.

Non-native, invasive species should be inventoriedat monitoring sites to help prevent further spreadof the problem. These plants can reside in the

water, on streambanks, and in riparian areas.Utilize your Idaho’s Noxious Weeds field guidewhen identifying these plants. Take care not tospread them to other sites!


Aquatic plantsAt your stream transect, estimate the percentage ofthe streambed covered with aquatic plants inincrements of 25%. Note any invasive species in theOther Observations portion of the field form.

AlgaeThere are many different species of algae, andmost take a microscope to identify. Algae arecommonly found attached to rocks or otherstreambed substrates in slower-moving water.Excessive growths of algae can be caused by toomany nutrients entering the stream from thewatershed. Too much algae can lead to oxygendepletion and may harm animals living there.Certain kinds of algae can cause odors or foultastes or even produce toxic by-products that area concern for drinking water treatment facilities.

In the presence of raw sewage, gray or “sewage”algae can form. This is not algae, but rather largecolonies of filamentous bacteria. In a stream, thisis usually a sign of severe fecal contamination.Do not wade in this stream! If you observe sewagealgae in your stream, please contact IDAH2O forassistance.


AlgaeAt your stream transect, estimate the percentage ofthe stream or streambed covered with algae inincrements of 25%.

46 CHAPTER EIGHT

BacteriaBacteria are very tiny organisms. Some bacteriaserve as indicators of certain types of pollution,such as sewage, while other bacteria indicateorganic pollution, such as gasoline spills. In mostcases, “indicator” bacteria are not dangerous toanimals (including us), but their presence mayindicate the presence of pathogens (disease-causing organisms). People can become ill byaccidentally swallowing certain types ofpathogens, such as certain strains of E. coli, fecalcoliform bacteria, enterococci, viruses, Giardia,and some parasites.

Bacteria is a snapshot parameter; however, youcan do a self-test by asking a few simplequestions. Do you see cattle, horses, or otherlivestock in or adjacent to the reach? Do youknow of any failing septic tanks within your reachor directly upstream? Do people swim or fish inthe area? Answering yes to these questions mayindicate a high likelihood of bacteria in thestream. Please note your observations on thebiological assessment field form under OtherObservations and Notes.

q SNAPSHOT SAMPLING TECHNIQUEBacteria

Bacteria1.Obtain sample bottles from the IDAH2Ocoordinator.

2. Sample with clean hands and keep the lid and rimof the bottle clean.

3. Facing upstream, take your sample from thethalweg (area in channel with the most concentratedflow) with the provided sample bottle double rinsedwith stream water from your site.



Your samples will be analyzed by a lab designatedby the IDAH2O program. The bacteria test utilizesQuanti-Tray/2000 analysis by IDEXX. Results willbe posted no later than 2 weeks after you submityour sample.

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IDAH2O BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FIELD FORM

Biological AssessmentRecommended frequency—no more than three times per year (summer and fall) Photographic documentation is recommended and strongly encouraged






Did you find benthic macroinvertebrates? (If yes, please check all those you found. If no, please provideany relevant comments in the Other Observations and Notes section at the end of this form. Also indicatewhy you think critters are not present.)

Benthic macroinvertebrates (check all found)High water-quality group (pollution intolerant)______Caddisfly _______Riffle beetle _______Stonefly______Dobsonfly _______Snail (not pouch) _______Water penny beetle______Mayfly

Middle water-quality group (somewhat pollution tolerant)______Alderfly _______Giant water bug _______Sowbug______Backswimmer _______Limpet _______Water boatman______Crane fly _______Mussels/Clams _______Water mite______Crawdad _______Orbsnail _______Water scorpion______Crawling water beetle _______Predaceous diving beetle _______Water strider______Damselfly _______Scud _______Whirligig beetle______Dragonfly


IDAH2O BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FIELD FORM

Benthic macroinvertebrates (check all found)Low water-quality group (pollution tolerant)______Aquatic worm _______Flatworm _______Mosquito______Black fly _______Leech _______Pouch snail______Bloodworm _______Midge fly _______Rat-tailed maggot______Other ________________ (no tolerance group assigned) _______Water scavenger beetle

Benthic macroinvertebrate collection time (check one)___0–15 min. ___15–30 min. ___30–45 min. ___More than 45 min.

Collection nets (How many nets did you use to collect critters?)___1 ___2 ___3 ___ 4 ___5 ___6+

Stream reach length (How far along the stream did you search for macroinvertebrates?)___0–25 meters ___25–50 meters ___50–75 meters ___75–100 meters ___100+ meters

Microhabitats (check all present in stream reach; check if sampled)Algae mats ___Present ___ Sampled Junk (tires, garbage, etc.) ___Present ___ SampledLogjams ___Present ___ Sampled Leaf packs ___Present ___ SampledRoot wads ___Present ___ Sampled Rocks ___Present ___ SampledFallen trees ___Present ___ Sampled Weed beds ___Present ___ SampledSilt/Muck ___Present ___ Sampled Undercut banks ___Present ___ SampledSand ___Present ___ Sampled Riprap ___Present ___ SampledOther (describe) ___Present ___ Sampled Overhanging vegetation ___Present ___ Sampled_________________________________________________

Stream habitat type (check all types sampled in stream reach)_____Pool _____Riffle _____ Run _____ Glide

Are fish or sign of fish present? _____________________________________

Aquatic plant cover of streambed (at transect; check one)___0–25% ___25–50% ___50–75% ___75–100%

Algae cover of stream or streambed (at transect; check one)___0–25% ___25–50% ___50–75% ___75–100%

Other observations and notes___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


High water-quality group—Pollution intolerant

1 Stonefly1/2–1 1/2 inches long, two hair-like tails, no gillson rear half of body, six legs, and hooked an-tenna

2 CaddisflyUp to 1 inch long, three pairs of legs on upperthird of body, two claws at rear end, may befound with its head sticking out of a case madeof sticks, rocks, or leaves

3 Mayfly1/4 –1 inch long, gills present on sides of lowerbody, six large hooked legs, most often foundwith three hair-like tails (sometimes only two)

4 Water penny beetle1/4–1/2 inch long, flat, saucer-shaped body, sixtiny legs, fluffy gills

5 Dobsonfly (Hellgrammite)3/4–4 inches, six legs, stout body with largepinching jaws, short antennae, two short legs(tails) at the back end with claws

6 Riffle beetle1/16–1/4 inch long, very small oval body coveredwith tiny hairs, six legs plus two antennae, walksslowly underwater

7 Gilled snail1/4–1 inch long, opens to the right when the nar-row end is pointed upward, opening covered bya thin plate, the operculum, gill breathing

Middle water-quality group—Somewhat pollution tolerant

8 Crayfish (Crawdad)Up to 6 inches long, one large set of claws,eight legs, resembles small lobster

9 Sowbug1/4–3/4 inch long, flat, segmented body, longantennae, armored appearance

10 Scud1/8–1/4 inch long, body higher than it is wide,swims sideways, resembles small shrimp

11 Alderfly1 inch long, similar to dobsonfly, but with along, thin, branched tail with no hooks,no gill tufts underneath

Benthic Macroinvertebrates

1 2

3 4 5

6 7 8

9 10 11

illustrations by Tommy Moorman

12 13 14

15 16 17

18 19 20

21 22

Middle water-quality group—Somewhat pollution tolerant

12 FlishflyUp to 1/2 inch long, similar to dobsonfly withno gill tufts underneath, two short tube-likestructures on the tail end

