Explanation of NAWQA Biological Surface-Water Sampling Schedules

Aquatic ecology water-quality constituents sampled during the ALMN Project

Abbreviations and Codes:

cfs - cubic feet per second
us/cm - microsemens per centimeter
deg. C - degree Celsius
mmHG - millimeters mercury
mg/l - milligrams per liter
g - grams
ug/l - micrograms per liter
ug/g - micrograms per gram
ug/kg - micrograms per kilogram
pct (%) - percent
mm - millimeters
mrl - method reporting levels
ng/g - nanograms per liter
(2701) - schedule code (for the UGSG National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL))
(00925) - parameter (Watstore) code (unique to each constituent)

Ecological assessment

Macroinvertebrates (benthic invertebrates)
Fish
Algae
Aquatic and riparian habitat
(For additional details, contact ALMN NAWQA Biology staff.)

(Schedule 2501) Chlorinated, hydrophobic pesticides, Bed Sediment

CONSTITUENT (mrl,  reporting unit)
(49276) 2,2',3,4,4',5,6,6'-Octachlorobiphenyl (surrogate) (0.100, pct)
(49277) 3,5-Dichlorobiphenyl (surrogate) (0.100,  pct)
(49319) Aldrin (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49322) Chloroneb (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49324) Dacthal (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49331) Dieldrin (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49335) Endrin (2.000,  ug/kg)
(49341) Heptachlor (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49342) Heptachlor epoxide (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49343) Hexachlorobenzene (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49344) Isodrin (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49345) Lindane (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49348) Mirex (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49318) Oxychlordane (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49460) Pentachloroanisole (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49459) Polychlorinated biphenyls (50.000,  ug/kg)
(49351) Toxaphene (200.000,  ug/kg)
(49332) alpha-Endosulfan (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49338) alpha-HCH (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49275) alpha-HCH-d6 (surrogate) (0.1,  pct)
(49339) beta-HCH (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49320) cis-Chlordane (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49316) cis-Nonachlor (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49349) cis-Permethrin (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49325) o,p'-DDD (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49327) o,p'-DDE (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49329) o,p'-DDT (2.000,  ug/kg)
(49347) o,p'-Methoxychlor (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49326) p,p'-DDD (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49328) p,p'-DDE (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49330) p,p'-DDT (2.000,  ug/kg)
(49346) p,p'-Methoxychlor (5.000,  ug/kg)
(99853) sample weight, schedule 2501 (0.1,  g)
(49321) trans-Chlordane (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49317) trans-Nonachlor (1.000,  ug/kg)
(49350) trans-Permethrin (5.000,  ug/kg)

(Schedule 2502) Semivolatile Organic Compounds, Bed Sediment (SVOC's)

