Small Watershed Rotating Basin RB 2.4... · Web viewDeer Creek OK621000-04-0010D NE NE NW 26 26N 2W...

Small Watershed Rotating Basin Monitoring ProgramBasin Group 2, Cycle 4

(Upper Arkansas, Cimarron & Upper North Canadian Basins)

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLAN

FY2017/2018 §319(h) EPA Grant # C9-996100-19

Project 3, Output 3.1.1

Submitted by:

Oklahoma Conservation CommissionWater Quality Division

2800 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 200Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105

Phone: (405) 522-4732

Effective Date: March 2017

Rotating Basin Monitoring QAPPFY 2017/2018 §319(h), Project 3

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A1 TITLE AND SIGNATURE PAGE

Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Water Quality DivisionQuality Assurance Project Plan

for theSmall Watershed Rotating Basin Monitoring Program

Basin Group 2, Cycle 4FY2017/2018 §319(h), EPA Grant # C9-996100-19, Project 3, Output 3.1.1

Approving Officers:

Name: Brooks Tramell -- Director of Monitoring, Assessment, & Wetlands Programs, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Water Quality Division

Signature:______________________________ Date:____________

Name: Jean Lemmon -- Quality Assurance Officer/Senior Technical Writer, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Water Quality Division

Signature:______________________________ Date:____________

Name: Lynda Williamson – Grants Administrator,Oklahoma Office of the Secretary of Energy and Environment

Signature:______________________________ Date:____________

Name: Virginia Vietti -- Project Officer, Region VI United States Environmental Protection Agency

Signature:______________________________ Date:____________

Name: EPA Approving Official -- Office of Water Quality, Region VI United States Environmental Protection Agency

Signature:______________________________ Date:____________

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A2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

A1 TITLE AND SIGNATURE PAGE......................................................................................................3

A2 TABLE OF CONTENTS.....................................................................................................................4

A3 LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................................................6

A4 DISTRIBUTION LIST.........................................................................................................................7

A5 PROJECT/TASK ORGANIZATION.................................................................................................7

A6 PROBLEM DEFINITION/BACKGROUND.....................................................................................9

A7 PROJECT/TASK DESCRIPTION...................................................................................................10

A8 QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND CRITERIA FOR MEASUREMENT DATA............................11

A8.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT.........................................................................................11A8.1.1 Planning Team Members.....................................................................................11A8.1.2 Primary Decision Maker......................................................................................12A8.1.3 Problem Description............................................................................................12A8.1.4 Available Resources and Deadlines.....................................................................13

A8.2 DECISION IDENTIFICATION.................................................................................13A8.3 DECISION INPUTS...................................................................................................13

A8.3.1 Required Information...........................................................................................13A8.3.2 Sources for Information.......................................................................................14A8.3.3 Information Needed to Establish Action Level....................................................14

A8.4 STUDY BOUNDARIES.............................................................................................14A8.4.1 Spatial Boundaries...............................................................................................14A8.4.2 Temporal Boundaries...........................................................................................15A8.4.3 Practical Constraints on Data Collection.............................................................15

A8.5 DECISION RULE.......................................................................................................15A8.6 LIMITS ON DECISION ERRORS.............................................................................16A8.7 OPTIMIZATION OF DATA ACQUISTION.............................................................17

A9 SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS/CERTIFICATION....................................................17

A10 DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDS...........................................................................................18

B MEASUREMENT AND DATA ACQUISITION............................................................................19

B1 SAMPLING PROCESS DESIGN.....................................................................................................19

B1.1 ANTICIPATED PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND TIME TABLE...............................20B1.2 SAMPLE SITE SELECTION.....................................................................................20B1.3 SAMPLING FREQUENCY........................................................................................22

B2 SAMPLING METHODS REQUIREMENTS..................................................................................22

B3 SAMPLE HANDLING AND CUSTODY REQUIREMENTS.......................................................22

B4 ANALYTICAL METHODS REQUIREMENTS............................................................................23

B5 QUALITY CONTROL REQUIREMENTS.....................................................................................24

B6 INSTRUMENT/EQUIPMENT TESTING, INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE........................25

B7 INSTRUMENT CALIBRATION AND FREQUENCY..................................................................25

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B8 INSPECTION/ACCEPTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUPPLIES.........................................26

B9 DATA ACQUISITION REQUIREMENTS.....................................................................................26

B10 DATA MANAGEMENT....................................................................................................................26

C ASSESSMENT/OVERSIGHT...........................................................................................................27

C1 ASSESSMENTS AND RESPONSE ACTIONS...............................................................................27

C2 REPORTS TO MANAGEMENT......................................................................................................28

D DATA VALIDATION AND USABILITY.......................................................................................28

D1 DATA REVIEW, VALIDATION, AND VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS..........................28

D2 VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION METHODS......................................................................28

D3 RECONCILIATION WITH DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES....................................................28

E BIBLIOGRAPHY...............................................................................................................................29

APPENDIX I: MAP OF OKLAHOMA PLANNING BASINS AND RB 2.4 MONITORING SITES30

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A3 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1- Method Detection Limits and Acceptable Limits for Field Duplicates 15

Table 2- Acceptable Precision for Biological Assessment 16

Table 3- Documentation and Format of Data Collected 17

Table 4- Project Activities 18

Table 5- Rotating Basin Site List 19

Table 6- Sampling Frequency 20

Table 7- Acceptable Containers, Preservatives, and Holding Times for Each

Parameter 21

Table 8- Parameters, Methods, Meters, and Method Detection Levels for Each

Water Quality Parameter 22

Table 9- Assessment and Response Actions 26

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A4 DISTRIBUTION LIST

U.S. EPA Region VI approved copies of this Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) will be distributed to the following persons:

1. Jean Lemmon Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Water Quality Division2. Brooks Tramell Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Water Quality Division3. Lynda Williamson Office of the Secretary of Energy and Environment4. Virginia Vietti U.S. EPA Region VI

A5 PROJECT/TASK ORGANIZATION

Personnel of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC), Water Quality Division will perform all tasks necessary to complete this project. The OCC personnel involved and their responsibilities are listed below.

Trey Lam, Executive Director, OCCResponsible for all operations of OCC including Water Quality Division operations.

Shanon Phillips, Director, OCC Water Quality DivisionResponsible for all OCC Water Quality Division programs, Shanon is the final decision making authority within the Water Quality Division. The Director is, in addition to administrative duties, responsible for coordinating and expediting management of OCC watershed projects, both within the OCC and with contracted agencies.

Greg Kloxin, Assistant Director, OCC Water Quality DivisionSecond in OCC Water Quality Division command. In addition to specific duties assigned by the Director, this position is primarily responsible for the design and implementation of the Commission's nonpoint source programs including water quality, biological and habitat monitoring, implementation of best management practices, and education programs.

Brooks Tramell, Director of Monitoring, Assessment, & Wetlands Programs, OCC Water Quality DivisionThis position is responsible for all field-sampling activities and, as an integral part of all monitoring projects, participates in establishing Data Quality Objectives. He has the lead responsibility for maintaining standard operating procedures for all field activities and the supervision, coordination, and training of the field investigative personnel. Brooks is also responsible for oversight of Nathan Carter as he identifies, enumerates, and catalogs fish collections collected by the OCC. This includes a thorough and complete review of all fish collection data as well as a taxonomic review. Additionally, Brooks coordinates and authorizes the purchasing of all water quality monitoring equipment.

