I
Quality Assurance Project Plan
Protecting Subsistence Resources Monitoring Project
performed by
RAVEN COMMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
under
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Indian General Assistance Program
GROUP A: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
A1 - Title and Approval Sheet
Title: Protecting Subsistence Resources Monitoring Project
Organization: Raven Community Association
Approving Officials:
Position / Person / Signature / Approval Date
A2 - Table of Contents
GROUP A: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
A1 - Title and Approval Sheet
A2 - Table of Contents
A3 - Distribution List
A4 - Project/Task Organization
A5 - Problem Definition/Background
A6 - Project/Task Description
A7 - Quality Objectives and Criteria for Measurement Data
A8 - Special Training Requirements/Certification
A9 - Documentation and Records
GROUP B: MEASUREMENT/DATA ACQUISITION
B1 - Sampling Process Design (Experimental Design)
B2 - Sampling Methods Requirements
B3 - Sample Handling and Custody Requirements
B4 - Analytical Methods Requirements
B5 - Quality Control Requirements
B6 - Instrument/Equipment Testing, Inspection, and Maintenance Requirements
B7 - Instrument Calibration and Frequency
B8 - Inspections/Acceptance Requirements for supplies and Consumables
B9 - Data Acquisition Requirements (Non-direct Measurements)
B10 - Data Management
GROUP C: ASSESSMENT/OVERSIGHT
C1 - Assessments and Response Actions
C2 - Reports to Management
GROUP D: DATA VALIDATAION AND USABILITY
D1 - Data Review, Validation, and Verification Requirements
D2 - Validation and Verification Methods
D3 - Reconciliation with User Requirements
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
A3 - Distribution List
The following individuals and organizations will receive copies of the approved QAPP and any subsequent revisions.
Individual / OrganizationJohn Smith / Raven Community Association
John Smith / Raven Community Association
John Smith / Environmental Protection Agency
John Smith / Environmental Protection Agency
John Smith / Raven Native Corporation
John Smith / Alaska Department of Fish and Game
A4 - Project/Task Organization
The project team organization is shown in the following organization chart. The specific roles and responsibilities of each person/entity are described below.
John Smith, Raven Community Association – Environmental Coordinator
Mr. Smith will be responsible for the overall project management. He will be the primary contact person in charge of the project. He will oversee the water quality monitoring efforts and other project activities,
John Smith, Raven Community Association - Environmental Technician
Mr. Smith will be responsible for completing the assigned field monitoring outlined in this QAPP. He will train and oversee all volunteer field technicians that will conduct monitoring under the Protecting Subsistence Resources Monitoring Project.
John Smith, Smith Consulting Services – Quality Assurance Officer
Mr. Smith of Smith Consulting Services will serve as the Raven Community Association Quality Assurance Officer. He will be responsible for assuring the objectives of this Quality Assurance Project Plan are met and adhered to over the course of the monitoring.
Raven Tribal Council, Raven Community Association
The Raven Tribal Council will be responsible for guidance for the project by planning and prioritize water quality monitoring important to the Tribe.
A5 - Problem Definition/Background
Raven is located within Alaska, in which an abundant array of migratory and resident fish are subsisted on by local people. There are certain times when each species is sought after in order to get top quality fish. The boundaries surrounding the community are starting to show signs of more environmental stress from increased population, development, and climate change. The aftermath of each fall storm, were signs of resident specie caresses of countless fish used for subsistence taken during fall/winter season to store.
The Raven Community Association (RCA) houses an environmental department that works towards addressing environmental concerns within the community. The primary objective of this project is to assess the potential impact of road development on subsistence resources in adjoining aquatic habitats. The initial phase of this project will be to establish a baseline of basic water quality information, which can be used for comparison purposes for longer term monitoring. While this current project will focus on marine water quality monitoring, RCA will be working towards adding fish habitat assessment parameters which will be included in formal updates to the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).