CONSTITUENT (mrl, reporting units)
(49438) 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene (50, ug/kg)
(49439) 1,2-Dichlorobenzene (50, ug/kg)
(49403) 1,2-Dimethylnaphthalene (50, ug/kg)
(49441) 1,3-Dichlorobenzene (50, ug/kg)
(49442) 1,4-Dichlorobenzene (50, ug/kg)
(49404) 1,6-Dimethylnaphthalene (50, ug/kg)
(49398) 1-Methyl-9H-fluorene (50, ug/kg)
(49410) 1-Methylphenanthrene (50, ug/kg)
(49388) 1-Methylpyrene (50, ug/kg)
(49391) 2,2'-Biquinoline (50, ug/kg)
(49414) 2,3,5,6-Tetramethylpheno (l50, ug/kg)
(49405) 2,3,6-Trimethylnaphthalene (50, ug/kg)
(49415) 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (n/a, ug/kg)
(49416) 2,4,6-Trimethylphenol (n/a, ug/kg)
(49417) 2,4-Dichlorophenol (n/a, ug/kg)
(49418) 2,4-Dinitrophenol (n/a, ug/kg)
(49395) 2,4-Dinitrotoluene (50, ug/kg)
(49406) 2,6-Dimethylnaphthalene (50, ug/kg)
(49396) 2,6-Dinitrotoluene (50, ug/kg)
(49407) 2-Chloronaphthalene (50, ug/kg)
(49467) 2-Chlorophenol (50, ug/kg)
(49948) 2-Ethylnaphthalene (50, ug/kg)
(49279) 2-Fluorobiphenyl (surrogate) (0.1, pct)
(49435) 2-Methylanthracene (50, ug/kg)
(49420) 2-Nitrophenol (n/a, ug/kg)
(49421) 3,5-Dimethylpheno (l50, ug/kg)
(49419) 4,6-Dinitro-2-methylphenol (n/a, ug/kg)
(49454) 4-Bromophenylphenylether (50, ug/kg)
(49422) 4-Chloro-3-methylphenol (50, ug/kg)
(49455) 4-Chlorophenyl phenyl ether (50, ug/kg)
(49423) 4-Nitrophenol (n/a, ug/kg)
(49411) 4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene (50, ug/kg)
(49429) Acenaphthene (50, ug/kg)
(49428) Acenaphthylene (50, ug/kg)
(49430) Acridine (50, ug/kg)
(49434) Anthracene (50, ug/kg)
(49437) Anthraquinone (50, ug/kg)
(49443) Azobenzene (50, ug/kg)
(49436) Benz[a]anthracene (50, ug/kg)
(49389) Benzo[a]pyrene (50, ug/kg)
(49458) Benzo[b]fluoranthene (50, ug/kg)
(49468) Benzo[c]cinnoline (50, ug/kg)
(49408) Benzo[ghi]perylene (50, ug/kg)
(49397) Benzo[k]fluoranthene (50, ug/kg)
(49426) Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (50, ug/kg)
(49427) Butylbenzyl phthalate (50, ug/kg)
(49424) C8-Alkylphenol (50, ug/kg)
(49449) Carbazole (50, ug/kg)
(49450) Chrysene (50, ug/kg)
(49381) Di-n-butyl phthalate (50, ug/kg)
(49382) Di-n-octyl phthalate (50, ug/kg)
(49461) Dibenz[a,h]anthracene (50, ug/kg)
(49452) Dibenzothiophene (50, ug/kg)
(49383) Dimethyl phthalate (50, ug/kg)
(49466) Fluoranthene (50, ug/kg)
(49399) Fluorene (50, ug/kg)
(49343) Hexachlorobenzene (50, ug/kg)
(49448) Hexachlorobutadiene (n/a, ug/kg)
(49489) Hexachlorocyclopentadiene (n/a, ug/kg)
(49453) Hexachloroethane (n/a, ug/kg)
(49390) Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (50, ug/kg)
(49400) Isophorone (50, ug/kg)
(49394) Isoquinoline (50, ug/kg)
(49431) N-Nitrosodi-n-propylamine (50, ug/kg)
(49433) N-Nitrosodiphenylamine (50, ug/kg)
(49402) Naphthalene (50, ug/kg)
(49444) Nitrobenzene (50, ug/kg)
(49280) Nitrobenzene-d5 (surrogate) (0.1, pct)
(49460) Pentachloroanisole (50, ug/kg)
(49446) Pentachloronitrobenzene (50, ug/kg)
(49425) Pentachlorophenol (n/a, ug/kg)
(49409) Phenanthrene (50, ug/kg)
(49393) Phenanthridine (50, ug/kg)
(49413) Phenol (50, ug/kg)
(49387) Pyrene (50, ug/kg)
(49392) Quinoline (50, ug/kg)
(49278) Terphenyl-d14 (surrogate) (0.1, pct)
(49401) bis(2-Chloroethoxy)methane (50, ug/kg)
(49456) bis(2-Chloroethyl)ether (50, ug/kg)
(49457) bis(2-Chloroisopropyl) ether (n/a, ug/kg)
(49451) p-Cresol (50, ug/kg)
(99854) sample weight, schedule 2502 (0.1, g)

(Schedule 2503) Carbon - Total, Inorganic, Organic, Bed Sediment

CONSTITUENT (mrl, reporting units)
(49272) Total carbon (0.100,  g/kg)
(49270) Inorganic carbon (0.2,  g/kg)
(49271) Organic carbon (0.2,  g/kg)

(Schedule 2100, including Schedule 2101) Organics, Fish Tissue

CONSTITUENT (mrl, reporting units)
2,4,6-Trichlorobiphenyl (surrogate) (0.1, pct)
(49264) 3,5-Dichlorobiphenyl (surrogate) (0.1, pct)
(49353) Aldrin (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49378) Dacthal (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49371) Dieldrin (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49370) Endrin (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49369) Heptachlor 5.000 ug/kg
(49368) Heptachlor epoxide (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49367) Hexachlorobenzene (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49363) Lindane (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49289) Lipids (0.500,  pct)
(49360) Mirex (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49357) Oxychlordane (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49356) Pentachloroanisole (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49354) Polychlorinated biphenyls (50.000,  ug/kg)
(49355) Toxaphene (200.000,  ug/k)g
(49366) alpha-HCH (5.000,  ug/kg)
(4926)1 alpha-HCH-d6 (surrogate) (0.1, pct)
(49365) beta-HCH (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49380) cis-Chlordane (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49359) cis-Nonachlor (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49364) delta-HCH (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49374) o,p'-DDD (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49373) o,p'-DDE (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49377) o,p'-DDT (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49362) o,p'-Methoxychlor (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49375) p,p'-DDD (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49372) p,p'-DDE (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49376) p,p'-DDT (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49361) p,p'-Methoxychlor (5.000,  ug/kg)
(99852) sample weight, schedule 2101 (0.1,  g)
(49379) trans-Chlordane (5.000,  ug/kg)
(49358) trans-Nonachlor (5.000,  ug/kg)

