Biological & chemical stream monitoring, 2006 / Georgia Adopt-A-Stream

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ZORGIA
dopt-A-Stream
mment of Natural Resources ~niironmentaPl rotection Division Summer 2006

Biological & Chemical Stream Monitoring

The publication of this document was supported by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and was financed in part through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the provisions of section 319(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended at a cost of $3.25 per manual. 5111/06

Georgia Adopt-A-Stream 4220 International Parkway, Suite 101
Atlanta, Georgia 30354 (404) 675-1635 or 1636 www.georgiaadoptastream.com
Acknowledgements
This manual draws on the experience of many wonderful citizen monitoring, stewardship and educationprograms. Georgia Adopt-A-Streamgratefully acknowledgesthe followingorganizations for their advice and use of their materials.
Special Contributions: EnvironmentalProtection Division,Jones EcologicalResearch Center, Georgia SouthwesternState University, Savannah State University, University of Georgia Marine Extension Service, Clayton County Water Authority
WritersIEditors Georgia Adopt-A-Stream staff
Advice and some of the material in this manual was taken from the following documents:
Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods ManualEPA 841-B-97-003 Hach Company LaMotte Company EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocols EPD Rapid Bioassessment Protocols Save Our Streams, lzaak Walton League of America

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................I Water Quality in Georgia..................................................................................................3 Georgia Adopt-&Stream Abstract ...................................................................................5 Introduction...................................................................................................................... 7 Quality Assurance Certification........................................................................................8 Safety and Health Checklist ............................................................................................9
Chapter 1. Biological Monitoring ....................................................................................I 1 Why Monitor for Macroinvertebrates...................................................................13 Determining Stream Type and Sampling Location .............................................1. 4 Begin Sampling: Rocky Bottom Method..............................................................15 Begin Sampling: Muddy Bottom Method ............................................................1.6 Calculate Your Results........................................................................................18
Chapter 2. Physical/ChemicalMonitoring......................................................................19 Why are Physical/ChemicalTests Important? .....................................................21 Temperature........................................................................................................ 2I pH ...................................................................................................................... -22 Dissolved Oxygen..............................................................................................-23 Settleable Solids ................................................................................................-24 Nutrients............................................................................................................. -25 Nitrates................................................................................................................ 25 Phosphorus........................................................................................................-26 Alkalinity............................................................................................................. -26 CSoan.l~d.unc~..t.ti.vy.i.t.y.................................................................................................................................................................................................................--2277 Secchi Disk .........................................................................................................29
Chapter 3. Forms..........................................................................................................-31 Physical/ChemicalData Form ............................................................................3.2 MacroinvertebrateCount Form ...........................................................................33 Activity Summary ................................................................................................34 One-Year Record of Physical/Chemical and Biological Data..............................35
Appendix A ...................................................................................................................-37 Some Background On Aquatic Insects................................................................38 Field Directions for Physical/ChemicalMonitoring..............................................41 Biological Testing Equipment .............................................................................4. 6 PhysicaVChemicalTesting Equipment ................................................................47
How To Make A Kick Seine................................................................................49
Appendix B ....................................................................................................................51 Habitat Enhancement.........................................................................................5. 2 Glossary Of Stream Related Terms ...................................................................5. 7 Macroinvertebrate Field Guide ..........................................................................6. 3

Water Quality in Georgia
The key issues and challenges to be addressed now and in the future years include (1) the control of toxic substances, (2) the reduction of nonpoint source pollution, (3) the need to increase public involvement in water quality improvement projects, and (4) a sustainable supply of potable water. The implementation of the River Basin Management Planning program in Georgia provides a framework for addressing each of the key issues.
The reduction of toxic substances in rivers, lakes, sediment and fish tissue is extremely important in protecting both human health and aquatic life. The sources are widespread. The most effective method to reduce releases of toxic substances into rivers is pollution prevention, which consists primarily of eliminating or reducing the use of toxic materials or at least reducing the exposure of toxic materials to drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. It is very expensive and difficult to reduce low concentrations of toxic substances in wastewaters by treatment technologies. It is virtually impossible to treat large quantities of stormwater and reduce toxic substances. Therefore, toxic substances must be controlled at the source.
The pollution impact on Georgia streams has radically shifted over the last two decades. Streams are no longer dominated by untreated or partially treated sewage discharges which resulted in little or no oxygen and little or no aquatic life. The sewage is now treated, oxygen levels have returned and fish have followed. However, another source of pollution is now affecting Georgia streams. That source is referred to as nonpoint and consists of mud, litter, bacteria, pesticides, fertilizers, metals, oils, suds and a variety of other pollutants being washed into rivers and lakes by stormwater. This form of pollution, although somewhat less dramatic than raw sewage, must be reduced and controlled to fully protect Georgia's streams. As with toxic substance control, nonstructural techniques such as pollution prevention and best management practices must be significantly expanded. These include both watershed protection through planning, zoning, buffer zones, and appropriate building densities as well as increased use of stormwater retention ponds, street cleaning and perhaps eventual limitations on pesticide and fertilizer usage.
It is clear that local governments and industries, even with well-funded efforts, cannot fully address the challenges of toxic substances and nonpoint source pollution control. Citizens must individually and collectively be part of the solution to these challenges. The main focus is to achieve full public acceptance of the fact that some of everything put on the ground or street ends up in a stream. Individuals are littering, driving cars which drip oils and antifreeze, applying fertilizers and pesticides and participating in a variety of other

activities contributing to toxic and nonpoint source pollution. If streams and lakes are to be pollutant free, then some of the everyday human practices must be modified. The Georgia Environmental Protection Department will be emphasizing public involvement; not only in decision-making but also in direct programs of stream improvement. The first steps are education and Adopt-A-Stream programs.

Georgia is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. The burgeoning population is making considerable demands on Georgia's ground and surface water resources. The problems and issues are further complicated by the fact that surface water resources are limited in South Georgia and groundwater resources are limited in North Georgia. In some locations, the freshwater resources are approaching their sustainable limits.

* Taken From Water Quality In Georgia, 2000-2001, Chapter 1, Executive Summary

Water Resources Atlas

State Population State Surface Area Number of Major River Basins Number of Perennial River Miles Number of Intermittent River Miles Number of Ditches and Canals Total River Miles Number of Lakes Over 500 Acres Acres of Lakes Over 500 Acres Number of Lakes Under 500 Acres Acres of Lakes Under 500 Acres Total Number of Lakes & Reservoirs, Ponds Total Acreage of Lakes, Reservoirs, Ponds Square Miles of Estuaries Miles of Coastline Acres of Freshwater Wetlands Acres of Tidal Wetlands

9,072,576 58,910 square miles 14 44,056 miles 23,906 miles 603 miles
70,150 miles 48 265,365 acres 1 1,765 160,017 acres 11,813 425,382 acres 854 square miles
100 4,500,000 acres 384,000 acres

Georgia Adopt-A-Stream
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) is the statewide volunteer water quality monitoring program. AAS is housed in the NonPoint Source Program in the Watershed Protection Branch of the Georgia EnvironmentalProtection Division and is funded by a Section 319(h) Grant. The goals of Georgia Adopt-A-Stream are to (1) increasing public awareness of the State's nonpoint source pollution and water quality issues, (2) provide citizens with the tools and training to evaluate and protect their local waterways, (3) encourage partnerships between citizens and their local government, and (4) collect quality baseline water quality data.
To accomplish these goals, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream encourages individuals and communities to monitor and/or improve sections of streams, wetlands, lakes or estuaries. Manuals, training, and technical support are provided through Georgia EPD and more than 60 established CommunityNVatershed Adopt-A-Stream organizers. Adopt-A-Stream CommunityNVatershed Programs organize monitoring groups in their watershed, county or city. These local programs are funded by counties, cities and nonprofit organizations and use the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream model, manuals and workshops to promote nonpoint source pollution education and data collection in their area. The State office works closely with these programs to ensure volunteers receive appropriate support and training.
The Adopt-A-Stream program offers many levels of involvement. At the most basic level, a new group informs their local government about their activities and creates partnerships with local schools, businesses and government agencies. A watershed survey and 4 visual surveys are conducted within a year's time. Volunteers create a "Who To Call List" so if something unusual is sighted, the appropriate agencies can be notified. Getting To Know Your Watershed and Visual Stream Survey manuals provide guidance in these activities.
If volunteers wish to learn more about their adopted body of water, they are encouraged to conduct biological or chemical monitoring. The Biologicaland Chemicalstream Monitoring manual guides volunteers through the monitoring process. Free workshops are provided at regular intervals around the State. These workshops are listed in our bimonthly newsletter and on our website. Volunteers can monitor their waterways without attending a workshop, but those who attend and pass a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QAIQC) test will then be considered quality data collectors under the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Quality Assurance Project Plan. QAlQC data is recorded in the Adopt-A-Stream database.
The title "Adopt-A-Stream" is a little misleading since the program also provides manuals and training for lake and wetland monitoring. The Wetland Monitoring manual and workshops highlight freshwater wetland values and functions, which guides volunteers through the monitoring of soils, vegetation and hydrology. A separate Coastal Wetland Monitoring manual created by UGA Marine Extension Service provides guidance for volunteers interested in monitoring coastal habitats and the biological and chemical

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parameters specific to marine conditions. The Adopt-A-Lake program is a collaborative

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effort between Georgia Adopt-A-Stream and the Georgia Lake Society. The Georgia Lake Society provides training workshops and technical advice throughout the State. An Adopt-

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A-Stream's Educator Guide is also offered. This guide helps teachers put Adopt-A-Stream

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activities into a lesson plan format.

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Georgia Adopt-A-Stream has partnered with government and non-government groups to

provide access to technical information and assistance to citizens interested in protecting,

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preserving and restoring local waterways through the Life at The Waters Edge program.

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The goal is to increase awareness, knowledge, and implementation of a suite of sound

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stream and watershed stewardship practices available to the Georgia homeowner.

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As of May 1 1, 2006, Adopt-A-Stream has over 1,200 active volunteers monitoring nearly

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200 sites. Our bi-monthly newsletter has over 4,500 subscribers. We invite you to join us

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to help protect Georgia's water resources.

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Resources Available from Georgia Adopt-A-Stream

P Website at www.georgiaadoptastream.com P Getting To Know Your WatershedManual* P Visual Stream Survey Manual* P Biological and Chemical Stream MonitoringManual* P Adopt-A-WetlandManual and workshop P Coastal Georgia Adopt-A-WetlandManual
> Adopt-A-LakeManual > Adopt-A-StreamEducator's Guide
P Rivers Alive Guide to Organizing and Conducting a Cleanup P Georgia Adopt-A-Stream: It All Begins With You video P Getting Started: Watershed Survey and Map Assessment workshops P Biological Monitoring workshops P Chemical Monitoring workshops
P Train - The - Trainer workshops
You Are The Solution To Water Pollution Posters and Brochures P QAIQC Database P Newsletter
* P Technical and logistical support for volunteers and communities Available in Spanish

Introduction
BIOLOGICAL & CHEMICAL STREAM MONITORING

Welcome to Georgia Adopt-A-Stream; Biologicaland Chemical Stream Monitoring. This manual is intended for Adopt-A-Stream monitoring groups who have already registered with the program and are eager to take their monitoring activities to the next level. This manual describes methods for evaluating the physical, chemical, and biologicalparameters of your adopted stream or river.
Getting to Know Your Watershedfocuses on map assessments and a watershed survey as evaluation tools. Visual Stream Monitoring introduces a diversity of low-cost, hands-on methods for analyzing the physical health of your adopted stream.
Different levels of involvement offer different levels of activity. At the most basic level, volunteers register with Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, conduct a watershed assessment and perform visual surveys of their adopted stream. Optional participation includes biological and/or chemical monitoring, and/or a habitat enhancement project.

