A5 PROBLEM DEFINITION/BACKGROUND

In 1991, the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Clean River Act (Senate Bill 818) in response to growing concerns that water resource issues were not being pursued in an integrated, systematic manner. The act requires that ongoing water quality assessments be conducted for each river basin in Texas, an approach that integrates water quality issues within the watershed. The CRP legislation mandates that “each river authority (or local governing entity) shall submit quality-assured data collected in the river basin to the commission.” “Quality-assured data” in the context of the legislation means “data that comply with commission rules for surface water quality monitoring programs, including rules governing the methods under which water samples are collected and analyzed and data from those samples are assessed and maintained.” This QAPP addresses the program developed between the SRA and the TCEQ to carry out the activities mandated by the legislation. The QAPP was developed and will be implemented in accordance with provisions of the Quality Management Plan for the Clean Rivers Program (most recent version).

The purpose of this QAPP is to clearly delineate SRA QA policy, management structure, and procedures which will be used to implement the QA requirements necessary to verify and validate the surface water quality data collected. The QAPP is reviewed by the TCEQ to help ensure that data generated for the purposes described above are scientifically valid and legally defensible. This process will ensure that data collected under this QAPP and submitted to the statewide database have been collected and managed in a way that guarantees its reliability and therefore can be used in water quality assessments and other programs deemed appropriate by the TCEQ. Project results will be used to support the achievement of Clean Rivers Program objectives as contained in the Clean Rivers Program Guidance and Reference Guide FY 2008 -2009.

The SRA Environmental Services Division (ESD) collects surface water quality data as part of its commitment to water quality protection in the Sabine Basin. This Water Quality Monitoring Program (WQMP) includes routine monitoring and analyses of physical, chemical, bacteriological, and biological parameters. SRA also conducts special investigations concerning pollution complaints.

Additional monitoring requirements have been brought about through the implementation of the TCRP. This additional systematic monitoring program complements the existing routine monitoring by providing information on the many subwatersheds not covered by the routine monitoring. The systematic monitoring utilizes biological screening studies in combination with routine physical and chemical parameters to provide data on the health of aquatic life and long-range water quality protection. The systematic monitoring also includes field investigations to provide data on subwatersheds, which have never been sampled.

The basin topography has been used to divide the Basin into 110 subwatersheds (24 of these are located in Louisiana), which are organized into 7 reaches. A ‘reach’ of the main-stem of the River roughly corresponds to the old segment system but the reaches are based on hydrography and similarity of land features. This system allows a manager to determine which areas have adequate water quality information and which areas do not. The subwatershed approach also incorporates risk factors such as municipal and industrial outfalls, solid waste sites, urban and rural land use, etc., into the decision making process.

Water quality data is analyzed using the data analysis program developed by SRA following guidance from the TCEQ. The Routine and Special Study Monitoring programs are reviewed each year to consider revisions in every aspect of the programs.

Monitoring plans were developed by the SRA and other monitoring partners in cooperation with TCEQ staff at the annual coordinated monitoring meetings. Sampling for 24-hour dissolved oxygen monitoring will be conducted on a site in the Tenaha arm of Toledo Bend Reservoir and on one site in the Caddo Creek arm of Lake Tawakoni.

Additional sampling will be conducted under this QAPP by City of Longview personnel to provide data from sites not covered by the SRA sampling program.

A6 PROJECT/TASK DESCRIPTION

SRA will conduct monitoring at routine monitoring sites to adequately characterize water quality trends and monitor progress in protecting or restoring water in the Sabine Basin. All monitoring plans are coordinated with the TCEQ regional offices to avoid duplication of effort. The routine monitoring sites include 44 sampling sites that are monitored monthly for routine physical and chemical parameters. Selected sites are also monitored annually for metals in water. Additional sites may be monitored for 24-hour dissolved oxygen parameters to determine aquatic life use support. Details of the monitoring schedule, parameters, and sampling locations are included in Appendix B.

Routine monitoring will be conducted by the City of Longview at two sampling sites on Lake Cherokee.

See Appendix A for the project-related work plan tasks and schedule of deliverables for a description of work defined in this QAPP.

See Appendix B for sampling design and monitoring pertaining to this QAPP.

