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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Southeast Watershed Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #415480
Research Project: Shifting the Balance of Water Resources and Interacting Agroecosystem Services Toward Sustainable Outcomes in Watersheds of the Southern Coastal Plain

Location: Southeast Watershed Research

Title: USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Best practices for collection, handling, and analyses of water quality measurements

Author
item Pisani, Oliva
item Lizotte, Richard
item Veum, Kristen
item Kovar, John
item HAMILTON, STEPHEN - Michigan State University
item Malone, Robert - Rob

Submitted to: Protocols.io
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/24/2024
Publication Date: 9/24/2024
Citation: Pisani, O., Lizotte Jr, R.E., Veum, K.S., Kovar, J.L., Hamilton, S.K., Malone, R.W. 2024. USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Best practices for collection, handling, and analyses of water quality measurements. Protocols.io. https://doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.q26g71z68gwz/v1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.q26g71z68gwz/v1

Interpretive Summary: This protocol is part of a set of protocols for the LTAR Cropland Common Experiment. A detailed method of best practices for collecting and handling water samples is critically important to ensure high quality analysis of water quality. High quality analysis includes measurement of nutrients such as nitrate, ammonium, total nitrogen, total dissolved nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total dissolved phosphorus. High quality analysis also includes the physical water quality measurement of total suspended solids. The goal of this protocol is to provide repeatable guidelines to achieve consistent data collection, instrument maintenance, data processing, and quality control for high quality analysis at established or new sites.

Technical Abstract: This protocol details the best practices when carrying out these water quality protocols: USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Dissolved nitrate (NO3-) concentration USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Dissolved ammonia (NH3) concentration USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Total nitrogen (TN) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) concentration USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Total phosphorus (TP) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) concentration USDA LTAR Common Experiment measurement: Total suspended solids (TSS)