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ARS Home » Plains Area » Temple, Texas » Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #295409
Title: Chapter 5: Quality assurance/quality control in stormwater sampling

Author
item MCCARTHY, DAVID - Monash University
item Harmel, Daren

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/2013
Publication Date: 2/15/2014
Citation: McCarthy, D., Harmel, R.D. 2014. Chapter 5: Quality assurance/quality control in stormwater sampling. In: Zhang, C., Mueller, J., Mortimer, M., editors. Quality Assurance & Quality Control of Environmental Field Sampling. London, UK: Future Science. p. 99-127.

Interpretive Summary: Sampling the quality of stormwater presents unique challenges because stormwater flow is relatively short-lived with drastic variability. Furthermore, storm events often occur with little advance warning, outside conventional work hours, and under adverse weather conditions. Therefore, most stormwater sampling projects utilize automated water quality samplers so that personnel are not forced to travel to multiple sites during events and manually collect samples under potentially hazardous conditions. This chapter discusses project objectives and resource considerations along with discharge measurement, sample collection (intake location, tubes/pumps, storm threshold, timing and frequency, discrete versus composite, preservation and storage), number of samples required, and the resulting uncertainty in reported water quality data. This will assist technical staff and project managers in designing, implementing, and operating successful stormwater sampling projects, while efficiently utilizing project resources and minimizing data uncertainty.

Technical Abstract: Sampling the quality of stormwater presents unique challenges because stormwater flow is relatively short-lived with drastic variability. Furthermore, storm events often occur with little advance warning, outside conventional work hours, and under adverse weather conditions. Therefore, most stormwater sampling projects utilize automated water quality samplers so that personnel are not forced to travel to multiple sites during events and manually collect samples under potentially hazardous conditions. This chapter discusses project objectives and resource considerations along with discharge measurement, sample collection (intake location, tubes/pumps, storm threshold, timing and frequency, discrete versus composite, preservation and storage), number of samples required, and the resulting uncertainty in reported constituent concentrations and loads. This will assist technical staff and project managers in designing, implementing, and operating successful stormwater sampling projects, while efficiently utilizing project resources and minimizing data uncertainty.