National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA)
Biological Sampling, Habitat, and Laboratory Protocols

• Methods for sampling fish communities as a part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (USGS Open-File Report 93-104) -- [This protocol was in use during the period 1991-2001; it has been superseded by USGS Open-File Report 02-150.]

• Methods for collecting benthic invertebrate samples as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (USGS Open-File Report 93-406) -- [This protocol was in use during the period 1991-2001; it has been superseded by USGS Open-File Report 02-150.]

• Guidelines for the processing and quality assurance of benthic invertebrate samples collected as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (USGS Open-File Report 93-407) -- [This protocol has been superseded by USGS Open-File Report 00-212.]

• Methods for characterizing stream habitat as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (USGS Open-File Report 93-408) -- [This protocol was in use during the period 1991-1997; it has been superseded by USGS Open-File Report 98-4052.]

• Methods for collecting algal samples as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (USGS Open-File Report 93-409) -- [This protocol was in use during the period 1991-2001; it has been superseded by USGS Open-File Report 02-150.]

• Revised methods for characterizing stream habitat in the National Water-Quality Assessment program (USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4052)

• Guidelines for quality assurance and quality control of fish taxonomic data collected as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4239)

• Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory-- Processing, taxonomy, and quality control of benthic macroinvertebrate samples (U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-212)

• Protocols for the analysis of algal samples collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program (Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Report No. 02-06)

• Revised protocols for sampling algal, invertebrate, and fish communities as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-150)

• Protocols for mapping and characterizing land use/land cover in riparian zones (U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1302)

NAWQA Method, Sampling, and Analytical Protocols