Rod SET QA/QC ProtocolsLeigh Anne Sharp, LDNR/CRD LFO

• Data Recording• Data Entry• Reporting

•Deliverables

Surface Elevation Table (SET) Data SheetDistance from top of rod to top of collar (mm):

Time:

SET ID:

Measured by: Other personnel:

Group:

Establishment Date: Time:

Station:

Project:

Sample Date:

Basin:

Site Conditions (weather, water level related to marsh surface, dominant plant species, etc.):

Organization:

987654321987654321987654321

89

1

4

67

23

5

Pin Direction Pin Height Comments(mm) (description that pertain to problems with reading)(Degrees)

Field Data Sheet • Rod SET data is collected in 4 directions with 9 pin measurements recorded for each direction.• The four directions (bearings in degrees) should be the same each time the instrument is read. • If for some reason one of those directions changes (i.e. the plot is disturbed in some way and must be abandoned), the new direction should be recorded in the Site History. • The numbered pins should always be read in the corresponding hole.• The same RSET instrument should always be used at a site.

Surface Elevation Table (SET) Data SheetDistance from top of rod to top of collar (mm):

Time:

SET ID:

Measured by: Other personnel:

Group:

Establishment Date: Time:

Station:

Project:

Sample Date:

Basin:

Site Conditions (weather, water level related to marsh surface, dominant plant species, etc.):

Organization:

987654321987654321987654321

89

1

4

67

23

5

Pin Direction Pin Height Comments(mm) (description that pertain to problems with reading)(Degrees)

Field Data Sheet Cont’d• Detailed comments should be recorded about the surface that the RSET instrument is being leveled to.

• If the pin lands in a hole, on a large root or clump of grass or if the surface is a slurry should be noted in the comments section.

• Water level should be noted in the site conditions section.

Data Entry• Data from field sheet is entered into SONRIS.

Data Retrieval• Data goes into a buffer before it is accepted into the database.

• Data can be retrieved from the buffer via download for QA/QC.

Data Retrieval• Data is output from SONRIS is the format below.

QA/QC Process• The data from the buffer should be checked against the field sheet for

correctness.

• The verified data should be QA/QC’d further to check for some basic consistencies:1. That there are 36 measurements for a site, 9 in each direction.2. That the directions were the same as last time.3. That the same instrument was used as last time.

• The verified data should further be checked for quality by calculating the difference in pin height (elevation change) over the time interval.

1. Data should be plotted with elevation change means (n=9) ± standard error for each direction.

2. Outliers, defined here as observations outside the 95% Confidence Interval for the mean in a direction should be noted. Flagged observations should be addressed in the data report.

Data Review Example• Using Exported data from SONRIS, compare the most recent and previous RSET sampling. • Report elevation change (mm) and 95% Confidence Intervals for each direction. • Identify outliers and review comments.

Data Review Example• Summarize data by directions and for consistency.• Plot mean Elevation Change ± Standard Error by direction. • If means and variations are not similar, attempt to determine why and re-examine data and comments.

TroubleshootingData goes back up the QA/QC chain and is corrected if:

• Data weren’t entered correctly into SONRIS• Problem observations were not identified• Sampling was inconsistent (i.e. instrument and directions)

The Site History Report should be updated if:• Disturbance to the SET has occurred.• A direction needs to be replaced.

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3

4

5If no, then add comments or indicate on the copied data sheets. YES / NO

If no, then add comments or indicate on the copied data sheets. YES / NO

Were the data entered into SONRIS correctly? YES / NO Applicable

If no, then add comments or indicate on the copied data sheets.

Were the data entered into the Excel spreadsheet correctly? YES / NO Applicable

Format

Were the data sheets filled to completion? YES / NO

Logistical InformationBiological Information

Date(s) of TripWeather Conditions

PurposeField Personnel

ProjectBasin

Did the field trip report have the required information, the correct information, and the proper format?

YES (DATE)

NO (DATE) Comments

QA/QC Initials

Was a field trip report generated? YES / NO

___________________________________________ Date QA/QC Completed:_________________

Data Collection Personnel:_________________________________________________________________Data Entry Personnel:_____________________________________________________________________

___Herb. (Natural) Vegetation ___Herb. (Planted) Vegetation ___Forest ___SAVPROJECT:___________________________________ Data Collection Date(s):_________________SITE / STATION(S):____________________________ Date Received:________________________

QA/QC CHECKLISTDATA TYPE: ___RSET ___Accretion ___Discrete ___Soil Porewater QA/QC Checklist

• Generic form• Includes trip details

Deliverables• QA/QC Packet:

• Original Data Sheets

• QA/QC Data Report • Data review and graphs, discussion of outliers

• Field Trip Report• Personnel, purpose, weather, sites sampled that day, type of

sampling, explanation of problems encountered in the field, biological and other site alterations

• QA/QC Checklist

• All electronic files