13 Damselfly1/2–1 inch long, large eyes, six thin, hooked legs,three oar-shaped tails

14 Watersnipe fly1/4–1 inch long, tapered body, caterpillar-likelegs, two stout, pointed tails with feather hairsat back end

15 Crane fly1/3–2 inches long, plump, caterpillar-likesegmented body, four finger-like lobes at theback end

16 Dragonfly1/2–2 inches long, large eyes, six hooked legs,stocky body without tails

17 Clams and MusselsUp to 5 inches long, fleshy body enclosedbetween two clamped shells, when alive,the shells cannot be pried apart

Low water-quality group –Pollution tolerant

18 Aquatic wormUsually 1 inch long, but can be up to 4 incheslong, can be very thin and slender or look likeearthworms, no legs or distinguishable head,segmented body

19 Midge flyUp to 1/4 inch long, worm-like, segmentedbody, two tiny legs on each side

20 Black flyUp to 1/4 inch long, body larger at the rear end,black head with fan-like mouth brushes, oftencurls up into U shape when held

21 Leech1/4–2 inches long, slimy, segmented body, onesuction pad at each end of the body

22 Pouch snailUp to 2 inches long, usually opens to the leftwhen the narrow end is pointing up, nooperculum (breathes oxygen from air)

STANDING WATER ASSESSMENT 51

IntroductionIdaho has numerous lakes and reservoirs. Thisvital resource provides natural beauty and waterfor drinking, recreation, industry, agriculture, andaquatic life.

“Lentic waters” is a broad term that encompassesall standing waters, whether naturally formed orconstructed. Naturally formed lakes includeglacial lakes and oxbow lakes. Glacial lakes formafter advances of glacial ice stagnate and depositlarge blocks of ice on the landscape. Glacial till—unsorted glacial material—deposited around theseblocks of ice confine kettle lakes when the icemelts. Oxbow lakes and backwater marshes formas meandering streams cut off their ownmeanders, leaving behind a body of standingwater. Reservoirs, on the other hand, are formedby building a dam across a stream.

For the purposes of water monitoring, standingwaters will be referred to as “lakes.” Lakes serveas “sinks,” or storage areas. Everything(sediments, chemicals, nutrients, etc.) transportedthrough watersheds eventually finds its way intostanding waters, where the pollutants maybecome concentrated and their effects observed.Lakes are direct reflections of the watershedsaround them, and their natural function is tocollect water, clean it, and then release it.

Site selectionThe number and location of your monitoring sitesfor the standing water assessment (see end ofchapter for the field form) will be influenced bythe goals and objectives of your monitoringprogram. A program designed primarily for publiceducation, for example, may include sites chosenfor nonscientific reasons, such as their proximityto residential neighborhoods or convenientaccess. Such a program may even include moremonitoring sites than necessary to meet scientificgoals so more volunteers can participate inmonitoring.

Near-shore areas of lakes may be the first to showimpairment due to pollution. Deep locations willshow long-term trends in water quality. A mixtureof near-shore and open-water sites would be bestfor a quick characterization. However, you won’tbe able to characterize an entire lake based onjust one or a few samples.

A program that is designed to collect scientificdata will focus on the most representativelocation of the lake. In most cases, averageconditions are best represented in the deepest,open-water area of your lake. The deepest point incircular, natural lakes is usually near the middle.The deepest section of a human-made reservoir isusually near the dam. Lakes that have large arms

9 STANDING WATER ASSESSMENT

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52 CHAPTER NINE

or bays should be sampled in the deepest section ofeach individual arm or bay.

The location of each monitoring site needs to beconsistent. In the field, identify and locate yoursampling site. Mark it clearly on a lake map, thenregister it in the IDAH2O database in the samemanner as stream sites. Finding a shoreline or dockmonitoring site is easier than finding sites in openwater, but the location still needs to be documented(figure 9.1).

As with stream monitoring, it’s best to start withbackground research and a driving tour of thewatershed. Some sources of information for lakescould include:

• Bathymetric (depth contour) maps or generalknowledge of the location of the deepest part ofthe lake. Soundings with a depth finder can helpyou identify a suitable monitoring location.

•Watershed and topographic maps that show thelake’s major inflows and outflows.

• Information on any current activities in thewatershed that may affect sampling results,including point sources of pollution such as

water treatment discharges, storm drainoverflows, and failing septic systems andnonpoint sources such as agricultural and urbanland uses and construction areas.

• Information on any current lake activities thatmay affect sampling results like dredging, waterlevel draw-downs, and chemical applications.

Point samplingTo ensure consistency when conducting lakemonitoring, IDAH20 uses point sampling from aspecific depth, approximately 1/2 meter.

Point sampling involves these steps:

1 Rinse the sampling bottle three times in anarea away from where you will sample.

2 Submerge the bottle upside-down into thewater to elbow depth (1/2 meter).

3 Slowly turn the bottle right side up.

4 Gently lift the bottle out of the water.

Collect a separate water sample for each chemicalparameter you’re monitoring (pH, dissolved

Figure 9.1. Lake sampling is best con-ducted in the deepest portion of the lake.However, sampling off docks and in bayscan help you determine where sources ofpollution may be entering the water.

illustration by

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oxygen, and chloride). You’ll use differentsampling guidelines for the snapshot parametersnitrate-N, total phosphorus, and bacteria.

Frequency of monitoringIDAH2O suggests beginning lake monitoring atspring ice-out and continuing on a monthlyschedule until fall freeze-over. Habitat assessment,however, takes place just once per year, preferablyin July. If this is too rigorous a schedule, or if thegoals and objectives of your program don’t requirethis frequency, set a schedule that works for you.The most important concept is consistency. If yousample the first week of May, July, and Septemberone year, be sure to repeat this as closely aspossible the next year.

In general, IDAH2O recommends samplingbetween 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Understand, however,that there is flexibility in both the day and timeyou sample, especially in light of weatherconditions. Use good judgment as to when tosample. IDAH2O recommends that you not samplealone, and be sure to let someone know when andwhere you are going out to sample. Under nocircumstances should volunteers be on the waterduring rain or electrical storms, high winds(white caps), thin ice, or other unsafe conditions.

When conducting your assessment, use thestanding water assessment field form located atthe end of this chapter and online at the IDAH2Owebsite. The remainder of this chapter describesthe various kinds of data you’ll collect when youdo the standing water assessment.

Standing water habitat assessmentInlets/Outlets

You may find it useful to conduct IDAH2O streammonitoring on the lake’s inlets and outlets. Bymonitoring water inlets, you may be able todetermine if they are significant contributors ofpollution, or if fluctuations in the levels of variousparameters in the inlet correlate with fluctuationsin your lake. For example, do “spikes” inphosphate and nitrate and decreases in waterclarity in the inlet correlate with increased algalgrowth in your lake? Monitoring the outlet may be

useful in determining if the lake is contributing todownstream sediment or nutrient loading. It mayalso gauge the effect your lake has on waterquality as it passes through the system.