Watershed Assessment Visual Monitoring Biological Monitoring Physical/Chemical Monitoring Habitat Enhancement

Once a year 4 times a year (quarterly) 4 times a year (quarterly) 12 times a year (monthly) One time project

Biological and chemical monitoring requires training. Training workshops are available at Adopt-A-Stream Regional Training Centers, some community Adopt-A-Stream programs and through the Adopt-A-Stream State Office. Training includes an overview of the program, monitoring techniques and quality assurance tests.
These activities help protect water quality and streams because:
Regular monitoring provides specific information about the health of your local stream. Both long-term trends and immediate changes in water quality can be documented. Biological monitoring will detect changes in water quality and habitat and provides an indication of overall stream health. Chemical monitoring, however, provides specific information about water quality

Safety and Health Checklist
Your safety and health are of number-one importance. There are several important things to remember when you are monitoring your adopted stream, river, lake or wetland. If you follow these "rules of monitoring" you will have a fun, enjoyable and accident-free experience.
Before visiting your site:
Develop a site emergency plan: (i.e. Site location, nearest medical center, nearest phone, medical conditions of team members, etc). Listen to weather reports. Stop monitoring if a storm occurs while you are monitoring.
Rules to monitor by:
If at any time you feel uncomfortable about the condition of the waterbody or your surroundings, stop monitoring and leave the site. Do not monitor if the waterbody is at flood stage, or even one day after a heavy rain. Fast moving water is very dangerous. Never wade in swift or high water. Never cross private property without the permission of the landowner. If you are sampling from a bridge, be wary of passing traffic. Never lean over bridge rails unless you are firmly anchored to the ground or the bridge with good handlfoot holds. If walking under a bridge, watch for objects knocked off the road from overhead. Look out for broken glass, poison ivy, and bitinglstinging insects. Never drink the water and wash hands after monitoring. Do not monitor if the water body is posted as unsafe for body contact.
If you observe any of the following at your sampling station STOP and call your Regional EPD Office.
STOP! If you observe closed or leaking drums near or in the water STOP! If you observe a large quantity of dead fish or other organisms. STOP! If you observe a pipe discharging some odd lookinglsmelling substance into the water.

Monitoring In Areas With High Fecal Coliform Levels:

The following conditions warrant concern for high fecal levels; occurrence of heavy rain in

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the past 48 hours, muddy water, and presence of a large number of animals. If monitoring

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in these conditions please take the following precautions:

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If one has any open or incompletely healed wounds, they should avoid any

contact with water

Avoid swimming or other high contact activities for at least 24 hours after heavy rains, or if water is obviously muddy.

Try to discourage digging in mud or shore sand. There are higher survival rates of bacteria and potentially other pathogens in sediment.

Avoid swimming in areas where fecal droppings from wildlife are obvious, large numbers of wildlife are present (ducks, geese), or domestic or companion animals are observed in creek or on shore (cows, dogs, etc.)

Anyone with an immunodeficient status (genetic, AIDS,or transplant recipients on immunosuppresantmedication) should avoid any primary contact activities in waters that have any elevated levels of fecal bacteria, and probably wait several days following rain.

Also, if one recently had a gastrointestinal illness, especially if a child, one should probably not engage in water activities for at least a week following recovery.

Health Safety Contacts:
Division of Public Health 404-657-2700 http://health.state.ga.us/contact.asp
Center for Disease Control 1 -800-232-4636 http://www.cdc.gov

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1 Chapter

BIOLOGICAL MONITORING

Biological Monitoring Why Monitor for Macroinvertebrates Determining Stream Type and Sampling Location Begin Sampling For: Rocky Bottom Streams Begin Sampling For: Muddy Bottom Streams
Calculate Your Results

Biological monitoring involves identifying and counting macroinvertebrates. The purpose of biologicalmonitoring is to quickly assess both water quality and habitat.The abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates found is an indication of overall stream quality. Macroinvertebrates include aquatic insects, crustaceans, worms, and mollusks that live in various stream habitats and derive their oxygen from water. They are used as indicators of stream quality. These insects and crustaceans are impacted by all the stresses that occur in a stream environment, both man-made and naturally occurring.
Aquatic macroinvertebrates are good indicators of stream quality because:
They are affected by the physical, chemical and biological conditions of the stream. They can't escape pollution and show effects of short- and long-term pollution events. They are relatively long lived-the life cycles of some sensitive macroinvertebrates range from one to several years. They are an important part of the food web, representing a broad range of trophic levels. They are abundant in most streams. Some 1'' and 2"dorder streams may lack fish, but they generally have macroinvertebrates. They are a food source for many recreationally and commercially important fish. They are relatively easy to collect and identify with inexpensive materials.

Macroinvertebrates are present during all kinds of stream conditions from drought to floods. Macroinvertebrates are adaptable to extremes of water flow. Some may burrow when it is raining and flow increases. However, heavy rain in areas with a high percentage of impervious surface (most urban areas) can cause flash floods and carry macroinvertebrates downstream.
Populations of macroinvertebrates may differ in North and South Georgia. For example, since the Adopt-A-Stream biological index is based on dissolved oxygen, the "sensitive" organisms that require a lot of oxygen, such as the stonefly, may not be found in warm, slow-moving streams in South Georgia. That does not mean that the stream has bad water quality or habitat, just that streams in North and South Georgia support different populations of macros. If you are monitoring in South or Coastal Georgia, it is important for you to conduct monitoring each season for several years. Doing this will help you recognize biological trends in your stream so that you can determine which changes are natural and which may be induced by human impact.
Populations of macroinvertebrates may vary from headwater streams to the river mouth. For more information, please review "The River Continuum Concept," Chapter 1, Visual Stream Survey manual.
Seasonal cycles can also affect the number and kinds of macroinvertebrates collected. Organisms such as immature stoneflies and mayflies will gain weight and size primarily during the fall and winter. During the spring and summer they may reach maturity and begin to metamorphose into their adult (non-aquatic) stage. Therefore, the presence of aquatic macroinvertebrates will tend to be more evident during winter and spring just before metamorphosis. After adults emerge, females lay eggs near or in the water. Soon after, the larvae and nymphs hatch and begin to grow, feeding on leaf litter, detritus and other organic matter that might be present. For more information on macroinvertebrates and their life cycles, please turn to "Some Background On Aquatic Insects" in Index A. If conditions are unsafe for any reason, including high water or slippery rocks, DO NOT SAMPLE.

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Why Monitor for Macroinvertebrates

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The basic principle behind the study of macroinvertebrates is that some species are more

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sensitive to pollution than others. Therefore, if a stream site is inhabited by organisms that

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can tolerate pollution, and the pollution-sensitive organisms are missing, a pollution

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problem is likely.

For example, stonefly nymphs, which are very sensitive to most pollutants, cannot survive if a stream's dissolved oxygen falls below a certain level. If a biosurvey shows that no stoneflies are present in a stream that used to support them, a hypothesis might be that dissolved oxygen has fallen to a point that keeps stoneflies from reproducing or has killed them outright.

This brings up both the advantage and disadvantage of the biosurvey. The advantage of the biosurvey is it tells us very clearly when the stream ecosystem is impaired, or "sick," due to pollution or habitat loss. It is not difficult to realize that a stream full of many kinds of crawling and swimming "critters" is healthier than one without much life. Different macros occupy different ecological niches within the aquatic environment, so diversity of species generally means a healthy, balanced ecosystem. The disadvantage of the biosurvey, on the other hand, is it cannot definitively tell us why certain types of creatures are present or absent.

In this case, the absence of stoneflies might indeed be due to low dissolved oxygen. But is the stream under-oxygenated because it flows too sluggishly, or because pollutants in the stream are damaging water quality by using up the oxygen? The absence of stoneflies might also be due to other pollutants discharged by factories or run off from farmland, water temperatures that are too high, habitat degradation such as excess sand or silt on the stream bottom has ruined stonefly sheltering areas, or other conditions. Thus a biosurvey should be accompanied by an assessment of habitat and water qualityconditions in order to help explain biosuwey results.

Determining Stream Type and Sampling Location
Find a sampling location in your stream. This location should be within your stream reach, which you should have determined during your visual survey. Sample the same stretch of stream each time, to ensure consistency. Sample every three months, approximately once each season (spring, summer, fall and winter).
Macroinvertebrates can be found in many kinds of habitats-places like riffles (where shallow water flows quickly over rocks), packs of leaves, roots hanging into the water, old wood or logs, or the streambed. Based on the types of habitats that characterize your stream, determine if you have a muddy bottom or rocky bottom stream. Follow the directions that correspond with your stream type.
Rocky bottom streams are generally found in North Georgia and the Piedmont Region. However, there are exceptions-some South Georgia streams possess rocky bottom characteristics. Rocky bottom streams are characterized by fastmoving water flowing over and between large rocks and boulders, interspersed with longer, smooth sections where the water forms pools. Muddy bottom streams include most South Georgia streams and many streams found in urban environments, which have been degraded by the introduction of sediment. In muddy bottom streams the pool/riffle system is replaced by slow moving water with little or no disturbances. The substrate is generally composed of fine silt, sand or coarse gravel.
Equipment List: Kick seine or D-frame net Sorting pans or white plastic tub Tweezers, forceps or plastic spoons Pencils and clipboard Hand lens Biological Count Form Adopt-A-Stream Macroinvertbrate Field Guide for Georgia's Streams Rubber waders or old tennis shoes Rubber gloves Trash bag to pick-up litter First aid kit
Optional: 8 Preservation jars or baby food jars Rubbing alcohol, for preservation Bucket with screen bottom (for muddy bottom sampling)
*Page 48 provides a list of places to purchase equipment
* Page 51 provides information on making a kick seine net

Begin Sampling for: Rocky Bottom Streams
In the "rocky bottom" method, you will sample two different habitats-riffles and leaf packs. The rocky bottom method requires a minimum of two volunteers; one to hold the kick seine and one to "work the sample area.
rIIsi, I U ~ILIIIY 11I I ~ EU I I I ~ I 1~11I 111aiereas. Collect macroinvertebratesin all three riffles with a kick seine, sampling a 2 x 2 foot area (the kick seines are usually 3 x 3 feet). Look for an area where the water is 3 to 12 inches deep. Place the kick seine downstream and firmly wedge the seine into the streambed, weighting the bottom edge with rocks. Gently rub any loose debris off rocks and sticks so that you catch everything in the seine. When you have "washed off" all the rocks in a 2 x 2 foot area, kick the streambed with your feet. Push rocks around; shuffle your feet so that you really kick up the streambed. Now gently lift the seine, being careful not to lose any of the macroinvertebratesyou have caught. Take the seine to an area where you can look it over or wash the contents into a bucket.
Now look for decayed (old, dead) packs of leaves next to rocks, logs or on the streambed. Leaf packs may be found throughout your designated stream reach, in the riffle or pool systems. Add 4 handfuls of decayed leaves to your sample. The total area of stream you will sample is 16 square feet.
In summary, collect:
3 kick seine samples (4 square feet each) from the riffle area 4 handfuls (1 square foot each) of leaf packs
Riffles Riffle areas constitute shallow areas of a stream or river with a fast-moving current bubbling over rocks. The water in riffle areas is highly oxygenated and provides excellent habitat, shelter, and food for a variety of macroinvertebrates.
Leaf packs This includes decomposing vegetation (leaves and twigs) that is submerged in the water. Leaf packs serve as a food source for organisms and provide shelter from predators.

Begin Sampling for: Muddy Bottom Streams

In this method you will sample three different habitats, using a D-frame (or dip) net. The habitats are vegetated margins, woody debris with organic matter, and sand/rock/gravel streambed (or substrate). Each scoop involves a quick forward motion of one foot, thus covering a sample area of one square foot. With this method you will sample the stream a total of 14 times or 14 square feet. To maintain consistency, collect the following numbers of scoops from each habitat each time you sample:

7 scoops from vegetated margins 4 scoops from woody debris with organic matter 3 scoops from sand/rocWgravel or coarsest area of the stream bed

Each time you sample you should sweep the mesh bottom of the D-Frame net back and forth through the water (not allowing water to run over the top of the net) to rinse fine silt from the net. This will prevent a large amount of sediment and silt from collecting in the pan and clouding your sample.

As you collect your scoops, place the contents of the net into a bucket. Separate the samples collected from the streambed and vegetated margin or woody debris samples. Keep water in the bucket to keep the organisms alive. Note descriptions below of each muddy bottom habitat and collection tips:

Vegetated margins This habitat is the area along the bank and the edge of the waterbody consisting of overhanging bank vegetation, plants living along the shoreline, and submerged root mats. Vegetated margins may be home to a diverse assemblage of dragonflies, damselflies, and other organisms. Move the dip-net quickly in a bottom-to-surface motion (scooping towards the stream bank), jabbing at the bank to loosen organisms. Each scoop of the net should cover one foot of submerged (under water) area.

Woody debris with organic matter Woody debris consists of dead or living trees, roots, limbs, sticks, leaf packs, cypress knees, and other submerged organic matter. It is a very important habitat in slow moving streams and rivers. The wood helps trap organic particles that serve as a food source for the organisms and provides shelter from predators such as fish.

To collect woody debris, approach the area from

downstream and hold the net under the section of wood you

wish to sample, such as a submerged log. Rub the surface

of the log for a total surface area of one square foot. It is

also good to dislodge some of the bark as organisms may _ be hiding underneath. You can also collect sticks, leaf litter,

and rub roots attached to submerged logs. Be sure to

thoroughly examine any small sticks you collect before

discarding them. There may be caddisflies, stoneflies, and

midges attached to the bark.

