Consolidation of Sediment Laboratories In Reply Refer To: August 25, 1995 Mail Stop 415 OFFICE OF SURFACE WATER TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 95.10 Subject: Consolidation of Sediment Laboratories The Office of Surface Water (OSW) has noticed a slow but steady loss of experienced and trained individuals in the Division's sediment laboratories. Available records indicate that about 15 years ago there were at least 7 laboratories that routinely analyzed sediment by the sieve-pipet method. In 1993, there were only three laboratories that routinely reported these data and one of these had about a 5-month backlog. The number of requests for particle-size analysis of suspended sediment had dropped to less than 800 per year by 1993. This situation led OSW to recommend that the Division close any laboratory that did not routinely process at least 1,500 concentration analyses per year and to limit the number of sediment laboratories offering size analysis (other than wet or dry sieve) to those that routinely processed at least a specified minimum number of samples. In consultation with the Senior Staff, the minimum has been set at 300 size analysis samples per year. The OSW further recommended that the Sedigraph be phased in as the method of choice for size analysis, that laboratories have access to a person with a strong sediment-sampling background, and that laboratories develop an accounting structure that realistically indicates actual cost of sample analysis. The Sedigraph is generally considered to provide more consistent results than other types of size analysis. The OSW will provide further guidance concerning the phase in of the Sedigraph in a separate memorandum. It is widely recognized that each laboratory should have access to a person that has a strong sample-collection background. These field consultants have been identified for each laboratory and are listed below. Future inspections of the laboratories will evaluate the effectiveness of the support provided by these field consultants. The Senior Staff has agreed that an accounting structure should be developed for each laboratory that accurately reflects the actual cost of the analyses. The process for the analysis of cost will be determined by the remaining laboratories in consultation with their respective regions. OSW recommends that the laboratories share information on prices and cost, striving to provide a quality analysis at a minimum price. The Regional Hydrologists have agreed to these modified recommendations requesting that laboratories, except those listed below, be closed by October 1, 1995. These decisions will greatly facilitate the maintenance of experienced, trained individuals and acceptable levels of quality assurance for the sediment laboratories. The following laboratories will produce concentrations, sand breaks, and dry sieves only: Region Laboratory Field consultant NE Ohio Gregg Koltun Kentucky Clyde J.Sholar SE Puerto Rico Carlos Figueroa Alamo CR New Mexico David Funderburg Montana Kent Dodge Missouri Henry Hauck WR California Larry Trujillo Hawaii Mike Wong The following laboratories will offer size analysis using the visual accumulation tube, bottom-withdrawal, pipet, or Sedigraph methods: Region Laboratory Field consultant CR Louisiana Charlie Demas Iowa Von Miller WR Washington Al Onions Ernest F. Hubbard Acting Chief, Office of Surface Water WRD DISTRIBUTION: A, B, FO, PO