(Schedule 2200) Trace Metals, Fish Livers

CONSTITUENT (mrl, reporting units)
(49273) Water, present, biota, tissue n/a pct
(49258) mercury (n/a,  ug/g)
(49465) vanadium (0.100,  ug/g)
(49257) uranium (0.100,  ug/g)
(49255) silver (0.100,  ug/g)
(49254) selenium (0.100,  ug/g)
(49253) nickel (0.100,  ug/g)
(49252) molybdenum (0.100,  ug/g)
(49251) lead (0.100,  ug/g)
(49250) cobalt (0.100,  ug/g)
(49249) cadmium (0.100,  ug/g)
(49248) beryllium (0.100,  ug/g)
(49247) arsenic (0.100,  ug/g)
(49246) antimony (0.100,  ug/g)
(49245) zinc (0.500,  ug/g)
(49244) strontium (0.100,  ug/g)
(49243) manganese (0.100,  ug/g)
(49242) iron (1.000,  ug/g)
(49241) copper (0.500,  ug/g)
(49240) chromium (0.500,  ug/g)
(49239) boron (0.200,  ug/g)
(49238) barium (0.100,  ug/g)
(49237) aluminum (1.000,  ug/g)

(Schedule 2400) Trace elements, Bed Sediment

CONSTITUENT (mrl, reporting units)
(34860) gallium (4.000,  ug/g)
(34970) sulfur (0.050,  pct)
(34855) europium (2.000,  ug/g)
(34910) mercury (0.020,  ug/g)
(34850) copper (1.000,  ug/g)
(34840) cobalt (1.000,  ug/g)
(34845) chromium (1.000,  ug/g)
(34835) cerium (4.000,  ug/g)
(34816) bismuth (10.000,  ug/g)
(34810) beryllium (1.000,  ug/g)
(34805) barium (1.000,  ug/g)
(34870) gold (8.000,  ug/g)
(49274) titanium (0.005,  pct)
(34935) phosphorus (0.005,  pct)
(34960) sodium (0.005,  pct)
(34900) magnesium (0.005,  pct)
(34940) potassium (0.050,  pct)
(34880) iron (0.005,  pct)
(34830) calcium (0.005,  pct)
(34790) aluminum (0.005,  pct)
(49266) Organic carbon (0.010,  pct)
(49269) Inorganic carbon (0.010,  pct)
(49267) Total carbon (0.010,  pct)
(34980) thorium (1.000,  ug/g)
(35000) uranium (0.050,  ug/g)
(34950) selenium (0.100,  ug/g)
(34795) antimony (0.100,  ug/g)
(34800) arsenic (0.100,  ug/g)
(34825) cadmium (0.100,  ug/g)
(34955) silver (0.100,  ug/g)
(35020) zinc (4.000,  ug/g)
(35015) ytterbium (1.000,  ug/g)
(35010) yttrium (2.000,  ug/g)
(35005) vanadium (2.000,  ug/g)
(34975) tantalum (40.000,  ug/g)
(34965) strontium (2.000,  ug/g)
(34985) tin (5.000,  ug/g)
(34945) scandium (2.000,  ug/g)
(34890) lead (4.000,  ug/g)
(34925) nickel (2.000,  ug/g)
(34920) neodymium (4.000,  ug/g)
(34930) niobium (4.000,  ug/g)
(34915) molybdenum (2.000,  ug/g)
(34905) manganese (4.000,  ug/g)
(34895) lithium (2.000,  ug/g)
(34885) lanthanum (2.000,  ug/g)
(34875) holmium (4.000,  ug/g)

(No Schedule Number) Embeddedness Survey

(Measured by rating the percentage of surface area of the larger-sized particles (by visual estimation) covered by fine sediment.)
5 - Less than 5 percent of surface area of gravel, cobble, and boulder particles covered by fine sediment.

4 - Five to 25 percent of surface area of gravel, cobble, and boulder particles covered by fine sediment.

3 - Twenty-six to 50 percent of surface area of gravel, cobble, and boulder particles covered by fine sediment.

2 - Fifty-one to 75 percent of surface area of gravel, cobble, and boulder particles covered by fine sediment.

1 - Over 75 percent of surface area of gravel, cobble, and boulder particles covered by fine sediment.

0 - No gravel, cobble, or boulder particles present.

Note:  The attribute of embeddedness refers to the degree that the larger substrate particles (boulder, cobble, or gravel) are surrounded or covered by fine sediments (sand, or finer). The percentage of embeddedness can be related to biotic productivity.

(No Schedule No.) Mercury compounds, Bed sediment

CONSTITUENT (reporting units)
(N/A) Methylmercury MeHg (ng/g)
(N/A) Total mercury Hg_T (ng/g)

(No Schedule No.) Mercury compounds, Fish tissue

CONSTITUENT (reporting units)
(N/A) Methylmercury MeHg (ng/g)
(N/A) Total mercury Hg_T (ng/g)

Note:  The Mercury Synoptic was conducted as part of a National Pilot Study of Mercury Contamination of Aquatic Ecosystems along Multiple Gradients (Krabbenhoft and others, 1999). Some methodologies are not part of the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) standards, and thus schedule numbers and parameter codes are not available for all constituents. The constituents without NWQL codes are identified with an (N/A).

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