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Sand/rock/gravel streambed In slow moving streams, the substrate is generally composed of only sand or mud because the velocity of the water is not fast enough to transport large rocks. Sample the coarsest area of the streambed-gravel or sand may be all you can find. Sometimes, you may find a gravel bar located at a bend in the river. The streambed can be sampled by moving the net forward (upstream) with a jabbing motion to dislodge the first few inches of gravel, sand, or rocks. You may want to gently wash the gravel in your screen bottom bucket and then discard gravel in the water.
If you have large rocks (greater than two inches in diameter) you should also kick the substrate upstream of the net to dislodge any burrowingorganisms. Rememberto disturb only one square foot of upstream sample area.
Elutriation
Some substrate samples are composed almost entirely of fine silt and mud. To separate aquatic organisms, place the sample in a bucket with water and stir. Pour off water into the D-frame net and repeat 3 times. Any macroinvertebrates present will separate from the collected mud and be caught in the net. Before dumping remaining substrate, inspect bucket for snails or mollusks. This process is called elutriation.

Calculating Your Results
Place your macroinvertebrates in a white sorting pan or plastic tray. Separate c
that look similar into groups. Use the Adopt-A-Stream's MacroinvertebrateField G
Georgia's Streams (located at the end of the manual) to classify the types and nur each kind of insect. As you sort through your collection, remember each stream \ different types and numbers of macr&vertebrates. Calculate the score for you using the index on the Macroinvertebrate Count Form found in Chapter 3. Use t below to interpret your results.

If you find:
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Variety of macroinvertebrates, lots of each kind
Little variety, with many of each kind

You may have:
I I Healthy stream
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Water enriched with orga matter

A variety of macroinvertebrates, but a few of each Toxic pollution kind, or NO macroinvertebrates, but the stream appears clean

Few macroinvertebrates and the streambed is covered with sediment

Poor habitat from sedime

PHYSICAUCHEMICAL MONITORING
Physical/Chemical Monitoring Why Are Physical/ChemicalTests Important? Temperature pH Dissolved Oxygen Settleable Solids Nutrients Nitrates Phosphorus Alkalinity Conductivity Salinity Secchi Disk
Physical/Chemicaltesting allows informationto be gathered about specific water quality
characteristics. A variety of water quality tests can be run on fresh water - including
temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, settleable solids, water clarity, phosphorus, nitrogen, chlorine, total dissolved solids, fecal coliform levels and many others. Adopt-A-Stream recommends that four core measurements be taken when doing physical/chemical testing
- temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and settleable solids. Phosphorus, nitrogen,
conductivity and alkalinity may be added to your list as interest and equipment allows. On coastal waters, we suggest testing salinity.
If you choose to conduct chemical testing as an activity, plan on sampling regularly - at
least once a month at the same time and the same location. Regular monitoring helps ensure your information can be compared over time. Water quality and environmental conditions can change throughout the day, so monitoring at approximately the same time of day is important. Also, chemical testing during or immediately after a rain may produce very different results than during dry conditions. Therefore, it is very important to record weather conditions. If conditions are unsafefor any reason, includinghighwater or slippery rocks, DO NOT SAMPLE.

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Equipment List: Water testing kit with dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and settle solids tests (may also include alkalinity, phosphate, and nitrate) Chemical kit instructions Physical/Chemical Data Form Safety glasses Rubber gloves Chemical waste container (old milk jug) Bucket with rope (if sampling off a bridge or in deep water) Rubber waders or old tennis shoes Trash bag to pick-up litter First aid kit

A list of places to purchase equipment is located on page 49.

Detailed instructionsfor each chemical test are found in Appendix A on page 43; hc a few recommendations are listed below.

1. Measure air and water temperature in the shade. Avoid direct sunlight.

2. Rinse glass tubes or containers twice with stream water before running a test.

3. Collect water for tests approximately midstream, one foot below surface. If water is less than one foot deep, collect approximately one-third of the wa)r below surface. Collect samples at stream base flow.

4. Read values on plastic titrators (small syringe with green plunger) on the liquid

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5. Alnrays run two (2) test for each parameter. If the tests are not within eac:h other, run another test to ensure accuracy.

Safety Notes: Read all instructions before you begin and note all precautions. Cc[eep all equipment and chemicals out of the reach of small children. In the event of an acciident or suspected poisoning, immediatelycall the Poison Control Center (listedon the inside cover of most telephone books). Avoid contact between chemicals and skin, eyes, nose, or mouth. Wear safety goggles or glasses and rubber gloves when handling chemicals: . After use, tightly close all chemical containers. Be careful not to switch caps.

Why Are PhysicalIChemicalTests Important?

This section describes some chemicaland physicaltests you can conduct and why they are important. Physical/Chemicaltesting should be conducted at least once a month because this type of testing measures the exact sample of water taken, which can vary weekly, daily or even hourly. A basic set of tests includes temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and settleable solids. Test kits that measure these four parameters will cost approximately $190.00. Replacement chemicals are inexpensive and will be needed after one year. Advancedtests include total alkalinity, ortho-phosphate,conductivity, and nitrate. A test kit that includes both basic and advance tests costs approximately $300.00. Some groups may wish to work with a certified laboratory to sample for fecal coliform bacteria or chlorophyll A.

Further information for evaluating your test results can be found in the Getting to Know Your Watershedmanual under "Causes and Sources of Water Resource Degradation."

Temperature

Water temperature is one factor in determining which species may or may not be present in the system. Temperature affects feeding, reproduction, and the metabolism of aquatic animals. A week or two of high temperatures may make a stream unsuitable for sensitive aquatic organisms, even though temperatures are within tolerable levels throughout the rest of the year. Not only do different species have different requirements, optimum habitat temperatures may change for each stage of life. Fish larvae and eggs usually have narrower temperature requirements than adult fish.

Measuring Temperature A thermometer protected by a plastic or metal case

Much plant life, many Csh d~seases,bass, crappie,

should be used to measuretemperature in the field.

Record air temperature by placing the dry 20c thermometer in the shade until it stabilizes. Record the temperature of the air before measuring water

Some plant life, some fish diseases, salmon, trout,
stonefly nymphs

temperature. To measure water temperature, submerge the thermometer in a sample of water large enough that it will not be affected by the nrc temperature of the thermometer itself, or hold it directly in the stream.

Mayfly nymphs, caddisfly lame, water be&@$, and water striders
Trout, caddisfly tarvae, stonefly nymphs,andmaflw nymphs

Significant Levels Temperature preferences among species vary

!

widely, but all species can tolerate slow, seasonal

changes better than rapid changes. Thermal stress and shock can occur when

water temperatures change more than 1 to 2 degrees Celsius in 24 hours.

Many biological processes are affected by water temperature. Temperature differences between surface and bottom waters help produce the vertical water currents, which move nutrients and oxygen throughout the water column.

What Measured Levels May Indicate

Water temperature may be increased by discharges of water used for cooling

(

purposes (by industrial or utility plants) or by runoff from heated surfaces such as roads, roofs and parking lots. Cold underground water sources, snow melt, and the

B

shade provided by overhanging vegetation can lower water temperatures.

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i

The pH test is one of the most common analyses in water testing. An indication of

4

the sample's acidity, pH is actually a measurement of the activity of hydrogen ions in

i

the sample. pH measurements are on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7.0 considered

?

neutral. Solutions with a pH below 7.0 are considered acids, and those above 7.0

considered bases.

(

The pH scale is logarithmic, so every one-unit change in pH actually represents a ten-fold change in acidity. In other words, pH 6 is ten times more acidic than pH 7; pH 5 is one hundred times more acidic than pH 7.

Significant Levels A range of pH 6.5 to pH 8.2 is optimal for most aquatic organisms. Rapidly growing algae or submerged aquatic vegetation remove carbon dioxide (C02) from the water during photosynthesis. This can result in a significant increase in pH levels, so the water becomes more basic. Low or high pH can affect egg hatching, kill sources of food for fish and insects, or make water uninhabitable for any aquatic life. In Georgia, Mountain and Piedmont streams will have pH ranges of 6.0 to 8.0. Coastal black water streams will naturally have more acidic conditions, with pH values of 3.5 to 8.5. In other regions of the State, pH readings outside of the acceptable levels may be the result of mine drainage, atmospheric deposition or industrial point discharges.

pH values of some common substances:

DH
0.5 2.0 5.9 7.0 8.0 11.2 12.9

battery acid lemon juice rainwater distilled water salt water ammonia bleach

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Like land organisms, aquatic animals need oxygen to live. Fish, invertebrates, plants, and aerobic bacteria all require oxygen for respiration.
Sources of Dissolved Oxygen Oxygen dissolves readily into water from the atmosphere at the surface until the water is "saturated". Once dissolved in water, the oxygen diffuses very slowly, and distribution depends on the movement of aerated water by turbulence and currents caused by wind, water flow and thermal upwelling. Aquatic plants, algae and phytoplankton produce oxygen during photosynthesis.
Dissolved Oxygen Capacity of Water The dissolved oxygen capacity of water is limited by the temperature and salinity of the water and by the atmospheric pressure, which corresponds with altitude. These factors determine the highest amount of oxygen that will dissolve in the water.
Temperature Effect As water temperature changes, the highest potential dissolved oxygen level changes.
Lower temperature = Higher potential dissolved oxygen level Higher temperature = Lower potential dissolved oxygen level
At 0 degrees Celsius the saturation point for dissolved oxygen is 14.6 ppm At 32 degrees Celsius the saturation point for dissolved oxygen is 7.6 ppm
The temperature effect is compounded by the fact that living organisms increase their activity in warm water, requiring more oxygen to support their metabolism. Critically low oxygen levels often occur during the warmer summer months when capacity decreases and oxygen demand increases, this is often caused by respiring algae or decaying organic material.
Significant Levels The amount of oxygen required by an aquatic organism varies according to species and stage of life. DO levels below 3 ppm are stressful to most aquatic organisms. DO levels below 2 or 1 ppm will not support fish; levels of 5 to 6 ppm are usually required for growth and activity. Fish and invertebrates that can move will leave areas with low dissolved oxygen and move to higher level areas.
What Measured Levels May Indicate A low dissolved oxygen level indicates a demand on the oxygen in the system. Pollutants, including inadequately treated sewage or decaying natural organic material, can cause such a demand. Organic materials accumulate in bottom sediments and support microorganisms(including bacteria), which consume oxygen as they break down the materials. Some wastes and pollutants produce direct

chemical demands on any oxygen in the water. In ponds or impoundments, dense populations of active fish can deplete dissolved oxygen levels. In areas of dense algae, DO levels may drop at night or during cloudy weather due to the net consumption of dissolved oxygen by aquatic plant respiration.
High dissolved oxygen levels can be found where stream turbulence or choppy conditions increase natural aeration by increasing the water surface area and trapping air under cascading water. On sunny days, high dissolved oxygen levels occur in areas of dense algae or submerged aquatic vegetation due to photosynthesis. In these areas, the lowest DO levels occur just before sunrise each morning and highest levels just after noon.
Settleable Solids
The settleable solids test is an easy, quantitative method to measure sediment and other particles found in surface water. An lmhoff cone (a plastic or glass 1 liter cone) is filled with one liter of sample water, stirred, and allowed to settle for 45 minutes. Solids will settle in the bottom of the cone and are then measured as a volume of the total, in millimeters per liter. This measurement is a reproducible analogue for turbidity.
A measurement of settleable solids is not the same as a turbidity reading. Turbidity levels are measured by taking into account all particles suspended in the water column, including small, colloidal sized particles, like clay. A settleable solids test only measures those particles large enough to settle out within a given period of time.
Excessive solids in water block sunlight and clog fish and macroinvertebrate gills. Sediment that settles on the streambed can smother habitat for fish and other aquatic life. Sediment can also carry harmful substances such as bacteria, metals, and excess nutrients.
What Measured Levels May Indicate Land-disturbing activities contribute to elevated levels of settleable solids in Georgia's streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. Possible sources include cropland, pasture, livestock operations, forestry activities, construction, roads, and mining operations. Sediment in streams functions much like sandpaper, scouring stream banks, leading to streambank failure, and ultimately causing further erosion.

Nutrients
The addition of nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients to a body of water may lead to increased plant growth, ultimately resulting in algae blooms. Over time, living and dead plant material builds up and, combined with sediments, fills in lakes and reservoirs. This is a naturally occurring process called eutrophication. However, when excess nutrients and sediment are added as a result of human activity, the speed of this natural process is increased significantly.

Eutrophic - a body of water with excess nutrients, sediment and organic
matter, which often causes water quality problems.

