Odors
Volunteer monitors do not assess sediment odors; but occasionally it is good practice to compare sediment
odors to odors in the water column. Stirring the bottom sediments and collecting a sample of water and
sediment near the area that was disturbed assess sediment odors. The odors in the sediments are similar to
those described for water.
Streambed composition is either estimated or measured using a pebble count procedure. The major size
categories are silt/clay (mud), sand, fine gravel, coarse gravel, cobble, boulder, bedrock and woody
debris. Read the pebble count section for more information.