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Jason Ramming, Monitoring Coordinator, OCC Water Quality DivisionResponsible for scheduling sampling events and employee schedules as well as coordination with the ODAFF laboratory. Responsible for field supervision of monitoring activities, collection of field data and samples, land use and landowner surveys, submission of samples to the laboratory, equipment maintenance, and various related duties. Reviews and assists with updating and revising standard operating procedures and project QAPPs.

Wes Shockley, Monitoring Specialist III, OCC Water Quality DivisionResponsible for field supervision of monitoring activities, collection of field data and samples, landuse and landowner surveys, submission of samples to the laboratory, equipment maintenance, and various related duties. Reviews and assists with updating and revising standard operating procedures and project QAPPs.

Leonard Moore, Monitoring Specialist II, OCC Water Quality DivisionResponsible for collection of field data and samples, landuse and landowner surveys, submission of samples to the laboratory, equipment maintenance, and various related duties. Reviews and assists with updating and revising standard operating procedures and project QAPPs.

Jeanette Lamb, Monitoring and Assessment Specialist, OCC Water Quality DivisionResponsible for field supervision of monitoring activities, collection of field data and samples, landuse and landowner surveys, submission of samples to the laboratory, equipment maintenance, and various related duties. Reviews and assists with updating and revising standard operating procedures and project QAPPs. This position also involves technical writing responsibilities.

Nathan Carter, Monitoring Specialist II, OCC Water Quality DivisionResponsible for field supervision of monitoring activities, collection of field data and samples, landuse and landowner surveys, submission of samples to the laboratory, equipment maintenance, and various related duties. Reviews and assists with updating and revising standard operating procedures and QAPPs. Also identifies fish samples and either performs subsampling of macroinvertebrate collections or trains and oversees the subsampling of macroinvertebrate samples to prepare them for taxonomic ID. Nathan has achieved certification in the identification of the major macroinvertebrate groups and will begin identifying a portion of the samples in 2017, following an extensive quality assurance procedure.

Karla Spinner, Records Management Specialist, OCC Water Quality DivisionEnters and retrieves water quality field and laboratory records; receives and reviews source documents; proofs previously entered records and makes routine corrections. Karla also initiates and handles correspondence relating to records management including: water quality field and laboratory records, policies, and procedures. She produces documents of various levels of complexity, including records summaries. Karla also pulls data and helps with data analysis for reporting.

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Judith Wilkins, Environmental Projects Coordinator, OCC Water Quality DivisionResponsible for the administration and management of WQ projects. Monitors, reviews and coordinates: grant outputs, agreements, and WQ cost-share implementation and demonstration projects. Coordinates with WQ staff on the creation and administration of contracts and agreements with other Agencies, Universities, and Non-governmental organizations.

Jean Lemmon, Senior Technical Writer/Water Quality Analyst/Quality Assurance Officer, OCC Water Quality DivisionLead technical writer, data analyst, and field investigator. Jean is responsible for the drafting and review of the technical reports and other information from the Division. Jean is also responsible for all Quality Assurance efforts implemented by the OCC.

Shellie Willoughby, GIS Specialist, OCC Water Quality DivisionThe primary responsibility is to provide Geographical Information System support to the Division. Primary responsibilities include: 1) Accurate and precise input of spatial data into the GIS system; 2) responsible for QA procedures for the digitizing process; 3) work with field personnel to coordinate the collection of spatial data in an efficient and accurate manner; 4) spatial analysis of water quality data; 5) QA development, modeling, map generation, and spatial links to data.

The organizational flow chart is available in the Quality Management Plan.

A6 PROBLEM DEFINITION/BACKGROUND

The Clean Water Act has charged each State’s Nonpoint Source (NPS) pollution agency with two primary tasks: 1) identify all waters being impacted by NPS pollution and 2) develop a management program describing NPS pollution programs to be implemented to correct any identified problems. In addition, each State’s NPS agency is charged with identification of all programs, including enforcement, to achieve implementation, cooperation with local, regional, and interstate entities which are actively planning for NPS controls, and to report on program status of addressing NPS impacts and improving water quality.

Assessment of the State’s water quality is the foundation for meeting the long-term goals for the State NPS program. To fully address NPS pollution in Oklahoma, the OCC initiated a new monitoring program in 2001, the “Small Watershed Rotating Basin Monitoring Program,” which is coordinated with other monitoring programs in the state. The Rotating Basin program is comprised of four stages, as described in the revised OCC Nonpoint Source Management Plan (2014). The first stage includes a comprehensive, coordinated investigation and analysis of the causes and sources of NPS pollution throughout the State—Ambient Monitoring. The second stage involves more intensive, specialized monitoring designed to identify specific causes and sources of NPS pollution—Diagnostic Monitoring. The data from diagnostic monitoring can be used to formulate an implementation plan to specifically address the sources and types of NPS pollution identified in diagnostic monitoring. The third stage of monitoring, conducted during the execution of this implementation plan, is designed to perform or undertake remedial and/or

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mitigation efforts to address the NPS problems—Implementation Monitoring. Finally, the fourth stage evaluates the effectiveness of the implementation through assessment and post-implementation monitoring—Success Monitoring.

In the 16 years since the initiation of the Small Watershed Rotating Basin Monitoring Program, approximately 240 sites have been sampled comprehensively throughout the state, resulting in an extensive and comprehensive database. Many sites had never been monitored previously, and now, as the fourth cycle of the program progresses and sites are revisited, NPS impacts can be examined in light of the initial data. Rotating Basin Program data has and continues to be a foundational component of the state’s Integrated Report, submitted biennially.

A7 PROJECT/TASK DESCRIPTION

As part of the Rotating Basin Project, the OCC will sample a total of 59 sites in the Upper Arkansas, Cimarron and Upper North Canadian Basins. The objectives of this assessment are to identify NPS threatened and impaired waterbodies and to verify previously identified non-impairment or impairment to give an accurate and current assessment of Oklahoma’s water quality as affected by NPS. In streams where impairment is identified, further data collection will allow verification of the causes of impairment, identification of categorical and geographical sources, and planning of restoration strategies. This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) encompasses Task 1, “Fourth Cycle Monitoring in the Upper Arkansas, Cimarron and Upper North Canadian Basins” of the OCC 2017/2018 Project 3 Workplan.

The goal of the Rotating Basin Project is to monitor the majority of 11-digit watersheds located entirely within the State of Oklahoma. Sample collection at the outlet will allow for a general representation of water quality for the entire watershed. Watersheds that do not have perennial water, referring specifically to the presence of water but not flow, and watersheds that are actually a segment of a larger river being sampled by another agency will not be monitored. When the designated watershed is in a large river segment, the OCC will consider monitoring a stream with perennial water that is a tributary to that large river. When there is a choice between several streams in such a watershed, an effort will be made to monitor a stream draining an area of landuse different from the majority of the other streams being monitored in that region. All sites will be located far enough upstream of the receiving waterbody so backwater effects will be negated. This includes alluvial water of the receiving waterbody as well as surface water. These sites are subject to confirmation by a field visit. Lack of landowner permission, lack of perennial water, and closed county roads are some of the reasons why a monitoring site may have to be rejected or moved. Where the watershed is monitored by another entity for other purposes, the site will be dropped if the monitoring meets the NPS assessment data quality objectives.

Where sites have been previously monitored in the HUC 11, those sites will be selected if they are located in the lower HUC 11 with no major incoming tributaries and/or major landuse differences between the old sites and the sites selected for this project. Sites previously monitored upstream in the HUC 11 were discontinued, unless there was an indication that the upstream site would be more appropriate to identify impairment within the watershed.