Amendments to the QAPP

Revisions to the QAPP may be necessary to address incorrectly documented information or to reflect changes in project organization, tasks, schedules, objectives, and methods. Requests for amendments will be directed from the SRA Project Manager to the CRP Project Manager electronically. Amendments are effective immediately upon approval by the SRA Project Manager, the SRA QAO, the CRP Project Manager, the CRP Lead QA Specialist, and the CRP Project QA Specialist. They will be incorporated into the QAPP by way of attachment and distributed to personnel on the distribution list by the SRA Project Manager.

Special Project Appendices

Projects requiring QAPP appendices will be planned in consultation with the SRA and the TCEQ Project Manager and TCEQ technical staff. Appendices will be written in an abbreviated format and will reference the Basin QAPP where appropriate. Appendices will be approved by the SRA Project Manager, the SRA QAO, and the CRP Project Manager, the CRP Project QA Specialist, the CRP Lead QA Specialist and other TCEQ personnel as appropriate. Copies of approved QAPPs appendices will be distributed by the SRA to project participants before data collection activities commence.

A7 QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND CRITERIA

The purpose of routine water quality monitoring is to collect surface water quality data needed for conducting water quality assessments in accordance with TCEQ’s Guidance for Assessing Texas Surface and Finished Drinking Water Quality Data. These water quality data, and data collected by other organizations (e.g., USGS, TCEQ, etc.), will be subsequently reconciled for use and assessed by the TCEQ.

Systematic watershed monitoring is defined by sampling that is planned for a short duration (1 to 2 years) and is designed to: screen waters that would not normally be included in the routine monitoring program, monitor at sites to check the water quality situation, and investigate areas of potential concern. Due to the limitations regarding these data (e.g., not temporally representative, limited number of samples, biological sampling does not meet the specimen vouchering requirements), the data will be used to determine whether any locations have values exceeding the TCEQ’s water quality criteria and/or screening levels (or in some cases values elevated above normal). The SRA will use this information to determine future monitoring priorities. These water quality data, and data collected by other organizations (e.g., USGS, TCEQ, etc.), will be subsequently reconciled for use and assessed by the TCEQ.

The measurement performance specifications to support the project purpose for a minimum data set are specified in Table A7.1 and in the text following. The SRA laboratory will perform all of the analyses listed in Table A7.1.

Table A7.1 - Measurement Performance Specifications

PARAMETER	UNITS	MATRIX	METHOD	PARAMETER CODE	AWRL	Limit of Quantitation (LOQ)	PRECISION (RPD of LCS/LCSD)	BIAS %Rec. of LCS	LOQ CHECK STANDARD %Rec	LAB
Field Parameters
pH	pH/ units	water	EPA 150.1 and TCEQ SOP, V1	00400	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
DO	mg/L	water	SM 4500-O G and TCEQ SOP, V1	00300	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Conductivity	uS/cm	water	EPA 120.1 and TCEQ SOP, V1	00094	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Chlorine residual**	mg/L	water	SM 4500-Cl G and TCEQ SOP, V1	50060	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Present Weather	1-clear 2-partly cloudy 3-cloudy 4-rain 5-other	NA	NA	89966	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Salinity	ppt, marine only	water	SM 2520 and TCEQ SOP, V1	00480	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Temperature	°C	water	SM 2550 B and TCEQ SOP V1	00010	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
TDS,calculated	mg/L	water	calculation	70294	NA		NA	NA	NA	Field
Secchi Depth	meters	water	TCEQ SOP V1	00078	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Days since last significant rainfall	days	NA	TCEQ SOP V1	72053	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Maximum pool width***	meters	water	TCEQ SOP V2	89864	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Maximum pool depth***	meters	water	TCEQ SOP V2	89865	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Pool length***	meters	water	TCEQ SOP, V2	89869	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
% pool coverage***	%	water	TCEQ SOP V2	89870	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Total water depth	meters	water	TCEQ SOP V2	82903	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Flow	cfs	water	TCEQ SOP V1	00061	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Flow measurement method	1-gage 2-electric 3-mechanical 4-weir/flume 5-doppler	water	TCEQ SOP V1	89835	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Flow severity	1-no flow, 2-low, 3-normal, 4-flood, 5-high, 6-dry	water	TCEQ SOP V1	01351	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Wind Intensity	1-calm 2-slight 3-moderate 4-strong	water	NA	89965	NA*	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Water Surface	1-calm 2-ripples 3-waves	NA	NA	89968	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Tidal Stage	1-low 2-falling 3-slack 4-rising 6-high	NA	NA	89972	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	Field
Turbidity	NTU	water	SM 2130B-01	82079	.5	0.5	20	80-120	70-130	Field