Use caution, however, when drawing conclusionsof cause and effect. Many unmeasured variablesmay be contributing to water quality, such asrainfall directly on the lake, groundwater flowsfrom underground aquifers, leaking city sewers,and private septic systems. Your monitoringinformation can identify trends or send up “redflags” to a potential problem, but it will probablynot tell the full story of what is happening withinyour waterbody.

Lake banks

Documenting the condition of the lake banks overtime may be useful. In the IDAH2O database andon your standing water assessment field form, youwill be able to give a written description of yourlake banks. Be sure to include approximaterelative distances if possible (e.g., most of southshore is riprap covered, west shore from southernriprap to Eagle Point is the gently sloping grassbank of Swan State Park, rest of west shore andwhole north end is cattails with gently slopingbank, and east shore down to Smith propertywhere the riprap starts is cut bank eroding).

Adjacent land use

Using the same categories for this parameter as inIDAH2O stream monitoring (agriculture, urban,light industrial, etc.), estimate the percentage ofeach type of adjacent land use. If you want todocument changes in land use not reflected inthese categories, include them as well.

Standing water physical assessmentWeather

Weather categories are the same as in IDAH2Ostream monitoring except for the addition of winddirection and wind speed. Wind direction refers tothe direction the wind is coming from.

Water clarity—Secchi disc transparency

A Secchi disc is used to measure water clarity, orhow deep a person can see into the water. ASecchi disc is a circular disk, about 20 centimeters

54 CHAPTER NINE

(8 inches) in diameter, painted with black andwhite quadrants. It is a standard piece ofequipment used by scientists and volunteers sinceits development in 1865 by Professor P. A. Secchi.

Many natural and human-caused factors occurringboth inside and outside the lake affect waterclarity. Do not assume algal density is directlymeasured by the Secchi disc!

Inside the lake, water clarity can be reduced by:

• Organisms such as diatoms and plankton

•Dissolved materials that are natural,or unnatural

• Sediment suspended in the water column

Outside the lake, water transparency can bemisinterpreted by:

• Human error, such as the observer’s eyesight

• Time of day, latitude, and season of the year,which affect the angle at which sunlightstrikes the lake surface

• Cloud cover, rain, and other weatherconditions

•Water surface conditions, such as waves,sun glare, and surface scum

Because of these factors, transparencymeasurements taken with the Secchi disc shouldonly be considered a baseline. Proving a directcorrelation between algae populations andtransparency requires direct measurement ofthe algal population. A measurement of algalpopulation would include sampling forchlorophyll, which is not a field test.

Water temperature

Take water temperature at a depth ofapproximately 1/2 meter (elbow depth).

Water level

The categories IDAH2O uses for water level inlakes are normal, low, and high. Many of you mayhave the ability to more precisely measure lakewater level in terms of inches above or below“normal,” and we encourage you to documentthis on your field form and in the IDAH2Odatabase if possible.


Secchi disc depthThe following procedures are modified, withpermission, from the Illinois Environmental ProtectionAgency and Northeastern Illinois PlanningCommission’s Volunteer Lake Monitoring ProgramTraining Manual:

1. Remove your sunglasses. If monitoring from a boat,at your monitoring site carefully lower an anchor overthe side until it reaches the bottom. The force of theanchor hitting the lake bottom will disrupt a certainamount of bottom sediment. Let out plenty of anchorline so that the boat drifts away from the sedimentplume that may have been kicked up by the anchor.

2.Attach the Secchi disc to the tape measure. Leanover the shaded side of the boat or dock and slowlylower the Secchi disc into the water until it is nolonger visible.

3.When the disc is no longer in view, mark the tapemeasure at the water’s surface with some type ofmarker, like a paperclip or clothespin.

4. Lower the disc a few more feet into the water, andslowly raise it back toward the surface. When the discreappears, mark the tape measure at the water’ssurface with another marker. Bring the tape measureand disc back into the boat.

5. Form a loop between the two markers. Use a thirdmarker to mark the center of the loop. This marks the“average” of the two readings and is considered to bethe Secchi depth. Record the results on the IDAH2Ostanding water assessment field form.

In some shallow lakes, it is impossible to get a Secchidisc reading because the disk hits the bottom beforevanishing from sight. This means the true Secchi discreading is greater than the depth of the lake in thatlocation. In this case, use a transparency tube to get areading of water clarity and record your results on thestanding water assessment field form.

Sometimes the Secchi disc is lost from view because itdisappears into a dense growth of rooted aquaticplants. Try moving a few feet away to improve yourview of the Secchi disc through the vegetation. If thisdoesn’t work, use a transparency tube to get a readingof water clarity and record the result.


Water odor

The water odor categories used in lakeassessments are the same as those used in streammonitoring, with the exclusion of the category“musky” and addition of “fishy.”

Standing water chemical assessmentRemember, you are doing point sampling at aspecific depth. To collect water samples forchemical assessments submerge the samplebottle upside down into the water to elbow depth(1/2 meter), turn the bottle right side up, and gentlylift the bottle out of the water. Use a separatewater sample for each chemical parameter youare monitoring.

pH

Once you’ve collected your sample, follow thereporting technique given in this handbook forstream samples (chapter 7). For more informationon pH, also see chapter 7.

Dissolved oxygen

The amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) in water isan important indicator of lake health, and manyexperts consider it to be the most importantparameter used to characterize lake water quality.DO plays a crucial role in determining the types oforganisms that can live in a lake. Some species,such as many sport fish, need consistently highoxygen concentrations to survive. Other aquaticspecies are more tolerant of low or fluctuatingconcentrations of oxygen. Oxygen is suppliednaturally to a lake through the diffusion ofatmospheric oxygen into the water (enhanced bywind and waves) and through its productionduring photosynthesis by aquatic plants and algae.

Water temperature affects the capacity of water toretain dissolved oxygen. Cold water can hold moreoxygen than warm water. Therefore, a lake willtypically have a higher concentration of dissolvedoxygen during the winter than the summer.

Algae and aquatic plants produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis, but they also take inoxygen for respiration. Respiration occurs all thetime in both plants and animals, butphotosynthesis occurs only in the presence oflight. Consequently, a lake that has a large

population of algae or plants can experience agreat fluctuation in dissolved oxygenconcentrations during a 24-hour period. In extremecases, respiration by plants and animals candeplete the oxygen in water during the late eveningand pre-dawn hours.

Once you’ve collected your sample, follow thedissolved oxygen reporting technique given in thishandbook for stream samples (chapter 7).

Chloride

Chloride is an optional monitoring parameter.

Once you’ve collected your sample, follow thechloride reporting technique given in thishandbook for stream samples (chapter 7). Moreinformation on chloride is also available inchapter 7. Remember to convert the Quantabunits into mg/L using the chart provided on thevial.

Nitrate-N

You’ll monitor for nitrate-N only during snapshotevents. Once you’ve collected your sample, followthe snapshot technique given for nitrate-N inchapter 7. For more information on nitrogen insurface water, see chapter 7.