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Rotating Basin sites will be monitored for physical and chemical parameters on a fixed, preset interval schedule of ten sampling events per year. A fixed interval reduces seasonal bias. Samples will be collected during both base flow and high flow conditions. Parameters that will be collected include: turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), alkalinity, conductivity, water temperature, instantaneous discharge, nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), orthophosphate (PO4), total phosphorous (TP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), chloride (Cl), sulfate (SO4), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total hardness. Ammonia (NH3) will be assessed three times a year during the summer season of May 1 – September 30. Escherichia coli will be monitored monthly during the recreational season of May 1 – September 30.

In addition, sites will be monitored twice yearly for benthic macroinvertebrates and benthic habitat during the two-year collection period. The sample collections are evenly divided between the winter and summer dry periods, thus utilizing the most stable index periods for the state. Fish and instream habitat will be monitored once during each rotation cycle. This frequency was selected to minimize the impact on fish populations within small streams.

A8 QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND CRITERIA FOR MEASUREMENT DATA

A8.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT

The OCC is charged with the tasks of identifying all waters being impacted by NPS pollution and developing a management program describing NPS pollution programs to be implemented to correct any identified problems. Additionally, each State’s NPS agency is charged with:

Identification of programs to achieve implementation, cooperating with local, regional, and interstate entities that are actively planning for NPS controls.

Report on the program status of addressing NPS impacts and improving water quality.

The OCC is continuing the fourth rotation of the Small Watershed Rotating Basin Monitoring Program. This statewide program revolves through all of the eleven planning basins in the state so that the OCC can monitor a large portion of the state at any given time. Monitoring activities will enable the OCC to identify both high quality streams and degraded streams that may need more monitoring and/or attention. With the information gained, resource managers, planners, and other state and federal agencies may make better decisions regarding the water resources in their area. Many of these areas have not been extensively monitored and have insufficient data available to base scientifically sound decisions.

The monitoring activities focus on four different sampling designs: ambient, diagnostic, implementation, and success monitoring. This QAPP only applies to ambient monitoring. Diagnostic, implementation, and success monitoring will be implemented when the ambient monitoring locates problems within the watersheds.

A8.1.1 Planning Team Members

Scott Stoodley (former OCC WQ Division Director), Dan Butler (former OCC WQ Division Monitoring Director and Division Director), Geoff Canty (former OCC WQ technical writer),

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Phillip Moershel (former OCC WQ quality assurance officer), and Shanon Phillips were involved in establishing the data quality objectives (DQOs) for the Rotating Basin Project to varying extents.

Current team members include Jason Ramming, Brooks Tramell, and Jean Lemmon.

A8.1.2 Primary Decision Maker

The primary decision maker is Shanon Phillips, Director of the Water Quality Division.

A8.1.3 Problem Description

The Clean Water Act (CWA) has charged each States’ NPS agency with two primary tasks: 1) Identify all waters being impacted by NPS pollution, and 2) Develop a management program describing NPS pollution programs to be implemented to correct any identified problems. In addition, each State’s NPS agency is charged with:

Identification of all programs, to achieve implementation, cooperation with local, regional and interstate entities that are actively planning for NPS controls.

Report on the program status of addressing NPS impacts and improving water quality.

Historically, the State had not had a consistent, statewide ambient monitoring program that allowed for the identification of nonpoint source-affected waters. Pollution monitoring was confined to project-specific areas or was conducted on such a large scale that it was not effective in identifying sources of impairment. Based on history and the CWA requirements, the OCC is continuing a comprehensive monitoring program, coordinated with other monitoring programs in the state, to address NPS issues in the State. Assessment of the State’s water quality is the foundation for meeting the long-term goals for the State NPS program.

To fully address NPS pollution, the Small Watershed Rotating Basin Monitoring Program is comprised of four stages, as described in the revised 2014 NPS Management Plan. The first stage includes a comprehensive, coordinated investigation and analysis of the causes and sources of NPS pollution throughout the State—Ambient Monitoring. The second stage involves more intensive, specialized monitoring designed to identify specific causes and sources of NPS pollution—Diagnostic Monitoring. The data from diagnostic monitoring can be used to formulate an implementation plan to specifically address the sources and types of NPS pollution identified in diagnostic monitoring. The third stage of monitoring, conducted during the execution of this implementation plan, is designed to perform or undertake remedial and/or mitigation efforts to address the NPS problems—Implementation Monitoring. Finally, the fourth stage evaluates the effectiveness of the implementation through assessment and post-implementation monitoring—Success Monitoring.

In the years since the start of the Small Watershed Rotating Basin Monitoring Program, a thorough assessment of sites across the state has been possible. This fourth cycle of the program will continue to provide and expand upon the baseline dataset in order to further examine and identify NPS impacts and will allow tracking of water quality through time.

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A8.1.4 Available Resources and Deadlines

Timelines and available resources for the completion of this project are listed in the “FY 2017/2018 §319(h) Project 3, Ambient Cycle 2.4 and Implementation Monitoring Program” Workplan.

A8.2 DECISION IDENTIFICATION

This monitoring program will consider the following in the context of Oklahoma Water Quality Standards (OWQS) and the Use Support Attainability Protocol (USAP) to address NPS pollution (OWRB 2014.

1. What waterbodies are not supporting beneficial uses due to NPS pollution?2. What waterbodies show elevated or increasing levels of NPS pollutants which may

threaten water quality? 3. What is (are) the source(s) and magnitude of pollutant loading(s) within threatened or

impaired waterbodies?4. What land uses or changes thereof constitute sources or potential sources for pollutants

causing beneficial use impairment? 5. What are the actual levels of pollution that prevent the attainment of the mandate of the

CWA?

A8.3 DECISION INPUTS

A8.3.1 Required Information

Information needed to determine the quality of the habitat includes measurements of instream cover, pool bottom substrate, pool variability, canopy cover, presence of rocky riffles and runs, base flow discharge, channel alteration, channel sinuosity, bank stability, bank vegetative stability, and dominant vegetation. This data will be collected once per rotation for each of the fixed sites.

Information needed to determine the quality of the water includes measurements of water temperature, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), orthophosphate (PO4), total phosphorous (TP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), chloride (Cl), sulfate (SO4), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total hardness. This data will be collected 20 times per two-year rotation for each site. Escherichia coli will be monitored monthly during the recreational period (May through September), for a total of 10 samples per two-year rotation. Ammonia will be assessed three times a year (during summer months), for a total of 6 samples per two-year rotation.

Information required for determining the biological community status includes one fish collection and four benthic macroinvertebrate collections at each site per rotation.

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Information required for determining landuse and potential sources of pollution will include observations made during the habitat assessments, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, and other methods as identified by the State’s Source Identification Work Group.A8.3.2 Sources for Information

Information needed to determine the quality of the habitat and water, as well as the support status, of each stream site will be obtained through field observation, use of GIS, in situ measurements, and laboratory analysis of the specified parameters.

A8.3.3 Information Needed to Establish Action Level

Water quality numerical and narrative criteria will be used to determine use attainment status, when available, in a manner consistent with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s (OWRB) Use Support Assessment Protocol (USAP) (OWRB 2013). Otherwise, biological and habitat assessments will be used in addition to physical and chemical data as a direct measure of fish and wildlife beneficial use support status in a manner consistent with OWRB’s Oklahoma Water Quality Standards (OWQS) and USAP. All monitoring data will be compared to the appropriate reference site(s) and OWQS to determine use attainment status. Protocols for determining beneficial use support (USAP) are found in the Oklahoma Administrative Code 785:46-15 (OWRB 2014. Streams will be considered non-supporting when OWQS are violated as determined by criteria and rules listed in OAC 785:46-15. Parameters not addressed in OAC 785:46-15 will be assessed using applicable state and federal rules and regulations to determine non-support.