PARAMETER

UNITS

MATRIX

METHOD

PARAMETER CODE

AWRL

Limit of Quantitation (LOQ)

PRECISION

(RPD of LCS/LCSD)

BIAS

%Rec. of LCS

LOQ

CHECK STANDARD

%Rec

LAB

Field Parameters

pH/ units

water

EPA 150.1 and TCEQ SOP, V1

00400

NA*

Field

mg/L

water

SM 4500-O G and

TCEQ SOP, V1

00300

NA*

Field

Conductivity

uS/cm

water

EPA 120.1 and

TCEQ SOP, V1

00094

NA*

Field

Chlorine residual**

mg/L

water

SM 4500-Cl G and TCEQ SOP, V1

50060

Field

Present Weather

1-clear

2-partly cloudy

3-cloudy

4-rain

5-other

89966

Field

Salinity

ppt, marine only

water

SM 2520 and TCEQ SOP, V1

00480

NA*

Field

Temperature

°C

water

SM 2550 B and

TCEQ SOP V1

00010

NA*

Field

TDS,calculated

mg/L

water

calculation

70294

Field

Secchi Depth

meters

water

TCEQ SOP V1

00078

NA*

Field

Days since last

significant rainfall

days

TCEQ SOP V1

72053

NA*

Field

Maximum pool width***

meters

water

TCEQ SOP V2

89864

NA*

Field

Maximum pool depth***

meters

water

TCEQ SOP V2

89865

NA*

Field

Pool length***

meters

water

TCEQ SOP, V2

89869

NA*

Field

% pool coverage***

water

TCEQ SOP V2

89870

NA*

Field

Total water depth

meters

water

TCEQ SOP V2

82903

NA*

Field

Flow

cfs

water

TCEQ SOP V1

00061

NA*

Field

Flow measurement method

1-gage

2-electric

3-mechanical

4-weir/flume

5-doppler

water

TCEQ SOP V1

89835

NA*

Field

Flow severity

1-no flow,

2-low,

3-normal,

4-flood,

5-high,

6-dry

water

TCEQ SOP V1

01351

NA*

Field

Wind Intensity

1-calm

2-slight

3-moderate

4-strong

water

89965

NA*

Field

Water Surface

1-calm

2-ripples

3-waves

89968

Field

Tidal Stage

1-low

2-falling

3-slack

4-rising

6-high

89972

Field

Turbidity

NTU

water

SM 2130B-01

82079

0.5

80-120

70-130

Field

24-hour Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring Parameters

Parameter

Units

Method

Parameter

Code

AWRL

Limit of Quantitation (LOQ)

PRECISION

(RPD of LCS/LCSD)

Bias

% Rec

LCS

LOQ

Check

Standard

%Rec

Lab***

24-Hr D.O. Avg.

