Use of National Water-Quality Assessment Program Protocols in District Projects In Reply Refer To: May 17, 1994 Mail Stop 412 OFFICE OF WATER QUALITY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM 94.14 Subject: Use of National Water-Quality Assessment Program Protocols in District Projects PURPOSE The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance for use of National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program protocols in District projects. BACKGROUND Protocols for the NAWQA Program have been published on methods for collection of benthic invertebrates, algae, tissue, habitat, and fish, and for processing and quality assurance of benthic invertebrate samples. Additional protocols are under way. A protocol on analysis and interpretation of biological information by Tom Cuffney of the North Carolina Ecology Group will be in draft form this summer. Stephen Porter is drafting a document on quality assurance of algal samples. Published protocols have been distributed to each District and are also available electronically via anonymous ftp. A limited number of additional copies are available through the Office of Water Quality (OWQ). References to protocols can be found in Attachment 1. For details on how to access the protocols electronically, contact Sarah Griffin at (703) 648-5818. The OWQ encourages District personnel to consider using these protocols in their projects where appropriate. The use of the protocols will promote national consistency, provide an excellent review of the literature, and help District personnel make informed decisions on the choice of taxa and other project components. Some District projects can apply aspects of the protocols unchanged; other projects will have to modify the protocols to varying degrees. Direct applicability depends on how closely project objectives match the specific NAWQA objectives for which the protocols were created. The further the objectives of the study depart from the objectives of the protocols, the more the methods will require modification. The protocols were designed to determine the occurrence and distribution of algae, invertebrate, and fish communities, or concentrations of contaminants in biological organisms at sites over time in a national program in order to better understand the effects of human activities on aquatic communities and concentrations of contaminants in tissues. The protocols will be broadly useful for projects that (1) establish a baseline and periodically go back to the site to document changes, (2) compare sites over time, or (3) compare differences among sites. Attachment 2 summarizes the objectives, design considerations, site selection and sampling strategy, sampling gear, field processing, taxonomic identification, target taxa, and data analysis for the protocols. This information will help readers understand why the protocols were developed and whether the readers' needs are similar or very different. Projects that require comprehensive characterization of particular taxonomic groups to evaluate a site might require additional components or measurements beyond those indicated in the NAWQA protocols. For example, studies on algal dynamics related to nutrient inputs might require information on algal growth. Studies of effects of acid deposition on fish and fish populations might include additional information on biomarkers or life tables of fish. Studies of endangered fish might include more intensive measurements of contaminants or habitat than recommended in the protocols. ASSISTANCE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Individuals who wish to modify the protocols to address more precisely water-quality problems in their project should contact protocol authors, their regional biologist, local NAWQA Program biologists, or Sarah Gerould in the OWQ for assistance. Names and addresses of these individuals can be found in Attachment 3. If you intend to use the protocol in a project, please inform your Regional biologist so that you will receive any additional guidance sent out by the authors of the protocols. Information on where to find specific types of expertise within WRD is in the list of WRD Ecologists and Biologists, Attachment 4. ALTERNATIVE METHODS Alternative methods are available from other agencies. In some cases, these may be more suitable for the project than the NAWQA protocols. For example, many District programs may wish to focus on human health impacts, which was not the primary objective of the NAWQA Program. Basic instructions for sampling edible portions of fish are given in the NAWQA tissue protocol. More detail can be found in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) document, Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories, Volume 1, Fish Sampling and Analysis (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA 823-R-92-0021993, 1993). Another example of an alternative method that may be more suitable for District projects is EPA's Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for Use in Streams and Rivers (J.L. Plafkin and others, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, EPA/440/4-89/001, 1989). A summary of methods and program objectives used by different agencies is currently under review and will be available soon. The summary will be contained within a report of the Interagency Biological Methods Workshop by Marty Gurtz, North Carolina Ecology Group, and Tom Muir, National Coordinator for the National Biological Survey for NAWQA. The Workshop compared NAWQA protocols for fish, invertebrates, algae, habitat, and tissues to protocols of regional and national programs of other Federal and State agencies. Among the programs also represented are those of EPA (Rapid Bioassessment Protocols and Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program), National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (National Status and Trends Program), and Ohio EPA. Detailed charts in the resulting report will compare the objectives and methods of the programs that were represented. Copies of the final report will be sent to each District when available. TRAINING Information on additional methods in biology is also available in training courses. Biology courses, course coordinators, and date of next offering can be found in Attachment 5. If you have need for additional formal or informal training, or wish to be informed of informal training exercises, please contact your regional biologist, or Sarah Gerould in the OWQ (703) 648-6895. BIOLOGICAL QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL (QA/QC) UNIT Algae and macroinvertebrates collected in the field can be sent to the National Water Quality Laboratory, Biological QA/QC Unit, for identification. The laboratory provides quality assurance for samples sent to carefully selected contractors for identification. The taxonomic data received from contractors will be entered into NWIS II at the laboratory, as part of the check for correct identification and spelling. The Biological QA/QC Unit will help to ensure that WRD produces quality biological data. We encourage District personnel to use this service when it becomes available later this fiscal year. For more information on the QA/QC Unit, contact Allison Brigham at (303) 467-8268. David A. Rickert Chief, Office of Water Quality 5 Attachments This memorandum does not supersede any other Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum. Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO, AH Regional Biologists Regional Water Quality Specialists District Water Quality Specialists Kent Crawford, Pennsylvania District Marty Gurtz, North Carolina District Tom Cuffney, North Carolina District Mike Meador, North Carolina District Sam Luoma, Western Region Donna Myers, Ohio District Tom Muir, Headquarters Julio Betancourt, Arizona Office of Water Quality Staff