Plants, especially algae, are very efficient users of nitrogen and phosphorus. By the time an algae bloom is observed, the nutrients may no longer be measurable but may continue to impact the ecosystem. By sampling upstream from areas of algae blooms, the source of excess nutrients may be identified. Algae blooms will usually be found in lakes and reservoirs. If excessive algae are found in streams, the nutrient content is probably very high. The macroinvertebrate population will reflect a high input of nutrients, meaning you may find little variety of macroinvertebrates but many of one or two kinds.
High flow rates in streams may prevent the establishment of floating aquatic plants and algae despite the presence of high levels of nutrients. As the summer progresses and flow rates drop, once rapidly flowing streams can become choked with algae. Wide, slow moving and tidal areas downstream may exhibit algae blooms weeks earlier.
Sources of Nutrients Nitrogenand phosphorusenter water from human and animalwaste, decomposing organic matter and fertilizer runoff. Phosphates are also found in some industrial effluents, detergent wastewater from homes, and natural deposits.

Nitrates
Nitrogenoccurs in natural waters as ammonia (NH3),nitrite (NOz),nitrate (NO3),and organically bound nitrogen. Through a process called nitrification, bacteria convert ammonium to nitrites, which are quickly converted into nitrates. Ammonia test results are expressed as "ammonia as nitrogen". Nitrate test results are expressed as "nitrate nitrogen" (NO3-N), meaning "nitrogen that was in the form of nitrate." Some test kits and literature express levels only as nitrate (NO3). Both expressions refer to the same chemical and concentrations, but use different units of measure:

I

Nitrate Nitrogen ppm x 4.4 = Nitrate ppm

I

Significant Levels Unpolluted waters generally have a nitrate-nitrogen level below 1 ppm. Nitratenitrogen levels above 10 pprn (44 pprn nitrate) are considered unsafe for drinking water.
What Measured Levels May lndicate Levels of nitrate-nitrogenabove 1 pprn may indicatea sewage overflow. High levels may also indicate the presence of fertilizers and animal waste. High levels of ammonia nitrogen generally indicate a more immediate source of pollutants.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus occurs in natural waters in the form of phosphates, orthophosphates, polyphosphates and organically bound phosphates. Simple phosphate test kits measure reactive phosphorus (primarily orthophosphate), which is the form of phosphate applied as fertilizer to agricultural and residential lands.
Organically bound phosphates in water come from plant and animal matter and wastes. Organically bound phosphates and polyphosphates cannot be measured directly. They must first be broken down and then an orthophosphate test is performed to measure total phosphorus. Results are expressed as phosphate (P04).
Significant Levels Total phosphorus levels higher than 0.03 pprn contribute to increased plant growth (eutrophic conditions), which will lead to oxygen depletion. Total phosphorus levels above 0.1 pprn may stimulate plant growth sufficiently to surpass natural eutrophication rates.
What Measured Levels May lndicate Levels in excess of 0.1 pprn indicate a potential human source such as industrial soaps, sewage, fertilizers, disturbance of soil, animal waste, or industrial effluent.
Alkalinity
Alkalinity of water is its acid-neutralizing capacity. It is the sum of all the bases found in a sample, including carbonate, bicarbonate, and hydroxide content. The alkalinity, and therefore buffering capacity, of natural waters will vary with local soils.
Significant Levels The higher the alkalinity, the better the capacity to buffer the fluctuation of pH in water. To protect aquatic life it should be at least 20mglL.
What Measured Levels May lndicate Alkalinity levels should not fluctuate much unless a severe industrial problem has occurred upstream.

Conductivity
Conductivity is a measure of the ability of water to pass an electrical current. Conductivity in water is affected by the presence of inorganic dissolved solids such as chloride, nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate anions (ions that carry a negative charge) or sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and aluminum cations (ions that carry a positive charge). Organic compounds like oil, phenol, alcohol, and sugar do not conduct electrical current very well. Conductivity is also affected by temperature: the warmer the water, the higher the conductivity. For this reason, conductivity is reported as conductivity at 25 degrees Celsius (25 C). Conductivity is measured in microsiemens per centimeter (pslcm).
Conductivity in natural systems is affected primarily by the geology of the area through which the water flows. Streams that run through areas with granite bedrock such as in North Georgia tend to have lower conductivity because granite is composed of more inert materials that do not ionize (dissolve into ionic components) when washed into the water. On the other hand, streams that run through areas with clay soils tend to have higher conductivity because of the presence of materials that ionize when washed into the water.
Significant Levels Distilled water has conductivity in the range of 0.5 to 3 pslcm. The conductivity of rivers in Georgia generally ranges from 50 to 1500 pslcm. Studies of inland fresh waters indicate that streams supporting mixed fisheries have a range between 50 and 500 pslcm. Some North Georgia streams may have natural background levels well below 50 pslcm. Conductivityoutside this range could indicate that the water is not suitable for certain species of fish or macroinvertebrates. Industrial waters can range as high as 10,000 pslcm.
What Measured Levels May Indicate Discharges to streams can change the conductivity depending on their make-up. A failing sewage system would raise the conductivity because of the presence of chloride, phosphate, and nitrate; an oil spill would lower the conductivity. Documented changes in conductivity readings warrant further investigation.
Salinity
Salinity refersto the concentrationof dissolved salts in seawater. More specifically, salinity is the number of grams of dissolved salts in a kilogram of seawater, thus the units of salinity are parts per thousand. The salinity of average ocean water is 35 ppt. Salinity is most commonly determined by using a salinity refractometer, a hand held device that measures the refraction or bending of light passing through a solution to determine the strength or concentration of that solution.

Coastal Conditions Coastal and inshore waters such as estuaries, tidal rivers and marsh creeks generally have lower salinity values. These inshore areas also have highly variable salinity conditions. As the tide comes in or rises, seawater is pushedfurther inshore or inland, and the salinity at a particular location might increase within hours. Similarly, as the tide goes out, the seawater moves seaward and thus the salinity might decrease.
Salinity is a very important feature and parameter of coastal aquatic habitats. Not only does salinity affect the biological community, but it also affects the density of the water itself. The resulting water density has an effect on, and may be the cause of water flow and transport (both speed and even direction). In fact, typical inshore water circulation includes less dense, less salty water moving downstream along the surface while denser, saltier water is actually moving inshorelupstream along the bottom.
In coastal aquatic habitats, it is thus very importantto know and recordthe salinity at any monitoring site. Salinity is one of the most basic chemical parameters for characterizing a coastal aquatic habitat.
Estuary Monitoring Estuaries are partially enclosed bodies of water where seawater and freshwater (e.g. from a river) mix. With variations in river inflow (due to rainfall, melting, freshwater removal for industries, agriculture, etc.) and the constant tidal action moving seawater in and out, estuaries are water bodies of temporally and spatially variable salinity. Organismsthat live in estuaries must be able to withstand variable salinity conditions. Adaptations include: escaping/moving to more favorable conditions, closing up until more favorable conditions return, burrowingldigginginto the bottom, using internal water balance metabolic processes such as producing more or less urine, drinking more or less water, or spending more energy to conserve or get rid of excess water and salts. Georgia estuarine animals such as oysters, blue crabs, shrimp, and mullet are capable of surviving in and dealing with the variable salinity conditions of coastal rivers, sounds, and salt marshes.
What Measures Measured Levels May Indicate If high salinity readings are found in upstream rivers and estuaries, which traditionally have lower salinity readings, freshwater flow may be reduced. This in turn will impact the coastal aquatic habitat.

Secchi Disk
The Secchi disk (pronounced sec'-key) is used to measure the clarity of the water. The disk is named after Pietro Angelo Secchi, a papal scientific adviser and head of the Roman Observatory in the 1860s. Secchi lowered a white plate on a rope into the Mediterranean to determine the depth at which he could no longer see it as a relative measure of water clarity.
Modern Secchi disks are weighted metal disks. The face of the disc is divided into quarters and painted black and white for contrast. The disk is lowered into the water to the point at which the disk can no longer be seen -this depth is then called the Secchi depth. Secchi depths can then be compared to track changes and compare differences in water clarity within and between bodies of water.

D D D

3 Chapter

FORMS

1 1

Chemical Data Form Macroinvertebrate Count Form

1

Activity Summary

1

One-Year Record of Physical/Chemical and Biological Data

1

1

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GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM
Physical/Chemical Data Form
To be conducted every month

Use this form and the Adopt-A-Stream methods to record important information about the health of your stream. By kee.ping- accurate and consistent records of your physicallchemicaltests, you can document current conditions and changes in water quality.

AAS group name:

County:

Group ID number AAS-G-

Topo Map

Site ID Number AAS-S-

~uadrant:

Investigators:

Stream name

Date:

Time:

PicturelPhoto Documentation? yes 1no

Sitellocation Description:

0 Rain in last 24 hours

heavy rain

sts:y

intermittent rain

Present conditions

El El El rain

heavy rain

overcast

steady rain partly cloudy

intermittent rain clearlsunny

Amount of rain, if known?

inches in last

hoursldays

BASIC TESTS Air Temperature Water Temperature

Sample 1

Sample 2 (OC)

pH Dissolved Oxygen Settleable Solids ADVANCED TESTS Alkalinity Nitrate Nitrogen Ammonia-Nitrogen Ortho-phosphate Conductivity Salinity OTHERTESTS Fecal Coliform Chlorophyll A

(cfu 1100 mL)

SPECIAL LAB ANALYSIS: Name of lab performing tests: COMMENTS:

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM
Macroinvertebrate Count Form
To be conducted quarterly

AAS group name: Group ID number AAS-G
Site ID Number AAS-S Investigators: Stream name
Date:
Site/location Description:
El 0 Rain in last 24 hours heavy rain y: ; ; ts intermittent rain
Amount of rain, if known?

County: Topo Map Quadrant:

Time:

Picture/Photo Documentation? yes / no

Present conditions

0 rain

heavy rain

overcast

El steady rain
partly cloudy

intermittent rain clear/sunny

Inches in last

hours/days

Use letter codes (A=1-9, B=lO-99, C=100 or more) to record the numbers of organisms found in a total sample. Then add up the number of letters in each column and multiply by the indicated value. The following columns are divided based on the organism's sensitivity to pollution.

(check all that apply)

Meth0d wed:

Habitat selected for sampling:

R R Muddy Bottom Rockv Bottom

~ ~ ~ f e ~ a c k / w odeobdrivs

U

streambed wit<silty area (very fine particles)

streambed with sand or small gravel

vegetated bank

other (:

SENSITIVE stonefly nymphs mayfly nymphs
U water penny larvae
riffle beetles aquatic snipe flies caddisflies gilled snails
# of letters times 3 =-

SOMEWHAT-SENSITIVE
[7 common net spinning caddisflies
dobsonfly/hellgrammite & fishfly dragonfly & damselfly nymphs crayfish
[7 crane flies
aquatic sow bugs scuds clams & mussels
-
# of letters times 2 = -

TOLERANT midge fly larvae black fly larvae lunged snails aquatic worms leeches
# of letters times 1 = -

Now add together the three index values =

total index value. The total index value will give you an

indication of the water quality of your stream. Good water quality is indicated by a variety of different kinds of

organisms, with no one kind making up the majority of the sample.

WATER QUALITY RATING

0 0 0 Excellent (>22)

Good (17-22)

Fair (11-16)

Poor ( e l 1)

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM
Activity Summary
Use this form as a cover letter for all data submitted to Georgia Adopt-A-Stream. Send a copy to your local partner, your local government contact, and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream each quarter. Attach latest results from Physical/Chemrcal or B~olog~cMalonitoring.

AAS group name: Group ID number AAS-G
Site ID Number AAS-S Investigators: Stream name
Date:
Sitellocation Description:
Rain in last 24 hours
1 heavy rain y: ; ; ts 0 intermittent rain
Amount of rain, if known?

County:
Topo Map Quadrant:

Time:

PictureIPhoto Documentation? yes 1no

Present conditions

El El rain

heavy rain

overcast

steady rain Intermittent rain

Inches in last

hoursldays

clearlsunny

Activity Watershed SurveyIMap Assessment (once a year)

Date Completed

Visual Stream Survey (quarterly)

PhysicalIChemicalTesting (once each month)

Biological Monitoring (quarterly)

-

--

Outreach Activity

Habitat Enhancement Project
List all QAIQC volunteers: Comments:

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM
One Year Record of PhysicalIChemical and Biological Data

AAS arour, name: Group ID number AAS-G
Site ID Number AAS-S Investigators: Stream name Date:
SiteJlocation Description:

Time:

Countv: Topo Map Quadrant:
PictureJPhoto Documentation? yes J no

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC Air Temperature Water Temperature Ph Dissolved Oxygen Settleable Solids Nitrate Nitrogen 0-Phosphate Alkalinity Conductivity
6 Turbidit Meter or
Secchi isk Salinity Other Biological Index

b

b @ B

A Appendix

b

Some Background On Aquatic Insects

b

Field Directions for Chemical Monitoring

b

Where To Order Equipment

b

Biological Testing Equipment Physical/Chemical Testing Kits

b

How To Make A Kick Seine

B

Some Background On Aquatic lnsects

To understand and identify aquatic insects, one must start with how all animals are classified. The most general category is first, with the species level being the most specific. Volunteers will learn to identify aquatic insects to the order level. A stonefly is classified as an example.