Total phosphorus

You’ll monitor for phosphorus only duringsnapshot events. Phosphorus is essential to plantgrowth and reproduction. Plants and algae mostreadily take up a form of phosphorus known asorthophosphate, or free phosphate, which is thesimplest form of phosphorus found in naturalwaters. Orthophosphate is so quickly taken upby growing algal populations that, if present, it istypically found in low concentrations. Sincephosphate is taken up more readily than nitrate,it is often regarded as a limiting resource for algalgrowth.

Once you’ve collected your sample, follow thesnapshot technique given for phosphorus inchapter 7. For more information on phosphorusin surface water, see chapter 7.

56 CHAPTER NINE

Standing water biological assessmentPlankton and water color

Algae act like very small plants. They containchlorophyll and perform photosynthesis, but theydo not have true roots, stems, or leaves. Algaegrow in many forms. Some species aremicroscopic single cells; others grow as masses(colonies) or strands (filaments). Some evenresemble plants growing on the lake bottom.

Like all plants, algae require light, a supply ofnutrients, and specific temperature ranges togrow and reproduce. Of these factors, it is usuallythe supply of nutrients that will have the greatestimpact on algal growth. In most lakes, increasingthe supply of nutrients (especially phosphorus)in the water will usually result in a larger algalpopulation.

Excessive growth of one or more species of algaeis called an algal bloom. Algal blooms, whichusually occur in response to an increased supplyof nutrients, are often a disturbing symptom ofhuman-induced eutrophication.

Blooms of algae can give the water an unpleasanttaste or odor, reduce clarity, and color the lake avivid green, brown, yellow, or even red. Theseblooms can even be toxic to humans and animals.Filamentous and colonial algae are especiallytroublesome because they can mass together toform scum or mats on the lake surface. Thesemats can drift and clog water intakes, foul

beaches, and ruin recreational opportunities.

Record any significant colors in the watercolumn that may be caused by an algal bloom.

Aquatic plants

IDAH2O does not have methods for surveyingaquatic plants. If you know the names of aquaticplants and wish to document a plant list, pleaseinclude the list on the standing water assessmentfield form and in the IDAH2O database underOther Observations and Notes.

Also important in monitoring lakes is keeping aneye out for the presence and growth of aquaticinvasive plants. Report any occurrence of invasiveplants on the field form and in the IDAH2Odatabase under Other Observations and Notes.

Benthic macroinvertebrates

If you wish to include benthic macroinvertebratesampling in your monitoring program, you areencouraged to use the methods from the IDAH2Ostream biological assessment and conduct yoursampling near the shoreline. Report themicrohabitats you sample, such as boat docks,shore cobble, etc.

You will probably encounter a lesser variety andabundance of benthic macroinvertebrates in alake than you would in a stream. Even thoughvariety may be lacking, benthic macroinvertebratepopulations in a lake should thrive. Commoninhabitants in lakes and ponds include filter-feeding mayflies, predatory alderflies that liveburied in sediments, caddisflies that produceportable protective cases, aquatic worms, waterboatmen, water striders, crawfish, and fly larvae.

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AH2O

IDAH2O STANDING WATER ASSESSMENT FIELD FORM

Standing water assessmentRecommended frequency—monthly from ice-out to freeze-over





Site location ____Open water _____Shore or dock

PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT

Weather (check all that apply)___Sunny ___Partly sunny ___Cloudy ___Rain/Snow ___Windy ___Calm

Air temperature ______ °Fahrenheit Precipitation ______ inches over the last 24 hours

Wind direction (check one) Wind speed (check one)_______Not applicable _______Calm (0–5 mph, felt on face, leaves rustle)_______North _______Breezy (sustained 5–15 mph, small branches move)_______South _______Gusty (15+ mph, small trees sway occasionally)_______East _______Strong (sustained over 15 mph, small trees sway_______West _______continuously, waves form)_______Northeast_______Northwest_______Southeast_______Southwest

Secchi disc depth ____.____ meters OR Transparency tube _______ cm (record whole numbers only)

Water temperature ____ °Fahrenheit


IDAH2O STANDING WATER ASSESSMENT FIELD FORM

Water level (check one) _____Above normal _____Normal _____Below normalInches above or below normal _____________

Water odor (check all that apply)___None ___Sewage/Manure ___ Rotten eggs __Petroleum ___Fishy

CHEMICAL ASSESSMENTUse point sampling technique!

pH Expiration date on bottom of bottle _______(check one) ___ 4 ___ 5 ___ 6 ___ 7 ___ 8 ___ 9

Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) Expiration date on back of color comparator _______(check one) ___ 1 ___ 2 ___ 3 ___ 4 ___ 5 ___ 6 ___ 8 ___ 10 ___ 12

Chloride Expiration date on bottom of bottle _________________ mg/L—Convert Quantab units to mg/L using the chart provided on the bottle

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

Water colorIs there an obvious algal bloom? (algal mats present, water appears green or scummy) ____ No ____ Yes (if yes, please submit a photo record)

Benthic macroinvertebrate assessmentUse the IDAH2O Biological Assessment Field Form to record your data.

HABITAT ASSESSMENTConduct only once per year, preferably in July, or if a major land use change occurs.

Describe lake banks _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Describe adjacent land use __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Other observations and notes ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBMITTING AND INTERPRETING DATA 59

Monitor identification numberEvery Master Water Steward will receive an IDAH2Omonitor identification number once becomingcertified. You will write this number on all yourassessment field forms and enter it when submittingdata online. Your identification number will bedifferent from your site’s registration number.

Registering a monitoring siteAs a certified Master Water Steward, you will beallowed to register one or more monitoring sites.These sites can be chosen either by you or byIDAH2O program staff. In order to register amonitoring site, you’ll need coordinates of thelocation. These can be obtained with a map, GPS, oronline. Ask your IDAH2O coordinator if you haveany trouble locating the coordinates of your site.

Each registered site will also be assigned anidentification number, the site number. This will bedifferent from your monitor identification number.

Entering data onlineThe IDAH2O program hosts an online databasewhere Master Water Stewards can post their data.Once you have become a Master Water Stewardand have registered a monitoring site(s), links tothe database will be provided to you. The

database will also be accessible via our websitefor the public to view the data.

When entering data, please follow directionsclosely. Once you have submitted your data, youwill not be able to go back in and edit it. Anychanges will need to be emailed to the IDAH2Ocoordinator.

Assessment field forms onlineField forms for the IDAH2O assessments areavailable online at the IDAH2O website and canbe downloaded.

What is “typical”?You may have to spend some time researching tofind out if your body of water is “typical.” Youmight try to compare your stream to similarstreams or compare stream segments above andbelow a potential pollution source. Data are onlynumbers. Trends and departures from “typical”don’t become apparent until you have collecteddata over a period of time under a variety ofconditions. This allows you to become familiarwith the waterbody, determine what readings areto be expected, and what values might beconsidered atypical.

In some cases, state agencies, volunteer groups,county conservation boards, high school or

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college instructors, or others may have somehistorical water quality data to jump start thisprocess. Often, however, data holes exist. This iswhy you, the citizen monitor, are of vitalimportance. If nobody knows a problem exists,nobody cares. When problems are brought tolight, the focus on solutions can begin.

