USDA-ARS: USDA HWQ3: Automated Storm Water Sampling
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Official Method Name
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Automated Storm Water Sampling on Small Watersheds |
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Current Revision
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Media
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WATER |
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Instrumentation
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Not Applicable |
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Method Subcategory
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Sampling/Preparation |
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Method Source
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Citation
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Brief Method Summary
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This method describes the important automated sampling components (minimum flow threshold, sampling interval, and discrete versus composite sampling) and project-specific considerations (sampling goal, sampling and analysis resources, and watershed characteristics). Advantages and disadvantges are discussed based on personal experiences and pertinent field and analytical studies. Several general recommendations are made, including: setting low minimum flow thresholds, using flow-interval or variable time-interval sampling, and using composite sampling to limit the number of samples collected. Guidelines are presented to aid in selection of an appropriate sampling strategy based on user's project-specific considerations. |
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Scope and Application
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This method discusses the important considerations and necessary components for designing appropriate automated storm water sampling strategies for small watersheds. The discussion is based on the assumed sampling goal of accurately characterizing storm water quality within budget, equipment, and personnel limitations. The items discussed affect this balance by determining how and when samples are taken and the potential sampling error. |
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Applicable Concentration Range
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Interferences
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The influence of scale on constituent transport is well known, but categorization of various watershed scales is difficult due to the variable nature of watershed sizes, which are determined by hydroclimatic setting and the arbitrary selection of watershed outlet locations. However, with this variability in mind, the methods discussed are generally applicable for field scale (<50 ha) to small watershed scale (<10,000 ha) data collection. The influence of changing scale is discussed, but in general, its application at larger scales can introduce substantial uncertainty and requires alternative methods. |
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Quality Control Requirements
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This method presents advantantages/disadvantages for the important automated storm water sampling components. Settings for each of these components directly effects uncertainty of collected data. |
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Sample Handling
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Maximum Holding Time
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Relative Cost
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Greater than $400 |
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Sample Preparation Methods
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