A8.4 STUDY BOUNDARIES

A8.4.1 Spatial Boundaries

Fifty fixed sites were selected for monitoring in the Rotating Basin Project in the Upper Arkansas, Cimarron and Upper North Canadian Basins. Most of these sites were sampled for two consecutive years from 2002-2004, then again from 2007-2009, and 2012-2014. In the Fall of 2016, the site list was revisited and sites were added or moved to ensure proper coverage. Some sites were dropped due to loss of permission. 59 sites were selected and will be sampled starting in June 2017 continuing through April 2019.

The Upper North Canadian Basin is located in the far northwestern portion of the state. The basin covers most of the Oklahoma panhandle and includes at least portions of Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Ellis, Woodward, Major, Dewey and Blaine Counties.

The Cimarron Basin begins in the northwestern corner of the state and extends east into central Oklahoma. The basin covers at least portions of the following 19 counties; Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woodward, Woods, Major, Alfalfa, Garfield, Blaine, Kingfisher, Canadian, Oklahoma, Logan, Payne, Noble, Pawnee, Creek and Lincoln.The Upper Arkansas Basin is in the north central part of the state and includes at least portions of Woods, Alfalfa, Grant, Kay, Osage, Garfield, Noble, Pawnee, and Payne Counties.

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A8.4.2 Temporal Boundaries

Rotating Basin sites in the Upper Arkansas, Cimarron and Upper North Canadian Basins will be sampled for two consecutive years starting in June 2017.

A8.4.3 Practical Constraints on Data Collection

Experience has shown that many planned water quality sampling events have been delayed or canceled for one reason or another. Possible reasons that the current study may be delayed due to deleted or missed sampling events include:

1. Poor meteorological conditions.2. Poor hydrological conditions, including ephemeral conditions due to drought.3. Unavailability of field monitoring personnel.4. The QAPP is not approved in time.5. Catastrophic equipment failure.6. Other unpredictable situations.

A major constraint on scheduling sample collection is adherence to sample holding times. Sampling trips must be scheduled to allow delivery of samples to the laboratory in a timely fashion that will allow processing of the samples within appropriate holding times. Extremely short holding times are required for bacteria samples. This constraint will limit the time and number of sites that can be economically sampled.

A8.5 DECISION RULE

The support status of each stream site for the agriculture, aesthetics, primary body contact, and fish and wildlife propagation beneficial uses will be evaluated. Protocols for determining beneficial use support are found in the Oklahoma Administrative Code 785:46-15 (OWRB 2010). Streams will be considered non-supporting when Oklahoma Water Quality Standards are violated as determined by criteria and rules listed in OAC 785:46-15. Parameters not addressed in OAC 785:46-15 will be assessed using applicable state and federal rules and regulations to determine support/non-support.

For regions or communities for which biocriteria are unspecified, assessment of the condition of the biological community will follow the decision matrices in the EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocols (RBPs) guidance document (Plafkin et al. 1989). The condition of the fish community will be based on indices of species richness, community quality, and by comparison to a reference stream(s) or a composite reference condition as shown in the EPA RBPs. The condition of the benthic macroinvertebrate community will also be assessed with the various indices presented in the RBPs (Plafkin et al. 1989) and as developed by the OCC staff.

Decisions regarding the condition of the biological community must be tempered by habitat condition. Determination of habitat condition will be based on the habitat assessment scoring modified from Plafkin et al. (1989). Where impairment is indicated by the biological condition of a waterbody, that waterbody will be determined to be impaired following language in OAC

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785:46-15, by procedures outlined in the Oklahoma Continuing Planning Process (CPP) (ODEQ 2012), or by following 305(b) or other applicable guidance.

A8.6 LIMITS ON DECISION ERRORS

The need to define acceptable decision error for determining if a stream is impaired is abrogated by data requirements and decision criteria set forth in OAC 785:46-15. Where there are no applicable rules, policies, or regulations dictating limits on decision error, the OCC will use confidence of 90% for chemical parameters and 80% for biological decisions. Where decisions cannot be made with acceptable confidence, consequences of a false decision will be mitigated by remanding the water body to further study and assignment of a fully supporting but threatened support status with no regulatory consequences. Consequences of a false decision identifying a water body as impaired are related to actions associated with the §319 Assessment Report, 305(b) Report, and 303(d) List. Consequences of a false decision identifying a stream as non-impaired are unchecked environmental degradation. Likelihood of a false decision identifying a waterbody as unimpaired is substantially reduced by application of biological monitoring results in the decision process.

Precision and accuracy of all data must, of course, be as true as possible. As a general rule, precision and accuracy must be within + or - 10% except for parameters approaching detection limits, where practical considerations require a wider range of acceptable precision and accuracy. The precision and accuracy criteria presented in the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) State Environmental Laboratory Quality Assurance Plan is suitable for this study. ODAFF insures data quality through the use of analysis of control charts for precision and accuracy following Section 1020 of Standard Methods (1992). With these charts, Warning Limits of + or - 2 standard deviations and Control Limits of + or - 3 standard deviations are established. General acceptance limits for field duplicates are based on Table 1020:I of the Standard Methods (1992). Acceptable precision for water quality parameters and biological assessments are shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.

Table 1: Method Detection Limits and Acceptable Limits for Field Duplicates.

Parameter Method Meter / Lab

Acceptable precision for

low level field duplicates


high level field duplicates

Method Detection

Level*

Dissolved Oxygen 4500-G YSI ProPlus 90-110% 90-110% 0.1 mg/LConductance 2510-B YSI ProPlus 90-110% 90-110% 1.0 uS/cm

pH 4500 H-B YSI ProPlus 90-110% 90-110% 1.0 S.U.Temperature 2550 YSI ProPlus 90-110% 90-110% -5*C

Instantaneous DischargeElectromagnetic;

incremental, velocity-area

Marsh McBirney or Ott MF Pro 75-125% 75-125% 0.1 cfs

Alkalinity 2320-B Hach Kit 90-110% 90-110% 15 mg/LHardness 2340-B Hach Kit 90-110% 90-110% 0.5 mg/LTurbidity 2130-B Hach 2100P/Q 90-110% 90-110% 0.01 NTUAmmonia 4500 ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 0.015 mg/L

Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen 4500-N-C ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 0.01 mg/L

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Parameter Method Meter / Lab


low level field duplicates


high level field duplicates

Method Detection

Level*

Nitrate 4500-NO3-D ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 0.01 mg/LNitrite 4500 NO2 ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 0.01 mg/L

Ortho Phosphorus 4500 P E ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 0.005mg/l

Total Phosphorous 4500 P-B-E ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 0.005 mg/L

Total Suspended Solids 2540-O ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 1.0 mg/LTotal Dissolved Solids 160.1 ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 1 mg/l

Sulfate 4500-SO4-E ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 0.1 mg/LChloride 4500-C ODAFF 75-125% 90-110% 0.5 mg/LE. Coli 1603 ODAFF 25.9%*** ------ ------

*Method detection limits reported by ODAFF Environmental Laboratory using Method 1030E from Standard Methods (APHA, AWWA, WPCF 1992).**USEPA 2006a; ***USEPA 2006b

Table 2: Acceptable Precision for Biological Assessment (Faulkner 1994).Activity Parameter Precision (RPD)

Fish collection: seine/electrofish No. individualsNo. species

25%15%

Benthic macroinvertebrate collection No. individualsNo. Taxa

50%15%

Habitat assessment

Habitat assessment scoreAverage depthAverage widthPercent cover

15%15%15%20%

A8.7 OPTIMIZATION OF DATA ACQUISTION

Ten samples within a five-year period must be taken for most parameters to support the USAP as set forth in the Oklahoma Water Quality Standards monitoring and decision protocols 785:46-15 for beneficial use support determination. Once ten samples have been taken, the decision is based upon the frequency of samples exceeding a numerical criterion. The sampling program for the Rotating Basins project will exceed this minimum number of samples in order to be consistent.