Unusual sampling resultsAs you probably realize by this point, water qualitymonitoring is affected by many variables, and yourdata can be challenging to interpret. As a citizenmonitor, you may measure water quality parametervalues that are unusual or exceed water qualitycriteria. Many factors determine whether an actualwater quality violation has occurred.

While they may not necessarily indicate unusualsampling results, please consider contactingIDAH2O if you encounter any of the following:

In chemical/physical assessments:

• Dissolved oxygen values of 5 or less (1–5 mg/L)

• pH values of 6 or less (4, 5, 6)

• Chloride values of 100 or greater (≥ 100 mg/L)

In biological assessments:

• No benthic macroinvertebrates

• Only benthic macroinvertebrates from the lowwater-quality group (particularly bloodworms)in very high abundance

As you examine what appear to be unusual data,keep in mind that many parameters will exhibitseasonal shifts. Nitrate levels rise sharply in thespring and then fall off throughout the growingseason. Populations of benthic macroinvertebrateschange in composition as some insects completetheir annual aquatic life cycles. Water temperaturesin many streams steadily increase through thesummer and decrease again in the fall.

Some parameters are quite sensitive to rain. Aheavy overnight rain can cause dramatic changes inchemical levels. This is important to document overtime but is not a cause for an emergency response.

If you find abnormal values for a certain parameter,reread the section on the parameter in this manualto give you a background about its characteristics.

Dramatic change refers to relatively short-termchanges that contradict what you would expect tofind. For example, suppose your first benthicsample contained six high water-quality critters,two middle water-quality critters, and one lowwater-quality critter. Now suppose your nextsample 2 months later gave you no high water-quality critters, no middle water-quality critters,and six low water-quality critters. This is a dramaticshift in species makeup over a relatively shortperiod of time and should be reported to theIDAH2O program.

Once a problem has been documented, IDAH2Obelieves that effective and long-lasting changeshould involve local units working together todevelop solutions and achieve results. Remember,IDAH2O is about results, not regulations!

When to involve law enforcementor IDAH2O staffIn some cases, notification of local lawenforcement or IDAH2O staff is needed:

• There is evidence of criminal activity that isimmediately dangerous to yourself or thesurrounding environment (e.g., illegal drugactivity). Leave the area immediately andcall the sheriff or local law enforcement.

• Off-roading or mudding is causing resourcedamage. Report your observations to theauthorities in that jurisdiction or to the U.S.Forest Service if the activity is occurring onfederal land.

• There is evidence of dangerous pollutiondischarges, fish kills, or public health hazards.Report your observations immediately to theIdaho Department of Environmental QualitySurface Water Division field office for yourarea. Be sure to document the location andcollect visual information, but do not disturbthe area or evidence.

SUBMITTING AND INTERPRETING DATA 61

• There has been a dramatic shift in the makeupof your stream’s benthic macroinvertebrates.Contact IDAH2O staff.

• Your results for a given parameter exceedwater quality standard limits, or you areotherwise concerned about them. In thesecases, first check the expiration dates of yourequipment and double and triple check yourresults. It would also be helpful to havesomeone else sample the same siteindependently to see if they get the sameresult. If you are getting the same results,contact IDAH2O staff.

• You find evidence of excessive chemical orpetroleum inputs. If oily sheens are present,first conduct a simple test to determinewhether or not the sheens are natural. Pokethe sheen with a stick. If the sheen swirls backtogether immediately, it’s petroleum. If thesheen breaks apart and does not flow backtogether, it is from bacteria or plant or animaldecomposition. If you think the input couldresult in an immediate hazard, call your localIdaho DEQ field office.

Under no circumstances should a volunteermonitor confront a private landowner orcommercial entity in an attempt to assess orrectify these types of situations!

If you have questions about anything at any time,please contact IDAH2O for assistance—[email protected].

Your credibility as aMaster Water StewardBe careful when trying to interpret data. It is oftendifficult to determine cause and effect and doingso may take years of monitoring. Your credibilitymay take years to build but only an instant todestroy. To build credibility, adhere to the IDAH2Ocode of ethics and contact IDAH2O if you believeyour data may be revealing a problem.

62 GLOSSARY

GlossaryAcid rain. Rain with a pH of 4.5 or less.

Aerobic. Life or processes that depend on the presenceof oxygen.

Aggrading stream reach. Deposition is greater than erosionwithin the stream reach.

Algae. Green plants that occur as microscopic formssuspended in water (phytoplankton) and as unicellular orfilamentous forms attached to rocks and other substrates.These plants lack roots, stems, flowers, and leaves, livemainly in water, and use the sun as an energy source.

Algal bloom. A sudden increase in the abundance ofsuspended (planktonic) algae, especially at or near the watersurface, producing a green appearance to the water. Excessnutrient can cause an algal bloom.

Alkalinity. A measure of water’s ability to neutralize acid.

Ampoule. A sealed, bulbous glass tube that contains a liquidproduct. Ampoules are used in the orthophosphate anddissolved oxygen field kits.

Anaerobic. Refers to life or processes that occur in theabsence of oxygen.

Anaerobic decomposition. The breakdown of organicmaterial without oxygen.

Anoxia. A condition of no oxygen in the water. Often occursnear the bottom of eutrophic, stratified lakes in summer andunder ice in winter.

Aquatic community. All the groups of plants and animalsoccupying a common body of water.

Bank. The portion of the stream channel that restricts themovement of water out of the channel during times of normalwater depth. This area is characterized as being the exposedareas on either side of the stream above water level.

Baseline. A level or concentration that is the norm.

Baseflow. That portion of stream flow originating fromgroundwater discharging into the stream.

Basin. Another word for a watershed.

Benthic. Describes all things associated with the bottom,or sediments, of a stream.

Benthic macroinvertebrates. Bottom-dwelling organismsthat lack a backbone, inhabit streams or lakes, and can beseen with the naked eye.

Benthic zone. The zone on the bottom of moving orstanding waters.

Bioaccumulation. The build-up of toxic substances inanimal flesh.

Biodiversity. Biological diversity in an environment asindicated by the numbers of different species of plantsand animals.

Biomass. Living things and their by-products.

Biotic index. A numerical value that describes the biologicalintegrity of aquatic communities for a waterbody.

Canopy cover. Overhanging vegetation that provides shadeto a stream.

Carrying capacity. The number of individuals the resourcesof a given area can support.

Channelization. The straightening of streams by eliminatingthe meanders or bends. A channelized stream resembles aditch with few or no meanders.

Chemical weathering. Erosion caused by chemicalreactions (e.g., rainwater dissolving limestone).

Chlorophyll. Green plant pigments that are necessary forphotosynthesis; may be used as an indicator of algalpopulation levels in a stream or lake.

Collectors. Benthic macroinvertebrates that eatdecomposing organic matter (filter feeders).

Confined aquifer. An aquifer that is protected by animpervious layer of rock.