mg/l

TCEQ SOP, V1

89857

field

Max Daily DO

mg/l

TCEQ SOP, V1

89856

field

Min Daily DO

mg/l

TCEQ SOP, V1

89855

field

# DO measurements during 24-Hrs

# meas.

TCEQ SOP, V1

89858

field

24-Hr Avg. water Temperature

B Celsius

TCEQ SOP, V1

00209

field

Max Daily water Temperature

B Celsius

TCEQ SOP, V1

00210

field

Min Daily water Temperature

B Celsius

TCEQ SOP, V1

00211

field

# water temp measurements during 24-Hrs.

# meas.

TCEQ SOP, V1

00221

field

24-Hr Avg. Spec Conductance

uS/cm

TCEQ SOP, V1

00212

field

Max Spec Conductance

uS/cm

TCEQ SOP, V1

00213

field

Min Spec Conductance

uS/cm

TCEQ SOP, V1

00214

field

# Spec Conductance measurements during 24-Hrs.

# meas.

TCEQ SOP, V1

00222

field

Max Daily pH

Standard units

TCEQ SOP, V1

00215

field

Min Daily pH

Standard units

TCEQ SOP, V1

00216

field

# pH measurements during 24-Hrs.

# meas.

TCEQ SOP, V1

00223

field

24-Hr Salinity Avg

ppt

TCEQ SOP, V1

00218

field

Max Daily Salinity

ppt

TCEQ SOP, V1

00217

field

Min Daily Salinity

ppt

TCEQ SOP, V1

00219

field

# salinity measurement during 24-Hrs

# meas.

TCEQ SOP, V1

00220

field

PARAMETER		UNITS		MATRIX		METHOD		PARAMETER CODE		AWRL		Limit of Quantitation (LOQ)	PRECISION (RPD of LCS/LCSD)	BIAS %Rec. of LCS	LOQ CHECK STANDARD %Rec	LAB
Conventional and Bacteriological Parameters
TSS		mg/L		water		SM 2540 D-97		00530		4		3	20	80-120	NA	SRA
Sulfate		mg/L		water		EPA 300.0, Rev. 2.1 (1993)		00945		5		5	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Chloride		mg/L		water		EPA 300.0 Rev. 2.1 (1993)		00940		5		5	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Chlorophyll-a, spectrophotometric method		ug/L		water		EPA 446.0 Rev. 1.2		32211		3		3	20	80-120	NA	SRA
E. coli, IDEXX Colilert		MPN/100 mL		water		SM 9223-B		31699		1		1	.5****	NA	NA	SRA
Enterococcus, IDEXX Enterolert		MPN/100 mL		water		ASTM D-6503		31701		1		1	0.5****	NA	NA	SRA
Ammonia-N, total		mg/L		water		EPA 350.1 Rev. 2.0 (1993)		00610		0.1		0.1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Nitrite-N		mg/L		water		EPA 300.0 Rev. 2.1 (1993)		00615		0.05		0.05	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Hardness, total (as CaC03)		mg/L		water		SM 2340 C		00900		5		5	20	80-120	NA	SRA
Total Kjeldahl N		mg/L		water		EPA 351.2		00625		0.2		0.2	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Nitrate-N, total		mg/L		water		EPA 300.0 Rev. 2.1 (1993)		00620		.05		0.05	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
O-phosphate-P filter >15 min.		mg/L		water		EPA 300.0 Rev. 2.1		70507		.04		0.04	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Total phosphorus-P		mg/L		water		EPA 365.4		00665		.06		0.06	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Alkalinity, total		mg/L		water		SM 2320B		00410		20		20	20	NA	NA	SRA
TOC		mg/L		water		SM 5310 C		00680		2.0		1.0	NA	NA	NA	SRA
	Metals
Aluminum, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01106		200	25	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Arsenic, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01000		5	1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Barium, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01005		1000	1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Cadmium, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01025		.1 for waters <50 mg/L hardness ________ .3 for waters $50 mg/L hardness	0.1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Chromium, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01030		10	0.1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Copper, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01040		1 for waters <50 mg/L hardness ________ 3 for waters $50 mg/L hardness	0.5	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Lead, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01049		.1 for waters <85 mg/L hardness ________ 1 for waters $85 mg/L hardness	0.1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Nickel, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01065		10	0.1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Selenium, total			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01147		2	1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Silver, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01075		.5	0.1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA
Zinc, dis.			ug/L		water		EPA 200.8 Rev 5.4 (1998)		01090		5	1	20	80-120	70-130	SRA

PARAMETER	UNITS	MATRIX	METHOD	PARAMETER CODE	LAB***
Benthics - Freshwater - Quantitative
Biological Data Reporting Units	1= number of individuals from subsample; 2 = number of individuals/ft²; 3 = number of individuals/m²; 4 = total number in kicknet	Water	TCEQ SOP, V2	89899	NA
Surber Sampler Effort, area sampled	m

Benthics - Freshwater - Quantitative

PARAMETER

UNITS

MATRIX

METHOD

PARAMETER CODE

LAB***

Biological Data Reporting Units

1= number of individuals from subsample;

2 = number of individuals/ft²;

3 = number of individuals/m²;

4 = total number in kicknet

Water

TCEQ SOP, V2

89899

Surber Sampler Effort, area sampled