A9 SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS/CERTIFICATION

Principal investigators for this project are required to have degrees and/or experience with biological or other applicable sciences. Training for habitat assessment and collection of water quality field data are required for the principal investigators. In-house training will be conducted for the use of all meters and digital titrators used for water quality measurements. Training of field crews will be done through dry run exercises in the laboratory to familiarize field crews

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with sample collection, sample preservation, instrument operation, calibration, and maintenance. Field exercises will be conducted to familiarize field crews with SOPs. Investigators must be familiar with the OCC SOP document and all training will follow the methods outlined in that document. Extra training will be provided when new SOPs are developed.

Investigators are tested for identification abilities with a statewide assemblage of fish fauna before fish collections begin. These fish are comprised of species that are typically found in Oklahoma stream systems. The majority of the test specimens include fish with larger body sizes that are typically field identified and/or found in large numbers. Species of special concern such as the Arkansas River Shiner are covered during training to ensure compliance with the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s threatened and endangered species permit guidance. Quality assurance of fish collections is accomplished by a second taxonomist on a range of samples each year that represent the diversity of stream fish from the sampled basins. Fish specimens reported outside of their expected range or endangered or rare species are sent to an additional taxonomist for verification and are archived for future reference. A test score of 98% or better must be achieved before the investigator will be a field crew leader. Investigators that score under 98% will not collect without direct supervision of the crew leader.

The Division maintains literature in the library including but not limited to regional taxonomic keys for fish and macroinvertebrates, sampling methods and design, etcetera.

A10 DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDS

Field observations and water quality data will be recorded in a standardized data format in field sheets and record books as shown in the OCC SOP documentation. Habitat assessment, flow, and any data collected as a result of biological collections will be recorded on standardized field sheets. All field sheets used in-stream will be printed on waterproof paper. Data acquired during this project will follow the format in Table 3 according to the type of data and intended use.

Table 3: Documentation and Format of Data Collected During ProjectData Type Primary

reporting formatComputer

formatFinal reporting

format Final data archive

Water quality field parameters

Field summary sheets

OCC Water Quality Database

Tables, graphs, etc. STORET, OCC Water Quality Database & Library or Warehouse

Field parameters, QA, calibration

Standardized field sheets and/or digital reports


QA Summary Report

OCC Water Quality Library or Warehouse

Water quality lab analysis

Lab report sheets and/or digital reports


Tables, graphs, etc. STORET, OCC Water Quality Database & Library or Warehouse

Water quality lab analysis - blanks, duplicates

Lab report sheets and/or digital reports


QA Summary Tables

OCC Water Quality Database & Library or Warehouse

Field notes Standardized Field sheets


Final report as appropriate

OCC Water Quality Library

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Data Type Primary reporting format

Computer format

Final reporting format Final data archive

Habitat assessment

Standardized Field sheets


Habitat metrics OCC Water Quality Database & Library or Warehouse

Fish collections Standardized Fish Collection Sheets and Laboratory Data Sheets


Tolerance & diversity indices; final report and list of species collected

OCC Water Quality Database & Library or Warehouse; OK Museum of Natural History & EPA BIOS when appropriate

Benthic macroinvertebrate collections

Standardized Macroinvertebrate Collection Sheets and Laboratory Data Sheets


Tolerance, diversity, list of species collected and other indices

OCC Water Quality Database & Library or Warehouse; EPA BIOS when appropriate

B MEASUREMENT AND DATA ACQUISITION

B1 SAMPLING PROCESS DESIGN

In order to determine the support status of each site and the causes of impairment, water quality sampling, biological monitoring, landuse assessment, and habitat assessments will be conducted. Water quality analysis will consist of monitoring of turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), alkalinity, conductivity, water temperature, instantaneous discharge, nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), orthophosphate (PO4), total phosphorus (TP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), chloride (Cl), sulfate (SO4), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total hardness. Water quality samples will be collected 20 times per rotation per site, except for ammonia, which will be assessed 6 times per rotation. Ammonia (NH3) and Escherichia coli will be monitored each year from May through September, three times for ammonia and five times for E. coli.

Observations and quantities of odor, excessive bottom deposits, surface scum, oil/grease, and foam will be recorded to support the aesthetics beneficial use support. Biological monitoring will be conducted. Biological monitoring will consist of a one-time collection of fish, a one-time habitat assessment, and semi-annual collections of benthic macroinvertebrates (two summer sets and two winter sets).

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B1.1 ANTICIPATED PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND TIME TABLE

Table 4: Project ActivitiesTask Description Initiate task Complete task

QAPP February 2017 March 2017Monitoring for routine physical and chemical

(including bacteria) parameters June 2017 May 2019

Fish and habitat collections June 2017 September 2018Benthic invertebrates – winter and

summer collections June 2017 March 2019

B1.2 SAMPLE SITE SELECTION

A total of 59 sites (Table 5) will be sampled from the Upper North Canadian, Cimarron and Upper Arkansas Basins for the Rotating Basin Project. Watersheds were delineated based on the USGS 11-digit waterbody identification system and overlaid by the State’s 11 Whole Basin Planning Management Basins. Sites were selected based on the HUC 11 outlets. Each site was selected at the outfall of the HUC 11. Care was taken to select sites out of areas that may be within the flood pool of lakes or within the backwater zone near confluences of other streams. Each site had field visits to verify that acceptable conditions existed for monitoring activities. These visits also generated the basic geographic information including a legal description and latitude/longitude.

Table 5: Rotating Basin 2.4 Site ListSite Name WBID Legal County Latitude Longitude

Beaver Creek OK620900-03-0230C SW NW SW 24 18N 2W Logan 36.0193 -97.3715

Beaver Creek OK621210-00-0050L NB 34 28N 5E Osage 36.8689 -96.7454

Bent Creek OK720500-01-0070D SE NE SE 21 20N 17W Woodward 36.1920 -99.0091

Bitter Creek OK621100-00-0100G SW NW NW 11 27N 1W Kay 36.8366 -97.2834Black Bear Creek:

Upper OK621200-03-0260B SE NE 36 22N 1W Noble 36.3416 -97.2467

Bois d'Arc Creek OK621000-03-0010C SE SE SE 18 25N 2E Kay 36.6375 -97.1206

Buckeye Creek OK620900-01-0220G 25/36 19N 7E Creek 36.0902 -96.5130

Buffalo Creek: Lower OK620920-05-0010G NW SW SW 33 27N 20W Harper 36.7707 -99.3668

