1-NationalParkService.doc

A Protocol for Monitoring Estuarine Nutrient Enrichment in Coastal Parks of the National Park Service Northeast Region Blaine S. Kopp and Hilary A. Neckles USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center 196 Whitten Road Augusta, ME 04330 207-622-8201 bkopp@ hilary_neckles@ April 23, 2007 Submitted To: National Park Service Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 PROTOCOL NARRATIVE 1 1.1 Background and Objectives 1 1.1.1 Introduction 1 1.1.2 Monitoring Objectives 3 1.1.3 Development of the Monitoring Protocol 3 1.1.4 Vulnerability to Nutrient Over-Enrichment 5 1.1.5 Rationale for Vital Sign Selection 10 Estuarine Water Chemistry 10 Estuarine Water Quality 11 Estuarine Water Clarity 12 Estuarine Sediment Organic Carbon 12 Seagrass Distribution 13 Seagrass Condition 13 1.2 Sampling Designs and Target Populations 15 1.2.1 Seagrass Distribution 15 1.2.2 Seagrass Condition 15 1.2.3 Estuarine Water Chemistry, Water Quality, Water Clarity, and Sediment Organic Carbon 16 Background and Temporal Target Populations 16 Spatial Target Populations 17 Spatial Sampling Design 18 Trend Stations 20 Continuous Monitoring Stations 20 Individual Park Designs 21 1.3 Field Methods 53 1.3.1 Field Schedule and Preparations 53 1.3.2 Sampling Methods 53 1.4 Data Management, Analysis and Reporting 54 1.4.1 Water Quality, Water Clarity, Water Chemistry and Sediment Organic Carbon 54 1.4.2 Seagrass Condition 55 1.4.3 Seagrass Distribution 55 1.4.4 Clean Water Act 56 1.5 Revising the Protocol 56 1.6 Personnel and Operational Requirements 57 1.6.1 Staffing models for water quality monitoring 57 1.6.2 Annual Workload and Field Schedule 58 1.6.3 Personnel Training 61 1.6.4 Equipment Needs and Startup Costs 62 1.7 References 64 2 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs) 73 2.1 SOP 1 – Field Season Logistics 2.1-1 2.1.1 Safety Training 2.1-1 2.1.2 Protocol Methods Training 2.1-1 2.1.3 Field Season Preparation 2.1-2 2.1.4 Field logistics 2.1-3 2.2 SOP 2 – Preparation of the Loggin