Surface Water Quality Sampling Instructions. Surface Water Quality Sampling Instructions

Transcription

1 Surface Water Quality Sampling Instructions Objective This document provides detailed instructions how to complete Homework Part 1 (Part 1 A, conducting water quality sampling on Waller Creek & Part 1 B, uploading your Group s data). Part 1 Has two components: A) Conduct water quality sampling at Waller Creek, and B) Upload your group s water quality data to the Group Water Quality Data Upload link in the Discussion Section portion of Blackboard A) Conduct water quality sampling Divide yourselves into 3 groups of 5 to 6 students each. Each group gets one water quality test kit stored in a 5-gallon white plastic bucket, which contains: 1. Meter, Conductivity / Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) 2. Meter, water temperature 3. Gloves 4. Small plastic bottle for Fecal coliform water sample collection 5. Label tape and Sharpie marker to label your groups small plastic bottle 6. Chemetrics dissolved oxygen (DO) vials 7. Meter stick Select a Group representative to complete each of the following tasks: 1. Collect water sample 2. Organize and label water sample, measure water depth 3. Count trash around your site 4. Record water quality results, using form below. 5. Post your Group s data to the Group Water Quality Data Upload link on the Discussion Section portion of Blackboard pg 1 of 9

2 Important notes for Group Member 5: You have special responsibilities! After discussion section, upload your Group s water quality data to the Water Quality Data Upload link posted on the Discussion Section part of Blackboard to enter your Group s water quality data within 24 hours (i.e., the last Monday section must upload data by 5PM Tuesday, October 17). Your TA will complete the fecal coliform analysis for you you don t need to worry about this. The survey provides a space for you to enter your data (just like the earlier survey, where you entered the participant age) for conductivity, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and other information Your TA will count and upload fecal coliform colonies data for you into a separate spreadsheet that will by posted on Blackboard s Discussion Section area by 5PM Wednesday, October 18) All students will download a spreadsheet summarizing all Group data that will be posted on Blackboard s Discussion Section area by 5PM Wednesday, October 18. You will need these data to answer the homework questions. Water Sampling and Water Quality Analyses Your group will sample the following water quality parameters in Waller Creek for 1 location to be determined by your TA two times (for repeatability): Quantitative parameters: o conductivity / TDS, water temperature, dissolved oxygen Qualitative parameters: o turbidity, color, odor Bacteria: o fecal coliform Each student should fill out sample results on the attached form (one student will record data in the field and all group members will copy the form after lab). Your TA will demonstrate how to properly collect water samples and complete field water quality analyses using a City of Austin tap water sample before you go to Waller or Bull Creeks. pg 2 of 9

3 Some general guidelines for properly collecting water samples for water quality analyses: Always were gloves when handling sample containers, since salts, grease, dirt or other contaminants could fall off your hands into the sample containers. When wearing the gloves, do not bring them into contact with anything but the sampling apparatus. Microbial analyses, like the fecal coliform test you will do, are particularly susceptible to contamination. If you stand in the creek to collect a surface water sample, be sure to collect water in the upstream direction. If you collect a downstream sample, sediment or material off your shoes or legs could contaminate the sample. You should also sample flowing water instead of stagnant pools or compare the two. You will collect a water sample in the 5-gallon plastic bucket provided. Fill it completely and pour water out 2 times and do your analyses with the 3 rd bucket of water. Where You Will Go and What You Will Do Today When you go to Waller Creek, Groups will collect two water samples for water quality analyses at one of the following locations. Each Discussion Section will sample a different Location so that class data will have temporal (changes over time) and spatial (changes in location) variability, which is important to look for patterns in water quality analysis results. Your TA will let you know which location you will sample during your Discussion Section. See Figure 1 for the following locations: Location 1. Waterfall just north of the Traffic Circle at the former City of Austin gauge. o Upstream (WAL01, i.e., in the pool behind the dam) o Downstream (WAL02) How do you think dissolved oxygen (and other parameters) might change? Location 2. Waterfall just east of the Traffic Circle east of the Geology Building o Upstream (WAL03, i.e., in the pool behind the dam) o Downstream (WAL04) How do you think dissolved oxygen (and other parameters) might change? Location 3. UT Stadium Storm Drain (if flowing): o Upstream (WAL05) o Downstream (WAL06) o Effluent (STA01) Do you think runoff from the stadium might have different water quality (especially after UT beats a team 63-3!)? pg 3 of 9

4 You also have the opportunity to visit Bull Creek on an optional field trip meeting at your Discussion Section room at 1:00 PM Friday, October 15 and returning to the Geological Sciences Building at 5:00 PM. We will sample St. Edwards park off of Spicewood Springs Road (Figure 2). WAL01 WAL02 WAL03 WAL04 Figure 1: Waller Creek Sample Locations STA01 WAL05 WAL06 pg 4 of 9

