In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 412
October 13, 2009
Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum 2010.03
Subject: National Monitoring Network Water-Quality Sampling, Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
This memorandum contains a summary of the activities related to water-quality sampling as part of the National Monitoring Network (NMN) for FY 2010, including the stations being operated, constituents measured, and funding allocations. This is a continuation of sampling begun in FY 2008 with funds appropriated to support the National Monitoring Network component of the Ocean Action Plan. Information about the Ocean Action Plan can be found at http://ocean.ceq.gov/; information about the NMN can be found at http://acwi.gov/monitoring/network/. Stations will continue to be operated in a manner identical to those being sampled for the National Stream Quality Accounting Network (i.e., same constituents and sampling strategy; sampling protocols are attached). The attachments to this memorandum provide specific information on sample collection and processing for FY 2010. Please ensure that all field personnel sampling at NMN stations have a copy of this memorandum and its attachments.
This effort is being managed by the National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) Coordinator. Questions on NMN operations can be addressed to Charlie Crawford (NASQAN Coordinator) or Dave Reutter (NASQAN support). Contact information is contained at the end of this memorandum.
NMN Stations
The highest priority rivers not included in the recently redesigned NASQAN network due to funding limitations will be sampled as part of the NMN. Five stations will be operated in FY 2010 as part of the USGS NMN. These include:
Apalachicola River near Sumatra, FL
Brazos River near Rosharon, TX
Delaware River at Trenton, NJ
Hudson River below Poughkeepsie, NY
Mississippi River above Vicksburg, MS
Attachment 1 provides a listing of the stations that will be sampled and the number of samples to be collected for NASQAN in FY 2010. The fund transfers, by Water Science Center (WSC) and by account number, are contained in Attachment 2 (if there are updates/corrections to the account numbers, please contact the NASQAN Coordinator). FY 2010 allocations are based on a three-percent increase over FY 2009. Please note that the NMN budget allocations are only tentative because the FY 2010 NMN appropriation has not been finalized. We anticipate being able to allocate the full amounts indicated in Attachment 2 as long as NMN funding remains at least at FY 2009 levels. Should NMN funding be less than anticipated, the allocations and number of samples to be collected in FY 2010 will be reduced accordingly.
Sampling Frequency and Constituents Measured
All NMN stations will be sampled bi-monthly with a part of the year containing additional seasonally-weighted samples determined by the NASQAN coordinator. The seasonally-weighted samples are targeted at the period of the year when the greatest constituent transport typically occurs. The number of samples to be collected by month for each station is shown in the attached NMN SWPLAN spreadsheet. The sampling should be spaced two weeks apart for months during which two samples are collected. NMN sampling will not routinely be collecting samples based on hydrologic conditions (“event samples”). If you have questions or concerns about the information contained in the NMN SWPLAN, please contact the NASQAN Coordinator.
Constituents measured at NMN stations will be consistent across the network and are the same as those collected at NASQAN stations, although the laboratory schedules used may vary somewhat depending on local conditions. The constituents measured will include major ions, nutrients and carbon, pesticides (schedule 2033), suspended sediment, isotopes, and field parameters (including alkalinity). Collection of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and ultraviolet absorbing organic constituents at 412 nm (UV412) will also continue to be collected. Analytical services (National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) and sediment laboratory) for NMN samples will be charged to account 4565-9U2LA. (Note: this account is only for NWQL or sediment laboratory costs. Funds for shipping have been included in the WSC allocations and should not be charged to this account.)
Questions about NMN sampling procedures or how to implement the protocols contained in the attachments, in addition to any concerns about the information contained in the attachments or the protocols, should be addressed to the NASQAN Sampling Coordinator.
NMN Contact Information
For questions on the NMN Program, contact any of the following individuals:
NASQAN Coordinator: Charlie Crawford, Indiana WSC, cgcrawfo@usgs.gov, 317-290-3333 ext 176
NASQAN Support: Dave Reutter, Ohio WSC, dreutter@usgs.gov, 614-430-7732
NASQAN Sampling Coordinator: Richard Coupe, Mississippi WSC, rhcoupe@usgs.gov, 601-933-2982
Terry L. Schertz /s/
Acting Chief, Office of Water Quality
This memorandum supersedes OWQ Technical Memorandum 2009.02.
Distribution: A, B, WSC Directors, AO, WSC and Regional Water-Quality Specialists
Attachments
List of Attachments
Attachment 1. FY 2010 NMN Stations
Attachment 2. FY 2010 NMN Funding Allocations by WSC and Account Number
Attachment 3. FY 2010 NMN Operations
Attachment 4. NMN Water-Quality Sampling Protocols
Attachment 5. Sample coding guidance
Attachment 6. Guidelines for collection of NMN QC samples
Attachment 7. NMN parameter codes
Attachment 8. NMN SWPLAN spreadsheet