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

Animal (all animals) Arthropoda (all animals with exoskeletons) lnsecta (all insects) Plecoptera (all stoneflies) Perlidae (Perlid stoneflies) Acroneuria Acroneuria lycorias (Golden Stonefly)

Life Stages of Insects Identifying insects is complicated because of the different stages they pass through during their development. The changes from the egg stage to the adult are often dramatic. The incredible change of a caterpillar into a butterfly is well known; most aquatic insects experience similar changes. The process of changing form during the life cycle is called metamorphosis, of which three types are possible: ametabolous, incomplete, and complete.

Ametabolous Metamorphosis This type of metamorphosis means "without change" and refers to the lack of change between the immature and adult stages. It's found in only a few very primitive orders of insects that have no wings as adults. Some species are semiaquatic.

Incomplete Metamorphosis lnsects with incomplete metamorphosis pass through three distinct stages: egg, nymph, and adult. The time required to complete each stage 1
varies widely, with the greatest amount of time usually spent in the nymphal stage. In most cases, the entire cycle requires one year to complete, although this also varies with different species. Nymphs often look similar to their adult stage. As nymphs mature, the adult wings begin developing in stiff pouch-like structures on the thorax called wing pads. This is an obvious and unique characteristic of insects with incomplete metamorphosis. The wing pads on fully mature nymphs will be quite dark, almost black, in color. The orders of aquatic insects with incomplete metamorphosis include:

Female laying eggs Developing nymph

Mayflies (Order Ephemeroptera) Dragonflies and Damselflies (Order Odonata)
Stoneflies (Order Plecoptera) Water Bugs (Order Hemiptera)

Complete Metamorphosis Insects with completemetamorphosispassthrough four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The addition of the pupal stage separates insects with complete metamorphosis from those with incomplete metamorphosis. While the length of time needed to complete each stage again varies widely, the entire cycle usually takes one year. Most of the cycle is generally spent in the larval stage. Unlike nymphs, larvae bear little resemblance to the adults and show no development of wing pads. It is during the pupal stage that the wing pads and other adult features develop. The orders of aquatic insects include:

Emergence 2-5 weeks

months Developing larva

Dobsonflies and Alderflies (Order Megaloptera) Caddisflies (Order Trichoptera) Aquatic Moths (Order Lepidoptera) Aquatic Flies (Order Diptera) Aquatic Beetles (Order Coleoptera)

Growth And Development The growth of insects occurs in a series of stages called instars. The exoskeleton of insects must be periodically shed in order for growth to continue. The process of shedding the old exoskeleton is called molting. When the old exoskeleton is cast aside, a new, slightly larger one is present underneath. The old empty exoskeleton is often referredto as a shuck. Except for mayflies, molting stops once the insect reaches the winged adult stage. Most insects molt five or six times during their development. Mayflies, stoneflies, dragonflies, and damselflies, however, may molt 15-30 times before reaching their adult stage.
Recognizing the insect's stage and degree of development can help anglers determine what insect to imitate. Mature nymphs and larvae often become more active in the water as they move to emergence or pupation sites. This increased activity makes them more availableto fish and thus makes them more important to imitate. Looking for and imitating the most mature insects will normally produce the best fishing.

One of the most vulnerable periods in the insect's life cycle is during emergence from the immature to the adult stage. At the time of emergence, mature nymphs or pupae typically crawl out of the water or swim to the water's surface. Those that emerge in the surfacefilm must break through the surface tension, which can take from several seconds to over a minute. Thus, during emergence the shelter of the lake or stream bottom no longer protects insects. Fish readily take advantage of the insects' vulnerability and often feed selectively on emerging nymphs or pupae. The angler who recognizesthis activity will find fish fast by imitating the shape and action of the natural prey.
Adult insects often rest on the water's surface after emerging from the nymphal or pupal shuck. Then, after mating, most aquatic insects return to the water to lay their eggs. lnsects resting or laying eggs on the surface provide fish with many easy meals.
Source: An Angler's Guide to Aquatic lnsects and their Imitations, Hafele and Roederer, 1987.

Field Directions for Chemical Monitoring
Settleable Solids
1. Fill lmhoff cone to 1 liter mark. Set aside and wait 45 minutes. 2. Take direct reading in ppm (mgll) from scale on side of cone.
Dissolved Oxygen
Carefully collect the water sample into the glass water sampling bottle, avoiding trapping air bubbles or bubbling air into the sample (which may add dissolved oxygen). *ADD THE REAGENTS WHILE HOLDING THE DROPPER BOTTLES VERTICAL* Add the next two reagents in quick succession. Add 8 drops of Manganous Sulfate Solution and 8 drops of Alkaline Potassium Iodide Azide to the sample. Cap the sample and invert several times. Wait until the precipitate settles below the neck of the bottle before proceeding.
Next, add 8 drops of Sulfuric Acid 1:I. Cap and gently shake until the precipitate dissolves.
The solution is now "fixed" and may range in color from yellow to orange brown.
*Fixed Solution - Contact between the water sample and the atmosphere will not
affect the test result because the dissolved oxygen has been bound into solution and no more oxygen will dissolve into the sample and no dissolved oxygen can be lost from the sample. Place 20 mL of the fixed sample into the glass titration vial. TITRATION STEPS * SWIRL AFTER EACH DROP IS ADDED * Fill the titrator (small syringe) with Sodium Thiosulfate. Make sure no bubbles are in the titrator. Place the titrator into the hole in the cap of the glass titration vial, or, depending on which kit is used, hold the eye dropper above the fixed sample. Slowly add Sodium Thiosulfate from the titrator into the sample. Continue one drop at a time until the solution turns a pale straw yellow color.
*Hint-High light intensity degrades Sodium Thiosulfate - do not allow bottle to be exposed
to the sun for long periods of time. Remove the titrator cap and syringe CAREFULLY so as not to lose any of the Sodium Thiosulfate (you will continue titrating in step 9). Add 8 drops of Starch Solution to the titration vial that is holding the sample. The sample will turn dark blue. Continue titrating with Sodium Thiosulfate ONE DROP AT A TIME until the solution turns from blue to clear. 10.Read the amount of dissolved oxygen in your sample directly from the syringe (direct reading titrator). Tick marks measure 0.2 ppm. Use the tip of the syringe plunger for dissolved oxygen value.
Temperature
- 1. Air temperature place thermometer in shady area and record temperature after reading
stabilizes. Record temperature in degrees Celsius.
2. Water temperature - take the temperature reading of the water in the shade. It is best to
take the temperature reading directly in the stream, but if you cannot, place thermometer directly into a bucket of sample water (in the shade) and record temperature. Take reading after temperature has stabilized (about 2 minutes). Recordtemperature in degrees Celsius.

pH
1. Fill small test tube to the 5 mL line of the glass tube. 2. Add 10 drops of the pH wide range indicator (holding indicator bottle vertical). Cap anc
gently invert the sample several times to ensure mixing. 3. Use the color comparator box to determine pH.
Alkalinity
1. Fill titration tube to 5 mL line with water sample. 2. Add one Phenolphthalein indicator tablet/pillow into the sample. If the sample doesn't turn
red, the phenolphthalein alkalinity is zero (Skip to step 4). If sample turns red, proceed to step 3. 3. Add Sulfuric Acid Standard Solution (or the Alkalinity Titration Reagent B) drop wise, counting drops, until the water becomes colorless. Test result is read where plunger tip is located at the Titrator scale (on the syringe) in ppm. 4. Add one Bromcresol Green-Methyl Red (BCG-MR)tablet to the sample and swirl to mix. 5. Using syringe, begin titrating Sulfuric Acid Standard Solution (or Alkalinity Titration Reagent B) drop wise, counting drops and swirling the sample, until the solution flashes pink and holds purple color for at least 30 seconds (the end point). If no color change occurs after the titrator is emptied, refill and continue the titration, keeping track of the amount added. 6. Once this endpoint is reached, the alkalinity is calculated. The test result is read in ppm where plunger tip is located at the titrator scale (on the syringe).
Nitrate Nitrogen Low Ran-ne (.0-1 mn-1L,)
Fill viewing tube A, rinse and dump. Refill the tube to just below the frosted mark or the bottom line (5 ml) with the sample water. Add the contents of one NitraVerB 6 Nitrate Reagent Powder Pillow to tube A. Cap the tube and shake vigorously for three minutes. Allow this sample to sit undisturbed for thirty seconds. Unoxidizedparticlesof cadium metal will remain in the sample and settle at the bottom of the viewing tube. Rinse tube B with distilled water. Pour the prepared sample into tube B carefully so that the cadmium particles remain in the tube A. Add the contents of one NitraVerB 3 Nitrate Reagent Powder Pillow to the tube B. Stopper tube B and shake for thirty seconds. A red color will develop if nitrate is present. Allow at least 10 minutes, but no more than 20 minutes, before completing steps 7 through 9. Place the nitrogen color comparator disc in the color comparator unit. Place tube B (prepared sample) in the top right opening of the color comparator. Rinse the unoxidized cadmium from tube A used in step 1. Then fill tube A to the frosted (5 ml) mark with the original sample water. Place the untreated sample into the top left opening of the color comparator. Hold the comparator up to a light source such as the sky, a window or a lamp. Look through the openings in front. Rotate the color disc until the color matches in the two openings. Read the mg/L nitrate nitrogen in the scale window. Note: Multiply the mg/L nitrate nitrogen value by 4.4 to obtain the mg/L nitrate.

Medium Range (1-10 mg/L) Fill tube A with distilled or demineralized water. Stopper the tube and shake vigorously. Empty the tube and repeat this procedure. Rinse the plastic dropper with the sample. Fill dropper to the 0.5-mL mark. Add contents of the dropper to tube A. Then add distilled or demineralized water to the frosted mark (5 ml) on tube A
Add one NitraVerB 6 Nitrate Reagent Powder Pillow to the sample. Stopper the tube and shake for 3 minutes. Let sample stand undisturbed for an additional 30 seconds. Unoxidizedparticles of cadmium metal will remain in the sample and settle to the bottom of the viewing tube. Pour the prepared sample into tube B, carefully so that the cadmium particlesremain intube A. Add the contents of one NitraVerB 3 Nitrate Reagent Powder Pillow tube B. Stopper the tube and shake for thirty seconds. A red color will develop if nitrate is present. Allow at least 10 minutes, but no more than 20 minutes, before completing steps 7 through 9. Place tube B (prepared sample) in the top right opening of the color comparator. Rinse the unoxidized cadmium from tube A used in step 2. Fill to the frosted mark (5 ml) with the original sample water. Place the untreated sample into the top left opening of the color comparator. Hold the comparator up to a light source such as the sky, a window or a lamp. Look through the openings in front. Rotate the color disc until the color matches in the two openings. 10. Readthe mg/L nitrate nitrogen in the scale window. Multiply that reading by 10 to obtain the mg/L nitrate nitrogen present in the sample. To obtain the results as mg/L nitrate (NO3) multiply by 4.4.
Ammonia Nitrogen (Range: 0-3.0 mg/L)
1. Rinse two glass sample tubes with the sample water to be tested and dump. 2. Fill both tubes with sample water to 5 ml mark. 3. Add Ammonia Salicylate Reagent Powder Pillow to Tube A. Cap and shake until all the
powder is dissolved. Wait three minutes. 4. Add the contents of Ammonia Cyanurate Reagent Powder Pillow to Tube A. Cap the tube
and shake until all the powder is dissolved. Allow at least 15 minutes for the color to fully develop. 5. Clean the outsides of both tubes and insert Tube A (color developed tube) into the right-
hand opening of color comparator. Insertthe untreated sample water (tube 8)into left hand
opening. 6. Hold comparator up to the light such as the sky, a window or a lamp and view the samples
through the two openings on the front. Rotate the color disc until a color match is obtained. 7. Read the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in mg/L (N).
Phosphate
Low Range 0-1 mg/L Phosphate 1. Fill the square mixing bottle to the 20 mL mark with the water to be tested.
2. Add one PhosVerB 3 Phosphate Reagent Powder Pillow to the sample and swirl to mix. Allow at least 2, but no more than 10 minutes for color development. If phosphate is present, a blue violet color will develop.
3. Insert the lengthwise viewing adapter into the comparator. 4. Fill one sample tube to the line underlining "Cat. 1730-00"with the prepared sample. If not
using 1730-00 tubes, this line will be found approximately 1 inch below the top of the tube. 5. Place the tube into the comparator opening. 6. Fill the other sample tube with untreated water to the mark and insert it into the comparator
opening.

