Workshop Study Resources

The resources below will prepare you for a Save Our Streams (SOS) workshop. Begin your study by reviewing the U.S. EPA Volunteer Manual. Although dated, the manual provides good background information and basic concepts. Once familiar with the basics, continue by reviewing the advanced resources. Thank you for participating in an SOS workshop!

U.S. EPA Volunteer Manual
Written for volunteer monitors to provide a better understanding of the concepts and procedures needed to evaluate the conditions of streams and rivers. Although dated, it is still a good resource for basic concepts and more.

Basic

Stream Study

Basic Concepts
Basic concepts concerning watersheds, the water cycle, stream habitat, and water quality.

Visual Assessment
To conduct the visual stream assessment portion of the watershed survey, volunteers regularly walk, drive, and/or canoe along a defined stretch of stream observing water and land conditions, land and water uses, and changes over time.

Safety Considerations
During an independent survey, the safety at the site is the responsibility of the volunteer monitoring group.

What is a Watershed?
Water is the universal solvent, affected by all that it comes in contact with: the land it traverses, and the soils through which it travels. The important thing about watersheds is that what we do on the land affects water quality for all communities living downstream.

What is a Stream Reach?
The typical stream reach has riffles, pools and runs and should be perennial.

Properties of Water
Water is a polar inorganic compound that is at room temperature a tasteless and odorless liquid, which is nearly colorless apart from an inherent hint of blue.
Latitude and Longitude
The most accurate way to identify a sampling location is by determining its latitude and longitude. Latitude and longitude are defined in degrees, minutes, and seconds.
Introduction to Water Quality
Water samples should be collected from the most represented portion of a stream, which is usually the run (a fast moving area without surface breaks) and as close to the downstream end of the reach as possible.

Why Are Riparian Buffers Important?
The riparian area is the land land located immediately adjacent to streams, lakes, or other surface waters.
Volunteer Assessment Database (VAD)
The VAD is WV Save Our Streams database that provides tools to enter and access volunteer survey information.
WV Save Our Streams Overview
West Virginia Save Our Streams is a monitoring program designed to teach citizen scientists the techniques to help them monitor and assess their neighborhood wadeable streams and rivers.

Advanced

Stream Study

Study Design
Provided here is information to help you organize your monitoring plan, or study design. Before deciding to begin it is important that you are able to write your study design.

Physio-Chemical Conditions

Stream Discharge
The size of a waterway and its flow rate affect its water quality. For example, discharges container contaminants will have less effect on large swiftly flowing rivers than on small slow streams.
Dissolved Oxygen
The stream system both produces and consumes oxygen. It gains oxygen from the atmosphere and from plants as a result of photosynthesis.
Turbidity
Turbidity is a measure of water clarity - how much the material suspended in water decreases the passage of light through the water.
Alkalinity
Alkalinity is a measure of the capacity of water to neutralize acids.

pH
pH is a term used to indicate the alkalinity or acidity of a substance as ranked on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0. Acidity increases as the pH gets lower.
Temperature
The rates of biological and chemical process depend on temperature. Aquatic organisms from microbes to fish are dependent on certain temperature ranges for their optimal health.
Conductivity
Conductivity is a measure of the ability of water to pass an electrical current. Conductivity in water is affected by the presence of inorganic dissolved solids.
Habitat Evaluation
The habitat evaluation process involves rating many different habitat conditions as optimal, suboptimal, marginal or poor based upon criteria included on the survey data sheets.

Specific Procedures and Important Concepts

SOS Level-1 SOPs
Described here are the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for completing a level-one biosurvey. These SOPs are designed and intended for the assessment of wadeable streams; they consist of three basic elements: (1) water quality analysis; (2) physical and habitat evaluations mostly by observations using conditions described on the survey data sheet; and (3) the collection and assessment of the benthic community.
Using a Kick-Net to Collect BMIs
Many professional and volunteer monitoring programs throughout the United States use a rectangular style kick-net. The reasons are simple; it is easy to use and versatile.

Pebble Count Procedures
The composition of the streambed and banks is an important facet of stream character, influencing channel form and hydraulics, erosion rates, sediment supply, and other parameters. You can document chnages in sediment profiles by collecting representative samples of the bed materials using a procedure called a pebble count.
Velocity Head Rod
A low-cost tool that is an excellent surragote for measuring stream flow. The equipment needed can be purchased from a local hardware store or created with simple DIY methods.
SOS Stream Survey Data Sheets
Volunteer monitors have a choice of the survey data sheets based upon their level of experience and the thoroughness of the information they wish to collect.

Stream Survey Calculations
It is very important to correctly assess the data that you collect in order to interpret the results. To be consistent you must maintain a certain level of precision and accuracy in the field and use standard methods when performing all protocols. This will result in comparable data and enable you to monitor trends over time.

More About Habitat Evaluations
A healthy stream is a busy place. Wildlife find shelter and food near and in its waters.

Benthic Macroinvertebrates (BMIs)

Level-1 BMI ID Guide
The program's basic visual aid to help with the identification of BMIs in the field.

Practice Your BMI ID Skills
Activity to practice and help in identifying benthic macroinvertebrates.

Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates
This resource is designed to provide a better understanding of the wide vareity of aquatic invertebrates found in our rivers, streams and wetlands. In addition to images, general information is included about the distinguishing features that aid in identification.

Guide to Aquatic Invertebrates of the Upper Midwest
This resource is designed to provide a better understanding of the wide vareity of aquatic invertebrates found in our rivers, streams and wetlands. In addition to images, general information is included about the distinguishing features that aid in identification.