Cultural eutrophication. Accelerated enrichment ofwaters due to human activities. Excess nutrients fromagricultural runoff, sewage, or other sources allow watersto support a higher amount of plant and animal matter thanthey would naturally.

Decomposer. An organism that feeds on and breaks downdead plant or animal matter, thus making organic nutrientsavailable to the ecosystem.

Dead zone. An area of the Mississippi River delta that cannotsupport aquatic life during certain times of the year due tolow dissolved oxygen levels.

Degrading stream reach. A stream reach where erosion isgreater than deposition.

Denitrification. The process of converting nitrate nitrogeninto nitrite nitrogen, which can convert to nitrogen gasand escape into the atmosphere.

Discharge, Flow. A measure of how much water passes agiven point in a given time (m3/s).

Discharge permits. The maximum amount of a pollutantthat an entity is permitted to release into a waterbody.

Dissolved oxygen. The amount of oxygen dissolved inwater. Higher amounts of oxygen can be dissolved in colderwaters than in warmer waters. Dissolved oxygen is necessaryto support fish and other aquatic organisms.

Diversity. A large variety of organisms.

Dystrophic. Low in nutrients; highly colored with dissolvedhumic organic matter.

Ecology. The study of relationships among living andnonliving things.

GLOSSARY 63

Ecoregion. Large area within which local ecosystemsreoccur in a more or less predictable pattern. Ecoregionsprovide a spatial framework for ecosystem assessment,research, inventory, monitoring, and management.

Ecosystem. A community of animals, plants, andmicroorganisms interacting within the physical and chemicalenvironment.

Embeddedness. The degree that larger particles (bouldersor gravel) in a stream are surrounded or covered by finesediment.

Emergent vegetation. Plants living along the edges (orbanks) of a stream that are rooted in sediment but growabove the water’s surface.

Ephemeral stream. A stream that flows during the wetseason and is dry in the dry season; see Intermittent stream.

Erosion. The wearing down and removal of soil, rockfragments, and bedrock through the action of running water,wind, moving ice, and gravitational creep (or massmovement).

E. coli (Escherichia coli). A bacterium of the intestines ofwarm-blooded organisms, including humans, that is used asan indicator of water pollution for disease-causing organisms.

Eutrophic. A term used to describe very productive orenriched lakes. These lakes tend to exhibit some or all of thefollowing characteristics: an abundance of rooted plants,elevated turbidity levels due to high algal populations, loss ofoxygen in bottom waters during the summer months, rapidaccumulation of soft bottom sediments, and abundant fish,which may include stunted and/or rough species in the mostfertile lakes.

Eutrophication. A gradual increase in the productivity of alake ecosystem due to enrichment with plant nutrients,leading to changes in the biological community as well asphysical and chemical changes. This is a natural process, butcan be greatly accelerated by humans (see Culturaleutrophication).

Fecal coliform bacteria. The portion of the coliform groupthat is present in the gut or feces of warmblooded organisms.The presence of fecal coliform bacteria in water is anindication of pollution and potential human health problems.

Filamentous. Refers to cells appearing as attached, hairlikegrowths, often as waving strands in the water.

Floodplain. An area on both sides of a stream where floodwaters spread out during high flow. The surface may appeardry for most of the year, but it is generally occupied by plantsadapted to wet soils.

Flow, Discharge. A measure of how much water passes agiven point in a given time (m3/s).

Gaining stream. A stream that receives its baseflow fromthe groundwater system.

Geographic Information System. A mapping applicationthat uses different overlaid layers of information to representthe earth’s surface.

Geography. Study of land (what it looks like, what it’s usedfor, etc.), the things living there, the people (who they are andwhat they do), the interactions among these things, and theirlocations.

Geology. The study of the earth’s history, the materials thatmake up the earth, and the processes that act on the earth.

Glacial till. Unsorted material deposited by a glacier.

Grazers. Benthic macroinvertebrates that eat algae anddiatoms off other surfaces.

Groundwater.Water found beneath the earth’s surface.

Habitat. The place where a plant or animal lives that has allof the conditions necessary to support its life andreproduction.

Habitat diversity. The range of habitats within a region.

Hydrogeology. The effect geology has on water quality andstream morphology.

Hydrologic unit code (HUC). A description of watershedsthat indicates size and location of particular watersheds; awatershed address.

Hydrologic cycle. The continuous movement of wateramong the oceans, air, and the earth in the form ofprecipitation, percolation, evapotranspiration, and streamdischarge.

Hydrology. The science of how water flows on top of, andbelow, the earth’s surface.

Hypereutrophic. Refers to murky, highly productive waters,closest to the wetlands status. Many aquatic species cannotsurvive in them.

Hypoxia. A condition of low dissolved oxygen levels in awaterbody that can result from the decay of plants and algae.

Immobilization. The process of converting inorganic formsof nitrogen into organic forms.

Impervious.Water cannot pass through; waterproof.

Indicator species. Groups or types of organisms used toassess the environmental health of a waterbody.

Infiltration rate. The rate at which water soaks into thesoil.

Inorganic. Any compound not containing carbon.

Intermittent stream. A stream that flows when there isadequate precipitation and is dry when there’s not. Thestream does not flow continuously.

Invertebrate. An organism without a backbone.

Lake. A large body of water that has water all year long.

Lake turnover. The circulation of the entire water columnthat occurs in spring and autumn.

Leaf litter. Plants and plant parts that have recently fallen andare partially or not at all decomposed.

Leaf pack. Any cluster or gathering of leaves and organicdebris on the edges of streams or washed up on the upstreamside of large rocks, fallen trees, or logs in the stream.

64 GLOSSARY

Left bank.When facing upstream, the bank to your left.

Lentic water. Standing water, such as lakes, ponds, andwetlands.

Limiting resource. A resource that limits the abundance ofan organism.

Loamy soil.Material composed primarily of sand and siltparticles with some clay present.

Losing stream. A stream that loses flow to the groundwatersystem.

Lotic water. Flowing water, such as rivers and streams.

Macroinvertebrate. An animal large enough to be seen thatdoes not have a backbone.

Meander. A bend in a stream.

Mesotrophic. A term used to describe lakes that aremoderately productive. These waters contain more nutrientsand, therefore, more biological activity.

Metamorphosis. A series of changes in body structure(form) from egg to adult.

Methemoglobinemia. The presence of methemoglobin inblood caused by poisoning by certain substances, such asnitrate. Young babies (less than 6 months old) are particularlysusceptible to methemoglobinemia, leading to a conditionknown as “blue baby syndrome,” which if untreated can causedeath.

Microhabitat. Local conditions that immediately surround anorganism. Microhabitats include algae mats, leaf packs,logjams, rock piles, root wads, undercut banks, and weed beds.

Mineralization. The process of decomposition andtransformation of organic nitrogen found in plant parts andanimal manure into available forms of inorganic nitrogen.

Niche. The function or position of an organism or populationwithin an ecological community, or the particular area within ahabitat occupied by an organism.

Nitrate. A form of nitrogen. Nitrate is water soluble and is themost common form of nitrogen found in streams and lakes.

