Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

Coastal Restoration Division

Open-File Report 95-01

Reference citation:

Steyer, G. D., R. C. Raynie, D. L. Steller, D. Fuller and E. Swenson 1995. Quality management plan for Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act monitoring program. Open-file series no. 95-01. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Restoration Division.

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Steven G. Underwood, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Baton Rouge, La.

Shannon Holbrook, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Baton Rouge, La.

John Barras, National Biological Service, Southern Science Center, Lafayette, La.

Robert Grecko, National Biological Service, Southern Science Center, Lafayette, La.

Don Baltz, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La.

John A. Nyman, University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, La.

DISCLAIMER

The mention of trade names of commercial products in this document does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation for use by The U.S. Department of Interior, National Biological Service, or The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Restoration Division. These agencies nor their employees make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, service by trade recommendations, or process disclosed, or represent that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF FIGURES viii

LIST OF TABLES ix

PREFACE x

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xi

SECTION I. INTRODUCTION 1

I.1 Monitoring Program Overview 1

I.1.1 Program Goals 1

I.1.2 Program Structure, Responsibilities, and Coordination 2

I.1.3 Program Description 4

I.1.4 Program Implementation 10

I.1.5 Approach 10

I.1.6 Deliverables 10

I.2 Management and Organization 11

I.3 Quality Management System 13

SECTION II. PERSONNEL 15

II.1 Qualifications 15

II.2 Training 15

II.2.1 Field Methods 15

II.2.2 Laboratory Methods 18

II.2.3 Data Processing and Analysis Training 18

II.2.4 Safety 18

II.2.5 Technical and Project Management 19

II.2.6 Professional Development 19

SECTION III. PROCUREMENT OF EQUIPMENT, SERVICES, and SUPPLIES 21

III.1 Contract and Purchasing Procedures 21

SECTION IV. QUALITY ASSURANCE OBJECTIVES 23

IV.1 QA Mission Statement 23

IV.2 Measurement Quality Objectives 23

IV.3 Quality Assurance Goals 24

IV.4 Assessment of Measurement Quality 29

SECTION V. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES 31

V.1 General Considerations 31

V.2 Project Boundaries 38

V.3 Habitat Mapping 38

V.4 Meteorologic and Hydrologic Sampling 42

V.4.1 General Considerations 42

V.4.2 Precipitation 42

V.4.3 Wind Speed and Direction 43

V.4.4 Surface Water Levels 45

V.4.5 Groundwater Levels 46

V.4.6 Surface-Water Salinity and Temperature 46

V.4.7 Discharge 47

V.4.8 Suspended Sediment 48

V.4.9 Bathymetry 48

V.4.10 Topography 49

V.5 Soil/Sediment Sampling 49

V.6 Surveying 54

V.6.1 Global Positioning Systems 54

V.6.2 Elevational Surveys 57

V.7 Vertical Accretion 58

V.7.1 Average Marsh Elevation 58

V.7.2 Determination of Accretion Rates 59

V.8 Subsidence 62

V.9 Marsh Erosion and Soil Creation 62

V.10 Vegetation Sampling 64

V.11 Herbivory 66

V.12 Fisheries Sampling 66

V.13 Water Quality Sampling 68

SECTION VI. COMPUTER SYSTEM 75

VI.1 Computer System Components 75

VI.1.1 ORACLE Data Base and Network 75

VI.2 DOMSAT Receive Station 76

VI.3 Personal Computers 76

SECTION VII. DATA REVIEW, VERIFICATION, AND ANALYSIS 81

VII.1 Data Validation, Verification, and Analysis 81

VII.2 Data Analysis 82

VII.3 Statistical and Ecological Review 82

VII.3.1 Program Goals 82

VII.3.2 Evaluation of Statistical Techniques Employed 83

VII.3.3 Evaluation of Interpretation of Ecological Significance 83

SECTION VIII. DOCUMENTATION AND RECORDS 85

VIII.1 Data Entry and Editing 85

VIII.2 Filing 86

VIII.3 Tracking 88

VIII.3.1 Project Time Lines 88

VIII.3.2 Field and Laboratory Samples 88

VIII.3.3 Data and Records 88

SECTION IX. QUALITY ASSESSMENT 91

IX.1 Data Quality 91

IX.1.1 Field Data Quality 91

IX.1.2 Laboratory Data Quality 92

IX.2 Personnel Quality 92

IX.3 Program Quality 93