Camp Creek OK621200-03-0040C NW NW 7 21N 6E Pawnee 36.3186 -96.7071

Clear Creek OK720500-02-0300F NE NE NE 15 3N 24E Beaver 36.7317 -100.4531

Clear Creek OK720500-02-0070G SE SW SW 24 25N 25W Harper 36.6222 -99.8510

Coal Creek OK621200-01-0380C NW 22 23N 5E Pawnee 36.4450 -96.7284

Cooper Creek OK620910-02-0040C SW NW NW 6 17N 7W Kingfisher 35.9830 -97.9965

Cottonwood Creek OK620910-04-0010H 13/14 15N 4W Logan 35.7751 -97.5849

Council Creek OK620900-02-0050H WB 31 19N 5E Payne 36.0829 -96.8196

Crooked Creek OK621000-06-0010C NE SE SE 7 26N 7W Grant 36.7412 -97.9826

Dead Indian Creek OK620910-05-0080A NW NE NW 20 16N 7W Kingfisher 35.8555 -97.9727

Deep Creek OK620910-02-0250C SW NW NW 22 20N 10W Major 36.1994 -98.2639

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Site Name WBID Legal County Latitude Longitude

Deer Creek OK621000-04-0010D NE NE NW 26 26N 2W Kay 36.7096 -97.3813

Doga Creek OK621200-02-0020C NB 17 24N 5E Osage 36.5647 -96.7959

Duck Creek OK621100-00-0030Q 14/15 27N 1E Kay 36.8247 -97.1740

Duck Pond Creek OK720500-02-0250F NW NW NE 36 3N 25E Beaver 36.6886 -100.3148Eagle Chief Creek:

Lower OK620920-04-0010C SW SE SE 2 22N 12W Major 36.4053 -98.4465

Eagle Chief Creek: Upper OK620920-04-0010G NW NW NW 24 25N 13W Woods 36.6363 -98.5582

Euchee Creek OK620900-01-0290N SW SW SE 18 17N 6E Payne 35.9421 -96.7027

Gray Horse Creek OK621200-01-0400B NW NW NW 8 23N 6E Osage 36.4924 -96.6912

Griever Creek OK620920-01-0130G SE SE SE 9 22N 15W Major 36.3915 -98.7998

Indian Creek OK620910-02-0310C SW SW SW 17 21N 10W Major 36.2897 -98.2999

Indian Creek OK720500-01-0200D NE SE SE 21 22N 19W Woodward 36.3659 -99.2283

Kingfisher Creek OK620910-05-0010J SW SW SW 18 16N 7W Kingfisher 35.8576 -97.9944

Kiowa Creek OK720500-02-0130C NW NW NW 14 26N 26W Harper 36.7374 -99.9804

Lagoon Creek OK620900-01-0180J NW NW SE 16 19N 7E Creek 36.1260 -96.5746

Long Creek OK620920-02-0080D NW NE NE 27 26N 18W Woodward 36.7107 -99.1179

Lyon Creek OK620910-03-0140H 8/9 19N 5W Kingfisher 36.1358 -97.7468

Main Creek OK620920-01-0180F NE NE NE 10 23N 16W Major 36.4920 -98.8898

Medicine Lodge River OK621010-03-0010D SB 1 27N 11W Alfalfa 36.8406 -98.3334

Otter Creek OK620910-03-0040C SW SE SW 31 19N 3W Logan 36.0724 -97.5613

Persimmon Creek OK720500-01-0150G NW NW NW 31 21N 18W Woodward 36.2619 -99.1737

Pond Creek OK621000-05-0010D SE SE SE 35 26N 4W Grant 36.6815 -97.5881

Red Rock Creek: Lower OK621200-05-0010K SW SE 3 23N 2E Noble 36.4942 -97.0725

Red Rock Creek: Upper OK621200-05-0160G SW NW NW 16 23N 1W Noble 36.4743 -97.3183

Salt Creek OK620910-02-0100D SW SW SW 20 19N 9W Kingfisher 36.1027 -98.1926

Salt Creek OK620900-02-0020D 14/23 19N 5E Payne 36.1159 -96.7390Salt Creek: Remington

Rd. OK621200-04-0010I NW NW NW 19 25N 6E Osage 36.6359 -96.7040

Salt Creek: CR4250 OK621200-04-0010J NE 8 26N 6E Osage 36.7519 -96.6725

Sandy Creek OK621010-02-0010C SE SE SE 18 27N 9W Alfalfa 36.8118 -98.2011

Sleeping Bear Creek OK620920-05-0030M S.B. 34 26N 20W Harper 36.6816 -99.3463

Stillwater Creek: Upper OK620900-04-0070T NE 13 19N 1E Payne 36.1305 -97.1401

Traders Creek OK620920-02-0170G 22/27 26N 19W Woodward 36.7110 -99.2329

Turkey Creek OK621010-01-0230G SW NW NW 14 27N 14W Woods 36.8238 -98.6839Turkey Creek: Wheat

Capital Rd. OK620910-06-0010R NE NW NE 1 21N 8W Garfield 36.3329 -98.0031

Turkey Creek: Lower OK620910-06-0010B NW SW NW 2 17N 7W Kingfisher 35.9784 -97.9228

Uncle John's Creek OK620910-05-0030C SW SW SW 26 16N 7W Kingfisher 35.8276 -97.9215

West Clay Creek OK621010-01-0130R NE NE NE 19 26N 10W Alfalfa 36.7234 -98.3068

Whitehorse Creek OK620920-02-0050J SW 19 26N 16W Woods 36.7130 -98.9712

Wildhorse Creek OK621000-02-0040F SW SW SW 24 25N 6W Grant 36.6236 -97.8033

Wolf Creek: HWY 283 OK720500-03-0010T NW NE 16 21N 25W Ellis 36.3019 -99.8824

Wolf Creek: Upper OK720500-03-0010G NE NE NE 30 23N 22W Woodward 36.4493 -99.5880

Yellowstone Creek OK621010-01-0270C NW SW NW 19 29N 15W Woods 36.9814 -98.8691

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B1.3 SAMPLING FREQUENCY

Sampling for the project will be initiated in June 2017. Each site will be sampled for physical/chemical parameters at the frequency listed in Table 6. Each Rotating Basin site will be sampled approximately every 35 days or 10 times/year. Summer and winter benthic macroinvertebrate collections will be completed twice per year over the two-year rotating basin project duration. One fish collection will be performed at each site. These collections will be completed during the summer and early fall months. If conditions are not appropriate for fish collections in 2017, they will be completed in 2018. Bacteria will be collected monthly during the recreational season months of May through September of both years.

Table 6: Sampling FrequencyParameter Collection Frequency

Physical and chemical field parameters With each collection (fish and water quality collections)Chemical “lab samples” 10 X / year fixed interval sampling, every 35 daysBenthic Macroinvertebrates 2 in summer / 2 in winter 2017 - 2019Fish Once (summer collections) 2017 or 2018Flow With each sample collection and habitat assessment.Habitat Once (with fish) 2017 or 2018Bacteria Monthly May - September 2017 and 2018

B2 SAMPLING METHODS REQUIREMENTS

All sampling procedures to be used are described in the OCC SOP document. All water quality samples will be collected as grab samples as described in OCC SOPs. Benthic macroinvertebrates, fish, and habitat assessments will be performed according to the OCC SOPs. Copies of all OCC SOPs are on file at the EPA Region 6 Office in Dallas, TX. Implementation of corrective action for any failure in the sampling process is the responsibility of the Director of Monitoring, Assessment, and Wetlands Programs (Brooks Tramell).