Nitrogen. An element necessary for the growth of aquaticplants. It may be found in several forms, including nitrate,nitrite, and ammonia. Nitrogen is considered to be limitingbecause it is needed by plants and animals in the stream inmoderate amounts. When present in higher amounts, such asfrom large amounts of fertilizer runoff from local farm fields orurban lawns, large algal blooms occur, which can result in adepletion of dissolved oxygen.

Nitrogen cycle. The uptake of inorganic nitrogen by plantsthat convert it to organic forms, which are used by animals andtransformed back into inorganic nitrogen by bacteria.

Nitrification. The process of converting ammonium nitrogeninto nitrate nitrogen.

Nonpoint source pollution. A type of pollution whose sourceis not readily identifiable as any one particular point, such aspollution caused by runoff from streets, agricultural land,

construction sites, and parking lots. Polluted runoff andpollution sources not discharged from a single point.

Nutrient. Any of a group of elements necessary for the growthof living organisms, such as nitrogen and phosphorus.Excessive supplies of phosphorus or nitrogen, however, mayenhance plant growth in surface waters.

Nutrient enrichment. Elevated levels of nitrogen and/orphosphorus in a waterbody that result in nuisance growths ofalgae or other aquatic plants.

Organic matter. Plant and animal material.

Organic phosphate. Phosphates that are found in plant andanimal tissue, waste solids, or other organic matter.

Orthophosphate. Inorganic form of phosphorus.

Oxbow lake. Lake formed when a river meander is completelycut off from the river.

Pathogen. An organism capable of causing disease.

Pathogenic. Capable of causing disease.

Perennial stream. Stream that flows nearly all year long.

Periphyton. Organisms attached to or clinging to the stemsand leaves of plants or other objects projecting above thestream bottom of freshwater ecosystems. They may be in theform of algae attached to large rocks or tiny plants and animalsliving on surfaces below water.

Perennially pooled conditions. Intermittent streams maycease to flow from year to year, but those that don’t dry upcompletely often maintain pools of water throughout the year.

Pervious. Allows water to pass through.

Pesticides. Any substance or mixture of substances intendedfor preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.Though often misunderstood to refer only to insecticides, theterm also applies to herbicides, fungicides, and various othersubstances used to control pests.

pH. A measure of acidity or alkalinity on a scale of 0 to 14. A pHof 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic, and greater than 7 is alkaline(basic).

Phosphorus. An element necessary for the growth of aquaticplants. Elevated levels of phosphorus can affect water qualityby increasing the production of algae and rooted plants. Thiscan lead to eutrophication of waterbodies.

Phosphorus cycle. The process of orthophosphate beingconverted to organic phosphate by plants and animals andconverted back to inorganic phosphate and recycled when theydie and decay.

Photosynthesis. The process by which green plants produceoxygen from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.

Physical weathering. Erosion caused by mechanical forces(e.g., water expanding as it freezes and breaking apart rocks).

Phytoplankton. Algae that are microscopic and suspendedin water.

GLOSSARY 65

Plankton. The community of microorganisms consisting ofplants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplanton) inhabitingopen-water regions of lakes and rivers.

Point sampling. Sampling from a specific depth, or point, inthe lake water column.

Point source pollution. Pollutants originating from a “point”source, such as a pipe, vent, or culvert.

Point source contamination. Contamination stemming froma single, isolated source, such as a drainpipe or an undergroundstorage tank.

Pollution. An undesirable change in the environment, usuallythe introduction of abnormally high concentrations ofhazardous or detrimental substances, such as nutrients orsediment. The presence of any substance that harms theenvironment.

Pollution-sensitive organisms. Organisms that cannotwithstand the addition of pollution to their aquaticenvironment.

Pollution-tolerant organisms. Organisms that can withstandpolluted environments.

Pond. Body of water that has water in it year-round but that issmaller than a lake.

Pool. That portion of a stream that is deep and slow moving,often following a riffle.

Predators. Benthic macroinvertebrates that eat other animals.

Producers. Organisms that produce their own food throughphotosynthesis.

Recharge areas. Areas that allow surface water to infiltrateand recharge groundwater.

Respiration. Oxygen consumption in living organisms.

Riffle. That portion of a stream that is shallow and fast moving.An area of the stream where shallow water flows swiftly overcompletely or partially submerged rocks or other debris.

Right bank.When facing upstream, the bank to your right.

Riparian zone. An area adjacent to and along a watercoursethat is often vegetated and constitutes a buffer zone betweennearby lands and the watercourse. The natural plantcommunity adjacent to a stream.

Riprap. Any material (such as concrete blocks, rocks, cartires, or log pilings) that may have been used to stabilize astream from erosion.

Row cropping. A method of farming used in the productionof corn and beans.

Run. A stream habitat type characterized as having amoderate current, medium depth, and smooth water surface.

Runoff.Water from rain, snowmelt, or irrigation that flowsover the ground surface and runs into a waterbody.

Sanitary sewer. A pipe that carries food and humanwastewater to a municipal sewer system or a septic system.

Stormwater sewer. A pipe that transports stormwater andmeltwater runoff from roads and parking lots to streams andlakes. Stormwater sewers rarely lead to any type of treatmentfacility; the water is piped directly to streams and lakes.

Secchi disc. A device used to measure the depth of lightpenetration in water.

Sediment. Eroded soil particles (soil, sand, and minerals)transported by water.

Sedimentation. The process by which soil particles(sediment) enter a water body, settle to the bottom, andaccumulate. The addition of soils to lakes or streams.

Shredders. Benthic macroinvertebrates that eat livingplant tissue.

Silt. Fine particles of soil and minerals formed from erosionof rock fragments.

Siltation. The process of silt settling out of water and beingdeposited as sediment.

Slope. Change in elevation over a given distance.

Stable stream reach. A stream segment where sedimentdeposition is equal to erosion (i.e., no net gain or loss ofsediment within the reach). It maintains its dimensions,pattern, and profile through time.

Streambank. The sides of the stream that contain the flow,except during floods.

Streambed. The bottom of a stream where the substrateand sediments lie.

Stream depth. A measurement of the depth of a streamfrom the water’s surface to the streambed.

Stream energy. Erosion potential of a stream.

Stream flow. The amount of water moving in a stream in agiven amount of time.

Stream morphology. The shape of a stream.

Stream order. Stream classification system.

Stream reach. A specified length of stream.

Stream transect. An imaginary line drawn from water’s edgeto water’s edge perpendicular to the flow of the stream.

Substrate. The surface upon which an organism lives or isattached. The material making up the bottom of the streambed.

Suspended load. Sediment that is transported in suspension.

Thalweg. Area of concentrated flow in a stream channel.

Thermal pollution. The raising of water temperatures byartificial means that interferes with the functioning of aquaticecosystems. Sources of thermal pollution include removal oftrees along streams, introduction of cooling water from powerplants or other industrial facilities, and runoff from hot pavedsurfaces.

Tile lines.Drainage pipes used to remove water from an area.

Tolerant species. An organism that can exist in the presenceof a certain degree of pollution.

ReferencesGrafe, C. S., C. A. Mebane, M. J. McIntyre, D. A. Essig, D. H.