7. Rotate disc to obtain a color match. Read the concentration of the measured parameter through the scale window.
8. Divide the reading from the scale window by 50 to obtain the mg/L phosphate (P04). To obtain the value as mg/L phosphorus (P), divide by 3.
Medium Range, 0-5 mg/L Phosphate 1. Perform steps 1 and 2 of the Low Range Procedure. 2. Fill one of the color viewing tubes to the lowest mark with the prepared sample. lnsert it into the top right opening of the color comparator. 3. Fill the other tube to the lowest mark with the untreated sample. lnsert this tube into the top left opening of the color comparator. 4. Rotate the disc to get a color match. Divide the value by 3 to obtain the mg/L of Phosphorus.
High Range, 0-50 mg/L Phosphate 1. Rinse the square mixing bottle with demineralized water. Add 2.0 mL of the water to be tested by twice filling the dropper to the 1.O mL mark with the sample and discharging it into the mixing bottle. 2. Add demineralized water to the mixing bottle to the 20 mL mark. Swirl to mix.
3. Add one PhosVerB 3 Phosphate Reagent Powder Pillow to the sample and swirl to mix. Allow at least 2 minutes, but no more than 10 minutes for color development. If phosphate is present a blue violet color will develop.
4. Fill one of the color viewing tubes to the lowest mark with the prepared sample. lnsert it into the top right opening of the color comparator.
5. Fill the other tube to the lowest mark with the untreated sample. lnsert this tube into the top left opening of the color comparator.
6. Rotate the disc to get a color match. Divide the value by 3 to obtain the mg/L of Phosphorus.
Conductivity
We are currently field-testing several conductivity meters to determine the most suitable unit for volunteer monitoring. For updates please visit our website, www.qeoriaaadoptastream.com.
Salinity
1. Fill the titration vial to the line with Demineralized water from the Demineralizer bottle. Be as precise as you can.
2. Using the pipette that ranges from 0 to 1.O, fill the pipette with sample water to the zero mark (volume = 1.0 mL). Wipe off any excess sample water from the pipette tip. lnsert pipette into titration vial.
3. Add only 0.5mL of the sample water from the pipette (from the zero mark to the 0.5 mark). Remove pipette from vial and lay pipette aside.
4. Remove top from titration vial, and add 3 drops of the yellow-colored chromate indicator reagent; replace titration vial cap, and mix well.
5. Fill the other pipette (that ranges from 0-20) with Silver Nitrate titration reagent. (NOTE: Silver nitrate is clear, but when it dries, it leaves a dark brown or black stain. 'You might notice such spots on your hands and fingers and possibly clothes if not wearing gloves).
6. Place pipette in top of titration vial. Add silver nitrate solution one drop at a time, with plenty of swirl mixing after each drop. The end-point will be when the yellow solution turns orange and stays orange.
7. When the end point is reached, read the pipette to determine the volume of silver nitrate added. NOTE that the pipette "numbers" are in twos, and thus each small hash-mark between numbers represent 0.4. The volume of silver nitrate added equals the numerical value of the salinity (in ppt).

Secchi Disk
The Secchi disk is a disk 20 centimeters in diameter with black and white quadrants (or solidwhite).
1. Attached to a calibrated line, lower disc into the water until it just disappears from sight. 2. Note the depth (distance from disk to the surface of the water). 3. Slowly raise the disc until it reappears. Note the depth again. 4. Take the average of the two readings. This is known as "Secchi Depth," and it is usually
measuredin meters. If the Secchi disk reachesthe bottom before disappearing,the Secchi Depth is greater than the water depth and cannot be accurately measured. When this occurs, a notation must be added to the Secchi Depth reading in your data.

Biological Testing Equipment - Prices as of 51-11/06

BioQuip Products 2321 Gladwick Street Rancho Dominquez, CA 90220 ph 310-667-8800 www.bioquip.com (on-line catalog included)

Heavy Duty Aquatic Nets D-frame net (code # 7412D)
Screen Barrier Net kick seine net (code #7436)
Larval tray (code # 1426B)
Forceps (code # 4734)
Glass Vials with plastic Screw caps (code 8802P)

$55.40 - 1 x Ifeet
$42.90 - 3 x 3 feet
$8.20 for 1-11 trays $7.55 for 12 or more $2.85 for 1-11 forceps $2.60 for 12 or more
$4.50 per dozen - 2 drams

lzaak Walton League's SOS kick seine
Watershed Program Sales 707 Conservation Lane Gaithersberg, MD 301-548-9409 www. iwla/org/sos/sostools

Kick seine with poles D-frame nets

$41.25 1/16 mesh $52.25

Remember-You Can Also Make Your Own Kick Seine!

Ward's Natural Science 5100 W. Henrietta Road Rochester, New York 14692-9012 1-800-962-2660 * www.wardsci.com

Forceps (code 14 V 0520)
Glass Vials with Plastic Screw Caps 2 dram (code 17 V 0163)
D-frame nets (code 10 V 0620)

$3.25 each
$5.88 each min order a dozen $39.95

Note: Sorting trays can usually be found at your local Kmart, Wal-Mart or Target for a much lower price. Plastic syringes with large (or cut) openings are great for sucking up larvae to transport to other trays. Plastic spoons are handy tools for moving bugs from one tray to another. Ice trays work great for sorting specimens.

b

b

PhysicaUChemical Testing Equipment - Prices as of 511 1/06

LaMotte Company
802 Washington Avenue Chestertown, MD 21620 1-800-344-3100 www.lamotte.com

Shallow Water Outfit (code 5854-01ICMS) Dissolved Oxygen (code 5860)
-all liquid reagents pH (code 5858) Thermometer (code 1066)

$191.OO $44.70
$47.30 $6.20

lmhoff Cone w/ stand W/Ostand
Refractometer (code 5-0020) Secchi Disk (code 0171)
(code 0171-cl) Alkalinity (code 4533-DR)

$89.00 $34.65 $82.20 $34.70 $55.00 $39.90

measures temp., DO, pH and Turbidity* *AAS does not use the LaMotte turbidity test measures 0-1Oppm in .2ppm increments
measures 3.0-10.5ppm in .5ppm increments non-hazardous biodegradable, filled with white oil, citrus oil and dark green dye
no line with calibrated line (20 meters) measures 0-200 ppm in 4ppm increments

Replacement Reagents:
Shallow Water Outfit Replacement Reagents (code R-5854-01) -includes DO, pH and Turbidity*
Dissolved Oxygen (code R-5860) pH (code 2218-G) Alkalinity (code R-4533-DR) Titrator -Syringe (code 0377)
measures 0-1Oppm

$42.1 0
$26.50 $ 7.50 $16.90 $ 4.95

Hach Company PO Box 389 Loveland, Colorado 80539-0389 1-800-227-4224 www. hach.com
Nitrogen-Nitrate Kit, Model NI-14 (code: 1416100) Reagent replacement
Nitriver 3 (code 1407899) Nitriver 6 (code 1412099 )
Nitrogen-Ammonia, Mid-Range NI-SA (code: 2428700) Reagent replacement
Ammonia Salicylate (code 23952-66) Ammonia Cyanurate (code 23954-66)
PO4- Orthophosphates, Model PO-19 (code: 224800)
Reagent Replacement Phosver 3 (220999)

$56.60 (0-1 & 0-10 mg/L)
$16.10 - 100 packets
$25.50 - 100 packets
$61.20 (0-2.5 mg/L)
$22.80- 50 packets
$14.30 - 50 packets
$71.30 (0-1, 0-5, 0-50 mg/L)
$17.90 - 100 packets

Forestry Supplier, Inc PO Box 8397 Jackson, MS 39284-8397 800-647-5368 http://www.forestry-suppliers.com
lmhoff Cone and Stand (code: 76917)
Ward's Natural Science 5100 W. Henrietta Road Rochester, New York 14692-9012 1-800-962-2660 www. wardsci.com
Secchi Disc (code: 21 V 0110) Refractometer (code: 25 V 4546) lmhoff Cone (no stand) (code: 18 V 1574)
General Lab and Field Supplies:
Rubber boots - Georgia ~ u b b eCr ompany, Forestry Supply, Ben Meadows Company,
Grainger Industrial Supply are some stores that carry boots and waders.

How To Make A Kick Seine
For collecting macroinvertebrates (Courtesy of the Tennessee Valley Authority)

Materials:
3 foot by 3 foot piece of nylon or metal window screening 4 strips of heavy canvas (6 inches by 36 inches) 2 broom handles or wooden dowels (5 or 6 feet long) finishing nails thread sewing machine hammer iron and ironing board

Procedure:
. Fold edges of canvas strips under, 112 inch, and press with iron. . Sew 2 strips at top and bottom and then use other 2 strips to make casings
for broom handles or dowels on left and right sides. Sew bottom of casings shut. 3. Insert broom handles or dowels into casings and nail into place with finishing nails.

Speed method:

*--*.*-*--..-

T-&,- -.4-

1. Lay 3 foot by 3 foot piece of screening

----*"-----"

1

over broom handles. 2. Staple or nail screen to broom handles.

... . .** .

Habitat Enhancement Glossary Of Stream Related Terms Macroinvertebrate Field Guide for Georgia's Streams

Habitat Enhancement
(from Protecting Community Streams: A Guidebook for Local Governments in Georgia, Atlanta Regional Commission, 1994)
Stream habitat enhancement projects directly improve the health of streams by improving the adjacent (riparian) area, stream bank, or streambed habitat. All three of these areas function together to make up a stream ecosystem.
Stream habitat enhancement projects can be complicated. Check with your local Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cooperative Extension Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, or a private consultant to be sure your efforts will yield the results you seek. Also, a Corps of Engineers permit may be needed before any material is placed in a stream or adjacent wetlands. Small projects are usually exempt. Call the Corps' office for more information on Georgia streams, 678-422-2721 (North Georgia) and 229-430-8566(South Georgia).
Stream habitat enhancement projects may occur on private property with permission of landowners or on public property in cooperation with the local or State agency responsible for property management. Habitat enhancement projects involve three major activities:
o riparian reforestation o streambank stabilization o streambed restoration
Riparian Reforestation
The contribution of trees and woody understory vegetation to the maintenance of stream health cannot be overstated. Streamside forested areas not only provide habitat, shade, and forage for both aquatic and land-based species, but their ability to filter pollutants and
rainfall provides a buffer - a last line of defense - from watershed runoff. Restoring
streamside areas is one of the most cost-effective steps a community or Adopt-A-Stream program can take to protect stream health. The objective should be to replicate or mimic the natural ecosystem as much as possible; therefore, a mix of young and older native plant and tree species are preferred. Follow these steps to conduct a riparian reforestation
Evaluate current water quality conditions -take "before"picturesand/or conduct physical/chemical, biological or visual assessments. Choose a site(s) that needs additional vegetation to protect water quality from stormwater runoff. Purchase a variety of plants that will tolerate wet conditions. Plant trees, shrubs and grasses in the area immediately adjacent to your stream. Plant enough so that the vegetation will actually protect the stream - filter pollutants from stormwater, stop sediment from entering water, etc. Water after planting and as needed. Check each week for four to six weeks to ensure that plants are healthy.
Once plants are well established, evaluate water quality improvement - take
"after" photograph and/or compare with initial water quality tests.

Streambank Stabilization
If you have an eroding or collapsing streambank, you need to first determine the cause of the problem. Streambank erosion occurs for a number of reasons, including increased stream velocity, obstacles in the stream, floating debris, wave action, and direct rainfall. Streambank failure occurs when a large section of streambank collapses into the stream channel. Among the causes of streambank failure are downcutting of the streambed and undercutting of the bank, increased load on the top of the bank, and internal pressure from uneven water absorption.
Selection of an appropriate bank stabilization methodrequirescareful analysis of each site. No single method is appropriate in all situations. Technical advice will often be needed. Consult the Soil and Water Conservation Commission's "Guidelines for Streambank Restoration".
One technique to stabilize streambanks is called "soil bioengineering",which involves using vegetation as the structural control to stabilize banks. Plantings of woody vegetation, such as willows (either as individual live cuttings or in bundles of cuttings), grow into a dense network of protective vegetation. See Figures 1 and 2. The vegetation's root structure provides resistanceto the sliding and shear displacementforces involved in slope erosion.