B3 SAMPLE HANDLING AND CUSTODY REQUIREMENTS

Each sample bottle is labeled on site with indelible ink. Information included is as follows: site name, waterbody identification number, date and time of collection, and the type of preservative used. The collector of the samples is responsible for seeing that each sample is labeled as it is collected. Samples, as they are collected, will be preserved as shown in Table 7.

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Table 7: Acceptable Containers, Preservatives, and Holding Times for Each ParameterParameter Container Preservative Holding Time

Dissolved Oxygen in situ N/A N/AConductivity in situ N/A N/A

pH in situ N/A N/ATemperature in situ N/A N/A

Instantaneous Discharge in situ N/A N/AHardness plastic Ice 7 daysAlkalinity plastic Ice 24 hoursTurbidity plastic Ice 24 hours

Ammonia Nitrogen plastic Ice, H2SO4 within 24 hours 28 daysTotal Kjeldahl Nitrogen plastic Ice, H2SO4 within 24 hours 28 days

Nitrate/Nitrite plastic Ice, H2SO4 within 24 hours 28 daysOrtho Phosphorus plastic Ice 48 hoursTotal Phosphorous plastic Ice, H2SO4 within 24 hours 28 days

Total Suspended Solids plastic Ice 7 daysSulfate plastic Ice 28 days

Chloride plastic Ice 28 daysTotal Dissolved Solids plastic Ice 7 days

Benthic macroinvertebrates glass Ethanol N/A

Fish plastic Fixative: Formalin N/APreservative: EthanolE. coli plastic Ice, <10º C 24 hours

A chain of custody form is submitted with each group of samples (refer to OCC SOP “Chain of Custody and Sample Labeling”). The chain of custody form includes the following information: project name, samplers, date and time of collection, site name, parameters to be analyzed, waterbody identification number, number of containers submitted, and any pertinent remarks. The chain of custody form is signed and dated by the receiving laboratory officer and a laboratory number is assigned to each sample. Assigned laboratory numbers are listed on the chain of custody form. A copy of the chain of custody form is left at the laboratory and the original is filed by date in the OCC Water Quality Library.

Emily Curry, Quality Assurance Manager for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) Laboratory, is responsible for all laboratory operations. Elena Lyon is the Inorganic Section Supervisor for the ODAFF laboratory and is responsible for proper receipt, handling, and disbursement of samples. Elena also oversees all water quality analytical procedures.

B4 ANALYTICAL METHODS REQUIREMENTS

Field analytical procedures are described in the OCC SOP document. The methods and meters required to perform field water quality analyses are listed in Table 8. Reporting of failures in

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field analytical procedures and the implementation of corrective action for any failure in field analytic procedures is the responsibility of the Monitoring Coordinator.Table 8: Parameters, Methods, Meters, and Method Detection Levels for Each Water Quality Parameter

Parameter Method Meter Method Detection Level

Dissolved Oxygen 4500G YSI Professional Plus 0.1 mg/lConductivity 2510B YSI Professional Plus 1.0 uSpH 4500H-B YSI Professional Plus 1.0 S.U.Temperature 2550 YSI Professional Plus -5o CInstantaneous Discharge electromagnetic Marsh McBirney

or Ott MF Pro0.1 cfs

Alkalinity 2320B Hach digital titrator 1.5 mg/lHardness 2340B Hach digital titratorTurbidity 2130B Hach 2100P/Q 0.01 NTU

Laboratory procedures are described in detail in the ODAFF Laboratory Quality Assurance Plan. Reporting of failures in laboratory analytical procedures and implementation of corrective action for any failure in laboratory procedures is the responsibility of ODAFF Laboratory Director, Tanna Kilpatrick, who is responsible for all aspects of the laboratory operation. Irreconcilable analytical problems and contract management with the laboratory is the responsibility of the OCC Water Quality Division Director, Shanon Phillips.

B5 QUALITY CONTROL REQUIREMENTS

A field blank, replicate, and duplicate will be submitted with each sampling event. Methods for preparing field blanks, field duplicate samples, and replicate samples are described in the OCC Master SOP document (OCC 2016).

Quality control (QC) of field parameters will be achieved through regular calibration of field meters and the quarterly calibration check of all meters in use by the OCC.

Laboratory uses of internal QC checks are described in the ODAFF Laboratory Quality Assurance Plan. The ODAFF laboratory also uses a frequency of at least ten percent of all samples analyzed for analysis of blanks, spikes, and duplicates. An approved copy of the ODAFF Laboratory Quality Assurance Plan is submitted to EPA Region VI on an annual basis with the OCC Quality Management Plan.

Quality control of fish and benthic macroinvertebrate collections will be achieved through careful application of methods as described in the SOPs and documentation of any deviation from the prescribed methods. For fish collections, this includes use of variously sized seine nets (width and depth) and electrofishing on each sampling event. Similar reaches at 4 sites will be fished a second time to evaluate and insure sample representation and to assess gear effectiveness. A replicate benthic macroinvertebrate sample will be collected at one site for each sampling event.

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Quality control of flow measurements will be achieved by second measurement at one site per sampling event and daily calibration of the meter according to manufacturer instructions.

Quality control of habitat assessment will be achieved through strict adherence to the “Habitat Assessment” SOP and deployment of trained investigators. Quality control for biological assessments will follow the suggestions in: Revision to Rapid Bioassessment Protocols For Use in Streams and Rivers: Periphyton, Benthic, Macroinvertebrates, and Fish, EPA 841-D-97-002. Field investigators are field audited once each year to insure compliance to the SOPs developed and maintained by the OCC.

Quality control of laboratory processing of fish collections will be achieved by the use of proper taxonomic techniques and regionally appropriate keys. Fish identified outside of their reported ranges will be forwarded to other taxonomists within the state for confirmation. In addition, at least two of the most species rich collections will be submitted to Brooks Tramell for Taxonomic review. Any identification discrepancies will be reported to the Quality Assurance Officer to determine the need for remediation.

Quality control of laboratory processing of benthic macroinvertebrates will be accomplished by the use of proper taxonomic techniques and regionally appropriate keys.

B6 INSTRUMENT/EQUIPMENT TESTING, INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE

OCC will maintain all field instruments. Maintenance of field instruments is generally not complex and primarily consists of battery and probe replacement, cleaning, replacement of buffers and other solutions, and proper storage. Maintenance typically follows OCC SOPs. If SOPs do not cover maintenance, the user’s manual is reference for further information.

Any equipment requiring maintenance beyond that listed above will be shipped to a certified repair agent. If an instrument fails to perform up to its specifications, it is returned to the factory for service. All field equipment can be replaced on short notice by back-up units. All backup units are tested each quarter regardless of meter use. The Quality Assurance Officer (Jean Lemmon) maintains meter performance records.

B7 INSTRUMENT CALIBRATION AND FREQUENCY

All meters will be inspected and tested before they are taken into the field to insure that they are in proper working condition. pH meters will be calibrated on each day of use and checked and recorded throughout each day’s sampling efforts. Conductivity meters are calibrated against known standard solutions of low, median, and high ranges once each quarter that they are in use. Dissolved oxygen (DO) meters will be calibrated before each use according to manufacturer’s instructions. DO meters will be tested quarterly against other DO meters in 100% saturation and low/no dissolved oxygen to insure accurate results. Winkler tests for dissolved oxygen are performed quarterly to insure accurate results. Flow meters are calibrated prior to each sampling

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event and again at each quarterly meter calibration day. Turbidity meters are calibrated with known standards quarterly. The turbidity meter is checked against known standards of low, medium, and high turbidity values before and throughout each day’s sampling efforts. Each meter’s calibration/quality check is recorded on a standardized “Sampling Episode Sheet” (in OCC SOPs). Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all project equipment are included in the OCC SOP document. Records for daily instrument calibration are maintained on the OCC database and hardcopies are filed in the OCC library.