Brandt, and D.T. Mosier. 2002. The Idaho Departmentof Environmental Quality Water Body AssessmentGuidance, 2d ed.—final. Idaho Department ofEnvironmental Quality, Boise. Available athttp://www.deq.idaho.gov/media/457010-wbag_02_entire.pdf.

Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. 2007.Beneficial Use Reconnaissance Program (BURP)Field Manual for Streams. Idaho Department ofEnvironmental Quality, Boise.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 2009. IOWATERVolunteer Water Quality Monitoring: Program Manual.Available at www.iowater.net. (The IOWATER programprovided a framework for adaptation for the IDAH2OMaster Water Stewards program.)

Murdoch, T., M. Cheo, and K. O’Laughlin. 1996.Streamkeeper’s Field Guide: Watershed Inventory andStream Monitoring Methods. The Adopt a StreamFoundation, Everett, Wash.

Simpson, J. T. 1991. Volunteer Lake Monitoring: A MethodsManual. EPA 440/4-91-002. U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds,Washington, D.C.

66 REFERENCES

Topographic map. A map representing the surface featuresof a particular area. Features illustrated include streams, lakes,roads, cities, and elevation.

Topography.What the surface of the earth looks like.

Total coliform bacteria. A group of bacteria that is used asan indicator of drinking water quality. The presence of totalcoliform bacteria indicates the possible presence ofdisease-causing bacteria.

Transparency. The measure of water clarity. Transparencyis affected by the amount of material suspended in water(i.e., sediment, algae, and plankton).

Trophic status. The level of growth or productivity of a lakeas measured by phosphorus content, algae abundance, anddepth of light penetration.

Turbidity. The presence of sediment in water, making itunclear, murky, or opaque.

Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM). A grid system thatdivides the globe into 60 north-south zones, each covering astrip 6° wide in longitude. In each zone, coordinates aremeasured north and east in meters. The coordinates, known asUTM coordinates, are made up of one 6-digit X number and one7-digit Y number, which describe how far north the point is fromthe equator and how far east it is from the next zone to the west.

Velocity. The speed at which water moves.

Vertebrates. Animals with backbones.

Vertical stratification. Incomplete mixing of water in a waterbody.

Water cycle. The continuous circulation of water in systemsthroughout the earth involving condensation, precipitation,runoff, evaporation, and transpiration.

Water ecology. The study of aquatic environments and therelationships among the living and nonliving thingsassociated with those environments.

Water quality. The condition of the water with regard tothe presence or absence of pollution.

Watershed. A region or area of land that drains into a bodyof water such as a lake, river, or stream.

Wetland. Shallow body of water that may not have waterin it year round.

Zooplankton. Microscopic aquatic organisms.

APPENDIX I 67

Appendix IEquipment Request Form

Send your requests to: IDAH2O, University of Idaho Extension, 1031 North Academic Way #242, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814,or email your request to [email protected].

Name: _____________________________________________________________________________________

ID: __________________________Site Number(s): _______________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________Street City State Zip

Equipment (please fill in quantities needed):_______Not applicable_______CHEMets dissolved oxygen refills_______CHEMets dissolved oxygen color comparator_______Hach pH test strips_______Hach chloride titrators_______Other: __________________________________________________________________________


68 APPENDIX II

During the IDAH2O workshops, a number of peoplehave requested that we provide the formulas used forcalculating average stream depth, average streamvelocity, and total flow.

The calculations include the following abbreviationsand symbols:

SD = stream depth (in meters). SD1 is the stream depthat spot 1, SD2 is the stream depth at spot 2, and so onalong the stream transect.

n = number of spots along the transect

W = width of box at each spot; 1 m is used in IDAH2Omeasurements

SV = stream velocity (1 meter divided by secondsmeasured; in meters per second)

* = multiply

÷ = divide

Average stream depth (meters)Average stream depth = [SD1 + SD2 + . . . + SDn] ÷ nNote: Be sure to convert the measurement from cen-timeters to meters.

Total flow (cubic meters per second or m3/s)Imagine a box placed around each spot on yourstream transect. Flow is determined for each boxand summed for all boxes.

Flow associated with each box is calculated bymultiplying the width of the box at each spot (1 meter)by stream depth (which you measure) by the velocityat the spot. In the field you measure the number ofseconds it takes for the tennis ball to travel 1 meter;velocity is 1 meter divided by the number of seconds.The flow of each box is added together to give totalflow:

Total flow = (W1 * SD1 * SV1) + (W2 * SD2 * SV2) + . . . +(Wn * SDn * SVn)

Average stream velocity (meters per second or m/s)Average stream velocity is calculated by dividing totalflow by the cross-sectional area of your transect.The cross-sectional area is determined by calculating across-sectional area for the box at each spot of yourtransect and then summing the cross-sectional areas:

Average stream velocity = Total flow ÷ [(W1 * SD1) +(W2 * SD1) + . . . + (Wn * SDn)]

Example

Sally and Bill measure stream width, depth, and velocityfor Jack Creek. Jack Creek is 4.2 meters wide.

Stream depth Stream velocity(meters) (meters ÷ seconds)xxxx

Spot 1 0.21 1 meter/8 seconds (0.125)Spot 2 0.45 1 meter/4 seconds (0.25)Spot 3 0.62 1 meter/3 seconds (0.33)Spot 4 0.35 1 meter/7 seconds (0.143)

Average stream depth = (0.21 m + 0.45 m + 0.62 m +0.35 m) ÷ 4= 0.41 m

Total flow = (1 m * 0.21 m * 0.125 m/s) +(1 m * 0.45 m * 0.25 m/s) +(1 m * 0.62 m * 0.33 m/s) +(1 m * 0.35 m * 0.143 m/s)= 0.39 m3/second

Average stream velocity = 0.39 m3/second ÷[(1 m * 0.21 m) + (1 m * 0.45 m) +(1 m * 0.62 m) + (1 m * 0.35 m)]= 0.24 m/s

Appendix IICalculating stream flow, average depth, and average stream velocity

APPENDIX III 69

Using a number 2 plastic jug (1/2 gallon milk jugs workgreat), cut from the opening down a few inches to theneck, then across and back up to the opening. Cut aV-shaped notch directly across from the handle. Tie arope to the handle and your sampling device is complete.

To sample with this device, follow these steps:

1. Avoid contamination by not allowing the samplingdevice or rope to touch the ground.

2. Lower the sampling device down to the stream onthe upstream side of the bridge. If there are safetyconcerns, sampling may occur on the downstreamside, but note the location in your comments.

3. Partially fill the sampling device. You may need tobounce the sample device up and down a few timesto allow water to enter. Be careful not to disturb thebottom sediments during this process.

4. Retrieve the sampling device, swish the wateraround, and empty it on the road behind you,not into the stream. Repeat this process a total ofthree times.

5. Fill the device a fourth time and begin monitoring.Refill the device as needed to complete all of theassessments.

Appendix III Making and using an IDAH2O-approvedsampling device

Contact Information

IDAH2O University of Idaho Extension1031 North Academic Way #242Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814Phone: 208-292-1287E-mail: [email protected]: www.uidaho.edu/cda/idah2o

idah 2o master water stewards handbookauthor—ashley mcfarland is former university of idaho...

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