IX.4 Management Systems and Peer Review 93

IX.4.1 Quality Improvement Responsibilities 93

SECTION X. INFORMATION EXCHANGE 95

SECTION XI. FUTURE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT 97

XI.1 Program Development 97

XI.1.1 Field Offices and Staff 97

XI.1.2 Operation and Maintenance 98

XI.1.3 Landscape Level Impacts 98

SECTION XII. DEFINITIONS 99

SECTION XIII. SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 103

APPENDIX A Job Descriptions and Requirements A-1

APPENDIX B Forms and Data Sheets B-1

APPENDIX C Report and Data Formats C-1

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1 CWPPRA program structure 3

2 Monitoring implementation protocol 5

3 Monitoring program implementation team 12

4a Simplified Illustration of CWPPRA Regional GIS Data Base 77

4b Detailed Illustration of CWPPRA Regional GIS Data Base 78

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1 Highest Priority Monitoring Variables 6

2a Biological Analysis Section staff 16

2b National Biological Survey Analysis Section Staff 17

3 Quality Assurance Goals and Expected Ranges 25

4 Summary of QC Samples and Procedures 28

5 Recommended Procedures for Sample Collection and Storage 70

PREFACE

The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) of 1990 created an opportunity for projects to be implemented to help retard the serious loss of wetlands in Louisiana. This Act required that these projects be monitored, necessitating the development of a monitoring program to adequately assess their effectiveness. A document was produced entitled "Monitoring Program for CWPPRA Projects" (Steyer and Stewart 1992) that identified typically why, what, and how to monitor. This document was produced by technical experts from state, federal and local governmental agencies, academia and private firms, and serves as the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the monitoring program. A complimentary Quality Management Plan (QMP) was needed to ensure that all activities associated with the CWPPRA Monitoring Program were documented and met a high standard of quality.

This QMP has been developed in accordance with EPA Executive Order 5360.1, Policy and Program Requirements to Implement the Mandatory Quality Assurance Program. The QMP is a program-level document, rather than a project-specific document, and therefore incorporates the Quality Assurance Program elements that are required under EPA's Quality Management Plan and Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) Guidelines.

The QMP illustrates how the monitoring program is structured and that adequate quality assurances and controls have been embedded in the program. CWPPRA management is fully aware that restoration science is a new field and that many avenues exist for improving monitoring technologies and the associated quality system. It is understood, therefore, that this is a "living" document that will evolve over time.

Gregory D. Steyer

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This quality management plan was written by Greg Steyer, Rick Raynie, and Diana Steller of the Biological Analysis Section of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR), and Debbie Fuller of the National Biological Service (NBS), and Erick Swenson of Louisiana State University (LSU). We extend our appreciation to John Barras and Robert Grecko of NBS, Andy Nyman of the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL), Steve Underwood and Shannon Holbrook of Coastal Restoration, and Don Baltz of LSU for their assistance in the preparation of this document. We are grateful for the constructive responses and critiques of the wetland scientists, resource managers, and interagency personnel. Review comments, suggestions, and criticisms were constructively submitted by Darryl Clark, Steve Gammill, Lisa Everett, Doug Meffert, and Jim Rives of LDNR; Marty Floyd of the Natural Resources Conservation Service; Lee Foote of NBS; Charlie Demas of the U.S. Geological Survey; and Robert Twilley of the University of Southwestern Louisiana. A special thanks goes to Margo Olinde for editorial review and Elfrieda "Ozzie" Oswald for word processing, coordination, and general assistance.