Figure 1 -Willow plantings

Figure 2

In some cases, a solely vegetative approach may be all that is needed. In others, conditions such as excessive stream velocities or poor soil conditions may require a combination of vegetative and structural elements (such as stone walls or bulkheads). See figure 3

Figure 3
Streambed Restoration
Prior to any streambed restoration, upstream conditions should be assessed. Without corrective measures or retrofitting upstream, stormwater flows could quickly destroy any streambed restoration work. If the stream is in equilibrium, or if appropriate corrective measures are in place, streambed restorationcan recreatethe habitat conditions neededto support aquatic life. Several goals may be accomplished when restoring a streambed, including:
Replacement of pools and riffles (in north Georgia and Piedmont areas) Velocity control Restoration of the stream gradient and normal flow channel Removal of major stream obstructions Restoration of suitable channel patterns such as:
Meandering - repetitive bends Irregular - more or less straight Braided - stream separates and rejoins around islands
Restoration of substrate (removal of sediment and replacement with gravel and cobbles, as appropriate)
of these techniques permit the stream water flows to work to restore healthier streambed conditions; others require excavation and physical realignment of the stream channel. Three basic techniques include deflectors, in-stream boulders and drop structures.
Deflectors can easily be constructed from common, local materials such as cobbles, boulders and logs and are adaptable to a variety of conditions and stream sizes. They are sited in the channel with the intent of deflecting the current into a narrower channel.

Deflectors can use the streamflow for a variety of purposes, including deepening channels, developing downstreampools, enhancing poollriffle ratiosand assisting in the restorationof meander patterns with channeled reaches. There are several deflector designs. Figure 4 (left) shows a simple double "wing deflector" that consists of rock structures on each bank deflecting the streamflow to a central channel. Single deflectors along one bank are also used as shown in Figure4 (center). Deflectorscan be offset on opposite banks of a stream to imitate meanders, as shown in Figure 4 (right). (Pennsylvania DER, 1986).
A third type of deflector is the V-type, which is placed in the middle of the channel with the point of the "V" pointing upstream deflecting water towards both banks. This type of deflector helps re-establish riffles and pools downstream. An underpass deflector is a log placed across a small stream several inches off the bottom. Water is deflected under the log, which helps remove sediment deposits and restore pools. (Gore, Ed. 1985) (Kumble, 1990).
Figure 4 - wing deflector (left), single deflector (center) and double deflector (right)
Drop structures include a number of variations such as weirs, check dams, sills and plunges. They can serve a variety of functions in streambed restoration depending upon their design, including: slowing stream flow; deepening existing pools; and creating new pools upstream and downstream. Structures with notches can be used to control heavy stormwater flows and can help re-establish deep pools immediately downstream. Drop structures can be made of concrete, logs or boulders. Log or boulder structures can be used to replicate small falls or rapids. Single log dams across a streambed are simple and effective in restoring plunge pools (figure 5). The K-dam is a variant of the single log dam, so named by adding downstream bracing. In some areas, especially headwater areas, reintroducing beavers has been effective in restoring the habitat. Their dams function as drop structures in headwaters and on small streams.
Figure 5

Boulder placement is a third in-channel treatment that can assist streambed restoration.

Boulders can be used to reduce velocity, restore pools and riffles, restore meanders,

provide cover and protect eroded banks by deflecting flow. Boulders can be placed

randomly or in a pattern. Placing them

in a "V" pointed upstream produces eddies that replicate riffles as well as

w-

-2-v-4 ----tt-3"p

restores downstream pools (Figure 6).

Combined with placement of cobbles

and gravel, boulder placement can also

help restore the stream substrate.

L-Swrn

wA4LL-d/2:--JzA

Excavation and fill may also be necessary to restore the stream

Figure 6

gradient, the normal flow channel and the stream channel pattern, including meanders and

braids, where appropriate. Channel pattern restoration should be combined with

streambank restoration and re-vegetation.

Streams that have been severely degraded by large amounts of sediment or heavy stormwater flows may require greater restoration work. Sediment may have to be removed mechanically and replaced with gravel and cobbles to replicate the original streambed. Major debris accumulation that is obstructing flows may also need removal.

Additional references:

Guidelines for Streambank Restoration. Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. 1994. A Georgia Guide to Controlling EROSION with Vegetation. Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. 1994. Protecting Community Streams: A Guidebook for Local Governments in Georgia. Atlanta Regional Commission. 1994. Gore, James A., editor. The Restoration of Rivers and Streams. 1985. Barnett, John L. Stream RestorationAlong the Greenways in Boulder, Colorado. 1991. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Resources. A Streambank Stabilization and Management Guide for Pennsylvania Landowners. 1986.

Glossary Of Stream Related Terms
Accuracy - a measure of how close repeated trials are to the desired target.
Acid rain - rain with a pH of less than 5.6; results from atmospheric moisture mixing
with sulfur and nitrogen oxides emitted from burning fossil fuels; causes damage to buildings, car finishes, crops, forests, and aquatic life.
Acidity - a measure of the number of free hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution that can
chemically react with other substances.
Algae - simple plants which do not grow true roots, stems, or leaves and live mainly in
water, providing a base for the food chain.
Algal bloom - a heavy growth of algae in and on a body of water as a result of high nitrate and phosphate concentrationsfrom farm fertilizers and detergents.
Alkalinity - a measure of the negative ions available to react and neutralize free
hydrogen ions. Some of most common of these include hydroxide (OH), sulfate (SO4), phosphate (P04), bicarbonate (HC03) and carbonate (C03)
Ambient - pertaining to the current environmental condition.
Assemblage - the set of related organisms that represent a portion of a biological community (e.g., benthic macroinvertebrates).
Benthic - pertaining to the bottom (bed) of a water body.
Best management practices - an engineered structure or management activity, or
combination of these, that eliminates or reduces an adverse environmental effect of pollutants.
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) - the amount of oxygen consumed by
microorganisms as they decompose organic materials in water.
Biological criteria - numerical values or narrative descriptions that depict the biological
integrity of aquatic communities in that state. May be listed in State water quality standards.
Channel - the section of the stream that contains the main flow.
Channelization - the straightening of a stream; this is often a result of human activity.
Chemical constituents - chemical components that are part of a whole.
Clear cutting - felling and removing all trees in a forest area.

Cobble stone -Stones 2-10 inches in diameter, among which aquatic insects are commonly found.
Combined sewer overflow (CSO) - sewer systems in which sanitary waste and
stormwater are combined in heavy rains; this is especially common in older cities. The discharge from CSOs is typically untreated.
Community - the whole of the plant and animal population inhabiting a given area.
Culvert - a man-made closed passageway (such as a pipe) under roadways and
embankments, which drains surface water and diverts the natural flow.
Designated uses - state-established desirable uses that waters should support, such as
fishing, swimming, and aquatic life. Listed in State water quality standards.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) - oxygen dissolved in water and available for living organisms
to use for respiration.
Distilled water - water that has had most of its impurities removed.
Dredge - to remove sediments from the stream bed to deepen or widen the channel.
Effluent - an out-flowing branch of a main stream or lake; waste material (i.e. liquid
industrial refuse, sewage) discharged into the environment.
Ecoregion - geographic areas that are distinguished from others by ecological
characteristics such as climate, soils, geology, and vegetation.
Embeddedness - the degree to which rocks in the streambed are surrounded by
sediment.
Emergent plants - plants rooted underwater, but with their tops extending above the
water.
Erosion - the wearing away of land by wind or water.
Eutrophication - the natural and artificial addition of nutrients to a waterbody, which may
lead to depleted oxygen concentrations. Eutrophication is a natural process that is frequently accelerated and intensified by human activities.
Floating plants - plants that grow freefloating, rather than being attached to the stream
bed.
Flocculent (floc) - a mass of particles that form into a clump as a result of a chemical
reaction.
Glidehun - section of a stream with a relatively high velocity and with little or no
turbulence on the surface of the water.

Fish kill - the sudden death of fish due to the introduction of pollutants or the reduction
of dissolved oxygen concentration in a water body.
Floodplain - a low area of land surrounding streams or rivers which holds the overflow
of water during a flood.
Flow - the direction of movement of a stream or river.
Groundwater - a supply of fresh water under the earth's surface which forms a natural
reservoir.
Headwaters - the origins of a stream.
Hypoxia - depletion of dissolved oxygen in an aquatic system.
Impairment - degradation.
Impoundment - a body of water contained by a barrier, such as a dam.
Land uses - activities that take place on the land, such as construction, farming, or tree
clearing.
Leaching - the process in which material in the soil (such as nutrients, pesticides,
chemicals) are washed into lower layers of soil or are dissolved and carried away by water.
Macroinvertebrate - organisms that lack a backbone and can be seen with the naked
eye.
Nonpoint source pollution - pollution that cannot be traced to a specific point, but rather
from many individual places (e.g., urban and agricultural runoff).
NPDES - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, a national program in which
pollution dischargers such as factories and sewage treatment plants are given permits to discharge. These permits contain limits on the pollutants they are allowed to discharge.
Nutrient -substance which is necessary for growth of all living things (i.e. phosphorous, nitrogen and carbon).
Orthophosphate - inorganic phosphorus dissolved in water.
Outfall - the pipe through which industrial facilities and wastewater treatment plants
discharge their effluent (wastewater) into a waterbody.
Permeable - porous; having openings through which liquid or gaseous substances can
penetrate.

Pesticide - a chemical that kills insects and rodents. Pesticides can poison aquatic life
when they reach surface waters through runoff.
pH - a numerical measure of the hydrogen ion concentration used to indicate the
alkalinity or acidity of a substance. Measured on a scale of 1.0 (acidic) to 14.0 (basic); 7.0 is neutral.
Phosphorus - a nutrient that is essential for plants and animals.
Photosynthesis- the chemical reaction in plants that utilizes light energy from the sun
to convert water and carbon dioxide into simple sugars. This reaction is facilitated by chlorophyll.
Point source pollution - a type of pollution that can be tracked down to a specific source such as a factory discharge pipe.
Pollutant - something that makes land, water or air dirty and unhealthful.
Pool - deeper portion of a stream where water flows more slowly than in neighboring,
shallower portions.
Precision - a measure of how close the results of repeated trials are to each other.
Protocol - defined procedure.
Reagent - a substance or chemical used to indicate the presence of a chemical or to
induce a chemical reaction to determine the chemical characteristics of a solution.
Riffle - a shallow area of a stream or river with a fast-moving current bubbling over
rocks.
Riparian - of or pertaining to the banks of a body of water.
Riparian zone - the vegetated area on each bank of a body of water.
Riprap - rocks used on an embankment to protect against bank erosion.
Runoff - water, including rain and snow, which is not absorbed into the ground but instead flows across the land and eventually runs into streams and rivers. Runoff can pick up pollutants from the air and land, carrying them into the stream.
Saturated - inundated; filled to the point of capacity or beyond.
Sediment - soil, sand, and materials washed from land into waterways. Other
pollutants may attach to sediment and be carried into the stream.
Sedimentation - when soil particles (sediment) settle to the bottom of a waterway.

Septic tank - a domestic wastewater treatment system into which wastes are piped
directly from the home; bacteria decompose the organic waste, sludge settles to the bottom of the tank, and the treated effluent flows out into the ground through drainage pipes.
Sheen - the glimmering effect that oil has on water as light is reflected more sharply off
the surface.
Silviculture - forestry and the commercial farming of trees.
Slumping - sections of soil on a streambank that have come loose and slipped into the
stream.
Stagnation - when there is little water movement and pollutants are trapped in the same
area for a long period of time.
Submergent plants - plants that live and grow fully submerged under the water.
Substrate - refers to a surface. This includes the material comprising the stream bed or
the surfaces to which plants or animals may attach or upon which they live.
Surface water - precipitation which does not soak into the ground or return to the
atmosphere by evaporation or transpiration and is stored in streams, lakes, wetlands, and reservoirs.
Taxon (plural taxa) - a level of classification within a scientific system that categorizes living organisms based on their physical characteristics.
Taxonomic key - a quick reference guide used to identify organisms. They are available
in varying degrees of complexity and detail.
Tolerance - the ability to withstand a particular condition, e.g., pollution-tolerant
indicates the ability to live in polluted waters.
Toxic substances - poisonous matter (either chemical or natural) which causes
sickness, disease and/or death to plants or animals.
Tributaries - a body of water that drains into another, typically larger, body of water.
Turbidity - murkiness or cloudiness of water, indicating the presence of some
suspended sediments, dissolved solids, natural or man-made chemicals, algae, etc.
Undercutting - a type of erosion which occurs when fine soils are swept away by the action of the stream, especially around curves. The result is an unstable overhanging bank.
Water cycle - the cycle of the earth's water supply from the atmosphere to the earth and
back which includes precipitation, transpiration, evaporation, runoff, infiltration, and storage in water bodies and groundwater.