B8 INSPECTION/ACCEPTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUPPLIES

All supplies will be inspected for completeness and integrity upon receipt. All reagents are checked for expiration dates and shelf life. Damaged, incomplete, and expired supplies will not be used and will be returned to the supplier. Supplies will be checked quarterly for expiration. If supplies are deemed expired, damaged, or contaminated, they will disposed of in a proper manner and replaced immediately.

B9 DATA ACQUISITION REQUIREMENTS

Data acquired for use in this project from outside sources will be reviewed for completeness, quality, and how it meets the data quality objectives. All data from outside sources will be cited appropriately. The primary outside data used for Rotating Basin is GIS data, obtained through the State of Oklahoma Office of Geographic Information, which is housed in the OCC. All GIS data is publicly available. GIS data is used to create maps showing potential monitoring sites, and these maps are used to obtain landowner permission to access property for monitoring. Field staff are able to verify GIS data using handheld GPS units when they visit monitoring sites. Any discrepancies are reported directly to the GIS staff at the OCC.

B10 DATA MANAGEMENT

Detailed instructions for recording field data are found in the OCC SOP document. Primary storage of data will be on the OCCWQ server. This database will be maintained and managed by the Records Management Specialist. A directory of these databases will be maintained for ease of retrieving data for specific projects.

The primary data storage files will be tape backed up weekly. Weekly backups will be limited to file updates. A complete system backup will be done each month. Monthly backup tapes will be stored off site at the OCC main office. Personal computers used for data manipulation and reporting will be backed up on a monthly basis or more frequently depending on the activity level of the user. Backups will be done prior to any repairs, moves, and/or procedures that may threaten data integrity.

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Personnel with access to primary data storage are limited to the Program Director, Assistant Director, Records Management Specialist, and personnel as designated by the Program Director and Assistant Program Director. Anti-virus software is installed on all OCC computers.

Access database software was selected upon consulting with several agencies including EPA Region 6. This commonly used database is reported to be compatible with the EPA STORET system. Data is easily exported from Access to spreadsheet programs such as Lotus, Quatro Pro, and Excel. Data manipulation statistics will generally be done on these types of spreadsheets or on statistics software such as WQ Stat and Minitab.

Because of rapidly evolving software, the most up-to-date and appropriate software will be selected when data collection is completed. The EPA Region 6 Surface Water Team will be consulted when selecting new software. The computer hardware required for data management for OCC Water Quality Division projects does not exceed commonly used IBM compatible personal computers.

All quality assured and appropriate data collected by the OCC will be entered into the EPA STORET system. Hard copies will be stored, upon project completion, in OCC files for a minimum of five years after project completion.

C ASSESSMENT/OVERSIGHT

C1 ASSESSMENTS AND RESPONSE ACTIONS

Table 9: Assessment and Response Actions ASSESSMENT RESPONSEField Systems Audit:Early in the sampling program and once each year, each field procedure will be compared with the written SOP for compliance. Field audits will be performed by the QA Officer and Director of Monitoring, Assessment, and Wetlands Programs and will include inspection of all equipment used and system performance.

Any inconsistency/deficiency affecting data quality between the SOP and the procedures observed will be reported to the Monitoring Director and appropriate field personnel. Response to any inconsistency or deficiency will be the responsibility of the Monitoring Director and QA Officer and may include additional training, purchase of additional equipment, changes in personnel, and revision of the SOP. Depending on the problem, additional assessments may be recommended. Records of all field audits are retained by the Quality Assurance Officer and Monitoring Director.

Data Management Review:Data management protocol requires frequent communication between data management and the QA Officer. The data management system will be reviewed, in detail, quarterly for backup status and data completeness.

Data management and resolution of data entry problems are the responsibility of the Records Management Specialist.

Data Reporting & Interpretation Review:

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Each report, prior to release, undergoes an internal review process of the technical writers, Project Officer, and Division Director.

The technical writing staff will resolve comments and difference of data interpretation.

C2 REPORTS TO MANAGEMENT

Annual QA reports will be included within the OCC semiannual reports sent to the EPA Region VI Project Officer through the Office of the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment. The annual QA reports will be submitted to the Environmental Project Coordinator by the QA Officer only if QA issues have arisen. The reports will include: status of the project, results of performance and system audits, results of data quality assessments, and significant quality assurance problems and solutions.

D DATA VALIDATION AND USABILITY

D1 DATA REVIEW, VALIDATION, AND VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Acceptance criteria for water quality data resulting from duplicate samples will follow Table 1020:I of Standard Methods (APHA, AWWA, WPCF 1992). All data for a specific parameter for a given set of samples will be considered suspect if duplicate analysis result in figures exceeding the criteria in Table 1020:I.

D2 VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION METHODS

Through the data management process as described in Section B10, data is reviewed several times. Data validation is an integral part of this process. The mechanism of this process is already described in Section B10. All data will routinely be reviewed for abnormalities, inconsistencies, or unusual results. If any of these occur, the data will be traced back to look for possible causes of the error. In the event that no error is found, the data will be assumed to be normal and appropriate for use in project reports and in decision-making. If an error is found and no resolution can be arrived at concerning its source or cause, the data will be discarded. Implementation of corrective action for any failure in the data validation procedure is the responsibility of the Quality Assurance Officer.

D3 RECONCILIATION WITH DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES

Measurement quality requirements will be calculated and compared with the DQOs to confirm that the correct type, quality, and quantity of data have been collected for this project. Any observed shortcomings and any necessary caveats regarding the study conclusions will be fully described in the final report.

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E BIBLIOGRAPHY

APHA, AWWA,WPCF. 1992. Standard Methods for Examination of Water andWaste Water 18th edition. American Public Health Association. Washington, DC.

Faulkner. 1994. Generic Quality Assurance Project Plan Guidance For Programs Using Community Level Biological Assessment In Streams And Rivers. OWOW QA-1. USEPA. Washington, D.C.

ODEQ (Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality). 2012. Continuing Planning Process. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

OWRB (Oklahoma Water Resource Board). 2013. Implementation of Oklahoma’s Water Quality Standards, Chapters 45 and 46, Subchapter 15: Use Support Assessment Protocols (USAP). Oklahoma Administrative Code 785:45 and 46-15. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

OCC (Oklahoma Conservation Commission), Water Quality Division. 2014. Standard Operating Procedures. Oklahoma Conservation Commission. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Plafkin, J.L., M.T. Barbour, K.D. Porter, S.K. Gross, and R.M. Hughes. 1989. Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for Use in Streams and Rivers: Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Fish. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Water. Washington, D.C. USEPA/444/4-89-001.

USEPA. 2006b. Method 1603: Escherichia coli (E. coli) in Water by Membrane Filtration Using Modified membrane-Thermotolerant Escherichia coli Agar (Modified mTEC). EPA-821-R-06-011. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Washington, DC.

USGAO. 2004. Watershed Management: Better Coordination of Data Collection Efforts Needed to Support Key Decisions. United States General Accounting Office, United States Congress. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. Washington, D.C. USGAO-04-382.

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Appendix I: Map of Oklahoma Planning Basins and RB 2.4 Monitoring Sites

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