5 BUL01 Figure 2: Bull Creek sample location at St. Edwards Park, located southwest of Spicewood Springs Road. Detailed Instructions for Surface Water Sample Collection 1. You will divide into groups of 5 or 6 people 2. Decide on Group Member s responsibilities, as listed below by number: 1. Collect water sample in 5 gallon bucket 2. Collect and label water sample in small plastic bottle with your: Group name, Your name, TA s name, Today s date, time 3. Count trash around your site 4. Record water quality results, use form below. 5. Collect other water quality data & Post your Group s data to the Water Quality Results Survey on Blackboard under 3. Pick up a 5 gallon bucket from the Discussion Section room that has all surface water sample collection supplies. 4. Your TA will go with everyone to Waller Creek 5. Your TA will assign where your Group will work 6. Group Member 2 unloads equipment from bucket, measures water depth with meter stick 7. Group Member 1 rinses bucket out 2 times, pouring water outside of the creek, with Waller Creek water and collects a bucket of water pg 5 of 9

6 8. Measure qualitative parameters: a. Water color b. Water clarity c. Water odor 9. Group Member 3 counts trash in the immediate (5-6 meter radius) vicinity of sample location 10. Group Member 2 a. Labels bottle first with (the pen will not write on a wet bottle): i. Group Name, ii. Sample Location (i.e., WAL01, WAL02, STA01, etc.), iii. Date, and iv. Time b. Put on latex gloves (contamination from dirty hands can give bad results c. Open the cap of the small plastic bottle d. Collects water sample from bucket in small plastic bottle e. Put cap on small plastic bottle and carefully store 11. Group Member 5 will a. Measure air temperature with electronic thermometer in the shade for 10 seconds b. Measure water temperature with electronic thermometer at least 10 seconds c. Measure water conductivity with electronic stick meter d. Measure ph with electronic stick meter e. Measure dissolved oxygen 12. Group Member 4 will record all data collected from other Group Members on the Surface Water Quality Sampling Form: a. Figure 3 = 1 st sample location b. Figure 4 = 2 nd sample location 13. Repeat steps for your 2 nd water sample (your TA will guide you to the 2 nd location) 14. Return to Discussion Section room with your TA 15. Give your TA your small plastic bottle. They will prepare a Petri dish for fecal coliform analyses, which will take 48 hours to process. All group s fecal coliform data will be posted on Blackboard by Wednesday, October 18 5PM, so you can use it to answer Homework questions. 16. For Part B (listed below) Group Member 5 will upload your Group s data to Blackboard. pg 6 of 9

7 Figure 3: Surface Water Quality Sampling Form For your 1 st Sample Sample Location General Information Group Name Your First Name Your Last Name Your UT EID Other Group Member Names Your TA s First Name Sample Location (ex: WAL01, STA01, etc.) Day and Date of Sample (ex: Tue., Oct. 10, 2006) Time of Sample Field Water Quality Sample Results Water color (circle choice) Light green Dark Green Tan Red Green/Brown Black No Color Water clarity (circle choice) Clear Cloudy Turbid Water odor (circle choice) None Oil Acrid (pungent) Sewage Rotten Egg Fishy Musky Air Temperature (C) Water Temperature (C) Water Depth (cm) Water dissolved oxygen (mg/l) Water conductivity (us/cm) Water ph Field Observations (Comment on Trash, etc.) Any other comments about sample Location (optional) pg 7 of 9

8 Figure 4: Surface Water Quality Sampling Form For your 2 nd Sample Sample Location General Information Group Name Your First Name Your Last Name Your UT EID Other Group Member Names Your TA s First Name Sample Location (ex: WAL01, STA01, etc.) Day and Date of Sample (ex: Tue., Oct. 10, 2006) Time of Sample Field Water Quality Sample Results Water color (circle choice) Light green Dark Green Tan Red Green/Brown Black No Color Water clarity (circle choice) Clear Cloudy Turbid Water odor (circle choice) None Oil Acrid (pungent) Sewage Rotten Egg Fishy Musky Air Temperature (C) Water Temperature (C) Water Depth (cm) Water dissolved oxygen (mg/l) Water conductivity (us/cm) Water ph Field Observations (Comment on Trash, etc.) Any other comments about sample Location (optional) pg 8 of 9

9 B) Upload your group s water quality data to the Group Water Quality Data Upload link in the Discussion Section portion of Blackboard GROUP MEMBER 5 It is your responsibility to post your Group s data to the Group Water Quality Data Upload link on Blackboard under Discussion Section within 24 hours (i.e., the last Monday section must upload data by 5PM Tuesday, October 17). Your grade depends on your uploading your Groups data within 24 hours. pg 9 of 9