Water quality criteria - maximum concentrations of pollutants that are acceptable, if
those waters are to meet water quality standards. Listed in State water quality standards.
Water quality standards - written goals for State waters, established by each State and
approved by EPA.
Watershed - land area from which water drains to a particular water body.
Water table - the upper level of groundwater.
Waterway - a natural or man-made route for water to run through (such as a river,
stream, creek, or channel).
Wetland - an area of land that is regularly wet or flooded, such as a marsh or swamp.

Aquatic Macroinvertebrate
~ k l Gduide for
Georgia's Streams
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream

Biological Monitoring
The purpose of biological monitoring is to quickly assess both water quality and habitat based on the presence of macroinvertebrates. The abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates indicate overall stream quality. Macroinvertebrates include aquatic insects, crustaceans, and mollusks that live in various stream habitats and derive their oxygen from water. These insects and crustaceans are impacted by all the stressesthat occur in a stream environment, both man-made and naturally occurring. The basic principle behind the study of macroinvertebrates is that some species are more sensitive to pollution than others. Some species are very sensitive to pollution and therefore will not be able to survive in degraded waters, while those which are tolerant to pollution will be the dominate organisms found in degraded waters.
Populations of macroinvertebratesmay diier in North and South Georgia. For example, since this biological index is based on dissolved oxygen, the "sensitive" organisms that require a lot of oxygen, such as the stonefly,may not be found in warm, slow-moving streams in South Georgia. It does not mean the stream has bad water quality or habitat, just that streams in North and South Georgia support different populations of macroinvertebrates. For this reason, we recommend monitoring each season for severalyears to determine the biological trends in your stream. While monitoring you may encounter invasive species like the Green Mussel or Asian Clam. After documenting this information, you should contact our office to report your findings.

The publication of the document was supported by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and was financed in part through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the provisions of Section 319(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, at a cost of $2.00per field guide. May 11,2006.

Using This Field Guide
This field guide was created to aid Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) biological monitors in the identification of macroinvertebrates in the field. The guide features illustrations which show common characteristics as well as detailed descriptions of each macroinvertebrate.
With this information volunteer monitors will be able to identdy
macroinvertebratesto the order or family level. After obtaining a representative sample according to the AAS
protocols found in the Biological and Chemical Monitoring Manual, compare macroinvertebrates to the illustrations, paying close attention to the body shape and number of legs and tails since the size and color may vary. A description of each macroinvertebrate is also provided to aid in the identificationprocess.
The macroinvertebrates are divided into three categories according to their dissolved oxygen requirements. These three categories are sensitive, somewhat sensitive, and tolerant. Species in the sensitive category require streams that have high levels of dissolved oxygen, which support species such as mayfhes, stoneflies, and water pennies. Somewhat-sensitive species such as the net spinning caddisflies and dragonflies can survive in streams with moderate levels of dissolved oxygen. Species in the tolerant category can survive in degraded streams with low to zero dissolved oxygen levels. Tolerant species include aquatic worms, blackflies, and lunged snails. By identlfylng the macroinvertebrates and classlfylng them into their tolerance category, volunteer monitors can determine the overall health of their adopted stream.

Stoneflies
Order: Plecoptera Size: %" to 1%" Tolerance: Sensitive Distinguishing Characteristics:
Two hair-like tails No gills on rear half of body Structurallysimilar to mayfly nymphs, but have two tails instead of the usual three in mayflies 2 claws on each foot

Caddisflies
Order: Trichoptera Size: %" to 1%" Tolerance: Sensitive Distinguishing Characteristics:
~ a & ias cakrpillar-likewith three pairs of legs and tends to curl up- slig-htl.y Two claws at posterior (rear) end May be found in a stick, rock, or leaf case with its head sticking out

Mayfhes
Order: Ephemeroptera

i Common Net Spinning Caddisflies

Size: 94'' to 1"

Order: Trichoptera

Tolerance: Sensitive

Family: Hydropsychidae

Distinguishing

Size: up to 1"

Characteristics:

Tolerance: Somewhat sensitive

Usually three long,

Distinguishing Characteristics:

hair-like tails (but sometimes only two)

Body is caterpillar-like with three of legs

--ax4 - -
$2

Gills present on the rear

and is strongly curved

half of body

Dorsal plates (sclerites) on all

1 hook on each foot

three thoracic segments

Branched gills on the ventral

Water Pennies
Order: Coleoptera

surface of the last two thoracic

segments and most of the

abdominal segments

,\

Size: up to %"

Usually have a bristle-like, setal tuft

Tolerance: Very sensitive

at the end of each anal proleg

I

Distinguishing Characteristics: Looks like a flat, oval disc

Color varies from bright green to dark brown

I

Plates extend from all sides

Cannot survive on rocks covered with excessive algae or inorganic sediment

Dobsonflies/Hellgrammites and Fishflies

Riffle Beetles

Order: Megaloptera Size: %If to 4"

Order: Coleoptera

Tolerance: Somewhat sensitive

Size: '/16" to '/811

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Tolerance: Sensitive

Stout body with large pinching jaws

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Eight pairs of pointed lateral

Very small

appendages

Dobsonfly

~ a i ckolored

X

the rear end of the body a pair

Larva

Adult riffle beetles will be found walking on the bottom of the stream

of stubby, unjointed legs (proieg),

(

Aauatic SniDe Flies

each with a pair of claws

I

Dobsonflies/Hellgrammites have paired

cotton-like gill tufts, fishflies lack these

I

order: Diptera

Fishflies have two short tube-like

1

Size: 74''to 1"

structures on the tail end

Tolerance: Sensitive

Distinguishing Characteristics:

1

Body is pale brown to green color

1

Mostly cylindrical,with the front tapering to a cone-shaped point

Larva have a number of mostly paired caterpillar-likeprolegs

1

Two stout, pointed tails with featheryhairs at back end

Fishfly

Fishfly

1

Adult

Larva
1

1

ifli lies and Dragonflies
Order: Odonata Size: %" to 2" Tolerance: Somewhat sensitive Distinguishing Characteristics:
Both have large eyes, six legs, and a large lower lip that covers
much of the bottom of the head Damselflies are slender and have three oar shaped tails (gills) Dragonflies have a stocky body without tails

Dragonfly Larva
Order: Diptera Size: l/3" to 2 34' Tolerance: Somewhat sensitive Distinguishing Characteristics:
Worm-like plump body Can be found in a variety of colors (clear, white, brown, and green) Segmented body with finger-like projections (gills) at the back end Head is usually pulled back into the front of the body

Damselfly

Midge Flies

Order: Diptera

Size: UP to 72' Tolerance: Tolerant

E

\

f'

They can indicate poor stream

health caused by pollution

if found in large numbers Distinguishing characteristics:
Often whitish to clear, but

r" \

/'

\ \

occasionallybright red

Segmented body

Has distinct head with two small

prolegs in the front of the body

Display a spastic squirming action in the water

Black Flies

Order: Diptera

-- - S--i-z-e.i-irn

tn

U
'

"

Tolerance: Tolerant

Distinguishing Characteristics:
he-body isvlargerat the rear end

'

similar to the shape of a bowling pin

The distinct head contains fan-like mouth brushes

Oftencurl into a "u" shape when held in your hand

CRUSTACEANS
Crayfish
Order: Decapoda
Size: up to s
Tolerance: Somewhat sensitive Can withstand large ranges of pH and temperatures and is sensitive to toxic substances
Distinguishing Characteristics: Resembles a lobster Has 10 legs and the two front legs have large claws or pinchers
Aquatic SowBug
Order: Isopoda Size: 94''-%'I Tolerance: Somewhat sensitive Distinguishing Characteristics:
Flat, segmented body Has an "armored appearance Seven pairs of legs Can be confusedwith they are flattened top
scuds
Order: Amphipoda Size: l/a" to Yil' Tolerance: Somewhat sensitive Distinguishing Characteristics:
Resemble a small shrimp Translucent body with silvery-gray or tan coloration Seven pairs of legs Unlike sow bugs, scuds are flattened side to side

, -
%;,'-

%,,-

?A

5"%

-
---

7~ I!-

?'7ill1-
9xl1,- -
%,,-

WORMS

%' -1,1'-

Aquatic Worms

%,,-

Class: Oligochaeta

%,,-

Size: Usually 1"but up to 4"

?A

Tolerance: Tolerant Distinguishing Characteristics:

3"?h - -
74;-

Can be verv, tiny, and slender or look similarto earthworms ?ill-

No legs, distinct head or any mouthparts Segmented body

?'ill-
%,,% -

Aquatic worms can indicate organic pollution when they

dominate the majority of the sample collection

Leeches
Class: Hirudinea Size: 94''to 2" Tolerance: Tolerant Distinguishing Characteristics:
somewhat dimy, soft, segmented body
Two suckers on the underside of the body, one in the front and one in the rear Can be confused with a flatworm, however flatworms have no suckers and leeches have fine lines (annuli) across the body

MOLLUSKS
Gilled Snails
Class: Gastro~oda Size: 94"-1" Tolerance: Sensitive
Gill breathing; therefore, they are more sensitive to low dissolved oxygen than lunged snails Distin~ishingCharacteristics: ~ s u ~oplenls ~to the right when the narrow end is pointing upward Shell opening covered by a thick plate (operculum) When monitoring, do not count empty shells
Lunged Snails
Class: &stropoda Size: up to 2" Tolerance: Tolerant
They can tolerate severe organic or nutrient pollution that consumes oxygen in the water Distinguishing Characteristics: Usually opens to the left when the narrow end is pointing upward Have no operculum and breathe oxygen from the air When monitoring, do not count empty shells
Clams and Mussels
Class: Bivalvia Size: up to 5" Tolerance: Somewhat sensitive Distinguishing Characteristics:
Fleshy body enclosed between two .. .
clamped shells If alive, the shells cannot be pried apart When monitoring, do not count empty shells
SPECIAL THANKS: This field guide draws on the experience of many professionals. GeorgiaAdopt-AStream gratefully acknowledges the following people for their advice and support:
Tommy Moorman, Scientific Artist
Sue Eggert, Ph.D., Department of Ecology, University of Georgia
Broughton A. Galdwell, Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Division of Plant IndustrylFlorida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
REFERENCES:
Brigham, A.R., W.U. Brigham, and A. Gnilka (eds.) 1982. The aquatic insects and oligochaetes of North and South Carolina. Midwest Aquatic Enterprises, Mahomet, IL. lzaak Walton League of America, 2003. A Volunteer Monitor's Field Guide to Aquatic macroinvertebrates. McCafferty,W P 1981. Aquatic Entomology, The Fisherman's and Ecologists Illustrated Guide to Insects and Their Relatives. Science Book International, Boston, MA. Merritt. R.W.. and K.W. Cummings (eds.) 1996. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America. 3rd edition. KendallIHunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, IA. Thorpe, J.H. and AJ? Covich (eds.) 1991. Ecology and classification of North American freshwater invertebrates.Academic Press,San Diego, CA. Voshell, J R 2002. A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America. The McDonald &Woodward Publishing Company. Blackburg, VA.

Georgia Adopt-A-Stream
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AM) is a statewide volunteer water quality monitoring program. AAS is housed in the NonPoint Source Program in the Watershed Protection Branch of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and is funded by Section 319(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The program is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the State's nonpoint source pollution and water quality issues. To accomplish these goals, AAS encourages individuals and communities to monitor and improve sections of streams, wetlands, lakes or coastalwaters.
AAS offers many levels of involvement. At the most basic level, a new group may register their site with AAS and complete a watershed and visual study. If volunteers wish to learn more about their adopted body of water, they are encouraged to attend one of our hands-on workshops in biological or chemical monitoring. These free workshops are provided across the State and are taught by certified AAS Trainers.
AAS has more than 60 Community/Watershed Programs that organize monitoring activitiesin their watershed,county,or city. These local AAS programs use the AAS model to promote nonpoint source pollutioneducation and data collectionin their area. The State office works closely with these programs to ensure volunteers are receiving appropriate support and training.
Adopt-A-Stream currentlyhas over 1,200activevolunteers monitoring nearly 200 sites. Our bi-monthly newsletter has over 4,500 subscribers. We invite you to join us to help protect Georgia's water resources. For more information about getting involved or to adopt your stream, please contact the State office.
Contact Information:
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division 4220 International Parkway, Suite 101 Atlanta, GA 30354 Phone: (404) 675-6240 Fax: (404) 675-6245 www.georgiaadoptastream.com
1 1 E N V I R O N M E N T A L P O E T R Y 6r A R T