A6 - Project/Task Description
This QAPP is developed for the purpose of supporting sampling activities and baseline data collection for marine water quality associated with road development in Raven, Alaska. The primary task will be to conduct regular in-situ sampling events to establish a baseline for basic water parameters including: nitrates, pH, alkalinity, carbon dioxide, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature and turbidity.
This QAPP may be revised as a full water quality and fish habitat monitoring program has been established by RCA. Currently, this QAPP addresses baseline information. However, other contaminants and fish habitat are a concern and may be added at a later date when funding becomes available.
A7 - Quality Objectives and Criteria for Measurement Data
The project data quality objectives are to collect data within accepted accuracy needed to establish a baseline of information for aquatic fish habitat in Raven, Alaska. All data will provide a baseline of data which can be used in an environmental assessment document and for reporting required by funding agencies.
Precision
Precision is the degree of agreement among repeated measurements of the same characteristic, or parameter, and gives information about the consistency of methods. All field tests performed by RCA staff will comply with equipment specifications. All results will be recorded in lab logbooks; however, results which fall outside the specified range will not be entered into the project data system.
Accuracy
Accuracy is a measure of confidence that describes how close a measurement is to its” true” value. In this project, accuracy is measured by duplicate sampling.
Representativeness
Representativeness is the extent to which measurements actually represent the true environmental condition. Representativeness of data collected is assured by the location of sampling sites.
Comparability
Comparability is the degree to which data can be compared directly to similar studies. Using standardized sampling equipment and units of reporting with comparable sensitivity ensures comparability. All results produced under this QAPP will be reported in metrics common to water quality regulations specific to each parameter.
Completeness
Completeness is the comparison between the amounts of usable data collected versus the amount of data called for in the sampling plan. Completeness is measured as the percentage of total samples collected and analyzed as a whole and compared to the goals set out by the project design. To measure completeness the primary number of samples collected will be divided by the useable number of samples submitted to the funding agency with a goal of 85%
completeness.
A8 - Special Training Requirements/Certification
Trained personnel will conduct all field sampling and data collecting for the FY 2011 GAP Protecting Subsistence Resources Project. The US EPA’s guidelines and restrictions will be used on measurements for the project.
John Smith has had training and completed the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society’s Tribal Water Quality Assessment Phase I, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council Water Quality Workshop, and Bureau of Indian Affairs Water Quality.
John Smith has had and completed the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council Water Quality Workshop, NOAA Tribal Marine Science Workshop, which included Traditional Knowledge, uses of marine resources, the ecology of marine plants, invertebrates, fish, and marine mammal species commonly used for subsistence by Alaska Natives, testing for paralytic shellfish positioning, and concepts of physical oceanography which may be important for monitoring conditions in the marine environment that affect Alaska’s coastal communities.
A9 - Documentation and Records
The current QAPP will be maintained at the RCA’s Environmental Department office and the offices of Smith Consulting Services. Any changes necessitate by unforeseen conditions will be transmitted by fax or email to the funding agency’s Project Officer, the RCA Quality Assurance Officer and the EPA.
Data will be entered into an Excel spreadsheet and stored on the RCA Environmental Department’s computer network. Data will also be stored on a compact disc and/or back-up hard drive and housed at the RCA and off-site with the RQuality Assurance Officer at Smith Consulting Services. All electronic and hardcopies of data for the project will be filed and stored at RCA for a minimum of 10 years.
GROUP B: MEASUREMENT/DATA ACQUISITION
B1 - Sampling Process Design (Experimental Design)
Field water quality sampling data collected under this QAPP will be taken at Insert sampling locations. Sampling events will occur in the spring after ice break-up and prior to road construction activities, in the summer during road construction activities and in the Fall after road construction activities before ice formation. Sampling locations were chosen where water crosses the road corridor, both above and below the road, in order to determine the effects of the road on water quality (Appendix A).
At each site the field team will use in-situ LaMotte Salt Water Test Kit and LaMotte Turbidity Meter to measure the following parameters: ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, alkalinity, carbon dioxide, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature and turbidity. Daily weather observations, GPS and site photos will also be taken at each sampling location.
Additional test may be added to this monitoring program in the future, as funding becomes available, and the QAPP will be updated in include any new parameters that are added. All data will be used to determine if water quality is affecting subsistence based resources in adjacent waterways.
B2- Sampling Methods and Requirements
The sampling events are schedule for spring, summer and fall to coincide with road construction activities. Each sampling location will be marked by GPS. Flagging will be hung at the sampling location in order to find the exact location for each sampling event. While sampling sites have been pre-determined using maps, some refinement in the selection will occur during the first sampling event to assure sample sites are representative. Water samples will be collected directly from the waterway, with the sampler standing in the water in the opposite direction of water flow. The samples will be collected into vials supplied in the LaMotte Salt Water Test kit. At each site, the collection vials will be rinsed 3 times in water from that site. Between sites, the collection vials will be washed with Liquinox, and then rinsed in deionized water. Each sample will be conducted and recorded twice to meet the accuracy and precision measurements set by this QAPP.
Sampling methods will be in accordance with the step by step process for each parameter as specified by the operating manual for each piece of equipment (Appendix X). The data will be recorded onto data sheets as soon as the results are read for each parameter tested. The RCA Environmental Planner will assure that all reagents are not expired prior to use, and will assure that all reagents are disposed of property after the samples have been analyzed.
The RCA Quality Assurance Officer is responsible for any correction action plan. Corrective actions may include re-location of sampling site, omission of data due to improper collection and/or potential cross-contamination, un-reconcilable flagged data.
B3 - Sample Handling and Custody Requirements
All field sampling will be conducted on site at each sampling location. The samples will be tested, and logged onto data collection sheets (Appendix X). In the field, samples will be the responsibility of and will stay with the RCA Environmental staff person until the test results are complete. There are no chain-of-custody requirements at this time because samples will not be transported.
B4 - Analytical Methods Requirements
The water samples collected under this QAPP will be analyzed for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, alkalinity, carbon dioxide, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature and turbidity in brackish waters. Water drawn from the identified sampling locations will be tested in-situ with LaMotte field equipment (LaMotte Salt Water Test Kit and LaMotte Turbidity Meter), in accordance to sampling instructions that accompany the equipment.
Responsibility for corrective action during the laboratory falls on RCA Quality Assurance Project Officer. If data do not meet quality objectives of this QAPP (Appendix X) the RCA Quality Assurance Officer will work with RCA staff and the funding agency representative to resolve the issues.
B5 - Quality Control Requirements
The LaMotte Salt Water Test kit comes with prepared one-time-only tests for each of the nine parameters. The LaMotte Turbidity meter will be calibrated prior to each sampling event in accordance to calibration procedures provided in Appendix X. Each sampling event will include X locations. At each sampling location field measurements will be gathered in duplicate. Any deviation from the data quality objectives will be documented and sites will be re-sampled. Variation of duplicate values for each parameter must not exceed the range of precision and accuracy specified in the data quality objectives (Appendix X). Field data that do not meet project accuracy and precision objectives will be omitted from reporting and replicated.
B6 - Instrument/Equipment Testing, Inspection, and Maintenance Requirements
The LaMotte equipment used to collect salt water quality parameters will be calibrated as described in Section B7. A general visual inspection of the meter will take place prior to each use. Maintenance of the meters will occur on an as needed basis. If instrument failure occurs during a sampling event, all field data will be omitted and replicated once proper function is ensured in accordance with the data quality objectives of this QAPP. All field equipment maintenance is the responsibility of the RCA Environmental Planner.
B7 - Instrument Calibration and Frequency
There are no calibration requirements for the LaMotte Salt Water Test kit. Each test is a colorimetric and/or visual reading, where reagents are added to sample water and compared back to color charts. Calibration of the LaMotte Turbidity meter will be conducted prior to each field day use and recorded on the data sheet used for this study (Appendix X). Calibration methods will be in accordance to procedures outlined by the LaMotte Turbidity Meter operating manual (cite reference). Turbidity will be calibrated to known blanks for salt water testing. Refer to Appendix X for detailed calibration procedures for the LaMotte Turbidity Meter.